Booth Rent salon owners are not your boss , they are your landlord
Q:
I’ve got a question, Does the owner of your booth rent salon make you stay all day when you don’t have a client ? I’m having issues trying to leave early and really want to make my own schedule and am not able to! I am really curious if this is all salons or just mine!
A:
oof! This one hit close to home for me. It’s one of those what in the actual fuck moments. I used to worked at a booth rent salon for years, and while the owner never tried to control my schedule there was definitely other ways where they treated us like we were their employees and not their tenants.
Let’s just call it what it is: if you’re a booth renter, you are a business owner. Period. End of sentence. No footnotes. No exceptions.
The salon owner is not your boss or your employer, they are your landlord. They do not pay you , you pay them.
You don’t need to ask to leave early. You don’t need permission to take time off. You’re not an employee. You’re a fully functioning, independent, rent-paying grown-ass professional.
Now… I will offer some grace to the salon owner here because the way you phrased this makes me wonder if you’re a newer stylist—and maybe they aren’t technically forcing you to stay, but strongly suggesting you should stick around for walk-ins to grow your clientele.
That said the part where you said “I want to control my schedule and I am not able to” is a red flag and does make me feel like the salon owner could be crossing some boundaries.
So, here’s what I’d recommend:
Before jumping to conclusions, ask your salon owner to have a quick, honest conversation for clarity. Or better yet send this in written via text or how ever you have written communication with the salon owner .
You could say something like:
“Hey, I just wanted to touch base about expectations. I’ve been feeling a little unsure about my ability to set my own schedule. I know you might be encouraging me to stay longer to help build my clientele, but I just want to clarify what our working relationship is, since I’m a booth renter and running my own business, I’d love to check in to make sure that we’re aligned on how that works.”
This gives them the opportunity to clarify their intention—or admit they’re overstepping.
If you find out the salon owner is actually trying to control your schedule—or worse, won’t give you access to manage it yourself—that’s a red flag. At that point, you’ve got two options:
1. Set boundaries. Clearly remind them that as a booth renter, your schedule, policies, and pricing are yours to control. Ask them to respect that.
2. Review your lease. Check for any policies / clauses that may give them more control over your business than they should have.
And if they aren’t receptive and it becomes a hostile environment time to look for a new salon.
Setting Boundaries with new Clients and the Salon owner
It was a stacked Saturday—back to back clients with my regulars and a couple new clients booked for blowouts. The salon was located within high wedding destination town.
My second client of the day was a new client coming in for a blow out but decides to ask the front desk if she can change it to an updo — before the receptionist could answer the salon owner chimed in with
“Oh yeah, she can absolutely do that for you!”
The receptionist gave me a heads-up (bless her). So I bring the client back and she starts pulling out updo Pinterest pics. I gently stop her to say:
“So, unfortunately, you booked for a blowout, which is a 60-minute appointment. An updo is a whole different service—1.5 to 2 hours depending on the style. I’m fully booked today, so I don’t have time to add anything.”
Her response?
“Well, your boss said you could do it so I think you should honor that.”
🙃
As my left eye twitched, I smiled politely and said:
“Actually… she’s not my boss. I’m a booth renter. I own and run my business within this salon. I don’t have the time today, but I’m happy to give you the blowout you booked. Let’s talk about how you like your blowouts.”
And look I understand that clients don’t fully understand how the business side of salons operate, so it’s really not her fault and she has a right to be annoyed since one person told her yes and then I had to tell her no. But I wasn’t about to run 30 mins to an hour late for my regular and loyal clients to be accommodating to a client who’s only in town for one weekend and I would never see again.
At the end of the day, I pulled the owner aside and said:
“In the future, when a client asks anything about my services, prices, or timing— please don’t speak for me. Just tell them:
‘You’ll need to check with your stylist during your consultation.’”
I get that she’s a people pleaser. But I’m not here to manage her emotions. I’m here to run my business.
Her ego didn’t love it. But I didn’t care, I needed to set my boundaries.
Lets break down the basics of what it means to be a booth renter :
When you are booth renter (in CA at least) you are required to have the below
A business license from the town you are working out of
Liability insurance
You are required to have these two things because again you are running your own business, you are not a W-2 or even a 1099 , you are running a business.
You should also have your own business banking account
You have to supply your own overhead
Color
Color supplies : gloves, foils , etc
Tools : blow dryers , brushes combs , etc
You are supplying everything your self
Your Clients Pay you directly, they don’t pay the salon
This means you should have your own POS ( point of sales ) System either Square or Stripe
You should have your own booking system + the salon should have a website with a photo + bio of you with the link to your booking system.
Or the salon should have a shared booking software where each stylists has their own login + merchant account
This means if the salon has a front desk and the client pays at the front desk through a shared Card reader that the Software will direct that money directly to your own bank account
Mangomint, Boulevard and Vagaro are all salon softwares that provide a shared booking system while each booth renter has their own merchant account.
What Booth Rent Salon Owners Can Do
Booth Rent Salon owners can set policies that will protect their business and the shared environment. But those polices should never cross the line into controlling how you run your business. And these policies should all be listed in your lease agreement.
Station use + Lease terms
Rent price : part time vs full time
Defining the specific days you are renting especially for part time renters
Because Part time stations can be split between two renters
Require advance notice if you are ending your lease or wanting to change your set schedule.
Or charging you a day rate if you want to come in an additional day every once in a while to fit in a client.
Salon owner not allowing you to sublease your station if you are going on vacation. Or charging extra for subleasing
Rent collection methods and late fees
Salon environment + Professional Standards
They may require a dress code to maintain the salons brand / image
Cleaning and Sanitation expectations for a shared space
Respectful of shared equipment/ salon bowls , mixing stations, and dryers.
Code of Conduct how you treat your clients and coworkers be respectful no harassment or bullying.
Salon operations, access and security
Opening and closing hours
Opening and closing protocols
What booth Rent Salon Owners Can’t Do
Set your Service Pricing or change them without your consent
Dictate what services you offer
Control your schedule — you can take time off whenever. Require you to be in salon when you don’t have clients - they get paid rent regardless
Tell you what clients you can or can’t take
Dictate your business policies - cancelations/ no show policies + fees
Require you to use their booking system
And one more thing to keep in mind—because this gets tricky.
Even in booth rent salons, we often see the salon owner as an authority figure. And listen, it is their brick-and-mortar business. They can set rules and policies to protect that space.
But things get blurry when they move from setting policies… to giving opinions.
Advice, suggestions, friendly guidance, it can be helpful but it can also feel like you are being told what to do. Especially for younger stylists new to the salon environment.
You’re allowed to listen, take in the info, and then decide for yourself if it aligns with your values, goals, and business model.
It’s not disrespectful to evaluate advice. It’s not rude to say, “Thanks for your input—but I’m going to do it this way.”
That’s not you being difficult. That’s you being a business owner.
If this hit home for you—you’re not alone.
This industry doesn’t always make it easy to know your rights, set boundaries, or stand in your business. That’s why I started this advice column.
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Let’s build something better—for all of us behind the chair. 💪
Disclaimer: The advice shared on Sometimes We Do Hair is based on personal experience and is intended for informational and peer support purposes only. It should not be considered legal, employment, mental health, or professional advice. We are not responsible for any outcomes, consequences, or actions taken as a result of following advice shared here—including but not limited to workplace conflict, disciplinary action, or termination. Please use your own judgment and consult a qualified professional when needed.