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.
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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, colors, 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, electricity, etc.
Mobile cons
- Driving, Driving a lot can add stress, especially if traffic is bad, which could have a knock-on effect on 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.
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