Massive career change - becoming a barber
Discussion
After a career in HNW financial management and then a very short stint with a FTSE100 insurance company I've felt a little lost. I've been looking for jobs but nothing seems to be available, especially in my new home town (west Wales). I've always been interested with style/fashion and recently couldn't get a haircut as they were fully booked for 4 days - and that got me thinking. I've found a barbering course - 9 weeks of intensive training. I appreciate financially I'll earn a lot less than I was use to, I'll be on my feet a lot - but I'll get to meet nice people, it's a trade not affected by technology, if I have my own place I can incorporate other aspects to make more money, I'm in control.
What am I missing? I'm meeting the training course person tomorrow.
What am I missing? I'm meeting the training course person tomorrow.
If you don't have your own premises you will be beholden to the booking, and setting of a registered business.
You may find someone you gel with but to keep your 'bums on seat' you'll need to be active, and contributing.
Without a client list you may find that jump into consistent income rocky to start.
You may find someone you gel with but to keep your 'bums on seat' you'll need to be active, and contributing.
Without a client list you may find that jump into consistent income rocky to start.
Petrus1983 said:
After a career in HNW financial management and then a very short stint with a FTSE100 insurance company I've felt a little lost. I've been looking for jobs but nothing seems to be available, especially in my new home town (west Wales). I've always been interested with style/fashion and recently couldn't get a haircut as they were fully booked for 4 days - and that got me thinking. I've found a barbering course - 9 weeks of intensive training. I appreciate financially I'll earn a lot less than I was use to, I'll be on my feet a lot - but I'll get to meet nice people, it's a trade not affected by technology, if I have my own place I can incorporate other aspects to make more money, I'm in control.
What am I missing? I'm meeting the training course person tomorrow.
What you’ll be missing more than anything is probably stress!What am I missing? I'm meeting the training course person tomorrow.
Not to mention if your town gets targeted by the money-launderers (which one hasn't?). A 9 week "intensive" training course won't make you a very good barber, it will make you at best a competent one.
The worst hairdresser to employ is a new one-they don't have any client list to sustain their wages so you're not exactly a hot commodity.
If you're good, plan on building a client list over about a year and not earning a great amount until then if self employed or renting a chair. If renting, expect a 60/40 split until you're really busy then you might get 50/50.
I your "employer" or "landlord" rents you a chair and claims you don't have to pay VAT as every barber is and individual entity expect some exciting conversations with the VAT man when the time cometh.
Anything else? Ask away. Up until around two years ago I had many years experience across that industry.
The worst hairdresser to employ is a new one-they don't have any client list to sustain their wages so you're not exactly a hot commodity.
If you're good, plan on building a client list over about a year and not earning a great amount until then if self employed or renting a chair. If renting, expect a 60/40 split until you're really busy then you might get 50/50.
I your "employer" or "landlord" rents you a chair and claims you don't have to pay VAT as every barber is and individual entity expect some exciting conversations with the VAT man when the time cometh.
Anything else? Ask away. Up until around two years ago I had many years experience across that industry.
Then it's all about building clients and from a similar genre I can tell you communication, perceived generosity and goodwill, and respect will see you through.
Be genuine.
Love your clients.
They'll market you!
My friend cuts the 'famous' hair... but she makes more from Doris and her 'free' fringe trim, and accomodating Saturday morning rebook than anything Central London offers.
Which is genuinely mind-boggling.
(South-East.)
Be genuine.
Love your clients.
They'll market you!
My friend cuts the 'famous' hair... but she makes more from Doris and her 'free' fringe trim, and accomodating Saturday morning rebook than anything Central London offers.
Which is genuinely mind-boggling.
(South-East.)
A few years ago I was in Canterbury on a Saturday and it seemed that every other shop was a barber shop.
There must have been a dozen barber shops within a few yards.
At a couple of locations there were young blokes queuing out the door. They were queuing for the current in fashion barber who could do the sick layers and the undercuts.
Many other barber shops were empty except for the barber waiting.
Maybe word will get around and the customers will move on so the barbers with no work soon be the ones in fashion and the ones who have all the customers now will be loose end.
Sorry I don't know if that story helps or not.
There must have been a dozen barber shops within a few yards.
At a couple of locations there were young blokes queuing out the door. They were queuing for the current in fashion barber who could do the sick layers and the undercuts.
Many other barber shops were empty except for the barber waiting.
