Key Takeaways: Developing a barber business plan that accounts for what makes your barbershop unique – including location, target market, the services you offer, your competition, and more – is key to your success. Read on for the top considerations and tips that can help frame your business plan for opening a barber shop or expanding the one you already have.
UPDATED: October 30, 2025
Running your own badass barbershop is your dream. You’ve been thinking about it forever, working toward it, and dreaming of the day you’d make it happen.
You’ve got the skills, you’ve got the know-how, and dang it, you’ve got the determination to make opening a barber shop a reality.
You're just missing one thing: a barbershop business plan.
We know, we know; talking about business plans is intimidating. The idea of sitting down and mapping out all the details of your dream business seems lengthy, tedious, and let’s be honest here, a little daunting.
But here’s the deal: creating your perfect business plan doesn’t need to be a foot-dragging, I-don’t-want-to-do-this, terrifying experience. No way. Building the ultimate business plan for your barbershop is the key to creating the success you desire, but it can also be an enormously fun exercise to help you bring your dream to life.
Business plans are important. They help you articulate your business strategy, assist you in creating logistical timelines, and can outline your financial projections and market analysis.
The good news? We’re here to help.
No, we can’t all-out write a generalized business plan template for you to follow; everyone’s barbershop is different, so your business plan needs to be unique! However, we can help by providing some tried-and-true business plan writing techniques to kickstart your process.
Like we said, crafting your business plan doesn’t have to be a drag. With a few must-know tips, you can be well on your way to writing up the ultimate plan.
Our Top Tips for Creating Your Barbershop Business Plan
A solid business plan should look like a step-by-step guide that will direct you through each and every stage of starting and managing your barber business. Your business plan can help you gain new investors, guide you through marketing plans, and even be a road map for your finances.
Do any of those things make you feel even more overwhelmed about writing your business plan? If it does, that’s okay; starting a business can be scary.
Here’s our first tip: knowing the importance of your plan can help you zero in and focus on crafting it, even if that makes you feel more pressure.
Don’t let the anxiety get you down. Yes, this is an important piece of starting your business, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.
Before you start crafting your business plan, try reading through these tips to get a feel for what you should do to create a successful business plan for your barbershop.
Don’t Start Writing Until You’ve Researched the Market (Thoroughly)
You’ve probably figured this part out on your own, but just in case you haven’t, we’ll repeat it: don’t create your business plan until you’ve researched your market and target audience.
Ultimately, successful businesses (barbershops included) are designed to reach and attract a specific market. The better they do that, the more successful they end up being.
It makes sense, right? Most businesses can’t survive on the concept of trying to attract any type of consumer who is willing to walk through the door. It’s unlikely that your brand can flourish that way.
Knowing your target market can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Further, it can help you start the process of cultivating your brand, identifying who your audience is, and understanding what they’re looking for. All of these are integral elements to your barbershop’s success.
Ask yourself who you are trying to attract as a client, the things they care about, and how your services may appeal to them. Sometimes, it can help to envision an individual person who would be your perfect client and use them as an archetype that represents your target market.
Figure Out Your Competition
Know who you’re up against.
Understanding your market means recognizing your main competition, understanding them, and analyzing important factors about their business models. Ask and answer questions like, “Who are they and what are their strengths?” or “What kind of weaknesses do these businesses have?”
This type of awareness is crucial when it comes to building your own business.
Why? By understanding what your competitors can and cannot offer, you can better understand how to fill the needs and the gaps in the market, ultimately resulting in attracting clients to your shop instead.
Remember, there is almost always room in the market for everyone to find success. The key is understanding the competition so you can meet the unmet needs of your target market and successfully attract them to your barbershop.
Don’t Let Details Scare You
When writing down your barber business plan, it’s possible that one of two things often happens.
First, you can be so broad and vague about your business plan that there are no helpful, actionable details in place to further your progress. Second, you can get too caught up in the nitty-gritty, minute details that you ultimately freak yourself out and get overwhelmed.
Our advice? Don’t let the details get you down.
Good business plans get to the point in a succinct way, but they also ensure that your reader has plenty of details in order to understand your purpose, your goals, and your plans.
Yes, it’s important to be detailed and thorough, but remember, you have time and space to add in those details later on. You can sift through intricate details, or you can fill in the blanks as your plan progresses.
Your first draft of your business plan is not your final draft. Get the ideas out (details or not) and don’t be intimidated by the process.
Create a Badass Barbershop Business Description
Take some serious time to think about this part of your business plan. It’s one of the very first steps you’ll take when you begin crafting your plan, and it exists in this order for a reason.
The description of your barbershop is the piece of the puzzle you need to help blend everything together and form a complete picture.
When thinking about your description, consider logistical necessities like your barbershop name, location, legal business description, owner names, contact information, and so on.
You should also think about your mission statement. Your goals. Your hopes. Your dreams.
In other words, your barbershop business description should be creative and practical; it should be both grounded and lofty.
Take time to really pour your heart and your soul into this step to create an intelligent, informative, and heartfelt description that aptly describes what your barbershop is, what it’s all about, and how you can appeal to your target market.
Develop Your Marketing Plan
You don’t need to have every last detail pinned down for this (because marketing is complicated and intricate), but it is important to identify what you’ll provide, how you’ll provide it, and present a few actionable ways that you plan to attract your target market and retain your clients.
