How to excel as a mobile nail technician

Whether you’re already working as a nail tech but want a change from the nail salon, or you’re thinking of a total career change into the beauty industry, becoming a mobile nail technician can be a great career choice. It can give you more freedom, choice and opportunity, but it also needs some planning and preparation.

Up to 30% of self employed beauty therapists have changed the way that they work following the pandemic, and that will include nail techs Around 60% of those working in beauty are self employed, with 40% working from home or mobile.

Thinking of changing the way you work and going mobile? Here’s everything you need to know before you decide to make the move into becoming a mobile nail technician.

Pros and cons of being a mobile nail tech

If you’re still undecided about whether or not you want to move into being mobile, here are some of the pros and cons of taking your business on the road.

Pros of being a mobile nail tech

Since you’re already thinking about being a mobile nail technician, you’re probably familiar with the pros and the reasons why people think about going mobile. You get to work in a creative, hands-on role in an industry you love.

Here’s a recap of some of the other reasons why people choose to step out of the salon and into being a mobile nail tech.

The nail industry is accessible

If you’re brand new to the industry and don’t have any qualifications, then gaining these is an absolute must. Luckily, the nail industry is accessible and there are a lot of educators and trainers available to support you in getting those qualifications so that you can start out your career.

Fewer overheads

In a salon you have to pay for rent (and sometimes pay for your supplies too) if you’re self-employed. This isn’t the case when you’re mobile. You pay for your transport and product costs, but have fewer ongoing overheads in general. Plus, depending on your business set up you may be able to offset these costs against how much tax you pay.

More freedom 

You can choose how you work, when you work and when you work. Your business decisions are completely yours to make, whether that’s the suppliers you work with and the products you use, the days you work on or the areas that you cover. You get to decide the way you work.

More flexibility 

Being a mobile nail tech brings flexibility with it. This means that you can work it around another job, or your kids’ schedule or even if you decide to live in a different area. You can be way more flexible than if you have a job that needs you to go to the same place every day. It also means that you can be more open to other opportunities that might come your way as you can work in a more flexible manner.

Meet new people

Working in the beauty industry means that you’re always getting to meet new people. This is still the case with mobile, and then some. You’ll be meeting people at their home where they feel relaxed, comfortable and you can get to know them a little better. As a business owner, you may even network with different people that you wouldn’t have met otherwise.

Cons of being a mobile nail tech

It’s important to take a balanced view before you take any big decisions with your career. Going mobile isn’t for everyone, and you need to make sure that it’s the right choice before you actually take the plunge. Here are the things to consider before you move into being a mobile nail technician.

Travel costs and time

When you’re coming up with your pricing and appointment times, you need to factor in the costs and time it takes to travel. It isn’t the same as being employed in a salon where you can just wait for the clients to come to you. You need to make sure that your transport is reliable, available and can fit your kit in it too.

Buying everything yourself 

This can be a pro or a con depending on how you look at it. On the one hand you get to choose the products you use but on the other hand, you have to invest in your products and kit upfront (and keep it replenished) If you’ve been self employed in the past, then you’ll be more used to this than if you’ve always been employed in a salon before.

Having to be extra organised 

Whether it’s down to making sure you have absolutely everything in your kit for every appointment to planning your routes between clients. When you’re mobile, there’s no-one to pick up the slack or to borrow supplies from. You need to nail it (sorry) so that you’re not turning up at a client’s late or unprepared.

Being self employed 

Most mobile nail technicians are self employed, though occasionally you might be employed as a mobile tech for a company. While being self employed can be an amazing choice for a variety of reasons, it does also come with extra paperwork, unpaid holidays and finances to think about. If you’ve been employed up until now then it can feel a little overwhelming at first.

Less job security

While no job or employment route can ever be considered 100% secure these days, it’s true that work and pay can fluctuate when you’re self employed and working as a mobile nail technician. You might have quieter weeks, so it’s important to think long term and save some money to make up for when you’re not working as much or taking some time out.

How much does a mobile nail technician earn?

According to How2Become.com, a nail technician in the UK can expect to earn between £12,000 and £20,000 a year.

More experienced nail technicians can earn around £25,000 or more and some specialist nail technicians will earn considerably more than this. There are opportunities to work as a mobile nail technician in fashion, TV and theatre, working with celebrity clients, so the flexibility of being mobile is important.

Some mobile nail technicians will also work at a set location or in an employed role to balance out their time and income - again thanks to the flexibility of being mobile. You might choose to teach or train others who are looking to excel in the nail industry or set up in a salon, spa or gym a couple of days awake. This can help you to balance out your job security and income with the income fluctuation that can come with being self employed and mobile.

