Find out why Millennials are getting into the beauty industry as a freelancer.

Being a salon employee, working 9-5, not your type?

Reporting to someone, just following orders, working every day 9-5; if this is not your type, then welcome onboard.

What if we tell you you can still work as a Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, or Beautician without having to follow all these rules?

Be a freelancer!

What is freelance work?

Freelancers are self-employed, independent people who work for themselves. There is no specific workplace or company where one is restricted to work. They are their boss. They take up their own projects & work with clients they want to. They work on various projects & with different clients and provide their service.

To start off as a freelancer, what do you need?

Not much, just some basic things.

Remember, these things would act as an advantage while you freelance.

Formal training

Proof that you are professionally qualified to perform your job. It may be a training or course completion. It can also be a program certificate to give confidence to your client that you have received formal education on the subject you are working on. It assures them that you know your work well and they are in safe hands.

Testimonials

Strong positive words from ex-clients can do wonders to get new clients & instill their trust in you & the work you perform. Nothing is more powerful than word of mouth. It talks about your work rather than you having to speak,

Work reference

Share your last piece of work with people gives them insight into what things are you capable of & what have you delivered previously. Different parts of your work also showcase your versatility & your work precisely.

Tools

As you are working on your own, you are the one who has to be well prepared with all the tools & equipment that will be required to perform the task. Make sure you have the latest & good set of tools you may need for your work. This will help you be ready to perform any service & not be restricted.

The perks of working as a freelancer

To start off, you get to be your own boss. And there is more to it.

Read on to find out.

There is flexibility

You can work whenever you want, wherever you want & with whomever you want. You don't have to report precisely at 9 am every day at the same place. Here you can work as per your timing. There is no 9-5, which means there is flexibility in time. You create your own schedule & are in control of your time. You have the flexibility to choose your place of work, time, location, client, etc.

Balance of life & work

If you have personal commitments or other work, then working as a freelancer can help you balance both. A study showed that the number of female freelancers is more than the number of males. This means freelancing gives women the option to cater to their house, kids & a career smoothly, giving you a work-life balance.

You get to travel

Freelancing takes you to different places. You are not restricted or confined to just one place. Instead, you travel within the cities & also across the cities. If you have the permit & license, you can also travel to different countries. Sounds exciting, right.

To get to experiment & grow.

Here you have the liberty to take your own chances & experiment. You are answerable to yourself here. You become a self-learner. Freedom to do things your way, without any predefined job description & rules.

Build personal relationships

Isn't this what people want these days. To build personal connections, have meaningful interactions, understand what they need & deliver that. As a freelancer, you can interact with your client on one basis. Knowing about their needs better & helps you build connections with them for the long term.

Excitement

Working on new projects, meeting new people, traveling, always trying & experimenting, and learning. All these things are not meant for the faint-hearted. In Fact, this is what fills the freelancers with excitement and to look forward to the next day.

Want to open your salon

Every hairdresser dreams of opening their own salon. But the requirements to open one do not allow everyone to open a salon soon enough. Therefore freelancing helps one reduce these costs & still prepare themselves for being an owner in the future, from building clients to managing everything on your own. One can experience all this as a freelancer before making a considerable investment.

The drawbacks of working as a freelancer

With the right choices, drawbacks can be converted to growth opportunities.

One person army

As you are solely responsible for your work, you have no one to turn to, discuss, or look for guidance. Therefore, to succeed or to fail is all dependent on you alone. In a salon where you are surrounded by your co-workers. Here you don't have any team. You don't have anyone to learn from or either discuss.

The operational & miscellaneous tasks

Here, you will also have to look after minor tasks like being your marketing person, your own negotiating person, etc. In Fact, you manage your own expenses, bills, equipment, schedules, social media page & more. This means more work and more responsibility.

No guaranteed earning

As you are not working for someone, you aren't entitled to receive any fixed payments regularly. The standard perks like salary, holiday perks, and leave pay that comes as a benefit from a job are not what you will get here.

