My Biz competition winner Steph Amor wins £500 to jumpstart hair and wellness salon Hair & Amor

Latest My Biz competition winner Steph Amor aims to create St Leonards destination for pampering and wellness with stylish salon Hair & Amor.

After taking part in the free My Biz programme, Steph entered a competition for participants to submit their plan for their business idea, which they developed through course content covered in the workshop sessions.

Delivered by Let’s Do Business Group under the CHART programme, My Biz supports aspiring entrepreneurs in Hastings and Bexhill to follow their career aspirations. Ran in-person in Hastings Library throughout the year by our expert business manager Lisa Young, the programme, which consists of two full day workshops, got off to a positive start in September 2021, after most workshops had been taken online during the Coronavirus pandemic.

With a target market of women aged between 35-65 with an interest in the wellness, yoga and beauty movement, Steph believes a salon that encompasses wellness, high end results and products with a bohemian feel would fit perfectly into St Leonards. With her brand Hair & Amor, Steph wants to focus on the deeper meaning behind the beauty industry – feeling good, and the bond between stylist and client. She wants to take a trip to the salon beyond a straightforward transaction of money for treatments for her clients, and create an atmosphere of trust and community – a place where not only are her customers getting a top quality service, they leave feeling listened to, cared for and glowing.

“The bond a stylist can have with her client is more than just the treatment. As a Hair Stylist I understand that the nature of the relationship is one of confidante, advisor and trusted friend and that this relationship is cemented the moment my clients step into my salon. A position of trust is developed. A hair stylists knowledge of current styles, cuts and trends is crucial - and more importantly there is a position of trust and knowledge - a hub of the community.”

- Steph Amor, owner of Hair & Amor

Based at a salon in London Road as Steph gains momentum for Hair & Amor, she has been focusing on creating a solid client base while learning new skills and techniques by studying in her spare time. To attract new clients, she’s been handing out leaflets locally and giving all new clients 25% off treatments, to show just what she can do. Online, she’s growing her social media channels by showcasing her work on Instagram, with hopes to build up her audience enough to begin advertising online to generate traffic on her new website.

Prior to having children, Steph worked in PR and Marketing with a background in book publishing in London, and after being a self employed beautician for 8 years, Steph decided to take the plunge and retrain as a hair stylist when the Coronavirus pandemic arrived in 2021. During the pandemic, where isolation and lockdowns took their toll on people’s mental health and wellbeing, it became obvious to Steph the important role a hairdresser plays in a clients life; a relationship that goes well beyond the treatment, by having someone to talk to, someone to trust and a confidant. This realisation planted the seeds for the creation of Hair & Amor.

Wanting to push herself to eventually be one of the best colourists in the Hastings and St Leonards area, Steph has put significant investment into her training, taking out an advanced learners loan of £3600, on top of signing up to join a lifetime access course for colour mentorship, which will ensure that she is always remain ahead of the current hair colour trends like Balayage, Colour Melting Fusion Melt and Reverse Balayage.

After completing the March 2022 workshops at the Hastings Library, Steph entered her business plan into the My Biz competition and was awarded £500 towards her costs for getting Hair & Amor off the ground.

“Thank you so much to the team at Lets Do Business and to Lisa Young for leading such an inspiring & informative My Biz course. The resources and information provided on the course has paved the way for me to set up my Hair Stylist business in St Leonards.

As a winner of the business plan competition I am now on my way to fully marketing my business to my local community with a top notch website - Thank you Let’s Do Business - such a wonderful group boosting our community and the small businesses in Hastings & St Leonard’s.”

- Steph Amor, our latest My Biz

Day by day, Steph aims to raise her profile as a high end hairdresser and stylist while building her client list. With her £500 winnings, she invested the funds into creating her website, which will eventually include a blog with current trends, seasonal mood boards, articles on top rated products and information on local events.

Long term, Steph plans to open her own upmarket and bespoke hair studio, and create a space where her clients come to feel rejuvenated and uplifted, and leave with fantastic hair. Her goal is to be one of the best stylists in St Leonards, and make Hair & Amor one of the areas top destinations for hair treatments and pampering, and potentially offer luxury quality make up, skin care and hair care once established.

We wish Hair & Amor the best of luck for the future.

If you are thinking of starting your own business and would like more information on our Start Up workshop programmes, visit our events page for details on our next start dates.