Irish Barber Magazine

Barber

ISSUE 1 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Issue 1 Volume 3.20 1 | September 2016|

IRISH

MAGAZ NE

NEWS - INTERVIEWS - EVENTS - PRODUCT FEATURES

Barber

The magazine for the business of barbering in Ireland

Irish

JFM MANSCAPING LOUNGE IN CORK

STAFF

HEADACHES BARBERING PRODUCTS

Interview: Tim Baxter

CHRIS O’RIORDAN FROM ST4men

Wild Beards!

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WELCOME

DEAR READERS

MEET THE TEAM Editor: Christopher Pearse

Welcome to the first issue of Irish Barber Magazine. I think you will all agree that the celebrity featured beard has triggered a big increase in the amount of Barber shops popping up all over Ireland. Us men are starting to take care of our appearances and it’s about time too! Not only is there more choice of style but more treatments being offered and I have noticed that the barbering experience has certainly changed since I was a younger man. The way the barbering industry is viewed by the customer has absolutley changed and for the better!

editorial@irishbarbermag.com Features editor: Karina Corbett Advertising sales: Linda Horan linda@exigome.com Chris Dunican chris@exigome.com Design: Bad Boy Media

In this first issue of Irish Barber Magazine we take a look at JFM Landscaping based in Cork which offers their clients the full service. Check out pages 10 to 13. We also chat briefly to Chris O’Riordan within our spotlight pages who has been barbering for over seven years in ST4men where he is currently the manager and head barber.

Published Under Licence by: Exigo Media & Events Ltd. Unit 7, Greenhills Business Park, Greenhills Road, Dublin 24.

Tel: +353 (0)1 4149475

We look at what steps you should take when you lose your best barber in addition to the pitfalls of your Christmas night out with the staff and how to protect you and your business.

Contributors: The HR Company

Our digital media guru gives some tips on reaching your audience through social media and online platforms and the HR company explain the new laws regarding employment within your barbering business. Please take the time to read through this issue as you will certainly find something that you can implement into your barbering business!

Liz McKeon Simply Social Media While every effort has been made to make the information contained herein as comprehensive and accurate as is possible, the publishers accept no responsibility for additions, omission or errors. No part of this publication can be copied or reproduced without the publisher’s consent in writing.

Check us out at www.irishbarbermag.com and follow us at wwwfacebook.com/irishbarbermag or email me at editorial@irishbarbermag.com.

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Read us online and like us on social media.

CONTENTS www.irishbarbermag.com

COVER STORY JFM MANSCAPING IN CORK

13 SOCIAL MEDIA YOU LIKE ME?

HR: THE CHRTISTMAS PARTY

PRODUCTS

Online funding

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14

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4

Industry News

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Employment Law

10

JFM Manscaping

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Human Resources

14 Products

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Online Business

18

Spotlight

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Media pack

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The Christmas Party WWW.IRISHBARBERMAG.COM

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SUGAR CULTURE OPENS NEW BARBERS IN BLACKROCK The Sugar Culture team has opened a new barbers in Blackrock, Co Dublin. In total, the company has welcomed two new salon experiences to the Sugar Culture hair and beauty group. Sugar Daddy Barbers and Sugar Coated nail and beauty bar have opened their doors in the Frascati Centre. The new barbers and beauty salon come under the Sugar Culture umbrella along, with Brown Sugar and Sugar Cubed, all created by Sugar Culture founder Mark O’Keeffe, the brains behind these highly successful Dublin salons. While Sugar Coated is the first of its name, Sugar Daddy Barbers opens as the second location after the success of Sugar Daddy on Exchequer St in the city centre.

