EssenceLabs Hair Studio Business Plan — Appendix C: Risk Register

Detailed risk register scoring likelihood and impact across market, operational, financial and staffing risks with named mitigations.

Appendix C: Risk Register

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Risk

Likelihood

Impact

Mitigation

Owner

Chair utilisation below plan

High

Very High

Diary managed on contribution per chair-hour; colour steered midweek; junior manages development time; discount-day yield programme. Six points is worth R512k of Year-3 EBITDA.

Founder

Stylist recruitment shortfall

High

High

Apprentice pipeline from Year 1; the category is labour-constrained and external recruitment under pressure is expensive and slow.

Founder

Senior stylist departure with her column

Medium

High

Column ownership, salon-held formula records, apprentice cover, founder-anchored colour book. A full column is 5 to 8% of revenue.

Founder

Facility limit reached

Medium

Very High

Sized at R650k against a R500k modelled peak; Year-4 maintenance capital of R140k is deferrable; quarterly utilisation reporting gives early warning.

Founder and lender

Covenant breach in Years 1 to 3

High

High

Covenant holiday through Year 2, 1.00x at Year 3 and 1.25x from Year 4, agreed at closing rather than renegotiated later.

Founder and lender

Seasonal cash pressure in January

High

Medium

R520k working capital reserve; December takings treated as float rather than profit; stock and bonuses scheduled against the December inflow.

Founder

Load-shedding or water interruption

High

Medium

Inverter, battery and water storage funded in the fit-out; an unsold chair-hour cannot be recovered.

Founder

Product cost above plan

Medium

Medium

Colour weighed to formula at a locked colour bar; two suppliers; monthly stock count. Worth R58k a year on the Year-3 book.

Salon manager

Rent above target at renewal

Medium

High

Renewal options with defined escalation negotiated before signing; rent is 21.7% of Year-1 revenue and contractual.

Founder

Fit-out overrun or delay

Medium

High

Fixed-price contract with a completion date and damages; licensing lodged during construction. A quarter’s slip costs roughly R180k of first-year contribution.

Founder

Price resistance

Medium

Medium

Prices escalate at 6% against clients who stretch intervals rather than leave; the utilisation effect is managed through the diary.

Founder

Health or licensing failure

Low

Very High

Certificate of acceptability obtained before opening; chemical waste contract; monthly hygiene audit.

Salon manager