Blueprint of a First Year: a Nails Magazine Blog

Moving, IBS, and More

NAILS Magazine — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:27:22 GMT

This month has been very busy for me. I’ve moved shops and am temporarily located with an awesome group of the most encouraging women I’ve ever worked with! They are all excited for me to live out my dream of having my own shop. I’m sure it goes without saying that relocating one more time wasn’t on my list of “Top Ten Things To Do” but it has turned out to be a real blessing.

I went to Las Vegas and worked at the IBS show, which was so much fun. I bought several new products for my salon but the most exciting one is my new gel kit from Nubar. I hope to add gels to my nail menu later this fall. I will be attending a gel class in August during the Northwest Nail Tech Event. I also bought body glitter and intend on offering temporary tattoos using henna and the glitter. While in Vegas I also took the VivKat class and it was amazing! Being able to add gel nails and 3-D art to my menu will put me as the only one in my county to offer these services.

The construction has begun at my house. The first thing we had to do is relocate the entrance, which is almost finished. The construction of my actual salon should start later this week. During all this we’re also going through a little family crisis, but I’ve been reassured that this too shall pass. I'm looking forward to keeping you all updated on the progress over the next few weeks.

—Marie, All Polished Up!, Dallas, Ore.

Q&A: Franchising OPI Concept Salons

NAILS Magazine — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:24:17 GMT

I want to open an OPI Concept Salon using only products made by OPI. I am located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and I'm sure I would do very well. Would I be allowed to use the OPI name in my salon name? I’d appreciate any advice you can give me! Thanks!

Sherry

Hi Sherry,

Thanks for your interest.

We’re working on coming up with a franchise or other program that would let other salon owners use the “OPI” name. Unfortunately, it’s not a simple thing to come up with. We don’t want to launch it until we work through any and all issues at ROB|B. I should have an answer for you by the end of this year or the beginning of next. There’s not a current program that will let you use OPI in your salon name.

—George Schaeffer, president/CEO, OPI Products Inc.

Q&A: Details on Pipeless Pedicure Chairs

NAILS Magazine — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:53:52 GMT

I'm new to this field. Exactly what is a pipeless pedicure chair? How is it different from a standard pedicure chair? Is it a state requirement for any state?

Cindy

Hi Cindy,

The main difference is with the jets. A traditional piped-in pedicure chair has a pump and a network of pipes to create the jets; a pipeless system has a bowl with some type of propeller that moves the water within the bowl, creating the jet feel but without the water moving through pipes where bacteria can collect. The fresh pedicure water does still come in through pipes and there is a power drain.

The issue with a lot of pipes is they are hard to clean. The piped-in chairs take a lot of time for proper cleaning, and many salons don’t take them apart and clean them as thoroughly as their state boards require. It’s not a state requirement to have pipeless pedicure chairs. It is a trend, however, and one that I think is beneficial for client safety.

—Robbie, ROB|B: An OPI Concept Salon, Studio City, Calif.

Meet Michelle

NAILS Magazine — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:56:00 GMT

Sometimes things are just meant to happen and usually when you least expect it. My name is Michelle Barteaux, and I’ve been working in the beauty industry for more than 15 years. I knew right away that my real passion was nails. For over a dozen years, I’d dreamt about and had the concept for my studio. Like most, I didn’t have the money or experience to build my dream, but I loved what I did and knew I had to work hard and keep pushing. I feel fortunate to have some incredible people in my life who have assisted and encouraged me with almost every aspect of my business.

In the late ‘90s I met Arlene Rushworth with en Vogue Sculptured Nail Systems. She quickly became a mentor and the educator I needed to really push my skills. I have been an international educator for en Vogue since 2000, delivering seminars and training workshops throughout North America; I will continue to educate part time, but I’m really looking forward to spending most of my time in the new studio.

My business has had numerous expansions and moves over the years, each one a step closer to what I envisioned 12 years ago. I started with a single room in an older home in a fairly remote area, expanded at home, grew out of our home and hunted for commercial property before settling on a custom-built 900-sq.-ft. studio in a new home. I thought that was as close as I would get. I didn’t want to lease space and finding quality commercial property in Victoria is rare. Then it just happened…I saw the space and I knew it was perfect — and it was for sale.

It took more than a year to close the deal and build the studio but it is everything I dreamed of.