Sugar Daddy Barbers first Blackrock store boasts a large communal cutting area, that pays homage to the style moderne movement with art deco design features throughout. The shop hosts eight cutting stations, all lined with vintage 16th century style barber chairs that give the state-of-the-art shop a classical and premium feel. To the back of the shop are floor to ceiling windows that overlook Dublin Bay. The front of the shop is a coffee/whiskey bar, stocked with Prizefight Whiskey, the main ingredient of Sugar Daddy’s signature Old Fashioned cocktail, as well as Five Lamps Lager, both complimentary with every service.

According to the company, Sugar Daddy barbering respects and upholds the heritage of classic barbering but brings a modern twist to

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the new generation of males taking pride in their appearance, and this new location offers a wide range of treatments to those who pass through its doors. “I am very proud to open two more locations in the Blackrock Frascati Centre this month,” said O’Keeffe. “Sugar Coated and Sugar Daddy will provide a relaxing atmosphere in a beautiful new location for all their clients and we look forward to seeing what the future holds.”.

CONTENTS

Quality Barbering Supplies Exceptional Prices

Kreative Salon Supplies, Monksland, Athlone, Co. Roscommon.

Email: info@kreativesalonsupplies.com | Phone 0906627077 www.kreativesalonsupplies.com WWW.IRISHBARBERMAG.COM

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HERMAN MARKS MILESTONE WITH FIVE MILLIONTH CUSTOMER

Hermans hair salon in Dublin marked a milestone recently with its five millionth customer. The business was founded by Herman Koster in 1971 and has been located on Grafton St for almost 50 years. It is one of the longest standing unisex salons in Dublin city.

Since then Hermans has opened salons in Dundrum Town Centre and Ballinteer along with the barbering arm of the business Knights on the Green and Dundrum Town Centre. Knights also runs Knights School of Barbering, which educates students from around the world.

Knights of the Green has been opened since 1988 and is a traditional barber shop with a modern spin. According to the owners, the skilled and unpretentious approach, the quality and heritage products keep customers coming back, along with the hot towel shaving, which requires expert precision and concentration and traditional tools. As well as stocking its own high quality shaving brushes, which are made in the Isle of Man, Knights also stocks a huge range of top international shaving products from around the world.

The Hermans business is now owned and managed by Hermans children Greg, Zoe and Karen, who have continued their father’s business and legacy. Karen is also a well know TV presenter on Virgin Media TV. Hermans hair stylists were esteemed among the

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acting and musical stars in the 1970s with big names like Phil Lynott passing through its doors.

Hermans original logo was even designed by Jim Fitzpatrick, the artist who created the iconic Che Guevara image. The salon was famous at the time for being the first salon to get an automated hair washing station or ‘hairdressing robot’. The owners says that they continue this forward-thinking mindset today with their expertise in organic hair colour – Natulique. Hermans believes in the importance of providing clients with an organic option.

INDUSTRY NEWS

WE SUPPLY OUR AWARD -WINNING PRODUCTS TO BARBERS, SALONS AND SPECIALITY STORES. Barbers & Groomers are the Irish distributors for a large range of high quality men’s grooming brands from around the world.

info@barbersandgroomers.ie

Our comprehensive collection features the best in class including Proraso, Men-U, Imperial, Uppercut Deluxe, Captain Fawcetts, The Bluebeards Revenge, Marvis, Osma, The Shave Doctor, Squire, The Bearded Bastard, Cavera Beetle, Beaver Professional Hair solutions among others.

Our exquisite Irish products include Dr K Soaps, Neuu and Pomp & Co. We also stock a wide range of safety blades, shaving stands and barbers supplies. Barbers & Groomers have all of the leading grooming products available for your business.

The benefits of opening a Trade Account are: No Minimum Order Quantity Delivery times 2-3 working days Wide variety of men's grooming products Very competitive prices Excellent customer service and support Access to the World's leading brands

CONTACT US TODAY AT INFO@BARBERSANDGROOMERS.IE TO OPEN YOUR BUSINESS TRADE ACCOUNT. WWW.IRISHBARBERMAG.COM

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ALFAPARF MILANO FANTASTIC HAIRDRESSER AWARDS 2019 TAKES PLACE IN DUBLIN

The 10th annual Alfaparf Milano Fantastic Hairdresser Awards took place in the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 on Sunday, 20 October.

