A Wiltshire beautician has been shortlisted for a national award after starting her own business in the family garden.
Camilla Pollock started Beauty Within in a summerhouse at the end of her garden in Pewsham, Chippenham, around four years ago.
Her decision to go it alone came when she fell pregnant and chose to spend more time with her family.
The business has been growing ever since, boasting around 100 clients from the local community, and has now been selected as a finalist in the Best Skin Specialist of the Year category at the UK Hair and Beauty Awards.
Mrs Pollock, who has around 16 years of experience in the industry, told this paper that the milestone was a result of years of hard work and dedication.
She said: “I feel absolutely blown away to be selected as a finalist… I have worked really hard and dedicated a lot of time and patience to build my business.
“I’m quite excited, I didn't ever imagine that I would go this far because it’s just me by myself and I’m up against big salons so it’s great to be recognised.
“I wouldn’t be where I am now without all my wonderful clients, family and friends.”
Beauty Within specialises in skincare offering a range of advanced facial treatments, including medical grade skincare and microneedling, to tackle issues such as acne scarring and wrinkles.
While Mrs Pollock had always gravitated towards skincare, she did not specialise until having the freedom of her own business.
But now she has found her “niche” after taking the “brave” step of setting up shop in her own garden.
The mother of two explained one of the things that made her passionate about her job was the confidence clients feel after a successful treatment.
She added: “I’ve always enjoyed treating people’s concerns but when I got busy working for myself I realised I could specialise.
“I like that you can see the difference in people, and you can see that they’re more confident.
“It took a lot of bravery to do this, but it’s gone really well… it was the best decision I ever made.”
Mrs Pollock has not ruled out looking for a salon of her own in the future, but added she is happy with the “personal touch” her current setup provides.
In the meantime, she will be taking on more clients in 2024, via her Facebook and Instagram pages, ahead of the grand finals in June.
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