Talons Nail Evolution is a full-service studio that provides gel nail enhancements, pedicures, manicures, eyelash extensions, waxing, and basic esthetic services. It’s also the exclusive Vancouver Island Education and Distribution Center for en Vogue Sculptured Nail Systems and Essie.

I would like to say thanks to all the girls that work in the studio; they are fantastic and second to none. You’ll be hearing more about them later.

—Michelle, Talons Nail Evolution, Victoria, B.C., Canada

Meet Marie

NAILS Magazine — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:38:16 GMT

I’m 38 years old, and I’m excited to be in the very beginning stages of building my own home-based salon. I have permission from my city to have my business, and my floor plans are at the architect as I write. When the plans are finished, they’ll go to the city for approval, then we’ll start taking bids for the construction. The salon name I’ve picked is “All Polished Up!” and I was thrilled to find out, after turning in my application to the city, that I can claim the name! That means I can start getting logos figured out, business cards designed, and other advertising materials printed.

I’ve worked in several different salons over the years, and each one has helped develop my dream of having my own salon. For me, it truly was just a dream until this year. With the amazing support, and encouragement of my husband, we’re making this dream a reality. I want my own salon because: I want my customers to be in a place that represents my style and beliefs of how customers should be treated, and I want to be closer to my four teenage boys and give them every opportunity to experience our fabulous industry. I also want to be the one who makes the final decisions as to what does or doesn’t happen in my workplace.

I love the feeling of taking a client who has never taken time out for herself and totally pampering her. Whether it’s a new haircut, set of nails, or, my personal favorite, a pedicure, I want my clients to feel special and to really see that they can sparkle! Let’s face it, with our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to get caught up in all the things we have to get done and to forget that we need to be taken care of too. I truly believe in treating others the way you would want to be treated, so I try to accept people where they are in life and to take them to a place where they can be All Polished Up!

—Marie, All Polished Up!, Dallas, Ore.

Meet Candice

NAILS Magazine — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:39:38 GMT

I have to start by saying that when NAILS Magazine’s managing editor Sree asked me a few weeks ago if I’d be interested in blogging about my new nail studio’s first year, I was incredibly flattered. So flattered, in fact, that I said yes without thinking. When I got off the phone with her, I called myself every name I could think of (and I know a lot). One, I'm not a writer. Two, I have yet to actually work as a nail tech and here I am getting ready to open my own nail studio. Three, I'd better succeed or I'll be failing very publicly. I don't think I needed any more reasons to call myself names.

So, a little background about me. The beauty industry is completely new to me. For about the past nine years I've actually worked in the financial sector. About a year ago I decided to completely re-think my career and move away from jobs that were so driven by numbers (my natural love). I felt like I really wanted a career where I could provide a service to people and do something that would really benefit their lives in a positive way. As I was brainstorming, it occurred to me that one of the things that gave me a lot of pleasure and made me feel feminine was having beautiful nails, so off I went!

When I went to nail school last year, my daughter Hailey had just graduated high school and decided to join me, which was a lot of fun. We finished school in California, and I got my license last October there — about two weeks after we moved to Washington state! So now I’m in the process of getting my license here, while at the same time getting ready to open up Panache Nail Studio. My husband Loren was very supportive of the change, and he's playing a huge role in making this all come together. My son Kean is only slightly less happy for me because we made him paint!

Currently the plan is to open on July 1st. Hailey will be joining me once she gets her license up here too, and I'm really excited (and scared) to be working with my daughter! So far this has been an amazing journey for me, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

—Candice, Panache Nail Studio, Marysville, Wash.

Introducing New Blueprint Bloggers

NAILS Magazine — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:49:01 GMT

Congratulations to Robbie for opening up his first salon! Robbie will keep blogging here to talk about what he's learning in his first year of being open, but this blog will also be introducing several other new salon owners in the coming weeks. You'll be hearing from Candice Everest of Washington State, Marie Davis of Oregon, and Michelle Barteaux of Victoria, Canada. And hopefully we'll be introducing more in the coming months. Stay tuned for their introductory posts!

—NAILS editors

9 Things I've Learned From Opening a Nail Salon

NAILS Magazine — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:30:29 GMT

When I first started blogging in December of 2006, I started with the hope that we could learn from each other. Now, nearly two and a half years later, my salon doors are finally open, and, despite the ups and downs, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. With that in mind, I've compiled a list of things I've learned during this experience; maybe it will help pave the way for some of you to have a smoother opening experience.

