There is one thing that is certain in this life and that is the fact that everyone wants to look good and charming. Looking good they say is good business, whether you are the one looking good or you are the one making others look good. This is why we have so many beauty salon businesses in the country.
When people look in the mirror, it is because they want to check out how they look and of course, they’d want the image in the mirror to be attractive.
Women are ready to go the extra miles just to look attractive in the eyes of men and even to compete with their fellow women and make them envious.
The hair is one of the major parts of the body that can either bring out one’s beauty or hide it, hence a lot of women are very particular about what hairstyle they make and how well it is made.
This is where the hair salon business comes in.
There practically no one that does not patronize the salon, making salon business good business and because everyone loves looking good, it sends a positive signal as to how lucrative it is to venture into the business of salon.
The major advantage of this business over most other businesses is that it can be started anywhere, be it in your living room, at the corner of your compound or a small rented space provided the place is very neat and well kept. A dirty environment is not ideal for this kind of business though.
What Is Beauty Salon Business?
A beauty salon business offers men and women with services to improve their beauty, such as hairdressing, manicuring, facial treatment, massage, hair coloring, hairstyling, pedicures, haircut and selling of products to your client.
Gone are the days, when women want to be beautiful by all means. They put their health at risk with some homemade cosmetics. For example, they used chemicals like arsenic, lead, mercury e.t.c .
Funny enough, they used male urine to get rid of pimples. The Yoruba culture places more value on the woman hair, because they regard it as her covering.
Women with long hair attract people most especially men. In the past, Yoruba women, wore different hairstyles to adorn their beauty like Didi (weaving or adimole) and kiko (plaiting).
Nowadays, creative hairstyles have been introduced through the use of the modern weaves, wigs and thread.
Beauty salon business is an industry that supports and promotes beauty, and has gained more and stronger ground.
So, if you’re thinking of starting your own hair beauty salon, but don’t know how to go about it, just relax and read on to find out what it takes to start the business.
Firstly, I will give out the list of services rendered at a hair beauty salon.
Beauty Salon Business Services List
The following services are rendered in a hair beauty salon:
- Hair Services
- Hair services in a beauty salon includes:
- Trims and style (especially for men),
- Foils
- Weaving and braids
- Hair & scalp treatments
- Hair extensions (including wigs, artificial and human hair)
- Relaxers and perms
- Hair color
- Shampoo and conditioning
- Curling
- Scalp treatment
- Naturally textured treatment
- Nail and Skin Care
The most common nail and skin care services are:
- Manicures
- Pedicures
- Fixing of artificial nails
- Polishing
- Sculptured nails
- Nail repair and hand conditioning treatments.
- The popular skin care services are facials, body waxing and massage.
Pedicure and Manicure
As we all know, Pedicure and Manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and toes.
Since your hair beauty salon is going to serve mostly the female gender, there are chances your customers will request for pedicure and manicure services which are quite high.
It will no doubt bring in extra cash for you.
Sales of Hair and Beauty Products
Many beauty salons make money through the sales of hair and beauty products. Such products include:
- Shampoo
- Daily and deep treatment conditioners
- Hair styling products such as mousse
- Gel
- Pomades and other specialty hair products
Selling beauty products has become a major source of revenue for most salons, because most customers prefer to buy everything they need in one place.
Spa Services
Spas are also becoming very popular, due to a growing awareness of its beauty, health and wellness benefits.
The common services offered by spas include:
- Body scrubs
- Skin lightening
- Body wrapping
- Derma abrasion
- Stretchmark and blemish treatments
- Anti-aging
- Facials makeup
- Skin care
- Waxing and polishing.
- Home Services
This category includes all the services mentioned above and is offered to high-profile clients who prefer to have these services in their homes, instead of visiting the salon.
READ HOW TO START A PLUMBING SERVICE IN NIGERIA
These are usually high-paying customers who are unable, due to time, or other factors, to visit the salon.
How Profitable Is Hair Beauty Business?
Did you know that Hair salons in the United States generate about $44 billion in revenues each year? From 2012-2017, the industry saw an annual average growth rate of 1.8%. ( IBIS World )
Beauty salon business is a lucrative one that on a small scale, you can make between N50,000 to N100, 000 or more weekly. Yes, I mean it.
If your dream is to start hair beauty salon business, for real you can start it. The following guide will really help you.
