Want some advice?
Aren’t you excited to have graduated from cosmetology school, pass your state boards and have your license to get that perfect job in the career you have chosen? With so many choices of where to work, who you will work with, types of services you want to concentrate on and one last thing, what type of path will you chose? W2 employee or Self-employed?
I’ll give you the simplest explanation of the two basic types of business operations available to the hair service industry. I have spent my entire career learning and teaching how the relationship between me with all my individual wants and needs and the hair industry I’ve dedicated my life to.
Work for someone or work for yourself?
Deciding which of the two business paths that you believe is best for you right now is all up to you. Both are I believe available because we can be separated by two types of stylist personalities. Your personality business route can and probably will change in the future but for now let’s concentrate on the present. Your immediate business type of choice is?
Types of Employment:
Direct employee W2: Being an employed stylist is the security type, where you are accountable to the owner of the business. You perform predetermined tasks described by your employer on the date of employment. Prices charged, your individual commission percentage to be paid on services and retail, hourly wage paid, hours worked, days to work, specific products you are to promote and many others (short version). You are held accountable by the salon owner as an employee and all final salon business decisions are to be made by the owner. The Owner is responsible for any decisions on the performance of the salon and the other employees of the business. As a W2 employee being directed on your career by a salon owner can have many positive aspects to consider, especially very early in your career. Some of the direction can be as simple as, which service you perform needs improving on, new ones to learn all together or getting product knowledge. Some stylists need constant forward direction to accomplish all the success this industry has to offer and that is great. If this, is you, go for it and find that salon and owner that will give you all the positive direction needed to succeed?
My advice, be a team player, participate in employee benefit programs available, work in unison with the company and not just for it.
Self-employed: Being self-employed is the freedom seeker type, this type gives you options, you are free to set up and work anywhere that is legally permitted. No asking another person for advice, charge any dollar amount, perform any service, wear any type of clothing and the list goes on-an-on. But the greatest use of the freedom I used as a self-employed stylist was to travel and train with the most talented people around this globe. There was no permission needed from any owner, if it were possible for me to take the time off necessary and just go! The choice of continued training and places to go and people to train with was unlimited. Having worked both types, self-employment is, “my go-to style”.
Being self-employed is best suited for those in this industry that love and insist on the freedoms offered because of the decisions made and being held accountable to the consequences of those decisions. Good-or-bad, it all starts and ends with you.
My advice, be responsible to and with the freedom you have as a self-employed professional. Decisions that have to be made are always easier to make when the bills are PAID.
Ok guys this is Buddy and I’m out of here. Check out the Buddy Sharp Hair Academy list of business courses and Let’s get learning.
