(Photo: © Farina Deutschmann)
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Women in Crafts - Special Features
January 2024
Crafts are a pillar of Brandenburg's economy. In a series, the DHB (German Cooperative State Office for Skilled Crafts) introduces people who have founded a craft business.
Lena Barclay-Steuart knew from a young age that she would one day become a hairdresser . Her aunt used to cut the whole family's hair, and little Lena always watched attentively. "I started copying her early on, and by the time I was 12, I was already cutting my friends' hair," Lena Barclay-Steuart recalls.
After graduating from high school, she briefly considered starting university. "But I found that difficult. I wanted to learn a trade, to go straight into the workforce. " So she decided to do a hairdressing apprenticeship in her hometown of Heidelberg . She subsequently earned her master's certificate there as well.
After that, she was bitten by the travel bug. She worked as a mobile master hairdresser in Paris , Hamburg , New York , and Berlin . During this time, she gained a wealth of experience – at events such as Fashion Week and bridal styling, as well as in hotels. She built up a clientele , primarily businesswomen who value personalized service.
She met her husband, started a family, and had two children. And the desire arose to leave bustling Berlin and bring more planning into her family life.
The Chambers of Skilled Crafts in Germany - HWK Koblenz
Craft policy
Operations management
Lena Barclay-Steuart moved to Potsdam with her family and searched for suitable premises to scale back her exclusively mobile work and establish her own salon. In the spring of 2022, she discovered her new haven : "Great premises opposite the town hall, somewhat hidden in a courtyard. I was immediately captivated, as the location reminds me of my time in New York."
Since June 2022, Lena Barclay-Steuart has been welcoming clients to " Private Salon Lena Schleweis " at Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 37. Because many clients still know her by her maiden name, Schleweis, she continues to use it as her brand name. The term "Private Salon" highlights the unique character of her salon . Lena Barclay-Steuart explains: "I place great value on exclusivity . The space is designed like an urban living room for one client at a time, where she can have her hair and makeup done in complete privacy and try out cosmetic products." Exclusivity, of course, comes at a price.
The establishment of her business in the new city went unusually smoothly for Lena Barclay-Steuart. This was primarily because she received support quickly: "The Potsdam Chamber of Skilled Crafts was incredibly helpful. I received a call from an advisor there who gave me important information and assistance regarding the bureaucratic processes . I was truly and very pleasantly surprised." The guarantee bank also assisted the master hairdresser by securing a loan from her bank.
This allowed her to quickly set up her salon and indulge in the fascination of her profession: " With my work, I can quickly make a person look completely different and make them happy right away . That is very satisfying for me."
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