Case studies: Absolutely Fabulous

“Anyone who comes for treatment at my salon will leave feeling Absolutely Fabulous – and that’s where I got the name from,” says Joan McLachlan, owner of the hair and beauty shop in Newton Mearns.

Joan set up the salon seven years ago. At that time, it simply dealt in beauty treatments, but she later expanded the premises to include hairdressing. She currently employs 12 people, including two managers and her plans for the future include opening another salon in the north of Glasgow.

Joan started her working life as a beauty therapist more than 25 years ago. She owned a beauty practice prior to giving up work to have children, but once the boys were older, she was desperate to start up again. She said: “I wanted to go back to what I really love doing. I believe that you are either a worker or you are not! Working comes naturally to me and I have to use up my tremendous energy and my brain.”

Joan contacted the agent that she had sold her first shop through and he found her another premises in Newton Mearns. Some time later, she took over the neighbouring shop to expand the business.

Joan took full advantage of the different Business Gateway courses, seminars and other means of support to help set up and develop her business, something she urges everyone to do as she thinks many women will not know the help is there.

“I’ve always gone along to as many events as I can. The information you get from these is amazing and it’s very, very helpful.

Needs must when it comes to market research and Joan is no exception to that rule! She used her two sons to help her research the hairdressing market – what products were other hairdressers using and what kind of services did they offer? Her sons, then aged 6 and 11, stepped in to act as guinea pigs, going from salon to salon to test out hair colouring. Joan said: “We’ve had to restrict that part of it to the school holidays now, as the school didn’t want them coming in with different hair colours. “My two boys still love getting their hair coloured. My oldest – who is now 18 – currently has red and blonde streaks through his hair, while his brother has gone for an all-over tint. “It’s actually great for business because their friends like the look of it and come in to the salon to get their hair coloured as well.”

“I like to keep up-to-date with what’s happening and what’s new in terms of support available. For instance, I’ve spent a lot of money over the past year buying machines that provide specialised skin care and replacing the floor in my salon, but thanks to Business Gateway Renfrewshire, I’ll be able to look at expanding my business and opening up a new salon because I know about what support is available to me.”

Joan particularly remembers the marketing and book-keeping advice she was given. “I did a book-keeping course and the tutor gave me a formula for ensuring that all the products I sell in my salon make a profit. Sometimes, the beauty company reps can give you different sets of figures, but this simple formula makes sure you always make a profit.

“I found out a lot about marketing when I first set up my business. I advertised the salon extensively and it worked well for me. Now, I’m doing it again to help with my expansion.”

Training her staff is another important part of the process for Joan. “My business received Investors in People status, a process I learned about through Scottish Enterprise. An important part of that process is ensuring your staff receive regular training and that is something I do. “There is a high turnover of staff in the beauty industry, but I believe the training the therapists receive at my salon helps me to hang onto people. In fact, I often get people coming to me looking for a job because they know I offer this training.”

Joan often speaks at events to help inspire people to make that first crucial step in starting their own business. “I spoke at an event and two women came up to me afterwards. I spent 20 minutes talking to them about their idea for a business and encouraging them to go for it. I received a leaflet from them recently as they have acted on that advice and started up a business delivering champagne breakfasts in the local area. I was so pleased that they remembered me.”

But networking is a two-way street, as Joan explained. “I like speaking to other women in business and I like to share in the energy that comes from women who are as passionate as I am about their business.”