Start-up children’s hair salon, Shortcuts, has launched into Mothercare, the leading retailer for parents and young children, with three new in-store concessions opening across the UK.

The hairdressing business started out in Milton Keynes in 2014 as the brainchild of former banker David O’Neal. After becoming a parent, David saw a gap in the market for a salon designed to make cutting children’s hair an easier and more enjoyable experience for both parent and child, and approached the government-backed Start Up Loans Company which provided a £15,000 loan to get the venture off the ground.

The original four Shortcuts salons are designed to make a trip to the hairdressers a fun experience for kids, with entertainment, toys and a ‘Hollywood Room’ for makeover parties, and the Mothercare concessions will resemble the popular salons.

As a result of its recent growth, which has seen the business’ turnover increase from £250,000 to £300,000 in the last year, Shortcuts now employs 18 people across its four salons and three new concessions.

In May this year, David O’Neal was selected as an ambassador to represent the Start Up Loans Company following his success after receiving a loan from the government-backed initiative.

David O’Neal said: “The inspiration behind Shortcuts came from my own experience as a dad, and the constant struggle to get my children to sit at the hairdressers. The idea to create a fun environment for children then came to me, and I approached Start Up Loans who gave me the funding and support from a dedicated mentor to make it happen.

“After our initial success with our salons, launching in Mothercare seemed like a perfect fit for us. Having concessions in one of the UK’s leading parent and child retailers is a huge achievement, and will be a huge boost to our revenues. Now we are looking to extend our footprint across the country, both within Mothercare stores and with our own salons.”

Tim Sawyer, CEO of Start Up Loans Company, said: “Shortcuts is a brilliant example of how a great business idea can hit you at any moment. Using his own experiences as a parent, David has been able to create a thriving start-up business and his launch into the household name, Mothercare is a well-deserved achievement for all the hard-work of the Shortcuts team.

“We’re proud to be able to help make these creative ideas become a business reality. Support is available and future start-up owners need to stop doubting themselves - and their ideas – and start pursuing their business dreams.”