I Swore I Wouldn't Do This

When I closed my salon in 2007 I was already pretty sure I'd be back out on my own in a few years. Thing is, I swore to myself that the next time I opened my own salon, I was going to do it "right."

Yeah, "right." RIGHT.

This is the third time I've opened a salon. And by "salon" I really mean "personal nail lair." Since none of my attempts at salon ownership have really involved multiple stations. Nevertheless, every time I've done it, it's been an exercise in chaos.

The first time was in 1995 when I was fired from my second salon job because I refused to use a product that contained MMA. At least, that's what started it. Ultimately, that woman accused me of being "insubordinate." Insubordinate? Moi? Hah! She just could not fathom how I could have the audacity (and I think she might have even used that word) to talk back to her — the woman who signed my paychecks! Well, I have a limit to how long I can make these posts, so I'll try to keep it short...ish... but let it be known that I brought my entire clientele to that salon from a booth rental situation to become a commissioned employee for that woman who paid me a grand total of 45% of the money that I earned. Ummm, that means what she really should have been thinking was, "OMG! How could I have the audacity to talk back to Maggie when she's responsible for putting a couple hundred dollars in my bank account every week?"

So anyway, the point I was trying to make was that, once again, I have failed to open a salon with the same flourish and "voila!" factor that you get when you return to your house on “Extreme Home Makeover.” Nope. Sure enough, I have boxes stacked in corners, the chair-painting project has left one green (they are not supposed to be green) chair sitting amongst the beautiful dark, espresso ones and I have forbidden anyone from opening the closet because — like any self-respecting teenage girl — I have shoved everything that I don't want out in plain sight in there.

This is just plain humiliating. Fortunately, my clients are more concerned with getting their nails done, and they are sufficiently wowed both by the awesome view of our downtown district and the fact that I have a sink in my suite. Yes. It turns out that perhaps my clients are just as easily entertained as I am.

The next few weeks should shape up to reveal what the new Art of Nailz is going to end up looking like, while I rack my brain for ways to launch the new salon and hold a truly stunning grand opening in a space that is only 216 square feet, without spilling out into the hallways where I risk annoying the neighbors and without having a private parking lot.

Oh yeah, all while the BF obsesses about making sure Parker wins some Hallmark card photo contest for dogs. Seriously, he is out of control, so could you please vote for my pup?  I'm worried the BF will keep me from finishing my new polish racks if I don't put the link absolutely everywhere.