Terese Scott worked as a high-powered Executive Assistant looking after 3 Global Directors and organising large corporate events, before Brexit and COVID happened in 2020. These two events greatly impacted her employer, and she was unfortunately made redundant in March 2020. After being out of work for a year and applying for hundreds of positions, Terese took 3 short-term contracts throughout 2021 to help to make ends meet, until the job market and economy started to improve.
Confidence issues
With life being so unsettled with the lack of job opportunities, covid restrictions and spending lockdown so isolated away from her friends and family, Terese then began to experience some intense anxiety issues. On top of everything else she found herself plunging headfirst into the menopause with unusual and intense symptoms that even her GP was baffled by.
“I felt worthless, couldn’t remember how to do things that I’d always done and became full of self-doubt.”
Her employer realised she was struggling in life and work, due to the changes in her body and mind and luckily for Terese, they discussed her position together and decided to mutually part company. Her employer offered her 6 weeks’ pay as a gesture of good will, which gave her time to start her self-employment journey.
A Confidence Boost
Terese had always styled friends and family’s hair and they encouraged her to do it as a real business. So, with the help of Julie Stevenson from Inspiring Enterprise, Terese set up TLC Hair & Beauty in January 2022. She offers her clients Hair Colouring & Cutting, Hair Extensions, Gel polish & Nail Extensions, Waxing, Eyebrow and Lash Tinting and Gents Cutting & Grooming. She also undertook a course, paid for her by her daughter Mollie to boost her confidence and to extend her skills.
Julie, who was already a friend and client of Terese, encouraged her to set up on her own.
“She offered her help to put me on the right path. I found some things daunting such as the tax side of things and making sure that registering as a new business was done correctly. She gave me confidence that I was doing everything in the right way, gave me ideas and helped me get started.”
“She just sat next to me and that gave me confidence. In fact, she gave me my confidence back.”
Future goals
The beginning of the year is a slow time in the hairdressing industry, but it has given Terese time to adjust and focus on the future of her growing business, whilst she gains momentum and confidence in her abilities to increase her earnings and her clients. She is planning to branch out into doing Children’s pamper parties and further courses in make-up, so that she can offer an all-in-one service to all her clients.
Happily, her health has improved significantly,
“I want other women reading this who may be struggling with the effects of the menopause to understand sometimes you have to stop, step back, reflect and realise your health is more important than a high-status job. You are changing as you age but it doesn’t mean that life must stop! Don’t be too hard on yourself thinking you are not good enough! Just change your thought process and when the opportunity arrives, you can start a new journey using your strengths and experiences. Tell yourself you are good enough and most of all be kind to yourself, some changes that seem daunting are for the better and there is life after menopause!”
Top Tip
Terese’s top tip for anyone lacking confidence who may be thinking about starting a business is:
“Just believe in yourself, even though some days you might not feel like it, you can do it if you want it badly enough.”
Terese who is based in Havant, can be found on Facebook and Instagram