Never let go of your vision, and stay focused. Keep looking at the end result and believe that you can achieve anything.

Kylie Tarleton is a young dynamic 33-year-old who has already achieved one of her life goals. In 2003 she set up an internationally recognised beauty training institute in her home town of Orange. Initially Kylie started the business as a franchise for a larger Sydney-based college before biting the bullet and going out on her own. After less than two years Kylie employed three teachers. In 2004 she had 24 students enrolled in the Diploma of Beauty Therapy and 24 students graduate—an amazing achievement. Kylie has an Irish, Chinese and Aboriginal background and is married with two young sons.

What gave you the motivation/inspiration to follow your dream?

The beauty industry in Australia is de-regulated and anyone can wax, tint or do facials. I saw a need to bring internationally recognised high standards into the industry and establish some quality bench-marking and recognition for those with international experience and qualifications. I also know how difficult it was for me when I had to leave home at a young age to go away and study, so I wanted to set up my beauty school in a rural area and make training more accessible.

It was merely a dream for a long time. I had been teaching at TAFE for four years after working overseas for an international beauty company that recruits people to work on cruise ships, in their day spas. I had heard about Steiner when I did my initial training. A job with them is regarded as an excellent opportunity to gain international experience and see the world, so a friend and I decided to set our sights on working for them. We worked for a year and a half to get enough money together to travel to England for the interview. Luckily we were both offered jobs.

We did the very comprehensive six week company training before being recruited to a ship. My first ship sailed out of Los Angeles in the United States. I had just turned 21 and remember feeling quite nervous and scared there on my own. I worked for the next four years on cruise ships and gained a lot of experience.

At what point did you realise that your dream was actually possible and what was it that made you think you could really do it?

When I first went to Beauty Therapy College it was in my mind then to start my own training school. I have a bit of a hard time answering to people and found TAFE restrictive. I felt stuck and couldn’t go any further beyond teaching small courses. I couldn’t run the courses I wanted and saw potential for other opportunities. I felt my skills weren’t being used and all my international experience was being wasted.

I knew that a rural training school was the way to go as a lot of girls had asked me where to go for beauty therapy training. There were only one or two apprenticeships going a year in Orange, so opportunities were really limited.

I then saw an advertisement, in a local newspaper, about a city college wanting to franchise. I had an interview with them and knew straight away my dream was possible. Then I hit my first stumbling block. I couldn’t get finance to buy the business because I was part-time at TAFE and my partner was working for himself. A week or so later I had a phone call from a college in Brisbane which was closing and they offered me their equipment. Because I still couldn’t get any finance, they became my ‘business angel’ and helped me out.

From then on it all happened really fast. I remember walking into the Brisbane college thinking ‘here goes—if it doesn’t work I can always use the equipment and open a salon’.

My husband and I were both born In Orange. We thought having a small son and starting a new business would be easier here with family and a good support network.

When you were a child, what did you want to ‘be’ when you grew up?

I always wanted to do make-up and thought about being a beauty therapist or a hairdresser. After I’d done work experience with a beauty therapist, I knew this was what I really wanted to do.

How did your childhood influence you in later life? Who are your role models?

I look around at my family and I know I get inspiration from my Mum. She was a single mum and we lived in a council house with my four sisters. Mum always said ‘you can do anything and be who you want to be — just go for it’.

What does success mean to you?

Success means achieving your goals. At the end of the day money is nice and success is nice, but my thing is to have a goal and go for it. I think it is important to have a vision and a dream and make it into a reality.

What has been one of the biggest barriers you have had to face, what happened, and how did you overcome it?

2003—the first year of starting the business—was difficult. Coming back into the community and starting a business, and having industry looking closely at me, was daunting. I kept wondering… was I doing things right? After the first few months I decided to go out on my own. It was a huge step to leave the franchise and become my own registered training organisation. It was hard because I didn’t always get the answers I needed. But I am not one to stop until I do get the right answers. I would go to whatever government department and ask ‘what do I need to do?’ Sorting out all the paperwork and bureaucracy was a huge workload but I did have some help from a mentor, which was great.

From April to September (2003) was the setting-up phase. I also got married the following October and broke both my arms in the August… so it was quite challenging and a huge barrier, but I just kept going and got through. I don’t like to fail. Having that dream and vision has helped me to overcome barriers. I still have my values but my vision was something to focus on and it drove me forward.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? What is your vision for the future?

My longer-term vision was to have a couple of colleges and outsource further west to Broken Hill and places like that. In 2005 my goals took a new direction and I sold the Beauty Institute and had a baby. I also started studying a Bachelor of Education Vocational Teaching at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. I am enjoying the new challenges of studying and being a full-time mum. On completing my course I would love to teach at TAFE or gain a coordinator position in the field of adult education.

The college is open for everyone but I do know how difficult it is for young Aboriginal women in particular to get jobs and develop careers. Because I don’t look Aboriginal it was easier for me to gain a job. I’d spoken to a number of younger Aboriginal girls and they told me how often people don’t look twice at them when an opportunity arises. I found this quite sad and wanted to do my bit to help these young girls and give something back to the community. I was successful in getting support, through the Elsa Dixon funding program, for two Aboriginal girls to study at the Beauty Institute in 2005 and 2006. I have now sold the college. I am not sure what the new owner’s plans are on the scholarships.

What would you like to say to other women who may be just starting out on a ‘Daring to Dream’ journey?

Never let go of your vision, and stay focused. Keep looking at the end result and believe that you can achieve anything. I try to keep my vision in my mind as it helps to focus on what I’m doing. If I hadn’t got the finance, I would have still worked hard to save and make it happen, but the opportunity was too good to miss. I thought if I didn’t do it, then someone else would be living my dream. I didn’t want to look back and think ‘I should have done that!’