How to Start a Home Salon Business

If you want to start a home salon business, there are rules, requirements and regulations that you must follow to be a success. Learn how to handle licensing, inspections and sanitation. Advertising and marketing your business are also important.

Things You'll Need

• Styling chair Shampoo bowl Sit-down dryer Health department license Cosmetology license Schedule book and pen Hair cutting and styling tools

Instructions

1. Obtain a cosmetology license. In the United States, every state has a regulatory board for hairdressers. Contact your state's professional licensing agency or a beauty school for information about how to become licensed for doing hair.

2. Contact your state, city or county health department about inspection requirements for a hair salon before you spend a dime remodeling your garage. Some states don't allow a home to be converted into a salon, and some will allow it, as long as no one is living there.

3. Design your space wisely. You'll need at least one work station with a shampoo bowl, a sit-down hair dryer and a hydraulic styling chair. You'll also need a wall mirror, adequate ventilation, running water, electricity for styling tools and plenty of overhead lighting. Make sure you have a climate-controlled room for stocking chemicals, and plenty of shelving for brushes and combs, clippers, scissors, clamps, curlers, perm rods and other necessities.

4. Consider a built-in vacuum system for hair removal. Otherwise, make sure that you have room for a large enough trash can to hold a day's worth of hair. You don't want clients to wait while you're sweeping up hair.

5. Invest in several magazine subscriptions (celebrity hairstyles are common requests) and style books for the waiting room.

6. Get a separate phone line for the salon, and keep a scheduling book handy with a working pen. Be realistic about the amount of time each procedure will take to avoid double-booking yourself and angering your clients.

7. Consult with an accountant to set up a system for tracking your expenses and income. If you wait until tax time it will cost more. Plan ahead so that you don't make costly mistakes.