Amanda Clay

HAIR SALON & GIFT STORE OWNER | WIFE | DOG MUM

How many identities do you have?

·      Owner of 2 hair salons

·      Owner of a home/gifts/lifestyle store

·      Wife 

·      Dog mum

Tell us a bit about your story and how you’ve got to where you are now professionally?

Ever since I giving my first Barbie a haircut and started hanging out at my aunties hair salon at the age of eight, I’ve dreamt of becoming a hairdresser. I graduated from the Taylor Weir School of Hairdressing in 2004 and I also received certification in beauty & tanning. I specialise in working with styles that can be worn every day, and that give the client renewed confidence. I recently took courses in make-up design and application, and I love having the opportunity to work with clients before their wedding or special events. In 2015 I opened my first hair salon in Nedland’s called Indulge Hair Lounge. 3 years later I opened a home/gifts/lifestyle store in the same shopping complex, and most recently I have opened a second Indulge Hair Lounge in Victoria Park. 

As a female, what has been your greatest challenge in your career/business? 

Making the move from being a hairdresser to owning a salon created a steep learning curve. I don’t have a background in business or any formal education in owning salons. I’ve spent the last 5 years, since opening my first salon, learning as much as I can about the industry and how to run a business successfully. Not having a formal business education isn’t something I’ve let stop me from achieving what I dreamed about. Constantly educating myself and training my staff has taken time, effort and money but the constant focus on growth and education is a core reason I believe we’ve been so successful. 

What has been the hardest personal challenge you have faced in life thus far?

Before opening my first salon I was working both as a hairdresser and in a FIFO role. My FIFO job provided financial stability and security, leaving it was a tough decision. Having the faith in my ability to open and run a successful salon required me to commit to the idea 100 percent. Deciding to invest all of my time and resources into creating something from scratch without a fall back plan was scary, especially with no guarantee that it would be successful.  

How have you grown as a person, mentally, emotionally and spiritually since that challenge?

Seeing my businesses grow over the past 5 years has made me immensely proud of what I’ve achieved. Starting a small business and watching it flourish has been very rewarding, and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped me. There are tough days when you feel a rollercoaster of emotions, nothing ever runs perfectly despite all of your planning. I’ve had to become resilient and trust that my instincts are correct. Believing that this was something I could achieve, and leaving behind stability for the unknown was hard but so worth it. 

How do you plan to leave your mark in the world?

If I can have a positive impact on my friends, family, staff and clients then that will be enough for me. If I am able to help others, either personally or professionally, then I will see that as my mark on the world around me.