How to Open a Hair Salon NYC
How to open a Hair Salon in NYC.
Opening a hair salon lets you own a creative feel-good business in a largely recession-proof industry. No matter how the economy is, people need their hair cut and it’s not something most people can’t do at home! If you can’t cut hair yourself, you have to hire hairstylists for your hair salon. If you are currently a hairstylist working for someone else, starting your own hair salon business gives you the freedom of being your own boss. When you open a hair salon (also known as a beauty salon, barber shop, hairdressing salon, beauty parlor, or beauty shop), you have the luxury of designing the type of hair salon you want, and providing the types of services you want. You can open a traditional hair salon offering hair care to all types of clients, or you can open a hair salon that caters to a select type of client, such as a men’s barber and shave shop or a children’s hair salon.
Guide on starting your own Hair Salon Business
Get your cosmetology license.
New York Board of Cosmetology License Requirements
LICENSE: 1000 Hours
LICENSE: 300 Hours
LICENSE: 600 Hours
LICENSE: 250 Hours
LICENSE: 2-Year Apprenticeship
LICENSE: Cosmetology License & Work Experience
LICENSE: 75 Hours
Once you have completed your training, you then begin working for someone in the cosmetology field who will teach you what will eventual become your specialty. Your training under this professional should be a minim of one year(s) time. During this time you will be able to create a client base in which you will be able to contact to market your own salon in the future. Start marketing for clients among friends, neighbors, and associates. Begin by handing out Business Cards and Flyers at local stores, and among friends. Posting your new career on Facebook with Before & After pictures of you clients, and written testimonials from you clients will help build credibility. It also shows your commitment to the profession.
Next you will want to get your Business Name and Tax Registrations,( for more information about this please contact us at (646)226-1921) Once you have both of these you will then want to either Rent a chair in a already existing salon or do a commission split with the salon owner. A commission split with the owner of the salon would be extremely beneficial to a new hair dresser especially if it is a marketing savvy popular salon. Advertising is more cost effective efficient if it is divided by numerous hair stylist in the salon.
Create a website, our Web Designers will work with you on the marketing aspects of the site. The website would contain a portfolio of your work in which you would be able to promote. Using something simple like your name for the Domain Name will allow clients to find your site much easier. You will also be able to create a calendar showing your schedule and availability, even take payments ahead of time I would recommend using a local web designer that is going to work with you on the marketing aspects of the site and will teach you how to make many of the changes yourself. Web site design and effective web marketing is an extremely customized product and I suggest where you want to be working very closely with the designer / marketer