What are the pros and cons of becoming a freelance beautician?

Over 60% of workers in the hair and beauty industry are self-employed, with this number having only gained traction during the pandemic. Working freelance is one method for self-employment that allows for ultimate flexibility. However, it isn’t without its downsides. 

If you’re trying to decide whether to set up your own freelance beautician business, we’ve amassed a list of all the pros and cons for you here. Browse the points and take note of which are the most important to you. You may find the pros vastly outweigh the cons, or there may be something on the con list that’s a deal-breaker.  

Pros

• Flexibility: You’ll get to decide everything about your work schedule, from hours to location. You may need a flexible appointment offering due to other responsibilities, or you could be juggling additional employment or studies. Whatever the reason, you’ll be able to set your own timetable.
• Relationship with clients: A lot of people stick with the same hair and beauty artists when they’re happy with the treatments they receive. Part of this is because they build a relationship with you and, if you’re a social butterfly, you may find this to be a very rewarding part of the role.
• Credit: When you work in a salon, your work isn’t really your own. Any loyal customers or talented work ultimately benefits the business, rather than you. When you’re freelance, you get the credit for your good work and reap the rewards. 
• Control: An in-house role doesn’t allow you to decide on your own treatments or equipment. You have to take your lead from the owners. Going self-employed means deciding on the sort of quality tools you work with best, from the perfect gel nail brand to the ideal hairdressing scissors.

Cons 

• Irregular income: You won’t have the kind of regular income you’re used to with a contracted role. Work may come in waves or be seasonal, so you’ll have to learn how to spread your income and expenses. 
• No employee benefits: There are many unseen benefits to working in-house, such as sick leave and holiday pay. However, you’ll have to charge enough to cover that self-allocated time, as no one else will pay it for you. 
• No team: If you thrive in an atmosphere of teamwork, you may struggle with the more solitary nature of self-employment.  
• Responsibility: You’ll be solely responsible for creating constructive relationships with suppliers, marketing your business to source clients and fulfilling your legal obligations, such as your yearly tax return.  
• Initial investment: Going freelance will require a big upfront investment to give you enough supplies to get yourself on your feet. No one will return if you don’t do a good job, but you may also need to pace yourself with a reduced menu at first.