Beauty room in salon

[Willmott]

Hi there
Have a dilemma
I own and run a hair and beauty salon (11 years) we have had 4 beauty therapist ( one at a time) .... Ploughed money into setting up elemis treatments then changed to Gatineau ... We found that the facial side was very slow so concentrated on waxing and nails .

My present therapist has resigned due to personal reasons ...!
The beauty side has never been a great money spinner , ( parttime therapist etc) it pays it way with a small profit.
I always feel it's hard to control as I am not beauty trained so cannot step in if needed..

I can't decide whether to look for replacement or change room into a better retail/ reception as it's at front of shop!

Any thoughts?
We are not town centre so don't get many walk in's !

 

[EmmaLF]

Hi, I'm in a similar situation except I'm the beauty therapist, my boss is a hairdresser so I guess I can offer advice from my point of view. I'm the only therapist in a salon of hairdressers. We have one beauty room and one tanning room (other rooms like piercing etc but I won't discuss them because it's nothing to do with me). The last therapist left in December and I took over in January. I've been finding the beauty side slow too. We don't offer facials or massage as it's too loud with the hairdryers etc. we're also based down a side street so don't have much passing trade.
Like you, my boss wouldn't have much experience with the beauty side of things.
She doesn't know what products are good etc. I would suggest maybe coming to an agreement with your therapist that they can basically run the beauty side. They make the decision on new products or treatments to introduce and offers. Maybe give her a budget spend for each month? I have all these ideas and want to introduce new products but I feel bad asking or mentioning it to my boss. I feel like it would be cheeky to ask her to buy certain things because it's not my money. Sometimes I feel like I'd be better off renting the room off her.
I'll be following this thread to see what suggestions others have.

 

[Gina Ballerina]

Advertise as a room to rent.
I pay £8kpa for my one little beauty room (inc elec)
It's all down to me to do with it what I want (within reason)
I opened the accounts for the products I use.
I just pay my rent and that's that.
A good BT should be able to make any treatment work in there with the right attitude and marketing, I wouldn't say it was down to you.
I wouldn't know the first thing about marketing hair!

Sounds like it's time for that space to be making you money not costing you!

This way you'll get your money whatever happens, just give her good support