Today we’d like to introduce you to Margaret Thomas
Hi Margaret, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story began in 1984 when my best friend and I went to Nail School in the evenings while working full time jobs during the day. She had 3 inch nails that I wanted to paint pictures on them but wanted the canvas to be right before I started painting. We both received our license in 1985 and I still do her nails to this day. I did nails part-time in the evenings Monday – Friday after work and all day on Saturday for 8.5 years before taking a Business Plan class with the SBA to be sure I could support myself in the level I had become accustomed to as an accountant for UCLA. After completing my Business Plan class, I left the corporate world to start my own business as a full time booth renter. Two years later I bought the salon from my landlord/co-worker, Tresa (Dudley) Melcher, when she moved out of state. I learned some of the best customer service practices from her that I still use today.
I currently work by myself but have rented space in the past to licensed cosmologists and licensed manicurists, all of whom have gone on to open their own salons.
I truly love what I do and the clients I work with. My business model has always been by appointment only and by referral. Although I’ve actively been doing nails for 39 years, it doesn’t seem like it. I’ve grown up with my clients, seen them married, have children, divorced and married again, get their Bachelors, Masters and PhD’s., make blockbuster movies, bury their loved ones, some of which were my clients, the full circle of life. I also enjoy sharing my knowledge with beauty schools and inspiring future beauty professionals. My focus also includes mentoring Nail Techs to thrive in their businesses with things I’ve learned along the way that keep me fulfilled in what I do and my clients happy knowing they are getting the best possible nail care and self care they can find.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Success is never a straight line. Although I have been blessed to have a steady book of clients, which I attribute to my business plan, I think the hardest part was when we were shut down for 10 months off and on during the Covid Pandemic. My business plan didn’t account for that but I knew I had marketable skills that I could turn into income. I immediately started making face masks to sell, I learned to sew when I was 12, and Press On Nails, as well as At-Home Nail Care and Pedicure Kits. I sold customized facemasks to businesses and patterned ones to customers. I even made custom face masks to give as gifts to my clients when we returned to the salon. Although I had some savings, it wasn’t enough to carry me through the shutdown while still paying rent on my office space. “Pivot” was my word for that time and I made it through. That’s one of the things I share with other beauty professions, look for ways you can pivot your skills so that you can create multiple streams of income no matter what the economy is doing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I Am an Artist, Licensed Manicurist and Salon Owner. I offer the selective woman and man a menu of services that includes Hard Gel, Silk, Soft Gel and Natural Manicures, a variety of CBD Pedicures and I’m known for my Award Winning Art Nail Designs. I’ve been licensed in California since 1985. I follow State Board regulations for Sanitation, Disinfection and Sterilization. I see clients by appointment only because I value my time as well as my clients. I work solo so my clients have privacy during their appointments. I have Salon Policies in place so that there is clear communication and the clients know what to expect regarding services, payments, scheduling, cancellations and late arrivals. I want my clients to be confident that they are receiving services from a trained and experienced professional who also can make their nail dreams come true creating practically any nail art design they have in mind.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
PLAN! The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is to plan for success. That means knowing the numbers, what does it cost to deliver each service, What are my overhead costs? How much do I expect to make to pay myself, cover my personal expenses and save for emergencies, vacations and retirement? Who are my ideal clients and how do I plan to attract them? Without a plan, you plan to fail. You see a pen in one hand and an art brush in the other. The pen represents my business mind, left brain, and the art brush my creative mind, right brain. Having a balance between the two had made me a successful business owner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vagaro.com/itsasecretsalon
- Instagram: @itsasecretsalon @the_intentional_nailtech
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/itsasecretsalon
