Empowering others, her goal

Hasini Gunasekera excels in beauty industry:

Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Recognizing talents in early stages of life could give us a clear career path that could be pursued in the future.

Winning the “Best of Nation” hair style award from Thailand at the age of 14 was a turning point in Hasini H. Gunasekera’s life.

She today runs a successful training academy forging ahead in a competitive industry.

Her parents gave her the freedom to select what suited for her best and she continued in the beauty culture field, the environment where she was brought up.

She was interviewed by Daily News Business.

Q: What business are you engaged in and how did you set about it?

A: I’m a cosmetologist. Beauty therapy, hairdressing and nail technology are my specialities.

At the moment I am engaged full time as a Course Directress at International Academy of Beauticians.

IAB is an educational institute for anyone who wishes to pursue a career in hairdressing, beauty therapy or wants to be an entrepreneur in the salon industry.

This was initiated by me as an extension to my parents’ family business. My mother Deepika Gunasekera achieved great heights in hair styling and bridal dressing.

I wanted to become a trainer and provide campus facilities and education for hair and beauty industry aspirants.

The motto of IAB “We are more than just an education; we turn your passion into a career” is a culmination of this.

Q: How do you balance family and business?

A: When there’s great support from a husband like mine, parents who have experience to share and support and a wonderful brother Sahan who comes to my rescue when needed, it makes life a lot easier. My daughter Riya is very understanding and loves what I do.

So she supports me and loves watching me get dressed, put on makeup and teach.

She is turning three years and has her hairstyling and makeup gear ready for use when she has a client.

Having a very dear friend like Khema is also so important because they help you smile and get through difficult times.

Quality time is very important both at home and work.

So I try to achieve this in both places by having a schedule at work and keeping my Sundays and evenings for my little one.

Q: What are the challenges you faced?

A: Challenges are what makes us grow and become the best in what we do. So every day is a challenge to get up, go to work and achieve the goals in life.

The biggest challenge I have is time. Sometimes I feel time is running out and there’s so much that I haven’t yet been able to achieve.

Q: What are your goals?

A: My biggest dream is to own a state-of-the-art campus for hairdressing and beauty therapy and to provide an excellent learning environment where students enjoy their learning experience. I also have to provide a business school education to become an entrepreneur to support themselves.

I want to retire young so I can spend my time with my husband and daughter.

Q: What is your advice to women in business?

A: I believe very strongly that woman achieves great success in business because they have the ability to multitask, manage time, organizing skills, delegation and responsibility towards the society. So use these qualities we have and make it happen.

Q: Being a woman was it an advantage to be in business?

A: It’s very difficult to say. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it limits me. So it’s a difficult question to answer.

Q: What are your achievements in family and business?

A: My biggest achievement in family is having my best friend as my life partner. And my little Riya.

In business, expanding into Tamil medium courses and operating our first IAB satellite course in Batticaloa.

Biggest achievement in business is local and international authorities accepting our in-house training program with high recognition.

Students who are settled abroad have a lot to say in this.

Q: What is your contribution to society?

A: IAB has given skills, knowledge and the right attitude to many individuals living in Sri Lanka and overseas who have achieved great heights in their cosmetology career. We have given strength and continue to do so to our IAB entrepreneurs through a non-profit association called the Club IAB. I also actively get involved in many Vocational Authority activities to empower youth.

I believe my greatest contribution to society would be training great hairdressers and offering a qualification which they can rely on.