Volona and Associates owner Helen Brown says a focus on the simple things has helped her company expand to include more than 24 salons and a fully accredited training academy for apprentices.
Volona and Associates owner Helen Brown says a focus on the simple things has helped her company expand to include more than 24 salons and a fully accredited training academy for apprentices.
Mrs Brown, who started with a single salon 26 years ago, said it wasn't difficult in the beginning to expand and increase her store locations.
"At the time, hairdressing was peaking and I had great apprentices that wanted to go on to manage, so it wasn't difficult at all at that time," Mrs Brown said.
However, as her store numbers quickly expanded, it was also the structure, systems and quality of staff that allowed growth to be successful and relatively smooth.
"We've got a good structure. We've got good systems and as a result of that you're able to grow and put those same systems in place wherever you go," Mrs Brown said.
While always trying to employ good structures throughout the company's 26-year history, Mrs Brown continues to systemise her operations thoroughly.
"We're so systemised it's not funny. We run a computer system, [called] Shortcuts, which helps us track everything in the business," she said.
"Basically (it shows) how each person performs to how we do things within the salon. Everything is systemised, right down to client service."
With quality staff seen as a necessity to grow her business, Mrs Brown established a training academy for hairdressers 14 years ago.
The academy is one of only two private colleges accredited to train hairdressers in WA, with the integration a result of Mrs Brown suffering from chemical poisoning from working on the salon floor.
However, it was only after six years that the academy became fully accredited to train apprentices, with gaining accreditation a long-term battle.
"That was hard, that took time. It really is a procedure that is quite intense; to get accepted is not easy, hence why there are only two private colleges in Perth," Mrs Brown said.
While successfully establishing the training academy and implementing key business structures and systems have allowed company growth and expansion, Mrs Brown said marketing was another key facet to the business, but one that was very hit and miss initially.
"Oh yeah, I've done some atrocious marketing," Mrs Brown admits.
"Don't advertise on the back of buses. I actually spent $250,000 one year, this is a lot of years back, on getting someone in to market the business and they had all these wonderful ideas like putting stuff on backs of buses, billboards, all this sort of thing.
"That was really dumb advertising. It wasn't good at all, so that was $250,000 I could've gone and done something better with."
Mrs Brown, who owns up to 40 salons, also enlisted the services of her family as Volona expanded.
Her daughter runs the administration arm, as well as the one and only beauty salon, while her husband and son-in-law are responsible for building and fitting salon locations.
