Thinking About Starting a Beauty School? Insights from the ANHC PRO Business Mastery Series

Elaine Truesdale
Aug 19
2 min read

The ANHC PRO Business Mastery Series is designed to give beauty professionals the tools and knowledge to grow beyond the chair. This live webinar series happens every 1st and 3rd Monday through the end of September, then takes a break for the remainder of the year. Each session focuses on practical strategies for building lasting businesses in beauty.

Our most recent session featured Carla Jones, a powerhouse in school ownership and accreditation. Carla has been in the beauty industry since the 1980s, first as a nail tech and stylist before moving into school ownership. She went on to serve as a regional director for Empire Beauty Schools, overseeing 38 campuses, and later became a peer evaluator for NACAS accreditation, visiting schools nationwide to assess compliance and performance. With decades of experience in operations, regulation, and leadership, she is the go-to guide for anyone considering school ownership.

Key Takeaways from Carla’s Session

1. Owning a School Is Not the Same as Owning a Salon

Transitioning from behind the chair to school ownership is not a lateral move—it’s a leap into for-profit education. That means regulation, compliance, audits, and accountability for student outcomes, not just running classes. Carla emphasized that the owner’s role is closer to a campus president than a stylist-educator.

2. The Beauty School Landscape

There are about 5,000 beauty and barber schools nationwide, but only around 1,500 are accredited. Accreditation matters because it opens the door to Title IV funding (federal financial aid). Without it, most schools must rely on cash-pay tuition, which can be a major barrier for students and a cliff for owners.

3. Outcomes Drive Everything

Accrediting bodies require schools to meet minimums such as 50% graduation, 60% placement, and 70% licensure. Falling below these benchmarks can cost a school its accreditation—and with it, Title IV funding.

4. Capital and Compliance Are Non-Negotiable

Launching a sustainable school requires serious resources. Carla shared benchmarks:

Survival launch: $250K–$350K
Sustainable launch: $500K–$750K
Multi-program standard: $1.2M–$1.5M

Equally important is starting compliance and accreditation prep before opening. Waiting can delay financial aid eligibility by 4–5 years.

5. The Four Mastery Quadrants (EISO)

To succeed, school owners must master four interconnected areas.

Enrollments (admissions systems, compliant messaging)
Instruction (modern, effective curriculum)
Student Services (retention, progression, career placement)
Operations (finance, audits, regulatory compliance)

Most owners fail when they underestimate admissions or try to teach full-time instead of leading.

6. The Future: Hybrid and Apprenticeship Models

Many states and accreditors now allow up to 50% of theory hours online. Apprenticeship pathways are also expanding, creating new opportunities for schools that stay ahead of regulation.

The Bottom Line

Carla’s message was clear: school ownership can be rewarding, but only if approached with the right preparation, capital, and compliance mindset. It’s not just a bigger salon—it’s running a regulated educational institution.

Ready to Explore School Ownership?

If you’re serious about starting a school, Carla Jones has built STARTUP, a program designed to guide beauty professionals through the capital planning, compliance, enrollment, and accreditation process step by step.

👉 Learn more at https://www.thebeautyschoolgroup.com/startup

📩 Or reach out to Carla directly at carla@thebeautyschoolgroup.com