82% of Nail Salon Goers Return to Get Their Nails Done Again

How To Start A Blast Salon Business

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Has it always been a dream of yours to kickoff your very ain nail salon but you don't know where or how to start?

Y'all have come up to the right place.

Acquire how to offset a nail salon and avoid the most mutual mistakes that startup smash salon businesses go through. This comprehensive step past step guide will walk you through all the questions y'all take of starting you own nail salon.

Don't be discouraged by the long checklist that comes with starting a business. Use the information below and begin to turn your dream into a reality. So, without farther ado:

Starting a Boom Salon

There are all kinds of nail salons: the trendy smash art types, the nail + spa ritsy kind, and of grade the minimalistic 'I simply need a cute mani/pedi' type that we all love. Before we talk about the type of nail salon that y'all should consider, read the 31 FAQs of starting a business concern including:

How much money do I need to get started?
Is this business right for me?
How should I hire qualified employees?
AND MORE!

Click here to download all of the 31 FAQs of starting a business concern in this Free Written report.

Pace one: Learn How to Open a Smash Salon – Under the Hood

While information technology seems fun and awesome to run your own nail salon, it's of import to be grounded. Sympathize at the end of the day, you lot demand to make that greenbacks register ring in order to keep the lights on and have a fun and awesome nail salon to come up to everyday…

…Speaking of everyday, information technology'due south also a lot of work. You lot're the owner, you've got to be there and gear up the systems and lead past example. I promise I haven't scared you away…if I did, information technology's probably for the best. Owning a business concern isn't for anybody. But if you're ready to become into the trenches (or cuticles?)

The best mode to learn is by actually working in 1. Requite yourself a few months. Start as a nail technician, see how the boss runs their salon, find out what y'all'd practice the same and most importantly, what yous'd do differently.

Here are the areas of the business concern to learn:

Human Resources/Authoritative/Operations

How does the business concern manage their files and customer information? Does the business have a special way of hiring and retaining its boom technicians and artists? What employee policies are standardized? Which functions of the business need systems?

In improver to those operative questions, information technology'due south important to observe and figure out the following areas of the business that need systems and written documentation:

Document organization
Inventory management
Insurance and license regulations
Produce sourcing
Customer service
OSHA standards
Employment Rules and Regulations
Hiring/firing staff
Training
Customer Satisfaction Policy
Performance reviews

Financial

This surface area is certainly not the almost fun function of running the business but obviously quite crucial. How will the salon handle payments? Will you use a P.O.S (Betoken of Sale) system? How much revenue can you lot expect to brand in the current month?

These are just the tip of the iceberg when information technology comes to tracking your financials properly, merely here's a shortlist of the of import things to prioritize:

Payroll & Gratuity system
Payment system
Invoices and Receipts
Sales projections by month and flavor
Sourcing funding for build out of nail salon

nail salon startup guide

Marketing

Ahh, marketing. Oftentimes the lifeblood of whatsoever visitor…with nail salons it'due south no different. Effective marketing is critical for a business to get new customers, and increasing the revenues per customer. Marketing has a relatively bad rap sail considering of how much BAD marketing there is out there.

HAVE NO Fear! Startup Jungle and I are here to assist. Acquire near effective marketing by working backwards.

What's the end goal?
- Is the end goal to go new customers OR to become old customers coming back?
- Have a singular goal, attempt not achieve more than 1 goal per campaign/promotion. That manner you'll focus on the i goal, and put measures in place to determine information technology's effectiveness
- Perhaps it'due south contemporary?
- How practise you desire the promotion to await? What's your way?
- Perhaps it's more traditional?

What'southward your message? Volition you have a tagline or customer commitment?
Finally, what's your budget? Tin yous spend anything on ads, flyers, or social media banners?

Here are some campaign goals to be considering:

New client acquisition
Existing clients referrals
Upsells during service
Client retention programs

Pace 2: Create a Business organization Plan

So, how to start a nail salon business plan from scratch? Earlier nosotros get into that, let's answer this FAQ that we get all the time here at Startup Jungle:

Why do nail salons neglect?

