The dream: Your own music, your own vibe, keeping 100% of the profit. The reality: You are now the janitor, the receptionist, the accountant, and the marketing manager.
Renting a suite is the best thing I ever did for my bank account, but the first six months were terrifying. Nobody tells you about the silence. In a big salon, there's buzz. Drama. Chatter. In a suite, if you don't have a client... it's just you and a mirror.
Here is the brutal truth about making it work.
1. Do Not Move Without 60% Retention
If you are at a commission salon, do not leave until you are sure—absolutely sure—that 60% of your clients will follow you. How do you know? You talk to them. (Quietly. Don't get sued). get their phone numbers now. Do not rely on Instagram. If your account gets hacked, you lose your business.
2. The Math They Don't Teach You
You see "$300/week rent." You think, "Easy. That's two balayages."
Wrong. Your rent is just the start.
- Backbar: $200/month (Shampoo, developer, foil, gloves).
- Insurance: $150/year.
- Card Fees: 2.6% of every transaction.
- Marketing: $100/month if you want to grow.
Rule of Thumb: You need to earn 3x your rent to be comfortable. If rent is $300, you need to consistently bill $900/week just to feel safe.
3. Ambience is Your Product
You are charging premium prices? You better offer a premium experience. I've walked into suites that smell like old bleach and despair.
- Buy a Nespresso machine. It costs $150 and makes you look like a luxury spa.
- Lighting is everything. Get a ring light, but also warm ambient light. No harsh fluorescent tubes.
- Sound. Spotify Premium is a business expense. No ads.
4. You Cannot Be Receptionist Anymore
When you are doing a foil highlight, you can't stop to answer the phone. "Hey, what time are you free next Tuesday?" If you stop to check your book, you're slowing down. You're wasting time.
You need online booking. It's not "techy"—it's necessary. My clients know: The link is in the bio. They see my slots. They book. They pay a deposit. I get a text saying "New Money." I keep working.
5. Sell The Retail
Rent eats profit. Retail pays rent. Stock 3-4 hero products that you actually use. "This oil is why your hair feels soft right now." Sell it to them. If you sell $50 of product a day, your rent is basically free.
Verdict
The suite life isn't for everyone. It's lonely sometimes. It's hard work. But when you look at your bank account on Saturday night and realize you made $3,000 this week and kept all of it? Yeah. It's worth it.
Need a receptionist that works for free? Miali handles your scheduling, reminders, and client notes so you can focus on the hair.