Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? - Page 2

suntanzbypru · 01-19-2006, 10:08 PM

Hey tropicgirl, thanks alot,, I just happened upon this thread tonight, and I am going through that exact same thing... My comp here is running a 12.95 one month unlimited, and I just moved my salon into a brand new location, with brand new ergoline beds, with brand new bills.... I have been struggling , trying to think of what to do.. it's going to be like this for the rest of the tan season.... we're just going to buckle down, quit using precious brain fluid, and know that we have the classiest, cleanest, freindliest, best all-around-tanning place in town, and my beds are beautiful and awesome. My 1mo unlimited is 45.99.... my comp will be35.00. If it's about money the customers will go there anyhow,,, I cant go there for what I've got... it's like going from a bicycle to a mercedes............... I like luxury... lol... thanks alot you guys, I hope the best for you all,,, and hope some more vets post their mistakes on here.. It really help those who are still green behind the ears.....

MJ · 01-19-2006, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safaritazn

cametotalktan How much would you suggest we should put aside?

At least a quarter of your starting capital....1/3 is the norm.

tnannie · 01-20-2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cametotalktan

Hmmmm; my biggest mistake, let's see. Where do I begin. There are soooo many to keep track of on a daily basis. BRB I need to stew on this for a bit...

:) LOL! :) That would be my answer as well! If only I knew then what I know now! Famous last words huh?

JensSunQuest · 01-20-2006, 11:02 AM

After how many years aren't you considered a Newbie?? I think surviving one slow season should make anyone qualified to talk about tanning!!! I was a sophmore in college when I decided to buy a salon. Of course I was so busy taking care of the loose ends in the legal aspects getting certified, retail license so on etc that buying the salon at the end of June I figured its summer Ill be busy I had no idea what laid ahead! June was good July was not to bad but it got worse after that.....I thought at first I was doing something wrong at first I started researching and sure enough I bought at the worst possible time. I had no clue it was extra bad since I had only put away $8,000 in my savings. You can never read enough on it. I am pretty young to own a salon so I had to prove my brains where one top of the game to everyone. My family thought I was crazy for buying the salon come that November but things sure can change for good just have faith don't stress yourself out I started to panic thinking I had goofed up big time on this venture. I almost quit school too.....I stuck through it with alot of support :) I am such an easy going, fun person, I never get mad but the slow season right off the bat like that made me nuts to say the least. Ohh well with the busy season upon we all have reason to breathe alittle easier. and I only have 3 months left in school:)

STRONGTAN · 01-20-2006, 03:09 PM

so what was your mistake .... buying too young, or buying in June, or not researching enough?

PHD · 01-20-2006, 03:31 PM

Our biggest mistake was hiring a manager while I was pregnant, when she left she took the customer list to the competition. We tried in courts to go after her, but it came down to how do we actually prove it was her. Even though I know it was her.

Lesson learned no one runs your business like you.

JensSunQuest · 01-20-2006, 04:00 PM

Buying young wasn't a mistake at all in the beginning customers where alittle unsure of a 20 year old owning a salon.

My biggest mistake was the time of year that I bought make sure when you buy or open to do it right before the start of the busy season and save money for the slow....Unlike me who had to survive a slow season first:(

glowtanning530 · 01-20-2006, 04:46 PM

I have a similar issue here. There is a salon in town that charges $99 for a year, her beds are at least 10 yrs old. She is able to off set her cost by being in a hair salon. When people call and say well why is she sooo cheap. I encourage people to pay the walk-in rate go there and come here and make a decision based questions, ask what are your hours, do I have to clean my bed, what kind of products do you carry, how often do you change your bulbs, you know all the questions we ask when we are snoopin out our comp. 9 times outa 10 they come here without even trying the other.

navigatin1 · 01-20-2006, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHD

Our biggest mistake was hiring a manager while I was pregnant, when she left she took the customer list to the competition. We tried in courts to go after her, but it came down to how do we actually prove it was her. Even though I know it was her.

Lesson learned no one runs your business like you.

Yeah, thats when the competition comes in the next day to a pile of smoldering rubble. Matches are bad people, MMMMMMMM K.

