Open your own beauty salon at 22: the experience of British Emily Jane Pitt

British hairdressing magazine HJ spoke to the owner of Salon Blue in Bridgnorth, Emily Jane Pitt, who became a salon owner at the age of 22. We have translated this mini-interview for you.

Now 24, Emily reflects on what she has learned as a young salon owner and the advantages and disadvantages her age has given her.

What are the benefits of being a young salon owner?
I'm sure there are many advantages to being a young salon owner: I'm more aware of trends, I'm in good shape and I think I have a lot more energy. I find it easier to manage social media and keep in touch with clients. I think the biggest advantage is that I don't have any other big commitments, so I've been able to give my business everything it needs.

I guess there are some downsides too. Because I had achieved so much at such a young age, I realized that I was pushing myself to continue learning and achieving success. I am constantly interested in what I can do next and how I can develop the business. It's endless. I'm definitely the kind of person who loves to be successful. The other downside is that I will have to contend with my weekends when I decide to start a family. I spend a lot of time in the salon and will worry about delegating tasks.

How did you do it?

I always aspired to be a salon owner, but I never dreamed of achieving it at such a young age. I still can't believe it. Having qualified as a hairdresser, I actually moved to another salon and became part of the team, renting a hairdressing chair in the salon. I was always desperate to be my own boss and did that for about four years.

Then I was approached by my previous manager, the woman who trained me and hired me at the beginning of my career. She decided to leave the hairdressing industry and approached me about purchasing her business as a going concern.

I was shocked, scared and excited at the same time. After much thought, conversations with loved ones, studying the pros and cons, and asking myself thousands of times, I decided to go for it. It was 6 months of intense preparation, but I really enjoyed it. All my ideas and everything I dreamed about came true, and it was hard to believe. I started my new business on January 7, 2017 with a lot of love and support from everyone around me. Best feeling I've ever felt.

Do you feel like some people are protective of you because of your age? If so, how do you advocate for yourself? Can you give examples?

Now this does not happen as often as before. When I first started, I felt that people could take advantage of this. Especially some brand representatives: they will try to force me to buy the products. There have also been cases where older customers have been rude, but I'm a professional so I dealt with it properly.

Are there employees on your team who are older than you? Have you ever had employees think they know certain things better because they are older?

I have employees who are older than me, and when I first became a manager, it was difficult to be assertive. But it became easier for me, especially after I turned to a business coach and learned more about the business side of communicating with staff. One of my senior team members is my cousin. Since we all get along so well at work and are friends, it can sometimes be difficult to switch from friend to boss. Once a month the whole team gets together to share their ideas and make sure we are all happy. I certainly don't pretend to know everything, but it's always nice to hear the teams' ideas, they often come up with something great.

What advice would you give to new salon owners, no matter their age?
Take action. This is hard but very rewarding work. Be clear about the direction of your business and never think that you can't keep learning. I learn something new every day and never think I know everything. Define your ideal client, know your niche and who you want to attract. I advise you not to think that you are perfect for everyone, just be confident in yourself and move your business in a certain direction.

What do you think salon owners who are older than you can learn from?

Never stop learning, our industry is constantly evolving and it's easy to get left behind. Each year, set a budget to spend on growing your business. I think I'm good at thinking outside the box in how to stand out and stay motivated in business. I set goals every month with a clear plan of what I will need to do to achieve them.