So you’re thinking of starting a beauty clinic or salon from home? Get ready for an exciting, and slightly scary ride that has the potential to give you a substantial income and incredible lifestyle. Successful clinics give owners limitless options, from personal flexibility to expanding the business or even building multiple locations – the world is your oyster! Yellow Minimalist Fashion Book Cover
But as with any business, it’s essential to get your “ducks in a row,” before launching. So here are our top tips for starting a beauty business from home:
1. Get Legal and Tax Advice
In Australia, we have numerous state and federal government resources available to aspiring entrepreneurs. However, a good accountant and a specialist small business lawyer will end up saving you a lot of time and possibly a lot of money. Surprise tax bills are never fun, and your accountant will work to avoid all surprises, so you can work on growing your business.
Likewise, your lawyer will help you with things like setting up your business and structuring it in such a way that you get the most benefit. Just as with accountants, legal professionals will work to reduce medium and long-term unpleasant surprises.
This is also an excellent spot to say that this article does not constitute legal, tax or accounting advice, and you should always seek professional advice based on your circumstances.
2. Pick Your Niche
It’s much easier to explain your offering (especially when you are the only one working in the business) when it is incredibly specific. It doesn’t matter whether you are specialising in laser hair removal, facial treatments, or anything else – pick what you can do well, and keep getting better at it as your business grows.
3. Choose a Dedicated Space
Your accountant will most likely explain the tax benefits of having a dedicated space for your salon, but the advantages go far beyond that.
Imagine your clients, visiting your at-home clinic and being forced to walk through living areas. How will they feel about that? What will the impact be on your family? Will that mean that there are areas of your home that you will have to remember to tidy every evening in expectation of an early morning appointment the following day?
A designated area with a dedicated entrance gives your clients a sense of professionalism and safety. If possible, find a location that is just your clinic.
4. Create a Business and Marketing Plan
In fact, that should say ‘use a business and marketing plan.’ Most plans are thrown in the top drawer and never looked at again, most often because they are unnecessarily complicated. The easiest way to map out your business journey is to use a calendar, a calculator and a pencil. Put key dates in place for business growth initiatives such as digital advertising and local promotions. Put benchmarks on your calendar showing what kind of revenue you expect to reach by specific dates, and make a note of important dates such as when tax is due. Check your calendar regularly and update it when you think of a new initiative or are made aware of a legal requirement.
If you’re more of a spreadsheet person, there are numerous free templates online, along with plenty of paid software to keep yourself on target.
5. Get a Good Appointment System
One of the most important elements of running a clinic is having a scheduling or appointment system that works every time. There is nothing more embarrassing for the owner of an at-home clinic than having a client show up for an appointment that doesn’t exist. Local business reputations can be left in tatters when people start talking about this kind of unpleasant experience.
Specialist scheduling software solves this problem, but a robust paper-based system, when used properly, can be just as good.
Starting a clinic from home has numerous advantages, but it’s not for everyone. If you would like to talk to a Laseraid client-advisor about the pros and cons of starting a clinic, and the costs associated with renting a device (if applicable), email enquiries@laseraid.com.au or click here.