STRONGTAN · 01-20-2006, 06:30 PM

no mistakin in that.....
amen

01-19-2006, 10:08 PM	#11 (permalink)
suntanzbypru Join Date: Dec 13 2005 Posts: 60 Rep Power: 0	Re: Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? Hey tropicgirl, thanks alot,, I just happened upon this thread tonight, and I am going through that exact same thing... My comp here is running a 12.95 one month unlimited, and I just moved my salon into a brand new location, with brand new ergoline beds, with brand new bills.... I have been struggling , trying to think of what to do.. it's going to be like this for the rest of the tan season.... we're just going to buckle down, quit using precious brain fluid, and know that we have the classiest, cleanest, freindliest, best all-around-tanning place in town, and my beds are beautiful and awesome. My 1mo unlimited is 45.99.... my comp will be35.00. If it's about money the customers will go there anyhow,,, I cant go there for what I've got... it's like going from a bicycle to a mercedes............... I like luxury... lol... thanks alot you guys, I hope the best for you all,,, and hope some more vets post their mistakes on here.. It really help those who are still green behind the ears.....

01-20-2006, 11:02 AM	#14 (permalink)
JensSunQuest Join Date: Jan 20 2006 Location: Jacksonville, Fla Age: 24 Posts: 1,307 Rep Power: 5	Re: Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? After how many years aren't you considered a Newbie?? I think surviving one slow season should make anyone qualified to talk about tanning!!! I was a sophmore in college when I decided to buy a salon. Of course I was so busy taking care of the loose ends in the legal aspects getting certified, retail license so on etc that buying the salon at the end of June I figured its summer Ill be busy I had no idea what laid ahead! June was good July was not to bad but it got worse after that.....I thought at first I was doing something wrong at first I started researching and sure enough I bought at the worst possible time. I had no clue it was extra bad since I had only put away $8,000 in my savings. You can never read enough on it. I am pretty young to own a salon so I had to prove my brains where one top of the game to everyone. My family thought I was crazy for buying the salon come that November but things sure can change for good just have faith don't stress yourself out I started to panic thinking I had goofed up big time on this venture. I almost quit school too.....I stuck through it with alot of support :) I am such an easy going, fun person, I never get mad but the slow season right off the bat like that made me nuts to say the least. Ohh well with the busy season upon we all have reason to breathe alittle easier. and I only have 3 months left in school:)

01-20-2006, 03:09 PM	#15 (permalink)
STRONGTAN Join Date: Jan 12 2006 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Re: Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? so what was your mistake .... buying too young, or buying in June, or not researching enough?

01-20-2006, 03:31 PM	#16 (permalink)
PHD Join Date: Dec 4 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 282 Rep Power: 4	Re: Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? Our biggest mistake was hiring a manager while I was pregnant, when she left she took the customer list to the competition. We tried in courts to go after her, but it came down to how do we actually prove it was her. Even though I know it was her. Lesson learned no one runs your business like you.

01-20-2006, 04:00 PM	#17 (permalink)
JensSunQuest Join Date: Jan 20 2006 Location: Jacksonville, Fla Age: 24 Posts: 1,307 Rep Power: 5	Re: Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? Buying young wasn't a mistake at all in the beginning customers where alittle unsure of a 20 year old owning a salon. My biggest mistake was the time of year that I bought make sure when you buy or open to do it right before the start of the busy season and save money for the slow....Unlike me who had to survive a slow season first:(

01-20-2006, 04:46 PM	#18 (permalink)
glowtanning530 Join Date: Jan 20 2006 Location: folding towels, cleaning beds, ordering lotions, fixing beds, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. Age: 28 Posts: 1,133 Rep Power: 114	Re: Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? I have a similar issue here. There is a salon in town that charges $99 for a year, her beds are at least 10 yrs old. She is able to off set her cost by being in a hair salon. When people call and say well why is she sooo cheap. I encourage people to pay the walk-in rate go there and come here and make a decision based questions, ask what are your hours, do I have to clean my bed, what kind of products do you carry, how often do you change your bulbs, you know all the questions we ask when we are snoopin out our comp. 9 times outa 10 they come here without even trying the other.

01-20-2006, 06:30 PM	#20 (permalink)
STRONGTAN Join Date: Jan 12 2006 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Re: Tanning veterans: ur biggest mistake? no mistakin in that..... amen

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