How to Open a Successful Hair Salon in Ghana
Being a hairstylist isn’t easy, it takes years of apprenticeship and practice. It is a trade you need to be consistent with.
We take it as you have completed the training and you are ready to set up a salon. You have worked with a professional hairstylist so you probably know the types of equipment and needed inventory to purchase but we will still give you a list to make it easier.
Apart from purchasing the needed types of equipment, there are other things you need to do to open your salon.
Draw a business plan
To start every business, you need to draw a business plan. In this plan, Will be a record of your finances, marketing strategies, organization, and management, among others. This helps you keep track of everything you are about to do.
A business plan comes in handy when someone wants to invest in your business. The individual will know how you do your business, how much to invest and how to divide the profits in a way that will benefit everyone.
Funding
To decide on how much you want to invest in your business, there are a few things you need to consider.
How many employees will you be having? How much would you pay each of them? You are advised to employ only a few people since you are just starting the business. You can even decide not to employ anyone but get one or two people to train.
Apart from that, you need to consider how much you will spend on types of equipment and inventory. The last thing is the payment of rent, or electricity and water bills. Putting all this together will help you know how much you need to start the business.
An estimate of GHS 30,000 or even less can help you set up a salon that would have all you need to work.
Location
Choosing a strategic location is essential. You are now starting this business, stay away from competition but choose a location where people can see you. A place by the street is advisable.
Are you planning on purchasing land to build the salon or do you plan to rent? The former is a good idea but it will take a long time to complete, you will be faced head-on with water and electricity bills but with a rented place, the place has already been built and the bills all come at once, so it’s easier to budget for it. The place should be spacious and easily accessible.
Get a mentor
Be in contact with someone who has been in the beauty industry for a long time. Someone who has the experience and picks up their mind on a few things, like the best products to buy and more.
This should probably be the person that trained you. They will give you a few tips and tricks to use when you finally open the salon.
Purchase equipment and accessories
You need many items to fill up your salon. This is what will take a lot of your money but it’s all investment. We will categorize them to make it easier for you to identify them. You can create a checklist.
Purchase these items in the Accra market, in the mall, or over the internet. In our next article, we will include the prices to make it easier for you to calculate and budget for them
Furniture
- Waiting area chairs
- Comfortable salon chairs
- Styling stations (mirrors on wardrobes)
- Shampoo chairs and units
- Carts and trolleys
Hair Styling Accessories
- Combs and brushes (fork combs, styling combs, wide-toothed combs, round brush, and more)
- Scissors
- Rollers and pins
- Rubber gloves
- Hand-held mirrors
- Hair clips
- Mixing bowls
- Spray bottle
- Aprons
- Electronic Hair Styling Accessories
- Hair straightener
- Curling machine
- Curling comb hairdryer
- Hand dryer/blow dryer
- Wall dryer
- Heater
Hair Care products
- Sheen spray
- Shampoo
- Conditioners
- Perming kit
- Styling gel
- Serums
- Mousse
- Hair wax
- Bonding glue
- Hair dye
- Wig extensions
- Weaves
- Hair pomade
- Dandruff spray
- Setting spray
- Inventory
- Extensions
- Hair pomade
- Hair spray
- Perfumes (optional)
- Hair accessories (ribbons and more)
Others
- Sterilizer
- Haircutting capes/dye capes
- Hair and hand towels
- Paper towels
- Hair caps
We might have missed a few things but while you are shopping, you will find more things you can use. The design, architecture, and colours to use in your shop are your choice. You can still little by little, buy inexpensive equipment. If you don’t have water flowing all the time, you can buy barrels and gallons to save water.
Marketing and Advertising
Thanks to technology, you don’t need to do much to get potential customers to see you. Gone are the days when you need to service people only around you.
Now, someone can contact you from different parts of the city and can go to their homes to style their hair. All you need to do is make use of social media platforms. Pay a little and your shop will be advertised for you.
Takeaway
Talent and skill will always speak for you. Without it, an exquisite salon will only attract people but your talent will make them stay.
Learn the still from an experienced person and add passion to it. Dealing with the competition will be easy when you have talent. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments. We wish you all the best.