For this task, I have been asked to research in to progression opportunities after college, rather than University. Some may choose starting their own business straight from college to be the route they want to follow. Although this holds much responsibility and may be extremely stressful, hard work usually pays off.
Starting your own business requires you to take charge and be your own boss; handling books, paying tax and insurances, ensuring to make profit, paying for wages/accommodation/fuel/products/equipment, budgeting, awareness of laws and regulations, building clientele, marketing, and much more.
There are a range of ways one can start their own business;
Recently, many people have begun to run their own beauty businesses from home; either in outhouses or spare rooms. This can be a positive as you will not need to worry about paying for extra rent or travel costs. The average salary is around £30,000 a year, however the products, services and pricing you offer can hugely vary this. Self employed MUA’s can usually earn between £40-£200 per appointment, depending on the type and occasion of the appointment. For example, you may charge £40 for a light glam make-up, and £200 for a bridal package.
Many Hair and Make-Up artists will also have mobile services. This means that they will use their own form of transport to reach a client at their desired location. Although this may allow for a wider clientele base, you will have to cover the cost of travel and potentially accommodation which may be a downside. Furthermore, a reliable car is necessary and you must ensure you have a back up (a friend you can always call on) in worst case scenario – because you can’t just not turn up to a bride on her wedding day if your car won’t start, that would have a hugely negative impact on your business.
Furthermore, many artists choose to rent a chair in a salon. As you will be working in a salon that has already established itself, you will not have to work so hard to build your clientele, as word of mouth and marketing from the salon will do this for you. However, renting a chair can cost between £50 a week/ or even a day depending on the size and status of a salon, therefore you will be paying additional fees. You must also consider whether the salon you are renting from has a good reputation, as people will most likely assume you are not great either if you’re working in a salon with bad rep. The average salary of a hair and make-up artist renting a chair in a salon is around £40,000 per year.
Megan Hoff 