Hello. - tanTALK

laststock007 · 07-25-2006, 10:45 PM

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the tanning industry and new to this website. I just wanted to say "hello" to everyone at tantalk.com.

About me...
I'm a 28 year old male living in Los Angeles, CA. I've been with my current girlfriend for over 5 years (guys don't remember dates/years...at least not this guy). I am currently working as a network administrator for an IT company making $100,000, not bad, BUT NOT GREAT!!!

Why I joined...
I want to get more information on the tanning industry. I want to learn A LOT before I open my own tanning salon. I want to contribute my knowledge and growing with everyone here.

What not to do...
I learned from other IT forums to: read...read...read before you post. More then likely, someone had the same question you had and posted there question(s) and received replies. So for the next 2-4 weeks, I'll be reading this forum 1-3 hours a day before I post again.

Thanks everyone and enjoy tanning,
-ls007

mr belvedere · 07-25-2006, 11:40 PM

Hello. When are you looking at opening up? Are you planning on opening in LA? When do you plan to marry your girlfriend? Will she be running the salon or are you going to change careers?

billable · 07-26-2006, 06:08 AM

Welcom to TT. As you said, read and take advantage of the search.

Posts are good too. The industry is changing. The advice given last year may not be the same advice that someone would give today.

laststock007 · 07-26-2006, 06:12 AM

mr belvedere asked,

1. When are you looking at opening up?
2. Are you planning on opening in LA?
3. When do you plan to marry your girlfriend?
4. Will she be running the salon or are you going to change careers?

My answers are...
1. I am looking to open sometime in 2007.
2. Yes, I am planning to open in Los Angeles and/or the surrounding area (San Fernando Valley, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orange County).
3. I do not plan to marry my girlfriend. She knows this as I tell every girl I'm with from that start (I hate to waste people’s time, especially someone I’m involved with, so I make sure to inform them from the beginning that I don’t want to get married).
4. Will she be running the salon? No. I have a young lady I'm working with who may manage the store. The young lady already manages a salon at the preset time and has 4 years experience. She's looking for a change with more money. My girlfriend may help on the weekends. B). Am I going t quite my job and run the store? Maybe if I get a few stores and it surpasses my current income, but until then, no I won't run the store.

NOTE - I am putting $100,000 of my own money to help start this. As I stated above, I make $100,000 a year, so I will keep my current job and help support the business. Every month, I clear about $4,100 (after paying bills and stuff), so I will use that to help fund the spa. If the spa becomes successful, then I will look for others to open. But before going any further, I will make the first spa successful.

I hope I answered all your questions Mr. Belvedere.

PS -- Why am I up at 3:56 AM reading about Tans. Man, I have to get a life.

Question to all the current spa owners…
How much did you put down to start your first ($45,000, $120,000, $320,000)? How long did it take for you to become profitable?

Thanks Tantalk,
-ls007

TanningEmporium · 07-26-2006, 07:27 AM

Something very important to do.
Visit salons/spas around you, see what they are doing, check out their pricing and tan in their beds to see what kind they are using.
Ask questions from your friends, as to what they think of your venture, really helps to get outside opinion. Ride around and see if and where such a place maybe profitable. Will is be seasonal around you, you really need to know that something like that is something people will come to. To most of us this is a seasonal business. Get Certified, you can do that anytime, I was certified 3 years before I ever opened my salon, I researched this industry 5 years before ever opening the salon.
Your investment should be based on what style of salon, beds and other factors you plan on using. You will be the best to determine that. Contact bed distributors, realtors (for pricing on property), buildouts (are you going to do the contruction or hire), what size place do you want, how many beds, what will you retail(if anything), what other ammenties will you offer. Alot of things to consider, do your homework now.

GOD Bless You.

parrot head · 07-26-2006, 08:14 AM

Your questions answered in a nutshell: cost of equipment, $170,000 (9 low-medium pressure beds, 1 super sonic suncapsule standup, 1 360 model HP, 1 Magic tan sunless booth and 1 infrared sauna). Cost of the buildout, $75,000. Cost of supples, furniture, computer/software and lotion inventory, $8,000. Profitable? If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't. But, except for July and August, I truly love going to the salon. It's the best job I'll ever had.

laststock007 · 07-26-2006, 08:26 AM

To TanningEmporium.

