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Spa Job--Decent or Not So Much??
Hi,
i posted this once but I dont' see it on the forum, so....here goes again...
I've been an independent contractor to an Aveda Spa for the past 4 months. I am obligated to the spa 4 days a week, for 6 hours a day, including Saturdays. I get 50% of the fee, no benefits, so my own taxes, etc.
I average 4-5 clients per week. This feels pretty shabby, considering 1) this is an established spa with a marketing department 2) I give up HALF of what I make to the spa and 3) I don't feel as though this is a decent chance to build repeat business with only a timy handful of new business per week. I do have repeat clients and have been doing massage for 10 years. I'm not sure if hanging in there will be 'worth it" (needs to start feeling like that soon, very soon) or if this is just a dud job.
in my previous spa position, I averaged 10 clients per week as a baseline and that was doable, meaning I could survive and it felt worth it to give them my time and the same commission.
The spa I'm in now is upscale, in a very affluent neighborhood. I had higher expectations of the spa pulling THEIR OWN weight so that *I* could pull mine by getting people to come back.
What do you think? Is it the time of year?
i posted this once but I dont' see it on the forum, so....here goes again...
I've been an independent contractor to an Aveda Spa for the past 4 months. I am obligated to the spa 4 days a week, for 6 hours a day, including Saturdays. I get 50% of the fee, no benefits, so my own taxes, etc.
I average 4-5 clients per week. This feels pretty shabby, considering 1) this is an established spa with a marketing department 2) I give up HALF of what I make to the spa and 3) I don't feel as though this is a decent chance to build repeat business with only a timy handful of new business per week. I do have repeat clients and have been doing massage for 10 years. I'm not sure if hanging in there will be 'worth it" (needs to start feeling like that soon, very soon) or if this is just a dud job.
in my previous spa position, I averaged 10 clients per week as a baseline and that was doable, meaning I could survive and it felt worth it to give them my time and the same commission.
The spa I'm in now is upscale, in a very affluent neighborhood. I had higher expectations of the spa pulling THEIR OWN weight so that *I* could pull mine by getting people to come back.
What do you think? Is it the time of year?
Views: 201
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Las Vegas Massage In Summerlin on
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Hi Shannon!
I've a quick question for you: Would this Spa allow you to market yourself? If so, this is perfect! Let me know and we can talk....
Kris
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Permalink Reply by shannon egan on
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Thanks for your reply, Kris! I don't know if they would allow me to market myself. I can easily find out. I would love to hear your thoughts :) I'm kind of pulling my hair out here. Something has to give!
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Permalink Reply by Chance Ryan on
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The Best thing about our profession is the Professional and Personal Freedom we have. Then there is the ability to do what we love for a living.
The Biggest Con about our career is that it doesn't really pay all that well, when I say pay I mean annual earnings, sure some may tout what they make etc, I've earned 70K in a yr doing this job so I know what it really takes and said if I continued doing that I'd be out the profession in no time flat.
That's why I wasn't shocked to learn several years ago that over 90% of massage grads never end up practicing for various reason most noteably miss informed about earning potential and the truth that it's nearly impossible to find a place to work.
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Hello again, Shannon!
I had to go back and re-read your initial post and you did state you were an independent contractor. That's good, you should be able to do as you want. If anything, just run your idea's by the owner or manager for approval.
You may also want to mention:
1. You're the one with a great marketing game plan.
2. You're the one who is taking the initiative to put these ideas in motion without relying on them to do it for you (which they‟ll love you for.)
3. You're the one doing not only all of the marketing but the hands-on work as well.
4. You're the one bringing all or at least some of the supplies you‟ll need (table, linens, oil, etc.)
5. The more work that you generate, the more money they'll make! Remember, the vast majority of them are dying for a massage therapist to present them with idea's that you're going to present.
With all due respect to these business owners, 99% of them have no clue how to market themselves properly. They just use the same old, worn out traditional marketing methods that every other type of business uses with little or no results.
Again, run this by them and see what they have to say!
Kris
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Permalink Reply by Laura Allen on
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I am a big believer in marketing yourself, and that does NOT have to be anything formal that the spa would have to approve of. Give out at least two business cards to new people every day. Get involved in your community. Attend networking meetings, civic group meetings, the free/cheap classes offered by the SBA at your local community college.
All that being said, if the spa requires you to stay on the property when you don't have clients, you are not an independent contractor. Control of schedule is one of the main criteria the IRS uses in determining who is an IC and who is an employee. Business take advantage of people that way all the time.
I employ ICs in my clinic and I do not make any attempt to control their schedule whatsoever. They all come and go as they please and my business is miraculously staffed whenever I need it to be. I do not expect people to hang around when they don't have clients.
50% for someone who has to pay their own taxes means you're actually getting less than 40% or even worse, depending on what tax bracket you're in. I'd be looking for another job.
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Laura Allen said:I am a big believer in marketing yourself, and that does NOT have to be anything formal that the spa would have to approve of. Give out at least two business cards to new people every day. Get involved in your community. Attend networking meetings, civic group meetings, the free/cheap classes offered by the SBA at your local community college.
All that being said, if the spa requires you to stay on the property when you don't have clients, you are not an independent contractor. Control of schedule is one of the main criteria the IRS uses in determining who is an IC and who is an employee. Business take advantage of people that way all the time.
I employ ICs in my clinic and I do not make any attempt to control their schedule whatsoever. They all come and go as they please and my business is miraculously staffed whenever I need it to be. I do not expect people to hang around when they don't have clients.
50% for someone who has to pay their own taxes means you're actually getting less than 40% or even worse, depending on what tax bracket you're in. I'd be looking for another job.
Hi Laura,
Thank you for the info and feedback. I actually am not required to stay on the property or to be there at all unless I do have an appointment. I do have a set schedule of days/times when I have agreed to make myself available--for example, Tuesdays 2-8. I'm starting to wonder about that as well. I feel that I'm committing way too many hours a week where I'm waiting for the phone to ring and not engaging in other activities. Is this a typical scenario for an indie contractor???
Yes, I'm not super-excited about the percentage, either. I appreciate everyone's feedback. I'm definitely on the brink--of either improvement or a two week's notice :)
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Kris Kelley said:~
Hello again, Shannon!
I had to go back and re-read your initial post and you did state you were an independent contractor. That's good, you should be able to do as you want. If anything, just run your idea's by the owner or manager for approval.
You may also want to mention:
1. You're the one with a great marketing game plan.
2. You're the one who is taking the initiative to put these ideas in motion without relying on them to do it for you (which they‟ll love you for.)
3. You're the one doing not only all of the marketing but the hands-on work as well.
4. You're the one bringing all or at least some of the supplies you‟ll need (table, linens, oil, etc.)
5. The more work that you generate, the more money they'll make! Remember, the vast majority of them are dying for a massage therapist to present them with idea's that you're going to present.
With all due respect to these business owners, 99% of them have no clue how to market themselves properly. They just use the same old, worn out traditional marketing methods that every other type of business uses with little or no results.
Again, run this by them and see what they have to say!
Kris
Kris, thank you! You've got that right....traditional, tired ideas that apparently are not working...
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So, just for my own education---
Given the terms of this position, is it fair and reasonable for me to have expected the marketing dept. of the business to pick up the ball, or is it standard operating procedure for spas to hire indie contractors at 50 % and expect THEM to have the onus of promotion/marketing?
Isn't part of the reason why I would agree to part with so much of the fee because I don't have to handle the marketing? When I tried to talk to them about this, they insinuated that I was somehow entitled and unreasonable, and they "assured" me that they would "help in any way they could" with MY efforts to market MYSELF--ie. referral cards, I guess....it was all very strange and smarmy..:(
Is this typical of a spa position?
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I also forgot to mention that I am the sole massage therapist at this business...and still only 4-5 people a week. I can't help but think there is a problem with the business marketing. I'm in an area where people can afford massage!
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Permalink Reply by Michael Lutz on
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Hello Shannon,
I work at a spa in an affluent seasonal town. I do have liberty to do some marketing of my own, such as taking my massage chair and placing it in front of the local Starbucks. We also have a chalk board outside our spa to advertise specials on massage. I also make an effort to meet with the clients of our stylists, nail tech, and beautician, to let them know me and my services.
Something else I have done is taken a job as a host at one of the local top restaurants, both to make a little extra during slow times, and to hand out business cards to the people I am seating. I have gotten a decent response from this.
Mike
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Michael Lutz said:Hello Shannon,
I work at a spa in an affluent seasonal town. I do have liberty to do some marketing of my own, such as taking my massage chair and placing it in front of the local Starbucks. We also have a chalk board outside our spa to advertise specials on massage. I also make an effort to meet with the clients of our stylists, nail tech, and beautician, to let them know me and my services.
Something else I have done is taken a job as a host at one of the local top restaurants, both to make a little extra during slow times, and to hand out business cards to the people I am seating. I have gotten a decent response from this.
Mike
Hi Mike :) Thanks for your reply. May I ask, are you an employee or an independent contractor? Would it be super nosy to ask what your pay structure is? Do you receive benefits? Do you feel that the business is doing adequate marketing?
I know, so many questions!
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I am listed as an independent contractor, so I have to do my own taxes and receive no benefits, but I am okay with this. The pay is 50/50 which I am okay with as well, since I am out of school within the last year. I joined my spa (Lotus Spa Salon and Wellness in Rehoboth Beach, DE) this past June. We also brought in a new nail tech, eastetician (sp?), and stylist, so we are a strong group and work together to promote all of us together.
I feel they could be doing more marketing, but that is why I go out and do it on my own.
No worries on the questions, keep sending them.
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