“My Little Beauty could be the salon of the future!” Explains Kerry Lewis, director of My Little Beauty. “This salon offers much needed help to worn out women everywhere, treatments in the most contemporary travelling location, I think we have found something that keeps up with our fast track lifestyles.”
As us ladies continue to pull in our belts with regards to our spending, it takes something extra special for us to try something new. So far however it seems beauty treatments have remained a basic human right but I wanted to know if there was anything out there, which was worthy of our precious pennies?
My Little Beauty sounded fabulous, but as I made my way to its location I was worried my excitement might be overrated and it would let me down. Based inside a classic 1962 American Airstream trailer, the premises are in fact quite a beauty. As I made my way up its three small steps (I had flashbacks of E.T and Elliott stepping aboard for the first time) I opened the door with caution. I needn’t have, it was spectacular!
Inside were nail bars, a spray tanning booth and a waxing bed to complete the fully functional beauty salon. But as I walked around I was told that this was not all the airstream had to offer. With treatments complete the table and nail bars can be folded away to reveal an area for karaoke with a flat screen TV and disco lights. Dare I ask…is there dancing?
Kerry smiled when assuring me that dancing was a must on board. “Oh yes, there is definitely dancing. The last hen night we did was a pyjama party so we parked up on the drive, 15 women piled in… we had pedicures going on, manicures and eye brow waxing but once they were done we folded the tables away. Then the women really have a good time because we have karaoke microphones and they are up singing in their pyjamas. Its great, the clients love it.”
It’s her fun and unique business that got Kerry shortlisted in the ‘Best New Business’ category of the annual Women Into the Network awards. The awards, now in their 10th year and sponsored by Business Link, have been refocused to include two brand new categories that reward both pre-start up and inspirational entrepreneurs.
As I sat talking to Kerry her enthusiasm for her business and its success is obvious. She is passionate about the service she provides and wants to give customers the best experience possible. So just how did it feel to be recognised for her hard work?
“Well its fantastic really isn’t it! I am a one-woman show, I have had the ideas, I have had the stress and I’m now being recognised for all my efforts. Its very nerve wracking, but I don’t think there is anyone in the final thirty who have a similar business to mine, so fingers crossed. It would be the cherry on the cake to win.”
Listening to stories of broken down boilers and flooding toilets, I realised Kerry had come a long way since she first opened. The packed out diary was the proof. But I couldn’t help but wonder what gave her this remarkable idea and whether the tale behind it was anything as wonderful as the ones she had been telling me.
Having always loved beauty, Kerry decided she needed her own premises. But should she buy a shop and spend her days looking at only those four walls or would she better travelling to client’s houses and offices? Obviously, she decided upon the latter and began looking for a vehicle. Originally playing with the name urban beauty and a pink and gold horse box nothing felt right until one day she joked, she found the answer to her prayers in the form of a film.
“I came home, sat down and my kids had a film on the telly and it was an airstream and I thought oh yeah, what are they called, you know when you just know straight away that, that is what you want. So I got my laptop out and typed in shiny silver caravan and they started popping up and the rest is history as they say.”
The airstream itself came from Kansus, which is where the nickname Dorothy came from. Had she opted for a horsebox, I’m not quite sure it would have been as successful.
Whilst I’m there, she has to leave me three times to take appointments. Upon her return she apologises but explains that, as with any new business, you don’t get a minute to yourself and any calls could be possible appointments.
“I target certain business parks where I know there is going to be a lot of women.” Kerry explained. “They use their breaks at work to come for eyebrow waxing or to get their nails done. Its great, they all say how convenient it is.”
Dorothy, as she calls her, is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy some pampering, not only do you get a unique service but the convenience of her coming to you, wherever that may be!
“Last night I was in Dishforth so I took three beauty girls with me who work as and when I need them. It is an eighty-mile return, which means that we had to charge a call out fee. We have to cover our costs because it is so far away but they were happy to pay the fee.”
The bespoke seating area is the first thing you see as you step into the trailer, which is why Kerry wanted the wow factor for her seats. Laughing as she tells me of her design plans, Kerry always knew what she wanted the inside of her salon to look like.
“The décor was a huge part of my business plan as it was its main selling point along with the vehicle of course. So I got the seats made to look authentic, I wanted the theme to work throughout the salon and in-keeping with the type of trailer we had chose to use.”
Not just aimed at women, My Little Beauty is very popular with the children Kerry says this side of the business is just getting bigger and bigger.
“We have done 75 kids parties in the last year. I would say we have nailed it with the children. Every week we have a children’s party and often we have to turn people away and say that we are fully booked. Durham yesterday, Redcar last week and last week was the first week that we have had three children’s parties in one day. Its unbelievable!”
Not content with allowing other salons to catch up with her or her ideas, Kerry has teamed up with an events management company to focus on a new themed night called ‘Beauty and the Butler Parties’. Immediately she had my attention and I had to ask more about this new event.
Beauty and the Butler parties Kerry gushed basically mean “the ladies getting makeovers and the butlers pouring champagne and doing a bit of singing with the girls. It’s a two hour party and we think it is going to be very popular.”
With lost to offer My Little Beauty is already thinking about another trailer and the possibility of branching out with different themes across the country. Its fair to say that Kerry Lewis has shaken the beauty world with her iconic vehicle and all that is left for us to do, is jump aboard the legendary airstream and indulge in a little beauty therapy of our own.
