Are you ready to be your own boss? Yes employment is always one way to go, but due to the COVID situation, the job market has become quite fickle. Many stylists have found themselves out of work or had to take massive pay cuts to survive. Thankfully freelance work is slowly gaining popularity. Freelancing offers a number of wonderful benefits but it is not without its own limitations. Owning a successful freelancing  business requires confidence, determination and commitment. If you would like to learn how to succeed as a freelance hairstylist, stick around, you might learn a thing or two. 

Who is a Freelance Hairstylist? 

A freelance stylist is one not connected with a specific salon. They are self-employed hair professionals who are often mobile. A freelance stylist visits clients at home, on studio sets or provides services for functions such as weddings or parties. 

What are the Benefits of Freelancing? 

• Gives you control over which services to offer 

• You get to manage your schedule 

• Keeps you from paying rent 

• You get to earn the full credit of your success 

• You get to work in interesting locations

• Helps you develop a stronger connection with your clients.

As you can see, the rewards are in plenty, but working as a freelancer can be difficult at times. You will be responsible for your own failures and accomplishments. Let’s go through some of the challenges freelance stylists experience the most.

1. Managing your Clients

There are plenty of administrative responsibilities related to starting a hairstyling business. Be mindful that you will need to communicate with your clients, organize and schedule their appointments as well as set reminders. These tasks require a significant amount of time . Freelancers should also keep a database about each clients needs eg color formula, haircut and other preferences. 

2. Staying Current

When working in a salon, being in touch with current trends, tools and technology can be quite easy. Your colleagues and clients will bring fresh ideas to you everyday. However as a freelancer, you have to work twice as hard to stay current. Consider registering for continuing professional education as often as you can. Enjoy the chance to learn something new and network with fellow freelancers too. You will be surprised at how much you can gain. 

3. Tracking Reviews

Feedback from clients is extremely essential if you want to grow your business. You can expect clients to post reviews on platforms such as Salon Poa. Reading and responding to their comments respectfully irrespective of the outcome is crucial to your business. Negative reviews in particular can be very harmful if not handled the right way. Always try to offer a solution to the problem as opposed to being defensive. 

4. Marketing 

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to quite a high demand of in-home hairstyling services. The opportunities for you as a freelancer are endless, but you must connect with your customers first. Create a marketing plan, take advantage of social media to increase your visibility.  Platforms such as Salon Poa can greatly increase your customer base by allowing you to post some of your best work and access a great pool of clients from around Nairobi. Whatever you do make sure your work is seen and shared, you will be amazed at how many new clients that can get you.