Leeds beautician who opened Horsforth salon aged 20 on her 'long term goal' to tackle domestic violence
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Shona Bradley, 24, is hoping to appeal to colleges with beautician courses to introduce lessons on how to talk to clients about difficult topics and be aware of how to signpost them to the right places for support.
Shona opened Doll Beauty and Aesthetics in Horsforth aged just 20 in 2020. She had committed to setting up her own business while working as a self-employed beautician in Pudsey aged 18, saying: “I just knew I could do it, even though I was just 18.”
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Hide AdDespite some initial disruption after opening during the Covid pandemic, during which Shona said she became “quite down” and questioned her decision, since opening fully in April 2021 business has been nonstop.
She said: “I did it and never looked back.”

Shona said that over the years she has been struck by how intimate her relationships and discussions have become with clients, with some regulars discussing matters such as miscarriages and struggles with alcoholism.
She said: “You build relationships to the point where you know everything about them. You’re there through the big moments and the hard times.
“People think it’s just a beauty job but it’s way more than that. You get really invested in what you are doing and how you are impacting someone.”
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Hide AdAs a result of conversations with clients and for personal reasons, since 2022 Shona has been using her business for good by raising money for domestic abuse charities such as Staying Put.
She said: “October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and so for a full day last year I donated all the earnings to Staying Put. It was a big thing so now I want to make tackling domestic violence my one of my long term goals.”

She explained that she has taught new staff about how to support clients when speaking with them about their personal problems. She said her “long term goal” is to approach colleges with hair and beauty courses to see if they can integrate the topic.
“I’ve taught my employees how to offer help and provide the resources for situations”, she said. “I think it’s something you need to be educated on so if someone says they have a drinking problem or something else you can feel comfortable talking about it.
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Hide Ad“In college you learn about having general conversations about holidays and children but having been in the industry for seven years now I know that clients come to speak to you about these things. I think it’s important to be educated to be able to speak about it.”
She added: “You should know how to approach it. In a primarily female-based industry it’s something that should be taught. You get to learn how to talk in confidentiality but it’s good to know a bit more about the big subjects that will come up.
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“I speak to the girls in my salon about it and they completely agree and some clients have said how important having that chance to speak is.”
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Hide AdShona mentioned her fundraising work and her appeals to colleges when applying for a nomination at this year’s UK Hair and Beauty Awards, at which she came fifth in the Best New Salon category in 2022.
She recently received the news that she had been as a finalist for Best Salon, saying: “I was so happy to get fifth. It felt like a massive achievement.
“This year I thought I know I’m good enough and was really happy. The finals are not until August so for now I’m just trying to enjoy knowing I’m a finalist.”
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