We may be a small island but one thing Ireland isn’t short on is talented entrepreneurs. From spotting gaps in the beauty world, to making the most of our traditional fare and health and wellness, Irish businesses are making their mark around the world.

We chat to some of Ireland’s most inspirational women of the last twelve months to find out their magic formula for success.

Katie Jane Goldin - Hairtalk

After so many years in the beauty industry, do you have any insider tips you can share?

I always sleep on a silk pillowcase – it extends my blow-dry and stops frizz and breakage. Basically, silk allows your hair to move smoothly and freely on the pillowcase without it sucking up moisture. It prevents kinks and flyaways and stops outrageous bed head! I obviously wear extensions – I have Hairtalk Tape extensions in at the moment – which means I have double the amount of hair so bed head is real for me. Sleeping on silk allows my hair to look great day after day without having to blow-dry or style every morning!

With so many products in your brand now, do you have a secret favourite?

LanaiBLO really is my baby because it’s the first brand that my husband Barry and I created together. We manufacture the hairdryers ourselves in Italy. We did everything together, from thinking of the name (Lanai is actually the name of the villa where we got married when we eloped), to testing the unit, different motors, different colours, etc… We wanted to create the lightest and fastest hairdryer on the market and that is what we achieved with LanaiBLO. It has quickly become a recognised brand name in Ireland and the UK with a loyal following. I’m so proud of this brand. This year we launched the LanaiPRO which is a salon-only product and in 2020 we will be taking the brand international.

What sets you apart in such a competitive market?

We only supply the best. We want to be best in class and I think people now trust me and recognise that what I do bring to market is high quality. I’ve been in this business for eight years now and I know what the customer wants and what the salons need. A lot of the salons I supply have been my customers since I started in the hair business in 2011. They know I will always support them, they all have my mobile number and can pick up the phone and call me anytime.

How do you keep innovating and where do you get the inspiration for new products?

I’ve been in the hair business a long time now, I was the first person to bring luxury hair extensions to Ireland in 2011. I feel like I really know my market and I always need to be one step ahead and thinking about what the salons and customers need before they even know themselves they need it! I’m constantly talking to stylists and salons, listening to what they want and what issues they are experiencing. Then I think about how I can solve those issues and make their life easier. I guess it’s just about knowing your industry and I feel I know mine inside out.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced to date?

I know in my heart I am good at what I do, I am good at launching brands and bringing a really good product to market. The challenges I have found to be the hardest over the years are working with people who are on different paths, who are not driven the same way I am and have different motivations.

What advice would you offer to someone who would love to emulate your success?

When I was 19, someone said to me: “Sometimes not taking the risk is the biggest risk of all.” I think when you are an entrepreneur, you have to take calculated risks. We have now launched a number of brands over the years and each one has been a massive risk. But if you don’t take the risk, you will never know where your inner idea might have ended up. There is no such thing as failure, only feedback, and like most entrepreneurs we have had some “feedback” over the years. But we’ve learned from that feedback and gone on to make bigger and better products and brands.

www.hairtalk.ie | www.instyler.ie | www.lanaiblo.com | Instagram: katiejanegoldin