10 questions with Bridget Hannon, founder of one of London's most-loved salons

Based in Fulham, London, Blush + Blow is a salon loved by many for their welcoming atmosphere, broad range of treatments, and talented stylists.

We caught up with founder Bridget Hannon to hear about her journey as a salon owner, how she uses Fresha to manage her business, and what every salon needs to prioritise in order to grow and succeed.  

Tell us about your journey as a salon owner.

I had no previous experience running a salon; so before I took the plunge and launched the business, I spent plenty of time researching the industry and what kind of services clients were looking for. I even visited other salons that I admired and saw as examples of success. 

When I launched the business, we started out as a blow dry bar. Seven years later we offer a whole range of hair and beauty treatments, with a team full of talented stylists and a healthy list of loyal clients. We’ve even extended the business further by opening a skin clinic, giving clients even more treatment options.

How do you make sure your salon stands out?

Our extensive service menu is one of our strongest selling points. Clients come to us for everything: hair colour, brows, nails, spray tans, you name it. We offer packages at great prices to make it even more convenient and affordable for clients to get multiple treatments done. 

What do clients love most about Blush + Blow?

Clients know they’ll be able to relax and have a good time at the salon. We have a friendly, energetic team that puts client care above all. Some clients love to chat through their appointments, while others sit back and enjoy their “me time”. We even stay open late some nights of the week for clients who come to us for their pre-party glamour.

What’s the secret to your success?

Our team. We nurture each of our staff members with plenty of training. Our team is the face of the business, so it’s important that they’re equipped to give the best possible service and make each client’s experience enjoyable. Incentives and rewards are important too – staff members have the chance to earn extra holidays and even trips overseas. Having a reliable team means I can focus on the big picture and grow the salon without worry. 

What’s been your biggest challenge so far as a salon and skin clinic owner?

Marketing has been a challenge for us. Over the last seven years, we’ve done plenty of digital marketing on various platforms, but it’s always been difficult to measure the return on investment and figure out what works for us. Things are much easier now that we have Fresha – we can clearly see stats like email open rates, clicks, and bookings that come from our campaigns.

What led you to start using Fresha?

I wanted a booking platform that would give me better visibility and control over the business, without having to spend ages figuring out how to use it. We also needed to empower the team with control over their daily schedules, and help them do their best work. Fresha’s intuitive interface and powerful, automated features were exactly what we needed.

How easy was it to get started with Fresha?

Getting set up on Fresha was simple. It’s easy for staff to use, and clients can make bookings themselves or change their appointments without needing to phone us. When we do have questions, the Fresha team always answers quickly and clearly. 

How has Fresha helped you grow your business?

Fresha’s reporting tools give us the visibility we need to successfully grow the business. We use the data from the reports to focus promotions on our best-selling services, build marketing campaigns that land results, and reward our top performing staff.

In addition to the salon, we opened a separate clinic space for our skin treatments, and Fresha has helped us manage that expansion. Clients use Fresha to book and checkout at either location without hassle.

What’s your all-time favourite Fresha feature?

We love the Fresha reviews – having them displayed on our Fresha marketplace profile is great for building trust and attracting new clients. The reviews also prove to the team that their hard work is paying off with satisfied clients; we highlight the best reviews and celebrate the team members that earned them.

One word of advice salon owners need to hear?

Always value your staff. Treat them with respect, and they’ll treat your clients with respect. Give them as many opportunities to learn and upskill as possible to keep your quality of service high and your service menu exciting. 

Make sure your online booking platform empowers your staff, too. Give your team access to technology that helps them do their best work, and they’ll keep clients coming back for more.