Forma Issue 17 by HITO

2014 INDUSTRY AWARDS Industry Training for Barbering, Beauty & Hairdressing

t’s that time of year again; the days are longer and warmer, Christmas is quickly approaching, and it’s almost time to bid farewell to 2014.

This year has been an eventful one for HITO, filled with many milestones. Some of my personal highlights include our first ever graduation ceremony, our official name change (to the New Zealand Hair & Beauty Industry Training Organisation Inc.) and the first HITO Apprentice Boot Camp. Of course, every year one of my favourite events has to be the Industry Awards. This year we hosted the awards in Wellington, and it was great to see so many people come along to celebrate excellence in training, creativity and business. To all our finalists and winners – congratulations! You each deserve your title, and I’m looking forward to working with you in 2015. Congratulations also to the winners of the Kitomba/NZARH Business Awards, the Patrick Cameron Challenge, NZARH Oceanic Competition, and NZARH Editorial Stylist Award. You should be very proud of what you’ve achieved. If you couldn’t make it to the Industry Awards, we have details on all the winners plus photos from the night in this issue of Forma. Another key event in our HITO calendar each year is WorldSkills. Since the national competition in July, our gold, silver and bronze medalists (Jenny Eastwood, Ashlee Van Wijk and Nadine Gratton) have been working hard to prepare for the next step. One of them will be chosen to represent New Zealand in Brazil next year as part of the “Tool Blacks” team. Read our WorldSkills update in this issue to find out what these talented stylists have been up to. This year the HITO team challenged themselves to live a healthy lifestyle in all areas. Many of us took up no-sugar and no-junk-food challenges, exercised more and learned how to manage stress better. We’re not alone. Across New Zealand, businesses are realising the importance of looking after staff health and well-being. Find out how to keep workplaces fit and healthy by reading our health-focused articles this issue. We hope you have enjoyed Forma magazine this year. We would love to hear from you if you have any feedback or if there’s anything you would like to see in Forma next year. Please drop us a line at enquiries@hito.org.nz.

ERICA CUMMING, HITO CEO

However 2014 has been for you, your team or your business, it's exciting to think the New Year holds a fresh start. Looking ahead, I encourage you to start thinking about your goals for 2015. Think about what you want to achieve, where you see yourself going, and what person you want to be. Vern McLellan says that “what the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year.” So let’s commit to bringing our best to make 2015 a productive and dynamic year and see 2014 out in style. Until next time.

rise to the top at the industry awards Wellingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shed 6 came alive on Sunday 9 November, when professionals from across the country gathered to acknowledge the best in the industry at the 2014 Industry Awards.

2014 INDUSTRY AWARDS 01

RISE TO THE TOP AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FAMILY, WITH DENISE AND MURRAY MCBETH - L-R JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE, LOUISE DUNCAN, JACQUI MALCOLM, JOEL HORNELL, MOANA RIDDELL

he day began at 11am with the NZARH Oceanic Competition. Competitors from across New Zealand and Australia competed in cut and conversion events, vying for the title of Oceanic Master.

guests and discussing the importance of acknowledging the best in our industry. HITO CEO Erica Cumming said: “It was wonderful to see the support and enthusiasm for the awards and award winners this year. Congratulations to all of our finalists and winners – you have worked hard to rise to the top. I’m looking forward to seeing your careers grow even further in 2015.”

Midway through the day, guests and competitors had the opportunity to mingle at the awards ceremony for the NZARH Editorial Stylist and Patrick Cameron competition. The Editorial Stylist Award is a photographic competition, while the Patrick Cameron competition gives one lucky winner the chance to spend a day training with Patrick Cameron himself. The Patrick Cameron competition winner this year was Robyn Kirkwood from Ainsleys Hair Design in Auckland. They also announced the regional winners for the Editorial Stylist Award.

Tom Murphy, founder of Kitomba, said: “As the awards have matured, we’ve seen many people enter the awards several years running. Each entry adds valuable ideas and learnings which enable them to improve their business and their education. It enables them to re-enter better, stronger and become ultimately more successful. In my experience, none of us are an overnight success. Your success is the culmination of talent, hard work, dedication, passion and perseverance. Tonight, you, our finalists, have risen to the top and we’re so proud to support your success”.

The competitors returned to the competition floor for the second half of the Oceanic competition. This ended at 4pm, giving everyone plenty of time to get ready for the evening awards. Guests began to arrive at 6pm. They mingled in the foyer, enjoying the food and the images. They had the opportunity to vote for their favourite image displayed for the HITO Hairdresser in Training Photographic Competition.

Erica also read out a message from Steven Joyce, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, and Employment. Minister Joyce congratulated our winners and acknowledged the hard work and support they needed to make it this far. He encouraged them to continue taking every opportunity for success.

The main event space opened at 7pm. The guests entered a fantastic underwater wonderland, with room decorations perfectly matched to the theme of ‘Rise to the Top’. After a delicious entrée, the awards began.

After their welcome, it was time to acknowledge the NZARH award winners.

Rebecca Brent, owner of Willis York and L’Oreal Colour Trophy Winner for 2014, hosted the awards. Rebecca began by introducing the representatives from HITO, Kitomba, and NZARH. Each gave a speech, welcoming our finalists and

Robyn Kirkwood, Patrick Cameron competition winner, was acknowledged again, along with the fifteen Editorial Stylist regional winners. Then it was time to announce the overall Editorial Stylist Award winner, as well as the Oceanic Master.

ERICA CUMMING. LYNETTE KARAM-WHALLEY AND TOM MURPHY WELCOME OUR GUESTS

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY AWARDS VENUE

HITO REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR WINNERS (L-R): NADINE GRATTON, JENNY EASTWOOD, TRENT FLEET, KEVIN PRICE, COURTNEY JACKSON, RACHEL PATARANA, SARAH SMITH

JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE, 2013 JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT, INTRODUCES THE JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIALS SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2014

CELESTE HERLIHY, OCEANIC MASTER 2014 (RIGHT) AND HER MODEL

FUSE CIRCUS PERFORM AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

JACQUI MALCOLM AND COURTNEY JACKSON OF BE BA BO

OUR HOSTS, BELINDA ROBB OF BIBA SALON AND REBECCA BRENT OF WILLIS YORK

KIMBERLEY HALL OF VENOM, NZARH EDITORIAL STYLIST 2014

REBECCA BRENT OF WILLIS YORK PRESENTS THE 2014 INDUSTRY AWARDS

LA VILLA HAIR AND BEAUTY, KITOMBA NZARH NEW ZEALAND SALON OF THE YEAR

THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

LAURA WILLIAMS, HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR 2013, PRESENTS THE HITO REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR 2014

ROBYN KIRKWOOD OF AINSLEYS HAIR DESIGN, PATRICK CAMERON COMPETITION WINNER

JACQUI MALCOLM, JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 2014 WITH JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE, JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 2013

RISE TO THE TOP AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

"Success is the culmination of talent, hard work, dedication, passion and perseverance."

We agree. You have done a fantastic job of representing your region and apprenticeship, and we look forward to seeing you grow in the industry.

From a record number of entries, this year the Editorial Stylist award went to Kimberley Hall of Venom in Invercargill. Finally the Oceanic Master was announced. After a tough day of competing, the stylist with the most points overall was Celeste Herlihy of Vie Hairdressing in New Plymouth.

Next was the HITO Tutor of the Year Award. In an exciting turn of events, this year we had a joint winner for this prize. Both Fiona Smith and Kirsty Ryan from WITT took away the title.

Next up were the HITO Annual Awards.

The next award announced was the HITO Trainer of the Year Award, won by Dionne Hardwick from Salon One the Cove. It was a successful night for Salon One, with their salon also a finalist in several of the Kitomba/NZARH Business Awards, and their apprentice Lauren Wine was a finalist for the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship.

First up were the winners of the HITO Hairdresser in Training Photographic Competition. There were three awards up for grabs – the Facebook People’s Choice Award, the Judges Choice Award, and the Awards People’s Choice Award. Abbie Harvey of Charlotte Dawn took away the Facebook People’s Choice Award with a record 810 likes, Courtney Jackson of Be Ba Bo took away the Awards People’s Choice Award, and Renee Edgarton of Promises Hair Design took away the Judges Choice Award. Thank you to our fantastic judges, Carla Thompson of H&B Hair Art and Beauty, Linley Wade of Hairscene Hair and Beauty, and Christa Rowling of Get Funkd Dixon Street. Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to our sponsor, A Sharper Blade, who provided the fantastic prizes for our winners.

Then was the HITO Training Salon of the Year Award, won by True Grit Hair Spa in Christchurch. True Grit were overwhelmed by their win, speaking on how difficult running a salon in Christchurch is, and how proud they were of their success. Finally, the recipient of the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship was announced. This year’s recipient was Jacqui Malcolm of Be Ba Bo. Jacqui was speechless over the honour.

For the first time this year we also held the See Your Work in Print Entrant of the Year Competition. Anyone who had their work published in Forma over the last year was eligible for this prize. The winner was decided using ‘likes’ on Facebook, and this year’s winner was Julieanne Hartshorne of Hi-Tek Hairdressing.

This year’s announcement was particularly special. Julieanne Hartshorne, 2013 recipient, presented the scholarship, while Jasmine McBeth’s parents, Denise and Murray, and Jasmine’s grandmother watched from the audience. Several past award recipients were also there. Jasmine was a dedicated hairdressing apprentice who showed commitment and passion for the industry, qualifying as a hairdresser while battling cancer. After Jasmine passed away her parents used the money Jasmine had saved to purchase her own salon. With HITO, they created a scholarship fund for hairdressing apprentices who show the same commitment and passion as Jasmine.

Up next we acknowledged the HITO Regional Apprentice of the Year winners. Laura Williams, HITO Apprentice of the Year for 2013, welcomed our winners to the stage with an inspiring speech. “My advice to the winner tonight is enjoy your time and make the most of it because a year passes by so quickly. Use this opportunity as a way to build upon your own personal brand. You will be amazed at how much you can improve and achieve in one year,” Laura said. “Congratulations to all the regional finalists, you’re all winners tonight.”

After a short break for dinner and entertainment, the Kitomba/ NZARH Business Awards were announced. Belinda Robb, owner of Biba Boutique Salon and former award winner, announced the winners of each award.

RISE TO THE TOP AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

THE BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS ARE: L'OREAL PROFESSIONEL GRAND SALON OF THE YEAR

2DEGREES EMPLOYER OF CHOICE

• Morph Hair, Hamilton

• Hair Scene Hair & Beauty, Whangaparoa

H&B BOUTIQUE SALON OF THE YEAR

WELLA FASTEST GROWING SALON

• La Villa Hair & Beauty, Lower Hutt

• Common Thread, Pukekohe

JUSTBOOKME BEST NEW ENTRANT

WELLA SUSTAINABLE SALON OF THE YEAR

• Protege Hairdressing, Wanganui

• Morph Hair, Hamilton

KITOMBA EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING

SCHWARZKOPF BUSINESS STYLIST OF THE YEAR

• Morph Hair, Hamilton

• Kristal Sargent – La Villa Hair & Beauty, Lower Hutt

The winner of the 2014 HITO Apprentice of the Year was Nadine Gratton of Ursula Harris Hair Design. This is also Nadine’s second win. In 2013 she was the Northern South Regional Apprentice of the Year. Nadine is also one of the WorldSkills competitors, training for the opportunity to represent New Zealand at WorldSkills International in Brazil.

Finally, the awards everyone was waiting for, the HITO Apprentice of the Year and the Kitomba/NZARH New Zealand Salon of the Year. The winner of the Kitomba/NZARH New Zealand Salon of the Year was La Villa Hair and Beauty. The judges picked a winner from the finalists for all other Kitomba/NZARH Awards categories that best represented all aspects of a top quality salon. It was a successful night for La Villa. Their salon took the H&B Boutique Salon of the Year Award while stylist and owner Kristal Sargent took away the Schwarzkopf Business Stylist of the Year Award.

Guests and winners rounded out the evening with drinks and dancing. The band were a big hit with everyone filling the dance floor. Congratulations to all the award winners, finalists and entrants. It is exciting to see your hard work and commitment.

The final award was the HITO Apprentice of the Year 2014. The judges chose the winner from amongst the HITO Regional Apprentice of the Year winners as the best ‘all-round’ apprentice in New Zealand. Courtney Jackson of Be Ba Bo was runner-up. This is Courtney’s second year with the title.

Thank you also to our sponsors: Dateline, Goldwell, L’Oreal, Shock Consult, Schwarzkopf, A Sharper Blade, and KJ Scissors. We couldn’t do it without you.