Just similar any other business concern, nail salons tin can neglect for a number or combination of reasons…knowing what the leading crusade of failure will prevent you from making the aforementioned mistakes.

Although predicting future problems may be impossible, being prepared from the become become, with a solid foundation of policies and systems, can significantly reduce the risk of failure and keep your concern afloat. Here are some things to put in place in social club to get that solid foundation:

Secure capital and permits

Create a top-downwardly, soup to nuts, 100% complete nail salon business concern plan
Guess startup costs, and stick to a upkeep!
Obtain capital letter to first business
Secure local, state and federal licenses, and operating permits
Obtain a health department permit

Detect and replenish your infinite

Detect the perfect blast salon location
Clean and remodel your space to make it your own. Once again, observe that manner that makes this nail salon YOU.
Purchase all necessary equipment to provide services and brand that greenbacks register band!
Chose Point-of-Service (POS) system/software
File Cabinet with lock (trust me)

Set for the opening

Hire astonishing boom technicians! Have them audition their smash tech/art skills earlier you hire them.
Invest in skilful payroll software
Train staff to your standards of getting nails washed
Train staff on visitor policies, fourth dimension frames per client by service, and etc.
Consider advertising thousand-opening or soft-opening
Accept a digital strategy such as e-mail marketing or a website.

All in all, you'll take to create your own nail salon concern plan. Here is a solution for a complete fill-in-the-blanks solution for opening your ain nail salon business organisation plan.

RELATED: Why Y'all Demand the Nail Salon Startup Guide

Is now a proficient fourth dimension to beginning a boom salon?

The nail salon manufacture is 1 of the near stable industries in that location is. In fact, NailMags suggests 82% of nail salon goers render to become their nails done once again.

There'southward a lot of things that can assistance your boom salon business be successful and knowing the basics is key.

Look, the economy has had its ups and downs…Only 1 thing is clear– if y'all accept a unique selling point, that nobody else can offering but Yous Alone…chances are y'all'll not only stand up out from the crowd, merely you'll also terminal. And so yes, definitely do your diligence research on the economics of opening upwards a nail salon. Most importantly though, figure out what yous tin can practice/offer/style/design to make your nail salon sing louder than all the other racket.

How big is the nail salon industry?

The boom salon industry is very steady and provides a constant, consistent revenue stream for nail salon business owners. the dazzler of this business organisation is that it's recurring. Information technology's not a one-and-done kind of service, yous have to become it washed and redone, and redone steadily.

The number of nail salons that are open in the United states of america has grown most 70% in 2015 solitary. It is a multi-billion dollar manufacture, and so it is about time y'all consider taking a piece of the pie.

Over three one thousand thousand smash salons in the Usa lonely are operating in this infinite, and permit's make yours # 3 million and ane.

You lot'll want to make sure your logo is created for use in the business program. We highly recommend 99designs. You set your price and the designers compete for your upkeep as their prize. What'south really cool about 99 Designs is how you tin can go through a few rounds of revisions with your favorite designers, and requite them feedback so that you get exactly what you lot want. They also accept a logo shop where you can store for logos (just supercede text with your business name) for as niggling as $99. How efficient!

Step iii: Discover Earning Potential

Nothing is sweeter than seeing your revenues generated afterward long hours, and hard work. Then before yous being, let'due south explore how much you can expect to earn every bit a Nail Salon Possessor.

What are the average earnings for a Blast Salon owner?

The earning potential for a Smash Salon varies tremendously depending on location, price and work habits. Although at that place is room for exponential growth, the boilerplate Nail Salon possessor makes roughly $40,000 to $75,000 yearly. However, in that location are many means to increase business revenue as well as personal income.

Click beneath to download our popular "xiv Ways to Increase Revenue in your Nail Salon" Infographic:

Footstep 4: Set A Upkeep

What are the starting costs for a Boom Salon?

