You're good at your job.

You've got regulars. You're making decent money. People keep saying, "You should open your own place."

It sounds exciting. But is it the right move?

Let's talk about what actually changes.

What You're Really Signing Up For

Right now, you trade time for money. You cut hair, you get paid.

As an owner, everything changes:

You become responsible for:

Rent (whether you have clients or not)
Utilities, insurance, supplies
Marketing and client acquisition
Legal compliance, taxes, bookkeeping
The problems of everyone who works for you

You're no longer just a barber. You're a CEO who happens to cut hair.

The Financial Reality Check

As a solo barber (employed or booth rental):

Revenue: $80,000/year
Expenses: $15,000 (booth rent, supplies)
Take-home: $65,000
Risk: Low

As a shop owner (solo, starting out):

Revenue: $80,000/year
Expenses: $60,000 (rent, utilities, insurance, supplies, marketing)
Take-home: $20,000
Risk: High

As a shop owner (2 years in, with staff):

Revenue: $250,000/year
Expenses: $180,000 (rent, staff, supplies, etc.)
Take-home: $70,000
Risk: Medium-high

Year one is usually worse than your current situation. Year three gets better—if you survive.

The Skills Gap Nobody Warns You About

What you know how to do:

Cut hair
Build client relationships
Manage your schedule

What you'll need to learn:

Hiring (and firing)
Marketing and advertising
Financial management
Lease negotiation
Conflict resolution
Leadership
Systems and operations

Most new owners spend 50% of their time on things they've never done before.

The Lifestyle Change

Solo barber life:

Work your hours, go home
Problems stay at the shop
Weekends can be weekends
Mental space for family/hobbies

Owner life (first 2 years):

Always thinking about the business
Problems follow you home
Weekends for catch-up and planning
Your identity becomes "the shop"

This isn't necessarily bad. But it's different. Make sure you want different.

The Honest Pros and Cons

Pros of Owning

✅ Unlimited income potential (not capped by your hours) ✅ Build something that has value (can be sold) ✅ Create the environment you want ✅ Help other barbers grow ✅ Pride of ownership ✅ Tax advantages

Cons of Owning

❌ Financial risk (you can lose money) ❌ More stress, more responsibility ❌ Less cutting, more managing ❌ Employee problems become your problems ❌ Harder to take time off ❌ Success isn't guaranteed

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Why do you want to own?

"For the money" → Might be disappointed (at first)
"For control" → Valid, but comes with trade-offs
"To build something" → Best reason

2. Are you willing to make less for 2+ years? Most owners take a pay cut initially. Can you handle that?

3. Do you actually like business stuff? If spreadsheets and marketing make you miserable, ownership will too.

4. Can you lead people? Managing employees is nothing like cutting hair. It's a different skill entirely.

5. Is your ego ready? You'll make mistakes. Publicly. Are you okay learning in front of others?

The Middle Path: Booth Rental

Not ready for full ownership? Consider:

Booth rental pros:

More independence than employment
Build your own client base
Keep more of what you earn
Test if self-employment suits you

Booth rental cons:

Still paying someone else's rent
Limited control over environment
No equity building
Cap on growth potential

It's a good stepping stone if you're not sure.

Signs You're Ready

✅ You've maxed out your current earning potential ✅ You have 6-12 months of savings ✅ You've learned basic business skills (or will) ✅ You have a vision for something different ✅ You're willing to struggle for 2 years ✅ You want to build, not just earn

Signs You're Not Ready Yet

❌ You're running from a bad situation (not toward a vision) ❌ You have no financial cushion ❌ You hate paperwork and "business stuff" ❌ You just want more money (there are easier ways) ❌ You're not willing to cut your income temporarily

The Real Answer

Is it worth it?

For some people: Absolutely. Building something yours, creating jobs, leaving a legacy—it's incredible.

For others: No. The stress isn't worth it when you could make the same money with less risk.

Neither answer is wrong. Just be honest about which person you are.

👉 Vinci 26 gives you the tools to run your shop like a business from day one—booking, clients, and operations in one place.

Build something that's truly yours.

From Solo Barber to Shop Owner: Is It Worth the Jump?