LIFESTYLE
HELD BACK by CIRCUMSTANCE (but not anymore!)
T
he UK’s military spouses are seldom business owners, but Dr Lucy Evriviades is bucking
this trend to launch a new medical aesthetics business.
Experienced GP, Lucy Evriviades, 38, known as ‘Dr Lucy’, met her husband, Demetrius, a surgeon in the RAF for 22 years, in a hospital, and is mum to four children aged nine, seven, four and one.
With a long-standing interest in skin and a postgraduate diploma in dermatology, Dr Lucy’s pursuit of her own aesthetics clinic had been held back by the circumstance of service life. However, with the support of X-Forces, a new social enterprise helping the Armed Forces’ community to start businesses, Dr Lucy’s clinic is now flourishing.
Lucy’s business is Arden Aesthetics, a medical aesthetics clinic offering treatments including wrinkle relaxing injections and dermal fillers, as well as prescription-only skin care treatment products and general skin care advice.
Aesthetic treatments are growing in popularity, though seldom delivered by medical professionals as qualified and experienced as Dr Lucy. She said: “Aesthetic treatments are an affordable way to enhance natural beauty and delay the signs of ageing and it is rewarding to see clients looking and feeling so much more confident about their appearance.”
The UK has over 100,000 spouses from the three services, yet Dr Lucy is one of the few that embark on business ownership. Lucy said: “I’m proud of the work my husband does to serve his country, yet frequent relocations are challenging, and make it difficult to feel settled anywhere.
“I would like to have taken this step years ago, but could never be sure when we might next need to relocate. Now
www.raf-ff.org.uk
that my husband is nearing the end of his service, and we are settled in one place, I have the opportunity to set up the business I’ve aspired to for so long.”
Ren Kapur, CEO of X-Forces said: “Less than 3% of military spouses are currently in business for themselves which is far below the 8% national average. This is down to frequent relocations, the pressure of deployed partners and the psychological barriers built by existing ‘behind the wire’ that reduce a spouse’s confidence to take the first step.
“Yet we also know that military spouses make ideal entrepreneurs. They are resilient, determined, experts at juggling limited resources and their extraordinary ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances is well recognised, so it is a great pleasure to help them realise their potential.”
Dr Lucy’s advice for fellow spouses: “It might seem daunting, but if you have an idea and you are committed to making it work, then go for it. There will be times when you question what you’re doing, but be patient, don’t expect everything to fall into place at once, and take all the help and support you can get. The satisfaction of seeing your idea take shape and become a success is well worth all the time and effort.”
“I had a lot to learn about running a business and the team at X-Forces has been very approachable and supportive, helping me fine-tune my business plan and talking through ideas about marketing and publicity.”
Lucy’s business, Arden Aesthetics is now open in Knowle, near Solihull; visit
www.ardenaesthetics.co.uk for further information.
Envoy Summer 2014 41
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