Attention Eyelash Extension Technicians: "Paying your due's"

I know what both business, commission, and rental positions consist of, and what responsibilities come with each. So if you are a technician that wants to build a career in eyelash extensions, if your a NEW technician wanting to know which direction to take, if you are a eyelash extension technician that is doing this on the side, or as a "back burner" job, please read. 

When I started cosmetology school I thought I was going to have a career as a hairstylist. I was excited to learn, and acted like a sponge ready to soak in any and all information about beauty services, products, and more.

After completing my educating and after receiving my license, both cosmetologists and estheticians like me that are "new" and fresh out of school have a rude awakening, that comes with the territory of being "new."

Rome was not built in a day.

And neither will your clientele. 

I call this  "paying your due's."

As I write this, I am a bit disturbed by the new generation of stylists, technicians, and especially eyelash extension technicians that are or are not licensed. If I could describe the new generation today, the word I would use is entitlement. 


"A common criticism that many employers have about young people entering the workplace is that 20-somethings want all the trappings of a successful career but aren’t willing to put in the work needed to earn them. Young people just don’t want to pay their dues anymore." -http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/08/31/the-importance-of-paying-your-dues/

I don't think it's just young people, I think this applies to new or beginner technicians and stylists, no matter what age.
No, it's not Bull$%&#. 
If you act, there will be a reaction. If you do nothing, nothing will happen. 
Some people's expectations are to have everything come to them, is not only greedy, but it reminds me of someone believing in a "get rich quick" type of scheme. 

We are recently dealing with a high volume of eyelash extension technicians who are licensed that expect more from being a commission tech, even if I am handing them everything on a silver platter.
From access to your clientele records, your own room that you do not have to share, we pay for all of the lash tools, lash products, laundry, client beverages, legality, insurance, wifi, education, training, media, website, competitive pricing (which in our area, we are the most expensive) and more.

To make things fair, we explain that depending on your skills, schedule, situation, and when you first start a probationary percentage could be in affect for a 30 day period, etc.
 Also know that if you are schedule, as an example, Tuesday through Saturday,10:00am to 6:00pm, please be aware that when you are commission we expect that businesses expect that you will be at the time and place your agreed to. Just because you don't have 1 client the entire day, is not my problem. And that does not mean that the technician or stylist doesn't have to show up, or leave early, or show up late. Because if there is another commission stylist there, and walk- in's or if someone calls for an appointment, that client will go to those technicians or stylists who are available and not absent. Some businesses don't allow you to choose the work times, some will have them scheduled for you.

If you want the clientele, you have to show up. If you can't put in the effort, you won't get the clients.

But like any NEW technician licensed or not, building your clientele means we will do EVERYTHING possible to market you and your business and our business. But we also EXPECT that YOU are also SELLING your business (yourself) as well. 

This comes with the Territory. 

Wanting MORE than commission would be rental. But that means you have to have the clientele to support your renal position. Don't get the two confused. There is NO such thing as being commission with rental benefits, or vise-versa. It's one or the other.

When I started, I knew what I was getting myself into. My neighbor, who has been my hairdresser since I was a child, had told me the "pros" and rewards of her career, but had also told me the "cons." One of them being that when you first begin, you may need to assist, or be at a high volume commission salon (places like Fantastic Sam's, Sports Clips, etc.) But she had warned me, that in beginning, building your clientele will be difficult, and sometimes challenging. She had told me there may be days that I have a lot of clients, and the following day I may have none, and sit there for 8 hours not getting paid. It comes with the territory of our career and being new and commission. 

Asking someone or a place of business that you believe you deserve more, means you think very "highly of yourself." Which is a wonderful thing!, and we believe you deserve more as well. We are able to offer more, but when hiring a new candidate, that's like donating or contributing to a unknown business. For all we know, that mystery business could be a meth lab or a charity to help fight cancer, but without the homework, how would we know?
So as a business, we don't know what we're walking into when hiring someone new, so what we ask is " Show Us." (Prove it! ;) ) 

I have worked for salons, spas, and lash boutiques popular in Orange County, California. With this being said, some of these "business owners" have little or no previous knowledge or licensing with the beauty industry. Meaning, some are not licensed estheticians, cosmetologists,etc. Which translates into my brain screaming, "They should not run a beauty business." Sad, but true. Some of these businesses have no idea what "state board" cleanliness is really about, some of them do not follow state board regulations, some of them will not allow you to have access to clientele records (so if you are commission, how are you suppose to build your clientele?), not all the staff holds proper training, licensing, or education, and I'd write the rest of the dirty laundry list some of these shady places do, but it could take a week. Some business owners and technicians, both licensed or not, that have not had a lot of experience in salons, spas, or beauty boutiques can get commission or rental confused and customer service confused. I find this to be the main reason for the deteriorating service in eyelash extensions, services, and customer service in general.... SO to straighten out some things for technicians or future technicians, I have filed commission vs rental, down to basic benefits pro's/cons....

Commission vs. Rental Basics

Commission stylists are usually people who are new and have not fully built there clientele. The salon, spa, or boutique will usually take a commission rate depending on the location, prices, skill, or situation,  by splitting commission rates, these being the most popular, 50,50, 45/55, 40/60,etc. if Salons are taking 40%, it's due to the fact that 60% may be for the stylist or tech to purchase products that they are not sure or capable of doing. This is also a main reason for specialty services. The salon, spa, or boutique should be responsible for 1) giving you a station or place to work at (may be subjected to share the space with multiple people, which can interfere with appointments), 2) give you access to all needed to or products needed for services, 3) marketing and business information (promotions, website, media, business cards, etc., 4) help you set up pricing/competitive pricing, 5) access to all clientele records, since it's the technicians and the businesses clientele, 6)Because they are trying to build a clientele, new clients will be refereed to new technicians (unless referrals) , and more. 

Rental is usually a stylist or technician who has built there clientele, that rents a space, station, or place to work.Since they have built there clientele, there is no urgency to keep adding to there already flourished clientele. They handle all of your own clientele,and keep there own records as well.. They are responsible for paying for ALL of there own products, tools, and etc. They have access to other community products, wifi, backbar, towel service, website, promotions, marketing, etc. since that should come with rent. And more.

Which has technicians and others asking, how do I keep my clientele....

CUSTOMER SERVICE.

The courtesy and standards for customer service has been getting dismantled lately. Which is AWFUL. The poor performance, as far as eyelash extension technicians, needs to stop and change!

As a previous commission hair stylist, hair assistant, hair receptionist, sales associate, eyelash extension technician and a a rental eyelash extension technician, no matter what, technicians, stylists, etc, should be building a relationship. Make sure you customer service is on point!  Give proper consultations, keep track with your clients, etc. This is what will keep them coming back. Write your formulations down each time they come in, or notes, problems, or even notes if they we're going on vacation,etc.

To me, this is a very personal service. Don't just throw on lashes that you think would be best.
You don't see hair stylists throwing on red hair color on a blonde, just because they think it would look better. Talk to your clients, have consultation cards, forms, info sheets, etc. Build your relationship, like a hairstylist would do with you, like a massage therapist, doctor, nurse, dentist, etc.
Improve your customer service!