Freelance 40/60 - Is it a good offer?

[helsbels]

Hi All

This is my very first posting/thread(?) but hopefully it will promote me from 'lurking geek' as Im affectionately referred to at the mo!

Although I am a qualified and experienced beauty therapist I work full-time in IT. I get paid well but the hours and travelling are starting to get to me and I want to have a more fullfilling work/life balance. I have been offered an opportunity to join a local salon on a 'freelance basis' where the split would be 40/60. I would take 40% on all treatments I do. The owner is quite busy and wants someone to come on board 2/3 days per week. This works fine as long as I have a fully booked day but when things are a bit quiet I could be sitting there and earning nowt! I worked at the salon over the Easter hols and I made £180 over the two days - obviously this is gross not net. It is also local to me, whereas currently I travel over an hour to work, adding 2 hours on my day.

I have to decide whether to take this offer or work as a mobile therapist building up my own client base.

I would love to hear your opinions!

 

[oey]

40% is very, very low. As you say you would need to be be very busy for it to be worth your while. What incentive is there for you when the owner would be making more from it than you.

Who will be supplying the products?

 

[helsbels]

Hi Theresa

Thanks for your reply - its so helpful to get advice from others.

She will give me 40% of the treatment cost. For instance, for a Guinot facial at £46 taking one and quarter hours - I would take £18.40. She would be responsible for the product cost and any other overheads. She provides the room, products, and anything else I need, she books me in clients, I turn up, carry out treatments and take 40% - that's it. It seems better than a basic hourly wage but the downside is if a client doesn't turn up - I don't get paid. Also, she wants me to pay for any training I would need to do. Im not sure where I would stand on insurance either but I can easily check that one out.

Do you think I would be better off just starting to build my own business?

 

[goldengirltan]

I agree and think that the split seems a little unfair, but when you take into accounting not having to buy products then I guess it kinda works out. Pro's and cons to both sides really...

I have just been through a similar situation, I've left my full time office job earning a fairly good wage every month to starting up my own business as a mobile therapist. I absolutely love what I do and so happy I made that change but I have to admit its very hard work! And the start up costs of having to buy all your own products is initially very expensive, eventually it will pay for itself but short term I'm broke at the moment. :cry:

I think it’s a great opportunity for you though and wish I had a similar opportunity. Have you thought about doing this job in the salon for a couple of days a week and working for yourself the other days? At least working in the salon to begin with will build up your experience again and you can learn from that. Then once you've got yourself a good clientele then you could think about leaving them?

At the end of the day all we can do is offer advice and wish you luck, you need to decide for yourself what is best.

Good luck though, be brave and take the leap, I did it and even tho its hard to start with I have no regrets!
:hug:

 

[blossom]

I wouldn't even consider taking that if it were me. It is very low even when you take into account that she pays for the products etc.

Can you not try to build up a clientele of your own? It would be so much more beneficial to you, financially and otherwise. :hug:

Like others on here, I took the plunge, I work from home and am really busy even though I don't have a shop front, obviously, it's mostly word of mouth referrals now. Once you have built up your clientele you will be going great guns!

I hope it works out for you whichever you choose xx

 

[oey]

If I was you helsbels I would not take this option.

I take it she will be dictating what days you work and what hours you work. If she is supplying all the products then I am afraid that what she is trying to do is against the Inland Revenue guidelines. Think about the other benefits that you wont get - holiday pay, sick pay, employee legal rights etc, etc. As for asking you to pay for your own training - that is just taking the P***!

The number of times I read about this type of situation I just feel that it is salon owners trying to take advantage of not paying somebody what they are entitled to. I apologise if this upsets or offends anyone but it is something that I really feel strongly about.

I agree that it is expensive to set up with your own products so I do understand, but I just dont feel this is the right way to go.

 

[helsbels]

Really appreciate the advice - I was thinking pretty much the same thing and your replies have really helped.

You're right, she did want to dictate hours, days, etc and also wanted me to supervise an NVQ2 as well as promise not to 'poach' any clients.

I think I will reduce the hours in my current job and start my own business - I have just moved into a new house and am having a conservatory added which I intend to use as my beauty room - it's in a nice location and with a lot of hard work and dedication Im sure I can make a go of it.

Thanks again and this time next year........who knows!

 

[sodabubble]

I would def listen to oey - she is a bit of a champion when it comes to things like this!
Good luck hels bels xx

 

[Top Tottie]

She wants to take 60% i would have just laughed at her!! For your hard work.. No no!!! Set up on your own and you will do well, it is extremely hard work but its incredibly rewarding.. Good luck in your new venture.. its exciting!!

Or you can supply your own products and pay rent to your owner that way she wont be able to dictate what days you work etc. You may be happier this way.

Let us know how you get on xxxx

 

[lublu]

just wanted to add my two penneth in - i pay my staff a salary but was talking to my hairdresser in the week about this very thing - they rent a room. sorry i dont know percentages but if they book a client in for you then they split 50/50 for first appt if that client comes back to you then it goes to diff % agreed by you both and this is the same % you would use for clients you generate yourself. Hope this helps and good luck.
xxxxx

 

[Zo Zo]

I'd like to put another angle on this...

I'm not really up with these things but I had a quick google to see what the minimum wage is and hmrc say it's £5.52 ph, so that's £193.20 (gross) for a 35 hour week. I have definitely seen beauty therapists jobs advertised locally to me for the minimum wage

Let's say you were lucky and got an extra £2 ph, say £7.50 ph, then you would get £262.50 (gross) pw, for 35 hours.

Bearing in mind that you can walk into the salon and work and potentially earn £18 ph, I think that's good!

I personally would rather build my own business, but when you consider it costs literally thousands to kit yourself out, plus you need a good advertising budget and time to get established, I think there's a good chance you wouldn't even break even in the first couple of years.

The salon owner has invested a lot of money in her business and she has built up a clientele. Equipment, products and clients don't come free of charge, so I would say 40 / 60 actually isn't bad.

Maybe you could try to negotiate to earn an hourly rate for your down time, and make sure you are working, maybe cleaning up and prepping during your down time. A friend of mine worked in a salon and earnt £10.50 ph whilst she was actyally carrying out treatments, and £7 ph the rest of the time, but she said she always made herself busy and the salon owners really appreciated that.