About Katie
Is Katie Weeds a real person?
THE KATIE WEEDS STORY
ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?
ONCE UPON A TIME IN DERBYSHIRE...
Back in 2011, when Katie had finished her GCSEs, her parents Chris and Rachel had expected her to go on to A-levels and then as they had done onto University – Katie had other ideas. Ten years on and with five hair salons bearing her name, Katie talks about her story so far.
As with most of the stylists, who now work for her, Katie began her career as a ‘Saturday girl’. This was enough to pique her interest and led onto an Apprenticeship.
With a day a month at the Roundhouse College in Derby and all other learning in salon, Katie enjoyed developing her practical skills and quickly gained the confidence to work with clients.
“Even now, the best part of the job is working my magic and putting a smile on a client’s face. You really can change their mood for the better and provide them with so much more confidence.”
Two years later and with all her basic skills under her belt, she passed her End Point Assessment (EPA) with Distinction. As a fully qualified NVQ Level 3 Hair Stylist, Katie had imagined that this would give her the stability to further her career, but it wasn’t all plain sailing.
By 2014, Katie was looking for a new challenge. She was starting to see the ways she could run a salon herself and what she would do differently.
So, at the tender age of 19, she asked her father how she could open her own business.
“I admit, that had my dad not been in business, it would have taken much longer for me to pluck up the courage to open my own salon. At that age, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. It felt daunting. I didn’t even know what VAT was or the first thing about setting up a limited company – it was a steep learning curve.”
Having viewed several properties around Belper town centre, they decided on a small outlet on Bridge Street with a 10-year lease. With help from her partner Mitchell, a recently qualified electrician, they stripped out the fittings and created an intimate space that she could grow into. After just three months, she proudly repaid the initial investment and she knew she had made the right decision.
“I was busy almost immediately. I couldn’t believe that people would just turn up at the door needing my skills. Many of those customers are still my clients today and I am eternally grateful for their loyalty and putting their trust in that plucky 19-year-old.”
Six months later, and Danielle joined the salon and Katie now had her first employee. It probably speaks volumes about their relationship that Danielle has remained with the business and is now managing one of the salons.
The opportunity for a second salon in Duffield soon arose and Katie took another deep breath and signed the lease. When the Belper location came up to its 5-year break clause, the option was there to move to a bigger salon.
The old NatWest bank on the main high street in Belper had been empty for a couple of years, but at over 1800sq.ft. it was an entirely different beast to the intimate salons Katie was used to. An empty shell with no power, lighting or heating, this would be a massive undertaking to turn it into something special. After much deliberation between Katie, Chris and Mitchell, they went for it and picked up the keys in March 2020.
Anybody clued up on recent history would spot that within weeks the world would enter lockdown.
Katie laughs, “Of all the risks we had made plans for, a global pandemic hadn’t been in our business plan.”
Always seeing an opportunity in every challenge, they set about doing the work themselves. At the end of the project, Katie had tackled most DIY jobs and became a dab hand at everything from tiling to a spot of plumbing.
“Early in 2022, I visited Park Farm Shopping Centre in Allestree and it really got under my skin. When it first opened in the 1970s it was apparently the largest mall in Europe. This is hard to believe now. I just loved the community spirit and the number of independent retailers. It felt like the ideal location for salon number 3.”
With the experience gained from the other salons, the team were able set up and refit the salon quickly and efficiently. Mickleover and Ripley locations were next in line and quickly became excellent additions to the KW Group.
Lots of customers have visited all five salons and all agree that each has its own personality but is very much part of the same brand and group. No matter which salon you visit, the same warm welcome and friendly atmosphere is obvious.
In terms of obstacles, you would be forgiven for thinking that over the 10 years, Katie had overcome them all. Despite her successes, Katie remains realistic about the difficulties of being in business.
“The hardest thing about running a business like ours, is recruitment and making sure you have the right people around you. I can train most people to become great hair stylists, but I can’t always teach someone how to be a good person. It has taken time to grow the KW Team, and it’s probably one of my greatest achievements is that we have a group of truly lovely people. We’re so lucky to have them.”
As far as University is concerned, does Katie feel that she made the right choice?
“Well, despite achieving good grades at GCSE, I knew that academia wasn’t for me. I knew I would be more suited to a practical trade. I certainly didn’t fancy all that student debt, when I could be out there earning my own money. I would 100% advise anyone to look at an Apprenticeship as a valid route to a successful career.”
Katie certainly is a success story that should be an inspiration for young people everywhere to follow their passions; choose the future that’s right for them and be open to opportunities that arise. What is the long-term future of the KW Group?
“Well, I’m very happy with the 5 salons that we have, so I’m not looking for another location… but then again, if another lovely old bank came up…”