How to become a mobile nail technician

Wondering what steps to take to become a mobile nail technician? Here are the basic steps to have in place to move into this flexible career:

1. Get your qualifications 

If you’re new to the industry or you haven’t worked with nails for a while, you need to make sure that you have the right training and qualifications to work on clients. Check out the certification you’ll receive, how long it’ll take to get qualified and the amount of practical work you’ll do as part of your course. Make sure you check out some reviews and take a look at some prices for comparison too.

2. Do some research into being self employed

It’s essential to understand what it means to be self employed and the implications that this has for you in terms of your finances, reporting and how you work. There are different options and different ways to do it, so start as you mean to go on if you haven’t experienced being self employed before. You can then start the process of setting up on your own - you might even want to set up a business plan.

3.Choose a business name 

Remember to choose a name that’s memorable and easy to understand. It’s going to be most people’s first impression of your business. Also, at this stage check if your chosen business name is available on social media and that it isn’t already taken by a competitor that’ll be covering the same areas that you do.

4. Decide on the area you’re going to cover 

As a mobile nail technician, you ideally need to have an idea of the limits of your travel area so that you can balance out your time between appointments. You don’t want to spend too much time travelling out of your area for an appointment that might not actually even cover the travel costs. You might decide to be flexible and charge more for appointments that are out of the area, but most customers are looking to balance cost and convenience when they choose a mobile nail technician to work with. You also need to work out your transport situation.

5. Decide which services you’re going to offer 

The beauty of being self employed is that you can choose your services and suppliers. Hate feet? Maybe you don’t offer pedicures as a mobile tech. Prefer doing BIAB and gel nails to acrylic nail extensions? You can choose to do natural nails only. Remember, limiting the services that you offer can limit your clientele a little, but you can’t offer absolutely every treatment under the sun - sometimes it makes sense to be a specialist.

6. Make sure you have insurance in place 

You never know what’s around the corner and as you’re going to be responsible for your entire business, you need to make sure you’re covered with nail technician insurance if anything goes wrong. This could be anything from a client who has a reaction to your entire kit going missing or your main mode of transport being unavailable.

7. Invest in your kit

Your kit is the backbone of your business, so invest wisely. Depending on the services you offer, you might need things like pedicure bowls, heated booties or a wax pot. You’ll also need a decent colour and product range to give your clients a choice for their treatments. Also, think how you’re going to get your kit from place to place easily. A case is an essential for a mobile nail tech, but pack wisely and make sure you’re working and travelling safely..

8. Work out pricing 

Your pricing should take into account your product and travel costs, your experience and prices in the local area. You don’t want to charge less than your services are worth, but you also don’t want to price yourself out of the market. It’s essential that you set your prices so that you’re going to make a profit on your services. Make sure you charge your worth, and keep in mind upselling and offers.

9. Decide on your processes 

It’s up to you to decide on your booking and cancellation policies, record keeping, how your clients book in with you, whether you take deposits and how you receive payments. Working this out in advance will make it easier as you start to book clients in. Make sure you know how to manage your financial processes for your accountant or tax return too.

10. Start advertising

Social media, word of mouth, PR and local advertising can all help you to secure your first clients. Ensure that you’re set up on local booking sites and websites like Treatwell so your prospective clients can find you. Make it really easy for clients to book with you. Once you have clients in place you can then use photos of your work to continue to market your business.

You should then be ready to start booking appointments and working on clients—you’re officially starting out your career as a mobile nail technician!

Taking your career to the next level

Ready to take your mobile nail technician career to the next level and options to boost your income? Here’s how successful mobile nail technicians are elevating their businesses.

Keep an eye on trends

Nail trends, treatments and tools change all the time. Keeping on top of what’s trending in the industry can help you to stay ahead of the game and give you a competitive advantage.

Diversify your income streams and clients 

You might decide to sell products, create your own range or work with corporate clients. For example, working with celebrity clients or on special projects like TV, fashion or pamper parties.

Invest in your kit (and your business)

Product quality is important, as is having the right tools for the job. This means that investing in your kit to get the best results for your clients and to keep them coming back.

Don’t stop marketing your business

Keeping up with your marketing, even if your calendar’s busy or you feel like you’re juggling clients, is really important. You don’t want to wait until you’re quiet to start marketing yourself. It’s essential to constantly raise awareness and take opportunities for your business.

Keep networking

Making connections, attending industry events and building relationships (and your personal brand) can keep you at the forefront of people’s minds if there’s an opportunity for them to work with you or become a client.

 

Specialist nail technician insurance

After working hard to excel are a mobile nail technician, you'll be wanting to make sure your business thrives. 

Through Ripe, you can get specialist nail technician insurance to protect your new business against claims from clients. It also provides financial protection if anything happens to your equipment or as well as treatment risks which protects you against third-party claims for injury or property damage following treatments up to the value of £5m.

To find out more, you can get a quick online quote today.