Business Old School

BY MARIO FALLACE, NEW YORK BARBERS

OPENING UP A BARBERSHOP: STEP BY STEP

When it comes to opening up your own barbershop, there are many factors to consider and work out. From the right time to do it, to choosing a location, and everything else in between.

THE RIGHT TIME

So, when is the right time to spread your wings and open up a shop of your own? Well, for starters you need to ensure you have gained a solid amount of experience in the industry. This may be obvious but is very important. If you are serious about opening up your own barbershop, you want to ensure you are a well-rounded barber, and are prepared to be able to service a wide range of clientele.

Depending on the area you open up in, it may not make sense if you only specialise in one type of haircut, and even if it does, you still need to be prepared for different types of clients to sit in your chair.

Typically, this will not be as soon as you’ve finished your apprenticeship or barber course. You do also want to respect your employer if they have given you an apprenticeship and invested time & money to train you up and not take off to do your own thing as soon as you qualify. You still keep growing every day, even once you’re qualified. Gather up as much experience as you can - and money! (We will discuss this further down)

THE RIGHT WAY

So, you’ve decided you are ready to open up your own shop. What is the right (and ethical) way to go about leaving your current employer?

Number one would be to be open and honest with them and communicate what you are looking to do. Ideally you want to have already planned out some of your process (more on this below) so you have an idea of when you will leave your employment.

Be ethical! If your employer has been respectful to you, given you a job, and helped you along your journey, do the right thing. Don’t take clients from them. Now, there will be many of your clients who are friends, or you may have brought with you to this business - they will always follow you no matter what, and with social media these days - if a client wants to find you, they will find you!

But this refers to those clients who you cut because of the barbershop you’re working in. Who came to the barbershop, and then found you. If you have a large clientele, your employer can lose a huge chunk of clients when a long-serving employee leaves (if they take clients). You probably wouldn’t like it if you were in their position, so just be mindful of this. You will have the opportunity to attract many new clients at your own shop.

THE PROCESS

It is important to plan ahead and know the steps you need to take to open up your own barbershop. There will always be little things here and there that will pop up but having structure will go a long way. These steps are not necessarily in order. new barbershop opened up. An area with continual growth and development is smart too.

Parking is also important to consider for the convenience of your clients. Home based businesses are becoming popular and can offer flexibility in your work, but have limitations (for example, no foot traffic) and will require more upfront work to build a steady clientele. You need to consider your goals as well. For example, if you hope to one day sell your business, a home-based business may not be ideal.

2. Size

What size shop are you looking for, and what is the vision for how you want the shop to look and be laid out? The size of your space may be determined by what is available on the market, but it helps to know what you want to do with your space and how much work it will take to get it there when looking at a shop. For example, what kind of barber stations, how many do you want to have, and how big of a team do you plan on building. Be sure to incorporate a comfortable waiting area for your customers too.

3. Funding

Make sure you have your finances sorted out. Opening up your barbershop can be a sizable investment. You need to budget and sort out your funds from the start. The last thing you want is to open up a half-hearted barbershop because you didn’t plan out your funds correctly. It is also wise to have an understanding of running costs, and how you will keep it sustainable in the long term. You don’t want to undercut your prices too much at the start. You need to understand your value, and charge what you are worth for the service you are offering and the location you are in. If you offer a quality service, clients will pay.

4. Dynamics

What type of barbershop do you want to create? What is the vibe, for example old-school or modern? Work out how your shop will run. Walk In Only, Appointment only, or a mix of both? Pricing, trading hours as well as the branding for your barbershop (logo, signage, website, social media, etc.) is vital to create a strong identity for your barbershop.

5. Staff

Finding staff may prove to be one of the biggest challenges but is necessary if you want to have a team. You can choose to offer chairs for rent, which is becoming increasingly popular, but if you want to really create a team environment you may prefer to pay wages. Determine the type of staff and what qualifications & experience you need them to have, and if you want to take on apprentices.

In closing, opening up your own barbershop can be a daunting journey, but if you take your time, gain the right amount of experience, be structured, and plan out your process, it will make it much easier and enjoyable - and give you a better result!