It’s no secret the UAE is a stomping ground for entrepreneurial ventures and a place where you can try your hand at almost anything.

This certainly rings true for British expat Kate Hanson. Having carved an impressive career for herself in the finance sector, specifically in the luxury retail space which brought her to Dubai in the first place. But it was after the birth of her daughter which made her realise she wanted to take a step back from the corporate world and try her hand at being her own boss.

Enter SOAK, a Jumeirah-based ladies salon.

“[The beauty space] always interested me and although it’s highly competitive here in Dubai, I felt there was an opportunity to build something to be proud of,” she tells GRAZIA.”A safe space where staff feel empowered and supported and where clients genuinely love to come to and leave feeling lifted.”

While still in the infant years of the salon, Kate and her team are asked every day when the next SOAK venue will open its doors.

Below, as part of GRAZIA’s career edit, Kate shares her foray into the beauty world, as well as her plans for the future.

My current role is…

My current role is owner and manager of SOAK Ladies Salon in Jumeirah.

When I was younger I wanted to be…

I wanted to be a vet – I was obsessed with animals!

My favourite subject at school was…

Anything that allowed me to talk a lot – I wasn’t one for being quiet.

My first job was…

I was washing dishes at a local hotel. I was 13 and it still haunts me to this day – washing industrial-sized pans is no good for your manicure!

My career path so far has been…

My career path started in finance in the UK, where, after university, I worked in FMCG for around 10 years, during which time I qualified as a chartered accountant. After deciding to move to Dubai, I continued in finance, most recently working in luxury retail which I loved. However, everything changed after the birth of my daughter, I knew I couldn’t go back to the corporate world, I needed more flexibility and wanted to be my own boss – I had talked about opening a salon for a long time and Cece was the push I needed, my husband told me to go for it, so I did!

The role the UAE has played in my career is…

The role the UAE has played in my career is huge, it has opened doors for me that wouldn’t have been an option back home. The UAE recognises the impact that the entrepreneurial spirit has on economic growth and job creation and as such its both encouraged and supported. There are so many opportunities here that aren’t available elsewhere.

I was inspired to enter into the beauty space because…

I was inspired to enter into the beauty space because it’s something I have always been passionate about. It always interested me and although it’s highly competitive here in Dubai, I felt there was an opportunity to build something to be proud of. A safe space where staff feel empowered and supported and where clients genuinely love to come to and leave feeling lifted.

My daily routine consists of…

My daily routine varies a lot. I am very lucky to not have to set an alarm, I wake up with my daughter and we have breakfast together. I am thankful for that every day. Some days I head down to the salon to see the team and check-in, I love those days because I also get to catch up with some of our lovely clients. Some days I have paperwork to do, so hole up in a coffee shop for the day or some days I am out and about meeting suppliers and running errands for the salon. Whatever my day brings, I’m almost always home by 3 or 4pm to spend time with Cece. We like to cook dinner together and enjoy it as a family.

My role as Founder entails…

My role as founder entails managing all aspects of running the salon! That includes managing the staff and ensuring they are all supported, liaising with our social team, ordering stock, checking in with clients, attending supplier events to keep up to date with all the latest products to ensure we always deliver the best to our clients, and everything in between. My accounting background comes in handy when looking after the finances!

The biggest hurdle I have experienced in my career…

The biggest hurdle I have experienced in my career is having belief in yourself. Deciding to go out on your own is scary, you’re no longer only responsible for your own career and income but suddenly you have a team of people who rely on you to drive a successful business, which can be daunting, but so rewarding at the same time. We all have days where we struggle but you have to come out fighting.

The biggest milestone I have achieved is…

The biggest milestone I have achieved so far is realising I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. We have a profitable, successful salon, an incredible team of fantastic ladies who are not only experts at what they do, but also care deeply about the salon and our clients. I set out to get more flexibility and better work-life balance and thanks to my remarkable team, that’s exactly what I’ve done. I’ve taken two months to spend at home in the UK with family this summer, something I could never have done if I had stayed in the corporate world. It really is a dream come true.

A quote I live by is…

A quote I live by is: “Hate something, change something.”

So many people you speak to are not happy in their current role, unfulfilled/undervalued or not treated as they should be, it’s not always easy, but you have to find the power to change that for yourself, no one else can.

What I hope for 2024 is…

What I hope for 2024 is for the salon to continue to be a success, to grow from strength to strength every day, to continue learning and developing the team, empowering the ladies to challenge themselves and develop their skills and to continue to strive for excellence in everything that we do, to ensure the salon remains a place people enjoy coming to and don’t want to leave! And who knows maybe even start planning SOAK 2.0 – we are asked every day for more branches so who knows… I will never say never!