From Legal Eagle To Beauty Queen

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday November 15, 2008

Kristie Kellahan

A salon proved more glamorous than the law, writes Kristie Kellahan.

Karen Rawlinson's job as a beauty therapist is radically different from the line of work she fell into after school. Starting out as a legal secretary, she worked her way through jobs in law before ending up as associate to a judge in the complicated world of workers' compensation.

While the fields are poles apart, Rawlinson says she has taken many skills from her first career into her second, including the ability to make tough decisions.

"A lot of therapists might know a lot about beauty but they don't have any idea how to run a successful business," she says. "My background taught me how to run things strategically and with discipline."

Rawlinson says she was initially attracted to the glamour of the legal profession. In various roles during her legal years, Rawlinson learned skills that would set her up for her future career.

"The work was very organised, with a lot of structure and I was able to implement and follow through strategies," she explains. "In the legal field you learn about time management, as everything is divided into billable minutes."

Despite enjoying the constant stimulation of the work, it was when she moved to the role as a judge's associate that legal life took its toll.

"We'd be in Sydney for one week and in the country the next week," she says. "Eventually I grew tired of the travel."

After five years Rawlinson also began to feel she needed to seek out new horizons.

"Some people said I was crazy to leave the judge's associate job because I was earning really good money but I needed a new challenge," she says.

When considering alternative careers, she always came back to something she was passionate about: beauty and grooming. "I was open to a radical shift and I wanted to be my own boss so beauty therapy seemed like a great fit," she says.

After studying full-time for 15 months, Rawlinson completed a diploma of health science, graduated top of her class and was hand-picked straight out of school to manage a beauty salon.

"The owner of the salon took me under his wing and guided me through what it takes to run a successful salon," she says.

She's since achieved her goal of running her own salon: the doors of Fusspot Beauty in Double Bay have been open for three years. Prior to that she ran salons in Paddington and Darlinghurst.

"I love going to work now because the salon doesn't have a clinical feel at all," she explains. "It's in a beautiful old house with a lovely courtyard.

"It's the perfect location to provide sublime treatments."

With clients from all over the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, plus many from further afield, Rawlinson specialises in facials and microdermabrasion. She works by appointment only.

"My clients love the one-on-one nature of the salon," she says. "I want them to feel they can come here and escape from their daily pressures."

Rawlinson says the feeling of accomplishment she has from running her own business is its own reward. Contrary to the naysayers' predictions, she has also found she is in a better financial position now than before. "It's not until you work for yourself that you truly benefit financially," she says.

Despite its appeal, Rawlinson says the beauty business is not for the faint-hearted.

"The business is very competitive. You have to be strong and focused and good at what you're doing - it's all about your reputation," she says. "It takes time to build that to the point where you have a solid client base."

Now working five days a week, Rawlinson has Sundays and Mondays off to recharge and reflect on the direction of the business. She says she's never been so fulfilled.

"I think I'm really lucky to have found work I'm so passionate about," she says. "I really enjoy working with my clients, so I get a better emotional return from the work and I'm still making more money than I was before."

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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