How to Begin an at Home Beauty Salon
If you're a knowledgeable and experienced beautician with a keen sense of business acumen, beginning an at-home beauty salon can help you open the doors of entrepreneurial opportunity. As with any business venture, careful research and detailed planning are the keys to paving your path to self-employment. It's especially important to understand the laws governing operation of a home-based business to ensure you are compliant with licensing and permitting requirements in your city and state, as well as zoning rules and regulations.
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Things You'll Need
- Business plan
- Business license
- Home-use permit
- Salon space
- Salon equipment
- Salon supplies
Instructions
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Create a business plan. Writing a business plan will help you flesh out all of the details associated with opening a home-based business, from assessing your competition to determining start-up costs and on-going operational expenses, to licensing requirements, equipment needs, hiring plans and marketing functions. It will also lay the groundwork for applying for small business loans, if necessary. You can hire a professional writer to help you with your plan, or you can visit the Small Business Administration for free guidance.
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Secure the licenses and permits you will need to open your business. This can be accomplished through your state government's website, typically through the secretary of state's office, and/or with your county business license bureau.
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Check with your local zoning regulatory board to ensure there are no zoning issues associated with operating a beauty salon business from your home. Many zoning boards will want to know how much traffic you anticipate attracting to your neighborhood, and what kind of off-street parking you can accommodate.
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Design and lay out your at-home beauty salon space and work stations. Ideally, you want an area separate from your main living quarters, with a private entrance. Take into consideration your electrical and lighting needs, the type of plumbing you will need to accommodate wash stations, and the ventilation you will need for performing chemical functions such as hair coloring and perming.
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Consult an attorney to help you determine what type of liability insurance you need to carry in the event a patron or employee is injured on your property. Sometimes homeowner's insurance will cover your home-based business, while in other instances, you may be required to secure business insurance coverage as well.
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Following the specific start-up strategies you developed in your business plan, begin implementing each step outlined in your plan, from buying equipment and beauty products to hiring employees, advertising your business and opening your doors for business.
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References
Resources
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