We spoke to Stacey Whyte, owner of Cheveux Salon, on her journey to opening a salon, winning at the British Hairdressing Business Awards 2023, and what's next...
What has been your career journey so far?
I left school at a young age – we're talking pre-exam age – because I knew that I wanted to be a hairdresser. I went through some amazing training, worked in great salons, and then I started doing a bit of freelance, renting a chair before taking that jump to opening my own salon. It all went pretty fast, and I've now had my own salon for almost 12 years. We've got a great space and a great area, and we've taken the time to really invest in myself and the team.
What advice would you give to someone that's thinking about opening their own salon now?
I absolutely commend them – it's a very different ballgame now than when I opened. So, do your research, find your niche, and really go for it. I think successful salons have their own values that they shout about, their own ethos, their speciality, and that's what really makes a new salon stand out from the crowd.
What has been the biggest challenge during your career?
Covid was a huge challenge for everyone, but it also gave us time to take a step back and think. When you're running around day to day you can get stuck, so a lot of salons found it useful to use the time to push their business forward. I'm also a mother of two and my eldest one has learning disabilities and, as much as it's not a challenge in my career, it has taught me to manage my work/life balance.
What has been the proudest moment during your career?
Winning Salon of the Year 2 at the British Hairdressing Business Awards last year. We're a medium-sized salon in Scotland and we know that we do well, and we support each other, but to be recognised wider than our own bubble was massive for us. Even finalising was a huge moment for us.
What's next for Stacey?
We're just focusing on pushing the business forward, we're looking to expand further, and we're excited to see what this year holds.
2012: Opened her salon
2021: Became part of Schwarzkopf Professional Collective Team
2022: Opened the HJ Stage at Salon International
2023: Won Salon of the Year 2 at the British Hairdressing Business Awards