The awards saw 300 hairdressers from all over Ireland dedicating months of hard work preparing their entries for the 10 categories – six creative, three business and one artistic. This year saw the introduction of a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Stylist, designer and TV presenter Brendan C ourtney hosted the event to which some 1,200 stylists and industry insiders attended. Part of the evening featured graduates from the Beauty in All itsForms hairdressing assistant training programme, who were invited to the stage and were presented with their course certificates and congratulated for their achievements. Beauty in All its Forms is an innovative national employment programme for adults with Down syndrome to train as hairdressing assistants in selected Alfaparf Milano salons nationally with a view to securing long-term employment. It is a joint initiative of Down Syndrome Ireland and Alfaparf Milano.

“Our ethos as a brand is to foster and support creative excellence in the Irish hairdressing industry,” said David Donnellan, managing director

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of Alfaparf Milano Ireland. “The awards extend a platform to participant salons to show their creative excellence and recognises the skills and talent required to create styles of real beauty.”

THE WINNERS ON THE NIGHT WERE: Fantastic Stylist Award – Denise Phillips, Pelo Hair Studio, Newbridge, Co Kildare; Fantastic Long Hair Stylist Award – Sinead Fox, Bridget Haren Hair & Beauty, Ennis, Co Clare; Fantastic Fantasy Hair Stylist Award – Kerrie-Ann Ayres, Blake’s Salon, Co Carlow; Fantastic Junior Award – Shannon Robinson, Occasions Hairdressing, Naas, Co Kildare; Fantastic Gents Hair Stylist Award – Mark Heatley, Mark’s Barbers, Artane, Dublin; Fantastic Hair Colourist Award – Denise Phillips, Pelo Hair Studio, Newbridge, Co Kildare; Fantastic Salon Award – Berlin Hair Lounge, Co Carlow; Fantastic Hairdresser Award – Shaun Moriarty, The Greene Room, Killaloe, Co Clare; Fantastic Marketing Award – Pelo Hair Studio, Newbridge, Co Kildare; Alfaparf Milano Inixia Photographic Award – Jennie Smullen, Occasions Hairdressing, Maynooth, Co Kildare; and Lifetime Achievement Award – Valerie Finnegan-Cahill, Ikon Hair Design, Cork.

info@barbersandgroomers.ie

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FRONT COVER STORY

MANSCAPE ART Since it opened almost a year ago, JFM Manscaping Lounge in Cork has become a one-stop shop for the city’s male population who increasingly want to access the best grooming services under the same roof.

Since November 2018 a men’s salon on Cork’s Grand Parade has been providing a male grooming service that includes a full suite of offerings from hair styling to brow and lash tinting to a selection of massages. Owned by Anne Marie McIlwraith with her business partners Ako and Harry, the theme of JFM Landscaping Lounge (the JFM stands for Just For Men) was something McIIwraith first thought of about three decades

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ago. “The idea of a one-stop service provider was one I had 30 odd years ago, and with this plan two of my nieces trained as hairdressers and beauticians,” she says. “Then life got in the way and I journeyed the corporate world for 20-plus years, rising to the role of HR director with international experience. I found myself doing what I loved on the side – never centre stage! With family responsibilities and demands, my rudimentary

FRONT COVER STORY

would have it they became my partners at Just for Men!”Path to success McIlwraith’s own career path has been diverse. “As a very young teen I was fortunate enough to be involved with a club that provided my sports-related foundation courses in physical therapies and sports massage,” she explains. “In this area I have qualifications as a personal trainer and a diploma in human nutrition, and I was lucky enough to receive my certificates at Loughborough University in the UK. Over the years I added other therapies to this area, including a range of massage, reflexology, Indian head, cupping massage, cupping therapy and Bars therapy. I trained in my early 20s as a chiropodist and hold the designation diploma in surgical chiropody. I also have a higher diploma in clinical psychotherapy. I’ve done multiple courses, too many to list in the beauty area, and I finally got my barbering diploma a couple of years ago as I decided I needed that piece of paper to validate my abilities.”

Currently employing a total of six, McIIwraith says this will increase as JFM continues to grow. “We are constantly looking for the best barbers and beauticians. Our staff makes us stand out from the competition. We are truly the go-to place for men! We offer the full suite of barbering services, including haircuts, styling (for long or short hair), beard styling, moustache styling, hot towel shaves, colours, tints, highlights and grey blending (including beards). We have man brow styling, including tints for the brows and lashes.

We offer a variety of facials, skincare and foot care.

We have a suite of massage therapies, including deep tissue, Indian head, Swedish, relaxation, hot stone, reflexology, cupping massage and cupping therapy. We offer candling and also offer the full suite of waxing services, excluding the intimate waxing. We can, however, offer a referral for any gentlemen looking for this particular service.

business plan was the forever dream on my bucket list.“A number of family situations over the last number of years made me realise that if my dream was to ever happen in this area I would have to take it seriously – so I did my due diligence, my market research, put together my marketing plan, financial plan and made a much more solid foundation for my business proposal. As a result, following my graduation from the Hairdressing and Barbering Academy, I met with two men – Ako and Harry – who had a number of barbershops between them. While I had this dream for more than 30 years, they had been talking about the same type of enterprise for the last 12. As fate

JFM is also an All-Ireland Business All-Star winner.

“We have been audited for our customercentric approach, our style, our standard operating procedures, our ethics, business plan and service provision, including the standards of excellence we provide. Having the award is a lovely endorsement of what we do and offer, and from a business perspective it’s a validation that our business model is solid.”

Integrated solution When it comes to the barbering/male grooming industry, McIlwraith believes men “have been badly short-changed”. “They would have liked to have access to these services in a more male-friendly environment rather than a traditional beauty salon, which would have been seen as the women’s area!

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FRONT COVER STORY

‘We are fortunate that

we work exceptionally well together and offer great support to each other’

At JFM we do just that, we have the best staff, a gorgeous gentleman’s club-styled man space, and an impressive range of services and products. We don’t just provide a service, we offer an experience! And we offer a range of products around the needs identified from and by our customers.”These products and brands include American Crew Forever Living and Sweeney Todd.

“We also have a range of safety razors, shaving badger brushes and cut throat razors,” says McIlwraith. “We even have a selection of cravats because our customers asked us to find some for them. We hope to add a number more

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for the Christmas season.”

With their combined experience and solution-focused approach, With their combined experience and solution-focused approach, the team behind JFM has just opened an academy as well and is currently taking applications. “We are fortunate that we work exceptionally well together and offer great support to each other. Our main challenge at the moment is that we are reaching capacity and deciding what steps we need to take to bring us to the next level.”

FRONT COVER STORY

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PRODUCTS Salon_Mag_Nov.pdf

1 08/11/2019 11:54:15

OLYMP GRACE C

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Gainfort Salon Design, Ardcavan Business Park, Wexford, Ireland

T: 053 91 23681 M: 0872547112 E: sales@olymp.ie

BARBER PRO This is the world’s first sheet mask range developed specifically for men! With masks that have been scientifically formulated and dermatologically tested to bring outstanding results, it’s no wonder the company recently won the Best Male Grooming Supplier category in the Guild Awards of Excellence for the third year in a row! Barber Pro has also been awarded the certificate of approval from Peta. www.flair.ie

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gainfort.com/salondesign

EMPEROR CLASSIC REM’s iconic barber chair. The emperor classic is an elegant design that incoporates a host of high-end features. This beautiful chair will fulfill the aesthetic, functional and comfort needs of any modern day barbers salon. The emperor barbers chair is a hydraulic chair with a reclining back, adjustable headrest, adjustable back and leg/ footrest. The emperor barbers chair is available in all of the REM fabric range including black. www.hennessyhb.ie

PRODUCTS

BEARD CARE

DUO KIT TIN

Lightweight, fast-absorbing formula from American Crew. An oil-based formula specially designed for beard care, with beneficial oils that instantly condition and keep the beard soft and well-groomed.

