A Concise and Current Guide for Starting up a Hair Salon
Like any business, a hair salon requires a number of steps to be set up properly. When you follow them, your business will get off to a smooth start and have a great shot at a long, successful run. If you’re considering starting such an enterprise, these four steps are crucial.
Health Regulations
As you learned during your education, it is vital to comply with laws about sanitation and hygiene. Be sure your facilities have the appropriate water temperatures, functional basins and drains, and hard, smooth floors that clean easily. Many licenses and permits can take a long time to process, so discuss your plans with state licensing authorities as well as the local health department so that all permits can be in place before your first client takes a seat.
Equipment, Furniture, and Lighting
Speaking of seats, your salon must be properly furnished. Start by buying quality all-purpose salon chairs, but don’t neglect other features. Make sure you have comfortable waiting chairs, tables for magazines, shelves for your supplies and merchandise, a secure area for the cash drawer, and all the other fixtures for comfort and function in your salon. Design your lighting to provide comfortable conditions for your waiting clients, and of course for a good view of your work.
Additional Staffing
Of course, you are the primary staff, but if your salon is large enough, you may take on other stylists. Choose qualified, licensed people, and review the various arrangements that other salons in the area are using for additional staff. Decide if you’ll charge for the space by commission, with a flat rate, or in some other type of setup. Put it in writing before the other stylists pick up the first brush. Consider whether a larger staff will require a dedicated scheduler or receptionist as well.
Marketing Your Salon
Most people are very loyal to their stylists. Once they find someone who does their hair “right”, they tend to stick with them. That can make it very difficult to create a new customer base. If you’ve already been working in another salon, you’ll likely pick up many of those customers, but you may need more. Make sure you’ve chosen a memorable, simple name, and that you’ve established a brand that you can use in your advertising so that potential clients can find you.
A hair salon provides a pretty straightforward service — its staff cuts and styles hair. Establishing that salon is considerably more complex. Plan your business carefully so that you get off on the right foot.