DFCC Aloka Empowers Women in the Beauty Industry with Essential Business Skills

DFCC Aloka has supported two programmes aimed at helping salon owners and beauty professionals strengthen their financial and business skills.

The first programme, organised by the Institute of Hairdressers and Beauticians at Waters Edge, focused on the financial decisions involved in running a small business. Participants covered financial management, banking, saving and investment, alongside taxation and statutory obligations.

A second programme, the Salon Owners Entrepreneurship Development Programme, was hosted by DFCC Aloka at DFCC Bank’s head office. It brought together financial and beauty industry specialists to discuss business growth, tax awareness, financial literacy, personal branding and capital market investments. Participants were also introduced to the DFCC Aloka Pragathi Loan Scheme.

Nayana Karunaratne, founder of the Institute of Hairdressers and Beauticians, joined other specialists in leading the sessions. Salon owners and beauty professionals had an opportunity to raise questions about the day-to-day demands of their businesses and consider how financial planning could support their longer-term goals.

The two programmes approached business development from different starting points. The Waters Edge sessions concentrated on core financial disciplines, including how entrepreneurs manage their money and meet their obligations. The programme at the bank’s head office combined those subjects with wider questions about building a business, developing a professional identity and considering investment options.

For salon operators, technical expertise and customer relationships are only part of running a sustainable enterprise. Keeping financial records, understanding cash flow and preparing for tax obligations can also inform decisions about future growth.

By bringing banking and industry perspectives into the same discussion, the programmes sought to give participants practical ways to assess their finances and plan for the next stage of their businesses. DFCC Aloka’s involvement forms part of its focus on supporting women entrepreneurs in the beauty industry.