How to: Start a Beauty Therapy business in Australia

Interested in joining the growing Beauty Therapy industry and owning your own business? Then set your sights on success and read our guide to starting a beauty business in 2020.

Step 1: Get qualified with a Diploma of Beauty Therapy

Earning a Diploma of Beauty Therapy at TrainSmart Australia means learning in a hands-on environment from some of the most experienced Trainers in the business. You might be a self-made beauty maverick or come to the course armed with a passion for helping people to look and feel their best; either way, you’ll graduate with:

  • Knowledge and practice of beauty treatments
  • Skills to start and run a successful salon
  • Retail and tailored treatment knowledge
  • Technical proficiency for tricky treatments

Once you’re qualified, it’s time to go from Beauty Therapy student to beauty salon boss.

Starting a beauty salon in Australia

Find your niche

Before you get serious with setting up a business (see the next step) we advise you to do your research, as well as some soul-searching. Establishing a business in a competitive market requires a thought-out strategy, not just for the first few months but for sustained growth over time.

  • What are your favourite treatments to administer? What are you best at?
  • Beyond a Diploma of Beauty Therapy, are there accreditation courses for certain skills?
  • How many other salons work in your niche?
  • Who is your target market?

The legal bits

Every business has baseline requirements for things like tax, financials and marketing:

  • ABN or ACN
  • Financial (business) structure
  • Registered business name
  • Property lease
  • Website and/or social media presence

On top of those standard requirements, beauty salon owners may require licences and insurances to protect clients (and the salon) from financial or health concerns:

  • Hygiene and safety standards
  • Professional insurance and public liability insurance
  • Permits and licences
  • Liability waiver
  • Cancellation policy
  • Equipment leasing and maintenance

Finding clients

How do you find your first client? What about your second, third, and hundredth client? Starting a beauty business is one thing, but the most successful salons retain a loyal client base while enticing more people through the doors.

Hopefully, your clients gush about your services and your client book grows organically. This is also where an active social media presence, advertising, and the business acumen gained in our Diploma of Beauty Therapy course will set you apart.

Study Beauty Therapy in Perth

We’re thrilled to re-open our doors to Diploma of Beauty Therapy students in 2020, with strict health and hygiene measures combined with blended online/in-person learning.

Download our Beauty Therapy brochure or apply online today to get qualified in 2021.

A Diploma of Information Technology develops troubleshooting, networking, cyber security, cloud and virtual computing, and the communication skills ICT roles need. Here is what each area involves.

Last updated: October 2026. Every figure below comes from an official Australian source, chiefly the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the …

Choosing the right health and community services course depends on who you want to support, the type of work you want to …

Harm minimisation in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) is an approach that aims to reduce the health, social and other harms associated …

Most youth workers hold a Certificate IV or Diploma of Youth Work, complete at least 100 hours of placement and hold a Working with Children Check. Here is the full pathway, and what a Diploma really costs to repay.

The cost of a Diploma of Community Services (Case Management) in Australia varies depending on the training provider, where you live and …

Ready to learn more?

If you liked this blog post, you’ll love our courses.

Ready to learn more?

If you liked this blog post, you’ll love our courses.

Please Note: We are unable to enrol international students at this time.