{"id":11450,"date":"2022-09-22T15:22:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T15:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.treatwell.co.uk/partners\/?post_type=blog&p=11450"},"modified":"2026-05-22T15:47:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T15:47:50","slug":"opening-a-salon-10-steps","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.treatwell.co.uk/partners\/resources\/blog\/opening-a-salon-10-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"How to open a beauty salon : 10 essential steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many people dream of opening a salon \u2013 whether that\u2019s hair, beauty, spa, massage or other \u2013 but the road can be long and arduous. These are our top 10 essential things to consider if you\u2019re dreaming of being your own boss.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more tips, ideas and inspiration, take a look at how Treatwell Connect<\/a> can help you grow your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m in. What do I need to consider if I\u2019m opening a salon of my own?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Owning your own business can be expensive, particularly in the first few months (or even the first few years). Ensuring that you\u2019ve considered all the costs and factored them into your plans is essential<\/strong>. It also involves a lot of work, so it\u2019s important to have a good business plan<\/strong> in place for your salon, and our tips are a great place to start. So, without further ado:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Unsplash \u2013 Firmbee.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

1. Check if you need a business license<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Okay, so first off \u2013 we have to start with the (slightly dreary, but oh-so-important) foundations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before opening a hair or beauty salon, it\u2019s important to check the permissions and permits that your business may need.<\/strong> This will vary widely depending on the type of business you want to open and your situation. This is especially true if you\u2019re moving into new premises and changing its use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially \u2013 there\u2019s not a one-size-fits-all solution, so if you\u2019re unsure, your best bet is to reach out to your local council, and they\u2019ll be able to advise you on licensing and planning requirements for your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re planning to offer certain beauty treatments, such as microblading, some councils require special licenses to carry these out, so again, check that you have all the necessary permits in place. Outside of the UK, any new hair or beauty salon may need a special license to operate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, don\u2019t forget other licenses you may need<\/strong>, such as a PRS license to play music, or your word processing or accounting software. It might sound like a lot, but it\u2019s worth the effort to make sure you\u2019re all set up and ready to go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Build an experienced team <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, the cost of hiring more experienced staff is higher than choosing less qualified staff, but you want your front-of-house and key stylist or therapist team to have experience that you can all learn from. You might think you can do it all, but the truth is, you can\u2019t, and you\u2019ll spend more time than you ever imagined on the day-to-day running of your new business. Experienced team members will bring fresh ideas and have faced situations that you haven\u2019t,<\/strong> so they will be a real asset to your hair or beauty salon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, it\u2019s worth looking into hiring a team of professional experts to help with the financial and business side of things \u2013 a great accountant, solicitor and bookkeeper can help you save money and grow your business faster. Surrounding yourself with experts helps you fast-track your growth and not make too many expensive mistakes. Once you\u2019re up and running, you can consider hiring some apprentices or trainees to grow your team.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more tips and advice, read our article on how to hire the perfect salon team<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Know your market before you open<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may have found the perfect location and be dreaming of all the cutting-edge services you\u2019re going to offer when opening a salon, but if the customers don\u2019t want them, you\u2019re going to find yourself out of pocket. You might have visions of a hip, young customer base, but the local area might be full of mature adults who hold all the disposable income. If the established salon down the road is offering the same services at a fraction of the price, something will have to give. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The primary metric that matters when opening a salon is becoming profitable as quickly as possible<\/strong>. And the only way to really find out what people want is to ask them.<\/strong> Any business plan you create needs to address these five things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n