I lost my job while pregnant and got an offer of £30,000 for a studio… so I built my own studio
A WOMAN who lost her job when she was 20 weeks pregnant has told how she has saved as much as £30,000 a year by working from her backyard.
Emma, an eyebrow artist and beautician from Leeds, was left out of work when her workplace closed when she was just twenty weeks pregnant.
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Renting a studio seemed the obvious next step, but she was shocked when quotes came in at as much as £30,000 a year.
Looking for a more affordable and flexible solution, Emma (@emmavaughanbeauty) decided to create her own studio in her garden – and says it was a total “game-changer”.
It has not only given her the flexibility she needs as a new mother, but has also allowed her to save as much as £30,000 a year on rent.
Moreover, she is building her customer base from her own backyard.
“Unfortunately, my workplace closed when I was twenty weeks pregnant,” says Emma, speaking exclusively to garden specialist Tiger.
“I couldn’t find another job and didn’t want to commit to renting a studio knowing I would need time off with a new baby.
“Then I had the idea of a garden building. It provided the perfect solution: a dedicated workspace in my own home, allowing me to create a schedule that revolved around my growing family.
“Plus, compared to having to rent a studio for which I was paid £30,000 a year, the financial aspects of a garden building felt more manageable.”
She goes on to say that the initial cost of her landscaping was £3,300, with an additional £1,800 spent on decoration and furnishings.
“I like to work from my garden shed,” Emma explains.
“It’s close to my family and with two young children I can choose my hours, have a better work-life balance and the commute is only a 10 second walk to my cabin!
“I also find the atmosphere relaxing, which helps with my work, because the aesthetic of the log cabin reminds me of a ski lodge. I often get comments about it from my customers.”
Emma says another big benefit is that she has had more clients since she started working from home, as it has allowed her to better connect with people who live nearby.
“Now more locals are choosing to come to me because of the convenience and personal attention I provide,” she explains.
“When I think about it, the closure of my workplace was ultimately a good thing. It pushed me to find new ways of working and led me to a situation that is perfect for my work and family life.”
It is close to my family and with two young children I can choose my hours, have a better work-life balance and the commute is only a 10 second walk to my cabin
Emma Vaughan
She concludes; “For anyone who is thinking of taking the plunge and starting their own studio from their garden, I would say: go for it.
“The improvements in flexibility and work-life balance are so worth it!”
Working from home has become extremely popular in the beauty industry due to cost savings and flexibility, and this trend continues to grow. There were 3,000 Google searches for ‘home studio’ in the UK last month.
Specialists in garden landscaping, Tigerare encouraging people to explore alternative uses for their garden buildings, as more and more people turn to garden buildings as a solution to working from home.
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