Ruth Evans, Rush Haywards Heath
Ruth has always wanted to open her own salon but couldn’t find the right support in the past. On Saturday 5th September Ruth opened her first salon as a Rush franchisee. Ruth is thrilled with the franchising support and training she has received, hear her story and her advice for anyone thinking of franchising.
Tell us about yourself – what did you do before becoming a Rush franchisee?
I have a background in hairdressing, I started off as an assistant when I left school and worked my way up from an assistant to a salon manager over 6 years. I had a break from hairdressing when I went travelling and lived in Sydney for 4 years where I took a different career path working as a Resource and MI Analyst. I returned to the UK 3 years ago, and moved to Haywards Heath last year.
Why did you decide to franchise with Rush?
I have always wanted to run my own business and tried to open my own salon earlier in my career but had to pull out as I didn’t have enough support to carry me through. I chose to franchise with Rush because I wanted to be part of a company that prides themselves on exceptional customer service with a proven business model and a strong support system which is very important for me.
As soon as I met the chairman, I knew I was in very safe hands and any fears and doubts I had disappeared. Since I’ve started the franchising process with Rush I have been overwhelmed with the continual support and encouragement from everyone I’ve worked with. The head office team at Rush is really hands on and it is so refreshing to work in an organisation where everyone shares the same passion and does everything to support and encourage the growth of their team members.
How was the franchising process? What training and support have you received?
The process was very slick, everything was well thought out and pre-planned. Rush has many years of experience in franchising and they definitely know what they are doing; even the minutest of details have been included. The Operations Team were incredibly organised and are very experienced in launching a new salon smoothly. The same can be said for the training; Rush have all the bases covered and tailor the training to suit the individual through their training academies whether they are a stylist, manager or front of house, or even for people completely new to the hair and beauty industry.
Why did you choose Haywards Heath for your new salon? Tell us about your new location
I recently relocated to Haywards Heath and felt it would be a fantastic location for a Rush salon. Haywards Heath is a commuter town a short distance between the Sussex Downs and Brighton. It has lots of lovely restaurants, bars and high street shops so believe that because Rush is a big high street brand it will be very popular in Haywards Heath.
What advice would you give someone considering franchising?
Do your research, meet people on the ground and ask lots of questions, but most importantly make sure that the brand is a good fit for you. Listen to your heart and your head, but most of all go with your gut feeling!
