But ya did it! How? But ya did it.

I wonder if you were opening your first salon if you would have gone in with 18 financed units in a town of 9100??

Carry on............

Do you offer anything else besides tanning? I decided not to for the simple reason, that I wanted to be a full service tanning salon- I do not sell gas, videos or haircuts, I sell tanning and tanning only, when you have too many things going on, I think it makes you forget about tanning. I am not putting these people down that do this, I just poersonally do not want to. A quick question for you guys, what is the best bed cleaner soulution out right now, Mine is streaking really bad. I have puretan units, I am thinking of getting puretans' cleaner, what do u think?

Being undercapitalized is the number one reason for failure in this industry.

Not understanding the "business" side of things is probably the second!

Despite hopes, expectations, and stories of lore, tanning is NOT a 'get rich quick' industry! There used to be "easier times" when any doofus could put a few beds in the back of a hair salon and fill their mattresses with cash (hey Dennis - is that how you started?? !! ). But all the OTHER doofus's saw this and THEY wanted a piece of the action and now we are ALL doofus's in the soup together trying to make a buck!

But - it CAN be very profitable - still. Just have to be smart about how you approach the entire undertaking...

I try to do the same, but in this day and age, tanning is becoming a loss leader for many "tanning salons"........... that is why this business is losing integrity!

What do you mean tanning is becoming a loss leader? Do you think people whore out tanning to sell lotions?

no this business is not loosing it is gaining I think! And the very few that are loosing its because of their stupidity, i think.LOL

when I first opened that store it was 9 beds it seemed risky even then.the point is can the small survive,yes for awhile, until players realize you can pull 1/2 mill from small markets. you said if we knew the whole story,I have always shared what I know,there are many people on this board who have been to some of my stores they will tell you I hold back nothing. so please no back handed cowardly slures.

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[ This Message was edited by: Dennis on 2005-03-01 21:37 ][ This Message was edited by: Dennis on 2005-03-01 21:42 ]

Tanning and integrity??

Wow - those are two words that rarely went together in the history of the industry!!! Any "oldtimers" on here want to comment?

There is no more or less "integrity" then there ever has been. Just MUCH more savvy "business people" in the industry rather than Bill & Mary Smith who had a notion to put a few beds in the back of their gym.

Doesn't mean Bill & Mary can't survive - not at all! But they have to "change with the times" which may mean updating equipment (re-investing in the business), offering longer hours (convenience), and pricing "competitively" as opposed to "getting what we always have gotten".

Tanning isn't a "loss leader", it is moving from a "luxury good" to a "commodity".

Yup!

In order to sell a lotion, or a pair of peepers, or a moisturizer? Yup.

In some cases, here for instance, many tanning units are in hair salons or nail salons, they have no training, just a spare room or two at the back of the place (in the basement in some cases), clean your own bed, set you're own time, cause I wanna go to Cancun this winter kinda of tanning services, and it's only $2 a session! Different strokes for different folks.

good lord you need to move