Business Opportunity arised

jay-jay

Ive been offered an opportunity to rent a room in a hairdressers, but know nothing about hair or beauty.
Its being offered at a cheap price because its a small space.
Has anyone ever visited a salon with a separate business running along side it successfully. Was thinking perhaps selling something.
Im currently a stay at home mum and would love to work for myself, would consider training in something but hair and beauty is already covered so it would have to be an idea that compliments this ideally and wouldnt take longer than 6 months to train in. Do people still use sunbeds? Would this be an option? Does anyone do this? It will available in four months time so I have alittle time to consider options. Am I mad to consider this with no idea of what I could do. It just seems a great opportunity and I had considered returning to work but there is a real lack of jobs at present. Im just at the brainstorming stage at the moment and have said I would think it over and get back to them.
Sorry for waffling
Jay

stephenni1971

Your post says 'Business Opportunity' - but you have is a room for rent in a hairdressers. That is not a business opportunity.

There are thousands of shops/offices available all over the country so this is nothing new.

You should decide what you want to do first, work out if it is achievable, then find premises.

At the minute you really dont have anything... sorry to be blunt.

paulofessex

Just a thought, what about Spray Tanning. Is the room big enough to have a pop up type tent? This can also be a business where you go to the clients home.

Perhaps someone who already has such a business is looking for a room such as you have available in order to expand, perhaps you could discuss on the job training as it were.

paddyrg

How about kitting the room out with a decent massage table, roll of paper towels etc and seeing if freelance alternative theapists want to lease it on a 'per treatment' basis? Expect about £7/hr for that depending on location. Many freelance massage people do not hold premises, and do not want strangers visiting their homes, etc. It would need to be quiet and suitable, mind.

When you say it is cheap, *how* cheap? You may be surprised how low commercial rents can be, so unless we're talking a few tenners a month it may not be much of a deal at all!

Horace

You wouldnt be able to put a sunbed in a small room anyway and these days you need to be properly licensed and have someone there to monitor who uses it (I used to sell commercial sunbeds when I worked in that industry and remember all the rules and regulations).

I used to go to a hairdressers where a beauty therapist rented a room, she seemed to do quite well, however, hairdressers tend to play loud thumping music and when you are trying to have a relaxing treatment and listen to some soothing sounds these are overpowered by the thumping music. Those therapists that I have seen in hairdressers altough seeming to do quite well, have soon disappeared driven out by the noise and high costs with low return. Remember it isn't only rent that you need to consider but training costs, insurance - it all adds up. Personally, I would say thanks but no thanks and do something else instead.

I know that I wouldnt see a beauty therapist that wasnt trained same goes for massage - because it isnt a case of getting a few fancy oils and a massage bed and voila you are a massage therapist, you have to do a year long course where you learn anatomy, etc and take exams.

If you are a stay at home mum, how about party planning as this can fit around your home life and get you out of the house at the same time - something like Jamie at Home (Jamie Oliver's kitchen products), it costs around £100 up front for a kit and then you organise parties for your friends and your friends will organise them, you get commission and I know that his agents are well looked after. Having a room in a hairdressers means that you have to work when they are open and when you have kids that can be inconvenient.

jay-jay

Thanks for the replies, and thanks for the bluntness. As mentioned in OP I have no ideas but wondering if you did.
My only real workable thought at the minute is suppling wedding bits and bobs - tiaras, hair combs, jewellary, clutch bags, etc.
Something perhaps hair and beauty clients may need??

Perhaps im clutching at straws at the minute, and was kind of hoping for some honest replies from people who are already in business.

The room is available to me as first refusal from family.

Thanks again for the ideas.

jexygirl

If the room is available to you as a first refusal from family - if there was something that was viable, why would they not do it themselves?

The wedding accessories is a big outlay on stock, for one off purchases and bridal shops tend to sell them.

Does the room have shop frontage / advertising space, or is it "out back"?

As has been suggested, perhaps spray tanning could work, or, as sue says why not start out by doing party plan to get you into the swing of things.

Also agree with paddy "how cheap" is the room really? don't simply take the room as a fabulous opportunity, when you were not actually looking for space to do something that you can already do. Decide what you want to do, then follow that up with training etc. then look for premises. There are alot of good deals to be had / made and working with family isn't always a recipe for success!

I would also say, that if you are thinking you want to start up a buisness so you can effectively "take the kids to work whilst earning money" then again, it isn't really the answer. Customers tend to want undivided attention, without kids running round. Can you cover the child care so you can work the hours that the buisness (whatever it may be) demands?

Jex

Barnabylovesicecream

What is in the space at the moment and why is it moving?

Are rates included in the rent- if not they can be very high.

Does it have own entrance?

What are salon open g hours- would you be expected to do the same?

Temporary airbrushed tattoos are quite popular in some areas. Don't know what set up costs would be. On a cruise last week the queue was massive- same abroad on holidays.

Savvy_Sue

Two points: first is that I would not go into something like this with family without a very clear legal agreement. Otherwise it'll end in tears ...

The other is to check with them what they think would fit that they're not already doing. Then decide if that's what you want to do.

But if you go too 'niche', you'll always have to be ready to keep up with the times.

BTW, I changed my hairdressers after she introduced a nail bar into the salon. It was a great shame, as she used to offer waxing in an upstairs room, so I'd get my hair cut and my armpits waxed the same day, but the smell of the nail stuff put me right off!

Horace

Having worked in the wedding industry, I know there is a massive outlay that you would have to make to buy stock and store it. Brides tend to buy tiaras, hair combs and other wedding accessories in bridal shops and not their local hair dressers because they can try them on when they try on dresses. You need to do your homework thoroughly because that industry is really tough - you have to live and breathe weddings and know what's in and what's out, I found that I wasnt that bothered by weddings in fact they leave me stone cold which is why I got out of the industry and now organise corporate events.

As Savvy Sue has said be very careful about going into business with family, make sure you seek proper legal advice.

I would be inclined to let this room go whilst you think about what you really want to do and that gives you time to train to be a nail person or whatever it is that you decide to do because there will be other rooms to rent and this room may become available further down the line.