Marta and I met in Brighton at Elm Grove Primary School in 2016 when our daughters (Marta's youngest and my eldest) started school and were in the same class. They were buddies and so Marta and I got chatting at the school gates.
We had a lot in common
We soon discovered over morning coffee, we were both therapists. Marta was trained in beauty and massage therapy and I was working out of a few massage therapy clinics (Revitalise and The Tree of Life) in Hove. We were both looking to create a comfortable space that felt in keeping with somewhere we ourselves envisaged enjoying giving treatments.
We were both looking to balance mummying and working which often felt like a juggling act on a unicycle during a hurricane, but somehow we were managing it. It helped to have someone else understand those pressures and to laugh about days when it just seemed to go a bit wrong.
There for each other
After some time and many chats and coffees, Marta moved part time into a therapy room I was renting in an old church-like building, on Ditchling road. We shared the space whilst also working out of other treatment rooms and enjoyed the support we found in being a team. We discovered that we were both passionate about what we do and really care about creating a great treatment for clients. We also had a good laugh, especially over some of the reactions from other businesses in the building, in what was a very corporate set up, but it made us stronger. The building was architecturally beautiful and had an ethereal ambiance, but it still didn’t quite suit our set up and as we were getting busier, we knew we needed more space with a room each and an area where Marta could do nails properly.
Our daughters were getting older, finding more independence from us and we found that we were also thinking about how we might progress as a business too. So we decided to check out a small shop up for rent on Baker Street and immediately felt it was the place for us! Although, on entering the shop it had been left in a pretty bad way by the last tenants, we found strength together and set about making plans to turn a shop with no electrics or decent flooring, into our dream treatment rooms. The landlady was really supportive and has been throughout our tenancy, which has really helped during lockdown. Little did we know, that upon refitting the shop, less than 12 months later we would be forced to close due to the pandemic, and then face further forced closures!
Support from our clients
It was sheer grit and determination that we got through the first lockdown. We were concerned what would await us on the other side, but our amazing customers didn’t let us down and came back as soon as they were able.
It’s been a wonderful journey and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather go through it with!