What to do with my salon?

[Mill_vic]

I'm the owner and beauty therapist in my own boutique salon. I'm one year in and have established a good client base which although there are quiet times, always return. The salon itself is lovely and I'm pretty happy with it all. My issue is the hairdressing!!! I have had three hairdressers since opening, all self employed (as I can't afford to employ anyone). I have had a lot of issues with unhappy clients over the year and now the hair side of the business is more or less dead. As I am the only person that truely cares about my business, I am seriously considering doing a part time hair course myself so in time o can offer this side of the service as well. Has anyone else out there had the same issues or successfully managed a career hairdressing as well as beauty therapy? Please help, I feel like I just don't know what to do.

 

[attitude]

You cannot grow your business if you are the one providing all services.

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

I think you need to look for someone who has the same values as you. When you're searching, enforce that whilst they're self employed, your ethics and standards are xyz and you're hoping to find someone who is as passionate as you about customer service. Ask around for recommendations and make sure that your salon is an attractive option for the best hairdressers xx

 

[Mill_vic]

It is so hard to find someone that wants to really put the effort in and that has a good work ethic that is also a really good hairdresser.

 

[PamieD]

If it's not cost effective to employ one then there's no need for a hairdressing side. Or am I missing something?

 

[Mill_vic]

I just feel there is a window of opportunity there but no one there to fulfil the requirement. I could do this alongside the beauty.

 

[Carolineh]

Hi, I brought a salon and had never done any servicing. I trained in nails and did nails then added lashes and bits of beauty, I then did an NVQ in hairdressing privately in the salon (I had a hairdresser in the salon already though who helped me) and now do both. It's hard work but if someone's off sick I cover them. However, I have a great manager who does everything she can to help me and she is the main hair dresser and now also a friend, we have a salon of mainly part timers which works well for us. You need to keep looking for the one who cares as much as you or you'll be doing it all yourself. Keep going you'll find that person, but I would also train in hair, it's for your own sake if people are off sick or leave, and also try and find someone to help you on nails and beauty so you can free yourself up. I'm a fine one to talk mind you because I'm fully booked [emoji23] but that's because I care and it shows xx

 

[attitude]

You can't grow the business if you do everything. You'll reach a saturation point.

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

There are people out there, or good hair dressers just wouldn't exist, and they do! It will take some effort finding someone but Anything worthwhile takes effort. Are you turning people away asking for hair cuts? Surely it'd be a better use of your time and finances to fill your appointment book with beauty? You could do it alongside but I don't feel that there would really be any benefit personally. Unless you really want to, but if it's purely for profit I feel there are much better ways to do this.

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

Just a thought, who does your hair? Do you like them? Have you approached them to ask if they know of anyone? How have you searched so far?

 

[surf girl]

The best way to rent out an area in my opinion is to rent it to someone you know, if you don't know any hairdressers maybe just employ one only 1 day a week, say a Saturday for example, then when Saturday is fully booked every week add another day, it will only cost you one days wages that way, you could trial it for say 3 months then review it. I wouldn't suggest you do it yourself, to become a competent hairstylist takes many years & by that time your beauty side will be far too busy to allow you to step away to do hair. I did it the other way around I'm a stylist who tried to squeeze nails in, I simply don't have time for it tho

 

[Cindy2021]

I've seen several posts on here from mature students/newly qualified hairdressers who can't find employment but seem very keen. Perhaps someone with a bit more maturity and looking to prove themselves might be ideal?

 

[Mill_vic]

Thanks so much for all the responses. I've signed up to do a part time hairdressing course today that'll work around my salon. I know it takes a long, long time to become a good stylist and have seen many friends who are hairdressers work tirelessly for many years to gain experience. I would like to learn the basics, even if I master a great wash and blow dry and maybe a trim for the children after school it's something. I will continue to search for a good hairdresser in the meantime as well.

 

[Mill_vic]

Just a thought, who does your hair? Do you like them? Have you approached them to ask if they know of anyone? How have you searched so far?

I have spoken to so many people to see if anyone knows anyone, I've advertised the chair for rent about five times now and not a sniff of interest. It got to the point that my current hairdresser is taking a 80/20 split, me only taking 20% because I was desperate to continue to offer the service. The salon is lovely (not being biased) and only about 20 minutes drive out of town to the village. I think people turn their nose up at the rural location??? A lot of friends and acquaintances simply did not understand why I opened the salon in a rural village rather than a high street when I started.....I will continue to look! [emoji51]

 

[Carolineh]

That's exactly what I did, 2 years later just last week I managed to cover my principle stylist for 3 days sickness and 2 days holiday. If I hadn't trained I couldn't have done that and would have lost money, hair pulls in more per hour xx

 

[ckjustpamper]

What about another service instead of hair? Like a few times a month someone come in to do Botox? Or teeth whitening? Or if you do not do certain holistic treatments etc? I had a lady who would use my salon at times for reflexology as I didn't provide that service. Does it necessarily have to be hair? X

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

I'm having the opposite problem, I'm passionate about customer service and business and providing excellent treatments but I can't find a room for rent!

 

[Mill_vic]

I'm having the opposite problem, I'm passionate about customer service and business and providing excellent treatments but I can't find a room for rent!

Bless you, if you lived near me I'd snap you up!

 

[Mill_vic]

What about another service instead of hair? Like a few times a month someone come in to do Botox? Or teeth whitening? Or if you do not do certain holistic treatments etc? I had a lady who would use my salon at times for reflexology as I didn't provide that service. Does it necessarily have to be hair? X

Hair is probably the most build-able service we can offer, I have a lady (dentist) come in to do Botox, I had a dentist come in to do teeth whitening but there wasn't much interest. We are based in a rural village with 80% of the clientele being 60 and over. They love their manicures and pedicures, wash and blow drys. Shellac and massage bring in the younger ladies, mums love a massage or a facial. These are all great suggestions though and thank you for your input it's all appreciated.

 

[wonderwoman]

Trust your gut instinct on whether you see a viable business model working with the hair sector. It's not failure it tweaking the perfect mould of what works for you. if you have had complaints about colour- it might be the culprit of what brand you are using and experience. If its the style bringing in the cash, then just dont be afraid to not add all the extras, if you feel it's not working. Just take a honest hard look at the business.
Well done on your 1st year! xoxo