Self-employed, freelance, gig worker, entrepreneur.
Whatever you want to call it, there’s truly no denying it, being an independent esthetician is an absolutely killer way to create the career of your dreams.
If you’re beyond ready to take the plunge and want to kickstart your freelance career as your own boss, then it’s possible being an independent esthetician is the perfect career choice for you. If you’re hardworking, determined, and super invested in your own success, then this career path is probably the perfect one for you—but undoubtedly, you’ve got some questions.
This post is all about introducing you to the concept of freelance esthetician work—you can also consider it your sign to take a deep dive into seriously considering foregoing a traditional esthetician gig for something a little more up your alley. Keep reading to learn more about this career path and to glean a little extra knowledge on some must-know freelance esthetician stuff to kick off your new career correctly.
What Exactly is an Independent Esthetician?
We whole-heartedly believe that every esthetician is different, and we absolutely applaud you for chasing down what’s perfect for you. Let’s kick this off by answering the most important question—what exactly is an independent esthetician, anyway?
The correct answer here is that there’s no one correct answer.
Usually, a freelance or independent esthetician is a self-employed esthetician who offers his or her licensed skills and top-notch services in the way that’s most convenient for them. For some, this means setting up a mobile esthetician shop. For others, this can mean renting chairs or booths in a myriad of salons, spas, or resorts. Others still will set up their own, permanent shops or booths and have their clients visit them there.
Ultimately, there’s no wrong way to be an independent esthetician—the one requirement is that you’re your own boss and you make your own business and career decisions.
The Top 5 Tips for Freelance Esthetician Success
Being your own boss kind of sounds like the dream, right? We think so, too.
But here’s the thing about being a freelance esthetician—there’s a lot of give and take.
Sure, you reap a ton of benefits, but there are some downsides, too.
At the end of the day, you’re responsible for your successes, your failures, your services, your brand, your reputation, and beyond—everything that goes into running a business is totally on you.
Seem overwhelming?
It totally can be, but with a little help, you’ll be on your way to independent esthetician success in no time.
Here are our top five tips for getting the ball rolling and getting your freelance career going.
Invest in Yourself, Invest in Your Education
When you’re employed at a salon or spa, one of the luxuries is that you don’t necessarily need t know who your audience is or worry about developing a brand—the employer takes care of those things, for you.everything you need to know about your specialty, but our industry is always evolving, and that means your quest for knowledge is never-ending. Ultimately, you’ll find more success when you invest in the idea that you’re going to be learning for the rest of your career (and the rest of your life). Whether this means getting on board with learning skills for the admin side of running your business or keeping your services fresh and your licenses up to date, there’s always an opportunity to continue your path toward optimal education.
Know Your Audience & Know Your Brand
When you’re employed at a salon or spa, one of the luxuries is that you don’t necessarily need to know who your audience is or worry about developing a brand—the employer takes care of those things, for you.
When you’re an independent esthetician, though, all of the audience demographics and branding fall into your lap. Depending on your attitude, this is either a little overwhelming or totally exciting (and, OK, maybe it’s a little of both)—either way, it’s absolutely necessary you get on board. You’ll need to get a solid grasp of who you’re trying to reach, what they’re looking for, and how you can solve their problems and pain points.
From there, you’ll need to design and maintain your brand so the audience you’re trying to reach can find you, relate to you, and develop a relationship with you.
Focus on Your Marketing
As an independent esthetician, you’re responsible for reigning in new clients and reaching that audience you worked so hard to pin down. How do you do that? One word: marketing.
Yep, as a freelancer, marketing is your job, and whether that means you’re putting in all the work or you’re hiring a professional to help, you’ll def need to focus your attention on getting your brand out there through a cohesive, effective digital marketing strategy. Focus on optimizing your website, capitalize on important digital marketing trends (we’re looking at you, TikTok), invest your time and energy into creating compelling and on-brand social media content (check out our Cosmetology Social Media Guide here), understanding SEO, and optimize your online presence to the best of your ability.
Prioritize Client Relationships (& Referrals)
We’re not saying that you didn’t have to invest time and effort into this if and when you worked at a salon or spa, but now, your client retention is totally on you—AKA, there’s no falling back on your establishment (because you’re the establishment now). Focus on developing and maintaining solid client relationships and don’t shy away from creating a dynamic referral program, either—clients love that stuff.
Opt for Professional-Level Coverage to Protect Your Career
Now that you’re on your own, you’re in charge of high-quality protection.
That means it’s up to you to safeguard your career, your finances, and your future.
It might sound super overwhelming, but top-notch esthetician liability insurance makes it easy.
Yeah, we’re pluggin’ our insurance—but it’s only because we’ve created esthetician insurance designed by estheticians, for estheticians. In other words, we’ve got the coverage, benefits, and peace of mind elements you need to succeed as an independent esthetician. And you know what? Seeing you succeed is our main priority.
Ready to kickstart your professional freelance career? Go for it.
No matter what type or style of independent esthetician career path you want to take, know that with enough determination, hard work, and fierce spirit, you can accomplish anything and everything you’re dreaming of.
This post was courtesy of the Elite Beauty Society. For advice, insight, and tips visit their website and blog. They also offer professional liability insurance and other member benefits for cosmetologists and skincare professionals.
NOTE: This post is strictly informational. The Euro Institute of Skin Care does not have any affiliate relationship with this company, and does not receive commission or compensation in any form.