Costs will vary when starting a smash salon based on many different factors. Things similar permits and country license fees, overhead, startup supplies, staff bounty and inside décor (you lot want to make your salon appealing to your customers). The all-time advice given to all entrepreneurs is to create a concern program and a upkeep. Beneath are just a few costs to consider when planning your budget.

Costs to consider:

Rent/Lease/Mortgage
Liability Insurance
Payroll Expenses
Operation Fees and Licenses
Supplies and Equipment
Advertizement and Marketing expenses

Questions to consider:

Is at present a good fourth dimension to open a Boom Salon?
His large is the Nail Salon industry and is it assisting?
How much practice I have to make a twenty-four hours to intermission even?
How much do I have to make a day to make a turn a profit?

This is a very interesting nail salon that was very budget friendly. The owners of "La Laquerie" turned an old trailer into a breathtakingly quaint Parisian nail salon that is, become this: MOBILE. Check out this amazing nail salon unlike you lot've ever seen. Now that's what I phone call: Unique Selling Point!

Information technology travels around making stops in business parking lots, schools and universities, and sometimes the occasional firm call (remember to become the correct permits when operating a business out of a moving vehicle).

Step 5: Decide Which Products/Services To Offer

Before finalizing your products and services, brand certain it's in line with the location and neighborhood demographics. Are you lot in an affluent area with frequent spa-goers? Definitely offering the packages, vanity treatments, and upsells with the services…maybe fifty-fifty that 24k goldleaf to go along with their immaculate nails…

On the flip side, if your salon is in an up-and-coming expanse, I would offer by and large a la menu services at pocket-size prices that concenter customers in your area. Information technology'south important in this case to proceed clients moving. Perhaps instead of a 45 min manicure, yous limit the time to 30 minutes.

Here are the price ranges of services:

Common Nail Salon Services Cost Range:

Manicure $15-$50
Pedicure $25-$75
Gel Shine $20-$75
Gel Removal $5-$15
Gel Smash Repairs $3-$thirty
Acrylic Full Sets $30-$100
Acrylic Nail Fills $18-$50
Mani/Pedi Combos $40-$150
Gel Full Sets $45-$eighty
Gel Pulverisation Fills $30-$sixty
Silk Nails $x-$40
Kids Services $ten-$25
Gel Top Coat $5-$20
Acrylic Nail Removal $x-$xxx

Should I sell items in my salon?

Selling products is a great revenue booster. Also, it gets you some great relationships with vendors, and after fourth dimension may lead to some great opportunities for joint ventures and campaigns.

Vendors Honey existence featured as a Salon's Become-To, so it'south important to establish relationships with vendors (and their distributors for meliorate deals and negotiating power in the future).

Complementary items to sell in your Salon:

Lotions
Filing kits and Travel nail intendance kits
Nail polish
Nail polish remover
Paw Care gloves
Sandals (some women always forget to wear open up toe shoes when getting pedis. Don't make them walk out in those horrible cream slippers…let them buy some cheap (but cute) sandals!

Step vi: Decide On A Location

Part of the opening a nail salon checklist is to detect the best location. Let'south expect at the locations of these smash salons in my hometown, Austin TX.

how to start a nail salon

Detect that most of the nail salons have quite a few blocks in radius next to another smash salon in the aforementioned city. The only exception to this observation is the Abroad Spa, Milk + Honey spa, and Laquer Downtown. This is considering these areas if the hustling and humming downtown entertainment district. The Away spa is actually in the Due west hotel– super swanky.

Information technology'south important to continue this as rule of thumb when choosing the perfect location for your new boom salon: how shut is the adjacent nearest nail salon?

Where do nail salons have the potential to generate the nearly earnings?

There are so many decisions that come into play when deciding to open a boom salon, just one of the most important ones is finding the best location for your boom salon to MAKE Money. You most commonly seen nail salons placed in freestanding buildings, storefront properties and shopping centers similar strip malls. Those areas provide the nigh visibility and tend to bulldoze the about traffic.

