futures
futures FEBRUARY 2009
16
The studies
pay off for
Lindsay
RETRAINING
GOING IT ALONE: Lindsay Thwaite who runs her own business, Elegant Touch Kevin Murphy
A
FORMER Lakes College student
who started her own business is
now the proud owner of one of
Maryport's most successful beauty
salons.
Lindsay Thwaite opened the doors to
her business, Elegant Touch, almost 18
months ago but the ex-Netherhall School
student's beauty salon is bucking the
economic trend and enjoying a booming
business.
Lindsay, who studied beauty for two
years at Lakes College, started her
professional career at Cockermouth's
Elements Health and Beauty salon, owned
by college beauty lecturer Bryony Smith.
Bryony recognised Lindsay's passion,
skill and enthusiasm and did not hesitate
to make her part of her team.
"Lindsay was conscientious and
hard-working as a student," said Bryony,
"and always showed a professional
attitude towards clients which are
essential qualities in a beauty therapist.
"Employing her in my salon, I saw her
progress from a young inexperienced
college-leaver to a confident therapist
with excellent treatment and customer
service skills.
"She was always ready to accept new
challenges and realised how much more
there was for her to learn once she had
left college and entered the beauty
industry.
"She was a pleasure to have working for
me and I would always try to support and
advise her in the future if she ever needed
it."
After three years Lindsay, aged just 21,
felt ready to open her own business in
Maryport. With the support of Bryony,
Lindsay attended a West Cumbria
Development Agency (WCDA) business
start up course and secured a �1,000
grant.
In May 2007 Lindsay finally set up her
business Elegant Touch on Crosby Street
and hasn't looked back since.
Lindsay said: "I was lucky as my dad is
a joiner and my boyfriend is a builder, so
they helped me set up the salon, but I
sourced my own location, decided on the
design and paid for the whole
development.
"The WCDA course was really useful,
but it was the support from Bryony with
the planning and practical things like the
accounts that really helped me get on my
feet. The business built incredibly quickly
and I often have a waiting list of two
weeks, which means some nights I work
from 9am until 9pm to fit them all in.
"I do have plans for the future, but at
the moment I am concentrating on
delivering a service with Dermalogica
skin care products.
"Owning your own business is both
terrifying and rewarding and I am
grateful to Lakes College, Bryony Smith
and all the beauty lecturers who taught
me, because without them I wouldn't have
achieved as much as I have now."


Owning your own business is both terrifying
and rewarding and I am grateful to Lakes
College, Bryony Smith and all the lecturers
LINDSAY THWAITE
IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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