Working commission can be frustrating. You spend so much time working with clients only to have 50% of your earnings paid to the salon. That’s why in the last few years, so many beauty professionals have channeled their entrepreneurial side and moved into booth or studio renting.
Renting a booth at a salon is a great way to gain independence and control over your career. If you’re considering booth renting – ask yourself these questions:
If you said yes to any of these four questions, this is for you! At GlossGenius, we’ve worked with thousands of MUAs, booth renters, and hair stylists and wanted to share some tips on working independently! We’ll walk you through every step of building a successful beauty business, from what to consider when booth renting to how to grow your social media following. Let’s get started – here are the pros and cons of working commission versus booth renting.
Here are some of the advantages to being on commission at a hair salon:
Here are some of the advantages of being a business owner and renting your own booth:
Going independent and looking for the perfect app to help you run your business? Get a free 14-day trial of GlossGenius.
Many GlossGenius professionals are owners of a beauty salon suite. A great example is one of our partners, Sola. A salon suite company like Sola empowers you to customize your studio and create an intimate environment that reflects your personal style. You have 24/7 studio access and can set your own hours/prices.
Here are some other common salon job posting sites, make sure to filter your search for booth/suite/studio/chair rentals:
The average booth rental costs a monthly fee of $400, but the range can be from at least $250 to $1,200 per month for a booth. Location is the main reason for this variation. Higher end rent districts like Manhattan can even charge up to $1,000 per week for booth rentals. Here’s what to consider:
Compare your prices: Check with other stylists at the salon and surrounding salons to see what they’re paying for rent.
Check your additional costs: What sort of extra services is the salon providing? Is it just space? You might be paying less for certain salon booth rentals, but they won’t provide a phone, equipment or supplies. Watch out for these extra charges:
Count your clientele: If you're just starting out, you will more than likely be offered a commission based pay (usually 50/50). Most owners prefer to booth rent to those who have a solid following. So if you are just starting out from hairdressing school, it’s better to work in a salon and build your clientele and credibility. It’s not worth it to booth rent if you only have one or two clients and you’re paying $150/week on rent.
Consider how long you will be there: if you plan on renting the booth for a longer period of time (ex: a year instead of 3 months), some salon owners may be willing to give you a discounted rate.
Consider payment frequency: is the booth rental agreement weekly or monthly? It may make a difference to you if you are paying $75 a week vs. $300 a month if your earnings are unevenly spread throughout the month.
Find a platform that will enable you to run everything all-in-one. For example, GlossGenius keeps everything integrated to make your life easier. Use it for:
If you’re ready to become a salon booth renter, or own your own salon, be sure to start a free trial with GlossGenius!
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