THE HITO 2014 WINNERS: HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

HITO TUTOR OF THE YEAR

• Nadine Gratton, Ursula Harris Hair Design, Nelson

• WINNERS: Fiona Smith and Kirsty Ryan both from WITT, New Plymouth

• RUNNER UP: Courtney Jackson, Be Ba Bo Hair Studio, New Plymouth

HITO TRAINER OF THE YEAR • WINNER: Dionne Hardwick, Salon One Hair and Beauty, Tauranga

HITO REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR • NORTHERN REGION: Kevin Price, Rodney Wayne, Glenfield Mall, Auckland

HITO TRAINING SALON OF THE YEAR

• AUCKLAND REGION: Trent Fleet, Bettjemans, Auckland

• WINNER: True Grit Hair Spa, Christchurch

• MIDLAND REGION: Jenny Eastwood Morph Hair Studio, Hamilton

HITO HAIRDRESSER IN TRAINING PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

• MID-CENTRAL REGION: Courtney Jackson, Be Ba Bo Hair Studio, New Plymouth

• JUDGES CHOICE: Renee Edgarton, Promises Hair Design, Upper Hutt

• CENTRAL REGION: Sarah Smith, Synergy Hairdressing, Lower Hutt

• PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Courtney Jackson, Be Ba Bo Hair Studio, New Plymouth

• NORTHERN-SOUTH REGION: Nadine Gratton, Ursula Harris Hair Design, Nelson

• FACEBOOK CHOICE: Abbie Harvey, Charlotte Dawn, Whangarei

• SOUTHERN-SOUTH REGION: Rachel Patarana, Fred and Gingers, Invercargill

SEE YOUR WORK IN PRINT ENTRANT OF THE YEAR • WINNER: Julieanne Hartshorne, Hi-Tek Hairdressing

JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP • RECIPIENT: Jacqui Malcolm, Be Ba Bo Hair Studio, New Plymouth

RISE TO THE TOP AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

SEE YOUR WORK IN PRINT ENTRANT OF THE YEAR

THE HITO HAIRDRESSER IN TRAINING PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

COURTNEY JACKSON FROM BE BA BO

JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE, HI-TEK HAIRDRESSING - SEE YOUR WORK IN PRINT ENTRANT OF THE YEAR WINNER.

RENEE EDGARTON FROM PROMISES HAIR DESIGN

ABIGAIL HARVEY FROM CHARLOTTE DAWN

GUESTS WERE SNAPPING AND HASH-TAGGING AWAY ON THE NIGHT – CHECK OUT SOME OF THE PHOTOS FROM OUR INSTAGRAM HASHTAG #IAWARDS2014

HITO 2014 winner profiles Meet the HITO winners.

2014 INDUSTRY AWARDS

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR RUNNER UP COURTNEY JACKSON (BE BA BO HAIR STUDIO) WITH APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR NADINE GRATTON (URSULA HARRIS HAIR DESIGN)

HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR WINNER AND NORTHERN SOUTH REGION WINNER

NADINE GRATTON Ursula Harris Hair Design, Nelson

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR NADINE GRATTON WITH KYLIE DALLEY (HITO)

Nadine Gratton is thrilled to be HITO’s 2014 Apprentice of the Year.

“I don’t remember ever having to think about what I should do after school, I just knew I wanted to do hairdressing,” she explains.

“Winning this award absolutely tops off my year,” she says. “It has been a massive goal and to finally achieve it is overwhelming.”

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Nadine says she’s looking forward to entering many competitions in the coming months. At the moment, her focus is on WorldSkills. Nadine took out the bronze medal at WorldSkills Nationals in July, giving her a chance to represent New Zealand in Brazil at an international competition next year.

After sitting her finals recently, this was Nadine’s last chance to apply for this award. She’s thankful to be able to finish her apprenticeship on such a high note. “It’s an amazing feeling and a privilege to be chosen,” she says.

Competing in WorldSkills is just one of the many opportunities that Nadine has taken advantage of over her apprenticeship. As the 2014 Apprentice of the Year, she hopes to show others how exciting a career in hairdressing can be, and just how many opportunities there are.

Nadine celebrated the win with her family, partner and colleagues who had all travelled to Wellington with her for the awards. For Nadine, a hairdressing career was always likely. At her high school she was able to take hairdressing as a subject, so when she finished school she already knew she loved working with hair.

HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP AND MID-CENTRAL REGION WINNER

COURTNEY JACKSON

HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP COURTNEY JACKSON WITH HITO CEO ERICA CUMMING

Be Ba Bo Hair Studio, New Plymouth

Courtney Jackson has again proved herself as one of the best apprentices in the country. She’s the top apprentice in the MidCentral region and was named runner-up for the national title.

career so far. Entering the industry at age 25 has also helped her to excel. She has brought her past work experience and life skills into her apprenticeship, something she couldn’t have done straight out of high school.

“It's such a good feeling,” she says. “I recently said to one of my colleagues that I would rather win Apprentice of the Year than win lotto. It means so much more when you work for it!”

Now that she’s nearing the end of her apprenticeship, Courtney is just as passionate about her career as ever. She enjoys the creativity involved in hairdressing, along with the way this industry supports continual growth and learning.

Courtney enjoyed re-doing her application this year, and she worked hard to ensure it would be even better than her last.

“I love how you can keep on learning new skills all the time,” she says. “There is always a challenge around the corner.”

“It was an incredible feeling to be one of the best last year. But now I have done so much more and grown so much more,” she explains. “It was a great opportunity to enter again as I had lots to add to my application.”

Courtney, her partner Aaron and her colleagues from Be Ba Bo all travelled down to Wellington for the awards.

Courtney believes it’s her determined attitude, passion and hard-working nature that have helped her succeed in her

KEVIN PRICE – HITO NORTHERN REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR WITH LAURA WILLIAMS, 2013 HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

TRENT FLEET – HITO AUCKLAND APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR WITH HITO CEO ERICA CUMMING

HITO

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

REGIONAL WINNERS ERICA CUMMING, JENNY EASTWOOD – HITO MIDLAND REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AND TRACEY STANWAY (HITO)

RYAN PIPER (HITO) AND SARAH SMITH – HITO CENTRAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AND HER MANAGER SASCHA ARMSTRONG

RACHEL PATARANA – HITO SOUTHERN SOUTH REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AND HER MANAGER NATASHA KING

HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR REGIONAL WINNERS

NORTHERN REGION

However, he didn’t always think he would be working in this industry.

KEVIN PRICE

“Like most young guys, I had no clue what I wanted to do, but I was very fortunate that hairdressing found me,” he explains. “It was something I took a liking to at a young age as a hobby, but I never thought of it as a job. After leaving school I was curious about giving it a go. Once I did, I never looked back.”

Rodney Wayne Glenfield Mall, Auckland Kevin Price is thrilled to be the HITO Northern Regional Apprentice of the Year.

Trent is currently working to build up a busy clientele, improve his skills and learn the technique and precision of cutting. His dream is to motivate up-and-coming apprentices and help them in their hairdressing journey; something that winning this award will help him to do.

“This win means so much. It’s such a compliment to everything I’ve achieved leading up to this award,” he says. His first year entering this award, Kevin says he decided to apply after his HITO Sales and Liaison Manager, his off-job training tutor and salon manager all encouraged him to give it a go.

“Winning this award is a responsibility that I am very excited to take on,” he says.

“I wasn’t expecting to win, but I was hopeful,” he says. When the winners were announced Kevin was at work, but he couldn’t hold back his excitement, yelling out through the salon that he had won. He says his colleagues, friends and family are all “wrapped” for him, and his parents, partner and salon trainer all joined him in Wellington for the awards night.

MIDLAND REGION

JENNY EASTWOOD Morph Hair Studio, Hamilton

For Kevin, his first taste of a career in hair was through Gateway (a programme where you can try out hairdressing while you’re still at high school). He started at Rodney Wayne Glenfield and after working there part-time for only one month, they offered him a full-time apprenticeship. Kevin jumped at the chance and hasn’t looked back, saying he loves “everything” about his chosen career path; “the people, the clients, the work”.

Hamilton’s Jenny Eastwood has had her eye on the Apprentice of the Year award since she began her hairdressing career. Now, nearing the end of her second year as an apprentice, she’s stoked to have taken out the regional title for Midland. “I’m so grateful, and a bit overwhelmed,” she says. “Everything I’ve done and every opportunity I’ve taken so far, it has been with this award in mind.”

Right now, Kevin is focusing on finishing his training, and he aims to be a fully qualified stylist by April 2015. He says that being a regional winner will keep him moving forward in his hairdressing career.

It’s not just Jenny who’s on cloud nine after the awards. The whole team at Morph Hair Studio are celebrating a myriad of wins from the weekend, including Kitomba Excellence in Marketing and L’Oreal Professionnel Grand Salon of the Year.

“It’s motivation to keep doing my best, and a challenge to continue achieving even higher.”

Jenny is grateful to be part of such an inspiring and supportive team.

AUCKLAND REGION

TRENT FLEET

“I don’t see this as my individual success, but as a team success. We all need someone to nurture, mentor, teach and open doors for us…I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without Morph.”

Bettjemans, Auckland

It has been a busy and exciting year for the 20-year-old who also won gold at WorldSkills Nationals in July. As a national WorldSkills winner, she now has a chance to compete in Brazil next year at the international WorldSkills competition.

Last year when he was at the 2013 Industry Awards, Auckland apprentice Trent Fleet said to himself that next time, he would be one of the people up on stage. Through hard work, Trent has made this dream come true. This year he was up on stage receiving the award for Auckland Regional Apprentice of the Year.

Interestingly, Jenny never intended to become a hairdresser. She began studying journalism when she first left high school but before long she realised that it wasn’t right. After being a friend’s hair model, Jenny’s eyes were opened to the world of high fashion hairdressing and she knew it was what she wanted to do.

“I feel like I'm on such a high,” he says. “To follow through with my goal and end up winning is an unreal feeling and motivates me more.”

“I haven’t had to work a single day since I began hairdressing… I’ve found my ‘thing’ and I feel very lucky to have done so at such a young age.”

Trent is doing his apprenticeship at Bettjemans in Auckland and says he loves every moment. He especially enjoys the social side of his career, whether it’s working with a great team or developing relationships with his clients.

HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR REGIONAL WINNERS

CENTRAL REGION

SARAH SMITH Synergy Hairdressing, Lower Hutt Sarah Smith says she has always tried to make the most of her time as an apprentice. Now nearing the end of her final year, she’s thrilled to be the Central region’s Apprentice of the Year winner. “I feel so lucky, and I appreciate the recognition of the hard work I have put into my apprenticeship,” she says. Sarah entered Apprentice of the Year after encouragement from her off-job training tutor Wanda Menchi, her manager Jade Clode and her HITO Sales and Liaison Manager Ryan Piper.

A PERFORMER FROM FUSE CIRCUS

“I know plenty of very talented apprentices in the central Wellington region, so I was very surprised and honoured to have won the regional award,” she adds.

SOUTHERN SOUTH REGION

RACHEL PATARANA

Sarah’s career in hair began five years ago when she picked up an after school job at a salon. She went on to study business management at university, but continued to work at the salon during this time. When she saw what the apprentices at the salon were doing, she thought it looked like something she would enjoy, so she decided to give it a go herself.

Fred and Gingers, Invercargill Rachel is a first-year apprentice at Fred and Gingers in Invercargill. She is the Southern South Apprentice of the Year and a finalist for the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship.

“I was already interested in hair, beauty and fashion, and knew I wanted to do something practical, so it all started from there,” she explains.

“I was over the moon when I found out I was a finalist.” Rachel says. “I wanted to push to be my best and be acknowledged as a damn good apprentice. Achieving this goal feels amazing.”

Sarah enjoys hairdressing because of the creativity involved, because she can help people feel good about themselves, and because of the diversity.

Rachel has worked with Natasha King (owner of Fred and Gingers and Karma) for eight years. Seven of those were as a nail technician and qualified make-up artist, involved in photographic and competition work with hairdressers. Natasha trained Rachel to back-up the hairdressers (doing colour and blow-waving), and she found her passion for hairdressing. It seemed like a natural next step to get her hairdressing qualification.

“I love how there are so many avenues you can take with hairdressing, like competitions, photo-shoots, and everyday salon life….it’s never boring! I also enjoy working with my team in the salon, we get on well.” For the new year, Sarah’s looking ahead to her next goal: to pass her finals and become a fully qualified stylist.

Rachel wants to develop her photographic work more and enter more competitions. She is also looking forward to representing her region as Southern South Apprentice of the Year. “It’s an honour to represent Southland,” Rachel says. “To be honest, I didn’t know I had it in me so early in my career. It’s just so exciting”. Rachel wants to stay in Southland and continue representing her region. She’s aiming to have a full clientele, and wants to be wellknown as a specialist in one area of hairdressing. “I’ve finally got my teeth into something that I love, and I’m not going to stop,” says Rachel. Rachel is especially grateful for the support she received from her boss and co-workers. “Natasha inspires us and pushes us to achieve our goals,” says Rachel. “When you’ve got someone like that as a friend and mentor you can’t go wrong.”

GUESTS VOTE ON THE HITO HAIRDRESSER IN TRAINING PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

JACQUI MALCOLM

JACQUI MALCOLM, JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT, WITH ERICA CUMMING, HITO CEO

Be Ba Bo, New Plymouth

Jacqui says receiving the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship is “such an honour”.

“Going to Be Ba Bo for Gateway was the highlight of my week,” Jacqui says. “I would never turn down an opportunity to prove how eager I was to be there. I would have volunteered all my time there if I had to”.

“Jasmine was such a passionate, determined, inspiring person who I will always look up to,” Jacqui says. “The scholarship will help me further my career and take on new challenges. I’ll help pass on my knowledge to anyone and everyone”.

Jacqui hopes to inspire others in the same way. She wants to pass on her skills to her team, teach apprentices, and inspire others by sharing her passion.

Jacqui recently completed her apprenticeship at Be Ba Bo in New Plymouth. Be Ba Bo did well at the awards, with Courtney Jackson taking away the runner-up Apprentice of the Year title.

“I have so much to give, and I want to give back to our incredible industry,” Jacqui says. “I’ve learned so much throughout my apprenticeship, and met so many amazing people. I’ve gained so much and plan to keep growing throughout my career”.

“I was extremely happy, excited, and a bit emotional when I found out I was a finalist,” Jacqui says. “I knew what a special award this was, so I put all my heart and effort into my application.”

Jacqui plans to take every opportunity that comes her way.

Jacqui always knew she wanted to be a hairdresser. She got involved in the industry as soon as she could, completing the Gateway programme through her high school.

