South Shields mum Sara is making beauty her business

Sara Kerr got fed up with working in call centres and the mum of two decided to make a drastic career change and open up her own salon, Whispers Beauty.

The salon, which is inside Jazz Hair, in Frederick Street, Laygate, South Shields, is the 34-year-old’s first business venture and was sparked by an interest in beauty after the birth of her two children.

Sara, from Hopkins Walk, Biddick Hall, South Shields, said she hopes to offer affordable beauty to women in South Tyneside when it officially opens today.

She said: “I was working in call centres in Sunderland and Newcastle and finishing at 10pm.

“I just realised I have two young children aged four and seven and I never saw them.

“Working in a call centre is a fine job, but working until that time at night just didn’t work for me.”

She added: “When I was growing up, I was a bit of a tomboy and never really bothered with hair and make-up but, after I had my children, I got a bit girly and it has sparked from there.”

Sara fell in love with the beauty industry and decided to take the plunge and retrain as a qualified as a beauty therapist, completing an online course through training provider NCC.

She added: “It took me six months to complete the course, fitting it around work and my family.

“It was ideal as you could go at your own pace. I practised on friends and family – even my husband Andy had acryclic nails and his legs waxed.

“They have all been very supportive. The girls in Jazz are lovely, I have my own nail bar in the salon and a room that I do waxing and massage in.

“I intend to make beauty more affordable and try to give something a bit special, something a bit different to my clients. I am really excited about this and really looking forward to meeting new people.

“It is a total lifestyle change and it’s proven that you don’t have to be stuck in a job that you don’t want to do.

“I never thought that I would be re-training now but it has shown me that you can do anything.”