5 Things Every Sunless Pro Should Know Before Starting Their Business

So you want to start a spray tan business. Maybe you've been spraying your friends for free and they keep telling you to charge. Maybe you've gotten one too many bad tans and thought, I could do this better. Maybe you're just ready to bet on yourself.

Whatever got you here, understand this: knowing how to spray tan and knowing how to run a business are two totally different games. And the industry isn't going to warn you about that because it profits off you learning the hard way.

We're not about that. So here's what you actually need to know before you dive in.

1. Your Formula Is Everything–And most formulas on the market today just don’t meet The STANDARD.

You can have perfect technique, flawless customer service, and a killer Instagram, but if your solution is trash, your business won't last.

Most spray tan solutions on the market were made for one skin tone and then stretched to fit everyone else. They oxidize weird. They fade fast. They turn people patchy, gray, or just off. And guess who takes the fall? Not the solution. You.

So before you commit to a product, test it. On different skin tones. In different climates. On clients who sweat, who work out, who live real lives. If your formula can't handle diversity and real-world conditions, find one that can. 

And yeah, we're biased—but there's a reason ALT SUN was built with pros like you in mind. Because we got tired of watching talented artists get dragged for formulas that were never going to work in the first place.

2. Insurance Isn't Optional, It's Survival

You can skip a lot of things when you're starting. A fancy studio. Expensive equipment. A website that looks like it cost five figures.

You cannot skip liability insurance.

One allergic reaction. One client who claims you ruined their wedding photos. One slip on a wet floor in your spray room. That's all it takes to wipe out everything you've built if you're not covered.

Get insured before you spray your first paying client. It's not sexy, it's not fun, but it's the difference between a setback and losing your entire business. Don't learn this one the hard way.

3. Your Brand Is Not Just Your Logo

A lot of new spray tan artists think branding is about having a cute name and a pretty Instagram feed. And sure, aesthetics matter. But your brand is actually how people feel when they interact with you.

Do they feel seen? Do they feel rushed? Do they trust you to make them look good, or are they nervously checking the mirror the whole time?

Your brand is your energy, your consistency, your ability to make every client feel like they're the only one that matters. It's showing up on time. It's answering DMs. It's remembering that someone's getting married next week and asking how prep is going.

The spray tan is the product. The experience is the brand. And the experience is what keeps people coming back and telling their friends.

4. You're Going to Lose Clients to Price, and That's Fine

There will always be someone cheaper than you. Always. Someone spraying tans out of their garage for $25. Someone using a bottle they bought on Amazon and a gun they got on sale.

And some of your potential clients will choose them. They'll pick price over quality, convenience over expertise, and that's their call to make.

Your job is not to compete with the cheapest option. Your job is to be so good, so consistent, so worth it that the clients who value their skin, their time, and their results will pay your rate without flinching.

Know your worth. Price accordingly. And let the bargain hunters go find their bargain. You're building a business, not a clearance rack.

5. This Industry Needs You to Care About Everyone

Here's the thing the spray tan industry won't tell you: it's been exclusionary for a long time. And if you're starting a business now, you have a choice. You can keep that going, or you can be part of changing it.

Learn to tan all skin tones. Not just the ones you're comfortable with. Not just the ones that are "easy." All of them. Take the time to understand undertones, depth, how different formulas work on different melanin levels. Invest in training. Work with mentors who actually know what they're doing across the spectrum.

Because every time a client with deeper skin walks into an appointment and gets told "I don't really know how to tan you," the industry loses. And more importantly, that person loses—again.

You have the power to make your business a place where everyone feels seen, valued, and confident walking out. That's not extra credit. That's the baseline.

The Real Work Starts After You Start

Starting a spray tan business is exciting. It's empowering. It's yours. But it's also going to test you in ways you didn't expect.

You're going to have clients who no-show. Products that don't perform the way you hoped. Days when you question if it's worth it. And then you'll have a client who tears up because they feel beautiful for the first time in months, and you'll remember exactly why you started.

The sunless industry doesn't need more people just trying to make a quick buck. It needs pros who care about the craft, the clients, and doing it right. If that's you, welcome. We need you here.

Build it right. Build it for everyone. Build it to last.