Life as a Mobile Nail Technician

Adding nail services to your existing beauty repertoire or starting out in the industry as a mobile nail technician can be an extremely rewarding and smart career choice. The popularity of on-demand/at-home nail services is rising, and the nail industry continues to grow, meaning there is plenty of room to carve your own niche in the industry.

Lower capital and ongoing costs

Unlike traditional bricks-and-mortar salons, mobile nail technicians take the salon and spa experience into their clients’ homes or location of choice and therefore do not need to invest in a physical space. This reduces initial capital costs (designing and refurbishing a salon, salon equipment etc) and the ongoing costs of running the business are lower (no business rates, monthly rent and utility bills such as water and electricity.) Without a physical premise, you are also not locked into any lengthy lease contracts and agreements. The only things you will need to cover are travel costs and the costs of your kit.

Flexibility

Working as your own boss, you have complete autonomy and flexibility when it comes to your work which is great if you have other commitments such as a family, studies or even another job. You can set your own “opening” times and accept or decline jobs as you wish. For your clients, it is a huge selling point if you can offer appointments out of traditional salon opening hours - early morning and late-night appointments can be set at a premium price. At the same time, clients expect some degree of availability, so you cannot be too closed off and limited by your circumstances.

Variety of work

As you are not locked into one set location, you can choose which areas to operate in, reaching potential clients who you may not have been able to visit you. One day you could be visiting your local area to see clients at home and another, working further afield at a luxury hotel for a pamper party. No two days will be the same and this can keep you motivated and excited to wake up each day - I’ve worked in some extremely interesting homes and venues!

Creating a truly personalised service

As a mobile nail technician, the personal relationship you build with your clients can be extremely special. You are being welcomed into their personal space meaning a higher level of trust. Use this opportunity to really personalise the service and create high-quality treatments. When it comes to being mobile, you cannot physically see as many clients as a salon so make each appointment extra special and focus on quality rather than quantity. Unless your clients request a speedy treatment, take your time to treat your client and don’t make them feel rushed but always remember to price your services accordingly.

Whilst being a mobile nail technician can have its benefits, there are a few challenges that salons do not face. With some planning, it’s easy to minimise these challenges.

Competing with cheaper salons

“The salon down the road is cheaper.” - this is a statement mobile nail technicians hear often and the key to tackling this is understanding your costs, services and setting your prices accordingly. Mobile running costs need to be taken into consideration such as costs of maintaining a car (cost of car/monthly car payments, insurance, service/MOT), public transport ticket fares, Congestion Charge and parking fees and - a cost often forgotten - travel time. Providing a mobile service is an added convenience and luxury for your clients and as such comes at a premium - stand your ground and let potential clients know this and also focus on any other added USPs (Unique Selling Points) you have, such as continued nail education and courses you may have completed, master level nail certifications and awards (make sure you are investing in your education yearly to keep up to date).

No passing trade or salon trade to rely on

Salons can benefit from passing trade and walk-ins, which unfortunately mobile nail technicians cannot. In addition, you don’t have the benefit of a salon doing the marketing and advertising of your nail services. Use your website and online presence to really push your business. Your website which is often the first impression a client sees (via a Google search) should be a true reflection of you and your business - clients will be “window shopping” many mobile nail technicians online so make sure yours looks the best. Look into SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) to see how you can get your website to the top of Google’s search list so more potential clients can see you and publish high quality photos of your work on Instagram and Facebook to grab the attention and entice new customers.

Free and low-cost ways of advertising can include local networking groups, business groups and parent groups (online and face to face).

Carrying your full nail kit

As a mobile nail technician, you have to carry your entire nail kit from client to client (come rain, sun or snow!) and this can take a physical toll on your body. Make sure you invest in the right equipment to reduce any injuries - Zuca, Roo Beauty and My Kit Co. offer great mobile nail technician friendly trollies, bags and storage solutions (nail polish rolls and pouches) but ask other mobile nail technicians to see which solutions they love and suggest. I also highly recommend investing in a good at home massager and/ or monthly massage treatments to ensure we look after our own bodies.

As you need to take everything to your client, it’s important that you are organised. If you want to take a reduced kit, make sure you have specified with your client exactly which nail services they require via a telephone consultation - if you turn up to a client without a pedicure bowl and they are expecting a pedicure with their manicure, not only will they be highly disappointed, but you would miss out on the extra income. Furthermore, the advantage of carrying a full kit is that you can inspire a client in the moment, to sign up to a particular service you did not previously discuss, and you won’t miss out on the income.

Not being able to accept every client

Unfortunately, as a mobile service, this will, of course, not suit everyone, and you may have to turn down clients who prefer to visit you or a salon. If you live in London, Hunter Collective provides a great solution - it is a Central London members-only cowork space, designed especially for beauty creatives such as nail technicians, hair stylists, lash technicians and make-up artists. If you join as a member, you have the option of hiring the nail table as and when you need it (from only £10 per hour) which means you can have the best of both worlds. It also works well for pamper parties and/or if you want to set up “salon” for one day.

Distractions

Working at a client’s home or location of choice means they can very easily be interrupted and distracted by children, pets and other people. Try to manage this as best as you can to ensure the appointment doesn’t last unnecessarily too long and politely remind your client that you are on a schedule. Set clear health and safety boundaries when it comes to young children and pets to avoid any accidents such as products being split and/or equipment from being damaged.

Lonely

Lastly, working as your own boss and a sole mobile nail technician can become lonely at times, more so when you are not as busy as you anticipated. Try to join networking groups and/or even get together with other mobile nail technicians so you can bounce ideas off each other - connecting with others you trained with is a great starting point as good educators and training establishments usually have support groups that you can lean on for advice and social activity