Vibe Pro Spotlight - Linsdey at Studio L

This month’s Vibe Pro Spotlight is on Lindsey, owner of Studio L located in Vibe Salon Suites in Plymouth, MI. Lindsey is a licensed cosmetologist and has been in the hair industry for over 10 years. When she is not giving her clients the hair of their dreams, she is a busy mom of 2 boys, married to her high school sweetheart!

Why did you decide to go solo and work out of a salon suite as opposed to working in a traditional salon or spa setting?

I decided to move to a solo salon suite to provide a more intimate and private space for my clients to relax.

Did you tour other salon suites? If so, why did you choose Vibe?

I chose Vibe because the moment I met Vibe management, I knew they would do anything in their power to help provide the space I was looking for. It was so clean and spacious. I love the quiet and intimate atmosphere while doing my clients hair.

What advice would you give to someone who is trying to decide if they want to go solo or not?

I would say “go for it”! Having your own salon suite will give you the creative freedom that most hairstylists strive to have. You can attract your own ideal clients and truly be your authentic self with no one else there to judge what you’re doing.

What is the best thing about being an independent beauty professional?

I love being able to control my own schedule and create my own hours.

What do you like most about your suite at Vibe Salon Suites?

I love that there is free Wi-Fi and free laundry. I love that there are cleaners that come at night to make sure we’re maintaining that salon cleanliness standard.

Contact Lindsey on Instagram

New Year, New Business. Are you Ready to Own your Salon?

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Can you believe the New Year is only a couple weeks away?! A new year is the perfect time for a fresh start. Are you ready to start your own salon business in 2021? If you’ve been dreaming of owning your salon and being your own boss, now is the time to start planning! Here are a few helpful tips to help you make this big decision and help you along the way:

1. Are you ready to take the plunge?

Opening your own salon suite takes courage. As we all know, with freedom comes responsibility. But don’t let that turn you away from opening a salon studio – it can empower a beauty professional to be in charge of their dream career! Having a large enough clientele is a must. Are you booked out at least a few weeks in advance, do you have a large base of clients who keep coming back to see you? If so, you may be ready to open your salon suite!

2. Find an Ideal Location

Location is key in starting a successful business. It is essential to find salon suites for rent that check off three boxes:

1. Within a 10 mile radius of your current salon
2. Close to your clientele
3. Close to where you live

Next, find a good balance between rent and location – sometimes it pays off to go with a better location with a little higher rent. Make sure you are also considering factors such as utilities, laundry facilities, and parking. View our list of locations to see if there is a Vibe Salon Suites near you.

3. Take Care of Legal Responsibilities

Although this isn’t the most fun part about starting up your new salon suite, it is crucial to understand the licensing you need. We are happy to offer assistance and guidance with obtaining licensing. Here are a couple things you will definitely need:

Business License

A business license is necessary when renting and opening a salon suite. To get started, call up your local government (you can start by calling city hall) and find out which department grants business licenses. From there, do some basic paperwork and voila! You have a business license! Additionally, you will likely need to apply for an establishment license with your cosmetology state board, which you are often able to do online.

Professional Liability Insurance

This is one of the last of the boring – but very necessary – paperwork that you’ll need to do when opening a salon suite. It is important to protect yourself and your business from claims and lawsuits, and professional liability insurance can help pay for lawyers, certain damages, and civil suits. We all hope we will never be faced with such complaints or problems – but it never hurts to keep you and your business protected. We partner with Elite Beauty Society to offer all of the insurance you need at an affordable rate:
https://elitebeautysociety.com/partners/vibe/

4. Booking & Credit Card Processing Solution

Work smarter and not harder – use technology as your assistant to make it easy to keep up with everything from booking appointments to marketing.

Instead of having clients contact you directly to set up appointments, consider using an online scheduling software – such as Gloss Genius, Vagaro, Salon Iris, Square and many more. Most services that offer online booking have other benefits, such as product inventory assistance, client tracking, credit card processing, appointment reminders, and marketing assistance. There are endless options in software assistance, so do your research to decide which one would work best for you and your new salon suite.

