Owning Your Own Business: A Brief Guide to Starting a Salon
A lot of people dream of being their own boss. Renting a chair in someone else salon is often a great way to start; it helps you to gain confidence and experience as well as help to build your client list. Deciding to leave an established salon to build your own is often incredibly exciting but daunting. There are so many things to consider before you can even get your business off the ground. Read on for more information.
Your Options
If you want to open your own salon, then you have three options. You can either become a mobile stylist, open a salon within your home or open a salon in a commercial property. There are, of course, pros and cons to all of the above options. Becoming a mobile stylist is often cheaper because you only need to purchase a kit, which you are likely to already have in one form or another. After that, your highest cost will be gas in getting to and from your client’s homes. However, travelling can be tiresome.
If you instead would prefer your clients to come to you, but you don’t want to pay the rent on a commercial property, then you could open a home salon; however, you are still likely to need to have certain amenities installed, like a backwash station. On the other hand, if you want to have the option to rent out chairs and spaces to other stylists, then a commercial property is really your only option.
Ensuring Legal Compliance
Your legal obligations will largely depend on the type of salon that you have chosen to open. At the very least, you will need to register your business, and you are likely to need to take out some form of business insurance. Some providers like The Hartford do offer business insurance for salons which allows you to tailor your coverage to your business. You are also going to need to do some research on your state’s specific requirements regarding health and safety certifications and whether or not you need a permit. Failing to ensure legal compliance could lead to the closure of your business as well as legal repercussions for you.
Drumming Up Business
Finally, while you might have a list of loyal customers ready to follow you out the door of your previous salon, you will still need to think about how you can attract new clients and drum up more business. To this end, marketing will be vital. Most stylists tend to rely on their reputation, positive reviews and word of mouth. However, if you are working as a mobile hairdresser or if your salon will be within your home, then your visibility becomes more limited.
Think about how you can reach your audience; for most stylists looking for a young clientele or offering specific services like bridal or prom styles, this will likely mean a social media presence. Start documenting your work and posting results and price lists.
In Summary
Striking out on your own is never easy; you are going from the relative safety and security of an established salon to build your own. It is definitely going to be a challenge. However, with the right approach, it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. Consider the tips mentioned above and build upon them when conducting your own research.