“I’ve already conquered some of my dreams, and I’ve got so much more to look forward to,” Jacqui says. “What an exciting journey ahead!”

JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

FINALIST

LAUREN WINE Salon One the Cove, Tauranga Lauren is an apprentice at Salon One the Cove in Tauranga. The awards this year have been a success for Salon One, with a finalist in the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship and her trainer Dionne Hardwick winning Trainer of the Year. Lauren found out she was a finalist when she was doing a client’s hair, and says she had to work hard to contain her excitement.

LAUREN WINE

“I felt a real sense of accomplishment,” Lauren says. Lauren was always ‘one of the boys’ growing up, but she still enjoyed watching her mother do her hair and make-up. Lauren started hairdressing at sixteen (she is now in the fourth year of her apprenticeship), and is also an internationally qualified make-up artist. “I’m learning and growing daily,” Lauren says, “It’s such a privilege to be working towards my hairdressing qualification at Salon One. I’ve got an amazing team and trainer by my side, pushing me to accomplish my goals”. Lauren feels greatly honoured and privileged to be chosen as a finalist for the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship. “I have great respect for what Jasmine’s parents are doing,” Lauren says. “She was a beautiful and talented person, and I’m honoured to be a finalist.” Lauren hopes to one day work in the film and photography industry, and to travel around the world. “I want to accept every opportunity made available to me and be the best I can be,” says Lauren.

FINALIST

RACHEL PATARANA Fred and Gingers, Invercargill Rachel was lucky enough to be a finalist for HITO Apprentice of the Year and the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship. You can read more about Rachel with the other Regional Apprentice of the Year winners on page 13.

RACHEL PATARANA

HITO TRAINER OF THE YEAR WINNER

DIONNE HARDWICK

HITO TRAINER OF THE YEAR DIONNE HARDWICK WITH HITO CEO ERICA CUMMING

Salon One the Cove, Tauranga

Dionne felt honoured when they announced her as the winner of HITO Trainer of the Year 2014.

Winning this award was confirmation that all her hard work has paid off, Dionne says.

“I would like to thank my salon,” Dionne says. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”

“Winning the Trainer of the Year award is the highlight of my career. It is an endorsement for my constant hard work and achievements”.

Dionne is the salon trainer at Salon One in Tauranga. Salon One have a strong focus on apprenticeship training, hiring two new apprentices each year. Senior staff also receive regular training. Dionne’s aim is to plan training to meet the needs of all her learners.

Dionne is particularly grateful for the support she receives from her co-workers. With their continuing support, Dionne plans to continue training apprentices at Salon One. “Salon One provides the utmost support for up and coming hairdressers,” Dionne says. “Working in an environment like that is vital to me.”

Dionne loves watching stylists constantly evolve both personally and professionally. “To take someone new to the industry and teach them to be confident in their chosen art form is a feeling that’s second to none,” Dionne says.

“Training is so important for this industry.” Dionne says. Her goal is to be part of the group of salon trainers, off job training organisations, and HITO, who work together to provide such vital training for our industry.

HITO TRAINER OF THE YEAR

FINALIST

SHANNON DOWD Zibido, Hamilton “When Tracey (Midland HITO Sales and Liaison Manager) phoned to tell me I was a finalist, I actually didn’t believe her,” Shannon says. “When it finally sunk in, I cried. I feel so honoured to be a finalist and one of the top three trainers in New Zealand”. Shannon is the trainer and owner at Zibido in Hamilton. Her salon has a strong focus on qualifications, with staff gaining their assessor units, national qualifications, and more. For Shannon, the most rewarding thing about being a trainer is seeing the journey an apprentice or stylist takes from “eager shy newbies to incredible stylists”. “I love seeing them learn something new and then nail it,” says Shannon. “Everyone’s journey is different, but helping anyone get results is extremely rewarding.”

SHANNON DOWD

Shannon has many plans for training, both in her salon and the industry. She would love to see a training support group for trainers, where they could meet to discuss ways to keep apprentices excited about training or the best way to put together a training schedule. She is keen to share her knowledge with any interested trainers. “We are so fortunate to have such talented hairdressers in New Zealand,” Shannon says. “I love our industry.” Training your staff keeps them up to date and motivated, and creates happy staff, happy clients, and a happy salon, Shannon says. “Exceptional training leads to exceptional stylists that lead to an exceptional industry,” Shannon says.

FINALIST

JENNIFER FINCH

True Grit Hair Spa, Christchurch “I felt over the moon when I heard I was a finalist,” Jennifer says. “It’s such an honour and a great feeling to have all your hard work recognised by the hairdressing industry.”

Jennifer plans to focus on her development as a trainer and to develop the training programme at True Grit. She wants to continue her professional development, keeping up with current trends and training methods. She also wants to look at different methods of training to meet all learning styles and needs. Eventually, she plans to expand her role and become an assessor, gaining new experiences and passing on her expertise outside the salon.

Jennifer is the salon trainer at True Grit Hair Spa in Christchurch. True Grit is the HITO Training Salon of the Year. “The competition for this award is fierce,” Jennifer says. Jennifer loves watching the young team coming in with little or no experience and watching them grow into the best hairdresser they can be.

She will also further develop True Grit’s training programme, “growing [their] young stylists to be recognised in New Zealand and across the world”.

“I love it when they have the ‘light bulb’ moment,” Jennifer says. “As a trainer I grow and learn with the stylists I train.”

JACQUI VICTOR AND JENNIFER FINCH OF TRUE GRIT HAIR SPA WITH HITO CEO ERICA CUMMING

HITO TRAINING SALON OF THE YEAR WINNER

TRUE GRIT HAIR SPA Christchurch

True Grit Hair Spa were over the moon when they were announced as the HITO Training Salon of the Year for 2014.

“I had so many opportunities,” Jacqui says. “I want to give my team those opportunities now.”

“It is such an honour to receive this award,” Jacqui said. “Running successful salon in Christchurch is a challenge after the earthquake damage, and winning this award confirms that we are doing an amazing job”.

Jacqui has high expectations for her team, and she provides the training they need to meet those standards. For True Grit, training isn’t just about providing a great haircut – it’s about being at the top of their game in all aspects.

True Grit Hair Spa have a huge training focus. Despite several earthquake-related setbacks during the past few years (including losing their salon, flooding, and more), True Grit have remained committed to training.

“The only way to survive in business is to train my team to believe in themselves and the industry,” Jacqui says. “I put everything I have mentally and physically into my team,” says Jacqui. “They are my world – why wouldn’t I invest everything into them?”

For Jacqui, winning the HITO Training Salon of the Year award shows that all their hard work has paid off.

True Grit have invested an incredible amount of time, money, and effort into their team and their training programmes. They’ve qualified many stylists since the earthquakes and will have five more stylists qualify in the next six months.

“Winning this award confirms that we have the right people and systems,” Jacqui says. “We invest so much into the industry and winning the Award confirms our efforts.” Jacqui has focussed on training from day one of her career. She trained in a salon with a strong training focus, and she vowed to pass that on to her staff.

“I believe True Grit has earned this award,” Jacqui says.

HITO TRAINING SALON OF THE YEAR

THE TEAM AT H&B HAIR ART AND BEAUTY

THE TEAM AT HQ HAIRDRESSING GROUP

FINALIST

H&B HAIR ART AND BEAUTY

HQ HAIRDRESSING GROUP

Christchurch

New Plymouth

“Becoming a finalist is the perfect recognition of all the hard work everyone puts into training,” says Carla Thompson, owner of H&B Hair Art and Beauty. “It’s a huge achievement and a total team effort.”

“It’s an amazing feeling becoming a finalist in such a competitive market,” Tanya Patene, owner of HQ Design Space (part of the HQ Hairdressing Group) says. “It’s a great honour to be a finalist and it provides excellent recognition for everyone at HQ Hairdressing Group.”

H&B Hair Art and Beauty is a Christchurch salon. They were the Kitomba Salon of the Year in 2013. H&B have a strong focus on all aspects of training, from technical skills to business and team management.

HQ Hairdressing Group are a group of three salons in New Plymouth, owned by Tanya Patene and Cheryl Findlay. They have a strong focus on competition work and apprentice training, and have been successful in both areas. They are very involved in the local hairdressing industry and with their regional hairdressing association.

"Being a finalist sends out a clear message that standards in Christchurch are high; that training here is fully supported by HITO, that salons in Christchurch are dedicated to training and bringing the next generation up through the industry,” Carla says.

For Tanya, being a Training Salon of the Year finalist is “amazing”. “It is wonderful to have recognition of years of dedication to growing and supporting our staff to reach their full potential.”

H&B focus on growing “strong, all-round stylists”. They push their stylists to grow outside their comfort zones, giving them the opportunity to experience new perspectives and work outside their strengths and preferences. They are constantly learning.

Training is vital to HQ Hairdressing Group on both a professional and personal level. Top quality training helps them retain the best staff and creates a loyal client base. “Without training we wouldn’t be able to grow our business the way we want to and inspire growth within our staff.”

“Education underpins everything we do in the industry – without it we can’t grow as hairdressers,” Carla says. “It helps us develop and gain confidence. Education is a huge part of our salon”.

Both Tanya and Cheryl believe HQ Hairdressing Group embodies what it means to be a top training salon.

H&B place a lot of emphasis on being an educational salon. They focus on training for everyone in the salon and make sure to prioritise time for training. They also work with a product company with a strong training focus.

“We are wholly committed to industry training and we implement the very best in education. Our results over many years have proved our commitment. For the success we’ve had, as they say, the proof is in the pudding”.

“Being a finalist in the Training Salon of the Year Award is proof of our dedication to training,” says Carla. “It lets people know that education and training are important to us – it helps shape the salon and the industry as a whole.”

“It takes a lot of commitment and dedication to create training programmes to ensure everyone’s needs are met. But it’s incredibly rewarding in the end. It opens people’s eyes to what they can achieve and gives them options for the future”.

ERICA CUMMING WITH HITO TUTORS OF THE YEAR KIRSTY RYAN AND FIONA SMITH

HITO TUTOR/S OF THE YEAR JOINT WINNERS

KIRSTY RYAN & FIONA SMITH WITT, New Plymouth

In an exciting turn of events, this year we had a joint winner for the Tutor of the Year Award.

KIRSTY RYAN Kirsty was incredibly overwhelmed and grateful to be the HITO Tutor of the Year for 2014.

“I felt the time was right to share my knowledge. When working as a colour technician I often came into polytechnics to teach colour and I thoroughly enjoyed the class dynamics,” she explains.

“It feels like a huge honour,” she says.

Kirsty thoroughly enjoys being a tutor, especially when she can see she has impacted a student.

Always wanting to better herself, Kirsty has spent the last few years specifically training and gaining further qualifications to help with her teaching career.

“The ‘light bulb’ moment is always a thrill, when a student connects with the meaning of the topic,” she says. “I love seeing the progress in a student within a year, in both personal and professional gain, mentoring and encouraging them to continue when they no longer believe in themselves or when life gets tough.”

“I have proudly graduated twice this year in the ‘Fashion Makeup Artistry Certificate’ and the ‘Diploma in Adult and Tertiary Education,'” she says. “I have also put enormous effort toward introducing innovative resources into the classroom. I felt this was ‘my year’ to enter this award.”

Kirsty’s goals for the future include being more involved in tutoring apprentices, sharing her make-up artistry skills and being a role model for her children.

Kirsty became a tutor after extensive experience in hairdressing including work as a hairdresser for five years, a Schwarzkopf Sales and Colour Technician for two years, and owning a salon for eight years.

HITO TUTOR OF THE YEAR

FIONA SMITH “It was so hard competing against Kirsty, and I’m thrilled that we’re both winners,” says Fiona Smith, one of our two Tutor of the Year winners for 2014. Fiona was thrilled to be a finalist for the second year in a row, and is ecstatic to be Tutor of the Year for 2014. “It’s so nice to be recognised for all the hard work that you do and love doing for your students,” she says. HANNAH WELFARE

Adding to the excitement, this year not just one but two tutors from the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) were chosen as finalists for this award.

FINALIST

“Of course, our colleagues are so excited and they all came to the awards to support us,” says Fiona.

HANNAH WELFARE

She also had support from her family, including her 18 year old son.

The College of Beauty Therapy, Tauranga

“They are so proud because they know how dedicated I am to my students and how hard I work to get the results I achieve,” she says. For Fiona, her work as a tutor isn’t a chore but a privilege. She says the thing she loves most about tutoring is her students.

HITO Tutor of the Year finalist Hannah Welfare is passionate about her profession, and it shows. Although she has now left The College of Beauty Therapy, she says she loves being a tutor and hopes to continue developing her career.

“It’s fantastic to see your student’s growth,” she explains. “To see them as shy year one apprentices who grow into confident young hairdressers is inspirational. It’s great to be able to share in their successes…I can’t think of anything else I would want to be more.”

“My passion is taking theory and turning it into an interactive, inclusive, fun and captivating session,” she says. “The students love it and engage with what I am trying to achieve, which is ultimately to have them go into the industry with knowledge and passion.”

Along with tutoring, Fiona also enjoys working in the industry and continually sharpening her craft.

Hannah says she was “totally surprised” when she learned she was a finalist.

“I still work in the salon part-time, and I tutor part-time so I have the best of both,” she says. “I love doing both, and working in the industry makes me a better tutor.”

“To be honest, just to be nominated was an honour,” she says. For Hannah, tutoring in the beauty industry was something she knew she wanted to do. However, when she first set out to find a job, it proved tougher than expected for her to get a foot in the door. She approached some local colleges and even offered to work as a volunteer while she studied a National Certificate in Adult Education, all to no avail. It was then that she received an email from Kylie Meehan at The College of Beauty Therapy.

