The salon business is no doubt a goldmine anywhere in the world. It’s one of the most lucrative personal care businesses though synonymous with most women now attracts men who are leaving other industries and co-operate jobs to invest and pursue career opportunities.
The industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, experts say.
However, the challenge here in Africa is that most entrepreneurs who venture into it get frustrated and close shop, simply because they lack the basic skills to scale as the industry is highly competitive.
To change the narrative, Salon Business Africa (SBA) hub debut in the Nigeria market six years ago to expose salon operators to industry best practices, help build structures and show the path of setting up and running a successful beauty business.
SBA is founded by Uche Umana, a leading consultant in beauty business education, a trichologist as well as a start-up and growth consultant.
Umana says the hub with a nationwide team of educators, has successfully 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,” she said.
“Everyone at SB Africa has one mission, 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 added.
Since its inception, Umana noted that SB Africa has been on a mission to help professionals be more efficient and profitable.
According to her, SB Africa has worked with business owners and their teams to create businesses that balance profitability with a happy work environment resulting in customer retention.
The hub Umana says has partnered with manufacturers and product suppliers in the industry to provide success tactics to affiliates.
She stated that her organisation 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 been 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 per participant for free to help groom more professionals in the industry,” she said.
“The group is open to anyone who wants to pursue professional career paths in the industry.
Interested participants can visit their official handles on Instagram, Facebook page, LinkedIn, Twitter, and google @salonbusinessafrica,” she noted.
Concluding, Umana appeals to government and private institutions who engage their host communities, providing beauty skill training as part of their corporate 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 training,” she added.
