Beauty Forum Feb23 - Flipbook - Page 76
Louise Smith
Louise is the owner of Accent on Nails,
Auckland and has been in the nail business
for 14 years, as both a salon owner and a
hands on owner operator. We asked
Louise to talk us through her experience in
the industry - the good, the bad and the
ugly.
From the beginning
Behind the
Nail Tec
The challenges of being self employed
Wow, it's hard work – there’s no two ways about it!
The past few years have been particularly tough
but you do have to adapt and change with the
times. Keeping a positive mind-set and being as
organised as you can be is key. You practice time
management but in reality any sole trader will tell
you there are just not enough hours in the day, so
prioritise tasks.
I’ve been self-employed for around 14 years now.
I started working in a salon which I eventually
purchased. I employed staff but also worked hands
on until 4 years ago when I sold the salon and
started as a sole trader working out of Under Your
Skin in Mairangi Bay, Auckland.
Keeping yourself motivated is essential and I’ve
found surrounding yourself with like-minded
people keeps your motivation levels up and is a
good way to bounce ideas around with others.
What’s to Love?
Knowing the industry is very helpful, you do need
to be compliant and show levels of education and
training in the areas you want to work in. Having
some insights into business practice really helps.
I love my clients and enjoy creating beautiful
looking nails that are healthy. I love seeing my
clients feel great and seeing them leave the clinic
looking stunning. It’s an instantly gratifying job
seeing the process from start to finish in one
session. I do enjoy playing with and exploring new
products that come on the market and creating
unique features and looks.
Beauty Forum Magazine
Business set up experience
There are a lot of hidden costs you wouldn’t even
think about until you are actually in the game. It is
expensive running a salon and you need to put a
lot of energy and work into it. Managing staff
requires a whole different set of skills!