1. Have a soft opening. Don't just throw a grand opening party as soon as you service your first paying customer. You'll still be making personnel and layout tweaks, so wait for those changes before you do an official "grand opening."

2. Don't just invest in yourself and your space, also invest in giving your nail techs the proper training before your doors open. Recruit friends and family to volunteer for trial nail services. You can also hold other types of training like customer service skills. I'm currently working on getting a class on how to retail in the salon, because we're not doing well with product sales yet.

3. Hire techs with experience. At first, I thought hiring newbie techs with no clientele was a good idea because I figured I'd able to mold their skills easier. Unfortunately, I found out there were some big cons to this theory: customers notice their inexperience and immaturity. This can also cause drama in the salon.

4. Be in the digital age. Go after clients via the Internet, including e-newsletters, e-mail confirmations, and online appointment booking.

5. Finding the right business partner and manager is trial-and-error. If you're going into business with a partner, I'd say make sure your partner is right for you. Both partners have to come in on an equal level and be on the same page. Regarding managers, pay careful attention early on to the person's human relations skills; it's crucial to make sure your techs are in a comfortable environment.

6. Diversify your menu. Women don't want to make multiple stops for their beauty services. I say this although I'm having problems getting customers for facials right now. I think you might be able to avoid this if you hire an established esthetician who can bring clients with her.

7. Marketing and follow-up is important. Send out tons of press releases and promotional e-mail blasts that highlight a different service every month. If there's an area of your business that's lacking (like facials), then focus on marketing that business. At ROB|B, if we haven't heard from a person in several weeks, we'll call them to ask why (It is us? The economy?), so we can fix our problems.

8. Especially in this economic environment, go above and beyond to retain customers. At ROB|B, we guarantee all of our work.

9. Never give up. No matter how bad it gets, don't throw in the towel. A nearby hair salon owner is about to close her doors. I've encouraged her to just try and get through the summer or the fall.

Grand Opening Party Photos

NAILS Magazine — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:36:07 GMT

I was so proud of all of my techs at our grand opening events in March. The girls all shined. You can see pictures in the Grand Opening Gallery on the lefthand side of the page.

The daytime event, which was open to the general public, was a little weak on guests, but we were able to input into our computer system all of the information of everyone who did attend, and they’ve been getting our e-blasts ever since. The evening press event was amazing and beyond my expectations. We had almost 90 members of the press there. That was huge because it will help us get the word out about the salon. We’ve been mentioned in lots of blogs since, and even in the Los Angeles Times by a reporter who attended the party.

The salon website, www.robbsalon.com has been up and running for about three weeks now. We have an online booking function that’s been working well. About 15%-20% of our appointments have been via online booking, and we average about 3 to 4 new people registering online each day on the site. All of their infomation goes straight into our database. I’d definitely recommend our software program; Salon STX has proved to be solid.

We’re running a few specials currently, including “Pink Slip” Mini-Manicures, where, on Wednesdays between noon and 2 p.m., we treat customers who are recently out of work with a mini-manicure. We’re trying to give back and we’ve had a few people take advantage of that so far. It runs through April 29. We’ve also launched a Nail Biter Program, a series of consultations to help nail biters overcome the bad habit and grow beautiful nails. We haven’t gotten any takers yet, but we’ve gotten some press on it to help get the word out.

RSVP to Our Grand Opening Party

NAILS Magazine — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:37:11 GMT

The salon is having its grand opening party on Thursday (March 19). The event — which will be an open house including free mini-manicures, Murad mini-facials and drinks and food provided by sponsor Hearst Publications — will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the salon site (12246 Ventura Blvd.; Studio City, CA 91614). It’s open to the public, but please RSVP to info@robbsalon.com by Wednesday (March 18) so we can gauge how many people to expect.

We’ll also be hosting a private event, for press only, that same evening, which will be similar except it will include some mini-speeches by key salon players. I’m looking forward to both.

We’ve been sending out e-promos lately via our software Salon STX. Our client coordinator Josh writes them up after checking with me for the current special. I’m happy with the response we’re getting; about 75% are being opened and we haven’t had a lot of people unsubscribing from the list.