A hair salon owner is a businessperson who owns a beauty-related establishment. The salon is managed and overseen the salon owner. He or she may also be a hairstylist and work in a salon.
The owner’s primary responsibility is to establish the salon’s structure. Salons can operate as sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, or corporations in the United States. Each of these organizational structures has its own tax implications, which the salon owner should be aware of, and other countries have their own business structures as well.
A hair salon owner may be in charge of hiring employees. Some hair salons are set up like traditional retail businesses, with the salon owner hiring people to cut hair for him. The salon owner pays the staff a salary and then collects the funds from customers, though individual employees are usually allowed to keep their own tips.
In some cases, a hair salon owner may rent out space in his salon to freelancers. Those who cut hair in salons essentially “rent a chair” for a flat fee or a percentage of sales under this business model. As a result, the salon owner does not necessarily make money from every customer, but rather makes money allowing other stylists to use his space.
If a salon is run as a sole proprietorship, the owner may be the only one who cuts hair. In this case, the salon owner is in charge of both the physical and behind-the-scenes aspects of the business. Even in larger businesses where other employees are employed, a salon owner may choose to continue cutting hair.
Salon owners can diversify their business beyond hair cutting, which is a popular way to generate additional revenue. Waxing, spa treatments, and makeup application, for example, are all services that a salon can provide. In these cases, the salon owner must either hire people who are skilled at these tasks or do the work himself.
A hair salon owner is also responsible for marketing to customers as an independent businessperson. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including print and media advertising as well as word-of-mouth marketing. The ability of the salon owner to attract customers and generate revenue through the sale of services is often critical to the business’s success.