Nature aHead

Nature aHead

Eco-friendly haircuts in Karamea

The CO.STARTERS business course has been a hub for innovation on the West Coast. The nine-week programme has seen a range of creative ideas taking shape, becoming viable business models.

It is always inspiring to see someone graduate from CO.STARTERS, find their business niche and then thrive. A perfect example of this is Lena Fischbach who has developed an eco-friendly salon, Nature aHead, in the paradise setting of Karamea, New Zealand.

Originally from Germany, Lena took a hairdressing apprenticeship with Vidal Sassoon. After completing her apprenticeship, she left for what was supposed to be a holiday. “That was eleven years ago now!” she says. “While traveling I met my partner and ended up staying.”

During her first few years in New Zealand, Lena worked in Picton and Blenheim as a hairdresser. “But we both wanted to find a more natural place for our kids to grow up - that we could afford”, she explains. “We always loved the Coast and started looking in Karamea. We fell in love with the place and moved there a year later when our first child Trevor was born.”

“My lifestyle changed with having kids”, Lena says. “My focus has been on a healthier and more natural lifestyle”. This led to changes like growing and preserving her own food and making her own organic cleaning products. Once her children were getting older, Lena wanted to get back into hairdressing, but with as little impact as possible on the environment, as well as on the health of herself, her family and her clients.

Following her passion, Lena set-up shop in a caravan one morning a week. She started experimenting with more natural and organic products, using as little chemicals as possible. The response was encouraging. “It slowly grew to more hours and days”, says Lena.

Around this time, she joined the CO.STARTERS programme run by Buller REAP. “I signed up to help turn ‘my hairdressing hobby’ that financed my training upkeep, into something that is able to help support my family”, she says. “I needed more structure and felt I needed to analyse where I was at.”

After finishing the course, Lena was offered a space at the ‘Old Picture Theatre’ at Market Cross.

“As scary as it felt at the time, Co.Starters gave me the confidence to do it."

With the help of a friend, Lena got to work and transformed the space into a tranquil salon with lots of privacy. She says she owes the transformation and renovation to the enthusiasm and commitment of her Landlord, who got her involved in the first place, and the person that designed the salon with her.

Lena’s experience working in the caravan helped shape her vision of what she wanted in a salon. “Having a very private space in the caravan, made me realise I wanted to create a salon environment that is more like a relaxing oasis, where you can take some time out from your busy life and get pampered”, she explains.

With her salon, Nature aHead, Lena tries to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. “For colouring I use papers made of recycled materials that are reusable and/or recycled tinfoil that can be re-recycled. For eyelash tinting I use reusable silicon pads. My colours are ammonia-free, creating a safer and more pleasant work environment for myself and my clients”, she explains. “All the products I stock are carefully selected. I strive to find the best preforming products that are free of potentially harmful ingredients and are recyclable, so no parabens, sulphates, propylene glycol or animal testing.”

“CO.STARTERS gave me the direction and tools I needed to take my business to the next level. I loved the camaraderie between the participants. It was like you entered this safe and trusting environment every week, where no question was to silly and everyone could share their experiences, ideas and worries.”

“I truly believe that the connections that came out of meeting the mentors, facilitators and participants played a huge role in where I am a year later’, she says. “I love where I am and what I do. I love living life in Karamea and to be able to find my business niche is the icing on the cake. For 2018 I am excited to attend more cutting and colouring courses and am hoping to build more relationships with other hairdressers further down the Coast.”

Take a trip to Karamea and check out the oasis Lena has created. Relax in the tranquil setting, get a haircut, and admire the mural of her caravan that shows the inspiring origins of Lena’s salon. For more information about Nature aHead contact Lena on 027 782 6882 or visit www.facebook.com/natureahead