Blind Ambition

Managing Director Seema Flower at ColourNation located at Oxford Circus, London joined the panel of interviewees for BBC Radio 4’s Intouch programme on the evening of Tuesday 18th September.

Topic of discussion by presenter Peter White was ‘Blind Entrepreneurs’, of which Seema participated in having been registered blind from an early age. Running a successful salon is a hard enough task for anyone but imagine having to deal with limited sight on top of the many and varied demands that come with the territory. This is just what extraordinary Registered Blind businesswoman Seema Flower does on a daily basis.

As Managing Director of the successful independent Oxford Circus hair salon Seema, 43, is responsible for the smooth running of the business, the work ethic and welfare of her team. Although not trained in hairdressing, Seema has a great sense of style and has always enjoyed being pampered in cutting edge salons offering a high standard of customer service. In fact on honeymoon before she founded the salon she stayed at the seven star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, and the service experienced there inspired her ethos. Her brand of easy glamour challenges any pre-conceptions of partially sighted women as being disinterested in their appearance that we might have.

Seema’s unique view of the world has helped develop ColourNation to a highly client motivated salon, with everyone treated as individuals. Just one example of this are private salon facilities where Muslim women and other clients that require privacy can have their hair styled in complete privacy and thus their religious beliefs are respected.

Seema Commented,

I’m completely comfortable in my own skin and this gives me the confidence to constantly challenge myself. Yes the décor of my salon environment has to be about contrast, currently white floors and black furniture, so as to make it easier for me to navigate the space, but in every other respect I am just like any other salon owner’.

During her interview on air Seema explained,

Richard Branson doesn’t need to fly planes yet he created a world class airline.