How to Start a Home-Based Salon Business

Home based hairdressing services are definitely not a new phenomenon – it’s actually part of tradition.  In the past, hair salons were pretty much unheard of, and the majority of hairdressing was done from the comfort of either the client’s or the hairdresser’s home, where not only hairdressing services but socialisation would also take place. Today, more and more qualified hairdressers are considering starting a home based salon business in order to free up money by eliminating the need to rent a salon or a chair and allow themselves more flexibility.

Rules and Regulations

Legally, it can be trickier than you think to start a home based business offering hairdressing and salon services. Although the majority of states do not forbid it, the way in which a large number of cosmetology rules are worded, it can be almost impossible to meet all of the regulations and specifications when working as a home based hairdresser. However, by contacting your state’s cosmetology board, you can find out whether or not running a salon business from your home is a feasible idea. Once you have obtained this information, you will then need to make sure that you have all of the required business permits for your state or city before you open your home hairdressing business. Once all this is finalised, you can go ahead and purchase salon and spa equipment.

Choosing Equipment

When choosing equipment for your home hairdressing salon, it’s vital to keep flexibility in mind. Rather than going for the type of equipment that you would use at a high street salon, instead choose items that will fit into your home and not obstruct your day to day living. Ideally, you should be able to dedicate a room in your home to your business, however if this is not possible, a salon chair which can be wheeled away into a closet or folded down after business hours is the best idea. Rather than choosing equipment which requires installation or has to be fixed to one place, opting for items which can be moved around easily will provide you with a stress-free and flexible home business environment.

Advertising

Unlike high street salons, most home-based hairdressers do not benefit from foot traffic or high visibility, for example a sign on the salon. Since the majority of neighbourhoods don’t always allow home based businesses to display signs on their homes to advertise the business, many home-based hairdressers need to put in a little extra work in order to get the word out. Online marketing is one of the best ways for home based hairdressers to gain recognition – use of a website, social media pages and even blogging are all some of the best methods of marketing which are available to businesses of all types, sizes and industries.

If you are training as a hairdresser or have already qualified, starting a home-based salon business can be a flexible way to make money. Making sure that you check out all of the legal requirements and prepare beforehand can give your business the best chance of success.