How to Start a Salon Business in South Africa
Starting a salon business in South Africa is a profitable venture. The demand for hair and beauty services is high, creative massive opportunities for hairstylists. The high number of women working in the formal sector and want to look smart creates a large market for hairstylists.
Women want to look beautiful and smart and anyone venturing into the hair salon business needs to learn different hairstyles. In this article, we will take you through how to start a hair salon in South Africa.
Research the Market
Before starting a salon business in South Africa, it is good that you first research the market. You need to understand the market before venturing into the business. When researching the market, get to understand if potential customers would be interested in the services you will be offering.
Write a Business Plan for a Hair Salon in South Africa
After researching the market, you need to put down facts on a paper. A business plan is a road map for any business. In your business plan, you need to have a mission and vision of your business.
A good business plan should also have the following.
- Startup capital
- Business location
- Market segmentation
- Salon equipment
- SWOT analysis
Read more: Small business ideas in rural areas in South Africa.
Identify a Good Business Location
You need to decide on a good business location for your hair salon business. Locate your business near your target customers, and where it is easily accessible. You can locate your business in areas with a high population. A hair salon is ideal in urban areas with high traffic.
Also, ensure that your business has enough space where your equipment fit and customers can get a place to sit and relax waiting to be attended to.
Acquire Hair Styling Skills
You can decide to hire a professional hairstylist. If you don't want to employ someone in your business, then you need to acquire hair styling skills. Find the best school offering hair and beauty courses and enroll. Once you have finished your course, get some time to gain some experience before you can start offering hair styling services at a fee.
Read also: How to start a fast food restaurant in South Africa.
Register your Business and Acquire Business Licenses
The next thing you need to do is to secure business licenses for your hair and beauty salon. You need to register your hair and beauty business within 60 days after commencing operations. You will be required to fill in an IT77 form. It is available at the SARS offices or their website. Failure to register your business will bring conflicts between you and the authorities.
Requirements to Open a Hair Salon in South Africa
When starting a hair salon and beauty parlor, you need some equipment. They include:
- Combs and brushes
- Scissors
- Hairdryer
- Hair blow dryer
- Hair styling station
- Salon chairs
- Salon towels
- Water heaters
- Shampoo
- Shampoo station
- Hood dryer
Decide on Hair Salon Services to Offer
There are many beauty services that are offered in a salon. As such, you need to decide about the services your business will be offering. Some of the common services offered in a hair salon business include hair styling, coloring and hair extensions.
You can offer other beauty services in your hair and beauty salon that can generate more revenue. These services include:
- Pedicure
- Manicure
- Nail tipping
- Skin exfoliation
- Acrylic nail application
How Much Does it Cost to Open a Hair Salon in South Africa?
The cost of starting a hair and beauty business depends on your business size and equipment. The location of your business will also determine startup costs due to expenses like rent. The rule of thumb is, start small and expand your business as your customers increase. There is no use to start with huge startup capital and then your business fails to pick.
Is Opening a Nail Salon Profitable South Africa?
The hair salon business is a profitable venture to start in South Africa. Many people are making a living in hair and beauty salons. However, the competition is high and you need to offer excellent customer support to make it to the top of the competition.
Also, factor in your business expenses when deciding pricing for your hair salon services. You can set a 15 percent profit margin to earn enough revenues to cater to business expenses and leave you with enough profits.
Summary of How to Start a Hair Business in South Africa
Starting a hair salon business in South Africa is a profitable venture. To make it in the business, you need to be good at hair styling and also offer quality customer service. If people like your services, they will tell their friends to come and get hair styling in your salon.
