Moving from renting beauty room to renting own shop-advice please

[Joelle]

Hi all, I hope you've all had a lovely bank holiday weekend

I'm a fully qualified Beauty Therapist with 9 years experience of renting a room in a salon. I have a good amount of clients, i'm busy a lot of the time but not always.

I do have a few issues with the salon I'm renting from but that isn't really significant here.

I've always wanted to have my own place and recently a shop has become available to rent.

I really want to take it but I'm worried about it not working.

I know that most, if not all, of my current clients would move with me and would probably prefer the new salon as its on ground floor.

I am thinking that I could fit out and rent part of it out to a hairdresser, but not sure what I'd have to do there.

Also at first I may be there on my own without a receptionist while I build it up but not sure how that would work!

I'd love to know what you think and if you could share your experiences with me if you've successfully done this yourself.

Thanks,
Jo

 

[rippersroo]

Hi Jo,
DO IT!

Especially if you have issues with the salon you're currently in.
I've just done this and gone totally alone and made an office let into a beauty room/salon. It's just big enough for what I need.
It's not a problem, but after being used to a receptionist taking care of my clients while I finish with a previous one I just have to put a sign on my door stating "treatment in progress until ......" So they don't knock/try to come in when I'm already busy with a client. Before I started I contacted all my clients to say now that i work alone in just the beauty room with no real waiting area could they please be prompt for appointments and if they come early there's a cafe in our block to use while they wait.
By the sounds of it you're pretty busy, I know it's a big decision but maybe try to look at the positives a little more-if you would then be on a ground floor I'm assuming passers by would be more likely to see you/your salon? This is a big bonus!
If rentals are anything like where I am then you need to get in quick, it's something you've always wanted to do and I can guarantee you'll be much happier! Good luck xx

 

[Joelle]

Hi Jo,
DO IT!

Especially if you have issues with the salon you're currently in.
I've just done this and gone totally alone and made an office let into a beauty room/salon. It's just big enough for what I need.
It's not a problem, but after being used to a receptionist taking care of my clients while I finish with a previous one I just have to put a sign on my door stating "treatment in progress until ......" So they don't knock/try to come in when I'm already busy with a client. Before I started I contacted all my clients to say now that i work alone in just the beauty room with no real waiting area could they please be prompt for appointments and if they come early there's a cafe in our block to use while they wait.
By the sounds of it you're pretty busy, I know it's a big decision but maybe try to look at the positives a little more-if you would then be on a ground floor I'm assuming passers by would be more likely to see you/your salon? This is a big bonus!
If rentals are anything like where I am then you need to get in quick, it's something you've always wanted to do and I can guarantee you'll be much happier! Good luck xx

Thank you SO much for your reply!

Yes passers by will see me, whereas at the moment people in my area STILL don't know i'm there, despite advertising, Facebook etc.
i'm currently missing out on 2 potential client types, men and older people. So its highly likely my client base would grow straight away.

Putting a sign up saying I'm busy until whatever time is a fantastic idea and would definitely be a possibility, for the short term at least. All my current clients would understand that i'd be working on my own, thats no issue. For a lot of my treatments i could leave the beauty room door ajar and attend to walk ins, my clients would understand that its just temporary. For more intimate treatments i could lock the door and leave a sign out with when id be available and tell them to take a business card/flyer or something so they can contact me if they can't wait.

I live in a smallish town not a city so walk ins wouldn't be a constant issue.

you're right, i do need to think more of the positives, there as so many really, and the only negatives are really that I'm nervous about telling the girls i work with now, especially the owner :/ and of course of failure but i guess that is to be expected!

Now i just need to wait for the owner of the property to contact me and go and have a look round, find out rent cost etc. the rent i pay now for my beauty room would probably be the same if not slightly more than the building itself, so as long as i can keep my costs down i should be ok until i rent the other space out to a hairdresser or nail technician. I have everything i need for my beauty room so i wouldn't need to spend much on that. I'd just need a reception desk and some seating, signage, promotional materials etc... getting a bit excited now! and then of course the bills, I've been looking at BT broadband/phone package for business which seems reasonable but will shop around. Gas/Electricity I'm not sure about yet but looks like there are storage heaters in the building, I've not used them before so not sure how much electricity they use.

I'll let you know how i get on, thanks again for your reply

Jo x

 

[rippersroo]

It all sounds really great then! Have you got an a board? Definately worth having one directing people to you/outside your shop!
Totally understandable to be nervous but your business needs to grow and move on they will just have to get over it, I wouldn't even tell them what you're doing I'd just say you've decided it's time to move on.
Obviously that really depends on your situation at the salon and if you're all friendly enough you'll probably tell them anyway
I got a good reception desk from ikea for £40, can't remember what it was called but it's a new range. Just the right size and I can sit at it to do my paperwork.
With regards to elec/broadband etc have a look at utility warehouse as they provide for business' too and you just get 1 bill.
If your money is tight (like mine was) I bought a pair of ikea chairs on eBay locally and just ordered a couple of new seat covers for them. They look lovely and are comfortable!
You can always find bargains to get you by, and while your starting up clients understand you might not have every dot of furniture needed.
I hope you get a viewing soon! X

 

[Joelle]

Thank you so much! I'll have a look at utility warehouse & Ikea tonight

I have decided today that if i am able to rent that space then i'll definitely take it and move my business onwards and upwards. I'm stuck in a rut where i am, as much as i love it there and love the girls i work with, its just not the right location or set up for my business.

if I'm not able to rent that particular space then i'll wait for something else to come up and do it then. but I'm definitely doing it!