For Small scale beauty salon business
If you want to open a hair beauty salon business in Nigeria, you should determine the type of business based on how big or little the salon would be.
A hair beauty salon business is a business you can start with any amount you have available. You could start a hair beauty salon business with #10,000 or even less.
Interestingly, you could get a loan online. Yes, it is very possible. You have a house, just clear the front of your house and get a comb, creams, shampoo and some other things, and you will start making your money.
Image of woman running a small-scale hair beauty salon business
small scale hair beauty salon business
Just as you can start with #10, 000, you can also start with #5, 000, 000.
It depends on the area, the location, the kind of people expected, people working for you and the kind of things you have in your salon.
On the average level, you could start with capital between #200,000 – #400,000
Let’s assume you want to invest with #50,000, provided you have a space already, all you need include chair, tables, dryer, fan etc.
Two braids – #1500 X 2 = #3,000
Three retouching – #300 X 3 = #900
Two fixing – #600 X 2 = #1,200
Weaving – #150 X 3 = #450
Nail fixing- #200 X 3 = #600
Total = #6,150
So, in a day you would be making a total of over N5000, depending on how good you are and assuming you are working for 6 days in a week, you will be making over #30,000
For Large scale beauty salon business
You need more capital than those that use the front of their houses. Chairs, sofas, mirrors, fans, generator and a lot of standard equipment would need to be purchased, and this would require much capital.
The good news is when you consider how much you could be making daily; you will realize it’s worth spending the capital on.
Let’s say you make:
Three braids – #2000 X 3 = #6,000
Five retouching – #450 X 5 = #1,350
Three weavon fixing – #800 X 3= #2,400
Manicure and pedicure – #1000 X 3 = #3000
Total = #12,750
So at the end of the day, you’d be making as much as over #10,000 and if you add that up, you’d be happy.
When you expand and start having apprentices, you can be making double of that amount, depending on how many apprentices you have since they will assist you, then your work will be faster.
Don’t forget that you will also collect money from your apprentice. Assuming you have 10 apprentices, you should be collecting at least #30,000 from each depending on your location.
At the end of the year, you will be having a total of #300,000. You can also buy a deep freezer and sell items like soft drinks, pure water, snacks etc. that most customers are likely to buy.
You can also display wears, cosmetics, shoes. These will no doubt bring extra cash for you.
Steps to Follow When Starting Hair Salon Business In Nigeria
Here is how to start a hair beauty salon business with maximizing profits.
Startup Capital
You need to figure out how much money you need to get started, and where it will be coming from. Is it from personal saving, a loan from a cooperative society, relative or bank?
Beauty salon business is one of those businesses that can thrive irrespective of the economic situation of the country, so you can start from a small scale.
Get Adequate Training If You Have None
You cannot rush into beauty salon business, or else, you get yourself into a bigger problem because if you give a not too satisfactory service to a customer, well, you are on your own.
Ever seen a customer ranting and complaining bitterly about her hairstylist? What effects did you think her complaints will have on other potential customers, they may decide try other stylists.
Be good at what you do, be on the learning curve, and provide top notch service to your customers.
Choice of Location
You want to select a spot with good traffic, high visibility, and it must be located around your clients. Also, try to consider your competitors and try to present something that sets your salon apart.
Make sure that you get a space, in an area with constant power supply. Also, ensure that there is a good source of water supply to ensure a smoother running of your business.
Furnish Your Shop
You might not need to spend a lot if you don’t have enough capital, a local carpenter can fix a table with a drawer and a standing mirror for an affordable price.
For a large-scale beauty salon business, go for modern and sophisticated items.
READ HOW TO START A FURNITURE BUSINESS IN NIGERIA
Purchase the Necessary Equipment
Beauty salon business is very lucrative if you have the necessary equipment to give optimal service to your clients.
Whether you are operating from home or from a shed or in a big rented shop, you need equipment to start operation.
From your training, you will be able to know the most important ones to begin with, then gradually buy the rest.
The services you decide to render will determine what equipment to buy. Just make sure you purchase quality equipment.
Employees
For a large-scale hair beauty business, the business will require a receptionist/financial secretary who will greet customers and receive payment for services and products.
The salon will also include a financial manager /facial and massage technician to oversee all of the expenses, bills, payroll, etc.
