Starting your own hair & beauty business

So, you want to start your own hair & beauty business – great! But have you thought about all the things you might need to consider before starting up? It doesn't have to be a hassle, if you plan and make sure you have these 5 key things in place, you will set yourself up for success.

Premises vs mobile

This is probably the biggest decision you are going to make for you business. Whilst it might be your dream to run your own beauty salon, you need to think about if a premise is something you can realistically afford to run. There are many costs (and hidden costs) that can come with having a premise, such as Rent, Internet, Phone, fixtures and fittings, staff costs… etc!

Starting out as a mobile business can give you time to build your client base and then eventually go on to get your own premise when you know you have the income coming in.

Do you have the right qualifications?

You do not need a qualification to set up your own business, but if you are offering beauty or hair treatments you might need to think about what skills or qualifications are required. Alongside keeping your clients safe, you also want to make sure that they are having the best experience possible with a professional member of staff. The treatments you are offering might require the staff to have an either a level 2 or 3 NVQ or exam equivalent. Make sure you always check what qualifications are required!

Insurance

You must make sure that your insurance covers all the treatments and services that you offer. Insurance is a way of protecting the customer against damage that could occur. Public liability insurance is not required by law but is essential to protect your business against claims from clients or members of the public.  

Registering your business and Tax

HMRC have information on how and when you should register your business. This can seem like a big step, but if you follow the information given to you on the website, it can be a simple process. 

Support available

If this is your first time going into self-employment, or you have just started your own business and need some support – there is help available. You might think you cannot do it, but it’s about being persistent, and believing in yourself!

If you’re thinking about setting up your own business, then you can get in touch on enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk