Bored of the same old beauty therapy jobs? Tempted by the idea of becoming a beauty therapy boss? These tips will help you on your way to starting a beauty therapy business of your very own.
1. Develop your skills
If you’re running your own beauty therapy business, you need to know your stuff. Before you even think of setting up shop, develop your existing skills and learn new ones by taking relevant beauty therapy courses.
Being able to list certificates and qualifications will make clients feel more confident about your treatments. And make them more likely to book an appointment.
2. Decide how you want to work
How do you plan to work? You can offer mobile treatments and visit clients in their homes. You can set up a salon in your own home. Or rent space within an existing salon. Knowing how you want to work is the first step to developing a successful business plan.
3. Talk to other beauty therapy bosses
As with any new venture, going in with your eyes open is always a good idea. Seek out beauty boss mentors who have already done what you plan to do.
Perhaps you’ll find that the reality of being your own beauty boss is different from what you have been imagining. Or maybe there are more benefits to going it alone than you realised.
Getting a better grip on the challenges and rewards involved in being your own beauty therapy boss will boost your chances of success.
4. Get your head around the paperwork
The legal and admin responsibilities involved in running your own business can feel complicated (and a tad scary) if it’s all completely new to you. However, the sooner you make sense of it all, the better and more in control you’ll feel.
Learn about how to register and insure your beauty therapy business. Find out what records you’ll need to keep. And take legal or accounting advice if you feel you need to.
5. Calculate your costs
What profit will your beauty therapy business make? And what beauty therapy wage will you be taking home at the end of every month? To work this out you need to sit down with a pen, paper, calculator and a large cup of coffee!
Questions you’ll need to ask yourself… Do you need to kit out a salon or invest in mobile treatment equipment before you start working? What are the product and travel costs associated with each treatment?
From here you’ll be able to figure out what you need to charge for your treatments in order to make a profit. And you’ll have a clear idea of what funds you’ll need to get your business off the ground.
6. Research the market
You can’t be a beauty therapy boss without beauty therapy clients! Before you get started, some thorough market research is needed.
Find out everything you can about your competitors – what treatments they’re offering, what they’re charging and how they market themselves.
Also, send questionnaires to everyone you know! Finding out about their treatment preferences and what they’d be prepared to pay can really help to inform your business decisions.
7. Strike a good work/life balance
Setting up a business can be a pretty time-consuming task. But no beauty therapy boss is at their best unless they’re also taking some time for themselves. Feeling stressed and overworked? Schedule in some ‘you’ time! Then come back to the business feeling refreshed and raring to go.
8. Set yourself up as a beauty expert
Share your beauty tips and expertise on your social media platforms and (if you have one) on your website blog. Establishing yourself as a beauty expert will help you to impress existing clients and attract new ones too.
9. Never stop learning
When you’re running your own business, you’re on one big learning curve. It’s important to invest in your own personal development – whether that’s upping your business management game or signing up for beauty therapy courses.
Remember that the beauty industry is changing all the time! Regular training will help you keep on top of the latest trends.
10. Believe in yourself
Fear of failure is common amongst business owners. It’s a big leap setting up on your own. But try not to let negativity get the better of you. And don’t beat yourself up for mistakes. Believing in yourself and your business idea plays a huge part in your success.
Ready to become your own beauty therapy boss? Brush up on your skills with one of New Zealand Beauty School’s beauty therapy courses online. Created by industry professionals, our courses cover a huge range of beauty treatments. And provide you with a certificate of attainment you can show off to your future clients!