WATTLE WOMEN IN BUSINESS:
BEAUTY IN THE WOODS
Twenty-one. A rite of passage and an age at which you’re seemingly meant to “adult” while keeping your youthful exuberance.
Alas, a quick trip down memory lane painted an entirely different picture of myself in the “prime” of my life. Some key points to note:
- I had only recently purchased my very first foundation to coincide with the start of my career. Step two would be more difficult and involve learning how to apply it.
- Dad still received hysterical phone calls from me pleading with him to drive three hours to empty my mouse traps. I threatened hunger strikes, the remainder of my life on top of a table and proclaimed impending doom, and yet he still, with alarming insensitivity to my debilitating phobia, told me to “grow up.”
- My 21st celebration was an incredibly mature affair with everyone coming as their favourite fairy tale character. Cue visions of men in tights.
- Oh, and my personal style could best be described as…as…a five letter word that I knew nothing about. But, what I did know all too much about was combining every “on trend” item together in one ensemble to produce a hot mess (minus the hot).
It’s safe to say they were not exactly my glory days!
So you can imagine my sheer amazement when I found out that Josie Weller, owner of Beauty in the Woods, is not only the visionary behind the incredibly beautiful salon, tucked away in the small North Burnett town of Mundubbera, but is in fact a twenty-one-year-old girl boss.
Upon walking through the doors, I was greeted by a bubbly, confident and stylish young lady who should be nothing short of proud of the unique space she has created. I actually didn’t know where to look first. The attention to detail permeates every nook and cranny of the industrial chic space and had me wanting to pack the concrete wash tub into the back of my car for my own laundry renovation.
The best part was I hadn’t just come for a stickybeak, but a much needed treatment. After fencing for two weeks, I had opted for the Deluxe Facial because, quite frankly, I needed all the help I could get. To be honest, I could count on one hand the number of facials I have had so am certainly no expert. However, this is the first time I have ever intended to return. To say I was blown away by my experience would be a complete and utter understatement; it was completely transformative. Side note: I was consciously trying to avoid drooling as my relaxation levels were such that it was a very real possibility. I’m sorry, Josie, if that actually happened!
So, how had Josie ensured I floated out of Beauty in the Woods? Combining Saya, the active skincare range formulated in Noosa, with facial machines, Josie had delivered pure luxury. Utilising an AHA scrub, detox scrub and brush machine, my skin received a thorough cleanse to help unclog pores and ensure the absorption of the nutrient packed serums. Galvanic current was a new experience for me that infused Saya’s active serum more deeply and produced increased oxygenation and circulation to heal and prevent future breakouts. The face, neck and shoulder massage had me drifting off to sleep and was followed with Lonvitalite sheet masks packed full of highly effective ingredients to help with hydration, aging, sun damage and overall skin radiance. And ta da, just like magic, I was left with soft, supple, glowing skin. My recommendation is simple. Grab your girlfriends, jump in the car and road trip to Mundubbera because you won’t be disappointed; Josie is a magician.
You can read my interview with Josie below to learn more about this amazing young lady. Oh, to be twenty-one again and do it with such class.
When you were younger did you always aspire to be doing what you’re doing today?
Yes, I always knew I wanted to be in either hair or beauty from a really young age. Then, through studying and working I realised that I wanted to open my own business. I definitely didn’t think that I would be this young starting out {opened her salon at nineteen and a half} but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Describe Beauty in the Woods in three words.
Raw, unique and nurturing.
How would your best friends describe you?
Probably outgoing, very passionate, lover of styling, generous and fun loving!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t wait for the right time or the right place. You just have to do it. Jump in! It might not be exactly what you want or exactly where you thought you would be but you’ve just got to do it and go from there. It will all work itself out.
What defines business success for you?
Loving what you do every day.
Obviously, it’s not all just about money, but you do need to make enough to cover costs and live the lifestyle you want. I think making other people happy and people liking what you’ve done in business is very rewarding.
How has your rural setting influenced your approach to business?
Basically, I identified a need to provide a city experience in our rural town and knowing that I had the initial support of family and friends gave me the confidence to believe the business would take off.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your career?
Learning all the business side of things has been a new challenge. Obviously, you don’t realise, until you go into business, why your previous bosses made certain decisions and how hard it can be, at times, dealing with different challenges. It’s all on you and you are the face of the business. You can’t turn to anyone else to solve your problems. It has definitely opened my eyes a lot more to how business works and why people do what they do.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?
Time travel would be my pick! I would use it wisely to go back and cherish those moments I now look at and realise how wonderful they really were!
Name three inspirational women you admire and why.
- Zoë Foster Blake - I admire her broad knowledge on skincare and fun loving attitude to life. Even though she's hugely successful she never takes herself too seriously!
- Kara Rosenlund - I love and share her passion for Australia. Her style, travel, clothing and especially home decor really resonate with my own sense of taste in these areas and also my business. I'm always scrolling through Kara's Instagram for some great inspiration.
- Lastly, one of my best friends, Shona Irvine - I hugely admire her work ethic; to be able to work so hard for months on end while saving enough money to travel all over the world and achieve so many great things from such a young age. Mostly, I admire her positive outlook on life and her caring, selfless nature, while still being one of the most fun and outgoing people I know!
What is one beauty or skincare product you couldn’t live without?
Definitely an exfoliant!
I love Saya’s AHA exfoliant because it’s not only a manual exfoliant with fine jojoba beads but a chemical exfoliant as well using the AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) to give a much more thorough exfoliation working on the deeper layers of the skin.
What is your top beauty secret for someone who can’t always make it to the salon?
Use the right skincare at home morning and night. The essentials including cleansing and exfoliating on a regular basis, including your whole body, and don’t forget to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
What’s next in the pipeline?
Lots of things are next actually. I am in the process of starting up a website. I also want to introduce a few new treatments, stock some new products, expand my makeup range and develop branding further. A lot of exciting things to come!
https://wattleandtwine.com.au/blogs/blog/wattle-women-in-business-beauty-in-the-woods