Creative Head Ireland June 2013

head June 2013 e7.50

c r e a t i v e

Ireland

C r e at i v e H e a d I r e l a n d June 2013 creativeheadmag.com

My heart’s desire... so what do your clients really want?

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editor’s letter

June

CREATIVE HEAD Ireland

19

34

46 Do you really know what your clients want? Beautiful hair? Incredible customer service? Value for money? We asked 500 women to tell us what they really wanted to achieve from a trip to a salon and what keeps them coming back. And the results were as positive as they were informative. In What Women Want on page 28, we explore these findings, look at the salons that are getting it right and reveal the opportunities just waiting to be seized.

But we also want to hear what you – salon owners, stylists, trainees, and industry professionals – want. The seventh annual Creative HEAD Salon Smart event, which took place in London’s chic Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, was bursting with inspirational seminars, informative Q&A sessions, not to mention invaluable networking opportunities to make you and your business, the best that you can be. Check out our report of the twoday event on page 19.

One man who definitely knows what clients want is Gianni Scumaci. With a career that began at the tender age of 11, the boy wonder needs little introduction. The hair maestro shares his early career highlights, the vision behind his new book Hair and touching anecdotes about his friend and mentor, Vidal Sassoon.

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself formally as the new editor of Creative HEAD Ireland! This is your magazine and I value your opinions, so don’t be shy, get in touch...

Aoibhinn McBride Aoibhinn@headmag.ie

Follow @CreativeHEADIrl on Twitter Find us on Facebook, search ‘Creative HEAD magazine’ Creative Head Ireland 06

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contents

June

What’s inside

free range

Ltd

21 The Timberyard, Drysdale Street, London N1 6ND

REGULars _ 11 the source House of Colour unveils an innovative training system and Brown Sugar appeals to a new generation

Editor

Aoibhinn Mcbride Contributor

Lauren Margrave

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Art director

Nick Jabbal Art

Graeme White Chief sub editor

Adam Wood Special projects manager

Joanna Andersen Advertising managers

Aoibhinn Mcbride ben baldock Editor in chief

Amanda nottage Publisher

catherine handcock Creative HEAD Ireland is printed on paper certified as being from sustainable sources using only vegetablebased inks. Printed by Buxton Press, Environmental Printer of the Year and Printing Company of the Year.

WRITE TO US AT: CREATIVE HEAD IRELAND 6-9 Trinity STreet DUBLIN 2 T: 01 617 7947 Email: aoibhinn@headmag.ie Go online to www.creativeheadmag.com, find ‘Creative HEAD magazine’ on Facebook or follow us on Twitter: @CreativeHEADIrl Download the Creative HEAD App here: Creative HEAD Ireland is published 10 times a year by ALFOL Ltd. Creative HEAD Ireland is a registered trademark. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.

All information correct at time of going to press. Printing by Buxton Press

19 _ Scene

Salon Smart takes business to a new level, Niall Colgan rewards stars and Matrix comes to Dublin

50 _ the last word

Training expert Gilli Bruce explains the difference between aggression and assertiveness in the salon

40 _ Subscribe now...

and you’ll receive a free gift from Matrix Biolage, worth E52.30 features

28 _ what women want

Women are desperate to love their hair and Creative HEAD Ireland can help you give clients all they need – making you their best friend forever!

34 _ Roots of success

We talk to scissor king Gianni Scumaci about his incredible career, from working backstage and devising education to shooting with the likes of David Bailey fashion

42 _ All woman

Versatile and timeless, the new collection from Alison Dace and Saks will be at the top of clients’ wish lists

46 _ Twist and shout

The ’60s marked a new era of self-expression, and Scott Sloan takes time to revisit from a new perspective

head c r e a t i v e

June 2013 e7.50

Alfol

PUBLISHING

Ireland

My heart’s desire...

ON the COVER Hair Alison Dace and the Saks Art Team Make-up Lan Nguyen Styling Emma Saville Photography Catherine Harbour

so wHat do your Clients really want?

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AN INNOVATIVE HAIR CARE LINE SOLD EXCLUSIVELY IN SALONS 028|| www.moroccanoil.co.uk info@essentialsalon.ie 061 212 028

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The look of love

Shout it out!

Upload your work on ghd Showcase and share your passion!

Slicker than your average

What you’ll see this

June…

We go boy-crazy with KH Hair as London Collections: Men returns

THE CREATIVE HEAD APP IS free and READY TO DOWNLOAD – VISIT THE APPLE APP STORE AND SEARCH ‘CREATIVE HEAD’ OR VISIT CREATIVEHEADAPP.NET NOW!

THEY’RE ON IT

and they

LOVE IT! •010_App Promo 1

Big and beautiful or sleek and sexy – Kate Moss is our hair crush!

In the pink

See the hottest summer shades from Fudge

Having our work featured on the Creative HEAD App was superb! This is exactly what our industry needs right now – we can see our own imagery, be inspired on the go and our salon guests can enjoy it too!

Angela Lowery, Y Salon

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source the

An oasis of calm in Zurich Page 17

news, products and business know-how It all starts here…

▼ ▼

June 2013

House of Colour launches new training competition said: “With our Facebook page having more than 7,000 fans, using our social media presence was the logical choice to get the word out to the next generation of would-be superstars, that House of Colour is prepared to invest in the future. Irish hairdressing is seen in the industry as being the best in the world and we want to highlight that to the general public to raise awareness that hairdressing is a fantastic, rewarding JAN

and inspiring career that will last a lifetime.” Successful entrants will be invited to attend the first heat of the competition on 23 June and following interviews and education seminars, nine semi-finalists will attend the House of Colour Academy three days a week, with two competitors leaving every week until the judges have whittled down the group to their final three. That trio will then go head-tohead in a mini hair show on 22 July.

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Dublin salon group House of Colour has revealed details of an innovative new training initiative for 2013. Entitled ‘The Hair Apprentice’ and launching over the group’s social media channels, the intensive competition will run over eight weeks, culminating in the winner receiving a nine month City and Guilds diploma course, worth e9,500. Speaking about the decision to launch a competition of this kind, director David Campbell

The House of Colour Creative Team

exclusive

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Cats Hair Salon opening the 2012 L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards

the latest news from the industry

Brown Sugar Announces Plans For New Youth Salon

Last Chance To Enter The L’OrÉal Colour Trophy

with the continued success of the Brown Sugar group, managing director Mark O’Keeffe is launching a new hairdressing venture. Named Sugar Cubed, the salon will have a strong focus on street style influences and is scheduled to open on 1 July.