5. Finance Tracking and Taxes

To keep track of your finances and be ready for tax time, consider using accounting software. There are several free options you can use on your computer or phone that can assist you with accounting, invoicing, and receipts. If you don’t want to go with a full-on accounting system, a simple spreadsheet on Excel or Apache OpenOffice may be right for you. If you aren’t using a software that already assists you with inventory, a basic spreadsheet can assist you, so you always have what you need in stock.

6. Marketing

Marketing is essential in the salon business. If you aren’t putting yourself out there on social media and connecting with current and potential clients, you are losing clients and money. Make sure to at least have a Facebook business page and Instagram business page. These are key for staying in touch with your current clients and marketing yourself to new clientele. This is important for a business at any age, but especially important when you are just opening a salon suite! Check out our blog post on how to grow your social media following for more information and assistance!

7. Know Your Worth!

It is important that you don’t undercharge for your services at your brand-new, luxury salon suite. Just because you are opening a new business, doesn’t mean your services and time are any less valuable. First, make a list of all your expenses, and estimate your average costs per month. Second, make a list of your intended services. Consider average pricing in your area, your most popular services, how booked you plan to be, and the clientele you are looking to attract – then decide on pricing based on those and your expenses. You want to ensure you are receiving enough profits to make your new venture is worth your time and effort.

8. Choosing Products

Now that you’re the boss, you get to pick your favorite products and find the line that represents you and your salon studio. Instead of just going through your local professional beauty supply store, consider working directly with a sales representative for your trusted line – they will keep you updated about new products, specials, and educational opportunities. In order to work directly with the product brand or find a sales representative, check out the brand’s website – most will have a business support section that can connect you with representatives and provide you with professional signage.

9. Design Your Salon Suite

Now for the fun part – setting up your space so it reflects you and the salon culture you want to create! Design your salon suite to reflect your unique personality by switching up paint colors, choosing shelving, light fixtures and more!

Now that you know what it takes to get started, are you ready to make the leap? If so, we are here to help you every step of the way! Contact us today to schedule a tour or request pricing.

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Why Vibe?

Holiday Marketing Ideas for your Salon

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The holiday season is here! Holiday marketing does not have to be expensive or time-consuming but with so many businesses offering specials and discounts around this time of the year, it is important to stay competitive. We’ve compiled some of the best holiday marketing ideas designed to help you increase product sales and book more appointments!

  1. Show your Loyal Customers some Love
    Make sure you show your most loyal clients how important they are to you and your business by offering them special discounts or early access to holiday sales.

  2. Consider BOGO (buy one, get one) or “Two for them, One for Me” Promotions
    It’s always nice to purchase a gift for someone but even better if the gift giver is receiving something free to treat themselves as well! Even if the free gift is something small, your clients will love getting a freebie.

  3. Holiday Giveaways and Contests
    Run a holiday giveaway to encourage clients to book appointments or even to increase your social media following. Here are a couple ideas which you can customize however you’d like: Book your next 3 appointments and be entered to win a holiday gift set or follow me on social media + tag a Friend to be entered to win 20% off your next appointment.

  4. Holiday Gift Sets
    Create pre-packaged holiday gift sets for your clients. Consider packaging together inventory that you’ve had sitting around for awhile at a discounted price and dress it up with a pretty bow or fun packaging.

  5. Create a Sense of Urgency
    Choose a shopping holiday such as Black Friday to run a limited time offer and encourage your clients to take advantage of a time sensitive sale. You can also do this with a longer timeframe such as a “One Week Only” sale.

  6. Launch a Holiday Sale to Attract New Clients
    If you are in need of new clients, consider creating a holiday sale that is targeted to attract new clients. For example - “Free Haircut with all Color Services for New Clients who book an Appointment in the Month of December”.

Now that you have tons of great ideas for this holiday season, get to work on making the most of it and don’t forget to utilize social media to advertise all of your great holiday specials! Here are a couple easy to use apps you can use to design beautiful posts on social media:

Canva - Everything you need to design like a professional!

