After more than a decade in senior financial control, Laura has traded spreadsheets for skincare with the launch of The Glow Lab, a growing beauty business based at Milton Keynes Business Centre.
As a single mother with a demanding career in accountancy, Laura struggled to find time for self-care. “It became increasingly difficult to book beauty treatments outside of working hours,” she recalls. “And salons started to feel quite intimidating. I thought—there must be another way.”
That reflection marked the beginning of The Glow Lab. Laura began by offering spray tanning services to friends from a spare room at home. What started informally soon gathered momentum. “I enjoyed it, and then other people started asking me to provide the service too,” she says.
Demand soon exceeded what she could manage alongside full-time employment. Faced with a choice, Laura decided to leave her job and focus entirely on building The Glow Lab. “It was a turning point. I had to make a decision about where my energy was best spent—and the business was taking off,” she says.
She secured a unit at Milton Keynes Business Centre, a location she had long considered ideal. A friend had already established a presence there with her own salon, and when a space finally became available, Laura moved quickly. “I jumped at the opportunity,” she says. “It’s a great site—easy access, free parking, and surrounded by other businesses. Clients can come in during their lunch break, which works really well.”
The Glow Lab offers a range of services including Sienna X spray tans, rejuvenating facials, advanced skin boosters and fat-dissolving injections—all tailored to each client. “I only use high-quality, cruelty-free products,” says Laura. “Clients want results they can trust.”
The business also accommodates busy lifestyles, offering evening and weekend appointments. “I know how difficult it can be to make time for yourself. That’s why flexibility is central to what I offer.”
Now focused on the next stage of growth, Laura is increasing her presence on social media—a move already attracting new clients. Plans are underway to launch her own skincare range, and she expects to bring in additional staff to meet demand.
For Laura, the decision to leave a secure role in finance has paid off. “I enjoy this so much more than accountancy. I’m an extrovert—I like meeting people, and I’ve made so many new connections. It’s a mindset shift, of course. Everything rests on me now. But I feel free—and I don’t feel like I’m working.”