As she looks ahead to the rest of her career, Fiona says she hopes to continue learning, growing and sharing ideas with others. Her main aspiration is to keep being the best hairdresser and the best tutor that she can be.

“She asked if I could help them out as one of their tutors had broken her ankle. They needed cover for six weeks and I jumped at the opportunity! The six weeks turned into a permanent position, and I never looked back.” Hannah says she hopes to continue growing in her career as a tutor. She also wants to keep broadening both her knowledge and skills to be continuously at the forefront of innovation in the industry. “Having found a role that I love, my future dreams and aspirations are to grow continuously and be better with each year that passes,” she adds.

HITO TROPHIES

WINNER

Robyn Kirkwood Ainsleys Hair Design, Auckland

NZARH PATRICK CAMERON CHALLENGE Meet the finalists and winner of the NZARH Patrick Cameron challenge.

RISE TO THE TOP AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

Megan Mitchell Blondini's, Oamaru

Caren McKay Do Hair, Invercargill

Kerry Peninsula Spain Venom, Invercargill

NZARH PATRICK CAMERON CHALLENGE 2014 FINALISTS

Sharon Sanderson Northland Hair Company, Kerikeri

Donna James Donna James Hair, Nelson

Rochelle Marr Visage Hair Designers, Taradale

Denise Taylor Morph Hair, Hamilton

Melanie Reddington Visage Hair Designers, Taradale

Warren Dion Smith Get Funkd Willis Street, Wellington

RISE TO THE TOP AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

WINNER Kimberley Hall Venom, Invercargill

NZARH EDITORIAL STYLIST 2014 Meet the finalists and winner of the NZARH Editorial Stylist 2014.

AUCKLAND & COLOUR Mana Dave Blaze, Auckland

BAY OF PLENTY

CANTERBURY/WESTLAND

HAYKES BAY

Cecelia Baker Chocolate Blonde Hair, Taupo

Hayley Scandrett True Grit Hair Spa, Christchurch

Yvonne Jenkinson Decadence, New Plymouth

MANAWATU & NOVICE

NELSON/MARLBOROUGH

NORTHLAND

POVERTY BAY

Lisa Sands The Hairdressing College, Palmerston North

Donna James Donna James Hair, Nelson

Laurel Stratford Northland Hair Company, Kerikeri

Claudette Lewington Nova Hair Boutique, Gisbourne

NZARH EDITORIAL STYLIST 2014

OTAGO

SOUTH CANTERBURY

TARANAKI

WAIKATO

Jaimee Smith Zaibatsu Hair Art, Dunedin

Megan Leith Fusion Hair, Oamaru

Jennifer Jazon Lee Revell Be Ba Bo, New Plymouth

Jaime Russell Barakat Ktizo Hair and Spa, Hamilton

WELLINGTON

WANGANUI

LE MALE

NEXT GENERATION

Christa Rowling Get Funkd Willis Street, Wellington

Tiffiny Spencer Protégé Hairdressing, Wanganui

Bonnie Stewart MPhosis, Hastings

Tash ven Leeuwen Aart on St Andrew, Dunedin

HAIR: JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE MAKE-UP: SARAH ABELEN PHOTOGRAPHY: CHELSEA SARGEANT MODEL: SHEY MARIE

JULIEANNE’S DIARY entry four

JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE, JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 2013 WITH JACQUI MALCOLM, JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 2014

Julieanne Hartshorne, Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship recipient for 2013, wraps up her year and welcomes our new recipient. “What a year it`s been.

My first ever photo-shoot was in the running for See Your Work in Print Entrant of the Year, and I’m excited to say I won the Award! I learned so much from that photo shoot, and it was wonderfully rewarding. Thank you to Greg from A Sharper Blade for the scissors – what a prize.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some inspiring, wonderful people that have helped me professionally and personally in the last year, and I’ve achieved almost everything that I set out to do. The other two goals I had set myself will I hope happen for me soon – I’m hoping to gain my barbering qualification next year and own a salon soon. I have achieved so much, and I’m just so thankful to everyone that’s helped me to get here today. This journey has just begun, and I can’t wait for the next chapter of my career.

This is my last diary entry after passing the title on to Jacqui Malcolm. Congratulations to Jacqui - it’s an honour to welcome you to the Jasmine McBeth family. I’m sad that my time is over, but I’m also excited to see the new recipient share their journey with us over the next year and see how they put their scholarship to use. To Jacqui I say – good luck on your adventure! Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get help as you develop as a hairdresser. We have a true inspiring young lady to thank and live up to for this great opportunity, Jasmine McBeth.

Since the last entry I’ve done my fourth photo shoot. I just love the challenge of it, always thinking of what’s next, and how amazing all my models have been. I’ve pushed myself to try new things with each photo-shoot, and I think my skills have improved and I’ve learned a lot. These photo-shoots have helped me develop as a hairdresser and made me more excited about hairdressing than ever. It was the perfect use for my scholarship money.

It has been an absolute privilege to have this opportunity, and I can’t thank people enough for how amazing they have been. It just goes to show the hard work does pay off and does get recognition. If you set your mind to it and have goals to aim for then anything is achievable. HITO have been fantastic, and I’m sure I’ve driven them crazy at times with all my questions but they have always been more than happy to help me. This might be my last diary blog, but it’s only the beginning of what’s to come.

I have to say a huge thank you to all my models and everyone involved in creating my portfolio with me on this journey. Thank you to MB Photography NZ, Hayden Crocker, and Chelsea Sergeant, brilliant photographers; Sarah Abelen, my fantastic make-up artist; and Tania Chester, Jess Roberts, Aimee Wadsworth, Kendall Moratti, Brodie Roberts, Ainsley Neale, Jodie Wareing, Shanae Miles, Rebecca Milne, Shey Marie, and Kayleigh Louise, the best models I could have asked for. I couldn’t have achieved all this without you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Denise and Murray McBeth for this wonderful opportunity. Enjoy the journey and all the best in your future.”

WORLDSKILLS UPDATE Find out what the national WorldSkills medallists have been up to over the past couple of months.

he national competition may over, but for our WorldSkills winners there’s still an exciting road ahead. Jenny Eastwood, Ashlee Van Wijk and Nadine Gratton (who took out the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively) have barely stopped since nationals in July. The three talented competitors have been training hard for the upcoming WorldSkills Oceania Competition which is set to take place in April 2015.

During the day, Ashlee uses spare or quiet time to train. She’s focusing on “three wishes”, a section of the competition simulating the requests a client might ask in the salon. Competitors have a texture, a cut aspect and a colour theme to incorporate into a look. Ashlee says that her boss Jacqui Victor and her colleagues have all been supportive of her training. In fact, some of the girls at True Grit have been getting their mannequins out and training alongside Ashlee, something she has enjoyed.

WorldSkills is all about competing to be the best of the best in your chosen skill. At the New Zealand nationals, hairdressing was one of the 18 industry categories to compete, including engineering, automotive, hospitality and carpentry.

Nadine, who recently qualified as a professional stylist at Ursula Harris Hair Design in Nelson, has also been enjoying her WorldSkills training. Recently she has been focusing on getting a training plan down on paper, including goals and deadlines. Nadine has found this to be very helpful and says she is feeling “on track” at the moment.

Not for the faint of heart, WorldSkills requires competitors to show excellence in a wide range of skills. 20-year-old Jenny from Morph Hair Studio in Hamilton has been training at least three hours every day (including weekends) to prepare. “I feel like I’m on the right track,” she says. “I have been getting the tools I need to learn and improve on my weaker points, and speaking to people who know what they’re doing.”

“Making a training plan and breaking each of my goals down into small steps has helped a lot,” she says. Nadine has found that her colleagues at Ursula Harris have been supportive throughout her training. She has also been able to train in her breaks at work and whenever she has a quiet period at the salon.

Jenny has been able to get some help and advice from is renowned Australian hairdresser Lorna Evans. Jenny met with Lorna over Skype, where she passed on advice to help with the bridal long hair up section of WorldSkills.

Doing so much training in the salon, Nadine has also been able to show her colleagues what she’s learning. They have all been interested in what she has been doing. As a result, they too have learned new skills.

Jenny has also received help from Bethany-Paige Woods (Vada Hair, Auckland) for the ladies technical day style section of the competition. Bethany-Paige has competed in WorldSkills herself and trained others, and she has been a great help for Jenny with this section.

Nadine says the whole experience of training and competing in WorldSkills has been “amazing”.

Doing HITO’s Photographic Competition has also helped Jenny hone her skills. This competition involves replicating a style from an image. The skills required are very relevant to WorldSkills.

Along with the training Jenny, Ashlee and Nadine are doing individually, HITO has also organised some training sessions with WorldSkills expert Niq James. The upcoming Oceania Competition is the last stop for the three girls before potential selection to the New Zealand “Tool Blacks” team. The Tool Blacks consist of the top young people from each skill category, and they will head to Brazil in August 2015 to compete in the International WorldSkills Competition. Representing New Zealand at this international event is an honour that two other HITO hairdressing apprentices have had so far. In 2011, Laura Simpson represented New Zealand in London, and Cait Woodcock competed in Germany in 2013.

Ashlee, an apprentice at True Grit Hair Spa in Christchurch, has also been using the HITO Photographic Competition as a training exercise, helping her practice her cutting skills. Just like Jenny, Ashlee has been training almost non-stop for the Oceania competition. “I’ve been having maybe one day off a week,” she says, “and I’m often coming into work at 7am to train before I start work for the day.”

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS ABOUT THE WORLDSKILLS OCEANIA COMPETITION, THE TOOL BLACKS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION, CHECK OUT WWW.HITO.ORG.NZ AND WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HITO.NEWS.

ASHLEE VAN WIJK

JENNY EASTWOOD

JENNY, NADINE, AND ASHLEE AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

NADINE GRATTON

TRAINING WITH NIQ JAMES

NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK

PHILIDA ANDERTON, NADINE GRATTON, ASHLEE VAN WIJK AND KRISTIE BOLAND AT NZFW WITH L'OREAL

PHOTOGRAPHER AMBER WIJNSTOK FOR L’OREAL PROFESSIONNEL

MODELS AT NZFW – PHOTOGRAPHER AMBER WIJNSTOK FOR L’OREAL PROFESSIONNEL

JENNY EASTWOOD AND JACQUI MALCOLM AT NZFW

THE L'OREAL TEAM AT NZFW – PHOTOGRAPHER AMBER WIJNSTOK FOR L’OREAL PROFESSIONNEL

WORLDSKILLS STARS TAKE ON FASHION WEEK In August, all three of our WorldSkills medallists took up the opportunity to work at New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW), the biggest fashion event of the year.

enny Eastwood went as part of Sara Allsop’s Industry team, while Nadine Gratton and Ashlee Van Wijk (along with some other WorldSkills national competitors and HITO Regional Apprentice of the Year winners) had the chance to be part of the L’Oreal team.

“I like working under pressure, so I enjoyed the intense environment backstage too,” says Ashlee. “That’s probably why I like competition work so much as well.” For Nadine, one of her highlights from the experience was getting to work alongside her fellow WorldSkills competitors.

L’Oreal gave this opportunity to the WorldSkills competitors and Apprentice of the Year winners because of the great skills they have displayed in their apprenticeships.

“It was cool to do it with them, to look around in a hectic atmosphere and see some familiar faces,” she says. “In saying that, everyone I came across at NZFW was nice and friendly. The whole experience was amazing.”

For Jenny, working at NZFW was a dream come true. Although she did work at Wellington Fashion Week earlier this year, it was her first time at the national fashion event.

With the L’Oreal team, Nadine and Ashlee worked on the Celine Rita, COOP and Trish Peng shows.

“It was crazy and overwhelming. I loved it,” she says.

The other WorldSkills national competitors who worked in the L’Oreal team over NZFW were:

With the Industry team, Jenny worked on two Designer Selection shows featuring the likes of Black, Kowtow and Company of Strangers.

• Kristie Boland (Headspace, Christchurch) • Philida Anderton (Vivo, Wellington)

It was Ashlee’s first time at NZFW too and she enjoyed working with others from the industry who have similar passions.

• Jacqui Malcolm (Be Ba Bo Hair Studio, New Plymouth).

NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK

DARRAGH SHEPPARD (FAR LEFT) AND OTHERS FROM THE L'OREAL TEAM AT NZFW – PHOTOGRAPHER AMBER WIJNSTOK FOR L’OREAL PROFESSIONNEL

DARRAGH WORKING WITH THE L'OREAL TEAM AT NZFW – PHOTOGRAPHER AMBER WIJNSTOK FOR L’OREAL PROFESSIONNEL

APPRENTICE TAKING THE FASHION WORLD BY STORM Third year hairdressing apprentice Darragh Sheppard from Auckland’s Wolf and Wolf salon is taking the fashion world by storm.

his year Darragh was part of L’Oreal’s ID Team, a soughtafter role that has opened many doors within the New Zealand fashion industry.

were creating another different look. This time is was all about making the hair messy, unstructured and ‘beachy’. “This look wasn’t supposed to be too ‘hairdressery’… Michael wanted it to look as though the model could have done it herself,” says Darragh. “After coming from Trish Peng where it was so structured, we had to break out of that and have a bit of fun with this look. It was a great show to end the day on.”

Gaining a place on this team had been a goal of Darragh’s since he started his hairdressing career, so he was very excited to take on the role. “I have always worked in L’Oreal salons, and being part of the ID team was something I had aspired towards for a long time,” he says.

This was Darragh’s first time working NZFW and he says he enjoyed the high-pressure environment backstage. His experience working backstage at Wellington Fashion Week, Industry, and other shows helped prepare him for this hectic atmosphere.

