Opening A Barbershop Business!

A large number of entrepreneurs are planning to open their first barbershop one day, and therefore, a business plan for success is strongly advised. However, it is essential to understand that every small business has its drawbacks. Unfortunately, there are many difficulties at the beginning of every business. This is completely normal, and If you’re looking for a great way to take out a business loan or finance your barbershop equipment expenses we have you covered in this in-depth post I wrote to get a better handle on your business finical options as a barbershop owner. “11 Things To Consider Before Financing Barbershop Equipment.” To open a successful barbershop, an entrepreneur will need three components:

Patience.
Desire.
Money.

If you have just one of that qualities, you will be well on your way to success, even without any experience in the field. So if you’re like me and a lot of other barbers with big dreams of becoming business owners. Don’t worry, you’re not the first person to need assistance towards building a successful barbershop business! The hardest part is finding the right information that fits your specific needs. So, let’s make it easy and begin by creating a business plan to help keep you stay organized.

Business Plan & Barbershop Requirements:

Write out a general description. of the future project.
Stages of implementation. In this stage, you should write down the expected time of completion for your barbershop business project.
Barbershop expectations. The dimensions of the room, decoration along with how many barbers you’re planning to hire – all this should be written in as much detail as possible.
Marketing planning. Ways of advertising, promotion in social networks, participation in exhibitions – all of this is better to think of in advance.
Technical data of the equipment. This section is necessary to determine the cost of technical equipment. Thankfully when running a barbershop the barbers you decide to hire should have their professional cutting equipment.
Financial plan. All expenses should be considered, as well as sources of funding, need to be identified.
Risk assessment. It is necessary to calculate the approximate payback, competition in the city and district, as well as the overall profitability. All this will help to avoid undue risks.
Conclusions. This section will help determine how the idea is profitable and whether or not to implement it.
Business registration. Getting your business registered with the state and prepped for selection of the taxation system. Before “Launching” the barbershop, the state will require you to fill out a “Tax I.D” & “Employment Identification Number” or “EIN”.
Hazardous Waste License. Deals with the safe management of hazardous wastes. Such as the treatment, storage, and disposal of dangerous chemicals and blood.
Master Barber License. Complete the barber program with 1,200 hours, take and pass the required state board license examination test.
Health & Safety Inspection. To help prevent incidents Workplace inspections are mandatory for all businesses relating to health, injuries, and illnesses. Through a thorough examination of the work environment, doing monthly/annual inspections help identify and record hazards to prevent harm down the road.

IRS Application:

Click Here* To Fill Out The TAX I.D Application. or “Employment Identification Number.” (Both applications are on the same link, under different sections on the IRS website.)

How To Set Shop Prices

The pricing within your barbershop will vary depending on the services you are providing to your clients, questions like; how many barbers are you planning to hire and the location of your establishment is critical. If your planning on performing high-end services you need to Maintain a clean barbershop work environment. Another good rule of thumb is to look for the annual income of the people around your shop’s location. Doing this will give you a better understanding of how to gauge your barbershop prices. You can search the radius or state to determine the annual income around the area by going to this link – Census Explore* you can find out the best prices to set for your haircuts.

The Perfect Location

Start Looking around the area try finding a busy plaza or shopping center. Finding a place with a high volume of human traffic will greatly enhance your potential income at the barbershop. Please keep in mind placing your barbershop in a central location in a large city will be subject to a rent that is far superior to that of a place in a rural area. As for the Barbershop size, they will vary depending on the type of shop you want to develop. If your project is a small intimate business looking to create a highly loyal customer base, a small venue with just a couple of barber chairs will do the job! Some buildings or plazas may not be suitable for opening a Barbershop due to technical parameters. The room must comply with all requirements of SES and Fire safety. Otherwise, you can buy or rent an area, but when it comes time for an inspection you will not be able to run your barbershop due to Code Violations.

“Don’t let this discourage you, We are here to help give you the best advice to avoid making these mistakes!” – Cyclops

Barbershop Guidelines

The law demands at least 7 square meters for one barber chair and workplace. Chairs should be at a distance of 1.8 meters from each other, at least one sink must be installed in the barbershop. The presence of the Restroom must have clear access for your visitors. along with proper sanitation practices and handicap accessibility. (This may include you having to build a ramp for wheelchairs to enter your establishment.)

Determining Services:

Determining the list of services provided to your clients is highly recommended. Abstract hair designs and modern styles are very popular in larger cities, in smaller towns or rural areas these services are not as popular. So, Be sure to gauge this accordingly. The money raised by doing these hair cutting services will contribute to costs such as store equipment (cash registers, security systems, Utilities, insurance, marketing, and advertising, inventory (combs, shampoos, clippers, and so on), and miscellaneous costs (like your sound system, waiting for area chairs, and TV).

