Please help, salon vs room vs wait?

[Sashao]

Please help,

I would love to rent a salon or room to offer my services as I do not have a room at home to set it up.

I have been looking around and everywhere has pros and cons.

I would be starting from scratch in getting clients so I was thinking would it better to rent someone's room who is already established, but this means it would not be mine, so would not have much control and would still have to bring my things with me every day as we would be sharing her space different days of the week. ...
Or I have found somewhere else which is only £300 a month, it will be my room to do as I wish and even sub let. But there would be competition as the girl next door who has been there a while is offering the same treatments and also there is no passing trade. I would have to advertise and possibly register with one of those treatment apps like timely which she is also on.

I don't like to do mobile which I find is slow anyway. I do not like having to carry my equipment with me every where I go. It's so tiring and you can't bring it all can you.

Any advice please would really help as I was close to signing a contract in the the next few days but not sure?

Thank you in advance xx

 

[TheDuchess]

Hmm tricky isn’t it.

It’s perfectly possible to rent a room, create a website, social media presence and start earning within 3 months, but you really need indomitable self belief. It really depends on how confident you are, whether you can afford to support yourself and a hobby costing you over £300 per month, and how much of a self starter you are.

I’d definitely talk to my neighbours about my plans to set up next door. Ideally, you should have a synergy where you have clients in common. If you are straight competitors that’s not very comfortable. You need to think about niche - what sort of clients do you think you will attract, could you be a “little sister” salon or a specialist?

My advice, start a part time beauty business. Get yourself a part-time job to support yourself and to take the financial pressure off. It’s really difficult to be warm and welcoming to clients if at the back of your mind you are stressing over bills. It doesn’t have to be in beauty, ideally it will be in a different industry where you can chat to people and tell them that you have your own beauty business - you’re just starting but it’s going very well. Hospitality can be perfect, There aren’t many jobs going atm but those working for job centres and the NHS will still be able to afford to treat themselves, so even admin and cleaning/caring/customer service can give you a chance for some self promotion.

In the meantime, think about your business name, set up a Facebook/Insta page - you can keep it private, but get going with creating your “brand” and content. Choose your domain name and start building your website, it’s easy to tweak descriptions of treatments and change prices, but the overall design layout and concept can be done in advance.

There are lots of threads here about products and kits so you can also research and ask questions. Time invested now is good preparation. You never know, there may be a few opportunities popping up in the next few months including the chance to buy nearly used kit from those deciding that working in beauty through a Pandemic is not for them

 

[Sashao]

Hmm tricky isn’t it.

It’s perfectly possible to rent a room, create a website, social media presence and start earning within 3 months, but you really need indomitable self belief. It really depends on how confident you are, whether you can afford to support yourself and a hobby costing you over £300 per month, and how much of a self starter you are.

I’d definitely talk to my neighbours about my plans to set up next door. Ideally, you should have a synergy where you have clients in common. If you are straight competitors that’s not very comfortable. You need to think about niche - what sort of clients do you think you will attract, could you be a “little sister” salon or a specialist?

My advice, start a part time beauty business. Get yourself a part-time job to support yourself and to take the financial pressure off. It’s really difficult to be warm and welcoming to clients if at the back of your mind you are stressing over bills. It doesn’t have to be in beauty, ideally it will be in a different industry where you can chat to people and tell them that you have your own beauty business - you’re just starting but it’s going very well. Hospitality can be perfect, There aren’t many jobs going atm but those working for job centres and the NHS will still be able to afford to treat themselves, so even admin and cleaning/caring/customer service can give you a chance for some self promotion.

In the meantime, think about your business name, set up a Facebook/Insta page - you can keep it private, but get going with creating your “brand” and content. Choose your domain name and start building your website, it’s easy to tweak descriptions of treatments and change prices, but the overall design layout and concept can be done in advance.

There are lots of threads here about products and kits so you can also research and ask questions. Time invested now is good preparation. You never know, there may be a few opportunities popping up in the next few months including the chance to buy nearly used kit from those deciding that working in beauty through a Pandemic is not for them

Thank you for replying.

Yes I do also have a little side job that I do from home so I would always have a little something coming in so would not solely be relying on the business income.

I have all that I need to set up. Have all the equipment as I was mobile but then stopped as I went back to college and was working for someone else.
I have my Facebook and Instagram page set up already.
I was currently working for another salon but I feel I am putting all my time and efforts into her business as it's all under her branch. Now not getting the customers as she has taken on another girl which is now doing the same treatments as me so my slots are becoming less as sharing the clients.

I feel I might as well do something for myself and be my own boss. It's just trying to find the right place and location.

Xx

 

[Rosesare]

Hi
Renting a room is the most practical option I believe, the rent is fair in comparison to a shop and once clientele grows it will naturally indicate you eventually getting your own place. It's been done before by many including myself, in reference to sharing the space with another therapist I suggest looking for rooms in dental practices even some private gp practices rent out rooms to registered beauty therapists which means you do not risk feeling there is competition between yourself and another providing similar services.
If you can avoid looking for a room in an already running salon that provides the same treatments as you hair salons are also an option as they deal solely with hair making your services a welcome addition.

Hope it helps

 

[Sashao]

Hi
Renting a room is the most practical option I believe, the rent is fair in comparison to a shop and once clientele grows it will naturally indicate you eventually getting your own place. It's been done before by many including myself, in reference to sharing the space with another therapist I suggest looking for rooms in dental practices even some private gp practices rent out rooms to registered beauty therapists which means you do not risk feeling there is competition between yourself and another providing similar services.
If you can avoid looking for a room in an already running salon that provides the same treatments as you hair salons are also an option as they deal solely with hair making your services a welcome addition.

Hope it helps

Thank you Roses are, all helpful to me.
Good to hear you did the same thing and it was successful.
I'm looking forward to it. Just during these times it's even more scary as we don't know what's going on in the world xx