Small day spa with a team of therapists

Local clients booking regular treatments, couples, gift buyers, and groups celebrating events.

Treatment fees, memberships and packages, gift certificates and retail product sales, with more rooms and staff increasing bookings.

• Managing and scheduling staff
• Customer service and hospitality
• Budgeting and local marketing

• Many states license therapists, estheticians and sometimes the establishment, check your state board
• Employee vs. independent contractor rules, and workers' compensation insurance once you hire
• Lease commitments and build-out costs for plumbing, ventilation and laundry
• General and professional liability insurance, and property insurance
• Health department and sanitation rules, which vary locally

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $25,000 to $120,000, depending on your lease, number of treatment rooms and build-out needs such as plumbing, ventilation and laundry. Lease commitments are worth reading carefully.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your location, team size and how often rooms are booked. These are revenue figures, not profit, and the estimates assume at least about 35 hours a week.

Check your state board's licensing for therapists, estheticians and sometimes the establishment. Check employee versus independent contractor rules, workers' compensation once you hire, health department and sanitation rules, and liability and property insurance.