All is going as planned, you graduate from esthetics school, take hours of advanced classes, work at an established business to build your clientele and voila, you are ready to branch out on your own. You aren’t alone.
The number of individual suites, lofts and shared spaces for skin care and waxing has boomed in recent years. Having your own business is both freeing and stressful with many questions on what to do and how to do it. Most people weigh the pros and cons before deciding to dive into business ownership. Entrepreneurism encompasses a lot to do and a lot to know that must be investigated beforehand.
You need to research laws and guidelines for your state before developing your waxing business.
Many esthetician community groups are talking about this, with many questions left unanswered.
- Can I have my business in my home? Sometimes, but often no.
- Can I start my business fresh out of school with no clientele? You can, but it will be more difficult with no clients on the books.
So many more questions. Research, research, research and hire an attorney.
Begin by researching the laws and guidelines for your individual state relating to your business and develop your service menu accordingly.
You will need to know which services to offer clients and that they are within your scope of practice. What requirements are in place for your physical space, is there a required square footage or is it mandatory to have a sink in your treatment room. For most service providers, we focus on our skills but what about the business end. Are you ready? You know you need a business license, an inspection, and a website but what about protecting yourself from the unexpected.? Once you have found the answers to all the important questions and have developed a sound business plan, you will need liability coverage.
In a perfect utopian world, every eyebrow wax we perform will result in the perfect flawless shape and their skin will look as if hot wax didn’t just pull hairs out of their eyebrow. Every service we offer has risks. In the real world, things happen, and are usually out of our control. You must protect yourself with a safeguard in place. That would be liability insurance.
How do you get liability coverage?
When choosing where to purchase your insurance, it may be best to opt for an insurance company that specializes in the esthetics field, there are many choices, but ASCP Associated Skincare Professionals is a good place to begin. More informations here.
This is a better option than traditional insurance companies that may have little knowledge of what we do or questions we may have.
Such as, are we protected for Brazilian waxing services or dermaplaning? A traditional insurance company may not know what these services are and what they encompass. But insurance through a company that is part of the industry knows what we need before we do, and they have many resources for us in addition to liability insurance.
Once you have determined where you will purchase your insurance, you will need to be sure all the services you offer are covered. Some policies will not protect against Brazilian waxing or microblading without an additional rider. Or if you offer skin care services that fall within the medical esthetics field such as micro needling, you may also need an additional rider.
What if you work for a big salon, studio, spa, or chain, do you still need coverage? Yes absolutely, and I will say it louder for the people in the back. You need coverage. In an unfortunate event, the business may be sued but the esthetician may be as well. You need your own coverage as well. Plus, there may be a situation where you offer services to a client that is in a different location, such as a hotel spa party or a wedding. It is very affordable so make it a priority to safeguard your future.
In addition to protecting yourself through insurance, do not forget to include a waiver or release form for every client and every appointment.
Whether you take the leap into business ownership, are an independent contractor or an employee, protect yourself and your name.
Article Written by Cali VanAelst, National Training Director at Perron Rigot Inc., 07 April 2023.