Is this a crazy idea??

[clucky80]

Hi all, I first found out about 'getting your colours done' on the s and b board having vaguely heard about it before and thinking that it was some kind of 80's phenomenon! After reading a bit more about it I bought some gift vouchers for my mum to get her colours done and my sister and I went with her and it was brilliant!
I have been thinking for a long time about changing careers. I work in a fairly dull managerial role in the public sector and had a long period of ill health which eventually led to me needing a double organ transplant. I feel truly blessed to have been given a second chance at life and even more so as I was able to have my miracle baby.
I love being around people and people often open up to me. I also love being able to make people feel better about themselves and feel positive and inspired. This combined with my passion for clothes/make up/beauty products has tempted me to retrain as a colour and image consultant and I really hope that I could make this work. I wouldn't need to make a fortune and would initially look to recoup my training costs which are pretty hefty and hopefully get maybe 5+ people per month. I would love to be able to work with people who have had serious illnesses; life limiting conditions and people who have been ill who are trying to re enter the work place and it would be great to be able to offer these at a discount and maybe even do some volunteer work.

My colour analysis day was with HOC who were my original preference to train with but they have no vacancies in my area (I am in London). Colour me Beautiful do have a vacancy for a consultant in my area but from reading on here, I am not sure if they are as good as HOC?

I am 32 and I wonder if this could be a barrier to gaining clients? My lady and the majority of women I see on the HOC and CMB website are a fair bit older than me.

The training for CMB is approx £4k + and you also need to purchase £800 worth of products/swatches from them.

I just don't know whether I should leave my job and take a risk with the aim of hopefully finding something that I love doing and can earn a bit of money from or whether to play it safe and stay where I am.
Any advice most welcome! I would obviously put together a business plan/work out my potential market etc first but some initial feedback would be great as I am scared of spending so much money on training if this wasn't going to be at least reasonably successful.

Thank you and apologies for the length!

[ThatVikRinA22]

this is really interesting. i have also requested the training info from HOC, and am wondering if its something you could do at the same time as the day job until you can draw a wage?

im 8 years older than you.

i would imagine the vacancies change and vary quite a bit?

[clucky80]

Hi Vicar, ah hopefully we will get some advice together! The lady I spoke to at CMB said she would recommend at first that you keep up a part time job in another field. I currently work 3 days per week and think that there may be redundancies coming up at my place of work so I was thinking of volunteering for it. I wouldn't get a huge redundancy pay but it would cover the cost of the training. I'm not sure if I would be able to fund the training and keep up my job.

The lady in my area has been doing it for 4 years and seems v well established. There is another lady fairly nearby too and she seems to do the more 'corporate' clients.

It's exciting and I feel it would be a v positive change for me but it is quite scarey!

[ThatVikRinA22]

i wonder if i would need to have my colours done first

Who did you speak to if you dont mind me asking - i requested the info online so no direct contact with anyone.

i really need to know if you can make a realistic living from it. i couldnt go from a full time wage to nothing.

there were vacancies in my area but i also noticed that there is already a franchise where i live.

DH was once stung with a so called brilliant training idea which was basically just a con, so am very wary but much as it pains me i really cannot see me doing the job im in forever as its just so stressful and im always ill.

[clucky80]

I saw on the CMB website that you can volunteer to be a 'model' on one of their training courses so you could gauge then I guess what the training is like etc? I am thinking of maybe doing that.

For me I wouldn't expect to earn my current salary but at the moment would be happy to be able to pay my DS's childcare costs for 2 days (v pricey!) and the 3rd day my MIL looks after DS.

Sorry to hear about things in your current job, it really takes its toll I know.