“Many stylists are very talented and very busy, but that does not automatically make them proficient in running a business like a salon,” explains Sam Villa, Founding Partner of Sam Villa and Redken Education Artistic Director. Whether a stylist is considering opening up their first salon or a seasoned owner is debating whether or not to expand, Villa offers tips.
1. Do your homework first! Use free resources on the web and read everything you can about opening a business. Turn to successful salon owners you admire for guidance on what worked and didn’t work well for them.
2. Prepare a business plan – you need to be clear about your goals and be able to explain and present them to others.
3. Hire an accountant and lawyer - you cannot do everything!
4. Hiring experienced stylists who have an existing client base can be very helpful, but make sure they are a good fit for your business/corporate culture and check their references.
5. Schedule time during the week to work on your business (not clients) to plan, track and assess progress.
6. Put as much money back into your business as you can – build this into the business plan to stay on track.
7. Hold staff meetings once a month - be sure to pay them an hourly wage to attend the meetings.
“I also highly recommend an organization called Summit Salon for salon support and business consulting,” says Villa.
For more business building tips, visit http://www.samvilla.com/pro/blog/category/salon-sense-building-successful-salons/. To take a salon from good to great, check out these tips: http://www.samvilla.com/pro/blog/2013/07/sam-villa-andrew-carruthers-5-ways-to-take-your-salon-from-good-to-great/.
[Image courtesy of Glow Communications]
