If you’re thinking of starting your laser hair removal journey ahead of summer, keep reading because there’s only one clinic to go to. Laser HQ… if you hadn’t heard of it before, you have now.
Five years ago, Helen Quayle (my queen of laser) started her business in a small room in Manchester and has since grown her vision into the laser hair removal kingdom of the North West with additional clinics in Liverpool and Leeds.
VIVA sat down with Helen to talk about how Laser HQ came to be, her business journey so far and what’s next.
So Helen, why did you get into laser and how did Laser HQ start?
I was looking for somewhere to get laser hair removal, and 5 years ago there wasn’t a brand where you would think ‘I’ll go there.’ No single brand was specialising in it, so one morning I woke up and said to my mum “I’m going to start doing laser hair removal and I’m going to call it Laser HQ.” HQ are my initials, which not a lot of people know, so I guess you could say it was just a happy accident, but there really wasn’t anymore thought to it than that.
What were you doing before you made the decision to start Laser HQ?
I’m trained to be a P.E teacher, I’ve done a business apprenticeship and I’m a trained Operations Manager. I was going to my full time job, setting up Laser HQ in the evenings and doing treatments. I had a small room in a salon, but I shared that with someone else so sometimes I would have to bring my machine home and clients would come to my mum and dads house, where I used their back room. My logo was actually a birthday present from my mum when I first started, and it’s still the same logo now.
What do you love most about running Laser HQ?
There are so many things. I’ve always said “don’t do it for money, do it for love”, because then the long days are so worth it.
I love working with all the girls. My old boss really instilled skills in me like how to treat people in business and the ways of life and that was something I really wanted to carry into my venture. My aim was to build a lovely environment to work in, a safe environment for employees and somewhere the girls want to be. We’ve got our own female powerhouse going on here.
I also love the wider topics we’re able to influence. We did a PCOS and endometriosis campaign last year and it was really successful and rose awareness.
What’s the most important thing to you?
It has to be our clients. For all of us at Laser HQ, it’s about how our clients feel when they walk through the door, when they’re on the bed and when they leave. We’re creating an experience and we want to make everyone who comes in feel comfortable. I also love all the different people I meet as part of this job and the different conversations day in, day out, it’s so uplifting.
How did the pandemic effect you guys?
Of course, we had to close our doors and the pandemic was awful, but at the same time, it was also the best thing that happened. It taught me to slow down and re-evaluate the business, which was so valuable. Over lockdown, I had the time to reach out to new people and companies that would help to set the foundations for the business, expansion and I also started the training academy.
After lockdown, we also went out for tender to look for a new machine company and became the first salon to have our own branded machines.
So, what’s next next?
We’ve got some amazing things in the pipeline for this year that I can’t say too much about right but watch this space.
As a VIVA girl who loves all things beauty and treatments, Laser HQ is one of the best salons I’ve been to, and for pain free laser hair removal (I’m a bit of a wimp), it’s the go to for myself and so many others across the country.
If you want to book in for your consultation, visit their website to start your journey.