Aimed at 18-25 year olds, Mark believes that the salon will cater for a huge untapped younger market who are keen to change their look every season, based on what’s in fashion. He said: “The younger generations want to experiment and want to express their individuality through their look. Sugar Cubed will give trend conscious clients the opportunity

to do so.” The salon’s Dublin 2 location is still to be announced but the feel and service menu looks set to be very different from Brown Sugar, something that Mark feels is vital to its success.

“The feel of the salon will be very different to anything that is being done in Dublin at the moment. It’s a youth salon so prices will be lower than they are in Brown Sugar and the staff will be younger,” he explained.

“I’ll be very hands-on and will train all the staff myself, but I’ll be invisible – I’m not the kind of person who I want to see behind the chair so I want younger people to staff it.”

The L’Oréal Colour Trophy is back, taking place this year in Dublin’s Convention Centre on 15 July and if you haven’t already entered, you have until 7 June to do so. With this year’s competition focusing on editorially-inspired style, entries should focus on complementing an A/W13 catwalk trend.

This year entry is free, applications can be made online and do not require a professional model or photographer. Finalists who will go forward to the Grand Final will be revealed online on 19 June at 5pm. Visit Lorealcolourtrophy.ie to find out more

Gen Now returns to Dublin Now in its third year, the annual Wella Professionals Generation Now auditions are scheduled to take place in Dublin on 8 July, with entries being accepted until 10 June. Providing a unique platform for young talent, stylists selected onto the team will enjoy 12 months of mentoring from some of the biggest names in hairdressing, get access to a wide range of educational

opportunities and work with industry icons. House of Colour senior stylist Danielle O’Neill, who made it onto last year’s team, said: “It has been the most inspirational, educational, awe-inspiring and fantastic journey of my life. I loved being around the rest of the team and the mentors were amazing.

I have learnt that anything is possible.” To enter, speak to your Wella Professionals account manager or call 01 416 0900

If you only do one thing this month...

Join the growing trend for male grooming with Salon Services as it launches Ireland’s first National Male Grooming Day on 10 June. The initiative will give salons and barbers the chance to promote male grooming services and hopes to encourage more men to choose salons over barbers. The event comes as London plays host once again to London Collections: Men, with some shows sponsored by hair brand Fudge (16-18 June). To see reports as the shows happen, visit Creativeheadmag.com

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TrendVision regional heat

NEWS June

My month ahead

What does June 2013 have in store for...

Aidan Fitzgerald Aidan Fitzgerald, Blackrock, Dublin The Fellowship for British Hairdressers has invited the team to present on stage at its Members’ Night at Wella World Studio in London in July so we’re busy getting ready for that as well as finishing off our entry for the L’Oréal Colour Trophy.

Staff members will also be attending the Hob Academy and visiting Vidal Sassoon.

TrendVision finalists take to the regions Having received more than 100 entries, the Wella Professionals TrendVision Award judges have chosen 15 Young Talent and 20 Color Category competitors to go through to the Regional Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Finals, taking place in the Round Room at The Mansion House in Dublin on 2 September. The Regional Finals will see competitors in the Young Talent and the Color categories showcase their looks in catwalk evening shows, based on their interpretation of one of the four key trends: Fusion, Decibel, Echo and Allegra. The judges on the night have yet to be announced, but the Regional Finals will see Bruce Masefield and Edward Darley present the latest Sassoon collection, while a selection of industry icons will present a show using Wella Professionals’ new Color.id service. The winners will go on to compete in the Ireland and UK Final, which takes place on 7 October at the Roundhouse in Camden, London.

Riona Linnane

Last year’s winners, Dmitry Oskin and Tamika Stavroulis, with Alex Dinter

Hype, Clonmel I am heavily involved with the Hype artistic team and we are working on lots of different shoots this month.

It’s so exciting to work in different locations and to work with other members of the team who have the same vision. We also have our spring/summer gathering where all five Hype salons meet and brainstorm on how we can improve and progress as stylists and mentors, followed by a party in Urban Hype.

Paul Griffin Zenith hairdressing, Galway As well as being a director at Zenith Hairdressing, I’m also on the PHAB Standard non-executive board of directors. PHAB is looking to extend its services across the globe but at the moment I’m there to represent Irish salons so will be busy blogging about Irish customer service standards – a subject that is very close to my heart – on the Phab service blog.

hunt begins for world’s best stylist Hair and beauty brand La Biosthétique has opened its international Beauty Stylist 2013 competition in a bid to find the most talented hairdressers from around the world. This year, there is just one category to enter, incorporating last year’s cut and colour awards as well as styling and make-up, and entrants will be judged on the overall total beauty look. The winner for Ireland and UK will join other countries’ champions at a grand final in Paris on 29 September, where they will compete for the international Beauty Stylist award, including the prize of an exclusive workshop and professional photoshoot with La Biosthétique’s international creative director, Alex Dinter. For more information, visit Biosthetique.co.uk JAN

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New products, tools and colours

want it!

On the catwalk Making its debut this month, the Kérastase Couture Styling range features eight styling products designed to bring catwalk style to the masses with more to follow later in the year. With Kate Moss as the face, the range is split into two groups – Construction and Finition – and features products designed to infuse the hair for a beautiful velvety effect, enabling any desired style to be achieved quickly and easily.

A new generation of micronised fixative polymers create sublime hair with hold and freedom of movement, divine!

RRP From e23 Call 01 604 5920

www.kerstase.co.uk

Pump It Up

Forget heated rollers and hours spent under the dryer, these products will give clients the plumped up, voluminous hair they crave in minutes…

Containing Intra-Cylane and salicylic acid, the L’Oréal Professionnel série expert Volumetry Root Spray fills the hair fibre at the cortex to boost and reinforce structure.

RRP e16.80 Call 1800 535 616

www.lorealprofessionnel.co.uk

For immediate lift right at the root, the Alfaparf S4U VertigO volume-boosting mousse is paraben-free and also contains UV filters, great for protecting hair.

RRP e12.95 Call 045 856 490

www.xpertpro.ie

Firm control hairsprays are the traditional route to high volume, but Redken’s Control Addict 28 spray gives dramatic hold without wetting the hair, and contains vitamin E. RRP e14.90 Call 01 604 5935

www.redken.co.uk

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NEWS June

Paint tin

Aloe aloe

Designed to allow you to custom blend a bespoke haircare regime for each client, Eufora, a US brand recently launched in Ireland, is perfect for salons who want to adopt a more natural approach. Featuring several blends of shampoo, conditioners and a host of styling products and serums, each product is paraben and sulfate free and is made with certified organic aloe vera, ideal for clients who suffer from scalp and skin conditions.

