Kerry Cash Salon Director

• After leaving school I enrolled on a two-year beauty therapy-training course in September 1990 at Henlow Grange Health Farm.
• In 1992 I gained City and Guilds, IHBC, and Henlow Grange Diploma in Beauty Therapy.
• In the same year I won Trainee of the Year Award, gained diplomas in Sports Therapy, Aromatherapy, Reflexology and RSA to teach exercise classes and become a gym instructor.
• I increased my knowledge of the beauty and fitness industry by working at at Springs Health Hydro in Leicestershire on a three-month contract.
• In August 1994 I went self employed and opened a new treatment room based within a hair salon. I continued to teach exercise classes freelancing at Henlow Grange and set up an independent exercise class based at a local gym.
• In September 1996 I set up my beauty salon at home. It was a self-contained double garage area, which offered treatments, sauna and swimming for clients. I also offered talks and demonstrations for various women’s groups.
• In December 1997 5th Avenue Hair and Beauty Spa opened its doors for the very first time in Bedford. We began with a team of 3 and were the first town centre salon to offer four late night openings until 9.00pm.
• Since 2001 I have been a regular Judge at the Annual Hair and Beauty show held at Bedford Corn Exchange for Bedford College students.
• Around the same time I began to regularly deliver career advice and business talks to local schools. I have gained an excellent report with local schools and recruited extended work experience students to start placements within the salon.
• 5th Avenue has always been very community focused and raised thousands of pounds for charity. We have carried out demonstrations at charity events to boost funds for St Johns Hospice, Breast Cancer Awareness, Children in Need, McMillan, Comic Relief, Keech Hospice and Friends of Bedford Hospital. We have also raised money for local schools when attending their fundraising events and pamper evenings.
• To enhance customer loyalty and involvement ‘Group Packages’ including demonstrations, treatments and home care advice. These were offered to firms to incentivise staff performance. For the last 3 years Bedford Borough Council have used us to put together a staff pampering session for the councils “Risk Awareness Week”
• In January 2005 the salon launched a computerised booking system.
• Ongoing training for all of the team included courses in salon, at training academies, personal coach session and further NVQ’s.
• In 2007 the salon had a make over to enhance its appeal and create that London look. Workstations increased from 8 to 13. Refurbishment continues every year to ensure the customer experience is always pleasurable.
• Social evenings are organised on a regular basis for our clients. These include various beauty and product demonstrations, launch of new services and our annual Christmas Shopping event.
• I have helped several out of area salons build up their beauty departments including posing as a secret shopper.
• With the help of a developer I devised and wrote the 5th Avenue website which was launched in July 2007. The Internet is now a vital part of our customer communication and is regularly updated with news and forthcoming events.
• Marketing is crucial to the success of 5th Avenue. The customer database is rigorously kept up to date and monthly offers; promotions and newsletters are emailed to all of our 6,000 clients and displayed in the salon.
• In 2007 I organised a Charity Ball to celebrate our tenth anniversary. 280 people attended and we raised around £7,000 for a local hospice.
• 5th Avenue was nominated as an ESPA Specialist Salon in 2008 and we were invited to attend the ESPA Specialist workshop. This is only available for the best performing ESPA salons. This accolade went along side our Redken Platinum Salon status and our Jessica Gold Salon.
• Staff retention and motivation is enhanced by days out and various incentives. I have organised events such as business trips to London, Reykjavik, Morocco, Las Vegas, Scottsdale, and San Diego. Ascot Ladies Day, picnics in the park and music festivals. In 2006 we tragically lost an amazing stylist in a car accident and wanted to do something to show our support for the family. We organised a sponsored dance and proceeds went to road accident support victims.
• I continued to improve my management skills, this became especially relevant as staff numbers increased, courses I attended include; a Managing Conflict and Assertiveness Course in May 2007, NVQ level 3 in Business Management in November 2007, in December 2007 a Business Development Course and NVQ level 5 in Business Management in December 2008.
• 5th Avenue was nominated and short listed at The Rising Star Awards in Bedford for the “Training Category” in November 2007.
• Two of our hair teams made it to the regional hair heats of the Redken hair competition at the NEC in Birmingham in May 2009. One of our teams got through to the grand final in London in September 2009.
• 5th Avenue was short listed for the Pride in Bedford Awards in May 2009. The salon was runner up in the “Service with a Smile” award and I won for the “Adult Achiever” award.
• In July 2009 I was invited onto the committee for Bedfordshire Business Women and The Princes Trust for Beds and Milton Keynes.
• In November 2009 the salon was short listed at The Rising Star Awards for the “Training Category”
• I won “Barclays Self Employed Women of the Year” at the Bedfordshire Business Women Awards in November 2009.
• 5th Avenue became a limited company in January 2010.
• In April 2010 we entered the Redken national hairdressing competition and one of our teams got through to the regional heats at the NEC in Birmingham in May 2010.
• We held a charity curry evening in April 2010 and raised £2000.00 for St Johns Hospice, Moggerhanger.
• Finalists in Customer Care at the Federation of Small Business Awards and we won Training and Development at the Federation of Small Business Awards in May 2010.
• In September 2010 – I became Vice President for Bedfordshire Business Women.
• It was arranged by 5th Avenue for two stylists to assist celebrity hairstylists at Redken head office to cut hair at a “Cutathon” to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
• During September and October 2010 every stylist and receptionist was sent on a training course to help up date their skills.
• We joined forces with other Bedford based businesses in November 2010 to launch the annual Toy Drive for Keech Hospice. Collections and money raising events are held to raise funds for the Hospice and toys for the children at Christmas. At the 2011 almost £15,000 was raised for this worthy cause.
• In February 2011 the salon took part in “Februhairy” to raise money for St John’s Hospice. A staff member won a work experience day at celebrity stylist Andrew Barton in Covent Garden.
• Two teams of 5th Avenue stylists got through to the regional finals for NYC Redken hair competition in Cardiff, April 2011.
• The salon launched Sunday opening hours in June 2011. We now open 7 days a week including late night appointments.
• In September 2011 I took over the role of President of Bedfordshire Business Women for one year tenure. In the same month we launched 5th Avenue at The Embankment Hotel in Bedford offering a range of beauty treatment to residents and restaurant guests.
• In October 2011 a team of 12 from the salon attended Pink Ladies Day for breast cancer awareness at Bedford rugby club, offering treatments in exchange for donations. £900 was raised for the charity on the day.
• In the same month I introduced a new networking strategy to enhance members interaction at BBW. “The Network Trawl.”
• I won Members Member of the Year at the Bedfordshire Business Awards in the November 2011. The first time this event has attracted over 200 guests, nominees and members at a sit down lunch; £4,200 was raised for my chosen charity, St John’s Hospice.
• During 2011 I have started two columns to promote BBW in Beds Times & Citizen and Affinity magazine.