Meeting the team at ILLUMI

 

Neil Wishart, the Director at ILLUMI.

 

Huge gratitude goes out to everyone who has supported me along the way and to those who still do in helping ILLUMI in Studley be a reality.

 

And so welcome and thank you for taking the time to read this and for your interest in ILLUMI, an independently owned Aveda Hair, Spa and Wellbeing Salon. An energetic space created for everyone who enters to receive what they need on an energy level in that moment to regain equilibrium on all levels while our professional artists do what they do best, which is make your hair, skin and body, look and feel amazing. ILLUMI was first born as a dream at the personal age of 21. With the assistance of people and through the assistance from the larger world of Spirit, ILLUMI was born for a second time, into physical reality.

 

I have always been motivated to bring something different and exceptional to the hair industry, to make a positive difference in this industry, to people’s lives, and in the World. And it begins now.

 

I have been in the hair industry since I was 17 years old. I am now 40 years of age. One of my biggest inner drives has always been to do the best work I can and to be the best I can when I do anything I care for. So, because of this focussed mentality, I progress with every step I take.

 

My career began with TONI&GUY where I quickly accomplished my training and qualifications. I started to be noticed locally and in the surrounding areas within the industry for my skills and standards. I had a fantastic time as a new hair stylist. Constantly busy and emotionally buzzing while I was doing advanced hair cutting, unleashing my creativity and passion for hair, and discovering the power that I had in bringing out happiness in a person through my work and while I had a window of time in their life while I was with them. At the same time I was evolving in my career, I had begun developing myself in the areas of spirituality brought on from lifelong experiences since childhood. It was a necessity for me.

 

I had set out to become a session and editorial stylist, and just as the doors of opportunity began to open for me in London City, I swiftly did a 180° turn around and found myself in management. I was already teaching apprentices in-salon getting them ready for their final assessment to become fully qualified within TONI&GUY.

 

My passions started to explode with the awareness of what being a good manager meant to people employed within the hair industry and soon I was asked by a client of the salon I worked at if I would be interested in owning my own salon. Someone who had been watching me for a couple of years from early on in my career before I qualified as a stylist, had seen potential in me from the moment I blow-dried her hair for the first time when I was an apprentice. I had impressed her from that moment with my capabilities in being able to manage her very unruly hair, making it look sleek, smooth, and shiny. Something that my qualified hair stylist colleagues in the salon I was working in could not do as well as I could, (according to her anyway). This lady is known to me as Joti.

 

Joti, a successful businessperson and now a dear friend, is the other director and powerhouse behind ILLUMI.

 

My diverse career path has seen me work, teach, and manage businesses for several leading brands such as TONI&GUY, REGIS INTERNATIONAL, HEADMASTERS, RUSH and TONI&GUY ESSENSUALS. I have worked all over the Midlands, and I spent the last 4 years before the opening of ILLUMI Studley refining all of my skills in London getting ready to bring something exquisite, high end and fresh back to the Midlands of England.

 

ILLUMI is a synthesis of my life's experiences, passions and desire to bring about positive change in the lives of others, empowering people through delivering a complete and thorough experience with my advanced creative skills in hairdressing, education, energy healing, as a spiritual teacher and in personal development. And ILLUMI is far greater than this, it IS because of the incredibly talented artists which bring forth their uniqueness and strength, blending with the whole. ILLUMI has its own dynamic team in Spirit divinely directing and assisting.

 

​At ILLUMI I offer a completely customised high standard of service using my knowledge combined with experience, insight, and vision. You will also be offered the experience of having your energy revitalised by receiving Energy Healing while I work my magic on your hair, often resulting in personal profound experiences being had during our time together.

 

There is still so much more for me to share, but I will leave that for when you are sitting in my chair.

 

With love,

 

​Neil x