Episode 4: Part 1 of 3: The 3 Things They Don’t Tell You About Being a Personal Stylist and Running a Business
So, you wanna become a personal stylist? Join us on this three part series as we break down what it’s REALLY like to run a business, things they don’t tell you, and what you’ll need to do to succeed.
The 3 Things They Don’t Tell You About Being a Personal Stylist and Running a Business
It takes business savvy and the ability to Google things, ask questions of those who have been there before you and an ability to rely on yourself.
This is something I didn’t realize when I started my journey as a personal stylist. Yes, I took some classes, but I had NO idea what I was doing or how to run a business. Fortunately, I happened to clean the closet out of someone who would become my mentor and the things she taught me about running a business were invaluable. Whatever you do - get a mentor, a coach, take courses, and ask questions, GOOGLE yourself into running a business. Learn all you can about marketing, sales, copywriting, newsletter, social media strategy, financials, profit/loss. When you first start, you’ll be wearing all of those hats. Support systems are critical but above all - as a personal stylist with your own business, it’s IMPERATIVE that you become self-sufficient in finding out your own answers. After all - they are already inside of you - you’ll have to do a little digger and NOT rely on someone else telling you the best path.
It takes creating a business, not a job.
A study from The Alternative Board says: “The average entrepreneur spends 68.1% of the time working “in” their business—tackling day-to-day tasks, putting out fires, etc.—and only 31.9% of the time working “on” their business—i.e. long-term goals, strategic planning.
When you run a personal stylist business and are first starting, most of your time is spent working IN the business - hustling clients, going to closets, shopping, and admin time. But if you don’t carve out time to work ON The business - your business will suffer and you will experience burn out. You will have created just another job - which is probably not why you wanted to be a stylist in the first place.
Creating a business means structuring your work in ways that will give you time to market, connect with prospects, write newsletters and keep your books - and charging accordingly to support that. If you want to have a 40 hour work week, plan on scheduling 20-30 direct client hours and leaving the other 10 for yourself.
It won’t come easy.
Starting anything new only succeeds with three things: patience, persistence, and perseverance.
You will have set backs and failures. You will pivot. You will start over. It will take hustle and saying yes to ALL Of the things. It will be all consuming. It will take TIME.
I am the first one that will preach against hustling, working 24-7, sleep being for when you’re dead, and all that jazz. But I also know the power of doing all of the things in order to expand and build your network and relationships, in order to land one job that will get you to the next, in order to get that “free” exposure that builds your resume and portfolio or helps you sign your dream client.
You may work for 1, 3 or 7 YEARS before your business allows you to go full time. In her book, “Everything is Figureoutable,” business and life coach Marie Forleo writes that it took HER 7 years of doing side jobs and waiting tables before her coaching business could stably support her.
The old quote that says: “love what you do, do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” - Is a lie. As a business owner, you will be working every day, maybe some days too long, and it will be all consuming - you will think about it at night, during the day, when out with your kids - as an entrepreneur your brain is naturally overflowing with ideas - ways to make things better, new things to try for clients new stores to find. You’ll love it yes, but you’ll also work. And truth be told, you will also do things you don’t like! But it will all be very worth it.
Because, if you’re committed to this - to your dream of becoming a personal stylist - and I know you are because you’re listening right now, then you’re ready to take on these three things and knock ‘em out of the park.
Time for… listener Qs!
How can i get more clients beyond my friends and family? - Ivonne (@ivonneabarcamx) from IG
This is the age old Q. The best way to get work is to do work, and show your work. Want clients? Style your friends and family and SHOW that - write a blog post, put the process on Instagram. People want to see evidence that you can do what you say you can do. This also helps your ideal clients find you - by show casing your work, you’ll be sharing some tidbits about how you work, your own style, and how you’ll be with clients. Some stylists to follow for inspiration: Rosana of @dcstylefactory, Amanda of @@simplystylish.ca, and Stasia of @stasiasavasuk
Allright, that’s it for this week, you can find me on Instagram at @chicstripes and all podcast things at www.chicstripes.com/podcast.
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