An image training company from Warwick is providing image and style tips to business professionals on the other side of the world.
Managing director Lyn Bromley only set up First Impressions at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Warwick Innovation Centre in Gallows Hill in September 2010 after she took over the training aspect of a business which had been trading for 28 years.
Lyn and her ten-strong team of trainers currently run sessions in the UK and two more trainers, May Mok and Loretta Wong, are now licensed to run consultancies in China and Hong Kong.
“We already had licenses running in Singapore, Geneva and Moscow but we have now set up similar operations in Shanghai and Hong Kong,” she said.
“Myself and another trainer Agnès Brown did the initial training with May and Loretta on the 38th floor of the World Trade Centre in Hong Kong.
“May came over to the UK three years ago to do some training with us and she introduced Loretta because they had worked together before on human resources projects.
“The training sessions on colour analysis, cosmetics and women’s style were fantastic and it was wonderful to experience such a vibrant city.
“May and Loretta shadowed us throughout the ten days so that going forward they can run the courses themselves because the two businesswomen have been set up as our licensed training providers.
“First Impressions China will be run as a separate company but they are using our licensed training courses and materials so it will be generating income for the whole business.
“I will be returning to Hong Kong later in the year to hold some more courses on men’s style, wardrobe management, personal shopping and styling.
“We are expecting May and Loretta to be successful because there is a real interest over there in looking good and people spend an awful lot of money on beauty products as well as there being a massive emphasis on creating the correct first impression particularly in a business environment.
“This is a fantastic opportunity because this is a new concept over there and we see this as a real growth area.
“I am currently in discussions with several people to set-up further consultancies in other parts of the world so this looks set to be a busy year!”
Karen Aston, centre manager at the Warwick Innovation Centre, said First Impressions was launched as part of its on-going Ignite programme which was ideal for new, small companies.
“Lyn and her team always look perfectly groomed and it is no surprise her image company is proving such a success in the UK and across the globe,” she said.
“First Impressions is a great example of how the Ignite programme can help a new company get off the ground because we provide all the professional services needed from meeting rooms to business mentors while they can concentrate on making contacts and running their business.”
