2 mins
Is being self-employed the future of the industry?
Yes
Blushes has been operating for four decades but in 2022, we introduced our Co-Working concept, in response to a swell of requests to be self-employed after the pandemic.
Co-Working covers all these bases, giving creative entrepreneurs a platform to build and grow their own business under the Blushes umbrella. We provide both a physical and digital space to support self-employed stylists through their journey to achieving their goals.
We launched this way of working in April 2022 and so far across our five salons we are at around a 50/50 split of employed and self-employed, with our goal to be at 80% co-workers by the end of the year. Both employees and coworkers work under the Collective and we’ve found productivity is much higher.
Our benefits include marketing support, creative opportunities, a 60/40 commission split in the co-workers' favour, stock, a reception to look after their diary, salon support staff and a salon manager.
We believe this is the future, in the same way co-working office spaces have surged in popularity. People don’t want to be told what to do, what to charge and what to wear, they want to work on their own terms. There are many coworking hair spaces that have been operating for much longer than we have, but what we provide goes above and beyond a “renta-chair” agreement. We want to help stylists grow their hair businesses. Being an independent hairdresser doesn’t have to mean going it alone.
We truly believe this is the future way of working, in the same way co-working office spaces have surged in popularity
BLUSHES COLLECTIVE MANAGING DIRECTOR DOM BLAKE
No
There are currently more employed stylists in the UK than self-employed, but in recent years there’s been a surge in stylists wanting to be independent. It’s a model that is popular in the US, but is still relatively new to British hairdressing. It’s great for those who have a profile, but for others it can be hard to attract clients and make the money you’re used to earning as employed. I believe hairdressing is flexible – it’s great for working parents and for ambitious people who want a successful column and creative opportunities. However, it’s also viewed as low paid and involving unsociable hours – this is an industry issue that needs addressing.
It’s easy to forget how great it can be to be employed. It brings security, training, products and assistants. Benefits are often taken for granted, but training, maternity, sick pay and paid holidays are the norm. Also, if a recession hits, a salon has a duty of care over its team. Plus, don’t forget there are many employed stylists who earn good money, take part in shoots all while juggling a column.
At Brooks & Brooks we have seen an up-turn in self-employed hairdressers coming back to an employed status; they miss the team and they prefer not to deal with the day-to-day admin. Being employed doesn’t mean you can’t have flexible hours, we work with our team to ensure shifts that work for everyone.
Being self-employed certainly has benefits, but everything needs to be considered before we make short-term gains rather than long-term investments.
Benefits are often taken for granted, but training, maternity, sick pay and paid holidays are the norm for salon stylists
CO-FOUNDER BROOKS & BROOKS, JAMIE BROOKS