Hairstylist —> LPN —> RN?
Here’s my situation
I’m 30F. I graduated cosmetology school in 2017. In 2019, I began working full time at a chain salon mainly focusing on haircuts. I stayed there until 2023 when I moved out of state, and I managed to find another job within two weeks at the same chain in my new state. I’ve been at this salon ever since. I make roughly 50-55K a year and it’s worth noting that I work at a particularly lucrative location. I have a steady clientele with many people that regularly tip $10-$20. I am very good at what I do and I’ve made great relationships with my clients. Last Christmas I had three clients give me $100 tips. I am constantly being showered with gifts, and I even have a client helping me pay for my wedding.
Here’s my problem: I feel trapped.
I’ve been with this company for 7 years and I feel like I’ve maxed out my earning potential at 55k. I know that as a hairstylist there’s opportunities to earn much more - but that involves strong entrepreneurial spirit and skills and I just don’t have that. Plus, I’d have to be able to provide high quality and high ticket services, like complex hair color and/or extension services. I don’t want to do any of those things. I excel at haircutting, but I can’t realistically open my own space and *only* do that and make a worthwhile living. There’s also the issue that I signed a mandatory non compete agreement, so if I try to take any of the clients I’ve made with me to another salon, I could get sued. With chain salons, it’s also highly variable - some locations are more lucrative than others and you just won’t know until you start working there. There are simply too many moving parts, not enough stability, not enough room to grow. I also just feel like I could do more, and be more. With each year at that passes, my legacy as “The [name of salon chain] girl” becomes more solidified. And it’s like… I’m in a good spot, but I know I can do more. The only benefit of this job is I get 80 hours of PTO. Other than that, I get no health insurance and no 401k contributions. As I get older, I worry more and more about carpal tunnel and how I will mange to retire, or if I’ll ever get to retire. In my area, 55k is just enough to scrape by. I’m certainly not impoverished, but I am not rich.
I love people and I’m very good with people. I’m already used to working with people. I LOVED human anatomy in high school and enjoyed the small portion of that we did in cosmetology school. I already encounter and have a high tolerance for some smells and some bodily fluids. I know that I’m an intelligent person and I learn quickly. I took a practice TEAS just to see where I am, and scored 70% without studying. I feel very strongly that I can do this - but is it worth it? Is it worth walking away from everything I know and everything I’ve built for almost a decade, leaving behind my awesome clients? I don’t know.
There’s almost too much info online. I hear people say the money and benefits are great. I hear other people say they only make as much as I do and to not do it for the money. And I’ve even heard some people say they don’t get benefits. If any of these things are true, I might as well just stay with what I’m doing. I’m scared I’ll get through the program, do all this work and spend all this money and end up earning the same amount and not getting benefits. My plan is, if I get into the LPN program and get through it, that I can bridge to RN quickly because it seems like that’s where the best money is. But I’ve also seen that people can get denied bridge programs, so I really don’t know.
I’m posting this because I’m wondering if anyone has been in a similar position before, and I’m at a crossroads. Has anyone gotten into this and regretted it? If so, why?
Thanks for reading and I’m looking forward to getting some responses.