need help on becoming self employed!!

[lucyshandbag]

i have just qualified as a holistic therapist and reflexologist and i now want to go on to rent a room in a beauty salon.  the problem is, i know a salon that has an empty room, and they do not offer holistic therapies, so it would be ideal.  BUT, what exactly should i say to the manager to guarantee me the room, i'm not used to approaching people and i really don't know what i should say.  any ideas???

[Octavius]

Perhaps set yourself up a little business plan of how you would manage your room, the treatments and your clients.  How would you order supplies/pay suppliers, market the service and get people in - would you use the booking services of the main salon etc.  Also, what would you need to pay for the room, will the owner want profit share and how much are you prepared to negotiate as rent.  Will you need to share in administration costs or will the salon manager manage you?  Legal agreements??  When you have factored all this in you can decide whether it is something that will be viable and beneficial to both of you.

If you can convince the salon owner that you can provide additionality to their salon they will be more interested.  For example one of your clients might start looking into beauty treatments that they offer and vise versa.

Good luck, just be brave.  

[Octavius]

Just another point, you will need some capital to set up your room (unless the salon offers to do this and take it from your earnings).  Schedule out what you will need and cost it.  Perhaps pick up some leaflets on small businesses or chat to someone at your bank to help you formulate a business plan.