opening your own salon

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beck

Arty geek
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Oct 26, 2003
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Bewdley
Hi geeks & geekettes

firstly can i say that this week i have found i CAN live without a phone but NOT the geek website! my phone line went down on monday and only came back on, on friday, and i realised how much i missed you all, even though you don't hear from me that much, i am here all the time valuing each bit of advise you so graciously give - so thankyou.

now to the question in hand, i am seriously thinking that i want my own salon, but am having a few problems, mainly location. there are loads of nail salons everywhere around where i live, although some are not as of a high enough standard if you ask me! so do you think there is room for one more? :rolleyes: Also if any of you guys have opened salons yourself, what did you find came up without warning, or what would you say is your best advise to someone like me, trying to make my way forward in this business.
i find i am lacking confidence a bit and i do worry whether i would be doing the right thing going into business for myself, so anything you can tell me would be greatly recieved.

Thanks in advance,
Beck.
 
hi,
I have recently opened my own salon 4 weeks ago. It is just outside the city centre with lots of free parking, and decorated in a modern way. I renovated it very cheaply with the help of my b/friend and dad! And I did all the decorating! It looks fab, and the clients love it.

I would say go for it, but remember its a long struggle before making any profit, be prepared to work long hours and not take any wages at the end of the month!

I work about 30 hours a week as I am also a full time university student doing a business studies degree, so it can be done! Good luck x
 
hiya

The first thing to consider is do you already have a good client base? will you make more money? Your overheads need to be considered very carefully ie rent, council tax, insurance (public liability, buildings and contents) the cost of employing staff, furniture, utility bills, supply bill, advertising costs, ect.
I dont mean to put you off but it is easy to get carried away another thing to consider if you do have an established client base is location, will your clients be happy about travelling, is there free parking? ect
I would advise you to do your sums VERY carefully and take some good financial advice. If you do decide to go ahead make sure you research your area throughly and check out your competition.
I have had my salon for 14 years and i started with an established client base but it was still hard work and i didnt see a huge profit for years. Its great now though and very rewarding...... Dont mean to be a wet blanket just a word of caution..
Any way i will stop rambling now i hope this was helpfull
 
When I opened my salon the two major things that I found hard was one - trying to find the right staff - if you have a good reputation already at creating great nail enhancements then they are going to ride on that reputation so get a good nail technician and two - i did not know until the last moment that I had to pay 6 months rent in advance - so get the lowdown on that sort of thing from your landlord - and I have heard that soe landlords insist on you paying their solicitors fees as well.

Hope this helps a little - i am now trying to find a freehold shop so I can invest my money rather than paying rent.

Heidi
 
Can you open inside a local hairdressers or tanning centre?


Opening inside a ready made business makes a big difference. Massive saving in start-up and overhead costs....means you can invest more in stock and advertising which is more important!

Previous writer is right, don't get carried away with the thrill of owning your own place. A healthy profitable place shared or rented is miles better and gives you a good platform for opening a sole owner place or place no. 2 at a later stage.
 
thanks for all your replies, i have thought about renting space in a hairdressers and maybe it requires more thought. its just so scary taking the plunge and going it alone. :rolleyes:

i will do some figures see what i come up with.

thanks all,

see you at olympia. can't wait! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Hi Beck

Don't be put off the idea of opening your own salon BUT be careful. I am in the process of setting up my own salon and have spent the last 3 months doing lots of research in my local area and writing a business plan. It can be very expensive to set up a new salon and you need to know where your funding is coming from and how you are going to spend it. Then there is the important issue of income - can you survive on a low income initially and how will you cover your costs each month (a well thought out profit and loss forecast should tell you this).

Going it alone can be worrying but it is also very exciting - just don't get too caught up in the excitement and plan well. If you can get it all down on paper and it looks like a possibility then I would advise you to go and see your local Business Link (or equivalent) as they are very helpful.

As for me, Olympia here I come!!

Shaza :green:
 
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