Rory Fenech built a beauty business at 22, now it's taking her back to the paddock
Rory Fenech splits her time between her store, Rory Grace Beauty, in Rockhampton and her partner's family property near Moranbah. Pictures supplied. At 22, most people are still trying to work out where they. . .
Rory Fenech splits her time between her store, Rory Grace Beauty, in Rockhampton and her partner's family property near Moranbah. Pictures supplied. At 22, most people are still trying to work out where they fit in the world, but Rory Fenech was signing a lease, fitting out a salon and quietly building a business that would eventually allow her to spend more time where she always hoped she would end up - back on the land. Subscribe now for unlimited accessto all our agricultural newsacross the nationor signup to continue readingAll articles from our website& appThe digital version ofThis Week'sPaperOur entirenetworkTwo years after opening Rory GraceBeautyin Rockhampton, the now 24-year-old business owner has found a way to split her life between building a business and being in the paddock,Rory Fenech grew up in the seedstock industry with her family running Fenech Brahmans near Jambin. Picture supplied. Raised in the beef industry through her family's Fenech Brahmans stud near Jambin, Ms Fenech said the long-term dream was always to somehow return to rural life, even if she once doubted it would be possible within the beauty industry. Now living at Nibbereena near Moranbah with her partner, Ms Fenech spends just one week a month physically working in the Rockhampton store, while the remainder of her time is spread between business management, cattle work and life on the property. "I always wanted to be back on the land, I just didn't think it would actually be possible," she said. "When you're in an industry like beauty, it's so client-based and you feel like you have to be there all the time. "But once the shop front came up and I could build a team around me, it made me realise there was a way to make both work. "Rory Fenech opened Rory Grace Beauty on Rockhampton's William Street at the age of 22. Picture supplied. Ms Fenech first entered the industry through a school-based traineeship while in year 12 after discovering a passion for beauty and makeup, despite originally considering a career in midwifery. After deciding beauty was where her future lay, she launched Rory Grace Beauty at the age of 22, initially operating out of a rented upstairs room on William Street in Rockhampton before expanding into a larger shopfront just doors away. The transition, she admits, was financially and mentally demanding. At one stage she was paying rent on two premises simultaneously while completing a full store fit-out and trying to continue servicing clients at the same time. "It was definitely chaotic," she said. "You don't really realise how much goes into starting a business until you actually do it. . . equipment, rent, staff, social media, building clients - it's a lot. "What began as a solo operation has now grown into a team of four young women. Picture supplied. What began as a solo operation has now grown into a team of four young women, with Ms Fenech employing three additional beauticians ranging from full-time to part-time staff. She said finding the right people had been one of the biggest turning points in allowing the business to evolve into something sustainable and flexible. "All the girls just sort of felt meant to be," she said. "That's probably what's allowed me to have this balance now. "While many businesses continue to grapple with staff shortages and retaining young workers regionally, Ms Fenech said creating a supportive workplace culture had been critical. The salon now services a broad mix of clients from areas as far as Alpha and Barcaldine for appointments in Rockhampton. She believes that growing demand reflects a wider shift occurring across regional Australia, where women living remotely increasingly want access to the same services available in metropolitan areas. "People in the bush still want those experiences and services," she said. "If anything, sometimes they value it even more because it's not as accessible. "Outside the salon, Ms Fenech's days can quickly shift from social media scheduling and client bookings to mustering cattle, helping on the property or working on catalogues for her family's Brahman operation. She said careful organisation and planning had become essential to juggling multiple responsibilities at such a young age. Rory Fenech said she finds it possible to run her business from afar because she's always been a planner. Picture supplied. "I'm a big planner," she said. "I try and schedule all my posts and organise things in advance because otherwise it can become overwhelming really quickly. "While the beauty industry and cattle industry may appear worlds apart, Ms Fenech said they both came down to people and connection, and admitted that was first what drew her to pursuing a career in beauty in the first place. "You get to make people feel beautiful and confident, and you also build really genuine relationships with them," she said. "I think that's what I love most about it. "As it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.