The future of freelance

Mike and Bridget Hosannah

Fashion industryYears self-employed: 43 years

What do you think the future of freelance looks like in the fashion industry?In our industry self-employment is the most common practice. It allows us to be flexible with our time and work around client's time and their availability so I can't see it changing too much.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced so far on your self-employment journey?The biggest challenges have been around Covid. Not much help was given by the Government during Covid to the self-employed sector. This forced many small businesses to close and some people in self-employment to become destitute and unable to continue in their businesses. The only help available for the self-employed was to take a Bounce Back Loan, which you have to pay back.

Sandra T

Fashion industryYears self-employed: 4 years

What do you think the future of freelance looks like in the fashion industry?I think that despite the economic downturn, the future of makeup artistry is still bright. There are various ways that a person interested in the industry can explore, whether it is bridal, film and television, editorial etc. I do also see the beauty sector becoming more community focused, with those in the sector building a small but highly engaged support base which can then translate into clientele and business success.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced so far on your self-employment journey?I would say the biggest challenge so far has been learning how to market myself to clients. It is difficult when you are new, to position yourself as a service provider that clients can trust. I have been able to solve this by being bold in asking for advice from other well established makeup artists and those with a marketing background within my network. Ultimately, staying consistent can also help with this.

I also have a full-time job and career, which means I have had to pause with makeup, to focus on growing in that area of life, which is also important to me. This results in not being able to take all the opportunities that come my way or be as available as my clients would want me to be.

What advice would you give someone looking to make the leap into self-employment?Start with what you have, and you will learn everything else after. And if you are a person of faith, hold on to that. It will help to ground you when times are bad and when times are good. Finally, adopt a mindset of constantly seeking knowledge - whether it is to learn industry best practices, new techniques, the legal side of running a business and everything else in between - ensure you are always learning.

David Daley

Fashion industryYears self-employed: 1.5 years

What do you think the future of freelance looks like in the fashion industry?I think in the fashion industry specifically, more people are looking to freelance for the added layer of flexibility and work/life balance. While there are greater opportunities in the sector, the market has been quite volatile post-pandemic so I think we'll see people combine full-time/contract working and continue to freelance on the side. This is to give themselves further opportunity and progression in their careers while also having an added layer of security.

What improvements would you like to see in the freelance sector?I'd like to see further government reforms and legal protection for freelancers to include statutory sick pay, workers' rights, and payment security. And, more access to training and information around business finance, legal and intellectual property.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced so far on your self-employment journey?When you're self-employed the idea of growth and progression isn't as linear as when you're working full time, so it's been important to set goals and celebrate every milestone. Work opportunities aren't always consistent month to month so being financially aware and optimistic that the hard will pay off in creating new opportunities has been really important.

What advice would you give someone looking to make the leap into self-employment?Your network and community will be your most important tool. A mentor to offer you support and navigation on your journey of self-employment. Work on your network, in your initial days as a freelancer, finding like-minded people you respect and want to work with will broaden your opportunities and enhance your support system. Also finding people that are at that same professional level as you is key as you'll grow together in your respective careers over time.