A conversation with Rachel Curran - Founder of iBrow.

Rachel Curran is the founder & director of iBrow, Cork’s first independent brow bar and a client of TASK for the last 3 years. Rachel and her team recently celebrated the amazing achievement of 10 years in business, having grown a hugely successful business & community. iBrow’s ethos is all about the client’s experience being as positive as possible from the moment they walk in the door.

We sat down with Rachel and asked her questions about her amazingly successful business, being a female-founder & building a community as a business-owner.

Tell us a bit about yourself & your business iBrow, that has just celebrating 10 years in business.

Hi, I'm Rachel, a 36 year old mum to two little girls living in Cork City. I opened my first business iBrow when i was 26 years old. I knew there was a niche for a salon that specialised in eyebrow shaping and tinting as most of my clients were still recovering from the 80's when over-plucked brows were the norm. We opened with the intention of taking a more individualised approach to our clients and creating brows that were healthy and beautiful. 

If you could give a salon owner three pieces of advice, what would they be?

1. Hire a business mentor wherever possible as they will offer invaluable support. 

2. Make customer service the top priority in your salon.

3. Investing in Front of House is crucial as they will play a key role in driving growth within the salon.

As a female-founder, what challenges have you faced & how have you overcome them?

The biggest challenge I faced was managing people, especially in the beginning. Balancing keeping your staff happy whilst meeting the needs of the business is hard. I implemented a well-defined framework within my business that helped me set boundaries and outline clear expectations.

As many female-founders would attest to, the support from other women in business is amazing, can you think of a time when you felt this?

Yes, I work next door to two very successful business owners who are now good friends of mine. Susie and Lisa who own Olori Boutique and Rebecca who owns Reeb Hair. We are on the end of the phone every time we are overwhelmed or need advice. They are an incredible support network.

As a business-owner, part of the job is managing people. What is your advice for being a good manager and creating a positive work environment? 

The most valuable advice I've received is to separate personal emotions from business decisions.

Secondly, communication is key. Prioritising time each month to sit with your team and exchange feedback is essential in creating an open environment that fosters a positive culture.

What is your favourite part about running your own business?

For me, it's truly the joy of seeing it grow. iBrow has a hugely loyal client base and it’s a reflection of a very passionate team that im super proud of. 

Finally, as you are a brow expert, what is your must-have product for great brows?

I am actually low maintance when it comes to brows but I am obsessed with Beauty Edit's Brow filler in shade taupe. Its just a seamless brow pencil that's quick and easy to use on those busy mornings.