Skye’s world revolved around her partner and their three beautiful children, aged four, six, and eight. However, their path was not without its difficulties. Skye’s partner received a diagnosis that limited his ability to work. With an influx of medical expenses, appointments, and medications straining their finances, Skye started to feel the weight of managing everyday expenses for her family.
Skye worked as a Housekeeper at a local Aged Care Facility, which in the past had helped her make ends meet. But when her work environment and hours took a turn for the worse, so did her mental health. This led to Skye being admitted to intensive mental health treatment for five days in an effort to recover from the immense stress she was facing.
Upon her gradual recovery, Skye realised it was best to part ways with her employer and began exploring self-employment. She knew she would need to enhance her skills to see this path to success, but couldn’t see the best way to get started.
In September 2021, Skye was introduced to Asuria’s ParentsNext program in Victor Harbour, where she found Support Mentor Katelin. From their first conversation, Katelin showed compassion for Skye’s story and sought out Asuria’s Allied Health Services to provide mental health support for Skye as she began a journey of healing, all on her own terms.
During one of their appointments, Skye shared with Katelin her dream - to establish her own business from the comfort of her own home. Wanting to get Skye started, Katelin enrolled her in a complimentary Soft Skills and Study Tips course, which allowed Skye to refocus her energy, reassess her goals, and refine her true passion - the beauty industry. With an existing Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy, Skye already had the foundations to see her dreams take flight.
Recognising Skye’s immense potential, Katelin encouraged her to explore funding options through Asuria and recommended enrolling in the Self-Employment Assistance program to help get her business idea off the ground. This unwavering support gave Skye the boost she needed to establish a vision for her business, deciding on the name ‘Beauty by Skye’.
Filled with excitement, she began the Self-Employment Assistance program. This new opportunity became a stepping stone for Skye, unveiling invaluable insights into the intricacies of managing a business - a journey she could never have envisioned before Katelin’s unwavering encouragement.
Fuelling her newfound passion, Skye delved deeper into the beauty world by enrolling in two new short courses, Dermaplaning and Eyebrow Lifts, acquiring additional skills to fuel her business. Asuria supported this step of Skye’s journey by enrolling her in a First Aid Course, providing her with one year’s worth of business insurance coverage, and supplying her with essential tools and equipment for her beauty business.
Overflowing with gratitude for the support she received from Katelin and the entire Asuria’s ParentsNext team, Skye shared her experience in the program.
“Being in the ParentsNext program has been life-changing for me. Kate has always been supportive and understanding of my situation and has never made me feel pressured to get a job that didn’t align with my passions.
With Kate’s support, I have been able to set up a small beauty salon from home. Kate helped me apply for funding to pay for my business insurance, complete two short courses to upskill myself, get a First Aid Certification and purchase my stock and equipment. Now I will be able to have a healthy work-life balance with my family,” said Skye.
Through word-of-mouth referrals, Skye has started attracting devoted customers, and her vibrant presence on social media is a testament to her talent and commitment to her new business.
Reflecting on Skye’s remarkable progress, Katelin expressed her overwhelming excitement for Skye’s future, “I am so excited that Skye is so passionate about life and what she can achieve moving forward. I have seen Skye really flourish over the last few months, and I am excited that I have been a small piece in her journey of making her goals and dreams a reality!”
With her business flourishing and a newfound sense of fulfilment, Skye stands tall as a shining example of resilience and determination. If you’re a parent looking for support to help you reach your career-driven or family-focused goals, click here to learn more about Asuria’s ParentsNext Services.
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