Welcome to Sweet Talk, a new edition to our brand NEW Sweet Squared website.

I know, I know, I’m mentioning this again but that’s because it is SO IMPORTANT. Especially now. In 2016 I did a Facebook post on charging what you’re worth. I got more likes, comments, and shares on this post than any other I have done. I was in bed in the early morning with a cup of tea (thanks Babe) and it just came to me. It is STILL today, something that we ALL must work on and so I am focusing on that for BLOG 3!!

We all know (and especially from these challenging C19 times), that as an industry, we are not taken as seriously as we would like! But is this our fault? Controversial alert!!! Maybe it is and here’s why!

Too many come into our industry believing that ‘this is ALL I can do’, not ‘this is all I WANT to do’. It’s almost like a Get Out of Jail Free card to some… ‘well, I can’t do this, that or ‘tother, so I’ll do nails… or, I’ll do lashes and tanning – that’ll be easy’!! When they have made this decision, they then proceed to charge peanuts!!!

What does this do for all you TRUE pros out there, working hard and doing a tremendous job? It undermines YOU IN EVERY WAY and it makes it look like you’re over charging when in actual fact, it’s the newbies who are UNDERCHARGING BIG TIME. That’s because THEY don’t take it seriously!!!

This is SERIOUS BUSINESS and we won’t get taken seriously if we don’t take ourselves seriously! IMHO there are 4 ways to achieve this!

1.EDUCATE yourself as well as you possibly can on the area of the industry you love!

2.TREAT it as a business NOT a playground.

3.CHARGE what you’re worth!

4.CONFIDENCE is KEY!

EDUCATION - How can you do ANYTHING well if you don’t learn the fundamentals? With the hair and beauty industry there are MANY and they all start with understanding the basics. For NAILS that would be knowing and understanding everything you can about the natural nail itself; how it grows, what it is made up of etc… I can’t stand it when people talk about the nail bed when what they are actually referring to is the nail PLATE!! Next, train with education ambassadors that truly KNOW their stuff – academics and hands-on are BOTH super important - how to create that perfect nail enhancement or that perfect precision cut!

BUSINESS - It’s no good saying ‘well I don’t like to ask my client that’ or ‘I don’t feel like working today’ or ‘I don’t feel charging she’s a mate’… WHO is the expert here? Is it you or your client? Are you running a kids club or a business? Are you there to earn a crust or gossip all day? I can’t answer the above questions for you, only you can do that – and be honest with yourself. What I can do is say that IF you run your business with the above attitudes… you’re not running a business period. It is YOUR JOB to advise. It is YOUR JOB to retail. It is YOUR JOB to charge money for the treatments you do.

Which brings me to…

CHARGE - I see people charging less than £25 for CND Shellac and I just can’t get my head around it?? Why use the best and charge the least? You INVEST in your products. You INVEST in your education. You INVEST in your time and then you charge £20 or even worse, less, for an hour or more of your time? It's insane??

I don't care where you live or who 'down the road' does it cheaper or charges what! You're using the Chanel of the industry products, a product that is SAFE; products that have had millions of $$$ input into in R&D. You've invested time and money on those said products, on your education and IF you are confident that you are doing a great job and using all the CND Shellac system CORRECTLY including the lamp, (or whatever system you are using)… flipping well CHARGE the normal and correct amount for the said treatments you do.

And IF you are also using extra products that take even MORE of your time… like Yours Stamping plates, Yours Elements and Lecentè Glitters - then darn well charge for that too. Why would you not??? It’s extra product used and extra time taken.

This is a BUSINESS and you must start treating it as such. Friends (if they’re TRUE friends) should RESPECT that you have a business, RESPECT what you do and RESPECT your time!! After all you had to pay for that education and those products you’re using, right? It’s one thing doing a pal from home out of work hours, but IF they want to take up work time… they must understand that they will be charged for that time. Don’t be afraid to say NO to a situation you’re not comfortable with. If you don’t it breeds conflict which leads to ugliness down the line.

I pay full price for my nails every time and I tip on top. Why? Because Chloe, my nail tech is running a business and I respect her time, her expertise and because I think SHE’S WORTH IT!!

Charge What You’re Worth and stop compromising. Our beauty industry isn’t a cottage industry it’s BIG BUSINESS and these crazy, cheap unprofessional prices make us LOOK UNPROFESSIONAL. It makes waffling old men in the Houses of Parliament think we’re not worth their time or respect, like we don't know what we're doing. That leads to decisions that affect our livelihoods…

I'm proud of what you have ALL gone through to become the pros you are… now YOU NEED to be proud of YOU – Own it, start charging WHAT YOU'RE WORTH and have confidence in yourself and what you do – CONFIDENCE IS KEY! 

1. #POTM –I really loved this image that Chloe did for our A/W new colour swatch using CND Shellac / Vinylux Crisp Green – it makes me want to wear green which is literally unheard of!!!

2. IN OTHER NEWS – Marian Newman has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2020 List. This was for her ‘services to the beauty industry during Covid 19’. We are enormously proud of Marian’s accomplishments; she takes these roles on to help… because that’s what we ALL need to do for each other. Marian wasn’t paid to do the above she did it to help keep many of us sane and inspired when we were alone and scared. What a deserved honour!!

3. #QOTM – "The POSITIVE THINKER sees the INVISIBLE, feels the INTANGIBLE, and achieves the IMPOSSIBLE." Sir Winston Churchill

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