It's people like you that make Tantalk a great environment. It's people like you that make me want to open myself to strangers.
If I say thank you for your post, it will not do you justice.
So I say, "may God bless you and we all appreciate your posts."

Side note - I know I need to check out my area and visit other tanning salons (which I have done) but my question was to already establish tanning salon owners and how there progress was at first.

Thanks again TanningEmporium and everyone else here,
-007

laststock007 · 07-26-2006, 08:27 AM

parrot head, thanks for your post. That is exactly what I'm looking for.

-ls007

blondjuls · 07-26-2006, 08:31 AM

Piece of advice: Buy all of your equipment, don't lease.

I still visit other salons. I went to a place in Franklin, TN yesterday. It's kinda weird tanning in other salons though. Its like sleeping in a strangers bed. You wake up and don't know where you're at or how you got into such a strange place. :)

laststock007 · 07-26-2006, 08:37 AM

blondjuls, not only are you very beautiful but you very silly ;-)
"You wake up and don't know where you're at or how you got into such a strange place." That had me laughing so hard, it hurt my stomach.

Anyhow, why not lease? I'm reading other posts (mostly the Tanning Biz Newbies section) and I haven't come by this yet. If you want, you can PM me.

Thanks blondjuls.

07-25-2006, 10:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
laststock007 Join Date: Jul 20 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Hello. Hello everyone, I'm new to the tanning industry and new to this website. I just wanted to say "hello" to everyone at tantalk.com. About me... I'm a 28 year old male living in Los Angeles, CA. I've been with my current girlfriend for over 5 years (guys don't remember dates/years...at least not this guy). I am currently working as a network administrator for an IT company making $100,000, not bad, BUT NOT GREAT!!! Why I joined... I want to get more information on the tanning industry. I want to learn A LOT before I open my own tanning salon. I want to contribute my knowledge and growing with everyone here. What not to do... I learned from other IT forums to: read...read...read before you post. More then likely, someone had the same question you had and posted there question(s) and received replies. So for the next 2-4 weeks, I'll be reading this forum 1-3 hours a day before I post again. Thanks everyone and enjoy tanning, -ls007

07-25-2006, 11:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
mr belvedere Mr. b Join Date: May 10 2005 Age: 54 Posts: 7,247 Rep Power: 68	Re: Hello. Hello. When are you looking at opening up? Are you planning on opening in LA? When do you plan to marry your girlfriend? Will she be running the salon or are you going to change careers? __________________ "A dusty bible leads to a dirty life ..." -Synonymous

07-26-2006, 06:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
billable Join Date: Feb 1 2006 Location: Tennessee Age: 62 Posts: 2,077 Rep Power: 103	Re: Hello. Welcom to TT. As you said, read and take advantage of the search. Posts are good too. The industry is changing. The advice given last year may not be the same advice that someone would give today. __________________ Waiting list candidates 96,910 as of July 8 2007 at 4:23pm www.caregivertalk.org online caregiver support group

07-26-2006, 06:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
laststock007 Join Date: Jul 20 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Re: Hello. mr belvedere asked, 1. When are you looking at opening up? 2. Are you planning on opening in LA? 3. When do you plan to marry your girlfriend? 4. Will she be running the salon or are you going to change careers? My answers are... 1. I am looking to open sometime in 2007. 2. Yes, I am planning to open in Los Angeles and/or the surrounding area (San Fernando Valley, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orange County). 3. I do not plan to marry my girlfriend. She knows this as I tell every girl I'm with from that start (I hate to waste people’s time, especially someone I’m involved with, so I make sure to inform them from the beginning that I don’t want to get married). 4. Will she be running the salon? No. I have a young lady I'm working with who may manage the store. The young lady already manages a salon at the preset time and has 4 years experience. She's looking for a change with more money. My girlfriend may help on the weekends. B). Am I going t quite my job and run the store? Maybe if I get a few stores and it surpasses my current income, but until then, no I won't run the store. NOTE - I am putting $100,000 of my own money to help start this. As I stated above, I make $100,000 a year, so I will keep my current job and help support the business. Every month, I clear about $4,100 (after paying bills and stuff), so I will use that to help fund the spa. If the spa becomes successful, then I will look for others to open. But before going any further, I will make the first spa successful. I hope I answered all your questions Mr. Belvedere. PS -- Why am I up at 3:56 AM reading about Tans. Man, I have to get a life. Question to all the current spa owners… How much did you put down to start your first ($45,000, $120,000, $320,000)? How long did it take for you to become profitable? Thanks Tantalk, -ls007

