Business is established, what are my next steps?

[beautygeek20]

Just after some advice. My beauty salon has been open for just over 3 years and we are very busy now with regular customers weekly. We don't employ anybody and haven't done from the start, it's just me doing the nails and spray tanning and my partner running the sunbeds and taking calls. We have a girl who rents a room off us 3 days per week and she does brows and waxing, and we also have a nurse that comes in as and when she has appointments and we take a % of her takings.
Me and my partner are getting to the point now where we have worked so hard for 3 years building our business, having no holidays and never having a day off apart from Sunday, bank holiday and Christmas. what are my next steps? we were thinking next year to employ someone to cover the reception on a Tuesday so we can have a day off meaning we actually get 2 days off per week, but i'm so busy with nails and spray tanning it would mean turning people away just to have a day off, but then I feel like I do need a bit of a life too. I just don't know what to do. If I get someone in to help with nails and spray tanning and they're rubbish then it could affect my business, and if they are really good then they might set up their own business and take some of my customers. Or do I get someone who can do a bit of everything to also cover the days when the brow girl isn't in?
I'm sure loads of people have been in the same boat, just need some guidance...

 

[salonfrog]

Hi

Firstly, I can see how passionate you are about your business and how hard you've worked - so full respect there!

I've seen many small businesses at this cross-roads (including myself) and wanting to make the best decision - but not sure which way to go.

The one thing that helped me, without doubt, was the "e-myth" and since reading this book, I completely changed my business model.

It says something like this:

If a business is to thrive, it must move beyond the founder: a business that is wholly dependent on the founder and their abilities is not really a business, but rather a very burdensome job for the founder. Every time you are out sick or take a holiday or are otherwise absent, the business stops too. In other words, your business may come to consume you.

A real business is one where the founder has created a system so that the business can run itself without their constant presence.

Instead of working 'in' the business (cutting hair, doing nails), you need to work 'on' the business - you need to spend time creating a business that is an entity that can operate and thrive on its own when you're not there.

Maybe you could start by sketching out what you want your life to be like (ignoring your business). Then work out what your business needs to look like to support the life you've sketched out.

If you decide from this that you do indeed want to take on some people (either to free up your time or just to expand) then look at what sort of people you want to take on. Consider the advantages and disadvantage of renting chairs vs taking on employees (or a mixture).

The best advice I got was: “just because you ‘can’ do something, doesn’t mean you should.” In other words, get someone else to do the things that take your time, that are not your skill set (for example marketing or accounts).

Then free yourself up to 'run' your business and still have time to do what you want to do (like working 5 days per week instead of 6).

Anyway, hope that helps a bit. It did for me. And good luck!

 

[beautygeek20]

Thank you for your reply, That has actually given me a lot to think about Has anyone else been in a similar situation to me and what did you do?
thanks x

 

[Milliemakeup]

Hi, In my opinion it sounds like you are ready to employ another therapist if you have the room! Make sure you trade test them and get references etc. Another option could be to take on a Beauty Apprentice and train them how you like! You would need to employ them for a minimum of 30hours per week. To gain more information you can contact your local college or private Beauty Apprenticeship Academy.

I was in a similar position to you a few years back and I decided to take the leap and take on a member of staff... 4 years later there are 22 of us! As long as you are careful with who you employ you should be fine, there are some great therapists out there. You could end up taking more money and perhaps getting a couple of days off!

Good luck

 

[lacyla123]

For anything not hands on like accounts marketing or website, as it's been said already, you could hire someone to do those for you. Websites like upwork are people all over the world including the UK whom work remotely and are looking for one off jobs or ongoing. Wages are reasonable and you can post jobs to be done or employ someone for 5 hours a week to do bits you need for a fixed rate.

 

[Christine at GoReminders]

I agree with what everyone else has said - I think your best next step is to take on a new employee.

I've seen dozens of small business owners grapple with the same problem... how do you maintain control and your standard of quality as you grow? It's all about choosing the right person to hire, and having a thorough onboarding process / training program to make sure they are doing the job up to your standards.

And I don't think you need to worry too much about your employee getting "too good" and striking out to start their own business. Many people don't want their own business and are perfectly happy working for someone else. The business side can be a lot to deal with, managing property, employees, accounting, marketing, etc... a lot of people just want to be able to show up, do their job well, and go home.