Tips 'N Toes Nail Salon - news - Manila Bulletin

Who would imagine that vanity could go as focused as nails. That there could be a business specializing on nails and toes alone. That it would be possible. Salons used to be generalists.

But demand for nail art has become big enough that it turned out to be a very good business. Well, this is already the 21st century wherein doing things have become so focused.

Jennifer Tipton-Angeles, president of Tips 'N Toes, makes the right move of putting up a nail art business. She found her niche business and what a gem it is.

TIPS'NTOES
The nail art business of Jennifer would never have come had it not for her penchant for having manicured nails ever since she was still in high school and college. She calls herself the forever "Kikay" a term of endearment for girls, who love to shop for beauty accessories and those feminine things.

When she got married, Jennifer became a client of Tips 'N Toes in SM Megamall. She became familiar with the business that when the owners of the salon decided to sell out, she got the first crack.

Actually, the business fits to her personality to a T. Her husband was supportive of her plans to go into business after spending eight long years with the Philippine Airlines.

"The salon was bound to close," she recalls. Jennifer bought it in 1998.

“I was heavy with my child then when we took over the business but I have to go home at 12 midnight because I personally look after the business," she says.
Jennifer invested in her new salon by redesigning it, implemented a system and plunged into a marketing strategy that would put the company at the forefront of the nail services business.

The intention was to grow the business by further enhancing its potentials, she would say.

With the original six staff, Jennifer managed to grow the business fairly well. She tapped celebrity endorsers and hired a franchising consultant for her business.

GROWTH
All those hard work have finally paid off. In a span of nine years, there are now five Tips 'N Toes salons strategically located in the metropolis. The company-owned outlets are the ones in SM Megamall and Greenbelt while the three others in Alabang Westgate, Tomas Morato and SM Bicutan are under franchise arrangements.

"The very first one is in SM Megamall," Jennifer says recalling the huge task that she had to endure to put that outlet back on its feet the day she took over operations.

"Business is doing very well and lots of franchise applicants are lining up," she says. The company could have granted franchises left and right but Jennifer said they deliberately make it slow because they want to really grow the company first.

The company also does not charge advertising fee while the royalty fee, which is a percentage of sales, is collected three months after operation. "We are now growing double-digit," she says.

While it is primarily a nail salon, Tips 'N Toes now offers added services like eyelash extension, waxing and back massage. It has also a room for full body massage. But 95 percent of the business is still the nail art.

“I don't want to open a full service salon because it would not be Tips 'N Toes anymore. I want this as it is," she says.

Each branch has a minimum of 20 customers daily who really want those sculptured nails.

"They get a very good deal. In fact, we are even slightly cheaper than the other salons because we only use the world class materials that are being applied on Hollywood celebrities plus the chance to go malling after their nails and toes are done as we are conveniently located in the malls," she says.
Service at Tips 'N Toes start at P950 for acrylic sculptured nails but the gel can go higher.

DISTINCT
At the time, she and her husband acquired the business there were only two competitors in the market. But now, there are already a number of similar salons.

She said these start-up salons were put up by their former clients, who also saw the potential of this business.

But Jennifer does not consider them competitors saying that her nail salon offers its own brand of service that could not be match by other salons. They have a distinct kind of service that endear them to its growing number of clientele.

Besides, Jennifer said the nail salon business is a huge one that there is room for everyone.

But her nail art salon is distinct. She noted that some clients go to a salon to relax and have time for themselves. But most salons are not conducive to relaxation because they are characterized by noisy customers, chattering attendants and uncomfortable chairs.

"Sometimes, when we go to a parlor we don't want noise we want a calm atmosphere," she said.

"In Tips 'N Toes, the chairs are huge that a customer can lounge comfortably," she said.

The nail technicians are not intrusive of a customer's lifestyles and the salon has a generally calm atmosphere making each customer feel like they are at the luxury of their homes.

Aside from that, Jennifer is proud to say that Tips 'N Toes does not use chemicals that are not environmentally friendly. They import their nails polish from the U.S., Europe and Japan and not from the cheap brands of China where the chemicals used are not good for the customers, unhealthy to their nail technicians and bad for the environment.

