Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Harriet Hadfield. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Harriet, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
one of the biggest misconceptions about being a creative is that it’s hard to earn consistent income, let alone create a scalable business and build wealth. When I started out as a freelance makeup artist I was told I would have to assist, I would have to have an agent, and yet even when I did do both of those things, I still found myself broke, lonely and frustrated. The biggest change came when I decided to see myself as a CEO and a creative. I mastered the skill of networking, pitching and negotiating to create my own opportunities vs relying on word of mouth. I learned how to be my own agent and I now teach other creatives how to do the same. Using my ‘celebrity pitch procedure’ I teach makeup artists, hair stylists, photographers and stylists (and more) how to book celebrity clients and global brands irrelevant of what market they are in.
Harriet, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
With over 15+ years experience, working as a celebrity makeup artist on the red carpet and with the biggest names in beauty, I saw first hand how creative freelancers so desperately needed support & guidance when it came to building a business that made them money (and a lot of it).
Tired of the starving artist narrative & the common misconception that freelance goes hand in hand with sacrifice, I made it my mission to empower freelancers with the tools & strategies to step into the CEO role in their business, on their terms, free from today’s problematic hustle culture.
Alongside co-creating an award winning beauty Podcast ‘Full Coverage’ with over 1 million + downloads, and a YouTube channel ‘Harry Makes It Up’ with over 4.5 million views, i went on to start my own Podcast ‘Freelance With Freedom’ in 2021 and fully booked coaching business for creative freelancers.
Using the business & mindset strategy I teach now, I scaled her MUA business to consistently hit 5 figure months, as well as creating a separate multi 6 figure online business during a global pandemic (in less than 7 months). I’m passionate about showing others that this kind of freedom and flexibility is available to anyone who wants to turn their passion into profit and to destroy the starving artist narrative.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I started my career as a young makeup artist assisting in London, massively in debt and living in a room I couldn’t stand up in. It was effectively a storage cupboard, but that was what I could afford to assist mostly unpaid as an artist in the fashion industry. I believed I had to suffer for my art, but that changed after a mental health break down which led me to seriously take stock if all this was really worth it. I decided I had to unlearn a lot of ‘rules’ working as a creative. I put my mental health first. I began a healing journey, and within a few years had built a strong celebrity clientele in London, and later moved to Los Angeles to work with celebrities like Naomi Watts, Doja Cat and Chelsea handler at events like the Golden Globes and the Oscars. My experience led me to create my signature coaching program for creatives called Freelance With Freedom.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest thing I had to unlearn is the belief I should be grateful for what I get, vs believing I could create my own opportunities and that there isn’t a ceiling on what’s available to me. My industry had sold me the lie that any one client could make or break me, or that I had to say yes to everyone and people please left right and center. I was told the only way to make money and get booked consistently was with an agent, but I made double the money and had double the demand without one. A huge part of the work I do with my clients is helping them unlearn what hustle culture has told them is non negotiable/not to be questioned or challenged, in order to relearn how to build a business that excites them on their terms.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.harriethadfield.com
- Instagram: freelancewithfreedom
- Youtube: harrymakesitup