Do you love beauty? Do you love making others feel beautiful and confident? Have you ever thought about opening up your own beauty salon? Opening a business is not an easy task, it requires preparation, funds, and a lot more. As an entrepreneur, I did a lot of research before opening my business. After being in business for over a year and a half I have compiled the 10 most important things that you need to do to open a successful beauty salon.
- Research the law in your state. Determine what licenses or permits you need in your state/city or township to open your salon.
- Get your license! In the state of PA, you need to be a licensed cosmetologist, the salon also needs to be inspected and have a license.
- After you have your license, get experience. This can mean taking additional classes or working under a mentor that will teach out how to master your craft.
- Set a budget. Determine an approximate cost to open your business. This includes equipment, products, tools, rent, utilities, updates to your workspace, insurance, etc.
- Determine where you will get your funds from. Savings, bank loans, friends/family, etc.
- Decide how you want to incorporate your business. Assuming you go with LLC, open your LLC, and also get your EIN #. This can be done by you on your state’s website.
- Location, location, location! Identify where you want your business to be. Figure out the average cost for rent in your desired area and decide if that fits within your rent budget. Working with a realtor makes this process a lot smoother.
- Hire an accountant or get accounting software. It’s extremely important that you have someone that will file your taxes, do your bookkeeping and do your payroll. Keeping proper track of your numbers can make or break your business.
- Build a website, open your social media pages, and get a booking app to keep track of your bookings.
- Get a lawyer on retainer and make sure that you and your business are legally protected.
You are ready to open! Advertise, do a grand opening, invite all your friends and family, and work hard to make your business a success. The first year in business brings many lessons, some days are good, and some days are okay. But preparing before opening will make your business successful.
By: Jiolka Peralta
Licensed Cosmetologist
Texture Curl Bar – Hair Salon
