Since she set up her business in 2021, Jasmine Holmes has built Holmes of Beauty into an academy and two salons, with a third set to open within the year and plans for more. She shares the secrets behind her growth.
How did you start Holmes of Beauty and how have you expanded the business?
“Holmes of Beauty launched in 2021 and I started in a little shed in my mum’s back garden.
"Before that I had worked around Bournemouth in some local salons. That's where I did my Level 2 and 3 apprenticeship at Bournemouth and Poole College and where I discovered my love for the beauty industry.
“After a while I began to realise there were some things that were missing or could be done better. That's when I took the leap and decided to start up on my own in my mum's garden.
“I think I knew from day one that I wanted to grow it into something bigger. I wanted to create a space that clients can feel like VIPs from the moment they walk in and have that amazing salon experience in beautiful surroundings. And for the staff as well, to make sure they have a place where they know they're respected, they're appreciated invested in and supported along the way.
“Within a year of working at home, we opened up the first salon salon in Bournemouth. And from day one it was all about delivering results-driven treatments while focusing on supporting the team as well with the best training and opportunities.
“The business grew pretty rapidly and we started drafting plans to further expand. Progression opportunities are really important for the team. I remember when I worked in salons, there was no real room for progression. Usually the owner was at the top. So it is really good to see that the team now are able to grow into managers.”
“So, the hunt for further locations began and we managed to secure two units within a year, which wasn't the plan at all. But they were both really good locations so we took them both on – we couldn't say no.
“We opened our second location in December 2024, and that's in Wallisdown on the busiest road between Poole and Bournemouth. That's allowed Holmes of Beauty to grow our team up to about 25 members of staff across the hair and beauty department in two locations now.”
You have plans for further expansion too. What’s next?
“Work has now begun at our third location in a really nice part of Poole in Ashley Cross and we'll hopefully be open within a year – in six to nine months.
“As all this is happening, we’re already in discussions with local agents about more.
“The plan is to secure another three locations. We are looking at Christchurch, Wimbourne, Southbourne, all within the Bourmouth and Dorset area.
“We're hoping that will lay the solid foundations to a franchise model and hopefully a national rollout. I think that’s a really good way to help others who are hoping to be their own boss, giving them that starting point.”
You’ve expanded fast since opening. How have you achieved that growth?
“The academy has definitely helped as well. It was natural progression within the industry but the core focus of the business is having highly trained and confident staff.
“I think investing in your staff is the main thing. They're, they're the core of your business and as long as you create a space that they enjoy working at your business can thrive with them and they can grow with you.
“So, the academy's at the heart of everything and we do invest a lot of time into training with our staff.
“We do training for other people who want to get in the industry as well and we do have some plans drafted as we'd love to make it into an actual college and be approved by a governing body to run an apprenticeship scheme.”
What's the biggest lesson you've learned as you've expanded Holmes of Beauty?
“That your team is everything. When your team is aligned, your core values and your business can thrive – not just financially but also in terms of culture, energy and client satisfaction.
“I’ve also learned to embrace the growth, learn from my setbacks and evolve with the industry, my clients’ needs and my team's needs as a whole.
You’ve also work closely with Vagaro software. How has that supported your growth?
“We actually started working with Vagaro at the very start of when we opened our salon in Winton. We did a bit of research into other booking systems but we found Vagaro had the most flexibility.
“It had all the features we need, it’s user friendly, not only for the client to book online, but for all of your staff to have all of your columns there. It does support us with bookings, marketing memberships, inventory, it's just all in one place, so I would say it's kept us really organised as we've scaled up.
“It can do multi-location as well so now we've got two salons that’s a really good feature to have – that clients can select location.
“We also do one-to-ones and reports and things to check the team's progress.
“We also used Vagaro Capital to help us expand. We were one of the first in the UK to use it. It gave us access to funding based on our sales performance, which meant we can invest in growing the business without going lengthy loan processes.
“It was really straightforward and it allowed us to move quickly, which was particularly useful when we opened our second location and soon to be third.”
What advice would you give to other salon owners looking to expand their businesses – what do you wish you'd known when you started?
“Ensure your foundations are strong before you scale. That includes your team, your systems and the client's journey within your salon.
“Expansion is super exciting but if your core values and processes aren't solid and aligned it can become harder to manage, especially if you have multiple locations.
“Get support from others as well. It's good to have a supportive network in this industry so reach out and don't be afraid to ask for help.”
