It's now June, and Prom season in full swing. I was fortunate to get a location at Stretch Fitness in Summerside so I could do tans for people in the Summerside area. I live far out of town and the travel charges are often more than someone wishes to pay so getting a location in town was essentail. I take my own bookings, look after my own money, and pay them a little for each tan I do as "rent". It has been working out very well. I am only there when I have bookings. I was able to do many TOSH and KISH prom tans. Now, proms for Bluefield, Charlottetown Rural, and Colonel Gray Schools are coming up and it was time to find a spot in Charlottetown where I could have a similar setup. So, I called a former employer at Laser Esthetics Medi-Spa in Charlottetown and she was so enthusiastic! I am setting up for 2 evenings one week apart so I can do prom tans for those schools in Charlottetown. As for future arrangements, we are just going to see how this goes; I have to do this after their normal working hours as I work during the day. I am hopeful it will work out, as having a location in Charlottetown will open this business up to a huge group of people! There are spray tans available at approximately 4 locations in the area already, but I think if I can continue to build a good reputation I will do well there.
I am really enjoying the new solutions from Natural Glow. Although Vani-T was very nice, especailly "Fusion", colour choices were limited, and it was unreal expensive especially when shipping and customs were factored in. I will continue to use Aviva for now, as it works really well on cooler skin types, but it is my only solution which is not organic. Natural Glow comes in 6 shades plus mixing directions for many more shades so I can truly build a custom colour. It also seems to last just as long as the other ones I've tried, no smell, dries quickly, and it's organic. It's only drawback is its shelf life is only 12 months from shipping date, but I do not think I will have any problems using my current order up by then.
Also an update which is kind of exciting: my goal for the end of 2012 as a very small home-based business was to bring in enough income to pay for my original investment from last fall. As of June 12, that will have taken place so yay! I only started charging people in January (needed free ones for practise), broke my leg in February and was laid up for about 3 months; so all in all I've done fairly well. Some people have asked me if I was quitting my job as a nurse to do this full-time; No! This will continue to be a small home-based business operated solely by me. Eventually, in a few years I may give the business to my daughter, but that is a very long way off as she is currently eight years old. This business is for fun money, and money to pay for things that normally would not be in the budget for my family. The goal is still to provide quality spray tans, and make some cash along the way. This business is just for ME, something productive I can do that I enjoy. So far, so good. I just renewed my URL www.smartspraytan.com for 5 more years as it has been the single most effective means of getting clients. I have also recently purchased the .ca of that name as well in case people search me incorrectly.
So far it is fun, and now becoming more profitable!

So, come January I was starting to build a little momentum, I found a great on-line service which would help you develop your design for a logo of sorts, and print your info on all sorts of things. Business cards, check! I had hosted 2 spray tan parties (one for my own close girlfriends, the other I was hired), and both were successful. I was getting more and more comfortable as time went on and I was trying out all the different brands I had purchased and was choosing my favorite. (Vani-T Fusion, expensive but looks good on just about anyone, one customizable shade). I also really liked Aviva's samples I had purchased, but since they aren't organic I don't want to make them my main brand. I have recently ordered some other great-sounding products from them, and can't wait til they get here.
Anyway, so I was well on my way, making a few bucks here and there. I was mostly getting people who were either going away or who had a special function to attend. I was crossing my fingers they would return in the Summer. -- My goal is at least 50% repeat customers. Anyway, February first I had been granted a day off from work and was planning a ski day with my kids, my sister, neice, nephew and my father. When we got there, I slipped on a patch of ice, and I knew right away my ankle was broken. Surgery, 6 weeks in a cast not allowed to weight bear, not able to work. Thank goodness I had sick time at work. It's now one month after the cast has come off, and I am just getting back to work as my job as head nurse of a Maternity/Peds unit at my local hospital. I did one single tan while I had my cast on, and I am glad I did not do more; it was hard to do well while hopping around! 
Now while I was laid up on my couch, my kids at school, myhusband either working or at school, I had a LOT of time to myself. So, I did a lot of on-line research to become even better at spray tanning. My goal after all is high-quality spray tans and I will accept no less. I also spent a lot of time making advertising products come alive on vistaprint.ca. And especially working on my website to make it shine. It definitely has evolved since I originally bought that great URL back in September. I also started my facebook page for Smart Spray Tan as well. All this stuff was cheap or free. I even have free banners with my Brand on it in case I am in a trade show or even a community parade -- hasn't happened yet but stay tuned for Summer!
My husband, love his heart, is supportive though I think he must be tired of spray tan talk. He has never said so, though. I do enjoy learning about it and talking about it, and the making money part, well that is part of it too. I am more excited about having something that is MINE, that I do well, maybe even better than others, and I have something extra -- I am PEI's first and only mobile spray tan business. I can't wait to find out what happens next.