07-26-2006, 07:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
TanningEmporium Join Date: Jul 15 2003 Location: 213 Skyland Shp Ctr Posts: 2,613 Rep Power: 22	Re: Hello. Something very important to do. Visit salons/spas around you, see what they are doing, check out their pricing and tan in their beds to see what kind they are using. Ask questions from your friends, as to what they think of your venture, really helps to get outside opinion. Ride around and see if and where such a place maybe profitable. Will is be seasonal around you, you really need to know that something like that is something people will come to. To most of us this is a seasonal business. Get Certified, you can do that anytime, I was certified 3 years before I ever opened my salon, I researched this industry 5 years before ever opening the salon. Your investment should be based on what style of salon, beds and other factors you plan on using. You will be the best to determine that. Contact bed distributors, realtors (for pricing on property), buildouts (are you going to do the contruction or hire), what size place do you want, how many beds, what will you retail(if anything), what other ammenties will you offer. Alot of things to consider, do your homework now. GOD Bless You. __________________ www.tanning-emporium.com www.myspace.com/tanningemporium www.homeinteriors.com/mcbess www.marykay.com/mcarroll-bess

07-26-2006, 08:14 AM	#6 (permalink)
parrot head Team TanTalk Join Date: Jul 13 2004 Location: Menomonie, Wi. Age: 82 Posts: 3,145 Rep Power: 22	Re: Hello. Your questions answered in a nutshell: cost of equipment, $170,000 (9 low-medium pressure beds, 1 super sonic suncapsule standup, 1 360 model HP, 1 Magic tan sunless booth and 1 infrared sauna). Cost of the buildout, $75,000. Cost of supples, furniture, computer/software and lotion inventory, $8,000. Profitable? If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't. But, except for July and August, I truly love going to the salon. It's the best job I'll ever had.

07-26-2006, 08:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
laststock007 Join Date: Jul 20 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Re: Hello. To TanningEmporium. It's people like you that make Tantalk a great environment. It's people like you that make me want to open myself to strangers. If I say thank you for your post, it will not do you justice. So I say, "may God bless you and we all appreciate your posts." Side note - I know I need to check out my area and visit other tanning salons (which I have done) but my question was to already establish tanning salon owners and how there progress was at first. Thanks again TanningEmporium and everyone else here, -007

07-26-2006, 08:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
laststock007 Join Date: Jul 20 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Re: Hello. parrot head, thanks for your post. That is exactly what I'm looking for. -ls007

07-26-2006, 08:31 AM	#9 (permalink)
blondjuls I love Derf!! Join Date: Jul 26 2005 Location: Madison, AL Age: 41 Posts: 109 Rep Power: 19	Re: Hello. Piece of advice: Buy all of your equipment, don't lease. I still visit other salons. I went to a place in Franklin, TN yesterday. It's kinda weird tanning in other salons though. Its like sleeping in a strangers bed. You wake up and don't know where you're at or how you got into such a strange place. :)

07-26-2006, 08:37 AM	#10 (permalink)
laststock007 Join Date: Jul 20 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Re: Hello. blondjuls, not only are you very beautiful but you very silly ;-) "You wake up and don't know where you're at or how you got into such a strange place." That had me laughing so hard, it hurt my stomach. Anyhow, why not lease? I'm reading other posts (mostly the Tanning Biz Newbies section) and I haven't come by this yet. If you want, you can PM me. Thanks blondjuls.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)