When to use: use daily as needed.

Nourishes, regenerates and provides protective properties for a healthy appearance. Leaves the beard shiny and offers conditioning benefits for a smooth, silky feel. www.gainfort.com

Cleans and removes excess grease from hair, scalp and body. From American Crew, provides hold, with excellent pliability, and a natural shine.

DAPPER DAN DUST

DAPPER DAN CLAY

Water-based and high hold, the new Dapper Dan Texture Dust offers a natural, dry texture and hold that lasts all day long. It smells amazing, is easy to apply and washes out first time.

Fragrance: Citrus cologne 20ml.

This super hold clay does exactly what it says on the tin, offering immediate grip and hold combined with a long lasting “ultra matte� finish. The fragrance is sweet and subtle, with notes of vanilla and raspberries.

www.barbersandgroomers.ie

www.gainfort.com

www.barbersandgroomers.ie

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PRODUCTS

NEW SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

SALON FURNITURE DESIGNED BEAUTIFULLY Unique, bespoke furniture for barbers, nail, hair and beauty salons in Ireland

Bellao FURNITURE DESIGNED BEAUTIFULLY

VISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM: Unit 68A, Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate, Palmerstown,D10 NH27, Dublin 10, Ireland

P: 00 353 1 4429939 M: 00 353 894991141 E: info@bellafurniture.ie W: www.bellafurniture.ie bella.half.summer.indd 1

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BARON BARBER

KING LOUIS

Original, elegant antique looking and functional, this barber chair offers seat height adjustment lock and 360 swivels, reclining, with adjustable and removable headrest synchronized tilt and footrest. Let your customers sit back, relax, and enjoy your hair and beauty treatments with this beautiful bespoke salon chair!

What barber would be complete without a Louis styling chair? This gorgeous stylish chair certainly looks the part, and is available in a wide range of colours to perfectly suit the style of your hair salon. It’s also remarkably comfy too, so you won’t have any complaints from your customers! Finally, the easy to use foot pedal allows you to easily adjust the height of the styling chair, so you can make every treatment your best work yet.

www.bellafurniture.ie

www.bellafurniture.ie

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PRODUCTS

Kreative Salon Supplies offer quality Barbering Essentials at very competitive prices with fast delivery in Ireland.

King razor - Was €49.95 now €33.50

Disinfectant jar - Only €18.95

Disposable Blades - €8.26 for 100

Barber neck strips - €5.90 - 5pk x 100

www.xpertpro.ie

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR PRODUCTS FEATURED IN A FUTURE ISSUE PLEASE CONTACT EDITORIAL@IRISHBARBERMAG.COM

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SPOTLIGHT

A CUT ABOVE THE REST Chris O’Riordan has been barbering for over seven years in ST4MEN where he is currently the manager and head barber. Chris has won multiple awards over the past two years with the most recent one coming in March this year in the American Crew All-Star Challenge. He went on to represent Ireland in the global finals in New York. Irish Barber Magazine catches up with Chris.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO BARBERING? I always enjoyed going to the barbers to get my hair cut so when I was considering career options, I said I would try a beginner’s course to see if I would enjoy cutting hair as much. I did that course through Sean Taaffe Education seven years ago, which led to me getting a job with the Sean Taaffe Group.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Every aspect of our craft really. I try to go on as many courses as I can every year to keep challenging myself.

