If you have a talent for hair and a brain for business, you may one day want to start your own salon. Establishing a business is never easy to do, but it can go a lot smoother if you are prepared. The fact that you are reading this shows that you want to at least do a little bit of research before jumping into the process. Hopefully our tips will help you out. Here is a basic guide to helping you start your own hair salon.
Assess the Costs
The first thing you have to do is figure out how much this is going to cost you. You can either rent, buy, or build a building to house your salon, so you should check out the different prices in your area. You will also need to know what the monthly fees are going to be to run the salon so you can make sure you at least break even each month. The pricing for this will vary greatly by location, so talk to a realtor or accountant about the options around you.
Plan the Setup
How are you going to set up your salon? Are you going to have stylists pay rent for their stations, or are you going to offer them an hourly pay? Most new salon owners will go with the rent option because that will bring them guaranteed money right away. If you want to pay employees to draw them in easier, you could do that as well. You have to figure out what sort of commission rates you will offer, or what you will charge the stylists to use products you provide. The final decision is entirely up to you.
Get an Education
You technically don’t have to be a stylist to run a salon. You just have to provide the building. Nevertheless, it would be wise to at least have some sort of education so you can answer questions that come your way. There is a reason why stylist-owned salons do so well. It’s because people know they can trust the owners. When you have customers that can trust you, you are guaranteed to succeed.
Open the Doors
Once you have everything planned out, market like crazy to draw in new customers. If you make a good first impression, you will have a lot of business to come. Don’t expect to be a millionaire overnight because that just won’t happen. If you play your cards right though, you’ll be able to start off on a profitable foot.
About the Author: Kim McAlroy is a self-employed stylist who loves her job and clients. She recommends the Mandalyn Academy for cosmetology and business education.
