INTERVIEW

Talking to… SARAH MICHELLE DURRANT

The winner of Professional Beauty’s Pitch for the Future competition talks to Josie Jackson about how the prize money and support has helped her to get Serene on Scene off the ground

Back in spring, Sarah Michelle Durrant was announced as the winner of Professional Beauty London’s Pitch for the Future competition for her business idea Serene on Screen, winning £5,000 to help her launch. Just over six months on, Durrant has soft-launched her business and has started taking on clients, highlighting the strength of her concept.

Durrant has a vast background in the industry, first training in beauty therapy before exploring holistic treatments, massage and aromatherapy. She’s worked in salons, served as a spa manager and had roles with brands ranging from Clarins to Virgin Active. In her late 20s, she embarked on a career in cruise ships, and on her return decided to set up her own business and become an educator.

However, as was the case for many business owners, the pandemic changed Durrant’s course. “I took the opportunity to go to university and study film, because that’s my other love,” she explains. “In the past, I’ve done some makeup on film sets and in theatres and really enjoyed it.”

It was this experience that led to her idea, Serene on Scene – a concept for providing wellness therapies on film and TV sets by creating a space where cast and crew can reset, recharge, and return to work feeling revitalised and calmer. Discussing it in more detail, Durrant explains, “I identified this gap in the market; there’s this whole workforce who spend months away from home, often working 14-hour days on sets and unable to visit their local salon or therapist.”

Durrant had been sitting on this idea for around six months before she saw the announcement for Pitch for the Future – a competition that invited beauty professionals to submit ideas for a new business. Finalists were invited to Professional Beauty London at Excel to pitch live to a panel of judges comprising the directors of Professional Beauty plus the competition’s sponsor brands Dermapenworld, iiaa, Neurotris, Pure Spa, Skin Group International, Smart Group and Vagaro. Instantly, Durrant knew it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up and entered online, eventually going on to win the live final.

Ideas into action

Discussing the logistics of her idea, Durrant acknowledges that Rome wasn’t built in a day. “To start off, Serene on Scene will see me acting as the therapist, but my dream is to have a network of therapists across the nation who can be on call,” she says. “I already have a network that I’ve developed through my past work experience, so I plan on starting from there.”

As part of Serene on Scene’s first phase, Durrant has set up a “pop-up business”, acting as a mobile therapist and offering her services to smaller production companies and theatres. This will enable her to build her portfolio, with testimonials from successful partnerships. The cash prize that came with winning Pitch for the Future was instrumental in getting this up and running, allowing her to buy essential equipment such as a high-quality fold-up massage bed, equipment trolleys and room dividers.

Durrant praises the competition, admitting, “Without the support or the prizes, this would all still be an idea living in my head.”

To build Serene on Scene, Durrant also allocated a portion of her cash prize towards marketing materials, which included a photoshoot to create brand visuals, now seen on her social channels and new website. Speaking of the latter, Durrant says, “Vagaro, one of the competition sponsors, kindly offered to build my website as an additional gift. It perfectly mirrors the vision I had – they understood the brief perfectly. I couldn’t have done that myself, so I’m thrilled.” Durrant’s website is now live, and thanks to Vagaro’s booking software, she can hit the ground running.

While the business is already operational, Durrant is planning a hard launch for the beginning of 2026, where she intends to invite key members of the TV, film and theatre industry for taster treatments and a Q&A, to further spread the word about Serene on Scene.

Reflecting on the win

When it came to presenting her idea, Durrant’s conviction was clear. “Knowing my business was key, because if I don’t know it, no one else will,” she explains. With over 2.4 million people working in the creative industry across the UK, Durrant truly believes in the scalability of Serene on Screen – in addition to its untouched potential. “There are corporate massage companies, but they’re not offering what I am. It’s not about a 20-minute chair massage, it’s about creating a luxurious escape – an experience.”

Having worked in these environments herself, Durrant was able to speak from personal experience when pitching, which instantly caught the attention of the judges. It’s also this experience that will benefit the business operationally. “I know set etiquette, so I’m not going to step on anyone’s toes. I’ll be scanning the room, knowing when to approach someone and take them away when is appropriate,” she explains.

“FUNNEL DOWN your IDEA. Break it down, MAKE YOUR TARGETS specific and small, because that TRANSLATES MUCH MORE EASILY „

Despite this clear conviction, Durrant notes that there were cracks in her confidence on the big day. “The calibre of the judging panel was probably the most nerve-wracking part,” she recalls. “They really know business, they know the industry, but because my experience and my identity have shaped my idea, I didn’t feel like I was having to put on a performance – I was just sharing an idea, a version of myself.”

Reflecting on the win, Durrant offers advice for others thinking of launching a business. “Funnel down your idea,” she explains, “because I was so specific, and I think that’s important. Break it down, make your targets specific and small, because it translates much more easily.”

Looking ahead

With a corporate client booked in for the new year, Durrant is excited for what the future holds for Serene on Scene. “Right now, it’s only been six months from the seed of an idea to my first corporate client. In another six, it could be a business that’s becoming profitable. Isn’t that incredible?”