Jojo Green borrowed £9,000 from the Isle of Wight Lottery three years ago. A qualified hairdresser, she wanted to go into business, running her own salon in Freshwater. She’d gone straight from school to training, followed by stints at hairdressers across the Island. At age 22 she’d been managing a salon in Newport but wanted to go it alone. Looking for something new, Jojo managed to secure match funding for her interest free Lottery loan.
“I had put together quite a strong business plan and I went into business knowing that I had the Lottery loan behind me,” Jojo says. “The money let me secure the premises and buy stock and equipment, including completely refitting the shop on School Green Road. I thought that this side of the Island was missing something and Freshwater is definitely a popular, up-and-coming area. I took the place on in August 2012 and we opened in November that year. I was always confident that I could make it work and we’ve continued to grow. Hairdressers tend to be practical people rather than academic but I had a lot of support from my Mum in particular. The first year of any business is always a bit touch-and-go but the Lottery loan allowed us to be a bit more comfortable.”
Jojo’s business has gone from strength to strength. In 2012 she employed three people and now the team has more than doubled with an additional four jobs being created. The business is VAT registered and the range has expanded too, with new product lines and services, including spray tans, piercings and nail technicians.
“I am proud and it’s nice to be able to give something back to the area, including training some of our young team,” Jojo says. “I’m looking to take on an apprentice too. I knew that I wanted to run my own business and I’ve always been passionate about what I wanted to do. It’s never going to be easy but the team are brilliant. None of my bosses had actually been hairdressers and they didn’t really have the knowledge of what clients actually wanted. You have to listen to your clients. We try to be modern and up to date, staying ahead of the game. Most people are short on time and we can offer a wide range of treatments. That’s great for the customer and also the business because our clients keep coming back and will use more of our services. I couldn’t have done it without the Isle of Wight Lottery.”
Since 2001 the Isle of Wight Lottery has provided more than £700,000 in interest-free loans, helping create and support hundreds of jobs. Could your business benefit from a matched loan? Find out more at isleofwightlottery.com or call 529888.