There’s no age or experience limit for the ID team, so 21-yearold Darragh says he is honoured to be part of it so early on in his career.

For Darragh, working in fashion is what he enjoys most, and it's what he hopes to continue doing in his career. As well as working in the salon and finishing his apprenticeship, Darragh has begun pursuing this passion by working on look books and campaign images for friends who are starting their own brands. He also recently found out that he has been selected to join the Industry Creative Team in 2015, something he’s very excited about.

As part of the ID team, Darragh had the opportunity to work at New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW) in August this year, an experience he absolutely loved. With the team, he worked on three shows – Celine Rita, Trish Peng and COOP – each of which had a vastly different look. “For Celine Rita we did a nice straight look with a middle part,” he explains. “It was sleek and glossy, with extra serum in the root section to create even more gloss here. The ends had less product to give more movement.”

Darragh plans to keep building his skills in this area and, eventually, he wants to do fashion work abroad as well. “My dream is to work at London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week,” he says.

This look had hair directed by Ann Garrett for Protégé Hair Design. The next show for Darragh and the ID team was Trish Peng, hair directed by Industry NZ Hairdresser of the Year Michael Beel. For this show the hair was styled into an origami pony, a very structured look that Darragh says was the most timeconsuming to create.

Grown up in Japan, another of Darragh’s future goals is to return and work as a stylist there where he can gain some international experience.

Finally it was on to the COOP show which was also hair directed by Michael Beel. For this show, Darragh and the team

ALANNAH FLITCROFT

see your work in print 32

ALANNAH FLITCROFT YOUR SALON: Hair Ministry NAME OF MODEL/S: Lily Carley and Chelsea Hickey NAME OF PHOTOGRAPHER: Alannah Flitcroft

When I was younger I would always pour over magazine tutorials and YouTube videos that taught how to do different styles and techniques with my hair. I used to get so excited about trying them out, and that’s when I realised I should make it my career.

aspects of peoples work. I’m inspired by people who work hard to make a name for themselves and never are “too busy” for others or their clients. I follow several stylists, make-up artists and models on Instagram. Seeing their new looks, collections and watching their journey inspires me a lot. I’m always on that app.

I love getting closer to your goals and when the techniques you have learned start to make sense and come to you naturally. I always thought cutting hair looked so difficult and too intricate for me, and I always wondered how senior stylists knew what they were doing and looked so at ease, but now I love it! I love being able to see every hairdresser’s different styles and learning from our country’s best.

These images were all for competitions. I got a highly commended for one of the looks. Lily’s look was inspired by tribal make-up and more of the earthy/spiritual side. Chelsea’s was inspired by the 90’s/grunge trend that has big lately. Lily’s hair was all wrapped around fringe pins and set with a GHD iron. I back combed and stretched the waves out and created a chunky fish-tail braid at the top of her hair. Chelsea’s hair was put into GHD curls, brushed out and smoothed down on the top half.

I love doing competitions and photographic work. I love the creativity and freedom of it and how I get to put my flair on everything. I get so excited about putting a look together – I spend all of my free time looking for inspiration, accessories, clothes and makeup looks when I’m going to do a shoot. It also gives me a chance to do make-up work for which I am qualified. It’s the best feeling when you see the final product and have others enjoy it and love it too!

PRODUCTS L’Oreal Metallic Gloss, GHD Creation Spray, Paintbox Blueberry Hill for Lily’s colour.

I want to be an amazing all-round hairdresser, but I would love to be an exceptional colourist. I hope to one day have my salon or brand name of hair products and cosmetics like all the people that I look up to. I hope one day someone will find inspiration in my work, and that will give them the motivation to accomplish their goals, just like I did when I was an apprentice.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: My boss, team and friends and family for the continuing help and support, and big thanks my models for looking crazy in public and being frozen in the cold Wellington weather with no complaints.

When it comes to who inspires me, I can’t specifically pick just a couple of people because I find inspiration out of different

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

see your work in print

NIKOLE PORTER-DESPARD

NIKOLE PORTER-DESPARD YOUR SALON: Flame Hair Design and Beauty NAME OF MODEL/S: Amanda Baucke, Greer Birkinshaw, Kaitlin Stuthridge MAKEUP ARTIST: Kellie Michelle makeup NAME OF PHOTOGRAPHER: Von Photography

t took me a long time to know what I wanted to do, and I guess you could say I accidentally found my way into my dream job. I was originally interested in the make-up and beauty side of things. But after discovering the class was full I decided to take a one-year hairdressing course to gain more skills. Once I started hairdressing I absolutely loved it. There are so many opportunities to take your career in different directions. It's very exciting!

I work with some fantastic stylists who always inspire me to look at things differently and are always helping me to expand my hairdressing knowledge, which is the most inspiring thing ever.

My favourite part of being an apprentice is that you learn new skills and techniques every day. There’s something that I do each day - whether it's a new client or even watching another stylist do something differently - that makes me that little bit more confident in my hairdressing abilities. I love thinking back to where I was six months ago, and realising how much you improve in such a short time.

I came up with the idea of doing a vintage style shoot and then found the right makeup artist, photographer, location and outfits to give it the right feel.

This shoot was one I organised to update my portfolio with some new images – it was heaps of fun! The photos were very vintage inspired. I love vintage styles and wanted to do something 1950s/60s with a modern take.

To achieve these looks, I coloured the hair a few days before. Then on the day I set it with a curling tongs and left to cool, and then brushed it out and styled into place, using different products to achieve the look I wanted. For the first model, I wanted a more textured curl, so I used a lot of back combing and flexible hairsprays to give hold while still allowing texture. For the second model, I wanted a smoother finish with volume, so I used back-combing in the centre and serums and hair spray on the outside of the style to keep in smooth. For the third model, I used some hairpieces that I had pre-set to add volume and a length and used back combing once again to achieve volume.

I love doing photographic work because it gets me inspired about new techniques and helps bring out my creativity. There’s nothing else like the feeling of finishing a photo-shoot and seeing what you’ve worked for and being proud to put your name on it and show people. I can’t wait to be fully qualified and I always hope my clients look forward to their appointments and have 100% confidence in me. I would love to own a salon one day as the business side of hairdressing interests me.

PRODUCTS All the styling products used were Keune and for the pastel pink colour I used a Fudge temporary colour.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: • My models Amanda, Greer and Kaitlin • All the team at Flame • Von photography • Kellie Michelle makeup • Museum hotel • And all my friends and family for the support.

HAIR: JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE MAKE-UP: SARAH ABELEN PHOTOGRAPHY: CHELSEA SARGEANT MODEL: SHEY MARIE

SEE YOUR WORK IN PRINT Are you a HITO apprentice or newly qualified stylist? Have you always dreamed of seeing your photographic work on the pages of a glossy magazine? Then enter See Your Work in Print competition today.

Each successful entrant will: • win a scissor sharpen from A Sharper Blade • have a chance to have their image featured on the cover of Forma.

It’s easy to enter – just send us your images and details. Your images must be high quality, and you must have permission from the copyright holder for us to print the images. We’ll pick the best entries and print them in the next Forma.

• be in the running for HITO See Your Work in Print Award. Each year at the Industry Awards, we announce the HITO See Your Work in Print Award winner. The winner is selected by Facebook vote. The person with the most ‘likes’ will win a stunning pair of scissors from A Sharper Blade.

The See Your Work in Print competition deadlines for 2015 are: • 01 February 2015 • 01 May 2015 • 01 August 2015 • 01 October 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SUBMIT YOUR IMAGES, CALL US ON (04) 499 1180 OR EMAIL ENQUIRIES@HITO.ORG.NZ.

See Your Work in Print is sponsored by A Sharper Blade.

MAKING QUALIFICATIONS MORE AFFORDABLE The ins and outs of hairdressing apprenticeship pricing.

here are lots of advantages to doing an apprenticeship, like gaining practical salon experience and getting paid while you learn. For employers, training apprentices has advantages too, like freeing up seniors to focus on more advanced work while apprentices learn entry-level tasks. But there is one other benefit to apprenticeships that not everyone knows about, and that’s the financial support they receive from HITO.

Here is a break-down of the fees an apprentice pays for a four-year hairdressing apprenticeship.

APPRENTICE COSTS from year one – total cost over four years: Sign-on fee – $355 Training Record Pack - $50 Off Job Training - $1464 Credit registration - $490 Final assessments - $450 Total: $2,809

During an entire apprenticeship, learners only pay around $2800, except for occasional training provider extra costs.

There are some additional costs for apprentices (like paying for materials and tools) and employers invest a lot of time and resources in training apprentices on-the-job (as well as paying an annual employer fee to HITO). But those investments in tools, materials, time and resources will be offset with wages and increases in productivity as the apprentice grows and adds to the business.

What we wanted to share with you today are the costs you don’t see – namely, the total cost of apprenticeships, and what percentage of that HITO pays. Over the course of four years, HITO will pay a portion of all fees. For a four-year hairdressing apprenticeship, HITO pays $4695. We cover part of the cost of everything, from your sign-on fees to 75% of the OJT fees.

In comparison, a full-time hairdressing course can cost anywhere between $6000-$10,000 for less than six months of study. You could come out of a course with a student loan and still have to sign on as an apprentice to gain your Level 4 qualification.

That means that HITO, through government funding and support, pays around 60% of your total fees.

IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE, OR YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT US ON (04) 499 1180 OR EMAIL ENQUIRIES@HITO.ORG.NZ OR VISIT WWW.HITO.ORG.NZ. ** We acknowledge that employers may contribute more funds and subsidise their apprentices, and there may occasionally be extra costs from off job training providers.

ATTRACTING NEW CLIENTS IN 2015 There’s always room for growth in a salon. We asked three salon owners to share their experience of what works for them in attracting new clients.

NATASHA KING

Owner, Karma and Fred & Gingers – Invercargill

atasha owns two salons in Invercargill, Karma and Fred and Gingers. Each salon attracts different clientele, so Natasha has plenty of experience with appealing to a wide audience.

essentially a walking, talking billboard for your business, Natasha says. Styling the client’s hair in such a way that it looks good long after they leave the salon is vital. After all, the longer their hair looks good, the longer they promote your business positively.

Fred and Gingers, in central Invercargill, has an older, more rural clientele. “Social media doesn’t have much effect here,” Natasha says. Instead, she uses newspaper adverts to target her ideal clientele. This has been a successful strategy for her – Natasha says she has experienced significant growth through newspaper advertising.

Gaining new clients is only the first step, however. Turning those new clients into regulars is the other part of the equation. Often new clients to your salon have come to you because they were unhappy with the service at a previous salon, Natasha says. That can be a bit of a challenge, but Natasha encourages salons to embrace this.

Karma, her other salon, has a much younger demographic. Here, social media is extremely effective. She also finds “Recommend a friend” to be effective, as the younger clients are always online with their friends and like to do things in groups. This group gets their current events online.

“New clients are a great test for a stylist,” says Natasha. “They can bring some challenges, but they also give the stylist the chance to try something new. They also encourage stylists to provide a thorough consultation and home care recommendations, something that can get forgotten with regular clients”.

Knowing your audience is important. That way, you can target advertising more efficiently. This both saves money for the business (no wasting money on an audience who will never come to your salon) and allows you to attract the clientele you want. In turn, you can develop other areas of your salon to suit this clientele, which makes them much more likely to stay at the salon once they’ve visited.

After their first service, clients receive a call one week later to follow up on their service. It’s a prime opportunity to rebook the client if it wasn’t done during the service. Natasha says following up also makes the clients feel appreciated. Both Natasha’s salons also have a loyalty programme which encourages repeat business. “My salons have an excellent new client retention rate,” Natasha says. “I believe this is down to providing a full and on-going service to every client.”

Providing a top quality service is another way Natasha attracts new clients to her salon. When your current clients go out into the community with fantastic hair, people ask about it – they are

GRANT BETTJEMAN

DIANA BEAUFORT

Owner, Bettjemans – Auckland

Owner, Reds Hairdressing – Wellington

or Reds Hairdressing, word of mouth is the most successful way of attracting new clients.

or Bettjemans, social media is one of the most important methods for attracting new clients. They use it to showcase stylists, offer special deals, and promote salon events. Their social media presence is cultivated to advertise their salon and attract clients.

“Our business thrives and survives on our ability to deliver a high-quality service that meets or exceeds our clients’ expectations every time,” says Diana Beaufort, owner of Reds. “We are dependent on the commitment, drive, and skills of every team member.”

Building a brand for your salon is important, and social media is an excellent way to promote this brand. Bettjemans build their brand through winning competitions, being involved in Fashion Week, and being involved in media events. They promote these achievements through Facebook and Instagram. This makes it clear what their salon is like and what they can do for customers.

Reds run regular promotions to attract new clients. Regular clients are rewarded through discounts when they recommend clients, and they are encouraged to bring friends to VIP nights held at the salon. Reds also get involved with community fundraisers – they support their local community and in return their local community supports them.

Another way Bettjemans attract new clients is by offering a point of difference, making them stand out from other salons in the area. For Bettjemans, their point of difference is the “red carpet blow-wave”.

They also do targeted promotions. For example, when a new stylist joins the salon, Reds offers promotions to new clients in exchange for booking with the new stylist. This is especially useful for apprentices who are building their skills.

Bettjemans make sure to provide outstanding service in all areas. This helps attract new clients in two ways – current clients tell others about the exceptional service, and new clients enjoy the experience and are more likely to return for more.

Reds consistently gain new clients, and they consistently retain them. However, their methods for gaining those new clients change throughout the year.