RRP from e21 Call 087 648 4534 www.welovesalons.ie

Inner strength For many clients, intensive products that successfully repair hair also lack the ingredients to leave it feeling soft and shiny. Containing a shampoo, conditioner, fortifying cream and masque, the new Matrix Biolage advanced fibrestrong collection, for weak and fragile hair, solves this problem.

Using bamboo extract to help increase the hair’s resilience and Intra-Cylane to fill the gaps in the cuticle, hair is left feeling reinforced and silky smooth.

RRP from e11.05 Call 1800 509472 www.matrixhaircare.co.uk

Fudge’s Headpaint professional colour range has added nine new blonde colour shades to its existing collection, including four ultralight shades. The pure pigment crème base gives colourists the platform to perform consistent colouring techniques while the botanical ingredients that include hydrolyzed rice protein for nourishing and conditioning, meadow foam oil to help repair, mallow extracts for softness and shine and vitamin C for its antioxidising properties.

RRP e5.85 each Call 0044 1282 683100 www.fudgehair.co.uk

A lotta bottle

Smooth Operator

Life’s A Beach

Clients with fine or thinning hair may have avoided hair oils in the past but the launch of System Professional’s Light Oil Spray looks set to change that.

Containing a blend of keratin, almond milk, jojoba and argan oils, this non-greasy formula softens the hair shaft to give optimum hydration.

Perfect for clients looking for that tousled and undone yet voluminous look, Structure’s new Beach Texture Spray gives hold without feeling sticky, and thanks to its coconut and papaya scent, it smells just like summer, too!

Following on from the success of the existing OI range, the new Davines OI All in One Milk contains roucou oil – a plant native in the Amazon that is rich in beta-carotenes and antioxidants – giving hair a light veil of silkiness, shine and frizz-control.

RRP e22.50 Call 01 416 0900

RRP e10.95 Call 045 856 490

RRP e21.50 Call 048 9046 665

www.wella.ie

www.xpertpro.ie

www.davines.com

Haute Hemp

Hempz Couture, available at Salon Services, is a range of 19 products that doesn’t compromise on ethics. Containing pure organic hemp seed oil, which promotes keratin formation, the range includes haircare and styling to improve strength, condition and health of hair.

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Price From e5.99 Call 0044 800 980 9961 www.salonservices.com

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business advice and stylish interiors

TASKFORCE

I’m with Business the brand Pro David Murray Owner of Chameleon Hair Salon, Drogheda, Co. Louth I was ready to go into business when... I felt I needed to put my own stamp on the industry.

I cope with pressure by... competing in triathlons. I find the training helps me unwind because it’s completely unrelated to hairdressing.

The biggest risk I’ve taken... was opening my own business but thankfully, 16 years later, we are still here.

I knew I had made it when...

I still don’t think I have made it but I am having great fun getting there.

If I could go back 10 years...

I would have taken more holidays!

The best advice I have been given… was when I first started working as a trainee. I was told to always look busy and I would be kept in a job!

The biggest challenge in business today... is trying to think of new ways to keep your business unique.

In a highly saturated market, competition for clients is fierce and standing out from the crowd is crucial. But is establishing your business as a brand the key to its success?

Branding isn’t just about a logo or shiny advertising campaign, and big budgets don’t always mean better brands. For a brand to succeed, it needs to go back to basics, something that Andrew Bradley, managing director of Bradley Design and President of the Institute of Designers in Ireland, explains. “Understanding what customers want is the key,” he reveals. “What you sell isn’t what they want – products and services aren’t what clients come into a salon for.

Clients want to invest in something that makes them feel great, they want an escape – and that’s where branding can help get that message across.” But that doesn’t mean that to appeal to a wide audience your brand shouldn’t be specific or have a clear understanding of what it represents. Successful brands have a strong sense of purpose and are realistic about their message. Salon owner Dylan Bradshaw reveals: “It’s really important to see what kind of brand you want to be and how you

can adapt that to the market you’re in.” For Kerry-based salon owner Sean Taaffe, consistency across his five salons is the heart of his brand. “Branding has led to us being more aware of our business, being more consistent and has led to a better service for our clients, too. From consultation and the way we shampoo to the way we offer our tea and coffee, every staff member has been trained to give the client the same experience, regardless of which premises they’re in. How else will clients know when they walk in the door that they’re in a Sean Taaffe salon?” As Andrew adds: “It’s not just a logo – it’s about every element. Even if the logo is catchy, the salon interior is top of the range and the staff are all well turned out, but the cup you serve coffee to a client in is dirty, the effect is ruined.” Something that Dylan Bradshaw also advocates: “Providing a great service should be your strong selling point. You have to have substance and be successful at what you do before your brand can grow.”

smart move How to successfully make your mark

l Consistency is key. Brands are like personalities, and signage, interiors, website design and staff are your brand ambassadors. A PR company or brand consultant can help streamline your ideas and bring your vision to life. l Strong brands have strong margins. Your brand should reflect your customer base to be profitable, so there’s no point offering a five-star service with prices to match if clients can’t afford it. l Sweat the small stuff! Never underestimate how influential the smallest details can be. From the type of coffee you serve to the music played in the background, every detail adds up.

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NEWS June

interiorscape

Roman Thomaskamp Lessingstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland

Located on the river Sihl in one of Zurich’s hottest up-and-coming areas, this spa-like salon aims to provide an oasis of calm. Owner Roman Thomaskamp talks us through his interior inspirations

Space: 180 sq m.

Team: Three.

Styling stations: Four.

Backwashes: Two. Design: The salon is situated in an old silk mill. We’ve incorporated precious raw materials into the interiors, such as the rosewood styling stations. We’ve also tried to keep the overall design in line with the mill.

Inspirations: The inspiration for the interior came from the character of the building. We wanted to keep the look and feel of the old mill while combining it with a modern, luxurious interior.

Colour palette: The colour palette is concentrated on the connection between white, pink and brown.

Investment pieces: A designer

from Vienna created two individual wallpapers especially for the salon, which are really like pieces of art.

They’re interpretations of ‘hair’ and give the reception area as well as the washing lounge a quirky feel.

There is also a 100-year-old English Chesterfield sofa in the waiting area, which is a real eye-catcher.

Special Features: The sales area is based on the design concept of a room within a room. Curtains of tiny beads instead give the illusion of walls made from tiny bubbles and help define separate areas.

Favourite area: Our favourite area of the salon is actually the salon as a whole! All sections have an individual look, yet they create a harmonious, complete picture.

hot buys Stylish pieces for your salon Lounge lover Ideal for adding a touch of retro, this ’60sinspired Vibe styling chair from Kiela is the perfect mix of fashion and function.

Colour pop For a truly feminine feel, why not inject some pink into your interior with the REM Cascade washpoint?

