THE COMPANY IN HORSHAM
Published 1st June 2024
The Company in Middle Street, Horsham has celebrated its 20th anniversary. The independent hairdressing salon is renowned not only for its experienced stylists and colourists, but also for its commitment to training initiatives, helping apprentices further their career prospects. AAH meet some of the key members of the team…
COMPANY BRANDING
The Company was founded by Vince De Lena in 2004. Prior to opening his own salon on Middle Street, Vince had extensive experience as a hairdresser. He spent six months in Ho Chi Minh City teaching Western hairdressing methods at Vietnamese salons, before working in New Zealand and Australia too. Even before setting off on his travels, Vince had worked at a friend’s salon in Leatherhead, which was also called The Company. When it came to setting up his own business in Horsham, Vince was keen to adopt the name.
‘The Leatherhead salon changed its name as part of a rebrand, but I thought it was perfect for what I hoped to achieve in Horsham. The Company conjures feelings of family and friendship; a place where everyone is welcome. I also thought it was a name that offered longevity, in that it wasn’t trendy or traditional and would stand the test of time.’
CAFÉ CULTURE
Initially, just a handful of stylists occupied the small salon on the first floor. However, when the café downstairs closed, Vince grabbed the opportunity to expand, with The Company becoming both a hairdressing salon and a café. This was followed by a further xpansion downstairs, opening up more space for seating both inside and outside.
Vince said: ‘At the time, we were one of the very few places in town that had a license to serve alcoholic drinks, with tables and chairs outside. We served hot drinks as well as wine and Prosecco, and also allowed parties to hire the venue, which helped attract more people to The Company. The venture was a success, but not everyone understood what we were about. Many assumed we were just a café, so eventually we switched our focus solely to hairdressing, as our list of regular clients had grown and we needed all the space for more stations. However, we continue to have a bar, serving clients with hot drinks as well as wine, Pimm’s in the summer and even mulled wine in winter.’
LONDON LOOK
From its modest roots, the business has grown to include 12 stylists, a three-strong front-of-house team, five apprentices and three support staff. Master Colourist and Principal Stylist Hannah Cripps was one of the original team of three hairdressers and continues to work at The Company, balancing work around family commitments. She joined as an apprentice and started working full-time after leaving school at 16. After two decades, Hannah is now seeing a demand for trends that were fashionable in her youth, including the return of a men’s ‘mullet’ cut!
Richard Condon, Creative Director, is another long-serving member of the team, having worked at The Company for 15 years. Richard spent two decades as a London-based stylist working with TV companies and high-profile fashion and lifestyle magazines such as Esquire, before establishing a loyal following in Horsham.
Richard said: ‘The Company provides me with an environment where I feel I can be myself, in a creative sense. As a self-employed hairdresser, it’s important to be happy in your working environment and to have the freedom to be inventive, as you never stop questioning what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, always striving to be a better stylist. There’s also a genuine focus on those setting out on their career and I enjoy training apprentices, as it has been a great career for me. It’s one of the most positive jobs you can ever do.’
HELPING HAND
To help people with their careers, The Company works with business coach Olivia Percy. Olivia joined as an assistant before gaining qualifications as a business coach. Now, she helps team members set monthly incentives and goals by offering training programmes and marketing guidance. Some have even become Goldwell Master Stylists or Master Colourists.
Olivia said: ‘I try to make every day exciting, setting targets so that they can fulfil their potential and helping them improve their skills by taking external courses or by highlighting their work on social media. My role involves meetings and regular communication, to ensure they’re happy in their work. If they continue to progress and have success at The Company, that benefits them and the business. I’m very proud of having helped Hannah Scurr, one of our talented apprentices, reach a level where she is entering national competitions, with an increasing number of regular clients.’
Olivia’s mum, Danica Gregory, leads the front-of-house team and says that the strength of the business is the people. She said: ‘I always wanted to work here as it has a wonderful feel about it, and even after eight years at The Company, I still love telling people where I work. The feedback I hear from clients is that it’s warm and welcoming and they feel like they’re coming in to see friends. It’s more than just a haircut! As front-of- house manager, it’s my job to make sure they enjoy the experience and leave here smiling.’
INDEPENDENT SPIRIT
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, The Company held a party for staff and guests at Random Hall Hotel, Slinfold. For Vince, it offered an opportunity to thank some of those who have helped the business through the years. He said: ‘It hasn’t always been plain sailing, but I’ve been lucky to have a good team around me. Horsham is also a town when an independent business can thrive as people are supportive of local enterprise.’
‘We’ve earned a reputation for consistently high standards. Ongoing success will hinge largely on maintaining those standards. We depend on repeat business and some clients have been coming to us since the very beginning. However, you cannot take anything for granted. Having a haircut is not cheap and you’re asking people to spend good money at a time when the cost of living is rising. So, you must make sure every visit is a positive experience.’
Further information:
The Company, 7 Middle Street, Horsham, RH12 1NW
(01403) 265700
WORDS: Ben Morris
PHOTOS: Alan Wright
