NVTann

Help!!! I am super new to the tanning business...i have worked at 3 salons and decided i want to open my own...I need a little guidance from the experienced please...
1) Best beds to put in my salon... i have 20 rooms..how many levels ..base beds? if any base beds?
2) average price of salon insurance and best company to use
3)average electric cost of recommended beds
4) best computer system to use and computers to use with the systems??dell?? hp?? sony??

any help will be greatly appreciated...

Brian Oshman

Read this then ask more questions.

wader

nvtann- check PM....
Brian, read your post, VERY COMPLETE!!
I helped fomer employee start a salon and everything you said, she did and spent....
Myself, we started with 4 units and grew, absorbing the increased costs as we did so. bring in HP was most expensive.
Opening 1 month before a Tan*&^%$ franchise, 1 mi away, 14 years later, we are both still in business but they are closing up.
I think with the amount of used, repoed, turned in inventory, the best place to save is thier. you??

Brian Oshman

I agree with buying used. I sell used stuff and there is great value in it. A brand new machine will look like the used ones in 6 months. You can save half or more on used which means you can buy more for the same money.

If you are going to fill 20 rooms I would definitely go used and do maybe 1/3 base, maybe 1/4 but no more. I would not fill all of the rooms at once. I would do two base, three small VHR, two large VHR, one HP, and a spray unit to start then add more later depending on demand. I would have no more than 4 or 5 base beds in the whole place though.

Get your checkbook out. You are looking at 800-1000 amps of power and 15-25 tons of A/C. Cha-ching!

Don't worry about the bed types and computer types and all that other crap yet. You need to find a location, pull the demographics, if they jive then you need to negotiate your lease. Get the electric and A/C negotiated in there as that is the biggest expense next to the beds themselves.

You will then be responsible for the build out, room wiring, and duct work.

You got Mommy and Daddy's house to put up? If not and you have no money then don't even consider opening a salon.

wader

Brian...i agree....her post said 20 rooms...fill half and add on as demand increases. nothing worse than tanning units sitting htere collecting dust not getting used.....would rather have a little wait than open rooms.
I go with "old school" muller concept of bigger beds, higher $ per client. our goal is 100 clients a day @ $10. avg. per = $1000.00/day x 365 - you get idea....obviously it is slow season and we are maintaining avg. 60 day $16. per, why? bigger tanning units and "lotion specials". This on a salon of 13 units. vs. comp at 42 units....i will take my overhead (salon 100% paid for) and margin over thiers any day.
and your right...aprox. $1K per ton for a/c. my 1000 amp panel was right at $5K.
myself, to do it again, get equip lease for everyting to include modular walls, a/c elec. as well as the 25% liquid cash and do a $1. buy out.
you?

Brian Oshman

Well to do the Solar Planet model it would not require 20 rooms in the first place but since this is the plan I would do it in stages and of course limit the number of bottom feeder beds to around 4 or 5 max at the end of expansion. 1000 amps at 5K is cheap. You got a good deal.

I would not pay anything for electric service and A/C units, I would get the landlord to pay for that as it is capitol improvement on their part. You can't take it with you.

As for the leasing, you will not get it on a startup business. It is tough to get now on existing businesses with good standing as the banks got bit on all of the defaults in the past couple of years.

I agree with leasing modular walls as far as the tax benefits but I would still go traditional stick and drywall as I could build a far superior looking salon that looks killer, looks permanent, does not look ghetto, fly by night or cookie cutter. Obviously, the benefit to modular is that you can get a better write off and if you fail you can take them with you but the plan is to not fail in the first place so you should never be thinking that from the get go or you are spending negative energy on your business.

That is the other thing that should be focused on first too.

Things to start with:

Write a business plan!!!

Find a location

Pull demographics

Research area as far as traffic flow and what it will take to get people in the door

If these first three don't pan out then you do not proceed until they do

negotiate lease to include electric service and A/C units with a few months free rent to build out

submit plans, pull permits

find contractors

During the construction phase you can then research beds and make purchases to have set up for install when construction is done

line up fill items such as furnishings, computer, sound, front desk, displays, products, utilities, sign, etc...

This is a$$-U-me-ed that all financing is already in order and you will need deep pockets to build, open and sustain for at least the first year as if no one will walk in the door. Starting from scratch takes two years to near breaking even before you can stop eating mac and cheese and sleeping on the mattress HP unit and showering in the Mystic Tan.

If you are planning to get some sort of loan then you will need a large down payment or collateral such as your house or other property or money in the bank to borrow other peoples money. No bank will give you one red cent if you do not have something to risk that they can take if you fail. Just the way it is. Make sure that business plan is polished up before you even enter the bank to sit down and sign your life away.

wader

even after 14 years i have yet to be able to get a "traditional" loan from a bank...have always refinaced vehicles, property LOC on house etc...creative financing....and brian your correct, at LEAST 2 years to get to break even. but a newbie can hang on and not get crazy buying unneeded items and dinner out everynight, it can for sure be done.....

glowtanning530

I just wonder why people post this stuff and never come back so I can ask them WHY? they think NOW is the best time to open a new business or ANY kind

sbt501

If you have the capital now is the best time to go into business.

kpower82

^^ Agreed. But pick a business that isn't flat on it's *** selling a service deemed unhealthy with a grim future ahead of it.