I am a hairdresser and salon owner. I have spent 40+ years of my life in this beautiful industry. Hairdressing has been kind to me. I have had the most rewarding career, met awesome people, travelled the world for work and my family enjoy a blessed lifestyle. All from a passion to cut hair. At 15 years old I was set to go to college with an ambition of becoming a journalist. My Mum got me a job in the salon she had her hair blow dried every week, sweeping hair and making coffee. That is where my passion4hair (apologies for the pun) began. I left school at 16 for an apprenticeship (the old-fashioned kind). By the age of 20 I was a manager working in a salon group of 6 salons. At 26 I opened my own salon. It was an interesting first year because my salon was busy and ‘appeared’ to be successful but financially it was not the ‘dream’ I had envisaged. My most published article – IS YOUR BUSINESS WORKING FOR YOU? – chronicles that experience.
Learning to be a businessperson
In 1989 I was lucky to chance upon a meeting with a man who was to be influential in my career over the next two decades. Leslie Spears invented a club called 365 Day Hairdressing and I joined looking to learn how to turn my salon into a successful business. From the very first 365 meeting I attended I was mesmerised by the information, the people, and the possibilities. I was a good student and I implemented everything I learned. 365 was incredibly successful for me and my business and in 1993 I opened my second salon. By 2010 Feathers Salon Group had become an award-winning chain of 6 salons in north Essex.
Sharing and Teaching
Back in my early days of 365 I was struck by the fact that all the 365 lecturers were men. I set myself the goal to be the first female 365 lecturer and in 1995 I joined the team. I discovered that the philosophy ‘to teach is to learn twice over.’
Since those early days of teaching and undertaking the role of Director of Education for Paul Mitchell and 365. My passion for hairdressing has manifested in my desire to share and help improve our industry wherever and whenever I can. During the recent pandemic it was clear to me from the outset it was going to be a rocky road. Instinctively, I started going live on social media supporting salon owners and stylists with vital information and reassurance. Passion4hair Online Academy was born, and education was open to all free of charge. This culminated into Sophie Hilton interviewing me to share regarding skin testing which was viewed nearly 36,000 times. It is humbling to be able to give back to the industry which has given me so much. It is this extraordinary journey that has given me passion4people.
