With a budget of as low as $15,000, you can start a small-scale mobile nail salon business. Also, you can start a standard nail salon business with $150,000.
In this article, we are going to look at the average cost of starting a nail salon business. A nail salon business helps people treat and take care of their nails. Interestingly, a nail salon business is a service-based business that can be operated from a single location or from the client’s location (mobile nail salon).
Apart from the rough estimate stated above, note that there are certain key factors that can determine the amount it will cost you to start your nail salon business, and that is what we will discuss in this article.
Factors That Influence the Cost of Opening a Nail Salon Business
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Licensing and Permits
If you are considering starting a nail salon business in the United States of America or in any country of the world, the first thing that is expected of you to do is to secure all the needed licenses and permits.
However, the costs associated with obtaining the necessary licenses and permits to operate a nail salon business can vary from one city or state to another.
The licenses, and permits needed to operate a nail salon business include business licensing fees, cosmetology license, hazardous materials permit (for handling chemicals), music license (if playing copyrighted music), retail sales permit, professional corporation license, the state board of cosmetology approval, and other related permits and licenses.
Please note that in the United States, you should have an estimate of $500 to $5,000 or more for all the needed licenses and permits to start a nail salon business.
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The Cost of Purchasing Nail Salon Equipment and Supplies
You should have a budget to purchase; nail files and buffers, acetone and nail polish remover, cotton balls and swabs, nail art and decoration supplies,
Disposable towels and gloves, manicure tables, pedicure chairs, nail polish and gel polish supplies, nail drills and tools, UV/LED nail lamps, sterilization equipment, nail dryers, nail station organizers, salon chairs for waiting area, etc.
From experience, you should have a budget estimate of $10,000 to $20,000 or more for your nail salon equipment and supplies.
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The Location You Want to Start the Business
Different cities have different rental and leasing rates. For instance, if you have plans to start your nail salon business in San Francisco, California, it will cost you more than when starting the same business in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This is so because San Francisco, California is one of the most expensive cities in the United States, and Raleigh, North Carolina is among the least expensive cities in the United States.
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The Cost of Marketing and Advertising
You should know that establishing a strong online presence, creating a website, developing marketing materials, and advertising your nail salon business will attract reasonable expenses.
In essence, you should have a budget that will take care of your business website design, online marketing campaigns, printed materials, and business cards.
Depending on how big you want to announce your presence in the market, you should have a budget estimate of $1,000 to $3,000 or more.
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The Cost of Purchasing Insurance Policy Covers
In order to protect your business and clients, you will need general liability insurance, health insurance, and professional liability insurance.
Trust me, the amount you will spend in purchasing insurance coverage for your nail salon business can influence the overall cost of starting the business. But generally, you should have a budget estimate of $1,000 to $3,000 per year for your insurance needs.
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Staffing Cost
The only reason you may not have a budget for staffing costs is if you choose to operate the business as a one-man show. But if you plan to hire nail salon professionals, then you should consider their salaries, benefits, and training costs.
But generally, you should have a reasonable budget estimate that can cover this cost because it varies based on staff size and salaries.
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Operational Costs or Ongoing Expenses
Although, there is no fixed amount to spend when it comes to operational costs, but the truth is that it can be a significant part of your budget especially if you are going to be operating a standard nail salon business.
Your operation costs include ongoing expenses such as office supplies, utilities, transportation costs, and maintenance expenses for your equipment and tools.
We cannot categorically give an estimate of what you should budget for your operational costs because it will vary based on your business size and the volume of clients you handle.