A Beautiful Move Away From The Law

The Age

Saturday November 29, 2008

Kristie Kellahan

Karen Rawlinson's job as a beauty therapist is radically different from the 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.

Although they are poles apart, MsRawlinson says she takes 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."

She says she was attracted to the glamour of law. In roles during those years, she 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 says. "In the legal field you learn about time management, as everything is divided into billable minutes."

Despite enjoying the stimulation of the work, it was when she moved to the role of 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, she felt 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 other 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."

After studying full-time for 15months, MsRawlinson 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 has since achieved her goal of running her own salon: Fusspot Beauty in Double Bay, Sydney, has been open for three years. Before 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 says. "It's in a beautiful old house with a lovely courtyard. 'It's the perfect location to provide sublime treatments."

With clients from Sydney's eastern suburbs and further afield, MsRawlinson specialises in facials and microdermabrasion, working by appointment.

"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."

She says the feeling of accomplishment she has from running her own business is its own reward. Confounding the naysayers, she found she is in a better financial position.

"It's not until you work for yourself that you truly benefit financially."

But she 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. It takes time to build that to the point where you have a solid client base."

Working five days a week, Ms Rawlinson has Sundays and Mondays off to recharge and reflect on the direction of the business. She says she has 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." -- KRISTIE KELLAHAN

© 2008 The Age

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