beauty careers,beauty industry,business resources,business startup,home business,lash techs,licenses and permits,nail techs,registration,work from home
You bet they are! As long as you manage your business with the same effort and respect that you would a store-front, these businesses can bring in a lot of income with fewer expenses, leaving more money in your pocket!
What do I need to have a home business?
First, register your business.
You must register your business name in order to report your earnings to government authorities. There are 4 choices for you when registering your business, most people who run a small business opt for a sole proprietorship.
You will also need a business license, not to be confused with your hairstyling license or esthetics certification.
You will also require a business license and a development permit. This type of license is granted by the city. Home-based business must follow special regulations since they are located in neighbourhoods designed for living, not business.
Zoning bylaws are used to determine whether the city can grant you a home business license. Don’t be surprised if your neighbours are contacted to ask if they are ok with your particular business being on the same street as them.
Beauty industry home businesses are MAJOR businesses.
There are 2 types of home businesses. Because beauty industry businesses have clients coming to the home for services that are not typical of a residential area, they are considered a major home business. Major home businesses cause a degree of interruption to the neighbourhood, for example, less parking available for residents and their guests, versus minor businesses that typically do not receive clients in their home.
What about insurance?
Insurance is important for any business, including a home business. Not many insurance companies specialize in beauty industry insurance, an insurance broker may be able to help you find the right company for you. Your insurer should understand the specific challenges of beauty industry businesses.
Fees and other things to consider.
Registration/licensing/insurance all cost money. Luckily, home businesses today have the advantage of free marketing on social media! Instagram in particular is an excellent tool used by all beauty industry businesses, but has a spectacular impact on home businesses. Many clients use instagram as a way to find their service provider, who quite often has a home business.
Asking the following questions might be useful in helping you choose the right training provider for your career path.
What are the total fees?
What is covered in the total fee? Tuition? Books? A kit? Application fees? Graduation fees?
Is there a Work Experience component?
How much real experience will be provided if any?
What student support is offered if any?
Some schools may offer added support such as financial aid, job search services, counselling, computer access, etc.
What type of credential do I get when I graduate?
There is a difference between certificate and certification. Certification is industry-recognized and granted only after meeting industry requirements through testing. A certificate is documentation of participation in any given course.
What are the minimum and maximum class sizes?
Class size matters in technical training. How many students will you be competing with for your instructor’s help and attention?
Are there any student perks?
Some training providers may offer discounts at distributors post graduation. Other examples include parking, food services, technology supports, etc.
Are the instructors available for one-on-one support?
What methods can I use to contact my instructor after class?
Is there an attendance policy?
What is the training providers policy on attendance, personal image standards, conduct, etc?
What is the refund policy?
What if I change my mind before I start? The first week after? What if something unexpected happens that prevents me from finishing the course?
EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP
ESG is a Beauty Industry Resource Centre offering many free business, career, and employment services to Albertans. Contact us to meet with our Career and Employment Consultant who can help you develop a career path that is right for you.
ESG is a Beauty Industry Resource Centre offering free business, career, and employment services to Albertans. Contact us to meet with our Career and Employment Consultant who can help you develop a career path that is right for you.
To help you choose the right training path, ask yourself the following questions:
WHERE DO I SEE MYSELF IN 5 YEARS?
If your goal is ENTREPRENEURSHIP, you have absolute freedom of your learning path.
DO I HAVE HEALTH CONCERNS THAT MIGHT AFFECT ME?
Many beauty industry services require a certain amount of physical strength.
HOW MUCH CAN I SPEND ON IT?
This includes money and time. Will you need to work while you train?
IS THIS COURSE INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED?
Certificate is different than certification. Certificates do not require you to pass an exam.
WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME?
Things to consider are price, reputation, financing, location, student success rates, etc.
WHAT IS MY LEARNING STYLE?
Do I learn by seeing, listening, or doing? Is on the job-training a possibility?
The different government forms you need to file can leave your head spinning! This article breaks down the difference between an ROE and a T4.
Record of Employment (ROE)
You file this form when you leave a job for good, or for a period of time. This form is very important because it is the document that determines whether or not you are eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.
The ROE documents the amount of hours you worked in the last 52 weeks prior to applying for EI. You must have worked at least 420 hours to be eligible for EI regular benefits.
Your employer is responsible to issue your ROE within 5 days of your last day.
T4
You file this form every year that you work, even if you worked only a couple of days during the year.
Any employers that you had throughout the year should provide your T4 by February of the following year. For example, you should be receiving your 2019 T4 by February 2020.
Your annual T4 provides information that determines if you paid enough EI, CPP, and taxes according to how much money you made that year.
This form is used to file your taxes every year, but don’t worry, if you don’t have it, your pay stubs can be used to calculate your annual income.
My client’s wife had treated him to a relaxing day of spa & barbering services for their anniversary.
My job was to deliver a body polish service. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this service, it’s basically a full body scrub that leaves your skin feeling like silk. 😊
The service requires the client to be fully undressed. They lie on the massage table covered by a small towel over the groin area and another over the bust for women.
Drifting away…
Now, during quiet services I tend to drift away in my thoughts and answer pressing questions. Questions like “what should I wear tomorrow?” or “I wonder what my dog is thinking right now?” or “why does the sun lighten our hair but darken our skin?”
It makes the time pass and before you know it you’ve exfoliated 90% of your 6-foot-tall client who happens to be blessed with 2-inch strands of body hair over everything but his palms and soles.
Zoned OUT.
After scrubbing away at his limbs and torso, I followed up with a swift towel buff. I like using a rolled-up towel to wipe away the granules. To prevent the granules from getting into his eyes I covered them with a small towel, much like a blindfold. I then recite the usual – “for this next step, I will need you to close your eyes”.
I was so zoned out in my thoughts as I whipped the towel into my hands and began to wind it like a jockey in the locker room. When I turned back to the bed, I realized that I had whipped his groin towel off and left him laying blindfolded, motionless, and butt naked on the table!
I quickly threw the towel on him and apologized through my uncontrollable laughter, his response “It’s ok, I just wasn’t sure what was gonna to happen next!”.
– Buffed
Submit your funny stories to info@executivespagroup.com.
