71 Heol Croesty Pencoed, Bridgend CF35 5LS Mob: 07976 986 599 email: denise@deniseowen.co.uk

Well Holey Moley - JUST when I thought being Nominated for a 2nd time was a massive achievement for such a small business like mine.

I then went and WON the bloody thing!
Much to my husband's amusement, my face was a picture of complete shock, bemusement and nerves as, not only was my name was announced by the compére (Capital FM's breakfast show presenter Polly James) in front of several hundred guests all decked out in ballgowns and tuxedo's, but my name flashed up on all the screens dotted around the ballroom function room of the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Cardiff where the event was being staged. Urgh! time to freak out.

I somehow made it to the stage, received my award and managed to think of something to say in front of the microphone. Don't ask me what I said, I can't remember a word of it (and no, I hadn't been drinking! it was just the sheer nerves of it all - my mind was a complete blank). But what was a really delightful thing was, as I was making my way back to the table I got so many people shaking my hand and shouting 'Well Done!' to me - all complete strangers, but fellow professionals - and I thought that was SUCH a lovely and wonderful thing to do.

You imagine an awards ceremony full of tanned beauties from the world of hair salons and beautician spa's to be bitchy and mean - but I saw none of that. Everyone was really supportive of other people's achievements. We had a great night, me and Neill, met some lovely girls who were sat on our table with us and had a giggle at some of the sights we saw around the room too. It was a great night. Which was made even better by my old school mate Stuart Baldwin from Capelli Salons, Bridgend winning his 'Best Marketing Campaign' awards for the 2nd year running.

Left: Me with my trophy; Right: Me with Miss Wales 2015, who was conducting the winners interviews for CreativeOceanic the ceremony organisers.
Below Left: Neill and Me; Below Right: Me and Stuart Baldwin, Capelli Salons Bridgend

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Well, just hang on there a minute...
I've only gone and been nominated as a Finalist for “Masseuse of the Year” for a SECOND TIME !!!



Yep, I recevied confirmation a few days ago that this Belle shall be going to the Ball. The 2015 Welsh Hair & Beauty Awards.
I'm totally amazed that I have been nominated for a second year running. I thought last year would be my one and only chance, I was up against so many huge Spa's and Hotel Resorts that I thought that would be it and every year from now on would be dominated by the big Therapy companies. But thanks to all my wonderful and caring clients and friends who nominated me, I get another chance to shine and fly the flag for the smaller, independent Therapists. Wish me luck.
June 2015.

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Oh well, it wasn't meant to be.

I wasn't a winner on the night afterall, but we did have a great night out in a super venue with lovely food. The place was filled with lots of very glamourous ladies and gents from all over Wales. We had people on our table from Carmarthen, Swansea, Newtown and Chester. Think the night was a great success and hopefully I can be a Finalist again next year. But there were a few local winners. Shelley's hairdressers in Aberkenfig won Stylist of the Year AND overall Salon of the Year for Wales too. And a good friend of mine, Stuart Baldwin (pictured with trophy below), of Capelli Salon's won Best Marketing Campaign of the Year.

I do have much to be proud of though, I am still in the Top 7 Masseuse's in Wales. In my nominated category (Welsh Masseuse of the Year), I was the only sole-trading, independant therapist nominated. All the other nominees (and eventual Winner) were all multi-disciplined, multi-staffed companies, Spa's or resorts, so to be considered on the same level as these other types businesses speaks volumes as to what can be achieved when you put heart and soul into your work.

And I do work hard at my business and I work hard at ensuring all my clients are treated with respect and dignity. I try and give them a room in my home where they can feel 'at home' too, a place where they can unburden themselves of worries, constraints and demands and just 'switch off'.

Here's a few pictures from the night. L-R; Me and Neill: Stage and room layout at the Cardiff City Stadium: Me: Charlie Drew singer songwriter, the entertainment: Me and Stuart Baldwin from Capelli Salon's, Bridgend.

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WOWSERS !!

This week (19 June 2014), I received some very exciting news! I am totally over the moon - and stunned by the knowledge that I have been voted one of the Top 7 Masseuse's in Wales - and have been nominated as a Finalist for MASSEUSE OF THE YEAR for the upcoming WELSH HAIR & BEAUTY AWARDS 2014 - Sponsored by FAKE BAKE.

I am totally gob-smacked. It's exciting and very humbling to think that my clients and friends have felt me worthy enough to be nominated for this very important honour and to all of those people that voted for me (I have no idea who you are or how you knew where to vote), I say a massive THANK YOU!

I am a sole trader; Denise Owen Massage Therapy is just me -- My two hands, a little oil and a lot of heart.

It's not every day you get the chance to represent your fellow independent therapists - who, like myself, are sole trading mum's or dad's who work extremely hard, putting in long hours to make sure that our clients receive the very best treatment, the very necessary treatment and the very best of care that I can offer. As an independant therapist, I help the community around me, working long days, giving up family time, my evenings and weekends, you do sometimes question yourself 'Is this all worth it?'

But it is totally worth it when a client stumbles out of my therapy room - utterly relaxed and hair all eskew barely able to open their eyes but smiling - or when a stern client who never gives you a response turns to you at the end of their treatment and says "I've had massages all over the place, for many, many years - and THAT was the best I've EVER had, thank you!". Responses like this make my day and even my week. I love helping my clients, even those who face physical challenges of their own and have been turned down by other therapists, I will help, how can I refuse someone in need of help, how can I turn them away when they face struggles far greater than my own. This isn't a Saturday morning job for me, this is my life. Helping people is my life and I bloody love it!

SO..... On the night of July 13th 2014, at the Cardiff City Stadium, I will be up against very stiff competition in my MASSEUSE OF THE YEAR category (see here for fellow nominees), and I wish every single one of them the very best of luck. As individuals we all work hard and we all deserve some recognition for the work we do. We battle against negative attitudes toward our massage therapy profession on a daily basis, so to have our fellow professionals within the Hair & Beauty arena acknowledge our hard work is heart-warming to see. I can't wait for the Black Tie event to come around, I am SO excited - PLUS it gives me a chance to shop for a new dress!