Being self-employed gives you the freedom to choose the brands you work with, but with so many options available on the market, that freedom can feel both exciting and overwhelming. As a self-employed stylist, you are your own boss, and that means both the responsibility and the opportunity sit entirely with you.
Choosing the right brand is about much more than simply picking the colour line you like or a product that smells great; the brands you work with should align with the direction you want your business and career to go in. They also need to work for your pricing structure, because the cost of your colour and product range will ultimately affect both your service pricing and your profit margins. It’s important to think carefully about whether a brand fits with the level of client that you attract and the experience that you want to deliver.
Another key consideration is your personal and professional identity. What do you want to be known for? Understanding what you stand for and what you want to achieve will help guide your decisions when it comes to choosing the brands you work with. If sustainability is important to you, for example, it’s worth looking into whether the brands you’re considering are vegan, environmentally conscious or family-run businesses that align with your ethos.
When I first opened my salon, I was approached by a number of different colour houses who wanted to work with me. It was flattering, but it also meant I had to carefully consider what each brand was offering and how it would support my business. At the time, it was really important to me to look beyond the products themselves; I wanted to understand what opportunities the brand could offer outside of simply supplying colour. Were there opportunities for education? Could they support creative work, networking or career development? These were the questions that helped shape my decision.
In the early days of running a business, practical considerations also come into play. I decided to work with a well-known colour house that offered financial support in the form of a listing fee, as long as I committed to using their products for a set period of time and meeting a certain level of spend. As a new salon owner, this financial support made a huge difference.
As your business grows and evolves, however, the opportunities you are presented with will change as well. Over the years, I was approached by several other colour houses, but none of them felt quite right. It’s easy to be tempted by big names or attractive offers, but ultimately, the partnership needs to feel like a genuine fit for your business and the direction you’re heading in.
Five years later, I was approached by Quif, and this time it felt right. The company reflected many of the values that are important to me – it’s a family-run brand, it’s vegan and it’s environmentally conscious. Those factors aligned closely with my own brand ethos and the message I wanted to communicate to my clients. Beyond that, Quif also offered a product range that suited the services I provide and the results I wanted to achieve.
Education and opportunities outside of the salon chair were also incredibly important to me. As my career progressed and my business model evolved, I wanted the opportunity to work in different spaces – whether that was teaching, presenting or getting involved in creative projects. Quif supported those ambitions and offered opportunities that allowed me to grow beyond working behind the chair.
Ultimately, choosing the brands you work with as a self-employed stylist requires thinking in the long-term. The right partnerships should support your creativity, align with your values and help move your career forward. It’s not just about what you use today; it’s about what those brands can help you achieve in the future.
