Twenty four-year-old Georgie Holdom not only provides clients to her Pretty Woman Salon in Highnam with a wide range of top brand beauty products, but also access to a fast-growing team that has enabled her to expand the range of treatments on offer.

Pretty Woman clients leave the salon not only treated from top-to-toe, but inside and out too, as Georgie offers everything from advanced nutrition and skincare to the finishing touches in makeup.

Georgie first studied makeup, hair and beauty therapies at Stroud College where, she says, she was not only made to feel welcome but made to feel like she was not just 'one of the crowd'.

This is an approach she has applied to her own customer service.

At 19 she got her first job in a hair salon and worked there for six months before leaving to spend three months travelling in Australia.

On returning to England, she set up as a self-employed beautician in another small salon in Hucclecote, where she added to her experience through offering all types of beauty treatments.

This resulted in Georgie's first experience of taking a percentage of the salon's takings, an experience that would eventually shape her own business model.

She said: "It was a bit scary joining the salon as self-employed, as I started with no clients. I knew it could go either way - either I would earn a lot or earn nothing."

But Georgie applied her online marketing skills to attract her clients. Now her Facebook and Twitter profiles are continuing to drive her business forward.

Working as self-employed never worried Georgie, even at such a young age as 20.

She said: "My family are very supportive. Obviously, I have bills to pay but no children or a mortgage - the stress bills. Besides, my mum told me to just go for it."

After three years, Georgie decided to go it alone and when the opportunity came up to take a log cabin unit at Highnam Business Centre just outside Gloucester, she jumped at the chance.

Landlords Sarah and Edward Keene already ran reflexology out of the log cabin and saw the obvious fit of welcoming Georgie and her beauty treatments.

The unit was suitably kitted out and Georgie just moved in, wax pots and all.

In just a year, Georgie progressed to a bigger unit and now offers treatments out of four rooms, which include everything from nutrition to skincare to make up.

She says: "We offer all beauty treatments - waxing, tinting, manicures, pedicures, nail extensions and permanent make up."

Pretty Woman also specialises in eye lash extensions and Georgie has gained qualifications to run lash lift courses out of the salon to train up other practitioners.

When it comes to skincare, Georgie did her homework in this area too - researching the best skincare ranges and finally settling on a range that originates in South Africa.

She said: "I knew this range was good. The company began by making skincare ranges for people with cancer. It is totally minerals-based, without the fillers you often find in commercial skincare products, which some people find their skin reacts to."

As well as offering beauty treatments, Georgie also sells products in the salon: Advanced Nutrition, Environ skincare range and Jane Ireland make up.

She says the secret of Pretty Woman's success lies in the flexibility of her team and their willingness to work around the hours of the client - opening early or closing late.

She said: "I don't mind as long as we are full."

For more information visit www.prettywomansalons.com  or call: 07814 308 907