After working at Festoon Salon in Berkeley and San Francisco, Betty McCain founded her own company — Chop Salon in Berkeley, Calif. Yesterday, we had a conversation about her motivation and process.
How did you decide to strike out on your own and open your own salon?
I really wanted just to be my own boss. I thought about all the things I would need to get started, how much it would cost to do that, and how much income I needed to bring in to make it happen once I was working. I was very determined that I would be okay. Then I decided to take the risk.
How much of a pain was it to jump through the legal & permitting hoops?
It was ridiculous how many places and things you need to get going. There were permits to build, permits to say it is okay to build — one person says one thing, then another disagrees. And all the offices are in different parts of town and you need everyone to sign a form and pay more money. One time, they told me to get a signature and I ran all the way to this other building, and they told me they didn't need to sign. The communication is all wrong.
Another time, I was getting a special establishment license through the state. It would have taken two months to do it by mail. I drove to one office, paid it in cash — they didn't take check or credit — then had to drive to another office across town and bring the receipt to show I paid it, just to get things rolling faster. What a pain in the ass.
What were you looking for in the physical space you rented?
I wanted good lighting, big windows, and a high ceiling. Since it's a salon, I needed easy plumbing accessibility and new electrical with lots of outlets. I also wanted a good storefront, on a busy street, with okay parking, in a safe neighborhood. And I wanted to stay close to the area where I was used to seeing my clients.
I see on your web site that you have another stylist working with you. How did that partnership come about?
She found me when I opened and seems to be working out great. Although I had another girl for a while who didn't.
What have you done to find more business?
I have a web site, a Facebook page, a MySpace page, Yelp — I do client discounts, referrals, door-to-door flyering, parties, art shows, a fashion show...everything.
On the subject of art shows, can you tell me a little about your decision to pair with local artists and have a gallery space in your salon?
I have such big walls, and I always had this little dream of having art shows. I do it for two months at a time, and finding artists seems pretty easy. It's also a great way to promote the salon — when we have an opening for a new artist, new people come in that may never have known we were there.
Were you anxious about starting a business in a recession?
I just knew things would work out. I know it seems kind of funny, but I just had this feeling. I figured if I did it on a bare minimum need, meaning I didn't spend too much and go overboard on things — and my overhead is pretty low. I figure things can only get better, and so far they have been pretty good.
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?
I think everything went just about as smoothly as it could've. I might do something small, like different floors or different tables. As far as the business side of things, I am still taking things day by day and learning as I go.