This excellent service continues after the appointment is over. Every new client receives a ‘complimentary style check’ within two weeks of their appointment. It’s an opportunity to provide top service and also to re-book the client if they haven’t already re-booked.

“At the beginning of the year I look at our seasonal trends from previous years,” Diana says. “I use those trends to plan our marketing initiatives for the year.” Diana would recommend targeted marketing as a way to attract new clients. She suggests that all salons have a clear idea of who their market is, what they want to say in their marketing material, and how much they want to spend on their campaign. She also recommends monitoring the results of all marketing closely to make it more effective.

“The challenge of a new client is keeping them,” Grant Bettjeman, owner of Bettjemans, says. “Providing a quality experience is vital, from the first contact on the phone to the farewell after the service.” A big part of retaining those new clients is the attitude of the stylist. Confidence in re-booking clients is crucial. Stylists with a high re-booking rate assume their clients will re-book, and act as if they will, whereas those with lower rates are often more unsure.

Once clients are in the salon, Diana says, “Make sure your entire team deliver a consistent, outstanding client experience every time. That way they’ll want to repeat the experience and tell their friends about it”.

Bettjemans love gaining new clients. They are always promoting themselves in the hopes of expanding their clientele throughout the year. After all, there are many advantages to expanding your clientele.

Reds aim to deliver the same excellent service whether it's the client’s first visit or their 100th visit. They follow up with clients after they leave the salon, making sure they were happy with their service. They also make sure their communication skills are topnotch and that they pay close attention to their customers.

One of these advantages is starting a new client on a hair plan and getting them excited about what you can do with their hair. It’s an opportunity for a stylist to challenge themselves and try something new. As another bonus, they get to make a new friend, Grant says.

Most importantly, Diana advises, don’t become complacent. “Research shows that clients will leave a salon when their stylist becomes complacent,” Diana says. “Make sure to avoid the ‘same again’ mind-set”.

For other salons, Grant has this advice: “Be part of your community,” Grant says. “Deliver fantastic service and amazing technical skills every time. The experience is everything”.

HANDLING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS Customer complaints are a fact of life. Even the best salons in the world have to deal with them. But there’s always a way to turn them around and get that client back onside. We asked three salon owners to share their top methods of dealing with complaints and some of their success stories.

NATASHA KING

Owner, Karma and Fred & Gingers – Invercargill

atasha King is the owner of two successful salons in Invercargill – Fred and Gingers and Karma. With many years’ experience in the industry, Natasha has experienced and resolved her fair share of complaints.

Of course, it's always best to avoid complaints before they start. According to Natasha, the best way to do that is through consultation. Explaining clearly to the client what is involved in a hair service, what results they can expect, and the cost is crucial. Most clients have no idea of the work involved in even a colour change, for example, so it’s important to educate them. If the client knows the full picture, they can better make an educated decision about their hair.

“Complaints are something even the best can’t avoid,” Natasha says. Natasha handles all complaints for her salons. Once a complaint comes in, Natasha takes over, speaking with both stylist and client to discover what happened. She obtains as much information as possible from both of them so they can come up with a solution.

“I think at times hairdressers aim to please and are not as realistic with our clients as we could be,” Natasha says. “I think an honest consultation can help avoid around 90% of complaints.”

Often, Natasha says, she finds the solution is easy. The first step is always to apologise and thank the customer for bringing the issue to her attention.

It’s important to keep in mind that a complaint is not the end of the world.

“Apologising and thanking the client always calms the situation,” Natasha says.

“I often say to my staff that they should appreciate the client felt comfortable enough to tell us,” says Natasha. “If handled well the client can often become a loyal supporter.”

In her experience, Natasha says clients often only need a small change to their service to be satisfied. Whatever they require, all rework is done at no cost, and they always follow up with the client to make sure they are happy with the solution.

Embrace the opportunity to solve a complaint, Natasha advises, and be thankful that your client has given you another chance.

GRANT BETTJEMAN

DIANA BEAUFORT

Owner, Bettjemans – Auckland

Owner, Reds Hairdressing – Wellington

rant Bettjeman is the co-owner of Bettjemans in Auckland with his wife Phif. Bettjemans have a long history in the Auckland area, having been a successful salon there for many years.

iana Beaufort is the owner of Reds Hairdressing in Wellington. Reds are an award-winning salon and have a strong reputation for top training.

Even for Reds, complaints are a fact of life. Diana says the most common complaints are around a technical service not living up to the client’s expectations. This is often a result of miscommunication between the stylist and the client. Diana says communication training is vital to avoiding 90% of complaints.

According to Grant, complaints usually fall into two categories. The first is a client unhappy with the result of a cut or colour, which usually requires the service being redone. The other is inconsistent service, which needs more staff training. There is also the occasional client with an allergy, but this is less common.

When complaints do happen, Reds have a practical approach to resolving them. The salon co-ordinator monitors all client feedback, both positive and negative. Positive feedback is shared with everyone, and negative feedback is discussed first with management and then with the stylist involved.

Whatever the cause of their complaint, the most important thing is to thank the client for their feedback and apologise, Grant says. A client feeling like you are listening and sympathising goes a long way towards resolving the complaint. You should also make sure to never blame the client.

Reds focus on complaints as a problem to be solved. They have a “blame free” environment. If there is a reoccurring issue, the whole team brainstorm together to find a solution. They constantly try to improve their systems.

“Train your staff to believe the client is always right and to be extremely apologetic about any discomfort they’ve caused,” Grant says. Staff shouldn’t take complaints personally, however. In such a creative industry, a complaint can feel like a personal attack, but Grant says it’s important to not see it that way. This makes teaching all staff members how to deal with complaints even more important.

Reds also have a ten-step programme they follow when resolving a complaint with a client. The first five steps require that the stylist to acknowledge the complaint and listen to what the customer has to say. It is very important that the stylist doesn’t interrupt the client.

At Bettjemans, staff do role-playing exercises to learn how to deal with complaints. Once a complaint is successfully resolved they share the process of resolving it with the whole team.

Once they’ve got it off their chest, the next three steps involve expressing your disappointment that they are unhappy (without accepting blame) and asking if there is anything you can do to resolve their complaint. This can include re-doing the service or offering a refund.

“Everyone experiences complaints, but what matters most is how you deal with it,” Grant says. “It’s important that our staff feel confident in how to handle a complaint.”

Finally, there are the two follow-up steps. The salon should follow up with the client to make sure they are satisfied. They should also follow up with the team in order to learn from the complaint and improve their service.

Depending on the complaint, different team members will be involved in resolving it. The receptionists are often the first to receive complaints via phone or email, and if the complaint is minor, they will resolve it themselves. For more serious complaints, Grant or Phif Bettjeman will resolve the complaint themselves.

Following this ten-step procedure has changed unhappy clients to some of their strongest supporters, Diana says. She recommends that all salons have an equally clear complaints procedure to follow.

If you handle a complaint well, the client is yours forever, Grant says. Many years ago, a client in their salon had her foils melted off her head by a stylist. In return, they offered to look after her free for a year. That was twenty years ago, and she is still a client with them today.

For Diana, receiving a complaint is an opportunity for the salon to learn and improve their problem-solving. Taking this approach makes complaints much easier to handle.

“Instantly acknowledge the problem and thank the client for the opportunity to make it right,” Grant says. “A smile and a reassurance that you will sort it out will neutralise even the most anxious client.”

Orewa College in Auckland have a lot of success with HITO’s Gateway programme, with several students going on to gain HITO apprenticeships. We interviewed Jenny Cammell, Gateway Co-ordinator for Orewa College, and some of their former students about the benefits of Gateway. While the students are in the classroom, one of the Gateway staff members goes out into the community and organises work placements for them. Orewa has a good relationship with several salons in the area, such as Hairscene Hair and Beauty in Whangaparaoa, who take several of their Gateway students. The students start their placements in Term 2. Orewa is a big supporter of Gateway for students. As Jenny says: “I am a firm believer in getting a student out in the real working world in a supported situation. They grow so much as people, and they learn valuable workplace skills. They also have some amazing experiences”.

JENNY CAMMELL, OREWA COLLEGE GATEWAY CO-ORDINATOR

he Gateway programme at Orewa College is very successful, and it’s easy to see why. The school invest significant time and resources into planning and implementing the programme. They support their students from the moment they decide to do Gateway right through to the end of the year. Jenny Cammell, Gateway Co-ordinator, shared their Gateway process with us and gave some insight into why their students are so successful. Gateway for 2014 started at the end of the previous year, with a presentation to all Year 11 and 12 students. Jenny explained all about Gateway to the students and how they could apply. Then, from over 80 applications, they had to narrow it down to 35 Gateway students for 2014. “We select students based on attitude and school attendance,” Jenny says. “We interview the applicants, and from that group we select the best 35 to take part in the Gateway programme.” During these interviews, they discuss which work choices the students are interested in. If a student is interested in hairdressing, they organise to run the HITO Hairdressing Gateway programme. The selected students meet with Jenny seven times each fortnight throughout the first school term. They learn about OSH (Occupational Health and Safety), customer service, and first aid.

Of their Gateway students, Jenny estimates that twothirds of them go on to follow the career path they started in Gateway. Gateway leaves them more certain of their career pathway than ever and gets them set up for a career. They gain part-time jobs, contacts in the industry, and apprenticeships. About 1/3 decide to follow a different career path. But those students still gain valuable real-world skills, like time management and team-work. They also save themselves time and money by not following a career path that isn’t right for them. Jenny is a particular fan of the HITO Gateway programme because of its practical nature. Some Gateway programmes have mostly theory assessments, and the students aren’t assessed in the workplace. Jenny thinks the number of practical unit standards in the HITO programme is helpful in assisting students in properly experiencing the workplace. “Trades often have that advantage, where they can be assessed in the workplace,” Jenny says. “It gives the students a better experience of the trade and how a career in it would work.” And Orewa’s hairdressing Gateway students have certainly thrived. Several of their hairdressing Gateway students have gone on to apprenticeships, and many of them have been successful in their careers. We caught up with a few of those students to see how their careers were going, and ask how Gateway helped them get where they are today.

OREWA COLLEGE

Brooke Simpson

Steph Springer

Arlene Allen

>> ALTERNATIVES

>> BIBA

Brooke Simpson is a first-year hairdressing apprentice at Alternatives in Auckland. She completed the hairdressing Gateway programme at Orewa in 2013.

Steph has just finished the second-year apprentice of her apprenticeship at Biba in Auckland. She completed the Gateway programme in 2012.

>> HAIRSCENE HAIR AND BEAUTY

Brooke thought she might want to be a hairdresser, and she knew Gateway would be a good chance to try it out. She signed for hairdressing Gateway and never looked back.

“I wanted to do Gateway to make sure hairdressing was what I wanted to do,” Steph says. “I didn’t want to muck anyone around if it wasn’t.”

“I loved working with people and experiencing the creative side of hairdressing,” Brooke says. Gateway helped Brooke decide that hairdressing was the career for her. Having already helped her find her Gateway placement, her school also assisted her in looking for an apprenticeship. She found one at Alternatives and signed on at the end of 2013. There was no waiting around – Brooke went straight from school into an apprenticeship. Brooke says Gateway made her much more prepared for an apprenticeship. Nearly a year in, her apprenticeship is going very well – she’s learning heaps of new skills and enjoying herself a lot. Brooke’s focus is on gaining her hairdressing qualification. Once she’s qualified she’d like to go on and gain a make-up qualification too.

Steph completed her Gateway programme at Abstraxt Hair Design. The owner is a family friend and Steph knew she had a place there, so she transferred to Orewa so she could do Gateway. Steph enjoyed the Gateway programme. She liked feeling part of a team and thought it was a fantastic opportunity to see what life was like outside school. Steph says Orewa College was very supportive. They helped her keep up with her classes when she was at her work placement and made sure she could keep her grades up. Gateway also helped her find her apprenticeship at Biba – Karenza, her HITO Manager, let her know about the opportunity at Biba. Steph is loving her apprenticeship so far. She particularly enjoys making people feel good. One day she hopes to pass her training on, helping to train younger apprentices and maybe even owning her own salon.

“If it weren't for Gateway, I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today.” ARLENE ALLEN

Arlene Allen is a Year three apprentice at Hairscene Hair and Beauty. She completed Gateway in 2012. Arlene wasn’t sure if she wanted to be an architect, a hairdresser, or a businesswoman. She was in Year 13 at school when she realised she needed to make a choice. “Gateway helped me with making this choice,” Arlene says. “They sent me on several star courses so I could try different things. I ended up doing a short hairdressing course and decided that hairdressing was what interested me most”. Arlene went on to do hairdressing Gateway at Hairscene Hair and Beauty. She loved her experiences in the salon, learning heaps of new skills and seeing how good clients felt about themselves after a hairdressing service. Arlene is now over halfway through an apprenticeship with Hairscene. “If it weren't for Gateway, I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today,” Arlene says. Orewa College was very supportive of Arlene during her time as a Gateway student. They checked on her progress regularly and made sure her all the students were happy and confident. Arlene says the first aid and health and safety work they did was helpful. Once she finishes her hairdressing qualification, Arlene plans to work overseas. She would also love to own a salon and train apprentices one day.

SUCCESS WITH HITO GATEWAY:

STORM PANIORA

Storm Paniora at Abstraxt Hair Design shares his experience with doing Gateway by correspondence and his success in finding an apprenticeship.

STORM PANIORA

Storm left high school with no idea what he wanted to do. He started studying at Te Aho o Te Kura Ponamu (The Correspondence School), but it wasn’t until a friend suggested he try hairdressing that he found the career for him.

those careers aren’t right for them they have a chance to try something else.

torm was working on a pathways course; a programme offered by The Correspondence School to help students find a career they can be passionate about. At the same time, his friend Shanile was starting her hairdressing Gateway at Abstraxt Hair Design. She suggested that he do Gateway as well. With the help of The Correspondence School, Storm signed up for the Gateway programme and started work at Abstraxt Hair Design.

