Olivia Adams' passion for hairdressing is matched only by her determination to succeed.
The 20-year-old Rotorua Waiariki Institute of Technology Apprentice of the Year, who impressed judges with her maturity and leadership ability, has her career pretty well mapped out.
"I have always wanted my own salon. I have been saving for that since my first [part-time] job at 15," she said. "I'm hoping [to have my own salon] by the age of 26. That gives me six years."
In the meantime there are shorter-term aims to tick off, starting with completing her three-year apprenticeship at Salon St Bruno - she has almost finished year two.
Sometime after qualifying she intends to head off to London.
"I won't really be travelling but more to go over and work and experience what they do. They get things earlier than us and it [fashion] originates there, it's one of the fashion capitals of the world."
And then, all going to plan, it will be back to New Zealand to open her own salon. But Miss Adams is well aware that in life and business things do not always go as planned.
"I don't want to have a hard core set plan because things always change so I want to have an open mind as well."
One thing she had not planned for was the Apprentice of the Year award - even being nominated by her bosses Hilda Dufty and Marie Farquhar came as a shock.
"I was quite wowed by that, I had never thought of myself like that, I was just doing my job."
Her response to the nomination typified her commitment to be the best she can be.
"I didn't want to go into it half pie. I thought it's a pretty cool achievement to be nominated, a real honour, so I'm going to go into it 200 per cent."
Before being named a finalist she had to undergo an hour-long interview with two judges.
"It was really nerve-racking because I had never actually had an interview before. They were quite a closed book, I didn't get a feel for if they liked what I said."
Miss Adams said she could never see herself doing anything but hairdressing even if it had not turned out to be quite the easy ride she imagined as a youngster.
"It's nothing I expected it would be but that doesn't mean I don't like it, I love it.
"When you're young it seemed so glamorous, everyone thinks being a hairdresser would be really easy but it's really hard. You work long hours, you're always happy, you're always talking to your clients, you can't have a bad day in the salon because it reflects on your clients, they can tell and they can feel it and you could lose a client over it. You can't bring things from outside in. But it's worth it."
The former Lakes High School student said she was learning a huge amount from the seniors at the salon, which won the Rotorua Business of the Year supreme award last year and employs five apprentices.
"I feel privileged to be working in such a good salon, a lot of what I have achieved I would not have done if I didn't have such good guidance."
She said hearing her name as the winner of the Apprentice of the Year had been incredible.
'I wasn't expecting it, that's for sure...when they read out my name I was like wow."
But there weren't any wild celebrations - she had to work at 8.30am the next day.
"I want to say a huge thank you to everyone, all the apprentices here, they were so supportive. My boyfriend came over from Australia especially, it was pretty amazing. The whole salon, all the seniors for helping and training me and making me feel so confident. Marie and Hilda for putting me in there and having the belief in me."