For many experienced hair stylists and beauty therapists, the next natural progression within their career is to go on to open their own salon and employ their own staff. It’s a rewarding move to become your own boss and to also be responsible for owning a business.
Sometimes, however, this change does not always result in a leading successful salon like you might hope. Sadly, many fail simply due to business inexperience. Although you might be a talented hair stylist or beauty therapist, it doesn’t always mean that these skills alone make for an easy transition to opening your own salon.
If you are considering this move and seeking further advice on it, follow our guide to make sure you are prepared and ready to take on this challenge.
Knowledge of the hair and beauty world
Although it’s not always a necessity, those who wish to open their own salon should definitely have a strong understanding of the industry and how it works. If a client asks a question, the owner needs to be able to explain the treatments they offer, what the procedures are and understand how it works and the effects it can have.
If you are unable to provide clients with the information they’re looking for, they might think you are inexperienced and go elsewhere for treatments.
Before launching your salon, you should think about the treatments that you want to offer to make sure you stand out among competitors. Do you want spa treatments, massages, hair colouring and styling, nail work and facials? The more treatments that you and your staff are trained for, the more the salon has to offer, which could result in a higher number of customers.
Experience in Salon Management
Within many salons, there’s a possibility of working your way up to the top of the career ladder and taking on the role as Salon Manager. In this role, you’d be responsible for many tasks including ensuring the day-to-day of the salon runs efficiently and smoothly.
To prepare you for taking on the challenge of running your own salon, there are courses that are offered which will allow you to gain a clearer understanding of the industry and how to ensure your business is a successful one. Some of the courses include a foundation business course which can be studied at university and will provide a strong foundation of knowledge that you’ll require for your own business.
You also have an option to study a BA HONS Degree in Salon Management which might help in knowing how to run a business and also explore the personal and leadership skills that are required to take on a management role.
Both courses are perfect for those wishing to open their own salon and develop a strong skill set that allow for personal development. And although studying is not always vital – it will come in handy.
Passion to be creative
If you have a creative flair that you would love to express, then opening your own salon could be perfect for you. You might currently be limited to experimenting with new looks as your boss might not approve of it. You want to ensure you’ve got a plan of how you want it to look but also think about what attracts customers and what will set you apart from your competitors. What can you offer that is different?
Is there any way I can gain experience as a Salon Owner?
If you’re passionate about opening your own salon but would love to get a feel for it and see what actually happens within this role, there are a few ways you can do this to make sure this is the right path for you. Nobody wants to quit their current job and end up regretting it!
You could speak to local salon business owners who have opened successful businesses and ask them advice on starting up. They will be flattered that you’ve taken the chance to approach them.
Another option is to spend time with a salon owner for the day to find out what activities they get up to alongside treating clients. Most of their duties you may have knowledge about from working within a salon but still it’s good to find out how their day shapes.
One other choice is to book onto a Salon Management course that will allow you to develop skills to set up your own salon and give you advice on how to run it effectively.
You’ll also gain valuable insight into the salon business to find out what it looks like from an industry perspective. Alongside this, you’d learn about how to recruit staff, how to manage money and the responsibilities of running the salon day to day as well as knowledge of retaining customers and skills which are required.
Make sure you check back next week to discover our next blog post which will be focused on what you need to know before opening a salon.
Head over to our Facebook and Twitter page for now our #SalonManagement for useful hints and tips for those interested in Salon management.
