Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Hellen Ward, Co Founder & Director of the largest independent Hair & Beauty salons in the country!

Come on a journey as we chat about the beginnings of her entering the industry in her teens, her Mum being a hairdresser and Dad being the MD of a chain of department stores.

Hellen undertook an apprenticeship following her parents separation and a financially difficult time, hilariously admitting to me that she was a "dreadful hairdresser"! Through her exceptional people skills and self proclaimed gift of the gab, she built herself a strong client base and became intrigued with the business side of salons.

Hellen talks me through her love for the industry, however not keen on being a hairdresser, she knew that her skills and experience could take her into a managerial role, something that she relished.

Becoming a salon manager at the tender age of 20, Hellen was quickly promoted to Regional Manager, travelling up and down the country and thrived in her role, constantly soaking up the ins and outs of the business side of salon management.

Upon meeting her husband Richard, it made perfect sense for them to combine their minds, experience and skillsets to embark on a business venture of their very own. Not the most traditional start however, they bravely took the plunge on a salon that had gone bankrupt!

1992 marks the start of their epic journey, navigating obstacles on the way but Hellen has always had such an incredible self intuition and self belief that has carried her through to result in the roaring success of the salon you see today! Drawing on her deep spirituality and guided by that inner trust she has, she has listened to her gut every step of the way, and it has served her so well.

We chat about the pressures of COVID, the severe impact that it has had not only for their business personally but for the industry as a whole. We talk about the shift in the industry, a lot of salons moving into self employment, thus creating a ripple effect for the future of the hair and beauty sector, especially when it comes to the next generation of apprentices.

She talks to me openly about the implications following the rule breaking during lockdown and the adverse effect it was having on the industry nationally. We chat about people's mental health during the course of the pandemic, that need for connection and the sheer importance of being able to have that salon experience.

Hellen is regarded as one of the countries leading Hair & Beauty industry business experts, offering consultancy services, she has written books, jam packed with all of her extensive experience over the years to help salons succeed.

Absolutely passionate about her industry and her work, Hellen beams when talking about their salon, the community they have created and her need to be on the shop floor as much as possible, as she is so invested in the community they have created over the years. Building relationships with their clients has been integral to their success, the same goes for the management of the salon, Hellen tells me how important it is to her to offer flexible working, especially when it comes to staff who have children, from personal experience she knows how vital this is.

Hellen also talks me through her work outside of the salon, being the Vice President of the UK branch of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs. Such a fascinating backstory to the organisation, hailing from France after the Second World War, it was initially set up to support the women whose husbands' had been sadly killed during the conflict and guide them in the running of their businesses. BAWE is a community of inspirational women, collaborating with one another, expert speakers and everything in between!

Have a listen and be inspired by this powerhouse of a woman, what an AMAZING lady, such a talent in her field and such an interesting chat!

Thankyou Hellen it was an absolute joy!