Molly Cook founder and owner of The Hair Extension Cave has added another industry award to her growing collection, named Business Woman of the Year 2023 Winner of the Beauty and Aesthetics Awards.

About Molly and how she started in the hair industry

Molly has been interested in business and held a passion for entrepreneurship from a very young age, motivating her to found her own business – The Hair Extension Cave www.thehairextensioncave.co.uk, now located in Silver Street, a prime city centre location in the heart of historic Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Aged 20 and pregnant with her first child, Molly quit her call centre job to focus on developing hair loss systems and being inventive with hair extensions from a shed in the garden. 

Molly remembers, “10 years ago, my customers were asking for a solution to cover the thinning on the top of their head but at the time there was not much on the market.  So, I had a play around and invented a new system that didn’t use any heat or glue.” 

Creating a one-stop salon for hair extensions, beauty and wellness

Molly’s vision was to create a one-stop salon, to offer everything and everyone a complete hair extension care package and provide a system that would give women a new lease of life to solve their hair loss and thinning with a new head of hair.  She experimented and trialled her bespoke system on close friends whose health conditions were causing hair loss and thinning.  Over time, Molly adapted, modified and invented her unique system (patent is in process).

Molly’s industry influences

Molly spoke to contacts, went on forums and did extensive research about hair extensions, products, innovation and after care.  Discovering that little to nothing was available, she created a bespoke range – spending eight months to develop a customised brand and signature scent for the special range of in-house hair extension care products that The Hair Extension Cave offers. 

Molly says, “Why would you invest in hair extensions and then not want to look after your hair and maintain the product as well as you possibly can?”

Molly has some business role models she takes inspiration and positive energy from, including Dragon’s Den, Deborah Meaden and also Steven Barlett, behind ‘Diary of a CEO’ – a podcast that Molly listens to. She follows Ola Goldsmith, who created the ‘Naked Weave’ and Paige Louise, who started her own make-up range P.Louise Cosmetics in 2018. 

Molly believes it’s important to have the right mindset as a woman in business –

“Think what can I achieve not hold yourself back and never get jealous of others’ success. Focus on manifesting that feeling to create good energy, push forward and love what you do.”