Create your Start-up with Confidence
My 20 years’ of experience gained across the spectrum, from the salon floor as therapist to the top levels of salon management, have given me vast exposure to salon business models, from branding, marketing, budgeting, operations and expansion methods, strategies and practical know-how.
My start-up services are divided into two areas - those that are offered before opening and those after the salon has opened. When you work with VR Beauty Consulting, you gain invaluable start-up support that carries you through the launch… and beyond!
In the early stages and before the opening we will walk through the following steps together.
Most importantly, before investing hundreds of thousands or more into your new salon, it’s extremely wise to have an expert take you through the feasibility process and to do a total rundown of the viability of your salon. While a large part of this process focuses on projected financials, we will also do a competitor analysis. By leveraging my extensive branding experience, I can find your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses and work around them. This will help to create a shortcut in the process so that you achieve success from the very beginning instead of having to find your way through a crowded marketplace.
Secondly we will work on your brand positioning. A number of decisions are made during this part of the process. We look at your mission, vision, values and concept creation amongst others. Every salon needs to design their branding around a concept for success. I will analyze your strengths to determine your highest areas of opportunity and teach you how to build your unique competitive advantage into the DNA of your brand.
Thereafter we will do market research and a location analysis to understand where your salon concept will flourish. Location is one of the most significant factors of success. It is vitally important to find the perfect space for your salon to grow, and to analyze the benefits of your location before building your brand. Part of this process will include space and functionality planning, to make sure that your chosen location and premises includes everything you need to make your salon a success. This is the "behind the scenes" work that is critical.
The next part is where the fun starts - store design! This is where everything comes together in terms of bringing your vision to life. You’ve dreamed about how your salon will look for years and now you get to design it and see it begin to take shape right before your eyes. To do this, I will help you find the perfect partner to make sure the final result is exactly what you imagined it to be.
Any salon is as good as its equipment and operational supplies. Knowing the salon business inside and out, from the perspective of a beauty therapist, I can tell you exactly which brands or products are worth the money and which ones simply aren’t.
The next step involves selecting which brands and products to carry in your salon.
This is not an easy decision, while you may be tempted to pick your favorites, you’ll also want to ensure they are in line with your target market, your unique positioning, and competitive landscape.
Creating a menu and treatment list is another fun and rewarding part of the process. Here we also need to ensure that everything from the names of treatments to the details of each one fits your brand and is designed to create success and repeat business.
The fourth step is vitally important - the development of a Standard Operations Manual customised for your salon. We will create your path to excellence manual and work out your client journey, service and treatment protocols and more. I will also make sure you are up-to-date and that all legislation and regulations are met; from the initial process of building your salon all the way through to day-to-day operations when it’s up and running. My goal here is to relieve one more stress factor from the salon manager.
Now that you’ve spent all this time and money preparing your salon, you need to create a "buzz" to attract local talented beauty therapists who will do a fantastic job. After putting together your "dream team", it’s time to electrify the energy in your salon and get down to business with team training - teaching them everything they need to know to deliver your vision and thrill your customers during your grand opening and beyond! This is an ongoing process.
Finally, you’ll have to acquire the skills of running a salon on a day-to-day basis: communication standards, training procedures, and quality control. Having run salons in the past, I can help you master all of these skills and fine tune your salon’s standard operating procedures. We will also work on creating packages, promotions, memberships and loyalty programs.
Another very important part of setting up your business is getting your HR into place - recruitment, salary brackets, commission structures, job descriptions, key performance indicators, uniforms and more.
After opening your salon there is still much work to be done. VRBC services offered here will include teaching you how to do monthly financial reviews. If done correctly, regular financial reviews can prevent a lot of wasted resources. Find out exactly where you are spending too much, which marketing strategies are working (and which ones aren’t), and leverage my experience to plan your next approach.
Lastly, I offer business coaching because I want to help you overcome any challenges that stand between you and success. Whether the bottleneck is in marketing, HR, or operations, I can help you accelerate beyond your obstacles and get back to success.
I can help you launch your hair and beauty salon with confidence by combining your vision with my experience. Together we can realise your dreams and create the best opportunity for your success!