Hair and beauty teacher opens her own salon
DECIDES IT’S TIME TO BE HER OWN BOSS
A LONGSTANDING hair and beauty college teacher is taking the leap to open her own salon.
Emma Fletcher, from Nunthorpe, is preparing to open Denham Hair and Beauty Studio in Guisborough, at the former Fatso’s site.
The 38-year-old has been teaching for nearly 20 years but has now decided it’s time to be her own boss.
Emma has been in the industry since she was 16 years old as she worked in salons before going on to teach at Middlesbrough College for a year when she was 21.
She then made the move to Redcar and Cleveland College for 17 years. The mum-of-one explained: “I want to offer a service that people will hopefully be very happy with and feel like they can talk to me and get what they want out of their hair.
“I want clients to open up and say what they want and have their treat that they’re paying for.
“I’m working with high-end brands like L’Oreal and Kerastase, and you can have a bespoke service that’s suited to what you would like.
“There’s a variety of things you can have that’s suited to every individual, but also I mean high-end in terms of the service you’re going to get from us.
“I really listen to clients and what they want before I go and dive in and do whatever I think’s best.
“I want people to come and enjoy it, like come and sit down and pick what drink they want, sit and read, go on their phone or do whatever they want to do while they get pampered.
“That’s what I’m looking for. You want to go there and feel special.”
Emma will employ two of her former students to help her with the salon. She is hoping she will be able to open it in eight weeks’ time, but she knows there’s a lot of work to be done, as the three-storey building was in a “rough shape” and it is “quite derelict” inside.
She is aiming to completely transform the property and she has had bespoke furniture made for the salon. Inside will be a colour bar, staff room, beauty room and a spray tan room. Work stations and a nail bar with “luxurious chairs and lighting” will also be installed.
The salon will offer a range of services, including hairdressing, barbering, hair colour correction, make-up, Indian massages, facials and nail services.
Emma says she feels “privileged” to be able to use Kerastase hair products, as she said that not many independent stores have them.
“You do people’s hair and it’s a treat for them and they smile at the end of it and that’s what I like,” Emma said.
“I like to make people feel good and I have that passion in me.
“I loved teaching students but I remember how much I loved working in industry, and I thought I need to go back.”
Emma has a five-year-old son, Elijah, and she named the salon after his middle name, Denham.
The proud mum said: “He’s my world. When he was born he had a hole in his heart and was very poorly.
“He is such a gorgeous handsome little boy and he’s so loving.
“When I was going to work I felt like I was just not myself, I felt like I needed to be in charge so I could go to sports day or the Christmas play and not beg for time off.
“I wanted to be able to do those things and I felt like I wanted a future for me and my husband and my little boy.”
Emma added: “I’m 38, if I don’t do it now, when am I ever going to do it?”
Denham Hair and Beauty will be based at 14 Market Place in Guisborough.
I loved teaching students but I remember how much I loved working in industry, and I thought I need to go back.