The nail polish they are using are approved by the Food and Drugs Administration of the U.S.

Jennifer said that U.S., Japan and Korea are the leaders in the nails and toes business. "In the U.S., the Vietnamese dominate this service industry," she says.

A WOMAN'S BUSINESS
"The women of Tips 'N Toes have a common denominator, we are all kikay," she adds.

"We love to shop, we have similar stature in life, same lifestyle and interests," says Jennifer. Needless to say that her salon caters to the A and B market of the distaff side.

It is her sister Margaret, who travels abroad to learn the skills and impart new techniques and trends to their nail technicians.

"I have the eye, my sister the hand," she says noting that she took her sister to help run the business. Margaret used to teach at the Ateneo de Manila University. She has the complete trust of Jennifer when it comes to running the business. If you don't look closely, they even look like twins.

Jennifer and her sister Margaret are certified Kikays. Both started their love for nail art as early as high school in Maryknoll, now Miriam College.

Jennifer noted that she got manly hands but having acrylic sculptured nails add femininity into them, she says.

"This is really a woman's business. Women are vain. They really are in need for this kind of service," she says but hastened to add that they are getting a number of men clients. There are also foreign clients or tourists who occasionally walk into their salon.

“Our men clients are older men, who want a good foot spa service," Jennifer says.

As a rule of thumb, nails must be done on a weekly basis but some women do it once in two weeks.

Each branch has 10 people mostly nail technicians, who were hired based on their skills.

"When we recruit, we took only the expert manicurist. We train them further the Tips 'N Toes way. We enhance their skills and personality and they become nail technicians," she adds. Jennifer said that he has some gay friends but she does not work with them. She prefers the recommended relatives of their existing staff saying it would be safer to work with relatives of their own staff.

Jennifer is equally proud of her staff saying they are all very good in their craft.

"My staff has been with us since the company's turnover to us," she states.

As a pioneer in the nail business, the 39-year old entrepreneur does not mind if her business is being copied. "It is flattering to be copied so there is no need for sour graping. They can copy us but they cannot get the attitude of our staff," she adds.
As a mother of three, having Tips 'N Toes becomes her. It provides Jennifer enough flexibility between kids, home and business. Her sister Margaret is also a big help.

WELL GROUNDED
Tips 'N Toes is not a family-oriented business, Jennifer sad it is centered on the graces of God. Its success has only made them more closer to the Almighty.
While she does not impose on her people to observe her belief and faith, her people have eventually folded into their regular Bible studies.

Now, the staffs do their own Bible studies on their free time. They read the Bible everyday.

“Our relationship is not just with our customers but also with God," she says.

"If you're there for business only then it won't work for you. Like in our marriage, me and my husband work on our marriage but if God is not in our marriage then it won't work at all," she says.

With her franchisees, Jennifer deals with them as a family. But Jennifer does not require her franchisees to adopt her Christian faith.

Jennifer was just so thankful that she owns Tips 'N Toes saying this business was really meant for them.

"The fact that we are Tiptons, which rhymes with Tips 'N Toes, this business is really us," she said.

As a manager, Jennifer is the strict boss. She wants her staff to be always on their toes when they attend to their customers.
Despite running a hectic schedule, Jennifer knows her pri¬orities. "First and foremost, I am a mom. I am very family-oriented," she says. Aside from her three kids, Jennifer has six dogs and seven cats.

"My pets relax me and my dates with my husband," she adds. Although it is obvious that Jennifer is a privileged kid, she appears to be well grounded.
"We are not rich, we just come from Marikina but our Dad provided for us. We love to travel because of my Dad really invested in us having the chance to learn by traveling," she adds. "It is my Mom who is well grounded," she said.

FOR THE LONG TERM
Jennifer noted that compared to other service industries, the salon business has longer staying power. A restaurant life is good for two years only after which customers no longer patronage the food.

"But our business is like wine, we get better as we grow older," she adds.

What sustains this kind of operation is the Filipinos vanity, their being hygienic and concerns for good grooming.

"1 have no regrets having gone into this business," she says adding that she intends to stay in this service-oriented business for the long term.

Manila Bulletin - August 22, 2007