Mobile to salon owner. Good idea?

[jgmcl74]

hi girls,
Has anyone gone from being mobile to having their own salon and can advise me of the pros and cons they've come across? I've been offered first refusal at the salon where I work. It's primarily nails with a beauty room. Its very convenient for home and school (kids are 5 and 3 so fitting round school and preschool hours).
As a mobile therapist I mainly do nails but can't see myself ever earning the kind of money that I could do in a salon what with driving to and from clients.
Just seeing if anyone has any tips or pitfalls that I might not have thought about. Thanks.

 

[PamieD]

The biggest issue would be, can your clients get to you easily? Good parking/bus/train access?

 

[squidgernetball]

hi girls,
Has anyone gone from being mobile to having their own salon and can advise me of the pros and cons they've come across? I've been offered first refusal at the salon where I work. It's primarily nails with a beauty room. Its very convenient for home and school (kids are 5 and 3 so fitting round school and preschool hours).
As a mobile therapist I mainly do nails but can't see myself ever earning the kind of money that I could do in a salon what with driving to and from clients.
Just seeing if anyone has any tips or pitfalls that I might not have thought about. Thanks.

I was never as rich as I was when I worked from home. I now have a salon with 3 members of staff, and I'm not exactly loaded!

It looks great from the outside (and it is great) but don't be fooled into thinking that having a salon means you'll have money.

Christmas is a killer - great earnings, then rent, bills, wages etc all to be paid while the salon is closed and generating no income.

If you're really busy and the costs are minimal, go for it, but have a good honest look at what the salon is generating now. Figures can be very misleading, so look at what goes out, what comes in and where savings can be made. Is the rent due to increase? What are the rates? Internet/phone/music license/bin collection/wages and so on.

You need to be sure that your clients will follow you to be sure that you'll have an income - there's no guarantee that existing clients will continue to come there.

It's always really exciting to think of having your own salon, but be sure that you have something put by for all those bills that have to be paid no matter what.

Vic x

 

[CFBS]

Absolutely spot on advice above!

 

[jgmcl74]

Thank you for replying girls. All good advice and food for thought. X

 

[MrsHBeauty]

Don't do it!!! Just kidding kinda. It is so hard and so rewarding, it's fantastic and I never felt so in control of my life as I did during the best times of having my salon but it has lows and the stress can crush you.

It crushed me. 4.5 years into my salon and I've gone to a home salon and couldn't be happier.

 

[blossom]

I'm a home salon (have been for 10 years after 2 years mobile) and think about a "proper" salon every now and then. These are the reasons I don't do it:

I foresee lots of expense with many overheads and staff to pay

If I'm not working I will still have to be in the salon whereas now if I'm not working, I'm free

I know people who have had such problems with staff ie late, fingers in till, rude to customers, pulling sickies to excess, etc and figure I can do without

Salon hours are inflexible compared to working from home esp if you have small kids

You literally have to service everyone who walks in whereas I confess to a tiny amount of picking & choosing

If I have a quiet day at least it's not costing me anything from s home salon

I can make more money from home imo but obv if you need to build up client base it's easier with a shopfront

Just my thoughts! X

 

[squidgernetball]

Spot on @blossom. All the things I miss about a home salon. If I had an afternoon free I would just have the afternoon off. Now I do accounts, clean, do wages, and so on.

Vic x

 

[kamikate]

I personally think it's much harder to go from being mobile to having salon premises. Your clients want you mobile because you come to them at their home. If they have to come to you, it's more effort on their part, as well as getting the car out, parking etc. If I were doing this, I would look at where the salon is in reference to where all my current customers are and if it's easy for them to get to you. Then ask them if they would be prepared to follow you. I'd say, if 50% said yes, you're doing well for starters. Also, would it be worth offering them an incentive to follow you? Don't forget, when you have a salon, you have footfall so you'll attract business hopefully (unless you're hidden away!).