Entrepreneur of Nottingham specialist waxing and beauty salon nkd, Rebecca Dowdeswell, has said her business is thriving after a recent revamp and £25,000 loan funding from the city’s Creative Quarter Loan Fund.
The 39-year-old ex-journalist said it is thanks to organisations like First Enterprise, which provide business support and loan funding across the East Midlands, that she has been able to take on the ten-year lease of new premises and take her business to the next level.
She said: “The Creative Quarter Loan Fund is a great thing for Nottingham and it is thanks to organisations like First Enterprise that people like myself are able to follow their dream and are made aware of their options.
“I knew my business had potential but I needed that extra cash flow to take it to the next level. First Enterprise was great in not only arranging the loan funding but also in offering advice and support where needed.”
NKD opened its doors in Bridlesmith Walk in 2009. Five and a half years later, the the specialist waxing and beauty salon moved premises to Pelham Street in April 2015 and is now flourishing.
Rebecca added: “The salon move was the best thing we could have done. We moved to the new premises last April, at which time we completed a massive fit-out of all three floors. The upper floors of the property were near derelict and I couldn’t have renovated them without the loan. We now have more space and we’ve enjoyed a huge increase in walk-in trade due to better footfall on Pelham Street compared to our old location.
“Although the business has grown in each of the six year’s we’ve so far been trading, we were especially pleased with 2015’s 25% year-on-year sales growth. We’ve just recruited 3 more new staff members which will allow us to make better use of our new space.”
Rebecca set up nkd after seeing a gap in the market for specialised waxing salons as opposed to generalist beauty salons which tend to be jacks of all trades but masters of none.
She said: “Having spent time in Brazil in my 20s, I experienced salons and therapists that specialised solely in waxing, which you would expect, given that Brazil is considered the home of advanced waxing.
“In the UK there are tens of thousands of salons that offer waxing as one of their many services but there are very few where the therapists specialise and have extensive knowledge in this treatment. Although waxing is a bread-and butter-service for most beauty salons, waxes can be painful and embarrassing for the client when carried out incorrectly or with a poor technique, which unfortunately they all too often are.
“All of our therapists at nkd have been expertly trained to an incredibly high standard and can give customers personalised advice about hair removal and aftercare.”
The Creative Quarter Loan Fund is a partnership between Nottingham City Council and First Enterprise Business Agency and is open to both new and existing businesses. The fund has been running since April 2013 and has, so far, helped 35 businesses lending a total of £750,000.
Neil Millington, loan fund manager at First Enterprise, said: “Being able to help businesses grow is something that is at the heart of what we do and it is great to see nkd waxing doing so well.
To apply for this funding, businesses need to be already domiciled in or relocating to the Creative Quarter area of Nottingham. This fund is managed by First Enterprise Business Agency in partnership with Nottingham City Council.”
Councillor Nick McDonald, portfolio holder for jobs, growth and transport at Nottingham City Council, added: “The City Council is delighted to be working with First Enterprise on the delivery of this successful fund which has already exceeded our expectations in its first three years. The fund has become a significant factor in turning the Creative Quarter into a more vibrant business location, an area for entrepreneurs such as Rebecca to set-up and grow their businesses. nkd is yet another example of a thriving business in Nottingham’s Creative Quarter. I wish Rebecca and her team continued success in their new premises.”