“The endless possibilities were my favourite thing about Gateway,” Storm says. “If hairdressing wasn’t right for me I could try another career, and gain hands-on experience in the process.” Doing Gateway helped Storm get a real idea of what the hairdressing industry is like. He says he found it surprisingly challenging at first, not having realised how in-depth hairdressing work is. But over time it got easier, and helped Storm find the perfect career (and an apprenticeship).

“I thought Gateway would be the perfect opportunity to find my career path,” Storm says. “Since starting Gateway I’ve fallen in love with hairdressing. It’s all thanks to Shanile who helped me decide to do Gateway”.

Storm officially starts his apprenticeship in December. He hasn’t been wasting any time, however, working at Abstraxt and learning everything he can.

It certainly paid off, with Storm gaining an apprenticeship at Abstraxt Hair Design. He says doing Gateway was “one of the best experiences I had in my years of schooling”.

“Everything is going so well,” Storm says. “Leslie (owner of Abstraxt) has given me more responsibilities and taught me many more skills.”

The HITO Gateway programme gives high school students a chance to try out the industry. They spend one a day week in a hairdressing salon, barbershop, or beauty salon, learning basic skills, gaining NCEA credits, and experiencing a career in hair and beauty first hand.

For Storm, the best part of apprenticeships is working full-time in a salon. As well as earning while you get qualified, working in a salon also gives you constant opportunities to learn something new, says Storm.

Usually, the student’s high school has a Gateway department who organise placements and support the student. Doing Gateway through correspondence wasn’t very different, according to Storm – The Correspondence School provided him with all the information and assessments he needed. After completing all the theory assessments, a HITO assessor visited Storm in the salon to assess his progress.

Storm also enjoys the social aspect of hairdressing. He enjoys the creativity and being able to express himself through his work. “The interaction between the stylist and the client appeals to me, as I’ve always been a social person,” Storm says. “But the creativity is also something I enjoy – I like being able to express my personality through my work.”

Storm’s assessor was Phillip Millar, co-owner of Headquarters Remuera. Phillip was extremely impressed with Storm’s progress. Abstraxt were also impressed, offering Storm an apprenticeship once he’d finished the Gateway programme.

Once he gains his National Certificate in Hairdressing (Level 4), Storm plans to travel the world. He wants to open his own salon at some point, and work in the film and TV industry. Storm is loving his career in hairdressing, and he would encourage others to give it a go.

“Having Phillip as an assessor made the end to my Gateway experience easy,” Storm says. “He also helped with my transition into an apprenticeship, sharing his experiences in the hairdressing industry with me.”

“You never know until you try it,” Storm says. “I knew nothing about hairdressing when I first started, but giving it a go helped me decide that this was the right career for me. If you have a creative spark and a love of fashion then hairdressing could be the career for you”.

Storm would recommend Gateway to others. Gateway gives people the opportunity to try out different careers, and if

face study & balance techniques for professional make-up By Wendy Hill, Wendy Hill Cosmetics

In the last issue of Forma we looked at different face shapes and how to work with those face shapes when applying make-up. To further your understanding of make-up and face shapes, we will now look at face balance.

nowledge of the basic face structure leads to an understanding of make-up balance. The variety of products we can use is infinite, but the places to put them are not. We all begin with the same elements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; two eyes, a nose, mouth, cheekbones, jaw, etc. The next step to achieving face balance is to divide the face into halves - a top and a bottom. Remember the importance of the effect of light and dark. When applying make-up there are four placement options to consider: 1. A dark eye area balanced with a dark mouth 2. A light eye area balanced with a dark mouth 3. A dark eye area balanced with a light mouth 4. A light eye area balanced with a light mouth. Keep in mind that the terms of light and dark are relative. You can modify intensity and work somewhere in the middle. What these four fundamental balance combinations do is simply shift our attention up or down, or broaden it to take in the face as a whole. Note: halving the face into right and left sides is a different type of balance, because one side of the face is not always a mirror image of the other side. You may need some corrective adjustments with make-up application technique to balance the face overall. It usually needs simple things such as extending brow length, lifting or lowering uneven brows, or redrawing one side of the mouth to match the other. It is important to correct these elements with photographic work to get the best result. Any imbalance of features when photographed or filmed will be accentuated.

FACE ONE: DARK EYES, DARK MOUTH Accentuating both the eyes and mouth creates overall drama and intensity. First apply primer, then even out skin tone with camouflage cream and a light application of chosen foundation. Dust the face with matte loose face powder, with a touch more under the eyes to catch any loose eyeshadow that may drift while applying darker eyeshadow. Using the natural arch as a guide, shape brows into place with brow liner and brush. The Brow Kit with Stencils is a great tool for this. Line the entire inner rim of each eye with black eyeliner, and soften and blend well into the lashes to avoid harsh edges. Gel eyeliners are waterproof and work well too. Encircle the eyes in black matte eyeshadow, making sure to blend and soften the edges with a clean brush. (Note: the points are extended slightly at the inner and outer corners of the eye.) Top off lashes with a coat of black mascara. Line and fill the entire lip with a dark woody shade lip pencil, then using a lip brush, cover with a dark matte lipstick. Contour cheekbones very lightly with a warm bronzer.

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

FACE TWO: NEUTRAL EYES AND STRONG MOUTH

FACE THREE: STRONG EYES AND NEUTRAL MOUTH

This shifts the attention to the mouth and the lower part of the face.

This focus shifts the attention to the eyes and the upper part of the face.

All steps remain the same as in face one, but only use a flesh-tone eyeshadow to shape the eyelid softly before you add mascara.

All steps remain the same as in face one, except lips are lined with a neutral flesh-tone lip pencil and covered with a pale fleshtone lip colour.

A make-up artist can decide which features to accentuate and which to diminish by studying the face structure of each client. For a personal make-up lesson or bridal make-up, for example, highlighting the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best features will give the best result and make your client happy. For commercial and fashion work, the choices are limitless, depending on the job brief, the occasion, the mood and finished look wanted. The make-up artist can create many looks based on these four fundamental face balance techniques. Remember, make-up is all an illusion!

FACE FOUR: NEUTRAL EYES AND MOUTH This effect allows the natural face structure and hair to be the main focus. This look involves the same eye treatment as face two with a return to the paler mouth as in face three.

New HITO fees for 2015

We haven’t changed our fees in over two years, but we need to increase them now. As in all business’, our costs have gone up while government funding has become more restricted. So to make sure we can still offer the best possible service to you, we need to increase our fees. Don’t worry – HITO will still cover 75% of your fees, and an apprenticeship will still be a very affordable option. The fees for the National Certificate in Business (Level 3), The National Certificate in Hairdressing (Advanced Cutting), and the Management qualification are staying the same.

From 1 January 2015, HITO fees will be as follows. HAIRDRESSING Signing on as a Year 1

$355

Signing on as a Year 2

$255

Signing on as a Year 3

$205

Signing on for final assessments only

$160

In-salon assessment (2759)

$150

Final assessment (2757)

$300

Re-sitting final assessment (2757)

$90

Private final assessment (2757)

$650

Re-sitting private final assessment (2757)

$265

In-salon assessment (2759) as a non-apprentice

$350

Final assessment (2757) as a non-apprentice

$600

BARBERING Signing on as a Year 1

$305

Signing on as a Year 2

$205

Final assessment (10650)

$300

Final assessment as a non-apprentice (10650)

$600

OTHER FEES Appeals

$85

Transferring employer

$130

HITO ANNUAL EMPLOYER FEE HITO fee

$480/$440* discount

HITO Fee with discount for NZARH members

$240/$220* discount

6 month HITO fee (for salons with apprentices only sitting final assessments)

$240

* discount: This is a discounted price for prompt payment of invoice within 30 days.

beauty from within

By Janine Tait, Beauty Therapist and Nutritional Therapist

Is there any therapist out there who doesn’t want to have a radiant, glowing complexion? I thought not! Our skin is our business card, so we need to take good care of it, and we do, applying our favourite potions faithfully every day. But have you also thought about the importance of looking after it from the inside?

y philosophy is that keeping skin radiant, youthful and beautiful is a 50:50 partnership. Half depends on what you do topically, and half depends on what you do internally.

Someone once said “you can’t reach the outside from the inside, and you can’t reach the inside from the outside, so you need both.” It is largely true, although many of the ingredients in skincare products can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and conversely, the nutrients we put into our bodies will eventually end up on the surface. But the general principle is correct: it is more effective to treat the outside topically and the inside from within. This is true when you look at anti-ageing. Our skin reflects the sum of many small habits over the period of many years; the number of hours we sleep, how much stress we suffer, right through to what we choose to eat and drink every day. Beauty and skincare are holistic and as therapists we need to treat the whole person, not just the skin as an isolated organ. There are four important reasons to work on your clients’ skins from the inside as well as topically:

4 THE FIRST REASON is that nutritional deficiencies are often the cause of the skin conditions our clients can suffer. If we don’t correct these deficiencies we can never hope to cure the problem. For example, acne sufferers have been found to be more likely to be deficient in essentially fatty acids, certain B vitamins, vitamin A and zinc. These nutritional deficiencies will be contributing to the problem and need to be addressed before you can get tangible results for your client.

3 THIRDLY, bowel and liver function has a big impact on the appearance and health of your skin. If either of these two important elimination organs are not doing their job properly then the skin will reflect this either by looking dull and lifeless or irritated when your overloaded body secretes toxins on to its surface. Another issue is with unwanted hormones that cannot be eliminated in a timely manner. This exacerbates skin problems that are due to hormonal imbalances.

2 THE SECOND REASON you need to work from within is that there are many foods and drinks that can fuel skin problems. There are in fact, two main groups that cause problems… congesting foods and heating foods: CONGESTING FOODS Congested skin is directly associated with the quality of oil or sebum that the skin produces. When sebum is flowing normally it plays an important role in protecting the skin. However, if a client’s skin has a tendency to congest, saturated fats will cause their sebum to thicken and block pores. They also contain free fatty acids that irritate and inflame the skin’s surface. There are, however, plenty of delicious skin and health enhancing alternatives. HEATING FOODS A similar thing happens with heating foods. Certain foods heat the skin, causing it to appear reddened and feel sensitive. These foods are called ‘vasodilators’ and heat skin by increasing the blood flow through the fine capillary system. If your clients are prone to red or sensitive skin and broken capillaries, suggest they try to avoid or reduce heating foods such as hot and spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol (especially red wine). Instead, they can improve their skin’s strength and vitality by choosing other options.

LASTLY, many of the treatments therapists do aim to stimulate collagen production and rebuild a healthier, stronger skin. It is vital that the cells in your skin, especially those capable of producing collagen, are supplied with all the nutritional building blocks they require. If these cells don’t have the ingredients they need to make these important anti-ageing fibres or heal the skin when needed, then our clients won’t get the results they desire. We could even damage their skin. So having a nutritional protocol around these more invasive treatments is of paramount importance when we put our plans together.

I hope you’ll join me in sharing the ‘beautiful from the inside’ philosophy with your clients. If you’d like to learn more, you can check out my blog at bestowbeauty.co.nz or ‘like’ us on Facebook to receive regular skincare updates.

MARIENNE BARBARA

IT’S ALL CONNECTED A holistic approach to beauty recognises the mind-body connection as an important key to wellness and business success.

hen she first began working as a beauty therapist in her early twenties, Marienne Barbara instinctively took a holistic approach to both treating her clients and running her business. It wasn’t a conscious commercial decision, she says, just a natural response to the needs of her clients and a philosophy that made perfect sense to her.

“I wanted to help my clients in a holistic (mind-body-spirit) way, by listening to them and suggesting other therapies they might want to try. “I did many courses and aligned myself with other businesses such as osteopaths, naturopaths, homeopaths, acupuncturists and other alternative therapies so I could learn and offer the best treatment for someone,” she says. “I wanted to retain and grow my customer base. By sending them off to other practitioners who offered complementary services to mine, I felt that they would improve their physical and mental wellness and improve their overall quality of life.”

“Beauty therapy is all about nurturing,” explains Marienne. “When you treat clients, you listen to them and they often tell you about other health or personal issues they’re experiencing. You work intuitively, recognising that discomforts or pains are symptoms of imbalance that might be because of diet or lifestyle or because their emotional needs aren’t being met.”

As well as addressing their beauty needs and suggesting other therapies, Marienne arranged information sessions or fun workshops for her clients. She held seminars and invited guest speakers, including doctors, nutritionists and dermatologists, to do presentations. The feedback from her customers was that they felt empowered through this new knowledge.

A yoga enthusiast and vegan, Marienne was herself experimenting with different lifestyle options and “wellness solutions”. She enjoyed researching natural remedies and treatments and shared her findings with her clients.

"Eastern cultures see and treat the body and mind as one – everything is connected, and it makes perfect sense."

“Wellness is all about prevention; it’s about being responsible for you. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive – restoring balance and treating the whole person. And, ultimately, what’s good for the customer is also good for business.”

“I think the wellness sectors are growing rapidly and will continue to grow. As consumers become more educated about their bodies and seek balance in their lives, they’re going to be looking for a much more holistic approach to beauty and wellness.

Today, she believes, the concept of ‘wellness’ is becoming more mainstream and consumer-driven as people seek out alternative solutions to their beauty and health issues. But taking a holistic approach to wellness is nothing new. In fact, in some cultures it dates back thousands of years and Marienne suggests we should look to that accumulated wisdom.

