Totally U opened in 1998. At the time I worked in Construction and liked getting my hair and nails done – but would get treatments at different places.
A friend in Moston owned a shop which offered multiple treatments in the same place, so I wanted to bring something like that to Middleton.
We’ve previously had a gym, sauna, and sunbeds. Now we have six hairdressing stations, three nail stations, and three beauty treatment rooms. We adapt our offer to meet local demand.
Good staff! I’m proud of our retention rate. One of my employees has been here for 15 years, another for 10. If you treat people right, you create a good working environment – and that’s why people like to stay here.
Apprentices are eager to learn and bring a fresh outlook. It’s great to teach someone new, but it’s also so interesting to see what you can learn from them. They support the team massively. All our stylists have their own way of doing things, so I ensure apprentices get one-on-one time with everyone. By doing this they learn what works for them, and have a wider understanding of the industry they are in.
Put yourself in your apprentice’s shoes. Treat them how you’d like to be treated, and give them space to grow.
If I ask an apprentice to do something and it turns out they aren’t capable, we adapt and work through the situation together. Constantly challenging apprentices is the best way to help them learn.
Apprentices are such an asset to a business. Take care of them and you’ll see the benefits!