Research is essential to this step. Consider your budget, your team, your expertise in this area, and the potential risks you might face. Think about digital marketing versus traditional marketing, and how you might blend the two.
Will your marketing efforts be solely dedicated to digital avenues? Are you thinking of trying out a mix of old-and-new-school marketing? Will you be relying solely on word of mouth?
This is the time and the place to figure out what your main marketing plan is. Obviously, your marketing strategy isn’t static, so it will undoubtedly change over time. However, this is a great first start that can establish the foundation of your approach to marketing.
Start the Really Hard Stuff—Let’s Talk Financials
If you’re not someone who loves going over financials, this part is probably going to be a headache to get through, but it’s crucial to opening a barbershop, and it has to be done.
We highly recommend working with a financial or business advisor if you don’t feel confident in this type of work, but if that’s not in the budget, we suggest coming up with a plan that revolves around:
- Personal financial statements (for each owner of the barbershop)
- Balance sheets
- Income statements
- Cashflow statements
- Tax statements
- Receipts
- Bank statements
By familiarizing yourself with these documents, you can begin to paint a complete picture of the financial situation you are in and strategize a path forward. Without this essential information, your barber business plan is not rooted in reality, and you could quickly get into a sticky financial situation.
Solidify Your Services
It might sound self-explanatory, but you need to have the products and services you plan to offer mapped out before you embark on the journey of opening a barbershop or growing your current barber business.
Part of this process will be dictated by your unique interests and skillsets, but you should also factor in your market research, competitor analysis, and the opportunities you have identified to reach your target audience.
Just as your clients will influence the products and services you offer, the products and services you choose to provide will affect the type of customer that your shop attracts. It is a relationship of give and take, making your service plan incredibly important.
Do you plan to open a retail section in your shop? Develop your own product line? Specialize your services?
Answering these and other related questions will shape your daily operations, the equipment you need, and the clientele you serve.
Build Your Dream Team and Get Organized
Whether you have the ambition to build a massive network of barber shops in your region or you prefer the humble approach of becoming a solo barber, you will need a talented team on your side.
From financial experts and investors to industry brand partners and a network of your peers, surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people who can help bring your dream to life is a must.
In addition to assembling a team–whether you work directly with them or simply include them in your circle of influence–you will need to organize your business and the people involved in it. This means allocating responsibilities, catering to each individual’s talents, and ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
There’s Nothing Wrong with a Second (or Third) Opinion
Say it with us, people: there’s nothing wrong with asking for help.
If you’re not as business savvy as you wish you were (yet), asking for help and a review from a business advisor, a mentor, or a friend is a must. Even if you are comfortable with the ins and outs of creating a business plan, outside perspectives can help refine your plan in exceptionally valuable ways.
There’s no shame in wanting someone to review and critique something so important. It doesn’t mean that you’re not capable of handling a business yourself, quite the opposite; taking this step means you care so much for your business that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to ensure it’s going to be successful!
Select the Right Location
There’s a saying in business that location is everything, and while you can certainly find success as a barber in a variety of locations, including those that aren’t ideal, there is some truth to this belief.
As you plan your barber business, you should strongly consider what locations would be best for your goals and your dream clientele. Do you want high foot traffic? Would you like to be part of a larger community hub? Do you need to be in a certain part of town to attract your target audience?
These and other pertinent questions can guide you as you determine what location within your budget will best facilitate your needs and provide you with the opportunities necessary to flourish.
Invest in Equipment and Insurance
All the barbering talent in the world can fall flat if you are using rusty shears and other subpar equipment. Not only is it essential to invest in quality equipment that allows you to provide your target audience with the services they deserve, but it also creates a safe environment to host customers and do your best work.
The equipment you need will correlate to the services you plan to offer, so make sure that the two complement each other before you blow your budget on the newest or shiniest tools.
Before you put your equipment to use, you will also want to invest in barber insurance. If your tools allow you to provide exceptional services, insurance ensures that you can practice your skills with confidence and peace of mind.
Look for a policy that includes professional liability and general liability insurance for barbers. Comprehensive barber insurance coverage can save your finances, reputation, and future when things go wrong, even if the accident is not a direct result of your mistake.
Your Barber Business Plan Checklist
The tips mentioned here should give you the foundation you need to develop a solid barber business plan. While we can’t map out your plan for you–that’s a deeply personal activity–you can use the checklist below to ensure you have your bases covered.
- Perform Market Research
- Understand the Competition
- Identify Your Target Market
- Work Big Picture to Small Details
- Describe Your Business
- Mission Statement
- Company Description
- Create a Clear Financial Picture
- Solidify Your Products and Services
- Build and Organize a Team
- Gather Trusted Feedback and Opinions
- Choose a Location
- Invest in Equipment and Insurance
Remember, there’s no one, single way to create a business plan. Sure, there are elements every plan should include, but ultimately, as long as your plan is setting you up for success, you’re doing it right.
We’re all about learning and growing together—that’s what makes the barbering community so special. Drop your tips, comments, and questions below in our comment section and share your knowledge with the whole crew.
We hope this blog helped kickstart some business plan motivation. If you barbering pros out there loved the info we shared today, we’ve got good news: our blog is regularly updated with content just like this.
All of it is wholly designed to help you succeed, keep you in the know, and provide you with info that can help you further your career in a pinch. Subscribe to the National Barbers Insurance to stay updated!