Since she was a wee girl, she dreamt of running her own salon; and that dream came true when she opened Leeanne Kerr Hairdressing in 2017, situated in the heart of Bridge of Allan.
Leeanne was always passionate about becoming the best hairdresser. After leaving school she phoned the prestigious Charlie Miller salon and got the job at their training school in Edinburgh at the age of 16.
She says she was blessed to work in such a renowned salon and wouldn’t have been able to attend if it weren’t for her dad paying for her train fare from Bridge of Allan to Edinburgh every day.
Leeanne is so thankful to have such a supportive father in her life and she wouldn’t be able to do it without him. She lost her mum at a young age and she says this heartache has made her fight to become a good hairdresser. Her mum was ambitious, passionate and loved her job and Leeanne has inherited these traits.
Leeanne says that the passion and work ethic she has gained from both her parents
is what contributes her own success in business.
During her 13 years at Charlie Miller, Leeanne was part of their Artistic Team and specialised in weddings. She enjoyed travelling all over Scotland for wedding and editorial work. The highlight of her career was working at the MTV awards when they came to Scotland.
Although she thoroughly enjoyed working with Charlie Miller, Leeanne is a Bridge of Allan girl at heart and wanted to bring her talents closer to home. She knew she would need to build a clientele, so she worked locally for ten years before taking the leap and fulfilling her childhood goal of owning her own salon. Leeanne always wanted to have a hair salon on the Bridge of Allan high street and says, “If you’re going to do something, do it right!”
It took months of planning and hard work but Leeanne had a vision for her salon and knew exactly what she wanted. “Classy but approachable” was the motto that she stuck to, designing the salon around what she knew her clients would like. Leeanne is an excellent listener and over the years has absorbed information from her clientele on the various things they like from a salon.
Leeanne designed the place to be homely, friendly and a place where people enjoyed and love to come. She didn’t want it to be too trendy but wanted it to be different: “it’s not just about hair,” she says, “it’s about creating a comfortable setting for every client.”
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” says Leeanne. “A lot of heartache has really pushed me, as life isn’t easy; but every single day I help someone else by being honest about my own experiences.” Leeanne explains that in the past, the more people doubted her, the more it drove her towards success, pushing her to work harder and harder. “It takes a lot of sacrifice to build the dream,” says Leeanne.
Leeanne is very much a family-oriented person, and adores her two daughters Sophie (18) and Summer (13), as well as her wider circle of family and friends.
When it came to building her team at the salon, there was no question to who they would be. “Working with my best friends is the best thing ever”, says Leeanne, who runs a team of eight staff, including her oldest daughter Sophie. “We all get along so well, and love each other like a family.”
The Leeanne Kerr Hairdressing team is not only passionate about hairdressing, they are committed to delivering the highest standard of customer experience, and offer many additional services including bridal and occasion hair.
“Whether it’s highlights or a hair-up we ensure that every client who walks through the door is made to feel special, understood and totally cared for,” says Leeanne.
