Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Every state have boards which governs professions ( barbing being one ).  You should know your state laws prior to jumping in.  As for my state, to own a shop one simply has to lease or purchase a commercial site.  Apply for a shop license ( different from barber license ), do all renovations to make your building/shop in accordance with state/local laws.  Have local health inspectors do an inspection of the shop.  They will pass or fail your shop (leaving instructions necessary to pass the inspection).  Once your shop has passed the final inspection, you have the green light to start bisiness.

Part 2

Now it`s time to get E&O insurance. being the owner will make you liable for the shop and what happens there.  The modern Barbers like to Bar-B-Q, to have a cold one, perhaps even smoke something in your shop.  When one of their clients get sick or hurt, they look at you ( you have the deep pockets-- you are the owner "insured", big money  -the barber just work for you in their mind ).    You really should research this, modern barbers like doing all type of unethical things in shops, again if state board/ law enforcement finds out you could be shut down or perhaps worse.  Be sure to have enough insurance. Your business insurance should cover the building, materials, appliances, chairs..., things that could occur such as accidents to client due to opperator error, a person fall down...

part3

Now find your barbers ( newspaper ads...)  Make sure the barber has current license.  offer a booth for rent, and have them to sign your contract.  In you contract all of you shop rules are outlined.  Make sure that the new barber understand all rules, including payment and late fee dues....   let it be known that payments are due on or before the first.  If you have problems getting paid, have your local sheriff pay the shop a friendly visit.  Barbers get established and make a lot of money (cash), they don`t want to be evicted, and they will quickly settle their debts.  I am presently, renting a beauty salon to a woman who has always paid me before the first of each month.  I have never raised her rent, and I also have leased to several barbers who has never paid on time, caused me to take actions using my attorney.  I have only had one that always paid on time.  

part4

Will you actually own the shop or just the building?  Owning the building only just makes you the landlord.  Beware, your pockets are still the deep ones!  You own commerical real estate.  The same libility above applies.

Now if you deceide to own/run the shop, this also means you are keeping the utilities on, all of them.  This is a biz, not a hang out, to sit and watch tv or videos all day.  Utilities are hard to monitor if you are not there.  Staff/barbers don`t care- they paid their booth rent.  Everyone have cell phones today, recently I`ve seen some shops without phones ( now using them only for alarms)

part5

With the economy being as it is, some people have cut back on haircuts, some are doing it themselves at home, some are now cutting their heads bald.  It is important to keep the customers you get, and to keep the prices economical. You want to grow, not overcharge people and they go elsewhere.

Overall, this biz is a good one to invest in.  Yes it is recession proff- as long as you keep control of the bisiness economy, and you will stay in bisiness.

In no way Am I trying to discourage you, but to bring some real things to light.

Move forward with your dreams, but research the field 

Hope I`ve been helpful

What is a good business to combine with a barber shop?