Hello everyone,
I have spent many hours scouring the Internet today regarding people's thoughts on opening a salon without being a hairdresser, make up artist etc.. I understand the point of view of someone just coming into the industry and acting arrogant, however I think it's very important that I understand how the industry feels about it.
Just so you know a bit about me, I am a law graduate (suppose that will help with some aspects of things) but I have been a successful business woman for several years, at the moment I sell beauty products online which gives me a good income, enough for me to start a salon - something which I have dreamt about for several years.
I have researched for months into location, finance, how much it would cost, rent on the premises, business rates, employees/ or staff being self employed (I am more swayed to this option)
This is your first mistake. People in Liverpool (especially hairdressers) are VERY wary about being self-employed. Believe me, I know. Even when you point out the benefits such as claiming relief on their supplies and tools it is a no-go for most of them. Their parents are very quick to point out that "they'll have no rights" and they are majorly concerned about lack of holiday pay/sick pay. This city is still very unionised in it's thinking and it's all about "their rights".
Those who do agree to working self employed will want to be truly self employed in my experience and will say things like "so I've been looking into this and my uncle's dog's best friend's cousin who works on Saturdays at the CAB in Anfield told me that I can come and go when I want to if I am self employed and that you cannot specify my hours, so I think I'll take every Saturday off and come in at 11AM through the week".
You can do one of two things ... explain to them that's not how it works and then the next one and the one after that like a neverending circle or you can give in and agree to their 'bright idea' but be prepared for them to blame you when it turns out they only got paid £40 for the hours they actually worked, oh, and for their parents/boyfriend to come and complain too.
If you move out to Maghull you will find that most of the salons there do actually have real self-employed stylists, however this is because they can't afford to employ anybody and they're just happy with the £50 a week for the chair. You could try going down that route, but why bother investing in opening a salon where you need to be there all of the time for say £250 gross income for the week (then take your salon overheads out of that leaving you with about 10p profit) when you could buy a couple of houses in Aigburth and rent them out for the same money but very little hassle?
You're best going down the employment route, but that in itself has problems ... will tell you why in a sec.
, products, tax, everything I could possibly think of including how expensive it would be to kit out the salon
I also have knowledge in this industry, I am from Liverpool and we are mad on all things beauty we really take pride in our appearance, it's a massive industry here. Also I would be setting up in one of the busiest areas of the city.
(I'll copy/paste this paragraph later on ... it's massively important)
So; I feel like I have looked into everything, I want to create a salon which could be a great success with a team effort,
Liverpool people don't really get the whole "team effort" thing. If you have a team of 10 and 3 of them are shirkers, the other 7 won't help you out and try to get those 3 to up their game ... they'll just see them get away with it and copy them unless you do something about it yourself (I think it's the whole "don't be a grass" culture here). If you sack those 3 the others will worry about who's going to carry their slack (god forbid they do any extra work ... even if it means they'd get any extra money ... it just won't be worth the effort). Forget about the team effort stuff and think of it more like an "army" where everyone knows if they drop the ball there will be conseqeuences - and then reward afterwards.
I have a big vision to then branch further however I respect your industry and don't want to come across arrogant; I would put myself out there to those I employ to ensure that they don't feel this way.
They wouldn't. They'd just totally walk all over you. In Liverpool it's about "who is the best" at everything ... from where you live, to what you drive, how many Facebook friends you have on your latest phone to how good you are at cutting hair. They say that "self praise is no praise" but that doesn't count here. Every stylist will tell you adamantly that "they know they're a good hairdresser" - even the crap ones - I just worry how you'll be able to tell the difference without wasting thousands of pounds and your sanity along the way LOL.
and at the end of all that, the odd few who are good will quickly leave as they'll feel you cannot inspire them and they'd be better off going it alone, or perhaps mobile (see this site for plenty of evidence).
I don't want to tell the, what to do just because Iv got the finance to do it, I want to create something great. My role within the business would be the running of the business, advertising and promotion (heavy promotion!)
Ouch! You'll soon have complaints if you make them too busy...especially on a Saturday if they have a date and they've already 'ghost booked' a client last thing so they can do eachother's hair. Then again, they'll complain if they're not busy too (as long as they've had their hair done first of course). LOL
the general house cleaning duties
Liverpool stylists and juniors would be very happy about this ^^^
and I would also run my online sales business from there too I would like to think.
Therefore I'd just like your honest opinion from those in the industry on the salon owner not being a hairdresser etc, it is essential that I would have a good relationship with the staff, and also that I would be able to attract good trades people on a rent a chair basis.
Thanks in advance xx
Can I also add I'm soon undertaking a fast track make up course which I would do in the salon myself (although I understand the nature of the work means this would probably online be on Friday and Saturday afternoons preparing people for Friday and Saturday nights!)
A fasttrack make-up course so you can offer the services in a salon on a commercial nature week after week?
I see you're a law graduate, so let me turn the tables a bit ... imagine if I were planning to do a fasttrack solicitors course of 2 weeks so I can open a large solicitors firm in the center of Liverpool where I plan to compete against the likes of DWF, Rex Makin etc. Would you be wondering if I had lost the plot?
I want to take your bit from earlier that you mentioned and give my comments...
"I also have knowledge in this industry, I am from Liverpool and we are mad on all things beauty we really take pride in our appearance, it's a massive industry here. Also I would be setting up in one of the busiest areas of the city."
You're right. People in Liverpool really do spend a lot of money on looking after themselves. Because of this though, they also have a lot of experience about who is good and who isn't. So I'm thinking...in town we have Barbara Daley, Herberts, Voodou, Hooka etc. all competing for business. They're all headed by people who are not only qualified in hairdressing/beauty but also have decades worth of experience in business behind them.
So let's imagine ... Scouse Scally from Norris Green goes into town to get her hair done, and she's prepared to spend a fortune. She wants to go from blonde to brown.
2 disastrous scenarios:
1. She goes to Barbara Daley where the stylist screws up and turns her hair green. Barbara sacks the stylists and fixes the job herself at no extra charge. Scouse Sally is happy.
2. She goes to your salon where the stylist screws up and turns her hair green. You 'sack the stylist' and ask the others for help. They all refuse as you just 'sacked their mate' who had to put up with a rude client. Scouse Sally demands to know what you're going to do about it. You offer her a refund (which comes out of your own pocket). She calls her boyfriend to come to the salon immediately...she's crying...she can't be seen in the middle of town with green hair!! Scally Steve arrives and threatens you that he'll smash your whole place up if you don't fix her hair AND give her a refund right now! So what happens next? Because believe me, this could be a weekly occurance. People in Liverpool will absolutely not accept that your stylists are simply 'self employed' and that you can't do anything to help them if (and when) their hair/tan/waxing etc. goes wrong. Refunds won't be sufficient to keep you in business. God forbid you get a wedding booking and the stylist calls in sick on you ... and you can't jump in and do something about it! I can only imagine how long it would be before your salon is fire-bombed (I've seen 3 salons fire-bombed in Woolton over the past 10 years and this is the most expensive suburb to live in!)