sliding scale

[Nirvana Boy]

:?: need advise I have been working for a small spa. I've been there year and a half, kept the business running while the owner had elective surgery (I saw her clients, answered phones, scheduled appts) This is my pay:
0-750 35%
751-1250 40%
1251 45%
She just gave me a raise by dropping 1250 to 1000 now at that point I get 45%.
I do feel a little resentment in that I'm still getting 35% under 750.00 I think I shouldn't be asked to work at 35% EVER considering time I put into her business. I did ask her to change it her respsonse was you haven't made under 750 in a long time. But that's not the point is it? Well, she hasn't changed it. She states financial advisers tell her over 45 % is too much. (what do you think they would tell me?)
I have been thinking of going on my own. And I have told her this. Ofcourse she wants me to stay.
So my question to you all is it worth it being on your own financially as well as emotionally. With all the overhead and having to schedule and reschedule yourself? Paying taxes, slow seasons etc. Any advise or feed back is totally welcome.
Thank you

 

[queenbeeth22]

The question that comes to mind is what was your payment for doing the scheduling, taking phone calls, etc? If you didn't receive any reimbursement for this maybe that is the issue behind your unhappiness overall?
The sliding scale is interesting, I guess this is to encourage the MT to do what he/she can do to increase their bookings.
The 45% sounds pretty decent to me, especially if your employer is supplying the linens, lubricants, etc... When I worked as an independent contractor I got 50% but had to supply ( and carry!!) all of the linens and lubes.
Now, to your main question.

I am self employed and fully booked for most of the year. And probably like most on this forum, I anguished for months over the decision to go out on my own.
It was the best decision that I have ever made. Sure, the paperwork and returning calls and emails can be tough to balance on top of a full workweek, but doing what you love is a pretty good trade off. I am in an area that gives me tons of access to people who want and can afford regular appts, but I try to always save some back for an anticipated slow period, or an illness, whatever. I also save money out each month for taxes so I am not "blindsided" -
Hope this helps, good luck with your decision. It sounds like you have a good following where you are working and are usually in the 45% range. This tells me that when you see a new client you are doing things right and they are returning to you for repeat sessions? If so, that will serve you well if and when you start out on your own!
P.S. I also worked one day a week for myself, and when it was booked fully I opened up another day, that is how I was able to verify whether I could handle working for myself. This may not work for you if you are at your present workplace 5 days a week..... but wanted to mention that

 

[Medori]

I would focus on total amount paid rather than the perceneforum.xxxe. If you are getting enough money it doesn't matter what she is getting. If you are not getting enough money then there may be a problem with how much business the spa is bringing in overall.

 

[SpaSpaSpa]

I don't understand caring what the perceneforum.xxxe *would be* IF you were working much less than you are working. I think your employers point of "you haven't made under $750 in a long time" is totally the point. You are doing very well. You are working a lot and making a lot more than *that other perceneforum.xxxe*.

Ask yourself how much you are making. Ask yourself how much you want/need to be making in this industry, and what it would take to be making what you are making if you were working for someone else, or for yourself. Dollar amount, not percent.

If what you really want is to cut down your hours and make more than you would there at reduced hours, then looking around and applying elsewhere makes good sense. If this is a resentment from not being compensated in the past as you feel you should have been, then resolving that feeling is what will help you. If you get it resolved within yourself, and if you did a great job, when the need arises again, you can negotiate for better pay for that work. It you continue to be resentful and it is a generalized resentment (or focused on something that isn't really affecting your income anyway), someone else will get that opportunity - and they will negotiate for satisfactory compensation - and your resentment will be compounded.

 

[Juancho]

under 750

The reason I don't want to make 35% under 750 is that there are times when I do make under 750, for example slow time, or if I need to take time off. I have my own health insurance, my own retirement plan, I have and will again do advertising to bring in more clients.
The resentment, I suppose comes in when I do my time card and I bill for a 55.00 dollar amount treatment and see that my share is 17.50.
I agree with you I need to resolve the resentment and I am working on that. I am indeed, a work in progress. :

 

[Bloo]

under 750

The resentment, I suppose comes in when I do my time card and I bill for a 55.00 dollar amount treatment and see that my share is 17.50.
I agree with you I need to resolve the resentment and I am working on that. I am indeed, a work in progress. :

I do understand this, to a point. When I worked at the hotel I could sell several thousands of dollars worth of rooms in a shift, all by myself. Not just for that night, but also making future reservations. I booked groups, booked the meeting room...I also did laundry and cleaning, which saved them money on housekeeping staff, and I did the audit - the daily bookkeeping. And I set up the breakfast, too. I made $8 an hour when the work I did brought the owner a whole lot of profit. He slept right through it. Of course, in the dead of winter, I read a book and cost him $8 an hour even if I didn't bring in a dime for him.

Retailers make tons of money at the holidays, and don't pay their employees any more for all the extra work. We could go on and on.......when an employee, the income will never reflect the income of the owner. I think the big difference is that in our industry, we can see the split and do the math. We don't see the bills, though.....and that wouldn't really help. We'd just keep doing the math, lol.

I do work for myself. I started out on my own fresh out of school, and supplemented by doing IC work for a couple of other places. I gave up on that and went totally on my own partly because I was going to have to do the marketing in order to get clients for the other businesses just to have work there. I might as well do the marketing for my *own* business, and yes, keep 100% rather than 35%. I was happy with the percent I made, just not the amount of work - it didn't add up to enough money to be worth the bother. If you are marketing anyway, and since you have had a taste of running the place and you are comfortable with the work of that, and are feeling that the situation isn't what you want, it may very well be that you are cut out to work for yourself and that you should start moving in that direction. I just want to caution you not to do it out of resentment (maybe it is not resentment you feel, but that is the only label you can come up with for your discontent?) and not to burn any bridges in the process. Go at it from a positive point of view, and working towards something rather than away from something, and you can end up in a very fulfilling and enjoyable career - and you can be comfortable running into the former boss.