Doing Nails as a living.

[IndigoSkies 168]

Excuse me while I laugh hysterically. A person can make $2000 a week doing nails? WHY hell did I go to school for many years then? I should've just become a fabulous man. Then I could've done nails and earned lots of greekbacks.

[Fandango 1,440]

2000-3000 a week is preposterous in those type of places. I know...I'm a licensed nail tech for 20 years, and was a regional salon manager for many of them, before I moved into the 'upscale' market. But I managed chains, one of which had 7-10 locations, 20-30 girls in each location, and it was the model of the salons you are referring to....conveyor belt places 'get em in, get em out' but we all had fun still with our customers. more customers = more money. If the salon is paying a split of what is brought in - which I'd be hard pressed to find something different, all you have to do is to do the simple math to figure it out.

Back in the day, I'd book 30 mins for everything...which was incredibly fast. Many times, I'd squeeze in people here and there as well. But let's say somehow, she can do three people an hour. An acrylic fill is cheap...no more than 12-18 bucks. But let's say each customer's bill is $20. That's $60 an hour...You have to understand that this is a ludicrous notion that she'll have 3 customers in her chair every hour, all paying $20. Go pass by the salons, see what is on offer and how busy they are, see if anyone's sitting around.

$60 an hour for 40 hours is 2400. BUT then you either have to split that with the house - usually a 50/50 split. So that makes it $1200. Or you have to pay your booth rental and supply costs.

Again, keep in mind this is 'best case scenario'. Fill ins can be as little as $12, manicures can be $8, and I will bet my azz she will never see 120 people a week.

Back in the 90's, being fully booked was not a problem. In fact, I was actually always fully booked as far as the book could go, AND I had a waiting list. In this economy, and the fact that there are nail salons on every corner? Good luck.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Happy Bunny

[Fandango 1,440]

Excuse me while I laugh hysterically. A person can make $2000 a week doing nails? WHY hell did I go to school for many years then? I should've just become a fabulous man. Then I could've done nails and earned lots of greekbacks.

Hey, don't knock it though..it's a good option. I was going to college full time, and working full time, and my first tax return when I was 17 was for about $40k.

[lindal24 1]

2000-3000 a week is preposterous in those type of places. I know...I'm a licensed nail tech for 20 years, and was a regional salon manager for many of them, before I moved into the 'upscale' market. But I managed chains, one of which had 7-10 locations, 20-30 girls in each location, and it was the model of the salons you are referring to....conveyor belt places 'get em in, get em out' but we all had fun still with our customers. more customers = more money. If the salon is paying a split of what is brought in - which I'd be hard pressed to find something different, all you have to do is to do the simple math to figure it out.

Back in the day, I'd book 30 mins for everything...which was incredibly fast. Many times, I'd squeeze in people here and there as well. But let's say somehow, she can do three people an hour. An acrylic fill is cheap...no more than 12-18 bucks. But let's say each customer's bill is $20. That's $60 an hour...You have to understand that this is a ludicrous notion that she'll have 3 customers in her chair every hour, all paying $20. Go pass by the salons, see what is on offer and how busy they are, see if anyone's sitting around.

$60 an hour for 40 hours is 2400. BUT then you either have to split that with the house - usually a 50/50 split. So that makes it $1200. Or you have to pay your booth rental and supply costs.

Again, keep in mind this is 'best case scenario'. Fill ins can be as little as $12, manicures can be $8, and I will bet my azz she will never see 120 people a week.

Back in the 90's, being fully booked was not a problem. In fact, I was actually always fully booked as far as the book could go, AND I had a waiting list. In this economy, and the fact that there are nail salons on every corner? Good luck.

You also have to keep in mind that we're talking about shops in small communities where the prices are a bit higher. Yes, you can get fill ins as little as 12 and manicures at 8, but where my sister works, it's closer to 15-20 fill and 15 for manicures. ALSO, the shop she works at, there are 8 people and the split is 40-60. Your math above is close, but you're also leaving out CASH tips...

[lindal24 1]

Hey, don't knock it though..it's a good option. I was going to college full time, and working full time, and my first tax return when I was 17 was for about $40k.

