Want to set up nail salon but really do not know where to start.

[Mila777]

Good evening everyone!

I thinking about setting up nail salon in London but do not know where to start. Planning to have 3 working places.
I have finished EzFlow Acrylic courses two years ago because really enjoy doing nails. This is become my hobby and until recent time I never thought to use my skill to earn money. I been doing my own nails and also did it for my friends. Recently I decided that I want to work in this industry but I do not have knowledge about regulations and laws.
I have few questions and will appreciate answers from professionals on SalonGeek. I have read many threads and find them helpful but not complete.
Should I register as sole trader or Ltd?
Can I use any name and do I have to register somewere to protect?
Do I need any kind of licence?
If yes, where should I apply for it?
Health and safety regulations?
Fire brigade or any other officials have to be invited for checks?
Insurance? What kind and where can I get it?
Premises specification (safety exits, smoking area for stuff)
Do I need a licence if I want to sell products (oils, nail varnishes)?
Does all above differ if I mobile nailtech, have salon at home or proper nail salon? I mean if I mobile do I need a licence? Or if I decide to work from home or rent a room at some business centre (or may be it I can rent any room) do I need to comply with same rules which needed for nail salon in town.
May be you can recommend me book or adviser who can help me.
Thank you very much for any advice.
P.S. Apologies for grammar mistakes. I am foreigner and my grammar not perfect.

 

[Miss Manicure]

Good evening everyone!

I thinking about setting up nail salon in London but do not know where to start. Planning to have 3 working places.
I have finished EzFlow Acrylic courses two years ago because really enjoy doing nails. This is become my hobby and until recent time I never thought to use my skill to earn money. I been doing my own nails and also did it for my friends. Recently I decided that I want to work in this industry but I do not have knowledge about regulations and laws.
I have few questions and will appreciate answers from professionals on SalonGeek. I have read many threads and find them helpful but not complete.
Should I register as sole trader or Ltd?
Can I use any name and do I have to register somewere to protect?
Do I need any kind of licence?
If yes, where should I apply for it?
Health and safety regulations?
Fire brigade or any other officials have to be invited for checks?
Insurance? What kind and where can I get it?
Premises specification (safety exits, smoking area for stuff)
Do I need a licence if I want to sell products (oils, nail varnishes)?
Does all above differ if I mobile nailtech, have salon at home or proper nail salon? I mean if I mobile do I need a licence? Or if I decide to work from home or rent a room at some business centre (or may be it I can rent any room) do I need to comply with same rules which needed for nail salon in town.
May be you can recommend me book or adviser who can help me.
Thank you very much for any advice.
P.S. Apologies for grammar mistakes. I am foreigner and my grammar not perfect.

I would also like to know these answers as i am going to start up a mobile nail business but in time i'm hoping to also have a log cabin or something in my garden and do some treatments from there, if you can help with any of the questions about licence's ect please reply.
Katy

 

[Sarah-Jean]

I think your best bet would be somewhere like Business Link. It seems you really don't know anything about business, and I think you'd probably benefit from starting from scratch and will need a lot of advice.

As a Ltd. company your business becomes an entity in it's own right and you effectively become an employee of your company... It means you have limited liabilities if anything goes wrong. As a sole trader the entire responsibility/liabilities lie on you and you alone. Of course, that doesn't mean being a Ltd. company is all roses - you really need to weigh up the pro's and con's for YOUR situation and your business model.

If you go down the Ltd. company route you will need to register your company through Companies House and are not able to have a name that clashes with another company.

I have no experience of being a sole trader so really can't advise you on that aspect.

As for health and safety, fire regs, building regs etc. That's all standard and would be a part of any company you opened, especially with premises whether that's a room in your house, your garage conversion, a shed in your garden or a rented unit in the city centre.

With regards to insurances, Google is probably your best friend for that.

I will just say, it's not as easy as deciding one day to go into business and just doing it. There's a lot of paper work, a lot of accounting, an awful lot of things to think through and figure out. If you're serious I would seek out advice from a proper business advisor, or really do your homework properly.

It might be a better idea though to work as a mobile nail tech for awhile and build up a proper client base, before you dive in with a nail bar/salon in London. London is full of nails bars and salons and competition is high - personally I would have thought it'd be better to get a bit of a reputation for yourself first rather than starting from scratch and hoping it all works out.

 

[makeupartistzoe]

Start small or get some in salon experience 1st. A good book is 'open your own salon the right way' Google it, its written by a lady that had a chain of nail bars in London. There are parts of the book I still dont fully understand tho! and London is a different place to where I am and as I see itaas there would be lots of competition, lots and lots. x