MOVE YOUR BEAUTY BUSINESS TO A COMMERCIAL SPACE!

WHERE TO START

When you open a beauty salon, barbershop, or spa, you’ll make about a million decisions along the way. From your planned service offerings, to the aesthetic, to the business name itself, each choice you make brings your dream closer to being a reality. But perhaps the most important decision of all is choosing the location for your salon.

HOW TO CHOOSE A SALON LOCATION

When you open a beauty salon, barbershop or spa, you’ll make about a million decisions along the way. From your planned service offerings, to the aesthetic, to the business name itself, each choice you make brings your dream closer to being a reality. But perhaps the most important decision of all is choosing the location for your salon.

■ Think about the neighbourhood you want to be in. Does your client base come to this part of town already? Does the feel of the neighbourhood complement your planned salon atmosphere?

■ Consider how accessible the location is. Is it easy to get to by car or public transit? If your clients will likely be driving, is there enough parking nearby? Are there handicap spaces to ensure accessibility for all of your clients?

■ Weigh your need for visibility. Are you going to be reliant on foot traffic, or will you bring a mature clientele with you to this new location? If you are counting on exposure to bring in new clients, the premium of a central location could be worth the investment.

■ Decide if you’re looking for a full build-out or renovating an existing salon.

THINK ABOUT SAFETY OF YOUR COMMERCIAL SPACE

First and foremost, the majority of your clientele are going to be women. Doesn’t mean we can’t get some men in our businesses-but majority of the clientele that you’re going to have is going to be women. So there are some safety concerns that we want to have top of mind that I find that most people don’t really consider when looking at locations.

GETTING A COMMERCIAL LEASE FOR YOUR BEAUTY BUSINESS

If this is your first business lease, you’ll find it is a bit different from any residential leases you may have signed.

No matter what level you’re at in your journey of being a business owner, at some point you may want to consider renting a space to operate your business out of.  Whether you’ve started your business yet or not, or if you’re thinking about expanding beyond the current space that you’re in.

Terms Of YOUR COMMERCIAL LEASE

Standard commercial leases are 3 to even 5 or 10 year leases. That’s a big commitment if you are just starting of in business. You need to get proof that your business can be open that long. So when looking at the lease terms ideally, when you’re first starting out look for spaces available for month to month, six months or even one year leases.

You may be paying more per month because you’re not doing the long term leases. But I want you to organically grow in a way that makes sense. Rather than finding the hard way that you don’t have the clientele to sustain that.

READING AND UNDERSTANDING YOUR COMMERCIAL LEASE AGREEMENT

This is the time to be thorough. Read every line of your agreement and make sure you understand what it means for you as the business owner. This can be another good reason to work with a realtor — we can check for any items outlined in the lease that could be red flags. I also highly recommend getting a lawyer to review the terms of the lease contract.

There is a lot of legal jargon in leases — fully services, double-net, triple-net, percentage lease — and you may need a translator of sorts to help you understand it all.

WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL:

HAVE THE peace of mind knowing that you are protected in the agreement is worth every penny.

Negotiating Your Lease Agreement

Once you’ve reviewed the lease terms, your options are not limited to simply signing or walking away. You have the opportunity to negotiate the lease and add terms to it that are favourable to you. For example, try to get an exclusivity clause or radius of exclusivity added to the agreement if your salon is located in a business center – this will help reduce competition.

Key considerations to keep in mind.

If you are opening your business with a partner, I strongly recommend having a partnership agreement in place – prior to signing the lease. This is kind of like a prenuptial agreement, but for businesses, and will outline your terms for all types of situations from unforeseen closing to a partner wanting out of the business and more.

AFTER YOU’VE SIGNED!

Congratulations! You’re one step closer to opening. Once you have chosen your salon location and the lease is secured, it’s time to start designing your and making your new site visible online through advertising and marketing.

Ready to find a space and grow your beauty salon business??

TALK TO A REALTOR THAT UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS

Since founding Dolls Media Agency, I have helped multiple women create their dream beauty businesses.

My extensive work experience has helped hundreds of beauty entrepreneurs establish and manage their online reputation, become more visible, leverage their influence and grow their businesses and career. I am always looking for ways to help entrepreneurs reach their goals, so I become a realtor.

My love for connecting with women and empowering them in business and life is unmatched. Whether I am coaching clients on personal branding, marketing and growth or helping them make their first or next real estate move, I am all about Level UP! No matter which hat I wear, I am passionate about changing people's lives for greatness.

Establishing your company in a commercial space is one of the best ways to invest, grow and secure business. Through my marketing and real estate knowledge, I am on a mission to help you find the best location for your business and bring a consistent flow of clients to it.

Jules Ludny @thebrandingmomager