Who it's for

A barber or hairdresser can invoice their work as a light entrepreneur without their own company or Business ID, as long as the activity does not require an official licence or notification. If your work is subject to licensing or notification, for example a fixed salon premises requires a health protection notification, you need your own Business ID: that also works in Truster with the sole trader service, in the same app. As a light entrepreneur you agree gigs and prices yourself, send invoices with the Truster app and get your pay to your account. Truster handles tax withholding according to your tax card and the official reporting. The account is free, and you pay the service fee only when you invoice.

#Where do hairdressers work as light entrepreneurs?

Many professionals in the field work in a salon on a chair-rental basis or under an agreement without being employed. As a light entrepreneur, you can invoice your customers or the salon without setting up your own company. Another popular option is mobile work: home visits to elderly clients and families with children, styling and cuts at care homes, and services at customers' workplaces.

Festive seasons bring their own gigs: wedding styling, graduation parties, Christmas parties and other events keep professionals busy all year round. Teaching gigs, product demos and covering shifts at another salon also work well as a light entrepreneur. You can freely combine all of these and build a work week that suits you.

#Pricing and costs in the hair industry

In the hair industry, pricing is typically service-based: cuts, coloring and treatments each have their own price, with longer or more demanding work priced accordingly. Festive styling is often sold as a package price, and a travel surcharge is added for home visits. As a light entrepreneur, you decide your own price list and can adjust it flexibly.

Typical costs include colors and other products, scissors, equipment and its maintenance, disposable supplies, and chair or premises rental. Mobile work also adds mileage. Costs and mileage are logged in the Truster app and factored into your pay automatically, so receipts never end up forgotten in a shoebox.

In the hair industry, your customer base is built on skill and lasting client relationships. Instagram and other social media channels are the industry's most important showcase: photos of your work bring new bookings, and a booking link on social media lowers the barrier for people to try a new stylist. Covering shifts at salons, wedding fairs and events also bring visibility. When customers always get a receipt and a proper invoice, your business looks professional right from the start.

#Invoicing and pay without the hassle

Private customers are usually invoiced right after the appointment, while a salon or business customer can be invoiced with a consolidated invoice, for example once a month. Creating an invoice in the app takes a couple of minutes. Maksuvahti tracks your receivables and sends payment reminders on your behalf for €1.99 per invoice.

If you need money quickly, for example to order supplies, HetiPalkka pays your wages even before the invoice's due date, for a fee of 5% of the invoice amount. Truster Turva is included at no extra cost for monthly-plan users, so you're insured whether you're working in the salon or at a customer's home.

Light entrepreneurship suits the hair industry especially well, since your customer base follows the stylist. You can start with a few regular clients and grow your business at your own pace, without fixed costs or bookkeeping obligations.

Compared to a sole proprietorship, light entrepreneurship frees you from bookkeeping and VAT reporting, and compared to employment, you decide your own prices, product choices and working hours. Many hairdressers start by taking on a few of their own clients with a rented chair alongside a regular job, and move to working fully for themselves once their calendar fills up. A quiet month doesn't cost you anything.

Getting started is straightforward: download the app, create a free account, and send your first invoice the same day if you like. Enter the customer's details once, and future invoices only take a couple of taps. You can break the invoice down into lines for the cut, coloring and products, so the customer sees exactly what makes up the price.

#How much do you actually take home?

Truster's service fee is 3.99% of your invoicing or a flat €55/month, which is worth choosing when you invoice a lot. The service fee and statutory payments are deducted from the invoice amount, and withholding tax is applied to your pay according to your own tax card. Hairdressing and salon services are typically invoiced with VAT at the general rate of 25.5%.

You choose your own service fee model: the percentage-based 3.99% suits occasional gigs, while the flat €55/month becomes cheaper if you invoice a lot every month. When pricing your work, remember that your rate needs to cover products, rent and holidays too, not just time spent in the chair.

The amount you take home depends on how much you invoice, your costs and your tax rate. On our Calculators page, you can try your own numbers and see instantly how much lands in your account at different prices.