A quality personal service is key to 16 successful years in business for Nicola
IN THE last 15 years alone, businesses have been faced with crisis scenarios such as an economic crash, a pandemic and a soaring energy costs. No matter what is going on in the world, there are certain services that people will simply always need and one of those is hairdressing.
Nicola O’Grady opened her salon,Nicola’s Hair & Beauty, in 2006 when Ireland was still enjoying its boom period and was still very much in its infancy when the bust arrived, threatening business new and old alike.
She said: “When we started it was still kind of a boom and I was thinking, ‘what are people talking about a crash?’, and then the crash happened but we did get through it and we bounced back but hairdressing, like every industry, has never been the same since.
“Hairdressing was a luxury when times got tough, I remember I used to have ladies coming in three times a week for a blow dry, then they reduced it to once a week, but look, it has come out the other side. Covid obviously impacted it badly as well but since we came out from Covid, thankfully it has never been busier.”
While the challenges are always a concern, Nicola said there is great comfort and optimism to be taken from a loyal client base which she and her team have built up over a number of years.
“The reality is that people need their hair done in the professional world. People who are working, they need to present themselves well and a lot of it is to do with your hair. I also know now from an older clientele I’m having back in that they would have missed the chats. Every week like to check in and see how we were and whatever else. I think that is a big thing for the older generation, the social aspect of the salon.
“I am lucky to have brilliant clients. The older generation are here often and you always known exactly when they are coming. The younger
Nicola’s Hair & Beauty Salon on High Street.
generation are different, they don’t have a set time, they come when they know it’s time to get it done but it takes a balance of all these clients to make it work the way it has for 16 years.
In the world of hairdressing, the key aspect that clients expect is a good personal service and Nicola fully agrees that any salon should be prepared to offer such an atmosphere.
“Yeah. I think that’s a big thing. When you go in, you need to know what your client is looking for, what the client wants, read their needs, talk to them. I think as you get to learn about a client and their lifestyle, you get to learn more of what they want, certain things like that. But I think an awful lot of people that I’d know quite well, when they come in the door, I’d know exactly what they want, you just build a bond with people.
While hairdressing is a competitive field in a place like Sligo, Nicola said it also takes a good business community to thrive here and Sligo has it in abundance. “In hairdressing there’s great support, we all look out for each other and pass business along to each other, so it is good.”
Nicola’s Hair & Beauty Salon is open on Tuesday from 9.30am until 6pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 9.30am until 8pm, Friday from 9am until 8pm and Saturday from 9am until 5pm. Appointments can also be made outside of these hours. To contact Nicola’s Hair & Beauty Salon, call 071 9153551.
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Michelle Gilgarro’s dog, Dougoie.
Louie McManamon’s kitten, Timmy.
Amy-Jane and Jake’s dogs Lexi and Ella.