Episode 20: Why Having a Full Time Job is the BEST Way to Start Your Styling Business
A lot of stylists get into this industry by accident. I know SO many who started out as journalists, social workers, nurses, or teachers. Somewhere along the way, we realized we had an amazing skill that not everyone has, that we can help people with that skill, and that we can get paid for that skill.
I myself started out in the nonprofit mental health industry. I was the fund development director for a nonprofit that helped formerly incarcerated men enter a transitional home post release.
NOT your average fashion stuff.
I also started my business while I was in that job. I hustled and I hustled hard- I worked weekends and nights to develop my business - I benefited GREATLY from having my full time job that allowed me to fund a part time hobby while I turned it into a business.
Flash forward a few years to 2016. My day job wanted me to switch to marketing and I didn’t want to do that. So, they eliminated my position, I got a month of severance pay, and decided “welp - today’s the day I start working for myself.”
While this was one of the GREATEST things that happened, it was also REALLY stressful. I was still freelancing part time in my old industry as a grant writer, and that was hugely helpful to have a consistent money coming in because let’s be real - I didn’t entirely know what I was doing! I had some clients but I also tried a lot, changed a lot, and some months the money was a trickle.
I wouldn’t change my path for anything, but I do take this experience as a way to encourage YOU - that if you have a day job that you’re itching to get out of, you want more time to spend on your business - take a minute to jus pause, and be thankful that you DO work full time. You have consistent money coming in every single month that frees you up to EXPLORE what you want to do in your biz.
When you are forced to make decisions because you need money, you’ll make decisions that are not the best for you or your clients. You’ll work with clients that aren’t a good fit, or you’ll do more work for less money.
Having a job also gives you FREEDOM to EXPERIMENT with your business. Want to try something out but have no idea if it will work? Great, do it! Because guess what? You’re not replying on that income stream to pay your bills. It gives you a better chance to fully develop services that do work.
So how do you know when it’s time to go?
A few quotes that stick out with me - from a James Wedmore podcast, a gentleman said: “If you can’t make it work part time you won’t make it work full time.” What that means is that if you can’t get your part time business to make money - when you have the time to go full time you’ll be in the same situation because you will just keep doing the same things. More time does NOT equal more clients.
Secondly - you’ll know it’s time to say goodbye to the day job when the money in your side hustle knocks you over. When you just can’t say no. When you match or exceed your salary.
This won’t be the reality for everyone, but it is the situation that I recommend to as many aspiring or side hustling stylists that I can.
Financial security will allow you to express your creativity AND ultimately, produce the best services for your clients.
Is it immediate gratification? Heck no. But will the longer, slower process get you better results? Heck yes.
There’s a reason why the turtle won the race. Slow and steady. Secure and thriving.
So, keep those jobs. Keep styling. You’ll get there.