Southern Enterprise Awards 2022 | 115 recycle all hair cuttings which are used to soak up oil spills, to make bamboo sticks, and much more, and they even recycle all foil. Absolutely nothing goes to landfill. The salon is also keen to support local charity. Samantha gives us an insight: “During the COVID-19 lockdowns, we were very much aware that one local charity, end-of-life care home, St Peter and St James Hospice, was suffering from a decrease in donations as it wasn’t able to open its shop. We decided as a team to support it by offering our clients the chance to buy tickets for a raffle, the prize being a basket of the range of Olaplex products that we sell in the salon. This charity was particularly relevant to us as our receptionist had worked at the hospice so had first-hand experience of the good work it does. The raffle proved very popular with clients and we raised around £800, and could have raised more, except we had to close the raffle early as we went into another lockdown.” From very early on, Samantha Newton’s dream was to be the owner of her very own hair salon. Thus, she set herself the goal to make this a reality by the age of 30 – and in 2013, with just two weeks to spare, she became a part owner of a salon at the age of 27. She then opened Samantha Elizabeth Hair Salon in 2016, two weeks before her 30th, and she hasn’t looked back since. As a local salon, award-winning Samantha Elizabeth serves a broad cross section of its community with the view that everyone is welcome, no matter the haircut or treatment they desire. The team is devoted to training and specialising to make sure they are able to deliver on request and to the highest standard. Samantha believes that continual education is the key to meeting clients’ wants and needs, and because, in this profession, nothing stands still. Since the day Samantha Elizabeth was opened, this has included monthly in-salon training from an external trainer, and Samantha herself along with senior stylists running group and one-to-one training sessions. She tells us, “I love developing my team. I take on apprentices; they stay with me and I continually train them. I love watching them grow into amazing stylists. I love being able to pay them a fair living wage, plus commissions, sick pay, holiday pay, and pensions. They will always be my greatest achievement because without them I wouldn’t be where I am today.” As well as learning the skills needed for the salon in general, Samantha encourages her team to pursue their own areas of interest. One stylist has trained in men’s hair, another has graduated as a salon Wella master colour expert, as well as others specialising in particular styles such as balayage and afro hair. This all widens the salon’s repertoire. Indeed, the Samantha Elizabeth brand has been developed around providing great service that is both reliable and consistent – which comes at a fair price. Samantha explains, “This means we don’t discount to attract new business. Our view is that if two people are in the salon having the same haircut, they should be paying the same for it; one should not be paying less because they are a new customer.” It doesn’t stop there. Within the last 12 months, Samantha Elizabeth has become a member of Green Salon Initiative. Becoming recognised as a sustainable company is important in enabling it to do its bit for the environment. The team Best Women’s Hair Salon - West Sussex Aug22714 Then, to keep in touch with the salon’s customers during the lockdowns, the team collaborated on ‘hair help’ videos, with each member of staff giving a tip on how to manage hair when not able to get to the salon. A link was sent to clients to help them deal with the situation, which they sent onto their friends, colleagues, and family, too. There was some really nice feedback received on the videos. To date, Samantha Elizabeth has won four major salon awards, of which the team is very proud. Samantha says, “I’m thrilled to have created my little Samantha Elizabeth bubble where clients can come knowing they will have the best experience, and all my staff really enjoy their jobs. I can’t wait to welcome you.” Company: Samantha Elizabeth Hair Salon Contact: Samantha Newton Website: www.samantha-elizabeth.co.uk
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