I built my business from scratch and I've been amazed by the reaction to my new Blackpool beauty academy
From starting again with nothing to her name but a bin bag and a baby to care for, to creating a space where other women can build careers and confidence, Lisa Connor’s story is an inspirational one.
At just 20 years old, Lisa faced one of life’s toughest challenges. She returned to her mother’s home with nothing but her baby daughter and their belongings in a single bin bag. With no savings, no business experience and no safety net, she relied on a small loan from her mum to pay for a nail course and repaid her in weekly instalments from her income support.
From those humble beginnings, Lisa built a career in the beauty industry. Starting from her mum’s kitchen table, she worked around nap times and school runs, building a loyal client base through word of mouth.
Her early experiences in beauty weren’t just about the treatments themselves, but about the confidence and self-care they inspired. Over the next 16 years, Lisa’s business grew steadily as she opened salons, expanded her team and developed a reputation for high standards and professionalism. Now she’s education the next generation of beauticians as well.
“I really just wanted it to be inspiring for people,” said Lisa. “I didn’t want it to come across like it had been handed to me - I wanted it to be clear that everything I’ve built has come from hard work and determination.
“I had a baby very young and I literally had a single bin bag and my daughter. I moved back home to my mum’s and rebuilt my life from there. I went to get my nails done and thought, ‘Oh my God, I love this - what a great idea.’ It was self-care, but it made me feel incredible.”
“I’ve been in the industry for nearly 16 years. I started from my mum’s kitchen table. I’ve had little jobs on the side while raising my kids, but I’ve never left the beauty industry since I was 20. I started with a tiny salon in Fleetwood in 2019 - just one room and four staff. Within 12 months, we were so busy we expanded to a building 30 times the size at the start of Covid.
“I invested my life savings into that building and transformed it. At its peak, we had 14 team members and a thriving local business. I realised there was a real gap for high-quality, accredited training. That’s why I opened Sorority Academy.”
Lisa opened her first place in Fleetwood between 2019-2020, then expanded to Abingdon Street.
She had them both temporarily and officially closed her Fleetwood business at the end of 2020.
She had her Abingdon Street business for 5 years. Both now closed due to the academy opening.
Enjoying plenty of success - her salon in Fleetwood had become a local fixture, employing 4 staff and offering a full range of beauty services - her staff grew from 4 in Fleetwood to 14 at Abingdon Street.
Lisa decided to pivot from running salons to education, focusing her efforts full time on Sorority Academy.
The academy provides accredited courses in aesthetics, nails, brows and lashes, combining hands-on experience with mentorship and aftercare support that many traditional colleges do not offer. And there’s been plenty of interest - before it even opened its doors, Lisa says over £10,000-worth of courses had already been snapped up, reflecting strong local demand for training.
“The academy bridges the gap in care and support that colleges often don’t provide and gives students real hands-on experience,” said Lisa. “We also offer affordable treatments to the public, overseen by senior practitioners. I relate to young mums and people who haven’t got much spare cash.
“I’ve been there myself, and I want Sorority Academy to be accessible to everyone.”