With International Women’s Day taking place on Saturday, 8 March and Local Enterprise Week taking place this week, Topic has been catching up with a number of successful local female business leaders, who are forging their way in many fields.
“My wig warriors deserve the best!”
One Westmeath woman who is leading from the front is scalp and wig specialist Joy Kennedy.
Along with her colleague Michelle, Joy owns and operates the bright and spacious Aura Salon located on The Square, Castlepollard. She has been to the forefront of hair care for over 30 years.
Trained by her mother Marian, Joy has explored, studied and taken full advantage of education to become a leading scalp and wig specialist, evident from her plethora of diplomas, available to view in the salon. She is one of two VTCT (Vocational Training and Charitable Trust) awarded wig therapists in Ireland with tutoring qualifications in both hairdressing and wig therapy.
Her experience has led her to create a warm homely environment in both her hair salon and wig clinic. The services she provides have supported those experiencing hair loss in the most discreet and empathetic manner, going over and above to ensure her ‘wig warriors’ only get the best. She also supports her clients by being registered as a vendor for the wig grants with the HSE and DEASP (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection), providing a high level of support and alleviating the burden of paperwork from her clients.
“When a person is having chemo, they don’t need any more stress than what they are going through so I complete the necessary paperwork, try and keep the client’s choices of high quality and still within the grant amount, submit and wait for payment from the relevant authorities which can take up to 30 days,” she said. “Can you imagine if a client had to submit everything and wait that long themselves to receive the funding? Their hair could be lost in under 2 weeks in some cases.”
Joy also includes a complimentary home care kit as this ensures the correct products are being used in the correct manner to ensure longevity of the piece. An area she would like to see changed, and one she is campaigning for, is the 23% VAT added to each piece she provides. She feels they should be classed as medically essential, and therefore exempt from VAT.
“It would mean that I could improve even more on the pieces for my wig warriors which is what they deserve. GDPR is very important in my line of work so discretion is vital.”
For more information, or to make an appointment, contact Joy on 044 966 1234, visit aurahairspecialists.ie or email info@aurahairspecialists.ie. She can also be found on Facebook and Instagram at Aura Hair Specialists.
Step into Spring with Harbour Therapy
With a grand stretch in the evenings, one Westmeath woman is aiming to make the first step into Spring a comfortable one for all.
Ciara Byrne of Harbour Therapy, Mullingar is a foot health practitioner who helps keep feet feeling great. Whether you’re on your feet all day, love long walks, or just want to keep them in top shape, Ciara can help with everything from general foot care to advice on comfortable footwear.
“With over 25 years experience, I have a true passion for the holistic approach to life by helping clients achieve balance in their everyday lives,” she said.
For many, Spring is a time of optimism and excitement but with summer just around the corner, the thoughts of open footwear can strike fear into the hearts of the best of us. There is no need to panic according to the foot specialist who said forewarned is fore-footed:
“Summer is approaching, which means it’s time to get your feet ready for open footwear! Start with regular care: pamper your nails, moisturise the skin, and remove rough areas. Use scrubs and pumice stones for exfoliation, as well as moisturising foot masks. Don’t forget about sunscreen to protect your feet from sunburn. Love your feet, and they will respond with beauty and health!”
Ciara tidies up toenails, smooths out rough skin, and keeps feet feeling fresh and pain-free. No matter what condition your tootsies are in, Ciara can help you nail the solution, toe the line and save those soles!
Contact Ciara at 087 232 5143, harbourtherapy@gmail.com or www.harbourtherapy.ie
Next generation are taking on the business world
With new ideas, ambitions and outlooks, the new generation of women are carving out their names in the business world. Amongst them is 20 year old Áine Gorman, company secretary at A. Gorman’s Furniture and Interiors.
Not content with her senior role in the company, and inspired by her desire to help people, Áine has embarked on the path to Interior Design.
“The interior design course that I’m doing is part time with the IAID (Irish Association of Interior Design), which works for me, because I’m also working full-time in the shop,” she said. “It is great because you get to combine learning with actually experiencing what it’s like going into people’s houses and seeing what works. It can sometimes be a bit of a struggle trying to juggle the demands of the course and keeping the job going but it’s rewarding and definitely worth it.”
The young woman hopes to leverage her learning to help others in the future.
“I’d like to specialise in inclusive designs for people with disabilities, because that way I can apply my love for interior design, but also help people in a practical way. Having struggled with a disability myself, I know that those accommodations can make such a difference, and good design can make things so much more accessible.”
“With inclusive interior design, you have to be a lot more mindful of what you do. For example, if you go into hospitals, you have to have safety checks, safety floor, the handles have to be a certain type. Also, having a homely space in a place like that could make all the difference when receiving good news, receiving bad news, just that sense of comfort. If I could bring that to people when they’re going through some of the worst moments and some of the best moments, I would be so happy. It could make all the difference to them.”
As she prepares to travel to Spain to broaden her knowledge of different cultures and designs, Áine said she feels strongly about International Women’s Day.
“It is great to have representation, a day for us to highlight how the workplace affects us and bring out any issues that we are having. It’s an opportunity to improve things, improve communications with other women in other businesses, and to learn more as a whole,” she said.
To contact Áine and her colleagues visit flooringandfurniture.ie, phone 044 930 7048, email info@agormanflooring.ie or call into the shop at Mullingar Shopping Centre (Tesco).