Learning new techniques is what keeps you going. Outside of this, it’s through all the great work that’s

produced by other barbers on Instagram.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE STYLE TO PRODUCE? I love creating quite classic styles which you can see throughout my Instagram page and from photo shoots I’ve done over the years .My favourite would be a pompadour which can be styled in lots of different ways, anywhere from being quite structured to styling it loosely.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF IRISH BARBERING? The future of Irish barbering is in good hands, there’s lots of younger people getting involved who have a big interest and passion for what they do.

‘At the moment I mostly use Andis clippers for my cuts along with Darkstag scissors... For all my cuts I use American Crew styling products as you can mix and match all their products to create your clients perfect daily regime from wash to styling’ 18

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SPOTLIGHT

‘I try to go on as many courses as I can every year to keep challenging myself’

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SPOTLIGHT

Photographer: Kestutis Anuzis Photographer: Kestutis Anuzis Barber: Chris O’Riordan

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SPOTLIGHT

Photographer: Kestutis Anuzis Barber: Chris O’Riordan

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SPOTLIGHT

Photographer: Kestutis Anuzis Barber: Chris O’Riordan

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SPOTLIGHT

Photographer: Kestutis Anuzis Barber: Chris O’Riordan

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HUMAN RESOURCES - THE CHRISTMAS PARTY

PREPARATION IS KEY AVOIDING A HR HEADACHE! The annual work Christmas party, and indeed all work-related social events, have the potential to become problematic. While fun is at the top of the agenda, there are also some HR issues to consider.

The work Christmas party is a long-standing tradition. It’s a way to recognise staff contribution and effort throughout the year, to allow everyone to blow off some steam and to get to know their colleagues and bosses. Unfortunatley for most people in this business this event takes place in the quieter period in January. However, when alcohol is involved it is also possible that inappropriate behaviour will occur such as insulting conduct, unwanted sexual advances etc. And what happens at the Christmas party may not stay at the Christmas party. In sober moments after the event there may be many red faces and for employers it can bring a host of issues. It’s important that you manage the risk of staff misconduct, grievance and other HR-related issues. What many staff seem to be ignorant of is that any Christmas event that is work-related is an extension of the workplace and as such employers are liable for third party actions.

There have been several cases in recent years that have found that an employer can be liable for such employee actions at work-related social events.

Preparation is key.

Send an email in advance to all employees setting out clear written guidance. Points made should include: that employeesshould consume alcohol responsibly and remember to show due consideration to their fellow employees and members of the public; that under no circumstances are they to drink and drive; that drunken and/or disorderly behaviour, illegal drug taking, verbal or physical abuse, harassment of a sexual or discriminatory nature will not be tolerated and any such behaviour is likely to result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal; and that they are at all times expected to observe the policies put in place by their employer.

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Social media.

With social media more prevalent than ever, remember an employee may publish photos from the party on their network with numerous consequences, for example negative publicity might be brought to the company or issues could arise between employees if one takes a picture of the other and posts it without their permission. As such, it is advisable that employers have a detailed policy in place on email and internet usage and that such a policy extends to work-related events.

Employers are also advised to notify their employees to respect the right to privacy of their colleagues when attending such events.So with the boundaries put in place and everyone involved aware of company policy around the event, the Christmas party should be a fun and enjoyable night out that is remembered for all the right reasons.

EMPLOYMENT LAW

ON THE LEVEL NEW BILL, NEW REQUIREMENTS

band. The onus, however, is on the employee to request these band of hours.

An employer can refuse to place an employee on a requested band of hours where:

With the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill that came into effect the first week in March 2019, The HR Company has highlighted the key requirements.

The following are some of the main issues to note in order to comply with the new Bill:

1. An employer must provide a written statement of employment to a new employee within five days of the persons’ start date, which must include five key terms and conditions. In addition, please note that contracts of employment must be issued within the first month of employment to be in line with the Act. 2. Entitlements for employees to work a specific ‘band’ of hours of work in certain circumstances.

