Solo spa studio in a rented salon suite

Individuals looking for regular facials or massage, gift buyers, and clients who prefer a quiet one-to-one setting.

Fees per treatment, add-ons, skincare product sales, packages and monthly memberships. Your main cost is the suite rent.

• A professional license in your treatment, such as esthetics or massage
• Client communication and rebooking
• Social media and local marketing
• Basic bookkeeping

• State license for each treatment you offer, check with your state licensing board
• Professional and general liability insurance, and whether the landlord requires it
• Lease terms, rent increases and rules about hours or signage
• Health and sanitation rules for linens, tools and disinfecting
• Quiet weeks, since rent is due even when bookings are slow
• Local business license and sales tax registration if you sell products, check with your city, county and state

Startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on your treatments, equipment and the suite's lease terms. Rent is due even in slow weeks, so it helps to plan a cash buffer for quiet periods.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on your treatment menu, prices and how full your calendar is. Rent and other costs come out of that, and quiet weeks can affect it.

Things to check: a state license for each treatment you offer (ask your state licensing board), professional and general liability insurance, landlord insurance requirements, lease terms, health and sanitation rules, and local business license and sales tax registration.