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SALON PROFILE
BEAUTY INSIDE & OUT
By Clare Lamberth
Kerry Fulluck has owned Mia Bella, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, for 8 years, originating from the UK having arrived in Australia 13 years ago. Travelling on a Student Visa would see Kerry fall into what would soon be her lifelong love and passion, a career in the Skin and Beauty Industry and eventually a clinic owner herself.
KERRY FULLUCK For the first 7 weeks of her Diploma of Beauty Therapy, Kerry found her mind was blown. She was a 40yr mum, who felt she never “used her brain” since leaving school at 15. Suddenly she was expected to learn, know and remember words she couldn’t even pronounce, never mind remember what their function was! Head down, bum up, Kerry got through the 2 years of study and passed, allowing her and her husband to eventually apply for Permanent Residency and then onto Citizenship. She officially became an Aussie! Kerry’s career as a Therapist started in a predominantly waxing salon while she was still training. It was a great place to start, having strict time frames to work with made Karry nail her waxing skills. Being a perfectionist, she was committed to making sure every wax she performed was as perfect as it could be, and on time, whether that be a brow wax or Brazilian. “During a tour of our local Day Spas whilst studying for my Diploma, one Day Spa really in particular captured my attention and my heart. At The Spa at Noosa Springs Resort, I turned to one of my fellow students and said…. “I’m going to work here!”. I applied with the Spa Manager and started the next week. I worked there for 4 years, even gaining the position of Assistant Spa Manager,” explains Kerry.
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Beauty Biz Year 14 Issue 5
The salon Kerry had originally began her beauty career in came up for sale and after a little (ok a lot) of persuasion from her husband, they bought it. It was in a local shopping centre. The high rents and 7-day trade really took its toll and after 5 years Kerry had had enough. During a business retreat in Bali Kerry had an epiphany. Listening to the other salon owners and learning how much less they were paying in rent. Kerry had to make a change. Her mission when she returned was to find a new space with lower rent. After going to centre management with her concerns she discovered a new space that had just become available on the outside of the centre. The rent was less than half! Kerry closed Mia Bella on Saturday at 5 pm and reopened her new space on the Tuesday. It was the best thing she ever did! Mia Bella flourished into a skin clinic, loved by clients and her team alike. We spoke to Kerry and asked her more about her love for Mia Bella
What do you specialise in?
We specialise in delivering skin treatments. We use Meder Beauty Science and Sircuit Cosmeceutical in our treatments, and we have Dermalogica as a retail product. The results we are achieving with our Meder Skin Treatments are phenomenal. We really are changing clients lives by changing their skin, in a healthy, sustainable way
Can you tell us about your adventures overseas with HairAid helping the women of underprivileged communities?
One of our gorgeous clients is Selina Tomasich, the CEO of Hair Aid, a great organisation that educates and trains third world women caught up in some of the worst scenarios, in hairdressing giving them skills to better their situations and give them a brighter future. After having a chat with Selina one day about her amazing work with Hair Aid, I said tongue in cheek “If ever you decide to take Beauty Therapists with you on your projects, please let me know as I would be super interested. She emailed me that night and said…. “How about Bali in. September?” Fundraising began the following week, we were on the local TV and radio stations letting people know what we were going to be doing and we needed to raise funds to get me and one of my gorgeous girls, Sharni to Bali and be the very first Beauty Therapists to join the Hair Aid team. We raised about 1/3 of the cost and paid for the rest ourselves. I compiled the training manual and before we knew it, we were heading off to Bali to change lives…. Little did we know we would change not only the amazing women we worked with, but it changed our lives too. Probably THE most profound experience of my life!!! We trained women in manicures & pedicures for 5 days so they could make a better future for themselves and their families. These women and
