Baldilocks blog: Tackling social challenges and finding your purpose can change your life

Dan Newman, Director of Baldilocks, was the victim of a violent assault at age 18, and developed alopecia soon after. 

From that trauma and adversity came hope and support in the shape of Baldilocks. 

Alopecia causes hair loss all over the body, impacting not only on self-image, but also resulting in practical challenges. It is an auto-immune disease, often triggered by trauma or an overloaded nervous system. 

Around 160 million people worldwide, male and female, have alopecia – 100,000 in Wales. It can stay with you for life, or appear randomly. 

Dan says: 

“Baldilocks is a way to reframe adversity, to bring a smile to others’ faces, and to reconnect with the places that people like me feel excluded from.  

“Alopecia is a condition where you may not want anyone to see you – but when you are seen with empathy and understanding, you feel more human, not so much of an outcast. You feel cared for.” 

Dan explains that, walking past a barber shop in Bridgend, south Wales, “I thought about having a haircut and shave, the hot towels and cold towels, the social and wellbeing that is part of the barber-shop experience. 

“I felt like a dog outside a butcher’s shop. I’d love to have been in there, but I no longer have a place in there. 

“The power of human connection that can be gained from social experiences and community zones like salons and barber shops shouldn’t be taken for granted. 

“We’re here to help people through their adversity with a touch of humanity and humour: the more we connect as human beings, the more we gain.”  

Baldilocks helps people get their GLOW back – their growth, love, one-ness and wellness. 

It’s a mechanism to get people to a place of acceptance.  

There are a number of ways to interact: 

Through merchandise – pin badges, caps, hoodies, and t-shirts. 

Through massages at corporate wellness events and workplaces. 

Through massages from trained complementary therapists. 

Through paid public motivational speaking events. 

Dan continues: 

“Being of service to others is my way of being of service to my younger self. I didn’t want to be that bald guy. I wanted to grow my hair, to choose a hairstyle. I didn’t want to be reminded every day of the trauma I went through.”  

Dan founded Baldilocks after attending a start-up workshop funded through the Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) scheme in June 2024. 

“Support from BCBC and Cwmpas has been a vital part of my journey, starting from an amazing experience where my wife, Kathryn, and I both randomly and independently chose the exact same three values cards (connection, empathy, and humour), to expert advice we’ve received on navigating the social enterprise landscape, and the nuances of developing a business that works both for you and the people you’re impacting.  

“Our Cwmpas business adviser, Martin Downes, asked us questions, shone a light on information that we weren’t even aware we needed, welcomed us, supported us, and treated us with dignity.  

“Cwmpas also encouraged us to access community networks. It can be a tough slog to get started, and it’s easy to find yourself disconnected and isolated. But when you connect with like-minded people, it replenishes your energy. You just have to be willing to show up, learn, and grow. 

“Without Cwmpas and the SPF funding, we could have lost a lot of time and money. 

“As a new social entrepreneur, it’s important to understand that you can harmonise making good money with helping people. 

“The trick is to find something that resonates deeply with you. You may start with a specialism, a product or service, but it’s ok to branch out and find complementary services which match your values. 

“I can play my part in showing the beneficial middle ground between the public and private sectors: the social value in developing a product and service born of purpose. 

“Our region has so much potential for tapping into our culture of resilience and community to nurture a generation of people who carry the values of positivity and mutual benefit. 

“It is perfectly possible to commercialise that wonderful stuff, and put Wales in the position we deserve to be in.  

“Social enterprise can be a gamechanger for the future economy. We have the opportunity, here in Wales, to harness our generational experiences into something economically sustainable.  

“Go with your purpose first, and everything else will follow.”