There will also be two barber/hair dressers, a cleaner and a part time nail fixer, facial and body massage staff. For small scale only you and your apprentice are good to go.
Marketing
Marketing is key to the survival of any business; it helps you put your business in front of your target audience.
For a large-scale beauty salon business, you need customers. To attract customer you need a marketing plan. But who is your customer? You should know your customer and then market to them.
Social media is becoming an important component of marketing strategies today, so add this to your marketing plan, but make sure you post regularly and engage your target audience.
You should provide helpful information for your customers, such as hours, location, contact information, and pricing.
Pricing
How should you price your products?
As you go about your business, make sure you don’t overcharge your customers.
Rendering good services at affordable prices ensures continuous patronage and this will make the customers come back again.
The prices for these services can vary, depending on the kind of customers you intend to target.
If you set up shop in a relatively rural area, price is likely to be a key factor for your customers. High personality customers may not usually bother about prices as long as they get quality of service.
Equipment and Beauty Salon Design
Basically, you should simply look to tailoring your design around your target customer base. Before you start painting the walls and picking out furniture, make sure that your design matches the kind of customers that you want to attract.
Hair salon equipment
You want to make your customers feel comfortable in your salon. Please make it a place they want to visit often.
Create a clean and safe environment and be sure your towels, footbaths, and other equipment are washed, cleaned and free from odor.
Ensure that your sharp objects are disinfected regularly. Make the atmosphere relaxing, and you can as well play soft music.
Below are some of the necessary equipment to run a successful hair beauty salon business·
- Wash hair basin
- Standing dryer
- Steamers
- Mirrors
- Combs
- Brushes
- Trimming scissors
- Curling iron
- Hair straightener
- Rollers
- Carts and trolleys
- Fan/air conditioner
- Shampoos and conditioners
- Comfortable chairs
- Towels and towel warmers
- Table with drawers
- Generator
- Air conditioners (not compulsory)
- Flat screen TV and a satellite decoder (not compulsory)
- Relaxer
- Nail accessories
- Scissors E.t.c.
Implementation Schedule
This refers to hours of operation of the beauty salon business.
Working Days and Working Time Operation
| Day | Time |
| Monday-Friday | 8 am – 7 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am – 9 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am – 9 pm |
Services and Prices
Item Service Price (N)
Hair barbing:
Female #300
Male #250
Barbing with generator:
Female #350
Male #300
Hair treatment:
Shampoo wash
Female #300
Male #200
Fixing of weavon #1,000
Dreadlocks #1,500
Sporting waves #600
Facial treatment #3,000
Home services #2,000
Manicure and Pedicure #500
Advantages of Hair Beauty Business
The major advantage of this hair beauty business over most other businesses, is that it can be started anywhere, be it in your sitting room, under the tree, at the corner of your compound or a small rented space.
Beauty hair salon is quite easy to start but it’s very vital that you make some findings, and I’m sure what you’ve read in here is of great help.
Risks and Challenges of Beauty Hair Salon in Nigeria
The following are challenges of hair salon business in Nigeria
Irregular Power Supply
The main challenge is having inadequate power supply to power the different machines required, cost of fuel and maintenance hence increases.
High cost of Rent
Finding an ideal location for a beauty salon business is expensive in some area. If you want to target the middle class, and you can’t afford to find place within their reach, then this becomes a problem.
Difficulty in Finding Competent Employees
Professional hairstylists mostly are hard to come by. Most times, you will have to make do with apprentices and inexperienced hairstylists which may delay your business growth for a while.
Difficult Customers
Some customers may request frustrating demands. Others may be very rude and aggressive to you and your staffs.
Dealing with such customers can be difficult especially if they have been patronizing you for long time.
High Rate of Low Quality Products
The market has been filled with low quality, cheap imitation of hair extension and hair creams/shampoos, which makes delivery of quality hairstyling difficult and frustrating.
CONCLUSION
The beauty salon business in Nigeria is worth millions of naira every day, month and year. Especially during weekends, millions of boys, girls, men and women young and old troop to their favorite salons.
I believe that, as long as your hair keeps growing, hair beauty salon business will continue to be a great business opportunity for majority.
Now, you can check out our site on https://www.theenterprisemind.com.ng/ and see more business ideas you can start today. If you enjoyed reading this article, you can start raising capital to start your hair beauty salon business as soon as possible.
