If you’re a nail technician, there’s a good chance you’ve asked yourself this question before!
Should I work for a salon? Should I go self-employed? Or could I eventually open a salon of my own?
There’s no simple answer - and being your own boss isn’t automatically the right decision for every nail tech.
At JANEA, we’ve seen this from both sides. Having run JANEA Nails & Beauty for seven years, employed more than 50 people during that time and interviewed many more, we’ve gained a pretty good insight into what nail technicians look for in their careers - and some of the things that can be easily overlooked.
So, let’s look at the options.
The case for being employed
Sometimes employment can get unfairly treated as the less exciting option. There are however some significant advantages to working as an employed nail technician.
You’re more likely to be part of a team, working alongside other nail techs, sharing ideas and learning from each other. You should have greater certainty around your hours and your income. You accrue paid holiday - 5.6 weeks a year - and your employer contributes towards your pension.
There are other protections too, including statutory sick pay when you’re unwell and statutory maternity pay if you’re starting a family. Having a regular salary can also make things more straightforward when it comes to matters such as applying for a mortgage.
Together, these benefits and protections can be worth a substantial amount on top of your basic salary. They’re easy to overlook too, but they have real value.
For others though, there is another side.
The case for being self-employed
There’s a reason self-employment appeals to so many people in the beauty industry.
You can decide your pricing, choose the services you offer and the products you use. You can set your own schedule, decide when you want to work and have much more flexibility over where and how you do your job.
And if you build a strong client base and run the business brilliantly, there’s the potential to earn more as well.
Of course, freedom comes with responsibility. When you’re self-employed, there’s no employer paying you while you’re on holiday or off sick. Your income can fluctuate. You’re responsible for attracting and retaining clients, managing your diary and handling the admin side of your business.
For some nail techs, this is a leap they want to take. For others, it sounds like a very good reason to stay employed!
And that is the point. What suits one person may be different to another. What is most important is understanding what you’re choosing - including the bits that don’t immediately spring to mind.
Is the nail industry moving more towards self-employment?
It’s clear to us that more nail technicians want to build businesses of their own, and we think that trend is likely to accelerate. But there’s another side to this shift.
Running an employed salon has become increasingly expensive. Salon owners are contending with rising employment costs, business rates, energy bills and other overheads, while customers themselves continue to feel pressure from the cost of living.
For VAT-registered businesses, VAT adds another significant obstacle.
None of this is unique to nails and beauty. Many customer-facing businesses - including restaurants and bars - are dealing with the same challenge: costs have risen substantially while there is a limit to how much of those increases can be passed on to customers.
That creates a difficult reality. Most salon owners - including us - started their businesses because they loved nails, beauty, customers and the idea of building a successful business. The reality is that running a salon can now involve too high a focus on admin and cost rather than doing the things we enjoy.
That doesn’t mean the traditional salon is going to disappear. But we think the way salons operate will evolve, with self-employed and hybrid models becoming an increasingly important part of the industry.
What if I want to open my own salon?
Going from nail technician to salon owner is a much bigger step than becoming self-employed. You’re no longer only thinking about your own clients and diary - you’re thinking about premises, costs, marketing, staffing and the overall customer experience.
If owning a salon is your ambition, there are a few things we think are particularly worth considering.
Location really does matter
Yes, it’s a cliché: location, location, location!
A great location can make a huge difference. But that doesn’t necessarily mean paying the highest rent for the most obvious unit on the busiest street.
A premises on a side street, or just outside the most expensive part of a busy area, can work extremely well if you combine it with strong marketing.
Marketing is key
Google, Instagram and other online channels give independent beauty businesses an enormous opportunity to find customers, show their work and build relationships with the people.
Your ability to market the business is often just as important as your technical ability as a nail technician.
Think carefully about your staffing model
If you want other nail technicians or beauty professionals working from your salon, think carefully about how you want that relationship to work.
Do you want an employed team? A self-employed model? Or potentially a combination?
Each comes with different responsibilities, costs and benefits, and it’s something worth thinking about before you start the business.
So, which route should you choose?
There isn’t one correct career path for a nail technician.
A period of employment can be a brilliant way to develop your skills and learn how a successful salon operates. Self-employment can teach you how to build and retain a client base. Those experiences may eventually give you the confidence and knowledge to open a salon of your own.
Or you may discover that you’re perfectly happy exactly where you are. The goal isn’t necessarily to become your own boss. The goal is to build the career and working life that suits you.
At JANEA, we think the beauty industry is evolving, and we want to help nail technicians navigate these times - whether you’re employed, self-employed or dreaming about the day you open your own salon.
In a future article, we’ll look at the practical side of growing a nail business: how to attract more customers, build a loyal client base and keep your appointment book full.
