Hey,
At the risk of sounding a little harsh, I'd just like to share my little story and hope it gives you a broader outlook.
I personally believe its best if you have atleast 5 years in the industry before attempting opening your own salon, work in different salons - every salon is completely different and ran completely different to the next, go mobile, maybe rent a chair, salon manager... try all the different options you could do to build you and your experience.
I have had my salon for just over a year now and truly, it has been the hardest thing I've ever done. In hindsight (its a wonderful thing!), I was probably too young (21 when opening), luckilly I've experienced a lot in my 5 years I've been in the industry, I trained doing hairdressing apprenticeship nvq 2 in a salon, I did beauty & massage at night college whilst I did my apprenticeship, I then launched a new beauty department in the hairdressers I worked in, I was self-employed for 2 years, did my level 3 hairdressing, then I got my shop.
I would 100% say, nothing can teach you any where near as much as experiencing things for yourself and making mistakes along the way is a very good thing - you won't make them again! Good luck in your training, but please take my advice & don't dive in head first & think you'll just learn along the way like i have done - its haaaaaaarrrrd work! Salon environment is just too tough, too busy, too stressful and too constantly demanding for not knowing what you're doing.. thats before you even get started on staff issues and all responsibilites that comes with staff! I have 5 - there's always something! But I do love them all too
& they work hard, so its only right I'm dedicated to them.
I don't want to put you off at all, I don't hun. Just hope you take my advice and really learn as much as you can, push yourself as much as you can, do all the research you can possibly do, get as much advice as you can, DON'T TRUST ANYONE 100% and prepare yourself the best you can.
GOOD LUCK HUNI, HOPE THATS HELPED A LITTLE ANYWAY
Laura X