Cathriona Rohan Celebrating 15 years in Business
IF ever you needed proof of the rewards that can be reaped from years of determination, perseverance and honest to God hard work, then you’ll definitely find inspiration from award-winning hair stylist Cathriona Rohan.
Celebrating an impressive 15 years in business this year, the Castlemaine native has built up a renowned enterprise which she is hugely proud of – opening her first salon in Castlegregory in 2003, followed by further salons in Tralee and most recently Dingle.
A self-confessed workaholic, Cathriona says that her willingness to put in long hours and take risks is what ultimately helped her carve out such a successful career in hairdressing world – a route she admits, however, she took some what accidentally.
Cathriona told Connect that as a teenager it was always her dream to become a chef – that was until a part-time hairdressing job after her Leaving Cert, while waiting for a place at culinary college, changed her life forever.
“I actually wanted to be a chef when I left school, and while I was waiting for a place at Cathal Brugha Street [DIT School of Culinary Arts] after my Leaving Cert I got a summer job with a hairdresser in Tralee,” Cathriona explained. “I loved it so much that I never went to college in the end. In fact, I didn’t even check to see if I got my place, I was so happy where I was.”
Following several years working at various hair salons in Tralee, Cathriona decided in 2002 to set up on her own business in her adopted Castlegregory, initially taking appointments in her own home. The following year, she decided to make take the giant step and open her own salon in the west Kerry village – and the rest, as they say is history!
“It was a big step for me at the time and I was mostly there on my own at the beginning, apart from one more girl I had there every summer for a few years,” Cathriona explained. “It was hard to know what way it would go, but thankfully it was the right move.”
To help promote her business and broaden her customer base, Cathriona joined forces with the Killarney-based Norma O’Donoghue Model Agency, working on fashion shows across the county. She soon became recognised as a top creative talent for catwalk shows and magazine shoots and over the years, Cathriona’s styles appeared on TV, while she and her team were the chosen stylists for a number of high profile fashion shows including the Simply B fashion Show, Rose of Tralee Fashion Show, Miss Universe Kerry and Style Squad.
“This was an area I always wanted to delve into and when we began working with Norma (O’Donoghue) it really took off for me,” Cathriona explained. “It meant long hours and weekend work, but I loved the buzz and pressure of it all and it was great to see my name being recognised.”
As the years went on and Cathriona’s business began to expand, she and her staff began to become even more established, with the team taking part in a number of high profile hairdressing competitions across the word.
The highlight for Cathriona, however, came almost five years ago when she was chosen along with a handful of stylists from across the country to represent Team Ireland on an international scale.
“I went to Paris with Team Ireland and finished fourth, which was an amazing honour for me,” Cathriona said. “To be chosen on Team Ireland was amazing enough, but to finish fourth out of dozens of hair stylists from all over the world was a really special.”
To celebrate 10 years in business in 2013 Cathriona revamped her salon in Castlegregory, giving the already popular premises a complete overhaul and redesign. A mere two years later, owing to her ever increasing reputation and demand from customers, the determined businesswoman chose to expand her business and open up shop in Tralee.Initially taking just one unit at Mary Street, Cathriona quickly purchased the adjoining unit to expand event further and now enjoys a hugely successful business in the heart of the busy town.
And if that wasn’t enough for the eager entrepreneur, Cathriona went one step further last July and opened a third salon, this time in Dingle.
Cathriona also provides a Mobile Hair Service for the ultimate convenience of clients for events and special occasions, travelling all over Munster.
Now employing 18 staff across all three salons, Cathriona believes that a combination of her enthusiasm, continuous training and up-skilling along with her amazing staff and customers has been the recipe for her success. That and not being afraid to take risks!
“I am blessed with the incredible team I have with me, as well as my loyal customers – some of whom have been with me since the very beginning in Castlegrogory,” she said, “But as well as that, I wouldn’t have any of this if I wasn’t prepared to take the risks in the first place and I suppose that’s what I would say to anyone thinking about branching out. You won’t know what lies ahead until you try and if you don’t take that risk, you’ll never find out.”
