It has officially been three months since I got my manicuring license. This past weekend I decided to go back though my books to see how many nail-related services I've been doing, how often, and what the rebooking looked like. I knew that I had been steady doing nail services in addition to what I already did, but I wanted to fully assess my progress.

Off the bat I noticed that pedicures were a hit. Re-bookings for those have been no problem. I have even been having clients coming in pairs for pedicures despite the fact that I am only one person and they have to wait for each other. That was something I was concerned about from the beginning, since I know a lot of women who go with friends to get pedicures, and they use the time to catch up. I called a client who used to go someplace else with a friend and asked her why they now like taking turns with me. She said that first off, my space is more comfortable and private, and second of all, they enjoy not being rushed though. They feel their time in my space has more quality to it then the last place they went to. Works for me!

Manicures are a close second to pedicures: My clients re-book them, and same as the pedicures, they will come in twos and even threes to get them! I also have done a lot of mani/pedi combos, especially on Thursdays and Fridays. Several clients have been adding manicures to their regular eyebrow waxes -- which has been great for keeping me busy!

I noticed that I have only one client who likes to get silk wraps, and I see her every two weeks like clockwork for her balance. The last thing I noticed, which didn't shock me because it was the issue that prompted my taking stock in my nail services, was that I don’t have clients for acrylic or gel services. Very few of my current clients wear nail enhancements, and even fewer are interested in getting them. In the promoting I have done to get these clients I haven’t had a lot of feedback. I did several full sets for special occasions, but not on women who really wanted to make a commitment to getting their nails rebalanced every two weeks. (They were for weddings, vacations, proms etc.)

As soon as I had gotten my license I made new service menus, but I didn’t have more then 200 printed. I posted my new services and prices on my website and on my business page on Facebook, but I didn’t want to be stuck with hundreds and hundreds of menus with services and prices that didn’t work. With this assessment I am able to see that my prices are reasonable and my clients are happy to pay what I am asking, and I can also see what services people are seeking from me. I will be printing new menus again this month with exactly what I am offering. Plus, I now know exactly what I want to start promoting to people to get new clients. I do plan to invest in soak-off gels because I have had enough inquiries that will make the investment profitable for me.

I think it is always a good idea to assess where your business is going and how it’s shaping up. Knowing where I stand with my nail services and how that is going for me proves to me that I did make the right choice in going back to school for my license. Nails have been huge for my business. Massage has always been an easy sell for me, with my facials as a close second, and brow waxing is the bread and butter of my business, but now I can confidently add pedicures to my list of signature services.

—Karyn, Body Skin and Nails by Karyn, Roseville, Calif.