Since I became a chair renting stylist instead of a commission stylist, I've been receiving so many questions from local stylists & clients about what is the difference. Let me try my best on filling ya'll in on what I've noticed and what becoming your own boss is all about #girlbossgang.
When you first step into the world of hair, this will be one of the decisions you'll need to make. Which one is the best option for you! Chair rental is a lot like when you rent a condo or rent anything really. You are the tenant and you have a 'landlord'. You have total control over your business, you make your own hours, you are your own brand. You are you're own boss, you do what you have to do for yourself to become successful. You buy you're own colour, and in some agreements with chair rental, back bar products (shampoo, styling products etc) are included in the chair rental price. You sign an agreement, and pay a payment once a month, put some money away for taxes, and the rest is yours!
Pros that I've noticed with chair rental so far is, you have complete control of your schedule, and with being a mom of two littles now, I totally needed that. Whether it was one was sick, no daycare one day, etc. I can work as much or as little as I want, which is retrospect makes me want to work more because I really don't have to if I don't want to which makes me enjoy it even more, if that makes sense LOL. (all the mental games). It makes it easier to make work life happy and family life happy.
Now, there's commission base, which is the complete opposite of chair rental. Its more of our traditional way of work, you're the employee and you have your boss. Normally stylists who work commission base earn a small percentage of what they bring in through their services on their clients. Which is usually made up when you first get hired the percentage, whether it be you do 50/50 or 45/50, whatever your employer decides. With that though, they provide all your product. They set your work schedule/hours, and expect you to work and rules to follow.
When commission base, your employer is responsible for taking your payments, control of your clients and information. All that fun adult stuff, like taxes. Which, when you're first starting out is totally a comfortable way to work when you don't have a full clientele.
I was always intimidated about moving to chair rent because I didn't know much about it, I didn't know what all I had to do or what it would take. Would it be stressful? Could I do it? SO if we're being honest, its not much more then what I was already doing as a commission base stylist. The big difference, I see all my numbers, I have a separate account I put a percentage away that I make everyday for taxes & order my colour. The rest, is I come to work, do what I love, leave when I want to. I order my own colour, which I can write off at tax time. Keep all my receipts, really, thats all thats different!
Another thing I didn't know is now, the government of Canada now allows chair rental stylists to pay into EI! Which is amazing for my fellow stylists who are still wanting kids, and for me, since I'm done having kids, just incase something happens! I know thats one thing a lot of stylists didn't know!
In the end, its really what you're comfortable with, and maybe commission base is totally what you're just comfortable with, you like to go to work and leave it there. Or maybe you're just starting out, which in my opinion, is the better route to build your clientele til you can move to chair rental. BUT, if you have a full clientele and have been thinking and pondering the thought of chair rent, DO IT. I did it, and literally, its such a thrill knowing I'm my own boss, I'm in control, I see all my numbers everyday, I do what's good for my clients and for my family.
Have any more questions? Thinking about chair rent but want to know more? Send me a message, I'll totally answer as best as I can with anything you want to know! Also, here at Blond Studio, we have one more chair til we're full! So don't wait, make the move, become your own boss, its 2021, what are you waiting for?
Til next time loves, xo.
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