Two-faced Create an open-plan look in a larger salon space with the sleek and stylish Salon Ambience Gemini styling stations.

Price e600 Contact 045 856490

Price e1,026 Contact 094 902 3147

Price e2,260.30 Contact 061 212 028

www.xpertpro.ie

www.rem.co.uk

www.salonambience.com

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13/5/13 16:05:59

Michael Young on tour for Matrix

scene parties, people, places, faces

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Tommy and Esther van der Veken and Errol Douglas MBE

Smart

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Carolyn Newman

From the inspiring speakers and informative Q&A sessions to industry icons mingling with dressed-toimpress delegates, Creative HEAD’s seventh annual Salon Smart event, sponsored by Goldwell and KMS California, lived up to expectations – and it was the biggest and best yet! Held at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London, proceedings kicked off with presentations from Most Wanted winners Tommy and Esther van der Veken and It List ENTREPRENEUR Richard Phillipart. A Meet and Mix reception gave delegates the chance to network and quiz the likes of Dylan Bradshaw, Ken West, Andrew Barton, Carolyn Newman and Errol Douglas MBE. A breathtaking after-dinner creative presentation followed from Trevor Sorbie MBE – complete with broken ankle – and his Art Team, which closed the night. Day two saw business and hairdressing’s finest gathered to hear what top industry players such as John Carne and Urban Retreat’s Marcus Allen had to say on everything from building a brand to team motivation. This year, guests were able to interact with new photoshoot workshops led by PR expert Sharleen Hunter, salon owners Lisa Whiteman and Darren Webster and photographer John Rawson. And if all this wasn’t enough, Salon Smart closed in style when Creative HEAD publisher Catherine Handcock hosted an intimate Q&A session with Hooker and Young. Wow!

Andrew Barton

Move

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Catherine Handcock and Trevor Sorbie MBE Dylan Bradshaw

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Nicholas Wood wirh Karly and Abby Whittaker

Photographer John Rawson

scene

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Shauna Noonan

James O’Dwyer inspects a hair look p19-23_SCENE_GW2.indd 4

Eoin Wright and Niall Colgan

Stacey Ryan

Giving trainees the opportunity to express their creativity and highlight their expertise was the motivation behind the inaugural Niall Colgan Hairdressing Vision Awards, which took place at the Limerick salon. As well producing a complete cut and colour look interpreted from the A/W13 catwalks, each of the seven trainees taking part had to present a moodboard to a panel of judges that included Eoin Wright, owner of Foundation Hair and member of the Wella Style Council; Nadia Benson from Foundation Hair and the Ireland Junior Style Council; John O’Riordan, formerly of Hugh Campbell Hair Group; James O’Dwyer, head technician of Melo Yelo at the Hugh Campbell Hair Group; and Robert O’Grady, co-owner at Robert Eoin Hair Studio and head of the Synergy Hair Group. Speaking about his decision to launch the awards, Niall said: “One of our main aims is ‘Growth through Education’ and that certainly came to the forefront in our first annual Vision Awards. The standard of work and commitment from our team had to be seen to be believed and I’m very proud of all the staff who took part.” And this was something echoed by head judge Eoin Wright – on announcing the winners he emphasised the difficulty the judges had in choosing the top three winners from such a talented group of apprentice hairdressers.

Hazel Murray

Back to the FUTure

The Winners

First Place Shauna Noonan, apprentice.

Moodboard theme: structured simplicity Second Place: Hazel Murray, apprentice.

Moodboard theme: pride Third Place: Stacey Ryan, apprentice.

Moodboard theme: timeless glamour

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Michael Young and Gary Hooker

scene

Totally

hooked Sinker

Having recently travelled the world presenting the Digital Edge collection to Matrix salons and speaking at Salon Smart, award-winning salon owners Hooker and Young finally came to Dublin to give the sold-out audience at the Red Cow Hotel a powerful interpretation of the latest looks.

From their experimentation with pastels to using radio frequency waves as a style starting point, this was high-octane hair with a truly graphic edge that gave the crowd plenty to think about. Demonstrating the connection between bold outlines and vivid colours, the night featured a four-part showcase: Digital Edge Women, Colour Shock by Color Insider (where the new ammonia free colour was debuted), Digital Edge Men and Style It Up – where the dynamic duo shared tips for editorial styling and to enhance texture in longer hair with the use of accessories. Other take-home tips for attendees included advice on successful retail consultations, why you should avoid overwhelming your client with too much technical information and ‘product cocktailing’ – mixing up different types of products to create new and innovative finishes. Genius!

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Schwarzkopf Professional Essential Looks 1:2013 – Electric Youth

Business Awards

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With less than a month to go until the Schwarzkopf Professional Irish Hairdressing Business Awards entry deadline, we speak to this year’s judges to get the lowdown on what they’re looking for…

I

t might sound like a cliché, but in a competition, taking part is almost as important as winning, something that rings true for the hundreds of salons who have entered the Schwarzkopf Irish Hairdressing Business Awards (IHBA) since they began back in 2003.

So if winning isn’t the most important outcome, why take part?

From motivating your team and really looking at your business from an outsider’s perspective to seeing what your rivals are doing differently, think of the application form as a training session where you’ll get your team fighting-fit to compete in the final, which will be held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin this coming October.

And if you do win? Well, invaluable press coverage, the ability to impress investors and attract high-quality staff as well as raise your profile on a national level, are just some of the perks you can look forward to.

Whether you’re applying for the first time or you’re an IHBA veteran, the five judges will approach your application in five different ways based on their areas of expertise, so we’ve asked each of them to reveal their top tips, what to avoid and what they’re looking out for this year...

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The judges

Russell-John Barker

Antony Whitaker

Hairdressing group to the awardwinning company it is today. Having swapped the salon floor for a more behind-the-scenes role, Russell’s position as business director means he now focuses on financial planning, asset management, cost control, legal issues and new business development.

With more than 30 years of experience, award-winning hairdresser Antony started his career in New Zealand before making the move to London in 1980 to work under Vidal Sassoon, where he eventually became creative director. Following 10 successful years in Australia running his own high-end salons, in 1999 Antony decided to sell up so he could focus on his work as a global consultant and speaker. Antony is currently the global ambassador for business education for Schwarzkopf Professional, and this year marks his fifth year as a judge at the IHBA.

business director, educator, author Mahogany Hair and Schwarzkopf For the past 30 years, Russell has Professional Ask worked with co-owners Colin business global Greaney, Antony Licata and Neil ambassador Atkinson to build up the Mahogany

Russell says

“The main thing to consider is ‘what makes this year your year to enter this award?’

