Michelle Dobson has the kind of bubbly smile you want to see when you are treating yourself to a hair appointment.
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You can find Michelle and her smile at Lush hair studio in Portland, over 100 kilometres from her home in Mudgee.
The two hour and 40 minute round trip sounds like a lot, but Michelle has found positive ways to use the time.
Owning a salon means she is her own boss, which has been a dream come true after working in the industry for over 15 years.
"I've wanted to be a hairdresser my whole life. I don't remember wanting to be anything other than a hairdresser," Michelle said.
However, having a long-standing career in the industry has presented some challenges along the way.
"I gave up hairdressing twice. I did my first two years working for a big company that was just about how much money you can make, not about the quality of hair," Michelle said.
"Then I did a year of childcare, then went back to hairdressing. I found a lovely salon and finished up my apprenticeship.
"I did have another salon in Sydney for a short period of time, but my ex had bought me that so it wasn't kind of mine then I pretty much just did hairdressing off and on off and on."
Michelle moved to the Lithgow region from Western Sydney, when she met her husband who came from the area. The salon was opened up during the pandemic, after she saw a gap in the Portland market.
"This [the salon] became an opportunity. We were here, I saw a market for it. I wouldn't turn back, it's amazing," she said.
Running a business comes with its struggles for any person, but Michelle does what she can to work around circumstances to ensure the best possible work, life balance.
"The only struggle would be the personal and work life, because I do have a disabled daughter. That means I'm not able to be here as much as I would like, because obviously she needs to come first," Michelle said.
One of the things Michelle cherishes about being a woman in business in the Lithgow region is the sense of connection with others who are doing the same.
"Being a woman business owner in the Lithgow area is amazing. it's just like a little community. A lot of the business owners around Lithgow and Portland are females," she said.
"It's like a little family that everybody creates. lt's just - it's really lovely."
Michelles advice for women in the area is: "Just get out there. There's so many women looking for other women to connect with, " she said.
"Get out there try and connect, because it's such a small beautiful little community."
Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
