Learning how to become a salon owner starts long before you hold the keys to your own salon. To become a salon owner, you need trade skills, salon experience, a clear plan and a site that meets the state’s health rules. Education of the craft has always been our priority, with courses that build confidence through knowledge. We walk through each stage in order: training, planning, choosing where to trade, your legal obligations and growth once the doors open.
Key takeaways
- To become a salon owner, build your skills first: a hairdressing apprenticeship usually takes 36 months to complete.
- Plan the money before you sign anything, because start-up costs are the expenses you need to pay before your business generates an income.
- You can start from home, in a new shop or by buying a salon for sale, and each path needs council and health checks.
- To grow a salon, keep learning through books, classes and hands-on education.
The four stages to become a salon owner
To become a salon owner and run your own salon, work through four stages in order. First, train as a hairdresser and gain salon experience. An apprenticeship usually takes 36 months to complete. Second, write a salon plan and work out your start-up costs. Third, choose a site, register your salon and meet WA health rules. Fourth, hire your team, set up your systems and open.
A successful salon owner needs both trade skills and owner skills. Trade skills let you lead the team on the floor. Owner skills let you manage the books, the lease and the bookings. Most owners in Perth, WA build the first set at the chair and add the second through reading, classes and advice from an accountant.
The sections below follow the same order. Jump to the stage you are at, finish it, then move on. Skipping a stage is how many people who want to become a salon owner run short of cash or skills. Each stage has its own checks, so you can see what is done and what is still open.
How long does it take to train as a hairdresser?
If you want to become a salon owner, training as a hairdresser in WA usually comes first, and it usually means an apprenticeship. A hairdressing apprenticeship usually takes 36 months to complete. You work in a salon while you learn, building skills, speed and salon experience at the same time. A salon assistant traineeship is a shorter way in. It suits people who want to test the industry first.
Pay comes with the role. As an apprentice or trainee, you are employed and get paid while you complete training towards a nationally recognised qualification. That lets anyone who plans to become a salon owner earn while saving for a first chair or shop.
Is anyone too old to become a hairdresser?
People often ask whether they are too old to become a hairdresser. The path is the same at any age. It starts with an apprenticeship or traineeship, then time on the salon floor. Adults who retrain often bring customer service and money skills from earlier jobs. Those skills help later, when they plan to become a salon owner and run a team.
How do you create a hair salon business plan?
To create a hair salon business plan, list what you will offer and who your clients are. Then note where you will trade and how the numbers work. Start with money, because start-up costs are the expenses you need to pay before your business generates an income. Add each line, such as fit-out, equipment, insurance and opening stock. That gives you an estimated total before you sign a lease.
Then list the running costs you take on when you become a salon owner. Ongoing costs include wages, rent and buying stock. Build a monthly cash-flow sheet and keep a reserve for slow weeks. A plan that only works in your busiest month is not a plan.
A short checklist keeps the plan honest:
- your strategy: the services you offer, your target clients and how you will stand out
- the essentials you need to open a salon: chairs, basins, dryers, tools and opening stock
- a booking system, online payments and social media accounts for the salon
- insurance, registrations and a lease review
- a marketing plan for the opening of your salon
Open a separate bank account for the salon, and keep every supplier account in the salon’s name. Ask an accountant in Perth to review the sheet before you commit. A second set of eyes often finds a missing cost or a slow month you did not plan for.
What are common products used in a salon?
Common products used in a salon include shampoo, conditioner, treatments, hair colour, developer, styling products and heat protection. Add cleaning products for tools and basins, plus towels and capes. Our services include Emsibeth Cosmetics, Arpege Opera and Thermal. List your opening stock line by line, because it is one of the first costs you carry when you become a salon owner.
How do you become a salon owner from home?
You can become a salon owner from home if your council allows a home salon and your set-up meets WA health rules. A home salon suits people who want a small client list and lower overheads. Starting a home-based business may appeal to you because of the lower overhead costs or ability to set your own hours. Check zoning, parking, signage and water supply before you buy equipment.
Ask your local council in Perth about its rules for a home salon. Cover client visits, parking and whether you need a separate entrance.
A home salon follows the same hygiene standards as a shop. You will need to comply with these guidelines if you intend to operate a hairdressing premises. Plan a basin and a clean storage area. Keep the work zone apart from family living space.
What to check before you buy an existing salon
Buying a salon for sale can be a faster way to become a salon owner. The chairs, clients and team are already in place. Read the lease, the client records and the accounts with an accountant before you sign the contract.
A salon with a long history still needs care. It may carry unpaid supplier accounts or a lease with little time left. It may also carry a name that clients no longer trust. Make sure the sale contract sets out who pays any debts left from before the sale.
Ask whether the landlord will transfer the lease into your name, and check that each supplier account is settled. Also ask whether senior team members plan to stay after the sale. Get legal advice in Perth before you sign anything.
