If you have even the slightest bit of entrepreneurship in you, it is very likely that there will be a time in your hairdresser, stylist or beauty therapist career where you think: “Right, it’s time. I’m ready to run my salon (or spa!).” From there you might decide that opening a salon, clinic, or spa is the way you want to go, or you might instead consider buying an existing salon, clinic, or spa. While the latter might seem like a good bet, there’s a lot to take into consideration. In my 21 years in business, I’ve seen 90% of business owners overestimate how much their business is worth. So you need to be very careful, even if the said salon, clinic, or spa has been professionally valued.
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5 Things To Consider When Buying An Existing Salon, Clinic or Spa
Just like when I wrote about expanding with a second location, there’s a myriad of things you need to think about before going ahead and investing your money in an existing business.
1. Is It Profitable?
Before you buy, get at least the last two years of the business’ account prepared by an accountant. This will help you find out if it’s profitable. If it’s not, then you have to look into why it isn’t. It’s always a good idea to have a conversation with the current owner about this, but take what they say with a pinch of salt. Get the black on white paper evidence and leave the emotional decisions aside.
2. What Are The Monthly Income Revenue And Expenses?
If the salon, clinic, or spa you’re interested in buying spends more money than it brings in each month, you might want to hold off from buying. If you still want to go ahead though, then consider that you might have to bail it out for several months before it starts to break even. The reason for this is that it can take a while for your marketing and PR efforts to pay off. Bear that in mind and ensure you have money aside to weather this.
If looking at a profit and loss sheet or cashflow is not your strength – and to be honest it’s not something many people feel good about, – then get a really knowledgeable outsider to look at this for you and point out where the problems might arise. The last thing you want is to end up with a business that’s nothing more than a strain on your resources. A good salon accountant can assist you in this.
3. Examine Management Accounts & KPIs
Another thing to look into before buying an existing salon, clinic, or spa is the management accounts and the Key Performance Indicators (financial, marketing, etc). If you’re buying a business that uses Phorest Salon Software, this will be easy to get a hold on using the management and reporting tools. Digging into management accounts and KPIs will give you an excellent insight into which areas of the salon, clinic, or spa you can improve upon.
4. Look Into HR & Staff Issues
Find out if there are any problem staff members. When you take over the business, one of the ongoing concerns will be that you will take over the staff and their employment record will be unbroken. You need to be aware of this, because if you have to let go of someone who is underperforming, then you need to go through all the standard HR procedures and act accordingly to the SOP Manual that is currently in place. Check with your HR advisor before doing anything.
5. Know What You’re Buying
Think really hard before you buy the limited company, rather than just the assets of the business. If you buy a limited company from another owner, then you inherit their liabilities, including disgruntled clients who may sue the company at a later date.
As you can see, buying an existing business is not as easy as it may look. If you’d like to learn more about your numbers and how to run a financially successful business, or, if you’d like advice regarding the P&L sheet, then join my Facebook group Knowing Your Numbers. It’s a safe place to ask questions and find out more about numbers in a supportive environment.
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Thanks for reading! #Togetherwegrow
