The Salon business is no doubt a goldmine anywhere in the world. It’s one of the most lucrative fashion businesses though synonymous with most women but now attracts men who are leaving other industries and cooperate jobs to invest/ pursue career opportunities . The industry is said to be a multi-billion dollar industry according to the bureau of statistics feature in 2019.
However, the challenge here in Africa is, most people who venture into it get frustrated and close shop simply because they lack the basic knowledge of what it takes to make a success of the business.
All hope is not lost with the debut of Salon Business Africa (SBA), a hub which began officially about 6years ago to expose salon operators to industry best practices, help build structures and show the path to Set-up and run a successful business.
Salon business Africa was founded by Uche Umana. She is a leading consultant in beauty business education, aTrichologist as well as Salon Business Startup and growth Consultant.
According beauty expert, she says the hub with a nationwide team educators has delivered top quality business education to countless salons and spas.
“Our network of seminars, on-site coaching services and webinars offer the opportunity to improve systems, ensure business growth and guarantee profitability.
Everyone at SB Africa has one mission and that is to empower our clients to become successful by teaching best practices that result in tangible improvements in each of these four business outcomes – Profitability, productivity, staff retention, customer loyalty.She noted.”
Since inception Umana noted that SB Africa has had one goal, to help businesses more efficiently and profitably. According to her, they have worked with owners and their teams to create businesses that balance profitability with a happy work environment that has resulted in customer retention. The hub she says SB has partnered with manufacturers and product suppliers in the industry to provide success tactics to their affiliates.
Disclosing further, the hub founder said SB Africa has helped many beauty businesses across Africa in major areas such as developing highly profitable retail sales programmes, exposure to financial reporting and cash flow challenges,
increased staff productivity among others.
Speaking on some of the hub’s activities, she revealed that they have being working with different NGOs to train youths in varying industry skills and education as part of their CSR since 2018.
“We scaled up this year by working together with other professionals in the industry to create a facebook group HBN Edu/ Support (Hairstylists, Barbers & Nail Tech Free Training) where we offer Hairdressing and Barbering certificate program valued at N 350,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty thousand naira only) per participant for FREE to help groom more professionals in the industry.
The group is open to anyone who want to pursue professional career paths in the industry.
Our official handles for Instagram, Facebook page, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google My Business is @salonbusinessafrica.”
Concluding, Umana appeals to Government and private institutions who engage their host communities, providing beauty skill training as part of their corperate social responsibility to be more intentional this year.
“We are asking that they include business support, mentoring and follow-ups, especially in beauty and salon related trainings. Our hub is open to partnership to the already existing trainings and setup package the institutions are currently using. She added.”
