Barbara Joyce worked as an office junior for her father Harry's
haulage business back in the 1960s - but it was no cushy number
There was no room for slackers at Henry Forsyth Ltd, family or not,
and the experience instilled a work ethic in Barbara that remains to
this day.
Having sold the family nursing home business five years ago, she
could easily afford to retire and put her feet up - but that would
be out of the question.
"I don't know what I would do if I didn't work - I would just be
bored," she said.
Instead, Barbara is now helping to run the third family business -
Hairline, a hair extensions and accessories company.
She, and daughters Kim, Barbara and Danielle, and brother John,
operate two shops - one in St John's Road in Waterloo and another in
Allerton Road. south Liverpool.
The business was inspired after Kim became very ill with cancer.
She underwent chemotherapy and, as a result, a lot of her hair fell
out.
Launched four years ago, Hairline now offers not only wigs and
hair extensions but also accessories, bags and jewellery and there
are plans to expand into fashion.
The business has just revamped its website and will be offering
goods for sale online for the first time.
"We started off with a really small unit in Waterloo - we wanted
to test the market to see what people wanted," said Kim.
"To bring people in that wouldn't necessarily go to a hair
extensions shop we started doing the bags and the jewellery. And
that has really taken off and has become as successful as the hair
extensions. "Now we basically do everything a girl wants."
However, despite the diversification, wigs and extensions remains
a core product and catering for customers suffering hair loss
through cancer treatment remains a top priority.
Kim said: "When I was ill my hair went very thin and it really
gives you an idea of what people who are undergoing chemotherapy are
going through.
"We have private rooms in both shops where anyone can have
privacy if they want to try on wigs. "You have that empathy with
them. You know they don't want to walk out looking like Rapunzel.
They just want to look normal."
Barbara added: "With the nursing home background that we have it
means we have that sympathy with people so when we opened the shops
I insisted that we offer the private rooms.
"We leave them on their own when they want to try things and help
them when they ask for help."
In terms of running a business, Barbara's education was something
of a baptism of fire.
She said: "My father died of a heart attack suddenly in 1969, at
the age of 59. He died at 6.30am and at 7am we had to open up. We
had six vehicles at that time and we had to keep going because the
men needed their wages.
"I was in the office that day and I had to answer the phone to
people who were asking for my dad and tell them he had died that
morning. It was horrendous.
"I thought to myself that if I can get through that day then I
can get through anything.
"Even though I worked in the office at the time I didn't know
much but he didn't teach me all that much - I was there to make the
tea and run out for the butties for everyone.
"So when he died I had no experience of sending cargo and next
thing I was sending stuff out to China and Australia and every where
and I would be at home at night praying 'please let it get there'."
With the help of family and colleagues, Barbara did successfully
take on the business.
Around 28 years ago she sold up and moved into nursing homes,
eventually running three with her daughters joining her later on.
She added: ""I have been successful in business because I have
worked with good people.
"No one builds a business on their own. My nurses were good
nurses. They were loyal and they were fantastic at their job.
"I didn't want people to come in to the nursing homes and it feel
too clinical.
"Anyone who knows our businesses knows how we work. I was always
good at picking staff. You stand as a team."
The family ethos continues with Kim's and Barbara junior's
daughters now also working for Hairline. "Our plan over the next two
years is to bring in our own brands. We will bring in anything that
people want," added Kim.