Another tip: Make sure it'southward piece of cake for your clients to park! I cannot tell yous how many blast salons that I reject to go to considering of horrible parking.

Another factor y'all desire to consider when picking a location for your nail salon is your price point, target audience and who/where your competitors are. You don't want to open a loftier-end salon in a depression-income neighborhood because you might non be able to cover your profit margins.

Step 7: Discover Supplies

Ahh, the shopping. Hard on the wallet, but truly the fun role.

What Basic Equipment Are Necessary to Successfully Operate a Nail Salon?

Opening a nail salon toll money merely it doesn't accept to cost a lot of it. Certain it may not be the most luxurious at commencement, merely start somewhere and piece of work your style upwards. Here's the nail salon supply checklist:

Salon stations ($300-$grand)
Salon chairs ($150-$300)
Telephone ($50-$150)
Greenbacks register ($eighty-$g)
Laundry equipment ($one thousand-$2000)
Supply cart ($50-$300)
Reception desk ($400-$2000)
Waiting area chairs ($fifty-$150)
Acrylic Powder Kit ($xv-$xxx)
Acetone ($5-$30)
Gel Shine ($nine-$15)
Blast Polish ($viii-$12)
Moisturizing Lotion ($five-$20)
Antibacterial Mitt Sanitizer/Hand Soap ($2-$10)
Electronic Nail Filer ($twoscore-$100)
Cuticle Pusher ($5-$ten)
Smash Buffers ($three-$10)
Toe Separators ($2-$10)
Cuticle Oil ($5-$ten)
Nail Clippers ($10-$30)
Cuticle Nippers ($7-$12)
Pedicure Human foot File ($x-$20)
Manicure Bowl ($10-$15)
Dappen Dish ($3-$five)

Here are some great vendors I recommend for your supplies:

Pedicure Spa U.s. – for pedicure furniture
Salon Supply Shop – for all the odds and ends including polish, dishes, tools, the works.
Buy Nails Direct – who doesn't love wholesale!
Nail Super Store – for lights, fans, equipment, and etc.
BuyRiteBeauty – beautiful and contemporary nail salon stations

Footstep viii: Promote Your Nail Salon

How do I Promote My Nail Salon?

Promoting your business is a key ingredient in sustaining a successful nail salon. At that place are many marketing tactics out at that place to advertise your salon but catering to your local market will be near effective. It's important to constantly stay up-to-date with new customers, seasons and trends. Beneath are a few tactics you can utilize to achieve maximum publicity.

10 Local Promotion Tactics:

Facebook Ads
Flyers
Local Contest Giveaways
YouTube Ads
Email Marketing for Existing Customers
Signs
Phone Book Listings
Yelp Ads
Google Ads
Referrals

Step nine: Create A Staffing Program

Who works in a Nail Salon?

Finding out what blazon of workers you want to hire is pace one. I recommend that you do not rush into hiring technicians. Get to know who you lot are hiring and don't rent based on resumé solitary.

Take them audition their skills for you. Maybe have one or 2 interviews before extending an offer letter. Confirm your applicant's job history and abilities to ensure you lot're getting what yous were sold.

One of the most common mistakes made by nail salon owners is trusting an employee and not taking the time to vet, train and educate them on the newest industry trends.

Technician (Salary Range $22,000 – $43,000)
Reception Staff (Bacon Range $17,000 – $29,000)
Aesthetician (optional) (Salary Range $23,000 – $56,000)
Manicurist (optional) (Bacon Range $20,000 – $50,000)
Salon Manager (Bacon Range $21,000 – $47,000)

Pace x: Decide on a Manner/Design

Resource and Inspiration

Nail Salon Proper noun Ideas

[Your Name] Salon                                                                                  Nail Creations
[Your Location] Salon                                                                             The Wizard of Nails
Fashionable Nails                                                                                               The Nail Artist

Nail Salon Décor Ideas

First impressions are always of import, the same goes for your salon. When your customers walk in you want them to be wowed past its beauty and cleanliness.