What are you doing that is really different, why is it better than anyone else – what is the thing you bring that is going to make you a finalist or better still, a winner? Be honest and realistic in your answers. Look at your current areas of strength and think of ways to increase the buzz about this in your salon and in the press. Look at the entry details and plan activity to support criteria. Ideas naturally evolve, so my advice would be to start well in advance and leave ample time for revisions.

Sometimes when you are close to something, you need a third party to make sure your message is clear, so it’s worth giving it to friends to read. You want to get the message across to the judges succinctly and in an appealing way, so outside opinions are really good at keeping you on track. If a nonhairdressing person understands and likes it then you’ve done your job!

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Antony says

“The information you provide should be precise and to the point – answer the question and avoid excessive waffle and repetition! You can enter lots of categories but if you do so you need to make each submission different. I suggest entering a maximum of two to three categories as you won’t excel in every category. When you do enter, remember you are competing with yourself and, win or not, the benefit gained is huge as it forces you to take a good look at your business. And if you’ve entered the competition before and are questioning why you’ve never won, use the application process as a benchmark of how your business has moved forward from last year.”

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Business Awards

Mark von der Meden

Michael Travers

Catherine Handcock

Mark von der Meden’s career with Henkel started back in 2001 when he joined the group as international assistant brand manager. Since then he’s worked in Austria as the regional sales and marketing manager for professional beauty care in Eastern Europe, and took up his current position in January. Mark is dedicated to helping salons increase turnover through a variety of business-building measures and hopes to support Schwarzkopf Professional salons to put the customer first to help sustain and promote their businesses in the future.

Having worked as a business consultant in the engineering, automotive and medical professions for many years, Michael Travers set up his own business consultancy firm in 2006. He began working with salons in 2009 to assist owners and employees to develop a more structured and professional approach to managing business, people and their finances. Michael’s areas of expertise include helping salon owners make the transition from sole trader to limited company, HR policies and compliance, as well as advising salon owners on pensions and retirement planning. He has also worked closely with Schwarzkopf Professional on developing financial training courses for salon owners.

Catherine Handcock is the founder and publisher of Alfol Ltd, which produces Creative HEAD Ireland.

She launched the magazine back in 2007 following the runaway success of its sister title Creative HEAD UK. Passionate about hairdressing – both the creative and the business sides – Catherine has used her more than 20 years of industry experience to extend the Creative HEAD brand to include awards events, a website, an app, a private members club and a highly successful business networking event, creating a media portfolio that truly delivers. Creative HEAD Ireland has been the media partner to the IHBA since it launched in 2007.

Mark says

Michael says

Head of Marketing, Schwarzkopf Professional Ireland & UK

“This is my first year and I’m looking for a creative approach from entrants.

People who are daring and want to create new benchmarks for the industry are the kind of people I’m looking for so don’t be shy about your ideas and don’t overthink your application.

Sometimes you can change the industry with a small but smart idea. Simple yet revolutionary approaches don’t need to cost lots of money but are vital to help sustain and drive business development. If you’re an entrepreneur who is willing to take risks, change the rules and put the customer first then you’ll stand out.

But, the biggest mistake you can make is not applying.”

business consultant

“When reviewing entry forms, I’ll be looking for businesses that have approached their applications in a structured and focused way. I want to see how you control and measure key performance indicators – sales, profit, customer satisfaction and employee performance – as well as your ability to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of local competitive environments and how you stay ahead of the game. Successful businesses are always looking ahead and planning for the future, so I don’t just want to see what has been done this year, I want to see what you are going to do next year and beyond and if those projections are realistic.”

publisher, Alfol Ltd

Catherine says

“The main thing is that the entry is put together by the salon itself, rather than by a PR. It doesn’t matter whether you use 100 words or 1,000 – the judges have got to feel the passion!

The best way to do this is to get the team involved. Brainstorm together to work out what you want to include and how you want to showcase your content. You’ll also see things through the team’s eyes and gain a fresh perspective on your business. Just because it’s business doesn’t mean it can’t be creative! If you are including imagery, keep the standard high – a bad photo can ruin a judge’s impression and if it looks like it’s been thrown together at the last minute, the judges will feel like you’re not taking the competition – or them – seriously.”

The closing date for entries is 21 June.

Additional information can be found on www.ihbawards.ie Creative Head Ireland 27

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6ce3nt of

*Survey conducted by Creative HEAD magazine between January and February 2013

per yal o l e r a n e wom n to one salo

t a h W n e m o w t n a w

8 1 per ce

nt of women they tr say ust the ir hairdr ess

er advice ’s

Women are desperate to love their hair and Creative HEAD knows exactly how you can help. Aside from bouncy blow-drys and cute crops, our survey of 500 female consumers* reveals the extras you need to be offering to become a client's best friend forever

6c4ent of

per nt to a w en wom products ew try n

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what women want

85 per

cent of female clients have never used Groupon or Living Social

Oppo rtu nity: There you have it - more than four-fifths of fema le clients are not interested in flitting from one barga in basem ent deal to the next. What clients want is value for their hard-earned mone y…

“So many salon owners are striving to get new clients but sometimes it’s about keeping the clients you have,” says Wayne Lloyd, owner of the Wayne Lloyd salon group in Cork. “When you’re cutting your prices, something has to give and that something is usually service.” Having worked for many years in London, Wayne now splits his time between his two salons located in Ballydehob and Bandon and says that the mentality of his clients in both is the same.

“Women are much more careful these days and are looking for value for money, so if they spend E100, they want to something worth E120.”

This is something Niall Colgan has seen first hand in his Limerick salon, Niall Colgan Hairdressing. “Every client wants to look sexy and feel beautiful – amazing hair isn’t cheap so they’re prepared to pay for quality.”

The salon has maintained the same price points since it opened in 2009 and puts its success down to a focus on customer service.

“There’s an attitude in the salon that whether the client wears Penney’s or Prada, we give them the same service, the same sense of pride in their appearance and, hopefully, they leave the salon looking and feeling special,” he adds.

But if money is an issue for your existing clients, how can you meet their demands without underselling yourself and your business?

Eddie Mulligan, owner of the Hype salon group, explains that often it’s not what you’re selling but the way you sell it. “Everybody wants

something for free but it’s about how you sell it. Instead of cutting our prices we decided to formulate a menu of couture services, which include treatments and products that give clients value for money,” he explains. “The south-east has the highest rate of unemployment in the country so it’s been hard to keep our prices up when every other salon around you is offering haircuts and blow-dry services for less than E15 and clients only come back every 16 weeks. But, instead of underselling ourselves, we thought about the extra touches that clients would find hard to pass by.”

Among their many client-friendly initiatives, Hype runs Monopoly Mondays where clients win hair vouchers to use while in the salon and the group’s youth venture, Urban Hype, offers younger clients more budget-friendly prices in a salon that is specifically geared to their tastes.