Barbershop Features:

Barbershops are known for their high-level barbering services when it comes to performing beard shaves and pristine haircuts. Not to mention that Barbershops are a place for community, giving people a social platform to talk about trending topics and current events.

Strategy & Market Positioning:

First and foremost, we need to identify the primary target, and starting from this begin to conquer our market niche. (which is Barbering.)

Structure & Management:

How your team will be composed and the role that each person and will play within the establishment.

Resources & funding:

where we will find the initial investment to start our business.

Projections & Results:

The prospects for the growth of your company in the future. Whether you want to open a barbershop or any other business, understanding the risks involved will help you determine the best form of action to solve the potential threat.

Beat The Competition:

Barbering as a business can bring home a good income, and the chances of it increasing will be determined by how badly you as the barbershop owner want to change the “Face Of The Industry”

“Doing something different from your competitors will give you The advantage you will need to dominate your area!” – Cyclops Brand

Come up with a “Unique Flare”, a powerful business identity that will interest customers, help unleash the awareness of your shop, and make it successful! Carefully review your competitors and determine how relevant their services are. To attract an audience, you may want to reduce the costs of your competitors in order to start building a clientele base for your barbershop. (without sacrificing on the quality of course.) This tactic is great, although should only be used in the beginning stages of operating your business to attract new customers.

Cost Of Opening A Barbershop:

Speaking of figures in a realistic way, the opening costs fluctuate between $15,000 and $50,000. Depending on how basic or high end you want your barbershop to be.

Management fees:

If you decide to rent your barbershop chairs, a barber owner needs to charge their barbers a fee to help manage the utilities. These prices are added to the costs of “Chair rent” you will want to create a well-balanced price payout that will help “Keep the lights on” and not hurting the barbers to the point they’re wanting to leave your barbershop due to the overpriced rent charges every week.

The Two Types Of Chair Fees:

There are two main types of shop fees barbers are accustomed to paying weekly. These two types are: “Commission Base” & Chair Rent” Both of which are good in their own ways depending on how you decide to run your barbershop. Personally, I would start with a “Commission base” as a startup, and then later with “Chair rent” after your barber develops a strong clientele base. I gave a full detailed explanation on the Pro & Cons Of both, in the blog Post: “Commission & chair rent – Everything you need to know & how it applies to you as a barber.”

A Good Rule Of thumb:

divide your entire monthly costs by 1/4 for each week in the month to determine the cost that each barber is to pay for his/her weekly rent period. for example, For my Barbershop I pay $1,000 for the rent for the building + $150.00 for the Utilities. I charge My Barbers $125.00 each.

WEEK 1 – $125.00 x 6 Barbers = $750.00
WEEK 2 – $125.00 x 6 Barbers = $750.00
WEEK 3 – $125.00 x 6 Barbers = $750.00
WEEK 4 – $125.00 x 6 Barbers = $750.00

Total for the month: $3,000.00 Then Minus The Building Cost/Utilities. –$1,150 Total Profit From The Barbershop: $1,850 If you are a barber then you would also add what you’ve made during the month as well. I usually make about $750 a week, totaling to $3,000 a month. After Adding the barbershop Profit and my own work for the month. I receive a Grand Total Of 4,850 Monthly. or 59k a Year.

Looking The Part

The appearance of the master barber is important. Barbers should always have stylish and neat hairstyle along with clean and stylish clothing. Doing this will inspire confidence in your potential customers. I wrote another blog explaining the value of dressing professionally and how you can increase your profits by 34% if you’re interested in reading it, here’s the Link: #1 Way To Increase Your Income by 34% By Dressing For Success!”

Qualified Barbers To Hire

This practice can be rather obvious but greatly over-looked when it comes to finding high-quality prospects to join your barbering team:

Going to a barbering school to find a potential barber that is about to graduate. ( Be careful when choosing this route, Although some barbers will shine and have shown natural talents. Another barber could turn out to be “Untrainable” and could do more damage to you financially then good. Taking the time out to teach may not be the best for certain owners, although if done correctly could leave you with a life-long working relationship, full of respect & loyalty.)
looking online for job seekers. we suggest using the employment section on Indeed.com
Creating an advertisement on social media. In this day and age, everything is “online” being able to make a great “ad” doesn’t take much effort to accomplish.
Using the “Facebook Ad Manager.“ you can create ads with ease! There are options to publish your “Help Wanted Ad” in a 10-mile radius, showing your advertisement only to the people located around your area.

Watch This Video To Learn More about Creating Facebook ads! By using these strategy’s it can reap a great number of potential barbers. If you decide to use these tactics, we suggest you take only 1-2 barbers per day and have them do a “demo” on a friend of theirs, or a few “walk-in clients” to see the level of skill they have as barbers.

