Feathers is still cutting it after 20 great years (From Gazette)

Feathers is still cutting it after 20 great years

10:30pm Tuesday 2nd June 2009

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A COLCHESTER salon has celebrated its 20th birthday .

Feathers, in Queen Street, marked the milestone with staff and customers.

The firm, which also has salons in Braintree, Witham and Halstead, was established in 1989 in Braintree by Debbie Digby, who sold her home to get her enterprise off the ground.

Her brother Jeff Letter, now managing director, said: “In the first year Debbie made so little money she paid the staff more than she paid herself.

“She put in place a system of high standards in training, good rewards and quality customer service. Things quickly turned around and in five years she had expanded the salon into the shop next door and opened Feathers in Halstead.

“Five years later our Colchester branch and training academy came along.”

Debbie is now involved in business lecturing and runs a global business education company called Joy4u. She is also partner of a chain and three salons in Florida, America, called Box Office Hair.

Jeff started his hairdressing career at Feathers nine years ago. He started as a receptionist and set up the centralised appointment centre for the group.

The Witham branch is a partnership between himself, salon manager Jody Smith and his sister. He was recently named Mid Essex Businessman of the Year at the awards run by the Gazette’s sister paper, the Braintree and Witham Times.

The company, which employs 70 people, has gone from strength to strength, winning three awards for its training, one for retail services and four for customer service.

The future is looking bright for the firm as it works to open two more salons in the area. It was also chosen as the only salon in the East of England to launch Moroccanoil, a hair product already popular in America.

Jeff said: “Only one per cent of small businesses make it to 20 years, so we are delighted. We asked all the staff to bring in pictures of themselves 20 years ago only to realise most of the team weren’t born then.

“We are so proud of what Feathers has achieved and grateful to all the clients who have supported us and the team members who have worked so hard to make Feathers what it is today.”

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