This idea of rewarding loyalty is something Wayne Lloyd has also experienced success with.

“Just like the major supermarkets that give points to their customers, we give 10 per cent of a client’s spend back to them in points,” he explains. “As the year goes on, the points add up and after a year, most clients will be able to redeem a free appointment. It’s about working towards something rather than taking something away and ultimately underselling yourself, your salon and your talent, which will just put customers off in the long run.”

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42 per cent of

clients only change their style for a special occasion

Oppo rtu nity: Change can be scary, which is why most clients stick to the same look. It's your job to empower them with the confidence to try some thing new and arm them with the tools and tips to recreate the style at home

Tailor-made

The Saks Art Team, led by creative director Alison Dace, recently undertook a survey of more than 100 Saks clients to find out what inspiration they want for their hair. The results were used as the basis for the brand’s latest collection, Desire, featuring six soughtafter styles including Fully Fit, which focuses on achieving shine and vitality. Check out fashion from page 41 for the full collection

Power to the people

For Galway salon Yourells, inspiring their clients starts with inspiring their staff. “I think clients hate change but one of the main reasons they change hairdresser or leave a salon is because they aren’t 100 per cent happy with their existing style but are afraid to ask for advice,” co–owner Anna Forde reveals.

“One way we’ve tried to prevent this is by training our staff to embrace change every season and look towards the catwalks for inspiration. Every season we run our ‘Make a Change’ initiative where all of the staff – stylists, colourists and trainees – piece together a selection of moodboards so that we can create five new looks that we then use as our trademark looks for the season.”

But not every client will want to follow a catwalk trend or change with the season so Yourells also use their consultations as the opportunity to really listen.

Show and Tell

When the dynamic Davey Davey duo Ian and Paul launched Davey Davey TV in August 2012, they knew they were pioneers but were confident it would be well received.

“When we launched Davey Davey TV we knew that we were doing something innovative,” Ian Davey explains. “We wanted to give back to the client and educate them about all the gorgeous trend driven styles there are out there and inspire them and give them the confidence to come into the salon, knowing exactly what they’re looking for.”

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what women want

56

Oppo rtu nity:

Give clients some th ing to ta lk ab ou t with th eir friends by crea ting an incr ed ible sa lon expe rie nce. From lu xu rious features and qu irky inte rio rs to mouth-wa te ring re fre sh me nts, ma ke it your miss io n to crea te a re la xing re treat tha t wome n ca n't re sis t sharing with th eir friends

per cent of people choose a salon based on a friend’s recommendation

Tea fo r two

“Above all, the look of a salon’s interior manifests the experience the client can expect, so it’s hugely important that it reflects your work and creative

ethos. If it’s overly pretentious, clients will feel intimidated and if it’s too laid-back you’ll look

unprofessional, neither of which will be good for

business. Look at your target client and think about what will appeal to them. And don’t forget the three Cs: Cleanliness, Comfort and Climate”

Kevin Newman-Knott, Ireland and UK Operations Manager for Maletti

Pamper Palace

At boutique Dublin salon Aviary Lane, the devil is in the detail. Alongside a selection of teas, high-quality coffees and hot chocolate, owners Pam and Elaine Sullivan also offer wine, beer and prosecco. But the real selling point is their selection of tempting treats.

From the homemade brownies and lemon drizzle cake to the French fancies and mini muffins, all refreshments are served on mismatched vintage china – complimentary of course – and asking for seconds (or thirds)

is encouraged! Speaking about their decision to include this extra special touch, co-owner Elaine says: “At Aviary Lane our intention has always been to make everyone who comes through our doors welcome from the offset. We pride ourselves on having a relaxed atmosphere, as we firmly believe that you get the best from people when they feel valued and comfortable.

Offering clients something to enjoy while they have their hair done sets the tone for the rest of their experience.”

Dylan Bradshaw and his team are known for their cutting and colouring techniques, but the private pamper suite at their new 3000 sq ft salon is something worth shouting about.

For no extra charge, up to four people can have their hair and make up done while sipping on prosecco and nibbling on Lindt chocolates in fluffy white

robes. There’s also a private en suite bathroom so clients can shower if they’re coming straight from work and leave their bags overnight in secure holding cupboards, which can be picked up the next morning or couriered to their homes. And, if the weather is good, clients can enjoy their refreshments on the secluded, heated terrace.

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*Aveda Invati survey, carried out on 2,000 women aged 20-50

46 per cent of

women are concerned with thinning hair, but only 25 per cent of them act on it*

Oppo rtu nity:

With ha irloss and ha ir th inning af fe ct ing four ou t of 10 wome n globally, th ere is se rious mone y to be made by offe ring products and se rvices tha t he lp clients ke ep th eir locks fo r longer. It's a se ns itive su bject bu t on e tha t you ne ed to be ta lki ng abou t

The facts

It is estimated that hair loss now affects 25 per cent of the female population of Ireland. Keith Hobbs, clinical director at the Institute of Trichologists, believes that there are many reasons why the number of women experiencing female pattern hair loss is growing.

“Increasing cases of hormonal imbalances during pregnancy and after the menopause, environmental damages from UV rays or hair thinning caused by dietary deficiencies or illness have resulted in female hair loss becoming a growing concern. And, distressingly, the patchiest areas are often where a woman parts her hair.”

From Nioxin Diaboost to Kérastase Densifique, in-salon treatments that can help boost hair density are becoming increasingly common and effective, offering clients the best alternative to surgery, but if a client doesn’t acknowledge their condition, can salons broach this delicate subject in a sensitive way?

Greg Clarke, owner of Dublin salon Collage Hair Group, believes that approaching the subject is indeed the most challenging aspect. “Something has happened in the past couple of years and there is definitely an increase in the number if women who are experiencing problems with hair loss and thinning,” he says.

“We need to address the issue and provide products and services that will benefit and strengthen the hair, thicken it and prevent further hair loss.”

So what kind of a consultation does he recommend?

“Approach it the same way you would approach a client who has grey hair. What people don’t want is for someone to point out that their hair is fine – they will have noticed that themselves – they just want a solution. Hairdressers aren’t doctors and nor are they miracle workers, but if a client wants to go down the cosmetic route then we need to offer them a solution.”

