Today, Hayley Gibson-Forbes runs the thriving Rush salon in Windsor – and for RUSH Franchisee of the Year 2009 it’s a long cry from her undemanding and unrewarding office days.

“One day I woke up and decided I wanted to be a hairdresser”, she remembers. “I’d never thought of it before – there was just something that appealed to me”.

“Rush is very contagious – but in the best possible way”, says Hayley. “I’m very creative, very enthusiastic and very passionate – and that’s exactly what Rush is all about”.

Hayley’s growing ambition neatly coincided with Rush’s plans for expanding the company. “I always wanted to do more,” she explains. “I was thinking about going into management when Rush started Franchising so it seemed an ideal opportunity to start my own business”.

With the help of the Rush Franchise team, Hayley’s Windsor opened in September 2008 and has been a huge success, with an increasing customer base and a growing team. Her commitment was officially recognised recently with Hayley being named Franchisee of the Year at the Rush Awards 2009, an event where exceptional talent is celebrated.

“I’m lucky enough to love what I do”, says Hayley, “and I’m fortunate enough to have a great team behind me. They’re all as committed to success as I am, and I couldn’t have won the award without them”.

As Rush continues to expand its network of Franchises Hayley is also poised to take her next step in business and is planning to open another salon in the near future.

“What makes Rush stand out is their attention to customer service”, she says. “You can get a good haircut anywhere, but people deserve more than that – or next time they’ll go somewhere else. To create a truly great haircut you also need a talent for customer service, and that’s what makes Rush so special. If you’re creative, determined to succeed and committed to your customers, you’ll love Rush – and Rush will love you”.

I joined Rush as a receptionist in the first Brighton salon in 2005. Initially I took the job as a stop-gap before making my next major career move, but once employed I realised very quickly that the potential was there within Rush for me to achieve all my career goals.

It was made very clear to me from the outset that I could move up through the company very quickly as long as I was willing to put in the hard work. Within 6 months I was made manager of the second Brighton salon, and after almost 2 years I was opening my first franchise salon in Horsham. It has taken a lot of hours and a lot of hard work, dealing with all aspects of running a business from man-management to stock control, and everything in between. It has all proven to be worthwhile as the franchise in Horsham has grown into the busiest salon in town attracting the best staff within a year and the best of all is that it is making money. It is up to me how much.

All this was made possible with the continued support of the head office franchise team, and the academy education team making sure that highest standards of the Rush brand were achieved and maintained throughout.

I have now just opened my second Rush franchise in Southampton. This salon is growing even faster than the first and is testament to the Rush philosophy that if you are willing to put in the work, then the rewards are there.