Maintaining Your Shop:

After a barbershop is opened, the owner will need to spend the majority of their time on the “Business” rather than cutting hair all the time.

Doing regular up-keep could include:

Promoting.
Marketing.
Adding new features.
Designing.
Creating a website.
Maintaining a social media presence.
Creating an advertising plan. paying for video & photographers for visual ads.
Cleaning the shop daily.
Engaging in barber competitions and conventions.

It is recommended that barbershop owners hold a weekly meeting in order to deal with problems that might have sprung up during that particular week. Perhaps to implement a new barber, or get a better gauge on the direction the Barbershop is heading.

Barber Service Time:

The minimum time that can be spent on a haircut is 20 minutes. The standard time for a men’s haircut is 40 minutes. Therefore, based on this data, it is possible to calculate the possible number of served clients in one workday. this is valuable if you’re planning to use “Commission Base” as your primary shop fee.

Purchase Necessary Equipment:

In regards to opening a successful barbershop, The amount of equipment isn’t costly compared to most other businesses. Make sure you’re only using Top-quality. Since you’re not having to spend so much on the capital expenses when starting the business. Saving a few extra dollars by investing in cheap equipment isn’t worth it, Focus on high-quality equipment that is safe for daily use. The minimum required set includes:

Barber chairs
Mirrors
Scissors
Trimmers
Combs
Work stations
Cleaning supplies
Professional hair Colors
Shampoos

The Look & Feel Of The Barbershop:

Make sure you invest some time in finding quality furniture for your clients. Not doing this could do more harm than good for your shop’s image. Keeping up with your shop’s appearance means a lot to your new potential clients. Consider hiring a professional Interior designer, if you’re Having trouble creating a comfortable work environment? or just don’t know where to start! No worries. Here’s a list of popular modern designs that will have your clients complimenting your taste for decoration and relief some stress on your shoulders in the “Aesthetics” department.

Link To Pinterest Board: “Barber Shop Inspiration”

That being said, you do not need to buy the most expensive brand on the market. The key features you should be looking for is the design and functionality within your barbershop. It is very important that the shop has its own unique atmosphere and convenience. A powerful “Theme” that matches your shop’s brand. Can set you apart from your competitors. Here are a few features your barbershop should have:

Buying a TV, which will allow customers more fun time.
High- Quality Furniture or comfortable chairs for waiting.
The possibility of pre-recording by phone.
The presence of a large number of fresh magazines will help to spend time with benefit.
Calm music to help visitors relax.

Advertising & Promotion:

The best way to advertise for barbershops is “Word of mouth.” word of mouth happens when clients receive great service and tell others about what they’ve experienced in your barbershop. “Word of mouth” is the best possible *FREE form of advertisement that could happen to your barbershop!

“By keeping up quality services your shop will continue to grow organically.” – Cyclops brand

This method is the cheapest, but it requires a lot of work to maintain that high caliber of professional hair cutting services.

Attracting customers:

The promotion of your brand is an important stage in the activities of any entrepreneur.

Sincere service:

The best advertisement is a satisfied customer advising a barbershop to relatives, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Social networks: An ideal place to promote your barbering services and products is on social media. Check out popular visually stimulating platforms like “Instagram” Or “Pinterest.” Create a professional business account, be creative, show interesting hairstyles, “before and after”, host contests with hashtags related to your brand, create your own catchy content formats. slowly begin to start advertising your services into these social media feeds.

Stimulation of repeat orders

Re-selling to an existing customer is always cheaper than attracting a new one. Offer visitors gift services, promotions, arrange local contests, and events strongly encouraging your clients’ interest. perhaps a “Car Show, Hot Dog Stand, working with other local food places and restaurants.” “This club system works best with a regular guest card.”

Pros of opening a Barbershop:

Yield.
Quick payback.
Cheap startup cost.

Possible difficulties:

When opening a barbershop, you need to be aware of the following challenges, which could affect your enthusiasm.

Lack of funds
Additional and unforeseen expenses.
Difficulties with documentation and compliance with legal norms.
Trouble finding proper management staff.
Lack of customers due to a decreased market volume. (Barbering is primarily a seasonal job, during summer the barbershop may feel like a “Dead Zone.” It’s recommended to save your money during the “Good Seasons” to accommodate for the lack of income during the “Slow” seasons.)

Conclusion:

Barbering as a business has both advantages and disadvantages. To succeed, you need to be patient and be prepared for the fact that profits will not appear immediately. Profitability can be high, but it will take a lot of work to do this: create new and powerful offers, Increase the skill level of your barbers, learn & master advertising services. The barbershop’s payback period is usually around 2–3 years, but there are also quite a lot of success stories from projects that have made-up for all costs within the first year!