My name is Charlotte Fletcher, but please call me Charlie.  This is my story of how this business came to be. 

After having my son in 2000, I started working in party plan for three very different but well known companies.  It was when starting with one of these companies who did beauty and make up parties, that in 2002 I made the choice to retrain, initially it was to learn more about make up and gain an understanding of beauty both to benefit the company I was working with.  I fast discovered that working mobile with my own business in make up and beauty, I would make more money than to continue working with another company...well that''s what I thought then! 

I started to do my early research, meet with the local Princes Trust and Business Link and on doing so I was advised to consider applying for a small business start up grant through NES (New Entrepreneur Scholarship).  This was when I realised I had started with my vision blinkered, there were so many unconsidered aspects to what I was planning.  Like the mass of paper work just to apply for the grant that would then cover the enormous mounting costs. 

Eventually after completing my first beauty course, with the help of the jobcentre, as at this point I was claiming Jobseekers allowance (JSA); I had to start working mobile earlier than planned and with the blessing of the jobcentre a little disruption to my claim of money from them, I was awarded a small grant to buy my treatment couch and a few accessories and start treating my first customers.  These customers were to start with friends and customers from my days as a party planner, and to those of you I still treat a big thank you.  Had it not been for those early days that helped to fund what I was unable to apply for in my NES grant, I would not have got off the ground. 

In June 2005 my grant was awarded in full, I had secured a rented room in a Tanning business in Walsall, the owner of which was a new customer!  I then entered the test trading period with the jobcentre and I was now working full time with new customers everyday.  But in September 2005 problems hit the tanning salon I was working from went under, leaving me with no premises again.  I started to work mobile again as it was what I was doing before had to claim JSA again as I was not working full time anymore.  In December of the same year I was lucky to find a building for lease only a few doors away from where I was renting a room before in Walsall. 

After a lot of hard work with the help of friends and my husband I opened my salon at 44a Bradford Street, in mid January 2006.  Decorating had only finished the day before and the sunbed had not yet been delivered, but having no choice the salon opened with one customer booked in and no shop sign! 

Because I had a son how was not of school age through most of the set up period, I was not able to attend college full time to gain all of my qualifications, so instead studied part-time in the evenings and at weekends to become fully qualified.  Now originally I wanted to work solely with make up but to be practical with a young child and on the advice of tutors I own and run my salon offering beauty also to my customers until my son is of an age where I can be fully involved in the make up industry.  At the same time as studying for my beauty qualifications I also studied for my make up ones, I have always had active work in the make up industry just not full time or London based. 

My vision for the salon however, was to create a business unique and very unlike the stereo types.  I wanted a warm yet clean inviting salon, with warmth from the staff as well as the location, due to the restriction I currently have on employing staff which is due to the huge additional insurance cost, it is still just myself working "why employ staff to do a job I perfectly capable of doing myself". 

Recently I have asked my regular customers why it is that they chose my salon and why they still come, especially those who are not local and will travel excess of 20 miles to be treated by me, originally it was to give me content for this page but instead I chose to tell my story.  Still the answers I got were interesting:  You like the warm welcome, my banter, the extreme lack of stereo types, my perfectionist approach to my work and most of all that you aren''t another number or open purse!  I have also been told that I have created something posh without the expected atmosphere you would expect to go with it.  It is all these things I aspired to achieve and apparently I have, I constantly strive to better myself and my work and I am so pleased that customers such as yourselves especially Tracey, Sue, Debbie, Amanda, Sarah, Dawn, Hannah, Susan, Kath, and many more even including some men still give me your trade and THANK YOU ALL. 

I am sure I will still add to this story as time passes, the latest is I successfully completed my first and second years of my Certificate in Education and  also completed my A1 Assessors Qualification, which means I graduate this year as a qualified teacher.  As a bonus this year (2008/2009) I was awarded ''Student Teacher of the Year'', which came as a shock to me and involved being presented with lovely award which is now on display in the salon along with my other two. 

In September 2008 I started part-time teaching in make up and beauty, at two diffrent colleges of futher education. Currently the academic year has ended for my teaching but I shall be teaching again in September 2009. 

Thank you again all of you for your support, thank you for your reviews on the bestof.co.uk/walsall which saw me presented with a certificate in 2007 and again in 2009. 

Unfortunately due to certumstances beyond my control in July/Aug 2010, the salon has had to move.  And due to the current finacial climate, finding new shop pemises in an affordable braket has been impossible.  So I have moved my full business to my home and have made arrangements with a hairdressers, local to my old location to offer lunch time appointments for a skeleton service.  Meaning those customers who come to see me in there work lunch breaks can still do so. 

BTEC National Diploma Performing Arts
NVQ Level 2 Cosmetic Make up & Beauty Therapy VTCT
Level 2 Eyelash Perming VTCT & Amirose International
NVQ Level 2 Ear Piercing VTCT
NVQ Level 2 Fashion & Photographic Make up VTCT
NVQ Level 2 Wax Depilation VTCT
NVQ Level 2 Nail Treatments manicure & pedicure VTCT
NVQ Level 2 Nail Enhancements extensions VTCT
NVQ Level 1 Threading Depilation NOCN
NVQ Level 1 & 2 Mendhi/Henna Skin Decoration NOCN
NVQ Level 2 Beauty Specialist Techniques VTCT
Level 2 Fake Bake Training Course
Level 2 Gerard''s Prescriptive Facials Training Course
Level 2 Bay Professional Acrylic & Gel Nail Extension Training Course
Helionova Sun Bed Operator Training Course
NVQ Level 3 Beauty Therapy Make Up Route + electrolysis C & G
NVQ Level 3 Swedish Body Massage VTCT
NVQ Level 3 Health & Safety VTCT
Year 1 Level 4 Certificate in Education PGCE
A1 Assessors Award
Year 2 Level 5 Certificate in Education PGCE
QCF Level 3 First Aid at Work

I am reguarly CRB checked by several organisations I work with and for, so hold several clear check certificates.  

I also hold professional memberships with the following
IFHB - International Federation of Health & Beauty Therapy
IHBC - International Health & Beauty Council
IIHHT - International Institute for Health and Holistic Therapies
BECTU - Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union
UCU - University and College Union
Pro Make Up Artist - Make-up Artist Magazine
NASMAH - National Association of Screen Make-up Artists & Hairdressers (application being processed)

I am a professional practicing member of the FHT - Federation of Holistic Therapies (IFHB), I have insurance with TIS - Therapy Insurance Services Ltd, and for more information on the FHT click here, if you do a postcode search on WS10 you will find me listed as Mrs C J Fletcher.