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what women want

Kristen McMenamy for Calvin Klein A/W10, image courtesy Redken

*According to research carried out by L’Oréal Professionnel

Women aged 45 and over make up the largest group of clients getting their hair coloured in-salon*

Creative Head Ireland 33

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Oppo rtu nity:

Wh en it come s to ha ir colou r, gr ey co ve rage is a majo r concern fo r most wome n aged 45 and over. So instead of let ting th em st ru gg le with at-hom e dye kits - home co lou r still accounts fo r 42 pe r ce nt of all blond es give clients a reason to come into th e sa lon

“The 45+ woman is our heartland,” explained Lesley Szpiro, senior manager of consumer market insights for L’Oréal Professionnel at a launch event for INOA UltraBlond. According to a report conducted by Enterprise Ireland, the over-50s have a declared annual income of more than E6.5 billion. Couple that with its other finding that as the population is getting older the number of customers aged 50 and over will double in the next 30 years, and you quickly realise that the grey euro is big business.

The big brands are well aware of the profitable opportunities afforded by greying hair, with 100 per cent grey coverage guaranteed now being the norm.

Of women visiting salons, one in four want to go blonde, so dazzle your greying hair clients with luminous colour from some of the biggest brands. Wella Professionals’ Illumina Color protects the cuticles so that they maintain their clarity, while INOA UltraBlond from L’Oréal Professionnel offers up to five levels of lift in one application. With the older lady in mind, the brand also offers INOA Suprême, the first age-defying, ammonia-free hair colour that works to increase hair density to leave it looking and feeling fuller. Other brands, such as ammonia-free Chromatics by Redken offers up to 100 per cent white coverage, while the recently relaunched Igora Royal from Schwarzkopf Professional now offers up to 50 per cent longer colour retention. Joico’s Vero K Pak Color Age Defy collection now includes nine new brunette, copper and red shades, also offer optimum care throughout the colouring process. And for the more adventurous client, take the lead from Helen Mirren’s pastel pink hue at the 2013 BAFTAs and introduce them to Fudge Paintbox, an extensive range of semi-permanent and daring shades.

Top tip For greying clients reluctant to colour their hair, encourage them to embrace their natural shade with help from a silver shampoo and conditioner. Davines Alchemic range offers colour maintenance hair care products that use pure pigments to enhance both natural and coloured hair.

Little Helpers: Els Philips, Educat ion Manager at Joico Eu ro pe.

“A really good solution as part of the service of grey coverage can be to have the client come back in between appointments, say after three weeks, to touch up the new root s only at the hairline and parting. It takes only 30 minutes and can be part of the service or priced as part of a package, and it is the best service you can offer grey-haired clients wanting a darker or reddish shade. It’s not just about what technology can do, but about the approach the salon or stylist takes.”

Creative Head Ireland 33

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These are earley images of m e working onst-ag aged 14 my first show was to 250s hairdresser e in Lincolnshir

Roots of Success When he’s not shooting with David Bailey and working for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, he’s tending to clients’ tresses in the salon or devising programmes for the Joico Design Team as vision director. Here, scissor king Gianni Scumaci talks to Creative HEAD Ireland about his hectic schedule, his career-defining moments and where it all began

Creative Head Ireland 34

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Behind the scenes on a Kate Spade campaign

Gianni scumaci

'The Fanni' on Sunset Boulevard I'd never seen my work that close up before

Vidal defied the notion of 'never get too close to your idol', he was always there for me The inception “I wanted a Rubik’s Cube and it cost £7, so my dad told me I had to work for it,” begins Gianni, who aged nine arrived at his father’s two-chair barbershop in Lincoln for his first day at work.

For Gianni, hairdressing was definitely a family affair; his grandparents on both sides were hairdressers – one of whom opened the family barbershop more than 50 years ago in a converted council house – and at 21 his mother already owned a salon.

By the age of 11 Gianni was cutting his woodwork teacher’s hair at school and charging his chums for a lunch break spruce up, before going home to work in his father’s shop. “I was inspired by Bruce Lee and adamant that practise makes perfect – to the point that my parents were worried I was too enthusiastic,” says Gianni. “I even gave up football. Hairdressing sustained our family and I wanted to be a part of it.”

My hero It’s impossible to talk about Gianni’s career without reference to the late Vidal Sassoon. Fighting back the tears, Gianni, who shares a birthday with the hairdressing legend, cannot even begin to express his love and gratitude for the man. “He is in my soul,” says Gianni, who arrived in London aged 18 to be interviewed for the position of a Sassoon Varderer.

“My mother was the first one to tell me about Vidal when I was a young boy. He had stopped her in the

street once and after learning about him from such an impressionable age, I immediately had a strong sense that was where I wanted to work,” explains Gianni. “Either that or give up.”

“Even though I was four years too young for the role, I was very honest and they gave me a chance. I lived in a hostel in Lancaster Gate and had no money, but I was living the dream – by the time I was 21 I was looking after 30 staff in the Sloane Street salon, the youngest was 16 and the oldest was 94! It was here that I became the brand’s youngest creative director.”

Gianni adds: “In 1995 I had only been in London three weeks and I heard on the radio that Vidal was in town for London Fashion Week. I was determined to meet him, so I took my ‘Vidal Sassoon’ kit-bag to help me get through backstage security. I eventually got as far as the PR who wouldn’t let me through. She went and talked to Vidal in his private suite and he agreed to see me – the next thing I knew I was sitting with him watching the Alexander McQueen show. Vidal was always there for his staff, I wrote to him when I qualified and he wrote back an extraordinary letter, it was the beginning of a special connection.”

Models and muses Hair aside, Gianni has also been responsible for numerous street castings for advertising campaigns and is constantly called upon by international modelling agencies to scout new faces and shape their look for new fashion trends.

“Finding models just comes naturally to me,” he

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Stella Tennant is my favourite model. This shot for Italian Vogue was taken on my 30th birthday on a beach in India

Hanalore Knoutgues for Italian V ss - the dre p wouldn't kee I its shape so e had to hid ! underneath it explains. “I have an intuition, I sense something about them. It’s like hunting, you learn quickly how to survive and it’s become a big part of what I do.”

His most famous catch was Swedish model Fanni Bostrom, who arrived in the salon with a bob and left with an eccentric but versatile take on a mullet that catapulted her to stardom. “Fanni wore skater chic and had a real brashness about her. I thought, “let’s test her attitude” and I cut her hair. When she left I was expecting a call from her modelling agency to complain but they didn’t call because she never went back.”

Instead, Bostrom went to a bar and was spotted by a photographer who wanted to use her for a campaign.

Word of the look spread like wildfire through the trendsetting community on both sides of the Atlantic and Fanni went on to appear in editorials for The Face and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as walking for a number of American

and British designers. Gianni, too, was thrust into the spotlight, with a global tour of Europe, the US and the Far East, before being invited to Hollywood to advise Academy Award nominees on their visual presentation, which is where his next encounter with Vidal took place.