Choose the right site for a new salon
When you choose a location for a new salon, consider space and logistics before the rent. The site is one of the biggest choices you make as you become a salon owner. The success of your business can depend on the space you use and where it is. Map the number of chairs, basins and wash points you need. Then check parking, foot traffic, deliveries and storage. A lease that cannot fit your workflow will slow every appointment you book.
Test each site against these points:
- Water and drainage: enough hot water and basins for your busiest day.
- Power: circuits for dryers, irons and other heat tools.
- Access: parking and public transport for clients and your team.
- Storage: dry space for stock, towels and chemicals.
- Planning: council approval for a change of use, if the site needs one.
Rules and parking differ between suburbs across Perth, so ask the local council early.
Understand your legal obligations as a salon owner in WA
To understand your legal obligations as a salon owner in WA, start with health, then tax, then employment. The state hairdressing guidelines aim to provide infection prevention and control standards for businesses performing hairdressing procedures. Anyone planning to become a salon owner should read them before signing a lease. Register your salon, then set up tax, insurance and payroll with an accountant.
The full document is titled guideline for the management of public health risks associated with the hairdressing and barber industry. Read it in full, because it shapes your fit-out, cleaning routine and waste handling.
Staff pay is the other major obligation. The hair and beauty award covers employers in the hair and beauty industry and their employees. Before you hire, work out how much hairdressers get paid in Australia at each award level. Add superannuation and leave to every wage line in your plan. Anyone who wants to become a salon owner should budget for wages before rent.
How much do salon owners make?
How much salon owners make in Australia depends on margins. How profitable owning a hair salon is depends on those three lines. No single figure applies to every hair salon, so check the numbers before you become a salon owner.
Whatever is left after wages, rent, stock and other costs is what you take home from your own salon. Good stock control has a direct effect on your margin, and so does a tight roster.
To see a monthly view, split your planned annual turnover into months, then subtract wages, rent and stock. Compare the wage bill with turnover each quarter, using your payroll and sales records. Act early when any line drifts above its range.
How do you grow a salon business?
To grow a hair salon once you become a salon owner, keep learning as fast as your team does. Books help with money and marketing. Classes teach systems and leadership. Hands-on education lifts the quality of the work clients see. Pick one idea from each book or class and test it in the salon before you add another, so you can see what changed.
We do not treat education as an optional extra. Our advanced programs also offer the opportunity to support future educators of our craft. Our services include the Emsibeth Elite Program, Collection Cutting and Three Session Cut. They also include Emsibeth Trend Extreme and Emsibeth Assist.
Explore professional methods in a class before you sell them on the floor. Avoid adding a new service until the team can deliver it well. Colour correction and hair extensions are two examples. Classes also let salon professionals compare notes with peers, which keeps ideas fresh.
Online growth matters as well. Set up social media accounts early and post finished work with client consent. Send regular clients a simple rebooking reminder. A good client experience brings people back, from the first booking to the aftercare advice.
Your next step to become a salon owner
If you are still training, focus on skills and salon experience. If you are ready to plan, write the salon plan and check the numbers. If you have a site in mind, confirm the council and health rules before you sign.
Keep learning at every stage, long after you become a salon owner. The education you invest in shapes every service your salon sells, so look for hands-on courses in Perth that match your goals. Call us on (08) 9277 8008 to book a time.
Frequently asked questions
These frequently asked questions cover the common questions people ask before they open a salon. Each answer covers one question about how to become a salon owner.
Is it too late to become a hairdresser later in life?
A hairdressing apprenticeship usually takes 36 months to complete, whatever your age. You are not too late to become a hairdresser later in life. Adults who retrain often bring customer service and money skills from earlier work. Talk to a registered training provider in Perth about entry requirements, then plan the time it takes before you aim to become a salon owner.
How do you start a salon from home in WA?
Starting a salon from home in WA begins with the council. The home set-up must also follow the state hairdressing guidelines on hygiene and infection control. Check parking, signage and water supply. Conditions can differ between councils across Perth, so ask early and confirm your insurance covers visiting clients.
What should you check before buying an existing salon?
Before buying an existing salon, remember that established businesses can also come with disadvantages. Gather as much information as you can before you sign the contract. Read the lease, the accounts and any supplier debts with an accountant. Ask whether senior team members plan to stay. Get legal advice in Perth on the sale contract, so you know who pays debts left by the previous owner.
How long does a hairdressing apprenticeship take in WA?
A hairdressing apprenticeship in WA usually takes 36 months to complete. As an apprentice or trainee, you are employed and get paid while you complete training towards a nationally recognised qualification. A salon assistant traineeship is shorter. It can be a first step if you want to test the industry before you commit.
Which business classes help a new salon owner?
Look for salon business classes that cover cash flow, marketing, leadership and rostering. Those skills turn good hair work into a successful salon. A class on cash flow is no substitute for hands-on education. Our services include the Emsibeth Elite Program, Collection Cutting and Three Session Cut. Our advanced programs also offer the opportunity to support future educators of our craft.
