Being a self-employed hairdresser – things to know

Being self-employed is a dream for many, and it seems numerous people in the UK are taking the plunge at the moment.

If you’ve been thinking about doing it, hairdressing is a great career path to go down, which affords self-employment. If you’re thinking of doing this, we’ve listed a few things you need to know, below.

Things you need to know as a self-employed hairdresser

Essentials

The first thing you’ll need as a self-employed hairdresser is an array of accessories to ensure you can do an effective job. These items include:

• Range of scissors
• Hairdressing clips
• Powerful hairdryer
• Hair clippers
• Curling iron
• Salon style straighteners
• Hair products such as shampoo, conditioner, styling products, bleach, colours etc.
• Salon quality towels
• Mirrors
• Mixing bowls and brushes

All of these will need to be both professional and salon-quality, as investing in high-quality tools will give you instant confidence when it comes to doing your job.

Mobile v salon

When it comes to being a self-employed hairdresser, there are different choices you could make. These are:

• Mobile – this is when you go to and from client’s houses to do your job
• Salon – this is where you open up your own salon and operate a business

Obviously, each one comes with its pros and cons. So, if you’re not sure which one you’d be suited to, we’ve highlighted the pros and cons below.

Mobile pros

• Travel – you’ll always be out and about, as your work won’t be confined to one room
• Personable – you’ll get to know each client on a more personal level due to the nature of the job
• Flexibility – you won’t need to open up and close a shop, so your working hours are yours to choose
• Low overheads – as you won’t have a building to pay for, you’ll automatically save on rent, gas, electric etc.

Mobile cons

• Driving – Driving a lot can add stress, especially if traffic is bad, which could have a knock-on effect for clients
• Staff – or lack of it, meaning you’ll have to do every aspect of the job yourself
• Workload – while you’ll have busy periods, you’ll also have quiet ones, so you’ll need to prepare for this.

Salon pros

• Walk-ins – you’ll always have the chance to make new clients and get additional business with walk-in appointments
• Expansion – as your client base and brand name builds, there may be the chance to expand your business

Salon cons

• Costs – obviously, aside from rent etc, you’ll have start-up costs, which can be very pricey
• Limitations – This will depend on where you set-up, as you’ll mostly be limited to your area, which depending on its size and the competition, could be good or bad
• Flexibility – you’ll have to have set times, meaning you’ll probably have to stick to the regular 9 – 5

Insurance

Finally, don’t forget insurance to ensure that both you and your clients are covered. Aside from business insurance, if you open a salon or not, you should also look into the following:

• Business equipment cover
• Public liability insurance
• Employers’ liability insurance
• Personal accident insurance
• Business legal protection

Of course, there are other things to consider too, such as how much you’ll charge, but if you’ve always wanted to be self-employed, this handy list should help you on your way.

Featured image source: Freepik