Foot care studio in a rented room

Adults of all ages who want healthy, comfortable feet: older clients, walkers and runners, people on their feet all day, and those who don't want to go to a regular nail salon.

Price per appointment, often $50 to $120, plus add-on treatments and a few retail products such as creams. Repeat clients return every 4 to 8 weeks, and memberships or packages can smooth out income.

• Hands-on foot and nail care
• Hygiene and sterilizing discipline
• Customer service and rebooking clients
• Basic marketing and bookkeeping

• State licensing for you, and in many states an inspection or license for the space itself. Check with your state board
• Health department or board rules on sterilization, disposal of sharps and cleaning between clients
• Scope of practice: don't diagnose or treat medical conditions. Build a referral relationship with a local podiatrist
• General liability insurance, plus professional liability if available
• Lease terms, local zoning, and any signage or business license requirements from your city or county
• Rent is a fixed cost, so check you can cover it while building a client base

Startup costs are typically around $5,000 to $20,000, depending on your room or suite, sterilizing equipment and treatment chair. These are estimates. Rent is a fixed cost, so check you can cover it while building a client base.

Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $10,000, depending on how many appointments you book and your pricing. These are estimates, not guarantees, so check you can cover rent while building a client base.

Check state licensing for you and, in many states, an inspection or license for the space. Also check health department or board rules on sterilization and sharps, plus local zoning, lease terms and business license requirements.