My name is Emma and I’ve been in the hairdressing industry for nearly 30 years. I started hairdressing as soon as I left school, working in a large salon where I completed a two-year apprenticeship with a one-day college day. I absolutely love every aspect of hairdressing, especially the way it allows creativity and for you to make your own style.

I worked in a few salons on a rent-a-chair basis, but always felt there was something missing for me. I had so many ideas and I truly wanted to open my own salon in which everything was unique. I worked very hard and I can now say it all was worth it as I have had my own salon for two years, which has been the best and most rewarding thing I've ever done, even with the Covid lockdown in between.

Something that was really important to me was offering students the opportunity to gain work experience, as I knew first-hand how important it was. Learning in a college is amazing, but being able to go into a salon to see how it's run and their own approach to each detail is essential to a learner looking to go into the field.

When I opened Unique, I wanted my salon to be different and stand out from the crowd, while also benefitting the environment. To achieve this, I decided I wanted all my colours and products to be vegan friendly. I also offer a wide range of eco-friendly products at an affordable price, so it's easier for my clients to be friendly to the environment.

With any learner coming into my salon, I would expect them to have fantastic timekeeping and be ready to learn, to accept that there are many jobs to be done, which are all of equal importance to the smooth-running of the salon.

This year, we are so excited that we are getting involved with the brand-new Careers Excellence Hub as an endorser. This will allow us to impact the future of our industry by influencing what is taught in the curriculum, delivering master classes and offering more opportunities to learners to gain valuable experience.

Emma - Unique Hair

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