Maybe word will get around and the customers will move on so the barbers with no work soon be the ones in fashion and the ones who have all the customers now will be loose end.
Sorry I don't know if that story helps or not.
TownIdiot said:
What's the going rate for cut in west wales?
Work out how many you need to do to hit your future income target and see if it's realistic.
I'd imagine it's an awful lot of 12 quids to to get to where you need to be.
12 quid... when did you last get your hair cut... 1995 Huddersfield.Work out how many you need to do to hit your future income target and see if it's realistic.
I'd imagine it's an awful lot of 12 quids to to get to where you need to be.
Antony Moxey said:
What you’ll be missing more than anything is probably stress!
Absolutely. Genuinely have no complaints about my precious career - it afforded me more than I'd have thought possible, but always felt like Dairylea slices vs an authentic Brie. I've never been overly money focused. PRO5T said:
Not to mention if your town gets targeted by the money-launderers (which one hasn't?). A 9 week "intensive" training course won't make you a very good barber, it will make you at best a competent one.
The worst hairdresser to employ is a new one-they don't have any client list to sustain their wages so you're not exactly a hot commodity.
If you're good, plan on building a client list over about a year and not earning a great amount until then if self employed or renting a chair. If renting, expect a 60/40 split until you're really busy then you might get 50/50.
I your "employer" or "landlord" rents you a chair and claims you don't have to pay VAT as every barber is and individual entity expect some exciting conversations with the VAT man when the time cometh.
Anything else? Ask away. Up until around two years ago I had many years experience across that industry.
Hey PRO5T - this is a bit different from our usually F1 talk! The worst hairdresser to employ is a new one-they don't have any client list to sustain their wages so you're not exactly a hot commodity.
If you're good, plan on building a client list over about a year and not earning a great amount until then if self employed or renting a chair. If renting, expect a 60/40 split until you're really busy then you might get 50/50.
I your "employer" or "landlord" rents you a chair and claims you don't have to pay VAT as every barber is and individual entity expect some exciting conversations with the VAT man when the time cometh.
Anything else? Ask away. Up until around two years ago I had many years experience across that industry.
The girl I'm seeing has a very successful hair dressing company - she's going to ensure I'm more than just the '9 week' product.
It's funny you say about money laundering - I was literally just saying to my friends in the local I don't know how much my Turkish barber actually makes from barbering. His phone seems to ring a lot - but he only speaks in Turkish so who knows. Good hair cut though!
Petrus1983 said:
Absolutely. Genuinely have no complaints about my precious career - it afforded me more than I'd have thought possible, but always felt like Dairylea slices vs an authentic Brie. I've never been overly money focused.
Were you not the poster who said if your earned less than £100k you were not living life and you should sacrifice everything for the dime? If it was you, I am curious about your journey and how you became enlightened. Others may benefit from your experience. EmailAddress said:
TownIdiot said:
What's the going rate for cut in west wales?
Work out how many you need to do to hit your future income target and see if it's realistic.
I'd imagine it's an awful lot of 12 quids to to get to where you need to be.
12 quid... when did you last get your hair cut... 1995 Huddersfield.Work out how many you need to do to hit your future income target and see if it's realistic.
I'd imagine it's an awful lot of 12 quids to to get to where you need to be.
Antony Moxey said:
What you’ll be missing more than anything is probably stress!
It's actually what most aspiring hairdressers and barbers hate the most. It's a very performance related industry, you are judged on every single thing you do.Second to that are the long, unsociable hours to make it work. People do not want a cut at 9am on a wednesday although if you're good they will come then.
They want evenings after work, they want weekends and Friday nights. I didn't actually consider it too much until I stopped and I realised what an utterly s
t working timetable I had.EmailAddress said:
12 quid... when did you last get your hair cut... 1995 Huddersfield.
Macclesfield last month!Will pay a lot more in town every so often but that's about the going rate here.
And he's in west Wales.
At 15 quid a cut will you earn enough cash to get where you need to be?
If so why not go for it?
h0b0 said:
Petrus1983 said:
Absolutely. Genuinely have no complaints about my precious career - it afforded me more than I'd have thought possible, but always felt like Dairylea slices vs an authentic Brie. I've never been overly money focused.
Were you not the poster who said if your earned less than £100k you were not living life and you should sacrifice everything for the dime? If it was you, I am curious about your journey and how you became enlightened. Others may benefit from your experience. Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff