In ConversationWith -MatthewMcCullough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . From movies to tanning
IB chats to Matthew McCullough, founder of Bliss Ireland and
prosalondirect.com about family life and the world of beauty.
The beauty industry wasn’t my chosen career path. Having worked for Columbia Tri-Star Pictures I decided to open a video rental shop in Belfast. At the time, sunbeds were all the go so I expanded into tanning salons. After we opened our third store I decided I missed going out and meeting people so I called one of our sunbed lotion suppliers and asked whether I could sell it for him. That was my first step and nearly 10 years later we now supply thousands of salons throughout Ireland and beyond, covering sunless tanning, sunbeds, waxing, lashes, and our newest venture, Artistic Nail Design.
Sheer hard work, determination and a very good team got us to where we are today. But also by giving a quality service and premium products that forge a relationship with our customers ensures that as we grow, our customers grow with us.
An average day for me starts very early, around 5:30am or 6am, when my daughter Sophie, who is 17 months, decides it’s time to get up. For the next hour or so I spend just that little bit more fun time with her before heading to the office around 7:30am. Then it’s time to catch up on correspondence from the previous day before the team arrives and then it’s full- on for the rest of the day.
Variety is the best thing about my job. No two days are the same. One day I’m on the road or in the air meeting customers or suppliers, the next day I’m in my office for 10 hours straight planning new product launches or working on our new trade website
www.prosalondirect.com with the tech guys. I love the variety.
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Matthew McCullough
“Sheer hard work, determination and a very good teamgot us towhere we are today.”
I love going to the the theatre, the movies and having a pint or two watching any sport. And of course spending time with my wife Leanne and our daughter Sophie.
I couldn’t live without bread... but seriously, the support my wife gives me, not only from a business perspective but also just for being there for me, is something I couldn’t live without (and also my daughter).
I don’t really have the time to indulge in beauty treatments myself, but do like a full body massage at the Slieve Donard Spa on a special occasion.
My father was my role model whilst growing up. He taught me a lot but from an early age I remember walking him to the bus stop around 6pm every night, rain, shine and snow, where he went onto work to do his nightly 12- hour shift in a heavy machine company. I always remember him saying to me “never do this”. I took that onboard and vowed I would take a different path.
I would like to be remembered as the person who brought sunless tanning back to being a beauty treatment.
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