When you’re starting off on your nail technician journey, one of the first things you’ll need to determine is whether you want to work at an established salon or spa or whether you’d rather rent a suite to handle your own clientele. Working for either a nail salon or suite comes with its own sets of pros and cons. That said, whether you should work at a salon or suite really comes down to your personal situation and what you want to get out of your nail technician journey.
Working at a traditional salon or at a nail suite can become a profitable career that you can do either full-time on the side, part-time, or even seasonally. Ultimately, it’ll depend on a few factors, like whether you’re looking for a stable job, enjoy being a self-starter, and how much time you want to spend working as a professional nail technician.
Working At A Nail Salon Or Spa
Working at a nail salon is more like a traditional job, where you’ll have set hours and will get paid an hourly rate in addition to making tips or commissions. Working at an established nail salon comes with a lot of perks. For one, many salons will provide training and will do their own promotion so you can grow your skills and your client list. This can provide a steady stream of income that works as a full-time job or part-time side hustle you can use to make extra money. If you don’t have a current client list and are just starting off, this might be the easier route to take.
In terms of drawbacks, working at a nail salon means that you’ll have a boss you’ll be reporting to and will have to be at the salon when you are scheduled. Unlike working for yourself and renting a nail suite, this is less convenient if you’re looking to do nails seasonally or part-time since you’ll need to figure out a schedule with a salon owner or manager.
This also means you’ll likely be limited to the techniques and supplies provided by the salon. The average amount of money you’ll make as a nail tech depends on a number of factors, including where you live and the prices at the particular salon. As you’d expect, luxury salons and spas often pay more in base pay and tips or commissions.
Working For Yourself At A Nail Suite
If you don’t want to work at a traditional nail salon, most cities and towns have nail suites that you can rent out for a fee to provide your nail tech services to your clients. This is a great solution for those who already have an established client list, as you won’t have to rely on a salon to bring in new customers.
Working for yourself at a nail suite also means that you can charge what you want, and you will make more money per client than you likely would at an established salon. Additionally, it means that you can be your own boss, market your services however you want, and do whatever techniques you want to do, as long as it’s popular with your clients. You can set your own schedule and work as much or as little as you want, so this is a great option for those with a busy schedule, students, or people with a full-time career.
Renting a suite, however, also has its own drawbacks. For one, you’ll need to schedule your appointments carefully because you won’t be able to double-book clients, or else they’ll have to wait. You also need to cover the costs and supplies, as well as pay the rental fee for the suite, which comes with some upfront costs. Like any business, you’ll need to make sure you’re organized and communicate with clients – as well as come up with standards like a cancellation policy so that you don’t lose money in the long run.
Should You Work At A Nail Salon Or A Nail Suite?
Whether you should work at a nail salon or a suite really depends on your personal situation. If you are looking for steady employment and want to learn from the best, working at a nail salon is probably your best bet. There’s no upfront investment; you get paid hourly as well as tips or commissions, and the salon’s popularity can help build your client list.
On the other hand, if you have an entrepreneurial spirit and already have a list of people who want to get their nails done by you, renting our nail suite might be your best bet. It’s also great for people who have a lot of other obligations and can only do nails part-time, off hours, or seasonally, as you won’t have to abide by the salon’s schedule. Although there are upfront costs, if you have enough clients, you can end up making a lot more money as long as you budget properly and remember to take out a portion of your profit for taxes.
Before you work at a nail salon or suite, however, it’s required in all 50 states that you get your nail technician license. To do so, you’ll need to pass your state exam and attend a licensed nail school. If you live in the Chicago area, you can schedule a tour and visit A Plus Nail School.
