From Novice to Industry Leaders.

How Elysium Hair Brisbane Became the Australian Salon of the Year Through Entrepreneurial Spirit and Determination.

By Kate Henderson, Elysium Hair Brisbane

Oscar and I are not hairdressers, but we were eager to learn. It was a steep learning curve, but we were determined to create something we would be proud of. We had a young family and an entrepreneurial urge, and we saw an opportunity to create something special. The idea of Elysium Hair Brisbane was born out of a desire to build a salon where a team could flourish and grow and where our clients could experience something incredible.

When we first started Elysium, we had no idea what we were doing. We had to learn everything from scratch, from the basics of running a business to the intricacies of hairdressing. But we were passionate about creating something special, and we were willing to put in the hard work to make it happen.

We started small, buying a run-down salon on the first floor of an office building in Brisbane City. We worked hard on our culture, which speaks to our team of like-minded individuals who share our passion for hairdressing and our commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.

We wanted to create a place where they could flourish and grow, where they could be proud to work, and where they could develop their skills and talents to become the best hairdressers they could be.

Our philosophy as a team is simple: to create a people-first salon specialising in delightfully personalised hair experiences that care beyond hair. We blend passion, purpose, and positivity to do good for people and the planet.

Sustainability was also important to us. We wanted to run a sustainable salon, one that was environmentally responsible and socially conscious. We worked with Sustainable Salons and became accredited as a Green Salon Select with The Australian Hairdressing Council, which recognises salons that meet the highest standards of environmental sustainability, occupational health and safety, and client care.

Our hard work and commitment paid off. We began to win awards and accolades, which only fuelled our passion and determination to create the best salon we could. We won Best Customer Care three times, Team of the Year twice, Queensland Salon of the Year three times, Best Salon Design and Australian Salon Of The Year at The Australian Hair Industry Awards twice, Hair Expo, the Australian Hair Fashion Awards, and the Australian Small Business Champion Awards.

We were also finalists in the Telstra Business Awards, and we are currently finalists in the Business Champion Awards. We have entered awards as a way to pull our business apart and find ways to improve, and we have entered awards many times and not won.

Winning the Australian Salon of the Year in 2022/23 at the Australian Hair Industry Business Awards in our 14th year of business was a crowning achievement for us. It was a recognition of everything we had worked so hard to achieve, and it was a testament to the dedication and commitment of our team.

We were humbled and grateful for the recognition, and we knew that it would inspire us to continue to strive for excellence in everything we did. To win Queensland Salon of the Year and Best Customer Care to take home the trifecta was a big pinch-me moment.

So, what’s our secret to a successful business? It’s simple: passion, hard work, and dedication. We love what we do, and we’re passionate about creating the best salon experience for our clients. We’re not afraid to work hard, and we’re committed to providing our team with the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Our success is not only measured by the awards we win but by the relationships we build with our clients and team members. We’re committed to continuing to learn and grow, to push ourselves to be better, and to create an environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and excellence.

In the end, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished at Elysium Hair Brisbane, and we’re excited about what the future holds. We’re grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way, and we’re thrilled to be able to share our journey with you. Over the next five issues, we’ll be unpacking the different elements of the Elysium brand, sharing our insights and experiences, and hopefully inspiring people to work in great team-based salons or even run their own.