As a stylist, it’s natural to want security when you’re first starting out, and working on commission can help to provide this. As your skills and confidence improve, however, you may want more, including control of your time, your earnings, and your clientele. Here are just a few of the benefits you’ll gain from renting a suite or booth in a salon versus working for commission.

1. Who’s the boss?

The greatest benefit of renting a chair or suite in a salon is that you are virtually your own boss. All the salon expects from you is that you pay your rent.

Rather than turning over a percentage of all that you earn, you can pay a flat rate. From there it’s up to you to set your schedule and even set your prices. If you’re interested in seeing how your earnings might compare to your current, commission situation, check out this profit calculator from Salon and Spa Galleria:

https://www.salonandspagalleria.com/profit-calculator/

What’s even better is that you’ll have facilities at your disposal that you’re not responsible for maintaining. Naturally, you’ll have to keep your own space clean, and you can certainly participate in cleaning around the shop if you have time and you’re so inclined.

Unlike a typical employee, however, you won’t necessarily be required to participate in maintenance or whatever other tasks the owner at a commissioned salon might set. There might even be staff on hand for such tasks. Like any independent business owner, you’ll have to manage your own clientele, inventory, and supplies, but the upside is that they all belong to you, so to speak.

2. Choose a salon you like

If you’re building your own business and expanding your clientele, you want to choose a salon that can help you to build a good reputation. Your workspace reflects on you, just as your behavior reflects on your workspace, so you want to choose a salon that suits your aesthetic, your clientele, and your career goals.

3. Flexibility

Not every stylist is going to fit in perfectly at every salon. When you rent a booth or suite instead of working as an employee at a salon, you enjoy greater flexibility to move if you need to.

Suppose you start out in one Dallas location and you struggle to gain clientele, or you clash with another stylist renting space in the salon. You can always move to a different location and take your clients with you. If you work for commission, the salon owns the clients in most cases, so if you decide to leave you’ll have to start all over.

4. Freebies

Many salons seeking stylists to rent space are willing to compete for your business in a variety of ways, such as offering opportunities for free rent for a set number of weeks, providing a personal web page and marketing programs, and even delivering complimentary WiFi and entertainment options (like HDTVs and cable service) for your clients to enjoy.

5. Run your own promotions

Renting a suite or booth in a salon allows for a good deal of autonomy, including the option to run your own promotions, such as offering discounts, deals, or coupons, or starting a referral program. It’s best to check with the salon owner beforehand, however, to make sure this is in keeping with the image the salon wishes to promote.

Be Your Own Boss and start the road to financial freedom.