How to open a salon: a checklist

Opening your own salon is a big step, and it's easy to drown in dozens of small decisions. What comes first — registering the business, or signing the lease? When do you buy equipment? Where will your first clients come from? Without a clear order, decisions pile up and your opening date slips by weeks.

This checklist walks you through the preparation in a logical sequence — from paperwork to premises and equipment, then launching bookings and your first revenue. Work through it top to bottom and you'll know nothing important has been missed.

1. Concept and budget

Before you sign anything, get the foundations clear:

• Focus. Hair salon, barbershop, nail studio, beauty, massage — or a combination? This drives your equipment, your space and your target client.
• Budget and buffer. Add up your start-up costs (equipment, fit-out, marketing) and plan a cash buffer for the first months before your calendar fills up.
• Break-even. Work out how many clients per week you need just to cover rent and costs. This number will guide you through the entire first year.

Write the budget down before you fall in love with a specific space — it will save you the most expensive mistakes.

2. Business setup and permits

Admin isn't fun, but handling it early stops it from blocking you at the last minute:

1. Register your business or company and the correct trade for your services.
2. Meet the hygiene requirements for the premises (sinks, disinfection, waste handling).
3. Arrange liability insurance.
4. Decide how you'll issue receipts and record revenue — it helps to have a point of sale ready from day one.

Rules vary by trade and locality, so confirm them with your local authority rather than relying on hearsay.

3. Premises and equipment

Choose your space by how easy it is for clients to reach, not just by the rent:

• Location. Foot traffic, parking, visibility from the street. A cheap space off the beaten path will cost you more in marketing than you save on rent.
• Layout. Number of stations, back-of-house, waiting area, storage. Plan with room to grow.
• Equipment. Build a shopping list by focus and split it into "needed to open" and "buy later." Not everything has to be new.

Tip: photograph the empty space and sketch the layout before you buy anything.

4. Services and pricing

Without a clear price list you can't launch bookings or communicate value:

• List your services including the duration of each — duration decides how many clients you can fit per day.
• Set prices based on location, competition and your own costs, not guesswork.
• Consider packages and combinations that raise the average ticket.

A well-thought-out service catalog is the base you'll build your booking system and marketing on.

5. Online booking and website

This is the part newly opened salons most often underestimate — yet it decides whether a client even finds you and books at all:

• Launch online booking so clients can book any time, even outside opening hours, without phoning.
• Have your own salon website with services, prices and a booking button — it looks professional and helps you in search.
• Turn on automatic reminders from the start; how much they cut missed appointments is covered in how to reduce no-shows.
• Offer frictionless payment, ideally including QR-code payments, so clients pay fast and cash-free.

The sooner you set this up, the sooner you can start filling the calendar before you even open.

6. Marketing and first clients

Opening the doors isn't enough — clients need to know you exist:

1. Create and complete your profiles on maps and social media with a link to book.
2. Prepare an opening offer for first visitors and ask them for a review.
3. Partner with nearby businesses and reach out to the local community.

Common mistakes when opening

• Underestimated buffer. A calendar fills gradually; without a cash buffer the first slow months catch you off guard.
• Bookings launched late. Turn online booking on before you open, not weeks after.
• Unclear pricing. A client who doesn't know the price upfront often doesn't book at all.
• Everything new and expensive. Start with essential equipment and add more as revenue grows.

Opening a salon is a marathon of small decisions, but with this list you have a clear order of steps. The fastest way to get rolling is to create a free YourSalon account before you open and switch on online booking — you can compare what's included on the pricing page.