Running a beauty salon from home can be both rewarding and challenging – Laura John-Baptiste explains how to create a professional space, balance family life and build a thriving client base.
Running a home-based beauty salon is both a dream and a juggling act. For me, it’s been about creating a professional space my clients love, while keeping the warmth and flexibility that comes with working from home.
My home based salon in Shepperton has grown into a trusted safe space for beauty treatments, all while fitting around my family life.
Creating a professional salon space at home
First impressions matter, so I wanted my salon to feel a bit different from the standard high street salon.
I transformed a dedicated room in my home into a calm, professional environment, completely separate from family areas. The goal was to make sure clients step into a space that feels like a true friendly, safe space.
With its own separate front door and toilet, there is a real separation from our family house; yet the room feels cosy, colourful and a little bit quirky with positive affirmations and sayings all over the walls.
We also have a special "support local" board for other businesses to put up their flyers, along with images that one of our clients has taken of the local area.
Balancing family life and client appointments
Balancing family life with client appointments is all about scheduling in advance. I plan my working week around school runs, mealtimes and after school activities, building in buffer time between treatments so I’m never rushing.
I have my online booking system open three months in advance so always ensure I have thought about what I will be doing in that time, blocked off time I need for kids school holidays, and worked out any extra time I could work instead.
Being based at home has its advantages as I can add extra days or evenings in if I need to after taking time off.
The importance of setting boundaries
One of the biggest challenges of working from home is separating “work mode” from “mum mode”.
I have the online booking system so I can make my salon hours clear and I try to stick to it! Every now and then if a regular client really needs something that they can't book in online then I will always do my best to help.
It works both ways – if I need to change a client due to something that has come up, my ladies are always so helpful at working out a new time with me as they know I will do the same for them.
I have boundaries and stick to them but I am also human and will try to be helpful and flexible if I can but say no if I can't.
Growing a home-based beauty business
Without having a typical high street presence and the footfall that brings has its challenges, of course. But real life networking and social media has been a huge part of my growth.
I really believe in supporting other local small businesses and in turn that helps me as others also share and promote mine.
I'll use my social media to share not only treatments, client results and updates on the salon but also share any local events going on, new things opening in the area or activities I or the children have enjoyed – this always brings a lot of interaction to my stories and in turn many new clients say they found me through following my Instagram and gaining trust in me as a person.
When clients are with us it is key to offer an exceptional client experience every single time, we get so many word-of-mouth referrals, which are worth their weight in gold, and repeat loyal customers due to our client experience.
My top tips for home salon success
- If possible, dedicate a room solely to your salon so it stays professional.
- Stick to your set working hours to protect both your work and family time.
- Be visible – share your work and snippets of your day consistently online.
- Build a reliable support network so you’re never stretched too thin.
Running Get Beautiful from home has been so rewarding – with the right space, clear boundaries and a little help along the way, it’s possible to grow a thriving beauty business without sacrificing family life.
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Want more expert tips on running a successful salon from home? Don't miss Laura John-Baptiste at Professional Beauty North, where she'll be discussing "Creating a premium client experience from a home-based salon" on the PB Stage at 2pm on Sunday, September 28 - register for PB North FREE here.
About the expert
Laura John-Baptiste is the founder of Get Beautiful, a thriving home-based beauty salon in Shepperton, Surrey, and the owner of Get Bronzed, a specialist spray tanning company. With more than eight years of hands-on experience as a beauty professional, John-Baptiste has built a trusted reputation for creating a welcoming, professional environment where clients feel relaxed and cared for.
Before retraining in beauty while pregnant with her first son, John-Baptiste enjoyed a successful career in psychology and youth work. Now a mum of three sons and a stepson, she balances family life with running two businesses.
