Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/291744
Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 27 The next step is to familiarize yourself with all the required city, county, and state fees, licensing, and permits for a home-based business. Some of these will be similar to what you'd need for an independent practice in any location—for instance, a state sales tax permit—but there may be additional requirements for home businesses. Look up the websites of your various government entities, visit their offices if need be, and be sure you thoroughly understand what you need to do. Should You Do It? The legalities check out, and your home-based practice is starting to feel like a real possibility. Now it's time to put your big dreams aside for a moment and consider some of the potential downsides of working where you live. ATTRACTING NEW CLIENTS Consider the clients you get in your current location. If a significant portion of your profit comes from walk-ins, moving your business may cause a corresponding drop in your income. In a residential area, your practice will not be visible to the public. You will have to put more time and money into marketing to overcome this. The same goes for estheticians just starting their careers. The increased difficulty of attracting new clients to a home-based business means you may be better off working in a more visible location until you have developed a strong base of loyal clients. KEEPING EXISTING CLIENTS If you have plenty of regular clients, an important step is to learn how many of them will follow you when your practice moves. The new location may be less convenient for some, and there are other factors, too. If your clients get other services at, or near, your present location, will they still seek you out for a separate visit? Talk to your loyal clients to get some idea of how this change might affect them and whether they will stay with you. STAYING SAFE Another big question to ask is whether your workspace will be safe for you and your clients. There are many potential issues to address and resolve before you make a decision. Survey your neighborhood, your street, and the layout of your home and your prospective esthetics space. Think about ways to improve accessibility, safety, and security. Is the path leading to your door uneven? Do you need treads on the porch stairs? A peephole in the door? How will you screen new clients? Plan how you will respond to any negative situation that may come up. Family interactions can change when there is little boundary between your work space and your personal space. Feelings of isolation can also be a problem for some estheticians, especially those who have not worked alone before. Finally, talk to your homeowner's insurance company to see whether you need extra coverage for a home-based business. The liability insurance that comes with your Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP) membership covers you for professional liability (malpractice) claims, but it's important to also make sure your home and studio are properly protected against any increased risk that may come from operating a business in your house. Let's Do It! So you've done your homework and feel confident that a home esthetics practice is just the ticket for you. Now you can move to the most fun part of the process: making it happen!