This week, Emirates Woman speaks to Jennie Davies, Founder of The Nest Salon, Dubai.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
Born to transform the hair industry in Dubai, The Nest is home to a myriad of beauty services ranging from hair colouring to manicure services – all under-one-roof and performed meticulously.
Along with Inger, they transformed their vision into reality with the opening of The Nest Salon, in the heart of Jumeirah Beach road, meticulously designed, with every aspect thought out and curated interior furnishing, they wanted to create a bright and warm, restorative environment that evokes a boutique experience of calming rejuvenation to make you feel right at home.
So, let’s delve into the world of Davies as an entrepreneur to see how it all began.
What was your favorite subject at school?
My favorite subject was Art. I’ve always been drawn to creativity from a young age, as my Mother is a professional Artist and my Father was an Architect. I loved anything that allowed me to express myself visually. As a young girl, as long as I can remember, I was always drawing, painting, making things, playing with dolls and doing my friends hair. That passion naturally led me into the world of hairdressing.
What was your first job?
I left school at 16 and started my first job in a salon, where I began my hairdressing apprenticeship in Dorset, England. There was never any doubt that this was the career for me.
What brought you to Dubai?
I was living in a few different countries and moved around a lot, doing hair in various places around the world. At the time, I was in New Zealand and saw an advertisement for Dubai. I was very spontaneous back then, so I jumped on a plane with a backpack. I didn’t think I would stay long term, but 17 years later, I’m still here, and loving it.
What inspired you to enter this space and create your brand?
I’ve always been passionate about hairdressing, but as I grew in my career, I also developed an interest in business and leadership. I wanted to build a salon that not only provided top-tier services but also a great team culture, a space where both clients and stylists feel valued and happy.
Talk us through the concept of your salon.
The concept behind my salon is a blend of luxury, comfort, and expertise. I wanted to create a space that feels welcoming yet elevated, where clients know they are in expert hands but can also relax and enjoy the experience. We focus on personalised service, high-quality products, and staying ahead of trends. It’s not just about great hair; it’s about the entire experience and making women feel beautiful and empowered every day.
What are the key elements of your role?
As a hairdresser, manager, and salon owner, my role is quite diverse. I oversee everything from, creative direction to ensure our services and techniques remain innovative. Business operations for managing finances, recruitment, and day-to-day logistics, team leadership for mentoring and supporting my team to help them grow and lastly client experience for maintaining high standards and ensuring every client leaves happy.
Tell us about your daily routine
As a salon owner and hairdresser, my days are a dynamic mix of creativity and business management. I juggle between serving 5–8 clients daily for balayage, colors, and extensions while overseeing all salon departments, supporting my team, and ensuring smooth operations. Beyond client care, I handle business tasks like stock ordering, finances, social media, marketing, and strategy, along with visa processes and team documentation. Meetings, training, and problem-solving are constant, as unexpected challenges always arise in salon life. Despite the busy pace, I love the energy, connection, and purpose my role brings every day.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in your footsteps?
As a hairstylist, I would highly recommend it. It’s such an amazing, creative career, you can be anything you want to be. Work hard and say yes to any experience that comes your way. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, and a lot of doors will open. The possibilities are endless. You can travel the world, work with celebrities and fashion shows, and meet so many incredible people along the way. As a salon owner — be prepared to wear many hats. Hairdressing is an art, but if you want to own a salon, you need to understand this industry, business, finance, and leadership. Never stop learning, and surround yourself with people who inspire and challenge you.
Tell us more about the products and services your salon offers.
We specialise in all color techniques, especially balayage and lived-in blonde, as well as color corrections, transformations, all methods of hair extensions, precision cutting, and high-quality hair treatments tailored to each client’s needs. Beyond hair, we offer four types of pedicures, nail extensions, lash extensions, brow lamination, and even chair massage for the neck and shoulders.
We believe in using only the highest quality products that align with our values. For colour, we use Wella Professionals, supported by System Professional for hair care, and we also carry premium brands like Oribe, Kevin Murphy, K18, and Milkshake — many of which offer sustainable, vegan, and cruelty-free options. For our nail services, we use trusted brands like Lola Lee and The Gel Bottle, known for their performance and commitment to clean beauty. Our goal is to provide an elevated salon experience with products and practices that are kind to both our clients and the planet.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
“You can’t do everything alone.” As a business owner, learning to delegate and trust your team is crucial. Trying to do it all will only hold you back.
And what is the worst?
“Just focus on your craft, and the business will run itself.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. Talent in hair alone isn’t enough, you have to understand business, finances, and leadership and many more things to truly succeed.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
Transitioning from a hairdresser to a business owner was a huge learning curve. Juggling both hair and management was tough — nobody teaches you the business side: accounting, payroll, marketing, scaling a team. I had to learn everything from scratch, but over time, my passion for hair has evolved into a passion for business and building an amazing team.
What lies ahead for the brand?
I have a lot of goals and exciting ideas in the pipeline, I definitely want to expand the brand with another location, develop new services, and create even more opportunities for talented stylists and therapists. The goal is to continue elevating the salon experience for our clients while also focusing on strong, sustainable business growth.
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