3. So called ‘zero hours’ working practices are prohibited.

Bands of weekly working hours Employees can now request to be on a specific band of hours which reflects their average working hours per week in the previous 12 months. Employers need to comply with a request within four weeks of its receipt and must ensure that over the following 12-month period, the relevant employee is allocated weekly working hours that on average fall within the relevant

1. No evidence to support the claim.

2. Exceptional, unusual or unforeseeable circumstances arise.

3. There has been a significant adverse change impacting on the business during or after the reference period.

4. Average hours worked during the reference period by the employee were due to a temporary situation that no longer exists.

Casual Contracts Please note, casual contracts that have hours on a ‘as and when required basis’ will not be affected. Furthermore, these contracts have other stipulations. Also note that as always there are penalties attached if an employer fails to adhere to the provisions prescribed by the Act. Now that the Bill has come into effect, these are some action items: A review of employees working patterns should take place, particularly those who work varies hours. Employers must consider how they might comply with a request from an employee to be placed on a specified band of hours.

Employers must review the impact on the business, if they had to commit to a new working pattern for the long term.

The HR Company was founded in 2001.

From the smallest of business to the largest of corporations, The HR Company provides the same, hands-on care with solutions particular to the customer’s needs. Tel: 01 2911877 or email: linda. ward@thehrcompany.ie.

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HUMAN RESOURSES

HANDLING THE DEPARTURE OF YOUR BEST BARBER

When your superstar barber walks into your office, closes the door, sits down and asks if you can talk, you get that sinking feeling in your stomach telling you what is coming next – they are leaving! Beauty business expert Liz McKeon advises on how to handle the news.

It’s natural to take the resignation of your best barber personally, to panic and get upset. You may feel angry, disappointed, confused and even betrayed. However, now is not the time for these emotions. You have a business to run and clients to keep. Instead, stay positive, calm and focused on your salon.

It is important that you move quickly and take the following five steps:

1. Contact the barber’s clients immediately. It is

preferable that the clients hear the news directly from you and it gives you a chance to book them in with another member of the team. If you cannot contact them by phone, then a letter or email is another good way to get in touch. A text is too short and impersonal. It may send out the wrong message as it might look like you’re not that bothered about their custom.

2. What to say to clients. Stay positive and keep the message simple. Remember, the clients are clients of your business. The client doesn’t need to know the details, just that you will continue to look after them. Acknowledge that you are sad to see the person leave, but you wish them all the very best, and now back to you and your next appointment.

3. Manage the gossip! No matter where the barber is going to or what the circumstances of their departure is, do not let your team discuss this with clients. Give your team their instructions. If necessary give your team, particularly your reception staff, a script so they have a well rehearsed response at the ready. Some clients may feel a little let down, so it is important to manage the situation.

4. Social media. Keep an eye on your social media

accounts, just in case clients are being poached via this channel. Now is the perfect time to increase your own marketing and shout about just how fantastic your business is.

5. Pull out all the stops. Do everything you can

to keep your clients, but if they follow the barber, don’t give up – continue to market to those clients and make it easy for them to return to your business.

Remember, you are an amazing entrepreneur and this is just a bump in the road! In no time at all, your salon will be back to normal – everybody is replaceable! If the departing employee agrees to an ‘exit interview’, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

EXIT INTERVIEWS… Provide an opportunity to ‘make peace’ with the disgruntled employee.Are seen as a positive activity by existing staff. Provide relevant and useful data for future training needs.Might even result in giving you a chance to retain your superstar. Make hearing and handling feedback a powerful development process as these are a unique chance to survey and analyse the opinions of departing employees, who are generally more forthcoming, constructive and objective than staff still in their jobs.

Beauty business expert Liz McKeon specialises in business development in the beauty, hair and spa industry.

For information about online courses, workshops and one-to-one business mentoring, check out www.lizmckeon.com or call 00353 1 892 8007.

