Where it all began...
I remember my English teacher ask me what I was going to do at college. My response was, “I’m thinking of either doing an apprenticeship in hairdressing or going to college to do my A levels as I think I would like to be lawyer.” To which she replied, “Either would be great for you as you don’t stop talking.” We both roared with laughter.
I decided to take an apprenticeship offered to me at Sylvia Hair Fashions in Haywards Heath. It was actually my dad who encouraged me to go into the hairdressing industry as he said I would never be out of job and he felt my personality would suit the industry. I owe my success to his push.
I joined Sylvia when I was 15 as a Saturday girl. I became her apprentice and I learnt the fundamentals of hairdressing. I also learnt that hard work pays off.
Unfortunately, about six months before my apprenticeship was due to end the salon became so busy that they no longer had the time to train me. So I felt, if I was to further my career, it was time to move on. Sylvia understood why and we parted on good terms. She said I would always have a job with her… Little did I know at the time how true she would be to her word!
My apprenticeship was the best introduction to the world of hairdressing. It gave me the opportunity to see that this profession is not all about the glamour we see in magazines, there is a huge amount of hard work goes on to create the hairstyles that seem so perfect – it is literally blood sweat and tears. Especially when you’re running your own business.
My apprenticeship gave me the foundation to learn on the job. I think starting my career in this way made me the hairdresser I am today because it taught me the basics, cutting, colouring, shaping hair to best suit a person’s face, listening to what my clients want and finding ways to help guide them to having even better hair. Above all it taught me that hard work pays off.
That’s why I’m so passionate about having apprentices as part of our team at Samantha Elizabeth. I’m proud that our apprentices work their way to becoming fantastic stylists and to support our current apprentices, Chelsea-Jade and Louise, as they start their own hairdressing journey.
I’ll tell you more about my journey from my apprenticeship onwards in my next blog...
Love Samantha x