Mojo - Create stunning animated stories

Advice from our Independent Beauty Professionals

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Still on the fence about going solo? That’s okay! It is a decision that requires a lot of thought and consideration. Sometimes it helps to hear advice and testimonials from others who have been in your shoes. We asked our Vibe Professionals what advice they would give to someone who is trying to decide if they want to make the move to a salon suite or not and this is what they had to say:

“Do it! Just make sure you have the clientele to uphold yourself and your business. I was really scared but excited to start this journey, especially coming from a typical salon setting. Vibe made the transition to a new setting really easy and stress-free. ”
— Allie Caprara, Craft & Color
“If you’re ready for more independence absolutely do it. It’s so motivating when it’s a space to call all your very own. ”
— Lisa Elle, InBloom Colour
“If you have a good clientele base and want to control your future as a hairdresser and are surrounded by other people that are in the same position this is where to be. The owners are AMAZING. They are here if you need anything!”
— Lori Riggs, Suite 25
“Go for it! This is the direction our industry is going. Take the leap! You will never regret it.”
— Kaaren Eyre, KK Studio Hair | Color
“I’ve worked in salons and have loved it and hated it. Working in my own salon suite has created so much more motivation for my craft. The competition in the beauty industry is fierce, I feel free to create beautiful looks without the judgment or criticism. Not to mention the pay is better! ”
— Halie Landskroener, Reborn Hair Company
“Take into consideration the service fees you may be paying to work for somebody else and the lack of freedom to come and go as you please. ”
— Stephanie McMillan, Omni Hair Studio
“Do it! Take the jump and jump! Once you are in complete charge of your business it will flourish and your clients will love it! ”
— Rylee Heyza, Painted Hair Studio
“Take the leap of faith! Be confident in yourself and your clientele. People come to get their hair done because of the connection they have with their stylist and WILL follow! ”
— Dakota Beach, Painted Hair Studio
“If your financially ready & have the clientele to follow you, DO IT! Change can be scary, but change is where wisdom & self growth thrives! ”
— Tricia Pogarch, Craft & Color
“Go for it! So far, this has been the best decision we’ve ever made. You may have your doubts, but you’ll surprise your self with what you’re capable of!! ”
— Blake Webster & Megan Finlayson, Onyx Hair Co.
“Do it. You won’t regret it. It will be one of the scariest things you do in life but every second is worth it. You don’t grow if you stay in your comfort zone. ”
— Kenzie Bonar, Craft & Color
“Know your clientele ... make sure your skills will help you continue to grow and up your customer service game. ”
— Holly Muscat, H2 Studio
“Before you venture out on your own make sure you are willing to do the extra work in the beginning. Have your clients contact information and be organized!”
— Jane Peterson, Suite 27
“Be your own boss, set your own vibe in your very own suite.”
— Ivori Rucker, Therapeutic Spa & Wellness
“If you’re thinking of going out on your own .. Do it! The rewards you get from taking responsibility of yourself and your career are just limitless. If you have a strong passion in your craft, and can micromanage your personal and business life, then going solo with Vibe will definitely be worth it. You’re investing in yourself!”
— Hannah Moss, My Wax Room

Are you ready to make the move to a salon suite? Contact us today to get started!

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Testimonials

Safer in a Suite

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Working out of a salon suite offers numerous benefits but keeping you and your clients safe is one of the most important, especially during a pandemic. Our professionals working out of salon suites have received more positive feedback than ever from their clients regarding how safe they feel when visiting a salon suite versus a traditional salon. Here are just a few benefits of working in a salon suite that will make your clients feel safe and protected:

  • More Control over Sanitizing between Clients
    Our professionals have complete control over their space and make sure to sanitize between each and every client. Since they are working out of a smaller space, they can actually take the time to quickly sanitize their entire salon suite in between clients instead of just the styling chair/station.

  • One on One Attention
    Most of our suites are designed to accommodate only one client at a time (two at the most) so your clients will feel safe knowing they are the only client in your space during their service. You also have the option to keep your door shut and make your clients feel even more safe and secure.

  • No overcrowded Salons or Waiting Areas
    Clients don’t have to worry about walking into an overcrowded salon or having to wait next to someone they don’t know in a crowded lobby. Even the checkout process is done inside your own suite and with only you, limiting the amount of people they need to come into contact with.

  • New Clients
    Clients are so eager for a safer experience that some have transitioned to seeing a stylist who works out of a salon studio instead of visiting a traditional salon. Some of our professionals have actually gained new clients during the pandemic for this reason.

Are you ready to transition to a private salon suite? Contact us today to learn more about getting started!

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