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ONLINE BUSINESS

ONLINE MARKETING Online marketing can be a low cost addition to your overall marketing strategy, explains Clive Hooper, social media marketing expert.

Any good marketing strategy involves time and money, and to reach a mass market, any marketing plan should involve mass media to reach all facets and audiences demographically. But did you know that online marketing can function with any budget or no budget? So while traditional marketing forms are more important than ever, you can complement them with digital ones and increase your overall business profile. Here are some of the benefits.

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Cost-effective advertising on social networks and Google can often be a low-cost option. There are techniques (for example pay-per-click) where you simply pay money for every person that clicks right through to your site, or sponsored posts, where you can place content on other websites for a small fee, hoping that individuals will click on your website.

Targeted Marketing your business digitally means that you’ll be able to select who sees the advertisement, ensuring that it’s only seen by people who are genuinely interested. There are numerous online marketing tools and alternatives on social platforms such as Facebook that enable you to choose the gender, relationship status and geographical locations of your potential market.

Data analysisI. t is easy to monitor which internet marketing methods are functioning effectively. With programmes like Google Analytics and Facebook Analytics, it is possible to observe users’ activity and find out if they interact with your website, the length of time on a page and whether or not they commit to the product/service that you’re offering.

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Speedy Online marketing enables you to instantly spread your news, whether you’ve won an award, you’re doing something special for the area or you’ve got an innovative product.

Generate organic traffic using relevant keywords that assist in describing your business as well as your product/service should help generate increased traffic straight from search engines like Google. Using strategic SEO may help you go up the rankings while increasing website traffic. A

business blog is normally the area to communicate with customers as well as your potential customers. Customers often do a search for ‘longtail’ terms for example ‘how do I’ and ‘what happens if’, therefore it might be a good idea to resolve these questions as part of your business blog.

Clive Hooper is the founder of Simply Social Media, a Cork-based digital marketing company. For more information about the company’s services tel: +353 (0) 29 56178, email: info@simplysocialmedia.ie or visit www.simplysocialmedia.ie.

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ONLINE BUSINESS

FUNDING TO HELP BUSINESSES

GROW ONLINE PRESENCE

Funding is being provided by the Government to help small businesses to grow their online presence. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment Richard Bruton and Minister of State for Natural Resources, Community Affairs and Digital Development Seán Canney announced funding to support a further 1,000 small/micro businesses with funding and 2,000 with training to develop their online capabilities in 2019 under the Trading Online Voucher Scheme (TOVS).

The scheme supports small/micro businesses in developing their ecommerce capabilities through the provision of training, advice and grant assistance of up to €2,500 (subject to match funding).

Since launching in 2014, more than 5,000 businesses have been granted funding and 12,000 supported with training through the scheme.

“There is a digital revolution taking place which is transforming how businesses are interacting with their customers. We must support small businesses in keeping pace with this rapidly changing environment,” said Minister Bruton.

“Irish consumers spent approximately €7.8bn online in 2018, with this figure expected to exceed €10bn by 2020. It is of critical importance that small Irish businesses are well positioned to take a share of this market. The Trading Online Voucher Scheme provides much-needed support in this regard and I am delighted that at least 3,000 small businesses will avail of it in 2019.”

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Barber

ISSUE 1 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

IRISH

MAGAZ NE

NEWS - INTERVIEWS - EVENTS - PRODUCT FEATURES

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Barber IRISH

MAGAZINE

RATE CARD 2020 Digital Magazine Advertising Rates: DPS: €500 Full page: €280 1/2 page: €150 1/4 page: €80

www.irishbarbermag.com Position: Leaderboard Rate: x 1-2 months Rate: x 3 months Rate: x 6 months Rate: x 12 months

advert €175 + vat €275 + vat €500 + vat €800 + vat

Position: Footer Video/advert Rate: x 1-2 months €150 + vat Rate: x 3 months €250 + vat Rate: x 6 months €450 + vat Rate: x 12 months €750 + vat

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