We advertise mani/pedi parties on our website and have had a few calls regarding them. We scheduled our first one for the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Mae booked a party for her daughter’s 13th birthday, for seven 13-year-old girls, two little ones, and seven moms. We scheduled the party from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., hoping we could get everyone done in four hours! Our salon is only 750 square feet with two pedicure stations, three manicure tables, and a couch for seating. That meant 19 people in the salon at once! On occasion, because we're a new salon and still building, it is not that often all three of us are working on clients at the same time, which would be a max of six people. So this was going to be a challenge!

Mae and I spent sometime discussing her needs and what we could do to accommodate the party girls. I sent her a proposal and she came by and gave a $100 deposit. We agreed to close the salon at 2 p.m., have her drop off any decorations, extra chairs, food and drinks earlier on the day of the party, and we would have it all ready for her when they arrived, which we did.

We doubled up the gals on the pedicures Kim and Natalie did, while I gave quick manicures and polish on everyone! The party was fun, the girls had a great time together, and the mom’s got pampered! Although it was a lot of condensed work, it was fun, we made a few bucks and we are looking forward to doing it again!

--Vicki, Polish Salon, Brea, Calif.