Founder and owner of The Parlour Room in Sydney’s Clovelly, Imbibe Woman Nat Papadopoulos has always loved to help women realise just how beautiful they truly are.
At just 24 years of age she opened The Parlour Room with a vision to create an inclusive and caring space where clients could come to relax and spoil themselves.
On the back of a completely unprecedented year, in the midst of a global pandemic and industry-wide closures, Nat seized an opportunity to be fearless and opened her second salon, Self, a serene space that focuses on beauty through self-care.
Here, we chat to Nat about what makes her tick, what she’s proud of and what she’s excited about...
1. Please tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?
My name is Natalie Papadopoulos, I am the owner and founder of The Parlour Room in Clovelly. We have two salons, an online store and expert journal.
2. What prompted you to launch The Parlour Room and what were some of the biggest hurdles you have had to overcome to do so?
I always knew I wanted to run my own business. My interest in beauty started at a very young age and while I took the time to learn from those in the industry, specialising in various areas, it was really a case of being in the right place at the right time when the opportunity presented itself to launch The Parlour Room. One of the biggest hurdles would have been learning how to successfully run a business and understanding how the numbers work. Business will always be up and down and it’s just about finding a balance… and learning how to live without sleep!
3. Is there anything exciting and new you’ve launched or are working on that you want to share with us?
We have recently launched our second space, Self by The Parlour Room which has been really exciting. A lot of hard work but worth it. With this, we also launched a new-look website which has an online store, working with some amazing brands (including Imbibe!). I’m always looking for new and exciting ways we can enhance The Parlour Room offering, so definitely stay tuned - we’re not done yet for 2020.
4. Most defining moment in your life to date?
Gosh, 2020?? It’s been a very hard year, I’ve learnt a lot, especially what I can and can’t handle. During our COVID closure, it was really a period where, for everyone, it came down to what you made of it. I’ve learnt you can’t control the situation but can control your response. I really felt the most love, when we closed and then when we reopened. The support from our clients was overwhelming. That was definitely my most successful, defining moment.
5. Fall back Pot-Luck dish?
My fiance Andrea is the cook in the family, definitely not me, so it would be something like an antipasto platter and a really delicious pasta.
6. Favourite way to spend a day off?
A long lunch with my fiance and friends, especially somewhere in the sun.
7. Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given (or wish you’d been given)?
Focus on perfecting your service and how you treat people and success will follow.
8. Favourite book/album/movie/podcast
Empire Records is one of my favourite movies and I love any crime/murder mysteries.
9. What is something you do to help balance work, health and home (it’s an everyday struggle for us!)?
It’s a struggle for me too! When you have your own business it’s hard, there’s always something to deal with. At the moment, I really enjoy a morning walk, and I try to get to Fluidform Pilates at least twice a week. I also think it’s important to switch off every so often. My partner loves cooking so I try to make sure I’m present at dinner so we can really enjoy quality time together.
10. What marks success for you?
Client love, health & happiness. I’ve worked really hard to make sure The Parlour Room is a comfortable space for everyone to feel welcomed, where we can celebrate beauty. Success really comes from fulfilling this vision day in and day out across all facets of the business.
11. Star sign? If you believe in them!
Pisces
12. Go-to desk-to-dinner outfit?
Definitely jeans, a nice top and a chic blazer. I’m also really into pantsuits at the moment.
13. Silver lining for 2020?
We were closed for up to eight weeks and it really made us think outside the box and introduce new areas to the business where we hadn’t before. I never imagined The Parlour Room would be as all-encompassing as it is now. It’s really evolved to become a complete beauty destination; with two physical spaces, an online store and expert journal, which is absolutely incredible and I’m so excited to see where we can take it next!