“I was at the Academy Awards doing the hair in a hotel and the phone rang. It was Vidal, and he wanted to meet me the next day,” recalls Gianni. “He picked me up to take me for breakfast and insisted on driving me in his Jaguar to his home. I will never forget what he gave me on that visit, his advice, insight and guidance was overwhelming but it has shaped me as a hairdresser and a person ever since.”

Back in the salon Today, Gianni continues to work with the best in the business, such as photographer David Bailey. “He is oldschool and only ever shoots on film,” explains Gianni.

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Gianni scumaci

This page: A selection OF images of GIANNI’S muse, Jazmine, in his INCREDIBLE new book entitled Hair. but Don’t be fooled by the simple title, this visual feast is about so much more. photography

by Colin Roy.

“He doesn’t suffer fools gladly but is one of the most sensitive people I have ever met, it’s a privilege to be around him. We share the same process, he seeks the truth within someone, finds it quickly and captures it.”

It’s this process that Gianni uses with his clients at Stannard & Slingsby in Kensington, London where he has worked in-between commitments for the past five years.

“Ultimately, making someone feel good is what it’s always been about for me,” says Gianni. “Someone once said to me you have two ears and one mouth and you should use them in that ratio. The consultation is key to the most important element of it all – suitability.”

About a brand When asked to sum up his career, Gianni replied: “What luck. I was exposed to a lot at a young age and have always been championed by great people. Now I want to give something back.” It was this desire to give back that led Gianni to join haircare brand Joico as its vision director.

Brought in to create a culture for the brand and

develop a creative team, much of Gianni’s work is behind the scenes, which he believes puts him in a privileged position. “When I was first approached I saw a real opportunity for me to build a hairdressing family and help it to grow,” he says. Gianni acts as a mentor for the Joico Design Team and has a distinctively strong approach when working with it. “In today’s society it’s ingrained that everything should be instant, including career success,” he explains. “But it’s only in the dictionary that success comes before work.”

From his recently published book, simply titled Hair, to his referencing how instinct and intuition has got him where he is today, perhaps the most remarkable thing about Gianni is his modesty. But, it seems his astounding success has as much to do with sheer determination and hunger for creativity as it has to do with luck. n

Want to see more from Gianni’s book and some of his other amazing projects?

Go to Creativeheadmag.com now!

Creative Head Ireland 37

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fashion

“We did tonnes of research for this collec tio n on what women wa nt from their hair. We met with tho usa nds of con sum ers and put a collec tio n tog ether tha t contains the top loo ks women tru ly desire”

“It’s really easy to recreate this look, the key is to build texture into the hair w ith products and then when the hair is in the high ponyta il, loosen the text ure to keep it loo king softer and mo re casual. Clients love it”

“W ith the styling w e w anted it to be ultra-feminine, w ith a da ytim e vib e.

The aim w as to crea te a timeless look , so w e w ent w ith w ardrob e ba sics like the w hite T- sh irt”

“The make-up is linked to the sexiest and most feminine era, the ’60s, but we added a bit of colour and a few subtle touches to bring the eyes up-To-date”

Storyboard Honing in on the needs of their female clients, the Saks Art Team launches its easy-to-style Desire collection, led by art director Alison Dace

Creative Head Ireland 41

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Fashion Promotion

All woman Versatile and timeless. Here are the styles at the top of clients’ wish lists, courtesy of the Saks Art Team Photography Catherine Harbour

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Hair Alison Dace and the Saks Art Team Make-up Lan Nguyen Styling Emma Saville

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Twist &shout Revolutionary and iconic, the styles of the ’60s marked a new era of self-expression, and an airport stopover in Asia gave Scott Sloan the unlikely inspiration to explore them through fresh eyes half a century later

Photography Andrew O’Toole

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Fashion

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Hair Scott Sloan, Sloans of Lane Cove, Sydney, Australia Styling Mikey Ayoubi Make-up Kylie O’Toole

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20/5/13 16:09:43

THE LAST WORD

You rule!

There’s a difference between being assertive and being aggressive, so why do so many salon owners and managers confuse the two? Gilli Bruce reveals why learning how to be assertive is vital for salon success…

I Often find that salon managers are untrained or are inexperienced in how to manage colleagues and clients. Hairdressers are creative people and often the stylists who get promoted to managerial level or decide to open their own salon are unable to manage difficult situations with colleagues and clients, because the skills that make a great hairdresser are not the same skills that make a great manager.

As a manager or owner, being able to solve problems, motivate, challenge and stimulate the people you work with and make the whole team feel enthusiastic about their job is all part of the role – before you even meet a client. So what’s the best way to achieve all of the above so that your clients don’t suffer? Learning how to be assertive.

But what does being assertive really mean? The key to assertiveness is measured responses but so often it’s confused with being rude, confrontational or aggressive, when it’s actually the complete opposite if done correctly.

Assertive behaviour is only natural for very few of us, for most of us it’s a learnt skill. Just as we learn our skill with scissors and comb, we can learn assertiveness.

Do you feel that you handle difficult situations with colleagues or clients in the best possible way? Would you like to manage your responses and reactions in more resourceful ways? I question why so many managers are so hesitant to be assertive and it all boils down to the very

human need to retain friendly relationships. When you’re working closely with people you have to get along, but if you want to succeed as a manager or a business owner, you need to be able to balance working relationships.

You’re not there to be their friend.

When we act assertively, we focus on people, we focus on the job and we make people accountable for their actions, including ourselves. If you bite your tongue when you should have spoken up – then you wait until you are at breaking point and eventually lose the plot and shout at people when you’re under pressure – your staff won’t respect you, and why should they?

Assertiveness training is a key part of management development. And it’s also about learning to manage ourselves. If you act in ways that alienate people, be that too hard or too soft, your staff will withdraw. Assertive behavior is the middle way where we focus people on objectives in a very adult manner and make them accountable for their actions and their performance.

It should be looked upon as a virtual toolbox – we don’t have to be assertive all the time, it’s not a state of mind. We just need to be assertive when the situation demands.

Gilli Bruce is a training expert who specialises in development courses for the hair and beauty industry. Want to have your say?

Email Aoibhinn@headmag.ie

Creative Head Ireland 50

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21/5/13 09:28:36

Manage your hair salon with the NEW Casio EPoS Solution Android is a technology we are all used to when it comes to smartphones, the platform controls roughly half of the UK market. But what if we take this reliance on smart technology to organise our business, as well as our personal lives?

Enter the Casio VR-100 business support terminal – a device that manages your reservations, stock data, bank card payments, customer loyalty schemes, all at the point of sale.

The range of applications through the Android platform make the VR-100 a great tool to help grow your business.

For more information

T +44 (0)20 8208 9510 E BSD@casio.co.uk

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17/04/2013 07:49

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