“I was scared to go freelance”

Taking the leap to work self-employed can be daunting, especially if walking away from a secure employed position or think you may not be experienced enough to run your own business.

Our member Beth Cousins seized the opportunity to become freelance shortly after being made redundant and over a year later she has a successful business with fantastic clients.

Beth did it and so can you; if you are thinking about leaping into freelance, make sure you take advantage of all the business tools, templates and guidance with the BGA freelance zone. The Freelancer Toolkit also includes a Freelance Client Agreement creator, an easy-to-use online tool to generate your bespoke contracts in minutes and helps to project professionalism.

Beth’s story

“My Grandad always had coloureds and he bred Fell ponies, I started helping him when I was about 12 years old. He gave me a foal who hadn’t been handled to bring on! I used to go up to the stables after school each night and help with all the jobs and handle the foal.

Later I went to college to study equine and completed both the level two and three qualifications. As part of the course, I completed a work placement at a stud and rehabilitation yard fairly local to me. I absolutely loved it and when I left college, they offered me a job.

I ended working at the stud for two years which was great. Sadly in 2022 the stud suffered the loss of several foals due to illness; it was heartbreaking and really made me question why I would want to work with horses. Due to this tragedy, I ended up being laid off.”

Why did you decide to become a freelance groom?

“For about six months, I had loads of people telling me I should go freelance, but I was really sceptical as I didn’t think I had enough experience. I have been freelancing for over a year now and I have developed a great client base.”

WhAt do you enjoy the most about being a freelance groom?

“I really enjoy the variety of the work and the flexibility is great, I've recently added additional services from dog walking and pet sitting to equine PA duties. I manage my diary around my own horses which suits me really well.”

What has been your biggest achievement to date?

“One of my first bookings as a freelance groom was to go to Gloucestershire to work for a Swedish, Olympic rider who was going to the World Equestrian Games. She was away so I was on my own working with amazing event horses. It was so different to my own but so much fun.”

Why did you become a BGA member?

“One of my friends has been a member of the BGA for about four years. He recommended that I should join. I now use all the Freelancer toolkit."

You can follow Beth on her social media; Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

Thanks to Beth for showcasing her success freelancing.

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