Role: Owner
Company: Aura Day Spa
Track Record:
“A business owner in the beauty sector needs to balance a professional attitude with the ability to communicate effectively with a customer base,” says Patricia.
What does your Job entail?
Where do I start? Running a beauty business means I have to balance all elements of a large workload including recruitment, quality control, stock control, monitoring the market and then sourcing and securing new treatments. As well as the administrative and ac-counting duties, I’m forever sourcing the best available products and treatments because I want to offer the most innovative beauty solutions emerging in the market. I think it’s nice to offer exclusivity or get in there first.
Is it 9-5?
Most definitely not. I’m always working no matter where I am. Aura Day Spa opens from 10am-8.30pm most week days but a lot of things get done out-side those hours. My husband, Sam does a lot of work outside of hour’s including general maintenance of the building. The majority of my work, inclusive of administration takes place around the clock and I find sometimes you only get things done when things are quiet and that could be sitting at home, at the kitchen table! There are times when I have to work away from home for example at trade shows. This year alone we’ve been to England, Germany and New York and these research trips are imperative to keeping the business on the top of its game.
How did you get into this line of work? Outline your career to date?
I studied beauty therapy at Loriam Beauty College in Dublin, which was a big deal for a girl from a small village outside Lisburn. I always had an interest in skincare and makeup and I had to fight with my parents to pursue that career path be-cause back in the early 80s it was a very basic, almost unheard of industry. My parents eventually gave me their blessing and I’ve never looked back.
Outline your career to date?
I finished training in Dublin in 1982 and worked for Roberta Meehan who was the person to work with in beauty in Belfast. I then opened up my own business in Lisburn called Patricia’s Beauty Clinic in 1983. That operation was a great success and it went from strength to strength. Then I did every-thing on my own using just two treatment rooms and when I expanded it as far as I could take it. At our peak we had eight staff. In December 2000, I opened Aura Day Spa and ran two businesses together for several years until I decided to focus on Aura Day Spa. We did an expansion here and continued to move forward consistently offering new treatments and breakthrough therapies in the market.
Tell us about your qualifications/training
I studied at Loriam in Dublin and graduated with a BABTAC and ITEC in Anatomy and Physiology Aesthetician and Electrolysis. I continued to under-take professional courses and am a Vein Wave Practitioner and qualified in Advanced Electrolysis and Semi Permanent Cosmetics. My business acumen is derived from growing up with parents who were very hard working pub and restaurant owners. Through them I received in-valuable advice and on-the-job training.
What qualities are required for your job — personal Paid professional?
A business owner in the beauty sector needs to balance a professional attitude with the ability to communicate effectively with a customer base. Delegation skills are essential too but most importantly, knowledge of the industry comes out top. There are managers that can transfer their skills to multiple sectors but I believe that in the beauty world, you need that interest and knowledge. That comes across to customers and staff — that passion, that belief in your service and it allows you to continually strive to offer the best. If you lose an interest in that passion, it shows in performance and how your staff perceive you. At Aura, we want to offer an experience. We are aware that there are many business offering similar treatments to us but it’s the knowledge and passion for what we do that we believe offers a true experience and that’s our unique selling point.
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?
Keeping up to date with the latest trends when you’re so busy with the administrative aspect of the business is a task and ensuring that service standards are constantly maintained and at a high standard requires great effort but I’m very proud that my husband Sam and I have developed the business to the standard and size it is today and I get rewards from clients leaving feeling satisfied and pleased with the results and also from the staff when they’ve had a great day and the team is happy and clients are coming back in and commenting on how good the experience was.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love going out for a meal and a glass of wine at the weekends and socialising with friends. Mine and Sam’s main hobby is skiing — we always have a winter holiday and we love Austria in particular.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
I absolutely love animals. I sponsor Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Dogs Trust and I think when we have a bit more time, we will look to getting a dog.
Who has inspired you most it your life?
My parents are my inspirations. My mum and dad worked so hard as business owners and I really admire them for that. They were successful and I put my strong work ethic down to them.