You were 17 and your first income taxes reflected 40K...did that include your tips? Think in terms of inflation these days...and the fact that some cash employees may not reflect their total amount earned on their taxes...I think it's pretty close to the 2000-3000/week estimate.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

In Northern VA area...we have a nail salon on every corner. Fills are $20-ish (sometimes discounted on certain days), a full set $40-45 . As someone noted, a lot of the time they spend sitting around, but they have their busy times too. In the winter, the salon I go to is pretty dead with not too many pedicures being done, only manicures mainly. I cannot imagine the employees make that much $$$. I tip 20% roughly if someone does them well and I'll keep coming back to them of course. But when it takes roughly an hour per person and even if you have a 10 hr day.....that's less then $100 in tips per day....just doesn't add up. No clue what their hourly is.

[Fandango 1,440]

You were 17 and your first income taxes reflected 40K...did that include your tips? Think in terms of inflation these days...and the fact that some cash employees may not reflect their total amount earned on their taxes...I think it's pretty close to the 2000-3000/week estimate.

But that's the thing....the nail industry does not reflect inflation...the prices in these types of salons are actually the same as they were back then. Did you not read my post before that one laying out how they get paid? It's a no brainer. A nail tech is not going to make $100-$150k yearly plus tips. Salon owners, managers, upscale salons...maybe...but not chop shop places.

And yeah, it did include my tips.

Like I said, it's a great way to make money, it's hard grafting, mind you, but it's a very lucrative job....

Edited June 7, 2010 by Happy Bunny

[ScottThuy 140]

I know many men doing this... alot of male friends working in nail shops as well as owners...

[Fandango 1,440]

You also have to keep in mind that we're talking about shops in small communities where the prices are a bit higher. Yes, you can get fill ins as little as 12 and manicures at 8, but where my sister works, it's closer to 15-20 fill and 15 for manicures. ALSO, the shop she works at, there are 8 people and the split is 40-60. Your math above is close, but you're also leaving out CASH tips...

I estimated $20 a customer, which is well above the actual. And I estimated 3 customers an hour, which is also above the norm. Even with 10% more in a split, she's not going to make $2-$3k a week PLUS tips, no way.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Happy Bunny

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I know many men doing this... alot of male friends working in nail shops as well as owners...

Sorry - that creeps me out. The old salon I went to seemed to have some husbands or boyfriends hanging around a lot and then one day they gave me a guy to do my pedicure. Creepy. I asked for a woman the next time and eventually stopped going there.

[Vivi6 12]

I know my wife's cousins in Georgia live quite lavishly and spend lots of money, and live in nice houses over in Georgia. One of her cousins just bought a new Acura TL working under an owner and she spends money like crazy.

Just my 2 cents...she still lives in Georgia. I pay a high price to live in CA, but man, I would not change it for anything else! People tell me "Oh you know, with that kind of money you could buy a mansion on other states"...well, I like my condo in SD and would not swap it for a 5 bedroom in Texas...no offense, I just love it here in CA

she claims she gets paid the $2000-$3000 per week. Thats pretty good since it's under the table and most likely none of them file.

For sure, but in my opinion this is not the smartest thing to do, especially here in the US...

[Teacher Mark 53]

Sorry - that creeps me out. The old salon I went to seemed to have some husbands or boyfriends hanging around a lot and then one day they gave me a guy to do my pedicure. Creepy. I asked for a woman the next time and eventually stopped going there.

I have a Vietnamese friend in West Virginia who is a nail tech and he has one customer who insists on him. Apparently she becomes borderline orgasmic every time he touches her feet. It embarrasses him to no end, but everyone else seems to get a kick out of it.

The nail techs I know there make very good money. He said he regularly makes $1000 a week.

[lindal24 1]

I know many men doing this... alot of male friends working in nail shops as well as owners...

Some guys actually do a better job than the ladies...

My younger sister finally found one that she LOVES and goes to him religiously. She's even vowed never to turn back to the ladies (also because they gossip and talk ###### when they don't realize that we DO understand what they're saying...haha)

My older sister (the nail tech) works with 5 guys...and they're quick, but she said their customers come back frequently to get their nails fixed...

[What's next 1]

Nail ppl do make good money. But from the people i know who do nails, it seems as though they need to flaunt their wealth. Nice cars, nice homes, mama noodles for dinner.

[Dai. 7]

I just want to clarify to everyone as some people have private messaged me, warning me not to let my wife do nails as the life style is pretty hectic and the money you make is not work the time you spend doing nails all day, My wife does not want to do nails where we live in Houston Texas. She is actually wanting to go into beauty school for training to be a hair stylist. She wants to work at a place like Tony & Guy or Visible Changes. My wife does not like the smell and chemicals those nail places have. I just simply posted this thread to see if it's true the type of money nail people make.