Northampton salon owner says it feels ‘amazing’ to have been nominated for yet another two awards

A Northampton salon owner says it feels “amazing” to have been nominated for yet another two awards, less than two years after she followed her dreams.

Nicola Robinson had always wanted to enter the world of beauty and she has not looked back since going on a training course and setting up Empire Aesthetics in January 2022.

When Nicola finally took the leap, she did not anticipate the success she has experienced over the past year and 10 months.

Just this year, Empire Aesthetics was shortlisted in the top 50 for ‘best for aesthetics’ and took third place in the region at the UK Hair and Beauty Awards 2023.

The result left Nicola “speechless” but her success has not stopped there.

Nicola and Empire Aesthetics have been shortlisted as finalists in two categories at the Hair and Beauty Awards 2024 – ‘best for aesthetics’ and a category Nicola has not been nominated in before, ‘hair and beauty rising star’.

When asked how it feels to have made the finals once again, Nicola said: “It’s amazing that my work has been looked at and considered.

“The rising star nomination feels more personal. It’s hard in this day and age to be able to build a business and survive.”

Nicola remains grateful for the “continued support from clients” and the fact that people believe in her.

When she decided it was time to start this venture, Nicola told herself that if it did not pan out as she hoped she would get another job. But through word of mouth and social media, her client base is still expanding.

From January to May last year she still worked her previous job part time, but after those five months she gave it up completely because she was having to turn clients away.

“People told me I was silly and I wouldn’t get the custom because of the struggles of coming out the other side of the pandemic and the rising cost of living,” Nicola previously told this newspaper. “But that hasn’t been the case at all.”

Empire Aesthetics began operating from a salon built in Nicola’s garden, as this was more affordable than renting somewhere at the time.

Earlier this year, in May, Nicola opened her salon in a new location in Ellesmere Avenue, Duston – which had been in the pipeline since last December.

Nicola is now joined by two tattoo artists, a beautician and a piercing specialist, making her dream of the salon becoming a “one stop shop” a reality.

She is open and busy six days a week and says it has gone “better than expected”.

In less than two years, the business owner is pleased to have seen Empire Aesthetics grow “bigger and bigger” – and Nicola is now looking to expand with a second premises out of town.

The ambitious business owner has been eyeing up a location in Banbury that is available to rent from next March, and she is interested in taking it on when the time comes.