Meet the businessman who opened a new town centre salon without a single client and is now winning top hair industry awards

The new business – Ashleigh Hair - was tucked away in a town centre shopping arcade so the 20-year-old had to rely on word of mouth to bring in new customers.

Nearly ten years later, the talented 29-year-old continues to make a success of his business and was recently crowned Best for Hair 2022 in our Warrington Guardian Best of 2022 awards.

We’re launching a new feature – Meet The Salon Owner – which gives local hairdressers the chance to shine a spotlight on their business and showcase some of their best work.

Here, Ashley tells us why he wanted to open his own salon in Warrington – somewhere he had never visited - and how social media has played a part in his success.

Ashleigh Hair and Beauty owner Ashley Withers

What’s the name of the salon/business?

The salon is called Ashleigh Hair, spelt slightly different to my name, so the salon could take on its own identity.

What’s the address?

We are based in the centre of Warrington.

The address is Ashleigh Hair, Unit 7, The Courtyard, 50 Horsemarket Street, Warrington, WA1 1XL

What are your opening hours?

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 10am till 5pm

Thursday late night 10am till 8pm

Friday late night 10am till 7:30pm

Saturday 9am-2pm

Inside the salon on Horsemarket Street

Are you the owner/manager?

I am the owner. It’s my baby and I’m like a proud parent watching it grow.

How many employees do you have?

We have three senior stylists - Ash, Courtney and Emily - one junior stylist – Jenna - a lash and brow technician - Donna - and Leah does nails.

The dedicated team at Ashleigh Hair and Beauty

When did you open the salon?

I opened in 2013.

Has it always been in the same location?

No, originally we were based in a small shop in Hatters Row. It was in the town centre but didn’t have any passing trade, so depended solely on word of mouth and finding new clients. I started the salon without a single client and had to build up the business from scratch. This is where social media played a huge part in our growth as a brand.

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

Believe it or not, I’m not actually from Warrington and before I opened the salon, I had never even been to Warrington to shop! I attended a wedding convention in Hatters Row just under ten years ago, got chatting to someone from Warrington Borough Council and ended the night signing a lease for my own salon! It’s funny how things turn out.

Tell me a bit about your salon

Ashleigh Hair, the brand and business, prides itself on offering services and products of a premium range to everybody, inclusive of their budget. When I started the business, I wanted to flip the hair industry on its head a little bit and stand out from the crowd. We started to offer services that many other salons weren’t offering, such as balayage, which is a safe and effective way of colouring a client’s hair. We were one of the first salons to start offering this treatment and we have now become a balayage expert salon. We are also experts in hair extensions. Over the years, I have tried and tested many different hair extension types from all over the world investing well over £100,000 in product testing and sampling. For the past five years, we have been one of the leading companies to offer premium and luxury hair extensions. It’s why clients always come back to us.

The salon provides a warm and friendly welcome for clients

Why did you decide to open your own salon?

Opening a salon was never something I considered as I was still working as an apprentice and didn’t have any clients. But, before I knew it, I was signing a lease and launching my own brand. As a person, I am very strong-minded and very self-driven, so I always knew working for someone else wasn’t going to work for me. I have always been creative and I’ve taken pleasure from being able to transform somebody and make them feel good about themselves.

What’s your hair and beauty background?

In my teens, I used to love doing friends’ and family’s hair and makeup. I liked making other people look and feel good. After I completed my A-levels in college, I decided not to go to university as I wanted something that was more hands-on and creative. I enrolled on a full-time college course at Leigh Image Centre for Hairdressing, which I completed in 18 months. When I qualified, I didn’t have any salon experience so I applied to be an apprentice at Pure Hair and Beauty in Newton-Le-Willows. I completed my apprenticeship a year early than scheduled and just as I was finishing the opportunity to open my own salon came up. It was perfect timing.

A happy client's classic blonde waves

Why this type of business?

As a person, I am very creative and hands-on and I am a fixer, so the hair industry was perfect. It’s enabled me to be my own boss and employ family and friends to create a great team under the Ashleigh Hair umbrella. Many clients say that when they come into the salon, it’s like one big family.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect your business?

The pandemic was such a hard time for everyone and even now, we’re still feeling the impact and the repercussions. Our fantastic clients and followers supported us through the pandemic and I had to adapt and change the business overnight. During the pandemic, we launched a full skincare range that was available to buy online alongside our branded hair care range. We also created an educational platform and online training portal for other stylists. Online sales jumped up 4,000% with the extra product lines.

What sets your business apart from your competitors?

Apart from our dedication and passion for giving our clients the best possible service, we always have fun in the salon. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and everybody gets treated the same when they walk through the door.

An impressive before and after image for one customer

Why do loyal clients return to your business?

We offer a high-quality service with great attention to detail and customers genuinely enjoy their time in the salon.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your salon?

We have Halloween coming up and then Black Friday, which we always go big on. We have some fantastic giveaways for the run up to Christmas too.

If you would like to be featured in Meet The Salon Owner, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk