The Curl Alchemist

Nothing beats watching another small business grow. Seeing their retail bags land in my salon feels like we’re growing together.

The 21 winners are in! What an incredible way to celebrate one year of The Curl Alchemist Salon. Thank you to everyone who came along, entered, supported, and celebrated this milestone with me. I know it’s a long reel, but with 21 amazing prizes, there were plenty of lucky winners. Congratulations to everyone who won. I hope you love your goodies. Huge thank you to my wonderful apprentice and my son, Nixon, for helping me draw all the winners. I couldn’t have done this without some incredible local businesses and brands. Special thank you to Dripr Coffee, Clever Curl, Cabela, Wests Drinks Dunedin, Splash Happy, and The Flower Shop Roslyn. Your support made this celebration so special. Here’s to another year of healthy curls, confidence, community, and connection. Thank you all for being part of this journey. .

Celebrating 1 year of being a salon owner, creating a space of love, confidence, belonging and empowerment, where every curl and every person is embraced and celebrated. 🌿

One year ago, I unlocked the door to a dream I’d worked towards for years. Today, I’m celebrating so much more than a salon anniversary. I’m celebrating the incredible community that has grown within these four walls.

Has it been an easy ride? No.

Was it worth it? Absolutely.

The people I’ve met along the way have made this journey not only possible, but truly life changing. I’ve grown more than I ever imagined. The lessons have been tough, and the reality of owning a small business in 2025/2026 has come with its fair share of challenges. The exhaustion, the anxiety and the uncertainty have all walked alongside the triumphs, but every challenge has shaped me into a stronger business owner and person.

This salon has never just been about just curls. It’s about helping people feel seen, accepted and confident in who they are. It’s about creating a safe space where everyone is welcomed, embraced and leaves feeling just a little taller than when they walked in.

Without my clients, I don’t have a business. But more importantly, without you, I wouldn’t have this community that I treasure so deeply. Thank you for trusting me with your curls, your stories and your confidence. Supporting my little salon means you’re supporting a dream that once felt impossible.

To my beautiful friend and neighbouring business, Botanical Blade, thank you for making salon life brighter. Having someone beside me who truly understands the highs and lows of small business has meant more than you’ll ever know.

To my family and friends, thank you for believing in me, especially on the days I struggled to believe in myself. Your encouragement has carried me through some incredibly hard moments.

A huge thank you to Poppin Off Dunedin for creating the most incredible cake. It was absolutely perfect. Thank you to Kai Mōka for the beautiful catering, and to everyone who came in to celebrate, sent messages, brought flowers, cards or simply took the time to congratulate me. Every hug, every kind word and every gesture filled my heart.

This first year has taught me that success isn’t measured by numbers. It’s measured by the lives you touch, the relationships you build, the courage to keep showing up, and the community that stands beside you.

Here’s to continuing to learn, to grow, to keep embracing every curl that walks through my door, and to many more years of changing lives… one curl at a time.

From the bottom of my heart… thank you. ❤️