Getting Started - Setting standards for a niche market

Aug. 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Getting Started - Setting Standards for a Niche Market

Having worked as part time massage therapist for over 15 years I decided that I wanted to develop my skills within the grooming industry and work towards setting up a male grooming business and working for myself from home.

I had the luxury of working as a manager within the NHS - an employer that supported better working conditions and allowed me the opportunity to reduce my days that I worked each week so that I could return to college and gain the necessary qualifications and experience I needed. I then went on to take a three year career break and went off to live in Crete and worked at the Blue Palace Resort and Spa part of the Luxury collection for Starwood.  It was during this time that I realised how important having my own business was and also how important it was to offer a service with the best standards for your clients. The Blue Palace gave me the edge in terms of delivering a service with high standards.

So on my return my London my plan was to resume my career in the NHS and whilst doing that I would set up a business from home. This meant working seven days a week and often working very long days. Having lived abroad for several years I had no existing client base so it was starting from scratch...

Having done my research I felt that male grooming was the way forward and as a client myself of many therapies and treatments some of which I felt were not always provided to the best standard for male clients and having worked within a luxury spa environment with high standards of excellence I wanted to offer a business that incorporated all of this.

I decided that by using the best products, training and seeking a location that would suit my clients I could develop a business that I would enjoy whilst offering a bespoke male grooming service with a good standard of service

In Crete I had the benefit of excellent training with a French company that spent several months with us each winter to develop the standards and review the treatments for each new season. So in London I found the best training available for male waxing and decided that it would be beneficial to have this. In my experience good training sets you apart from the competition. My waxing training introduced me to Perron Rigot which is undoubtedly one of the best waxes on the market. I loved Perron Rigot waxes from the moment I started to use them, they have a range that caters for all hair and skin types and they also have a great pre and post wax range that works really well with the waxing treatment and enhances the waxing service to a superior waxing treatment.

Having tried several salons and spas myself I decided that a private therapy room or home salon was the way I wanted to go and location was going to be important. Soho and the west end already seemed saturated with male grooming studios so I decided that I would try North London and finally decided on Islington. It is close to the city with a great selection of transport links to and from the city and west end. I have a studio in a nice part of Islington it’s very spacious, nicely presented with a smart professional image and easy to find - only a 5/6 minute walk from either the Angel or Highbury & Islington underground stations.

Having used Thalgo skincare in Crete then I decided to stay with this as it’s an excellent range and I was familiar with the product and the results.

So it was all falling into shape I was using Thalgo for all my facials, Perron Rigot (which is also part of Thalgo) for all my waxing treatments. The only thing that I felt I needed to offer to my service was a range aftercare products and advice for male waxing but more importantly I felt it was important that aftercare is fully explained to my clients so they knew how to look after their skin and what to expect from a waxing treatment and post treatment. In all my years of having my waxing done I have never received any aftercare advice in any form written , verbal or any aftercare samples so part of my plan was to ensure this was offered to all my clients.

Three years later I have settled back into London life. I left my career in the NHS after eighteen years and have been working at home since. I had established enough of a client base and was confident it would work out for me and to date it has. I put a huge effort in to get my business established and I now offer a service five days a week, I enjoy my days off each week like everybody else and offer longer hours to cater for clients that work later during the week. My experience and training has meant a huge improvement in timings of treatments which is great during the busier periods like July and August and I can offer many more appointments and get more people ready for their holiday!!

I believe that setting high standards and sticking to them works and it pays off.. I love my work I meet new clients every day and I am really happy when my clients return for further treatments. I offer a service to my clients that I would be happy to receive myself. I never take my business or my clients for granted I work long each day and always do my best to fit clients in , I retail aftercare products and give clients as much advice and support to maintain the skin after their treatments.
My plans for the future are to develop my business and to ensure that customer service is still as important. I am working on a new website which will give my clients detailed aftercare advice and also some useful pre and post waxing information.  I get feedback from clients about popular treatments and I have looked at ways to improve my treatment list and offer popular combinations to offer better value for money.
I always thank my clients for their custom and loyalty and in return I promise to rip their hair out as painlessly as possible!!.. (and to continue to offer  a great customer service).

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About London Male Waxing, London Male Waxing is run by Jack Dunn and is based in Islington London N1 UK. Jack is a professionally trained and certified therapist who has worked in the UK and also at the Blue Palace Resort & Spa in Elounda Crete.