Pick a color scheme and build your design from there. When planning your décor and blueprint, consider something that will final over fourth dimension then you aren't constantly redecorating. Brand sure your nail smooth colors are visible to your guests and your services provided are easily accessible. If you are still unsure of how you would similar your salon to expect, go to your local salons, wait at their interior and make a list of what you similar and dislike.

Here are some beautiful salons across the globe:

The Beverly Wilshire Hotel Spa – Beverly Hills, CA

Archetype contemporary cool.

The Caesars Palace Nail Salon – Las Vegas, NV

Opulence. I would experience like royalty hither.

Varnish Nails – Los Angeles, CA

Super cute and quaint boutique style nail salon.

Speaking of pattern and style, you'll also need some beautiful looking business organisation cards. Hither are some absolutely lovely business cards we made for boom salons:

how to start a nail salon business

Like what you see? We'll ship you the templates and so all you have to practise is supplant the details. Click beneath to download the Adobe Illustrator files now!

Step xi: Create An Bookkeeping Programme

Bookkeeping software for a nail salon

I of the nearly of import contributors to your salon's success is how you keep your business organized and manage its books. In that location are many accounting software options available to concern owners that will help you stay organized and on pinnacle of your salon's finances. Programs such as Quickbooks, Kashflow, SageOne, and Xero allow you to minimize time allocated to your books on a twenty-four hour period-to-solar day ground equally well equally during the rigorous revenue enhancement season. Nosotros have included the links to the four popular accounting platforms to help you lot.

Quickbooks
Kashflow
SageOne
Xero

Pace 12: Go into the Salon Owners' Community

Best nail salon franchises

Owning a nail salon doesn't mean y'all have to start from scratch. There are many other options out in that location. Opening a franchise or purchasing a current nail salon that's on the marketplace are as well options, although owning a franchise may have a better survival rate and exist easier to start up. The selection is still out there to purchase a salon that is on the market — already staffed, furnished and stocked with product.

Nail Salon and Related Associations

Being continued to resources in your industry is the best way to stay on top of manufacture information and upwards-to-appointment with current trends. Joining professional associations also allows you to stay connected with other salon owners in the manufacture to seek out successful business tips, advice, and hacks for rapid growth. For your convenience, we have compiled a list of associations that you could join.

American Beauty Association
Professional person Beauty Clan
Association of Cosmetology Salon Professionals
Salon Spa Professional Association

Nail Salon Suppliers

Sourcing supplies to sustain your salon can be a long, draining process, so we have done the work for you! It'due south always important that you lot choose suppliers that are reliable, supply quality product and fit your salon's upkeep.

Furniture:

Minerva Beauty
BeautyDesign.com

Nail Products

The Nail Superstore
Sally Beauty
Us Salon Supply
CosmoProf
Ulta

Nail Salon Pages on Social Media

Follow groups on some of the most popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to connect with others just similar you! Staying up-to-date on the latest and greatest ideas in the industry will aid your boom salon flourish.

Facebook:

Salon Owners and Manicurists
Smash Salon Owners Association

Instagram:

@nailsartclips
@nails.feed

Hither's an infographic we've created to show you the 7 Steps To Starting A Boom Salon

how to start a nail salon business infographic

The Bottom Line

Bottom line: Opening (and running) a salon is a lot of piece of work.

But if you do it right, information technology'south non merely rewarding, it's a lot of fun.

I love being my ain boss and I beloved having a business which brightens people'south lives. Hopefully, this commodity volition give you lot a sense of what information technology takes to open a smash salon.

Are y'all ready to take the next step? If you are, StartupJungle.com has a 21 point checklist for starting your new business organisation. Make certain y'all download this if you're serious about getting started.

Simply click here to download this checklist now.