FEATURE
Vision – entrepreneur Victoria Lynch is planning to work closely with the Prince ’ s Trust to pass on her experience to other fledgling Teesside businesses .
on the Teesside Industrial Estate , Thornaby , only for the world to be locked down due to Covid weeks later .
“ I thought my whole world would be destroyed , but then I realised lockdown was a window of opportunity – to transform the warehousing , so we were in better shape than ever when lockdown was lifted in July .”
In the first 18 months at the new site , the business doubled its stock holding and , over six years , net turnover rose from £ 5m to £ 20m , with 38 staff now employed .
As well as the Thornaby headquarters , there ’ s a store and salon in Wellington Square , Stockton , and the company ’ s products sell in 36 countries , with the most popular brand , Remi Cachet , driving global success .
Created and registered by Victoria in 2010 , Remi Cachet offers the industry ’ s biggest selection of human hair extensions .
Now , Victoria ’ s sights are fixed on the next phase of development , with plans to establish a replica operation in America , with premises and staff .
A calendar of US exhibitions is being planned to promote the brand ahead of the move .
“ America ’ s the biggest hair extension market in the world , so we ’ re going to copy the Teesside model ,” says Victoria . “ You can ’ t stand still .”
In the meantime , Victoria is staying close to the industry ’ s grass roots .
She ’ s planning to work closely with the Prince ’ s Trust to pass on her experience to other fledgling Teesside businesses .
“ They had faith in me and I want to give something back ,” she declares .
Further evidence of her passion for supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs is that the company will be headline sponsor of the Best New Tees Business Awards for the second year running in November .
“ To be successful , you have to be all in . We ’ ve got the world at our fingertips now , so there ’ s nothing you can ’ t achieve with the right idea and drive .”
Victoria Lynch ’ s drive has taken her a long way . From those early roots in a Stockton spare bedroom , her business has undergone a spectacular extension of its own .
“ It ’ s strange to think that when I was growing up , Teesside shipped steel around the world – now we ’ re shipping hair ,” she laughs .
“ But when we ’ re global number one , won ’ t that be something the area can be proud of ?”
When – not if .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 17