No regular work

As a freelancer, there may be days when you are packed with a tight schedule, but there are also days when you don't have any work. It all depends on the season & your work. But slowly, as you progress & build-up, your work will also start to be regular.

Tips for moving ahead in your career as a freelancer

Just as a coin has two sides, everything has its own set of pros & cons. But we can't deny the fact that freelancing is the future of the Beauty industry. Follow these tips to get yourself started & going.

Network with people

It is apparent that you meet & work with new & different people as you are on the go most of the time. Therefore it is crucial to network with them & build your contact. You will have to market yourself & your work. This will help make your client base and get you to repeat customers; they will talk about your work and refer you to your friends.

Keep learning & training.

You are your own boss & your own teacher. Invest in yourself. Develop new skills & keep track of the trend & keep yourself updated. Invest in attending new courses, taking new classes, and enrolling in training programs. All this will help you upgrade your skills.

Think like an entrepreneur

You have to be your own cheerleader & sell yourself to the clients. Persuade them to give you a chance & reasons to choose you over others.

Are you still thinking or scared?

If so, then try this while you start.

Take baby steps

Keep freelance as your side hustle. This means if you are still not confident about freelancing & leaving your permanent job is a risk. Then it would help if you tried freelancing as a side hustle, work as a freelancer on your holidays & off days. See how it is progressing & only then take a deep dive.

Gain enough experience

So here you are, the one doing all the work, so it's better to be confident & have a feeling that you can handle all this on your own. And the only experience will help you here. Having worked previously, having a client base will give you knowledge and confidence.

Let your work speak for yourself

The one thing that will help you is showcasing your previous work. This will showcase your talent at the forefront & help you attract new work & clients. Build yourself, build your career & build your brand. Set yourself apart.

Be seen

In today's time, being available on every platform has become the basics of any work. Be active on social media - Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest. Here is where usually your prospects may connect with you if they like your work.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Here is a list of questions that you should know before you take your first step as a freelancer.

Does my job allow working as a freelancer?

According to research by NHBF, 54% of those working in the hairdressing industry are self-employed. There is not a better job than fits best for freelancing than this. As it's all about building connections, building yourself & growing your work & potential. Freelancing will help you achieve all of this.

What if I don't get any work at all?

It may be challenging in the beginning. But it's not like you won't get work at all. That's why it's suggested to first have some client base & testimonials from your previous work experience. This would help you get work based on word of mouth & referrals.

Will I be getting paid enough?

Yes, as you are working for yourself, whatever you earn is yours. Obviously, after deducting all the expenses, you don't have to share the remaining amount with anyone else but you, which means more profit.

Again, you are not entitled to a fixed pay at the end of the month your job used to get you.

And remember, in the beginning, you may find it hard to earn a considerable amount of money, but that picks up quickly as your client base & work increase.

Will I be able to go back to working at a salon or any other option if I want to?

Ninety percent of people never shift back once they opt to become freelancers. But yes, you can move around to work at a salon or choose any other option you like. In Fact, being a freelancer will only give you an upper hand as you would hold experience & also have a solid client base.

Do I need to invest?

That's the upside of freelancing. It gives you a taste of running your own salon & being your own boss without heavy investment. As a freelancer, you don't have to invest in a place, advertisement, staff, etc.; this saves many costs. The only investment you need to make is in your tools & yourself.

As a freelancer, you have multiple options to consider. You can also create a niche in a particular category. One can choose from working for bridals & at weddings. You can choose to work at a film production for the actors. Another option is for models at events, shoots, ads, and photography sessions. Or the most versatile one is to be open to any & every kind of client base.

The options are limitless. You have to see what works for you & then build your niche.

Freelancing brings with it its advantages & disadvantages. You have your perks & your share of work too. If you are someone who loves to be their own boss & try out new arenas of work & love to keep networking & work on new projects.

Then you should try your hands at freelancing.

Do you have any questions for us? Please ask here; we shall get our experts to answer them.