posted on: 06/26/2025
You are fully booked, even overbooked. Your schedule looks like a game of Tetris and you have a wait list longer growing by the day. Congratulations! You have built a great business, created a loyal customer base, and established yourself as a trusted professional in your trade. Now you are standing at a career crossroad asking yourself: Should I open a salon? It seems like the next logical step. After all, you need help—another stylist or two, a receptionist, or an assistant would help you tremendously. But before you sign on the dotted line for a lease, or start ordering your salon chairs, ask yourself this: Are you ready to stop being just a stylist and start being a salon owner too?
1. How Are Your Management Skills?
Running a salon is not just about being able to create great hair anymore. Instead, it’s about people—managing them, motivating them, and sometimes having hard conversations with them. Whether you are working with employees or self-employed contractors, your ability to lead will define your success as salon owner. Setting clear expectations, establishing boundaries, and building a team-first culture where communication is king are non-negotiable. One simple but powerful tip: Start each day with a five-minute meeting to set goals, define responsibilities, and make sure everyone is aligned. This small habit can make a big difference to the success of your salon.
2. How Are Your Financial Skills?
You may be able to create the most amazing balayage using toner formulas that go viral, but do you know how to balance a budget? Owning a salon demands more than creativity. It demands financial clarity. Can you afford it? Wages? Rent? Utilities? Inventory? Taxes? One of the most common pitfalls in any new business is underestimating costs and overestimating revenue. Setting daily, weekly, and quarterly targets are not just essential but key in a successful business. Fail to plan, plan to fail is the adage. Know your break-even number and track your margins. Have a contingency budget for those unexpected costs (and trust me there will be unexpected costs).
(Editor’s Note: AHP members can use their Career Toolkits to estimate start-up costs and more!)
3. How Are Your Marketing Skills?
You may be able to cut the perfect bob but can you sell the story? In today’s digital world, salon marketing is very visual, personal, and fast-paced. You’ll need to be stylist, content creator, and brand ambassador, which means creating an online presence, taking high quality photos of your work, writing engaging and amusing captions, and building a strong brand that will stand out in a saturated market. Remember, your work is your best advertisement—but only if people see it!
4. How’s Your Legal Knowledge?
This one isn’t glamorous, but it is critical to be aware of. Salon owners are subject to employment laws just like any large corporation. The difference is you will not have an HR department or a legal team to back you and advise you. Before hiring anyone or renting chairs, make sure you have a basic understanding of employment law, contracts, and workplace policies. Write a salon policy handbook defining your policies upfront. A few hours of preparation can save you from costly headaches down the line.
5. Do You Know Who Your Ideal Team Member Is?
Before writing the job posting, take a moment to define what your salon needs—not just in terms of skill set but also in mindset, culture, and values. As a solo stylist you know your strengths. Now, ask what is missing? Do you need another stylist to help with the overflow clients? Or just an assistant to take the pressure off your schedule? What about a receptionist to streamline your bookings and answer all those messages?
Your first hires should directly impact the areas of your business that are slowing your growth. Build smart, not fast. Think about the sort of salon culture you want and decide on your non-negotiable traits before you start hiring. They should include:
- Professionalism and reliability
- Strong communication skills
- Team-player mindset
- A passion for the industry
- A willingness to learn and adapt
Final Words: Don’t Rush, But Don’t Wait Forever
Opening a salon is exciting, empowering, scary, and yes, challenging. The transition from stylist to salon owner is a leap from craftsperson to entrepreneur. With the right preparation, it can also be the most rewarding step in your career.
So, ask yourself these tough questions, do your homework, and build the foundations carefully so that they are long-lasting and steadfast in an ever-changing world. Your dream salon deserves more than great décor and killer styling—it deserves a strong, strategic leader at the helm. And if that sounds like you, then it might just be time to take the leap.
About the Author:
Jackie Harrington, a salon owner for 20 years, is a passionate hairdressing educator, mentor, and qualified assessor. With awards from GHD and UK’s Leicestershire Business Awards, she’s empowered countless stylists to launch their own salons. She blends artistry with business acumen as she continues to inspire future stylists.