Do you think its better to grow one salon bigger or open a second?

[souz]

I opened my nail and beauty salon 8 months ago and its going from strength to strength, im fully booked all the time and so is the beauty therapist that works alongside me. Im going to extend opening hours and take on another member...clients have asked if i will open a second salon but i have said i woukd rather grow what i have and keep it personal and keep control!! For those of you that have expanded what do you think?

 

[NancySyd]

I opened my nail and beauty salon 8 months ago and its going from strength to strength, im fully booked all the time and so is the beauty therapist that works alongside me. Im going to extend opening hours and take on another member...clients have asked if i will open a second salon but i have said i woukd rather grow what i have and keep it personal and keep control!! For those of you that have expanded what do you think?

It's great that your business is going so well. This is a really interesting question, and important too, because expansion is vulnerable point in the growth of a business, so it's important to do it right.

What would be your purpose in opening another salon? To serve your existing market, or to expand into a new market? It sounds as if you already have plenty of business in your existing market, so it isn't necessary to open a new location to get more business. So, your goal is to service your current market. There are marginal costs in either expanding the existing salon or in opening a new one, but I'll bet the marginal costs of opening a new one are MUCH higher. Also, opening a new location means staffing and supervising two locations, and makes it difficult to coordinate and cover peak and down times.

 

[squidgernetball]

So pleased all is going so well!

We are just in the process of expanding. We definitely need more space and so we are moving to the other end of our barn which is considerably bigger and have different therapists in the end we are vacating. This generates income with very little management. There are still just the 2 of us at the moment but the bigger premises will give us an option of employing more staff.

We looked at moving our premises to a nearby town but decided against it but may consider a "presence" there in the future. I would find it hard to manage all this while keeping a full column so am looking at more of a managerial role in the future.

Can you train someone up? I know that it's you they want but maybe look at getting someone in to do it your way.

Don't know if that's helped at all! Good luck in all you decide!

Vic x

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[Charlistar]

Might wanna ask your accountant.. He/she could tell you if its a good time and how to go about it and maybe give you tips on the best way to expand money wise.

 

[geeg]

Having had 5 nail salons I can tell you categorically that it is far better to expand in your existing location than it is have a 2nd or third location.

Better cost-wise
better profit-wise
better control-wise
better in all ways life-wise.

They don't say small is beautiful for nothing. It is true. As long as you wish to work in your own business as an owner operator and not as solely an owner general manager and administrator .. you can't do both and have a life as well if you own 2-3 salons.

 

[souz]

Thanks everyone for your input, its much appreciated. To be honest cant honestly believe how well its going this early on and how far people are now travelling to have nails done with me especially for weddings etc. feel very blessed and grateful x

My plan was never to open a second salon but grow the one i have and extend into offering courses as there is nothing good for at least an hour from me. It was just clients were asking and it got me thinking!! Where i live we are surrounded by affluent villages so one day i may expand into them but right now i love where i am!!

At present i have scope to expand opening hours in the days im currently open and open an extra day which i will take on another staff member for and train them to my way of doing things. New clients that come to the salon are not all coming for "me" so they can go with new techs as i need to stop working such long hours!!! Plus i will be working extra days when i offer courses anyway. I always want to work in salon and never just manage, i love doing nails too much for that!!

Vicki, glad all is going well for you too!! Where you are sounds too pretty to move into town! Same as clients love im not on the high street, find it much more relaxing xx