Any checklist about starting a hair salon, or about starting any business, will be incomplete. There is an old saying in boxing that everyone feels unbeatable until they get hit in the mouth the first time and their mouthguard goes flying. The same is true about starting a business: you can feel 100% ready, but as soon as you open the doors for business on Day One, you will quickly realize what you forgot to do.
We are Salon & Spa Galleria, leading the Fort Worth beauty scene with twenty-two salon suite rental locations. Call us at 817-917-1416 for more information on how to succeed in the beauty industry.
Now, let’s talk about the best checklist we can give you at this time.
Give yourself time to complete this hair salon checklist.
The checklist follows in the next section, but we would be remiss if we did not give this one word of advice: take your time. Mistakes are made when you rush into something as important as opening a business. Our recommendation: start the process a full year before you actually hang your “open” sign. We are talking about your financial future; you certainly don’t want to make mistakes associated with rushing through such an important process.
With that warning out of the way, here is the checklist we promised.
A hair salon checklist for starting in business (in no particular order).
Again, this is in no particular order:
- Write out a mission statement, and tape it somewhere it can be seen daily. This is your guiding star, and every business decision you make needs to be related to, and in support of, that mission statement.
- Shop around for insurance for your beauty salon.
- Decide upon the product you plan on selling in your hair salon, and then find the best company to provide that product to you.
- Make a spreadsheet with all of your current customers and their pertinent information.
- Develop a website/web page for your new business.
- Have business cards printed once a name is chosen.
- Look in the mirror and give yourself a pep talk. Do this often.
- Decide on a location for your hair salon suite, and whether you will purchase a retail location or rent one. By the way, we strongly recommend that you rent a location and not take on the burden of a large real estate contract.
- Decide upon the motif of your hair salon. How will it be decorated? What will it look like? And then start taking steps to make that happen once the location is secured.
- Get your business license.
- Decide upon the type of business i.e. sole proprietorship, LLC, other.
- Secure a tax accountant and learn how to properly keep important receipts and documents.
- Decide on a marketing campaign. Our suggestion, start small, go with the free advertising available through social media.
- Decide on your hours and days of operation.
- Prepare a mock budget including all expenses you will incur during a regular week of operation.
- If possible, hire a business coach.
- Start joining professional organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce. Meet people in your community. Shake hands. Develop a rapport with people who will help you in the coming years. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and you are the wheel.
Final words about starting a business.
Slow down, take a deep breath, and do all things deliberately. There is no hurry. You will be ready when you are ready. Start small, a one-person hair salon, and grow into your success.
A final word about Salon & Spa Galleria.
Salon & Spa Galleria is locally owned and operated, we currently have twenty-two salon suite rental locations, and our business model works and works well. Call us for more details. Prices start at a very low $75 per week for our luxury salon suites.
