New Business Profile – Leah's

Having had a passion for style and fashion since she was a toddler, it was inevitable that Leah Ryan would follow a career path of creativity in some form.

When she was offered an opportunity to take on a position as apprentice hairdresser during her final year of high school, something in her gut told her that this was the path she was destined to follow, although she had dreams of a somewhat different career in the back of her mind at the time.

“I thought I would like to be a marine biologist. But then I was offered a hairdressing apprenticeship by Mum’s hairdresser in Swan Hill, and when she asked me, I didn’t hesitate to accept. It just felt like the thing to do,” Leah told The Bridge.

From very early on, Leah knew that to broaden her knowledge, she would have to experience work in other salons and other areas and so she made her way to sunny Queensland to do just that.

While she loved the beachside culture of turning brunettes blonde and weekends on the beach, before long she was on a plane and returning to rural Victoria as her heart had been stolen by a Murrabit local.

“I always said I was born for the beach but live in the dust!” She laughs.

Upon her return, Leah took over Koondrook salon, Major Look, which she had for 10 years, slowly building a steady clientele base. However, due to health reasons she was forced to take a hiatus for just short of a year. When she returned, accepting that she could no longer be at the salon full-time if she were to get her health back on track, she decided to sell the salon to staff member, Carmen, who still has the salon to this day.

“I worked under Carmen for a while then I did a bit of freelance hairdressing, but I had in the back of my mind that I wanted to get back into a salon when I started working with Julie at Barham Family Haircare. My passion for style and fashion was very much still there. The urge became stronger to go out on my own during COVID-19 actually, and Julie encouraged me to follow it. Julie really gave me the courage to make the decision as well as family support. Then one day I walked past the barber shop and looked in the window and just said to myself ‘there’s my shop.’ I knew that Grant (the barber) was leaving so I rang the landlord and that was that, here I am!” 

In a mammoth turnaround of just eight days, the former barber shop was transformed into ‘Leah’s’, and it seems that the timing couldn’t be more perfect, with Leah feeling an overwhelming sense of positivity for the year ahead. 

“Everything has just fallen into place. Barham is a great town and I’m not going anywhere. 

This is our local, I just think it’s great to see so many women in business. I’m really looking forward to coming in every day and seeing my clients and meeting new ones. I’ll continue to further my knowledge and bring that to the salon.”

Leah’s is now open in Mellool Street, Barham, right next to Barham Meats.