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Setting up your own salon
Setting up your own salon
Opening their own salon or spa is a long-held dream for many cosmetologists. It's easy to dream about freestanding shampoo bowls or automatic waxing tables and calming music, but what are the real issues you have to face when starting your own salon?
Documentation Drill
Business establishment licenses, resale permits, and building plans must be obtained and approved in order to open up a salon in any state. If you wish to build a salon from the inside out, the proper building or remodeling permits must be signed. Once the salon is ready for business, all employees must be licensed to carry out their duties (and an unlicensed receptionist, even if she is in beauty school, should never be allowed to shampoo a client).
Teaming up
It's important to consider the structure of your salon. Will stylists rent their chairs and provide their own color and supplies? Or will the team work on a commission structure that benefits the salon as a whole? Each business plan yields different results and a different feel to the salon, so interview applicants carefully and visualize the team you want. And make sure to think carefully about your own duties as owner!
Lucrative Location
Location and clientele are the most important aspect of setting up your salon. These two factors can directly influence each other. What kind of neighborhood brings the best clientele? For hip and funky salons, an urban setting on a popular street with lots of foot traffic should bring in walk-ins. For salons with an already established clientele, a floor in an office or downtown building gives the impression of luxury, class, and privacy.
Finally, consider your product line and retail area. The kind of products you plan to sell--price range, packaging, and product quality--will all be important to your clients.
The best way to make your own salon thrive is to offer the best possible customer service. Regardless of all of the other variables, a client wants to feel cared for, listened to, and respected. By treating every client the way you'd like to be treated, you can keep them coming back.
