Introducing Natasha Parker… Natasha has been hairdressing since she was 16 years old and is now the proud owner of Asembo – a high-end salon based in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Asembo is coming up to its 10 year anniversary, so we were delighted to speak to Natasha about what it takes to keep a salon thriving, and the obstacles she’s come across along the way.
We have absolutely loved gaining some wisdom from Natasha, after managing two previous salons and owning Asembo, Natasha is not short of experience. Let’s hear what she has to say…
Asembo is a very unique name, where did the inspiration come from?
I went for a theme that didn’t look like every other salon, I wanted something different and since I am African I thought what better way to stand out than with an African theme. We’ve gone for a modern theme using African-inspired bright colours, lots of wallpaper, Masai beads and animal print. I love that it is so different and holds some of my heritage!
Natasha has lived in Stamford since she was 16 years old. Tell us what Stamford is like as a town?
It’s not the biggest town, we are quite small but filled with salons, another reason we wanted to stand out, we have somewhere between 40 to 50 salons in the town!
It can be hard to sustain a business, but with your experience, we would love to hear some of the main things you have focussed on?
For me, the most important part to focus on is keeping things fresh and up to date. I am very lucky to have an incredible support network around me, I have lived in Stamford since I was 16 years old so many of the people that come to my salon have seen me grow up and become the salon owner I am today, but this also helps with hearing people’s thoughts on what we can do as a salon. It’s important to avoid staying stagnated but figure out where and how you can move forwards as a business.
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What hair services do you offer?
Predominantly, we focus on colour, cutting and recently, specialise in curly hair which is definitely needed! Our salon and clientele are really special though, we have a very diverse clientele, we cut from as young as 4 years old and some people that have been coming from as young as this are still clients and I now cut their children’s hair. It’s very sweet!
How many in the team?
We have a reasonably large-sized team, sitting at 15 members of staff. This includes our receptionists and beauty staff as we have beauty services within our salon too.
What are you most proud of?
Something I am very proud of is surviving, it’s been a tough time for everyone and salons have really taken the hit over the past few years. But I think something I am most proud of is my staff retention. We love to laugh, we are extremely friendly and I think this happiness shines through. After all, we do have the best team in town – but maybe I’m biased!
It isn’t easy to run a business, coming up with both business and creative ideas. Where do you get your inspiration from?
You’re right it can be tough but I’m very lucky to have an amazing support network. My husband helps a lot on the business side which I am very grateful for! In terms of creativity, again, I do rely on my support network, my team keeps me up to date with new trends and they are very keen to learn new techniques, especially in this quick-moving world we live in. We are also very lucky to have social media and magazines. This keeps me up to date, naturally, as hairdressers we spend endless time on social media promoting our business, searching for new trends and finding new techniques. Inspiration is everywhere nowadays.
What advice would you give to a first-time salon owner?
I think I’d start by saying, it’s not going to be easy. But I’d also say, recognise that you’re not going to know everything. So, don’t be afraid to ask for advice, whether that be hair or business. This is why a support network helps so much because you won’t know everything and others are there to help.
Tell us why you chose to introduce Unite Hair into your salon?
We have an important ethos where we want to have products that are ethical and Unite Hair fits well with this. As well as this our stylists and clients love the products, and we can’t keep enough of the products on our shelves!
Since your salon has been working with Unite, which products have emerged as favourites, and why?
We have seen three main products to be all-time favourites:
- 7Seconds Moisturising system – I think this is because this product suits every hair type
- 7Seconds Detangler – Myself, my stylists and clients can’t get enough of this stuff. It works miracles on the hair!
- Liquid volume – This stuff is amazing, we can’t stock enough of it. Clients love it because they can achieve salon-quality results at home.
Discover how to join the Unite family by contacting us today! Learn more by visiting Lacey’s Distribution.
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