Thanks again for your very helpful

 

[Ruby S]

How exciting! I wish you lots of luck! I took the plunge a couple of years ago and although money has been tight during quiet times, I love it. Its such a good feeling walking into your own salon each day. Keep a close eye on cash flow, because there are always unexpected things that pop up… my heater just broke for example, but once your salon is established and you are picking up those new clients, you will be able to replace your odd bits of furniture etc as you go along! Good Luck!

 

[Joelle]

How exciting! I wish you lots of luck! I took the plunge a couple of years ago and although money has been tight during quiet times, I love it. Its such a good feeling walking into your own salon each day. Keep a close eye on cash flow, because there are always unexpected things that pop up… my heater just broke for example, but once your salon is established and you are picking up those new clients, you will be able to replace your odd bits of furniture etc as you go along! Good Luck!

Thank you Ruby S

its nice to hear some success stories!

i'll keep you posted, i may need some more advice as things progress ha!

Jo xx

 

[Joelle]

HI! i've just got back from viewing the shop, its absolutely perfect, very reasonable rent, much much cheaper than what I'm paying for a single room! He said once its mine i can do whatever i want with regards to renting a chair etc. He basically said its mine if i want it but to have a think over the weekend and let him know on Monday. eeeeeeek!! So excited!

I'm going to let him know on Monday that i do want it and then tell the lady at the salon I'm renting from now. That will be an awkward conversation that i'm already dreading but i need to keep my business head on and think of the future.

So much to think about now!

Jo xx

 

[squidgernetball]

Good luck. There are a lot of threads on here where you can get advice for opening a new salon x

 

[Joelle]

Thank you! I've been having a look [emoji4]

Because I'd be moving from being a Beauty Therapist to a salon owner would I be best starting it as a new business? I'll be changing my business name.

It's still not a definite yet about the shop, it's mine if I want it but I've had to ask them to check the usage rights for the shop. It was a retail shop before so that's fine for the hair side of things but not beauty I'm not sure how long that'd take to change but I've read it can take a long time! x

 

[Mill_vic]

I did exactly the same about a year ago. It's been a roller coaster (running your own business/salon is a much larger commitment than renting a room) however the feeling of walking into your very own salon every day is such a fabulous feeling! Do keep an eye on cash flow as there are more overheads and unexpected expenditure. If you do rent out space to someone else, be clear on your expectations and don't be too soft. Just go for it! You will be amazing[emoji8].

 

[Mill_vic]

Thank you! I've been having a look [emoji4]

Because I'd be moving from being a Beauty Therapist to a salon owner would I be best starting it as a new business? I'll be changing my business name.

It's still not a definite yet about the shop, it's mine if I want it but I've had to ask them to check the usage rights for the shop. It was a retail shop before so that's fine for the hair side of things but not beauty I'm not sure how long that'd take to change but I've read it can take a long time! x

The change of use takes about six weeks but you can start trading and then put in the application. It's pretty straight forward. Check with your local councils planning department on cost, they should be quite helpful. As with changing your trading. If you have a business account and trade accounts already set up from before, it may be easier and less costly to continue trading as you are.

 

[redlottie13]

Hi all, I hope you've all had a lovely bank holiday weekend

I'm a fully qualified Beauty Therapist with 9 years experience of renting a room in a salon. I have a good amount of clients, i'm busy a lot of the time but not always.

I do have a few issues with the salon I'm renting from but that isn't really significant here.

I've always wanted to have my own place and recently a shop has become available to rent.

I really want to take it but I'm worried about it not working.

I know that most, if not all, of my current clients would move with me and would probably prefer the new salon as its on ground floor.

I am thinking that I could fit out and rent part of it out to a hairdresser, but not sure what I'd have to do there.

Also at first I may be there on my own without a receptionist while I build it up but not sure how that would work!

I'd love to know what you think and if you could share your experiences with me if you've successfully done this yourself.

Thanks,
Jo

So did you do it? I love success stories! X

 

[Joelle]

Hi

I did! [emoji4] thanks for asking!

It's been an incredibly hectic 6 months!

I have another therapist with me doing nails self employed and I have a level 3 apprentice!

I've been so so busy since I opened, I've only had a couple of quiet days, now I'm struggling to fit people in!

I'm so glad I made the move [emoji4]

 

[redlottie13]

Hi

I did! [emoji4] thanks for asking!

It's been an incredibly hectic 6 months!

I have another therapist with me doing nails self employed and I have a level 3 apprentice!

I've been so so busy since I opened, I've only had a couple of quiet days, now I'm struggling to fit people in!

I'm so glad I made the move [emoji4]

That sounds Great! and has the location been an issue? X

 

[Joelle]

No the location is perfect, I'm in an alley behind the Main Street (small town). It gets a lot of footfall so I'm getting walk ins now, I didn't really get many before. X