When her employer (Diners International) closed down shop, she did what every entrepreneur would do. Start her own business. That was 20 years ago, and a lot has changed since then.
From one salon, to 12 high end pallor’s in Lavington. Though it took longer than she anticipated for Ashleys to pick up, it is more successful now than she ever imagined.
“I am very daring. I am confident and I take things head on without having doubts that a venture will fail. Those questions of what if… don’t come my way. I love challenges. I love success and that drives me because whatever I touch I want it to be a success,”she says.
The major challenge has been capital and she remembers ‘hiring’ her first loan collateral. “Someone gave me his title for my first loan for a fee and I was able to comfortably service the loan and pay the title owner his dues.”
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Training the future
“We realised that we could not sustain the business without training,” she explains.
Terry now runs three training centres under the Ashleys brand that offer her students internationally respected beauty qualifications.The training centres also offer services to members of the public as a way of providing real-life experience to the students.
Plans for the future
She has now ventured into retail with the first Ashleys cosmetic shop has already opened in Nairobi.
“It makes it easier for clients and other outsiders to come and get premium products from us,” she says.
“Now that we have ventured into cosmetics, I would not rule out Ashleys starting our own line in the future.”