Member Article

Alex no longer 'dreads' business

A very bad hair day set one Tyneside lad on the road to business success on the internet. When a friend styled Alex Goodacre’s hair with dreadlocks and it didn’t go to plan, he frantically started searching the internet for a way to improve his locks.

After hours of surfing the net Alex realised there was little information available on dreadlock care and even fewer dread hair care products for sale in the UK. As an ebay fan Alex, from Fenham, purchased two pots of dreadlock wax from the US. He kept one to rectify his own hair and placed the other for sale online. The pot sold in less than three minutes and prompted Alex to launch alteredstatesuk.com.

The website has proved such a big hit that Alex has now quit his job in a call centre to focus his full time attention on the business, which has been boosted by a new website with help from Business Link. Sales are on the increase and orders are being received from across Europe as well as the UK.

Alex said: “I originally had a basic website that a friend had created but thanks to support from Business Link the website is much more professional looking and reflects the services we offer. Initially the website specialised purely in dreadlock haircare and then I expanded to offer hats, juggling equipment and associated lifestyle products.”

Alteredstatesuk.com now provides a dreadlocking service and Alex has clients travelling from across the UK to get their hair styled by his team.

Chris Pay from Business Link said: “It has been great to stand alongside Alex as his business has rapidly grown. When we first met he was operating out of his bedroom in a student house with stock on a single shelf and before long he had two bedrooms in that house – one full of stock! “Alex has shown that with a bit of determination and the right advice, it is possible to move from trading a few items on ebay to full-time work and a growing business.”

For more information about Alex’s business visit www.alteredstatesuk.com and for further information about Business Link visit www.businesslinknortheast.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .