If you’re a hairdresser, or you’re thinking of becoming one, then the idea of owning your own salon could be the dream that you’re aiming for. Read on for tips on how to start a successful hair salon.
Who’s Suited to this type of Business?
You need to have experience in hairdressing yourself (about five years at least), before you go into owning your own salon. It won’t be the biggest money maker, so you need to make sure that you’re doing it because you love it.
You’ll also need business skills as well as the skill to cut hair. This may mean that you have to go on a management or book keeping course, for example.
Starting a Business
As with any business, you need a certain amount of money behind you. If you’re setting up from scratch, you’ll need some money for premises and equipment before you can even open.
You need a business plan. Think about the responsibilities of each of the people involved, what kind of clients you want to attract, etc. Find more information on formulating an effective business plan here. There is a wide variety of different types of salon out there, from those that target young professionals to older customers who can’t do their own hair.
The Rules and Regulations
A salon will typically contain a wide range of electrical items that have the potential to be dangerous, so you need an electrician to check items every two years.
When it comes to hair dyes and shampoos, you need to adhere to the regulations known as Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH).
Staff need to be trained and qualified to GNVQ Level 2 to cut customers’ hair.
Tips for Success
- A good location can make all the difference. Make it easy for yourself and pick a location that will mean that you’ll have plenty of people walking past your shop door. The salon premises is the biggest outgoing that you’ll have so make sure that you can afford it!
- Save money on the initial fit out and only get the essentials. When you begin to make a profit, you can invest in higher quality equipment or more services.
- Invest in software like this from Phorest to help you keep the customers that you have coming back for their next haircut or salon treatment.