Q&A with Sherri-Lee Scholtz of Puravida (New Zealand Beauty Salon of the Year) | The Industry Awards 2019

How does it feel to be the winner of New Zealand Beauty Salon of the Year award?

It is such an honour; not sure it has fully sunk in yet! Being able to enter an award like this and becoming a finalist was so amazing, Puravida was up against some phenomenal salons and I am so proud of our achievement. It has made all the hard work, long hours, a few tears and chocolate cake so worth it, being acknowledged in this way is surreal and I couldn’t be happier.

What is the underlying philosophy of Puravida? What has made your salon so successful?

Putting the clients’ needs and wants first and working on the things that can get us to that point. Every little part of this journey has been focused on education, knowledge, values and customer service. The focus of Puravida has always been on continued education: being a leader in our industry when it comes to knowledge, so that we can provide our clients with the best skin results and service. Clients are more than just numbers to us, they are the reason why we do what we do, and that we can do what we do. I guess summed up, we believe in honest, informed, personalised client-focused services!

I have always tried to remain 100% authentically myself, and Puravida is very much an extension of myself and now of Holly. I think it’s the values, the ethics, the love and passion we have for this industry and the commitment to continued growth. The best success however, is having the client base returning, sharing amazing reviews and sharing us with family and friends. Knowing that we are constantly striving for the customer experience with the right positive attitude and effort to always provide the best and become the best salon we can be, brings a peace of mind and a content state of mind and therefore success.

When did you start your business and why?

 I took over Puravida in July of 2016 and have worked really hard to get it where it is today. I had always wanted to own my own business. I wanted to be setting and leading a salon the way I felt comfortable: without a massive focus on sales targets and upselling clients services they don’t need just to make a target. I wanted to be authentic, provide a safe, educated and welcoming environment in the beauty therapy industry for clients to achieve whatever their goals are.

What is your favourite part of working in the beauty industry?

I love being able to make a client feel special, loved and a little more confident when leaving the salon. Whether it’s an eyebrow shape or a full-on facial, clients are the most important thing to us while they are on that treatment bed and should always leave Puravida feeling like a million dollars! Skin is my biggest passion though, so if we are looking at favourite treatment, hands down I love getting a client to their skincare goals.

What does next year look like for you?

We are going to do a few more amazing events for clients, to educate and inform but also to have some fun. Of course, a good few courses, some new treatments, and continuing to learn and grow and evolve with our clients and their needs.

If you could give one piece of advice to other salon, spa and clinic owners, what would it be?

Trust the process and don’t compare your journey with anyone else’s. We all have our own journeys, struggles, strengths and weaknesses.  Go with the flow, trust your gut and have fun along the way. Work hard but also don’t always stress about the small stuff.

Would you recommend entering The Industry Awards to others? And have the awards helped you as a business?

Yes, even if I didn’t win or become a finalist it was such a great way to look at my business in a whole different light.

I’m really hard on myself when it comes to my mindset around business, I always think, “No, you can do better than this”, which is true, but entering the awards made me reflect and celebrate the small wins, and really see how far I have come in 3 years. Seeing what the judges thought and that they understood what Puravida was about was amazing. I am way better at celebrating the small wins as well as aiming for the next goal.