Circles owner Sharlene Lee. Circles of Subiaco has just taken out Salon Business of the Year at the Hair Expo awards.
Camera IconCircles owner Sharlene Lee. Circles of Subiaco has just taken out Salon Business of the Year at the Hair Expo awards. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie

Hair Expo Awards: Circles of Subiaco honoured

Jessica WarrinerWestern Suburbs Weekly

CIRCLES of Subiaco has run rings around the national competition at the Hair Expo Awards.

The Hay Street salon was crowned Salon Business of the Year in Melbourne on Monday night .

Owner Sharlene Lee started travelling to the awards in the early 90s and set her sights on taking home a trophy one day.

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She started Circles 23 years ago, and the Subiaco mainstay now has a brand new trophy taking pride of place on the front desk.

“It’s always Sydney and Melbourne; I don’t think anyone in Perth has got it before,” Ms Lee said.

“It’s a very proud moment for myself and my team.”

Circles was recognised for its innovative social media use, development programs and salon expansion.

“For so long, I thought ‘this is what I want’. For me, that was the most important award, it’s all about the business,” Ms Lee said.

With 27 stylists across two salons – Circles also operates a Fitzgerald Street outpost – over 25,000 Instagram followers and an average of 60 new clients per week, business is certainly booming.

“In the 80s we used to cut out pictures from magazines; now, we can show off our own work on Instagram,” Ms Lee said.

“Embrace change and challenge, that’s how you get results. Don’t get comfortable.”