‘I retrained as a hairdresser at 54!’

After a career chained to a desk, Londoner Jennie O’beirne, now 60, took a leap of faith to follow her childhood dream

‘I’d learned that listening was the most vital skill of all’

Sitting in the central London office where I was the chief executive’s personal assistant, I sighed at the sight of yet another spreadsheet. I was earning good money, but working 12-hour days and loathing every minute. After 20 years in office jobs, I was desperate for a different kind of life. I wanted to pursue the dream I’d had since I was a little girl: to be a hairdresser.

I had no experience other than trimming my dad’s hair when I was a teenager. So, at 54, did I have the guts to leap into the unknown? My husband Tony, a construction manager, reminded me that my happiness was more important than my salary. Telling myself that fortune favours the brave, I handed in my notice. ‘You’re joking,’ my boss said. ‘No, I’m not,’ I replied firmly.

Searching online for hairdressing courses, the Sassoon Academy in London’s West End popped up. It was highly respected, and a 30-week course cost around £10,000 back then.

I was really nervous on my first day at the training school in May 2015, convinced I’d be the oldest, but I sat next to an American woman who was the same age and we instantly became friends. There was a diverse mix of students and experience; some of my classmates were highly skilled already, while I hadn’t picked up a pair of professional scissors before. ‘Never use them for anything except cutting hair,’ the tutor warned. Even learning to hold them properly, between my third finger and thumb, making sure only one blade was moving, was a new experience.

It was a steep learning curve, and graduating from dolls to real people who’d volunteered for a free cut was terrifying. When one woman asked for ‘square layers’, I froze. I didn’t have a clue how to do it, and felt close to tears. My tutor stepped in to help, showing me how to cut each section of hair to create a tiered effect, but later told me to control my emotions as clients would be worried if they saw such fear on my face!

Our group of 10 got on brilliantly and the younger ones treated me like a mother hen. I’d comfort them if a client didn’t like their cut, tidy up the salon and take the gowns home to mend if they got ripped.

At the end of the course that November, we put on a show. We had to scout male and female models, source outfits, cut and colour hair and arrange lighting. It was nerve-racking yet exhilarating. We chose the theme ‘Rewired’, draping coloured washing lines over our models to represent wires. It was a fabulous success. Afterwards, Tony hugged me and said: ‘I can’t get over how good that was.’

I gave everyone a little scissor and comb brooch, and was delighted to be awarded Top Student by the tutors. I’d had the time of my life – now I just needed a job! A local salon took me on; it was so busy and intimidating at first, with up to 10 clients a day, but

I’d learned that listening was the most vital skill of all. The first time a customer beamed and said, ‘I love it!’ was the best buzz I’d ever had.

The more experience I gained, the easier it became. Now, I’m a mobile hairdresser with regulars ranging from a toddler to a couple in their 90s. It’s wonderful to get to know clients, going into their homes and chatting away. I can manage my own time, and while office jobs may come and go, people will always need a hairdresser. Since deciding to follow my heart, I’ve truly never been happier.