“It will be consumer driven. That’s where the industry is heading. Wellness is multidimensional. The younger generations are interested in products and services because they want to look after themselves. Men are also catching on to this and of course the baby boomers, who are the core customers of health and wellness-related products and services.”

“I believe the Western world, with its reliance on pharmaceuticals, fixing a problem and treating symptoms in isolation, still has a lot to learn from the East. The approaches are so different. Eastern cultures see and treat the body and mind as one – everything is connected, and it makes perfect sense. The way you look on the outside reflects the inner workings of your body. While it’s an emotional health issue, stress, for example, has a huge impact on your body, particularly on our skin.”

And with this increase in demand for more holistic services, Marienne says salons and spas need to be open to taking a holistic approach to business, to respond to demand by offering a wider choice of complementary services. “No one can afford to be one-dimensional today. You need to offer different choices to capture your audience. We’re going to be living longer so while there’s a place for modern medicine, it can’t solve all our problems.”

Marienne says wellness didn’t exist 25 years ago in the West and today it’s being trumpeted as a new trend. But she says it’s been around forever.

As proof of her belief Marienne recently launched a new business. Her company, Benefic, offers a range of Thai Herbal Compress Therapy products that combine thermal, herbal, aroma and massage therapies in the one treatment and the one time.

“The word ‘wellness’ has ancient roots. If you go way back to Ayurvedic days, to the Chinese, Greeks and Romans two or three thousand years ago, they were so sophisticated in their approach to wellness. The concept of wellness appears to be coming full circle, and people are changing the way they take care of themselves. It’s not just our minds and bodies; it’s society and the planet. There’s a real paradigm shift. We’re far behind the Eastern world, but people have become more knowledgeable, and are looking for alternatives to modern medicine because it’s just not working for them.”

“It’s a unique treatment that is truly holistic,” she says. “And it’s something that can work in any establishment. Thai herbal compress massage is an ancient healing technique that dates back to the 14th Century Ayutthaya Kingdom in Siam. And interestingly, this product is integrated into the public health system in Thailand so everyone there gets to benefit from it. It’s simple yet effective.”

So how does Marienne see the industry changing in the next five to ten years?

FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.BENEFIC.CO.NZ OR EMAIL MARIENNE@BENEFIC.CO.NZ.

THREE CRUCIAL MISTAKES THERAPISTS MAKE By Nadia McCracken, founder and director at Spa Beauty NZ.

he beauty industry has evolved enormously in the past fifteen years, and so has the technology available to therapists. We have incredibly sophisticated and impressive tools at our disposal to use how we please. The problem is that too many therapists use them to impress their clients with a dramatic “quick fix” treatment that gives the client an instant, noticeable glow. However, a once off quick fix treatment is not addressing the deep underlying problem that is causing your client's concern. Why are we afraid to address the real issues?

SPEEDING PAST THE SKIN ANALYSIS Many therapists rush through the skin analysis at high-speed so that they can get to the bit we enjoy most: hands-on work. After all, that is why we became therapists in the first place – to do treatments and make people feel good.

By making a change in three key areas, I believe beauty therapists can address the underlying problem and achieve the results their clients are seeking.

We have faith in our ability to please clients with hands-on therapy. We lack confidence in our ability to investigate the skin and determine the treatment to achieve optimum results. However, when your client is searching for real, longterm skin results, addressing the issues in a professional skin analysis is essential. It's like hopping into your car without a destination in mind or a road map to get you there. You’ll end up driving aimlessly and getting nowhere! It's no different launching into a skincare treatment without a thorough analysis and plan. Below is the essential information you want to collect with each skin analysis (remember that every time you see your client these can change): • Your client’s main concern. This may not be your concern, but you need to understand what it is. That way you can either address it or educate your client about why you feel it is not a priority right now. • Lifestyle and nutrition. 60-70% of what is going on in our skin is related to what we do every day. What are your client’s daily habits? • Genetic history. We are all predisposed to specific genetic phenotype. • Cosmetic and medical history. What procedures has your client had done? What medication is your client on? Knowing this will affect your treatment (and how it will affect it) is vital. • Risk factors. Does your client have any allergies or sensitivities? A thorough, professional skin analysis should take at least 30 minutes. Use this time to study the current condition thoroughly and to devise a treatment plan with clear and specific goals.

"Never settle for average, become an expert in your field, and most of all: love what you do!" 2

HOME CARE – WHAT HOME CARE?

LEAPING INTO A TREATMENT

Many therapists intensely fear rejection, and they shy away from recommending retail products at all costs. They flippantly rush through the products on displayed on the reception desk, desperately wanting to get back into the treatment room. After all, your passion lies in doing treatments, not doing sales.

You should never perform a treatment without knowing exactly why you are performing it. You must also explain those reasons to your client in a way they fully understand. Too often, clients find themselves in the chair or treatment bed not knowing what treatment they are having, why they are having that treatment, and how it is going to help them.

But the treatment room and what we do there is only a small part of the service. If you want to become a true solution provider for your clients, advising on retail products must be a part of your service.

There is often a very brief discussion about how their therapist could “peel this” or “zap that”. But the client doesn’t know how it all works and what it will do for their skin.

Remember that 60 -70% of the results comes from what your clients do at home every day. There is no point if they come for regular treatments but use inappropriate products at home.

It’s easy to do a peel, a Microdermabrasion treatment or to zap someone with IPL (Intense Pulsed Light). Understanding the mechanics and the implications are not that easy. It is essential that you thoroughly understand the technology and products you use.

If you don’t prescribe a detailed home-care routine, you have left a massive gaping hole in your treatment plan. You are setting yourself (and your clients) up for failure. You cannot achieve great results without a very specific, clear home care plan for every client.

• What physiological effect will they have on the skin? • What are the possible side-effects of the treatment?

A crucial part of your home care is post-treatment followup and care:

• Is the treatment suitable for the client’s needs? • Is your chosen treatment part of a long-term plan to address real concerns?

• What can your client expect to see/feel after their treatment?

Many clinics and therapists prescribe the same “treatment package” for every client. But when it comes to skincare treatments, one size does not fit all. Every client is different. Not one has the same concerns, needs, issues and conditions. Never assume that because it worked for one client, it will work for all. Treat each client as an individual, because they are.

• How should your client care for their skin after the treatment? • What sensations/ reactions are normal after the treatment? A professional therapist will keep in touch with clients and coach them through the treatment process. That includes what is happening with their skin before, after and between treatments.

Start by seeing yourself as a “Skin and Body Coach”. Be the best coach you can be by continuing to learn, develop and grow your knowledge and skill set. Never settle for average, become an expert in your field, and most of all: love what you do!

ARTICLE SUPPLIED BY NADIA MCCRACKEN FROM WWW.SPABEAUTY.CO.NZ; THE INFORMATION WEBSITE FOR THE SPA & BEAUTY COMMUNITY IN NZ.

INCREASING YOUR BUSINESS PROFIT By Tom Murphy, CEO and Founder of Kitomba Salon Software.

uccess comes in all shapes and sizes, but there are a few common goals at the top of many business owners priority list. In this final installment of a three-part series, Kitomba CEO Tom Murphy discusses how to make more money in your salon or spa.

When it comes to your business profit, there are two approaches. One is to reduce costs and save money; the other is to take action to attract new clients and increase turnover from existing clients. Both activities are critical to your business success.

REDUCE COSTS AND SAVE MONEY:

Do you know how much it costs to operate your business each week? There are some fixed costs like the lease or insurance. But many of your operating costs could be reduced by making a few simple changes.

GET THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO MINIMISE THE TIME YOU NEED FOR THOSE DAILY TASKS. A busy salon environment takes a lot of administration, so make sure you and your team are working smart. Whether you’re working with a paper-based system or software such as Kitomba that’s tailored to your environment, make sure you have processes in place to lessen the time you spend on those constant tasks.

Here are my four top tips:

Do you still have a team member dedicated to scrolling the columns and calling customers to confirm their upcoming appointments? Consider how you can boost your business with an automated text or email confirmation system, which can save staff time and drastically reduce the risk of no-shows.

WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS GOOD FOR YOUR BOTTOM LINE. Train your team to check that they’re not leaving lights or appliances on overnight, recycle paper, tinfoil and product bottles where possible. Be mindful of water use and where it makes sense, buy in bulk from your suppliers to reduce waste and gain cost efficiencies.

For many business owners, managing staff is a time-consuming problem area. It can be even trickier in a salon environment where staff often have a range of skill levels and wage rates to reflect this. Manually working out rosters and commission rates can be tough. Set Kitomba to accommodate your whole team and automatically calculate wages, commission and incentives for each person.

A few small changes can make a big difference to your bottom line, but take care not to overwhelm your team with everything at once. Instead, look at introducing a new focus each week to get everyone in the habit.

Take some time to think about the world of your business. Identify the areas where you can save time and money, then take action to develop efficient systems and get your whole team on board.

DON’T LET YOUR MONEY GO TO WASTE ON THE SHELVES. Stock is an area where many businesses get themselves into trouble. It can be difficult to judge how much stock to carry, and how to establish the profit margin on each product.

TRAIN YOUR STAFF TO MANAGE THEIR TIME. You see them in action on the floor each day, but how regularly do you monitor efficiency? Is lateness an issue? Do you have a clear policy around discounts and freebies? Are you paying overtime for cleaning and administration that could done throughout the day? Do you need to provide additional training to ensure your team can cope with a full column of clients? Take the time to check with your team, make sure they always know what you expect of them and be sure to celebrate a job well done. Clients will enjoy a happy and productive environment, and they’ll keep coming back for more.

Do you understand what’s selling, and what’s sitting around? Get your stock management system in place, and you’ll quickly know your hot products and your slow movers. Then you’ll make informed buying decisions and focus your sales efforts around your most profitable lines.

ATTRACT NEW CLIENTS AND RETAIN EXISTING CLIENTS

KNOW WHERE YOU STAND IN THE INDUSTRY. Putting up your prices is one way to increase turnover, but if you go too high, you may lose clients. Our Benchmark report can show where your prices sit relative to the rest of the industry, giving you the intel to increase your prices but remain competitive.

So now that you’re saving money and time, let’s look at how you can increase the turnover in your salon. When it comes to revenue, there are two options. One is to increase the regularity or spend of existing clients, and the other is to attract new clients to your salon. Once again, a combination of both is essential to success.

GET ONLINE. These days, most people spend a large amount of their time online, and this greatly influences the way they spend their money. More people search through Google than the phone book, so if your salon or spa doesn’t have an online presence, chances are you’re missing out on clients.

KEEP IT PERSONAL WITH YOUR CLIENTS. Clients have never had so many options to choose from. Making sure you put relationships at the forefront of service can put your business at an advantage. Ensure your clients know they are valued by offering an in-house rewards programme, sending personal greetings for their birthday or anniversary, and recognising when they have referred a friend. Regularly review and identify clients who have lapsed, and send them a tempting offer to get them back in your salon.

Setup a basic webpage that includes your salon’s name and logo. Include a few photos of your team and salon, contact details, and a summary that tells the world why they should make their next appointment with you. There are many great options for creating an affordable and easy to manage website. Once you have this in place, explore the benefits of online advertising, which is often cost-effective, targeted, and easy to measure. Online booking can be a great way to attract new clients. It keeps your business open 24/7 without the need to pay a staff member to stand by the phone. It’s an opportunity for new clients to find you. It also helps clients organise their lives and book appointments at a time that suits them.

HAVE A VOICE IN THE MARKETPLACE. Every new client presents an opportunity to grow your annual turnover, so focus getting new clients through your door. Make the most of your window space to showcase your business. Consider in-salon events to attract new clients, connect to the businesses in your area and look for opportunities to create alliances to promote each other’s products and services. If your business is fully booked for weeks in advance (lucky you), you’ve reached capacity, and it’s time to grow!

So, whether you are reducing costs to increase your profit or powering into your marketing to increase your turnover, with a few small changes it can be easy to make more money in your business.

When you are deciding what to offer new clients, keep your salon’s unique place in the market in mind. For example, if your key clientele are busy professionals, you may want to look for opportunities to offer express services that are efficient on time. But sending your marketing out into the world is only part of the process. Make sure you have the systems in place to monitor the response. This can help you understand the value of each marketing dollar spent and how to decide on campaigns in the future.

TOM MURPHY IS THE FOUNDER & CEO OF KITOMBA SALON & SPA SOFTWARE; NEW ZEALAND’S NUMBER ONE SALON AND SPA SOFTWARE PROVIDER. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KITOMBA VISIT WWW.KITOMBA.COM OR CALL 0800 161 101.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, WHO KNOWS?

YOU MAY ALREADY BE THERE By Malcolm Gibbons

MALCOLM GIBBONS IS A HAIR & BEAUTY INDUSTRY SPECIFIC MENTOR/COACH WHO SAYS: "MY PASSION IS PEOPLE, MY ENTHUSIASM IS BUSINESS AND MY MISSION IS TO ASSIST CLINIC OWNERS IN ACHIEVING THE DREAM THEY HAD WHEN FIRST GOING INTO BUSINESS."

ou have staff members who have to perform certain tasks within your business. You employed them to assist you in the smooth running of your salon and to take the pressure off you as the owner. The trouble is they seem to be taking up so much more of your time than if you just did their job yourself! In most cases, you do end up doing it yourself as well as supporting them – and that’s just wearing you down to a frazzle isn’t it?

Think about it. What is it that makes you get out of bed every day and head off to your business? Is it the fact that you have a dream, a vision of what that business could do for you and how it can help you achieve your goals? Maybe it’s because if you didn’t turn up the business would not work? (If this is the reason, that’s a whole new set of issues to cover in another article).

SO WHAT WENT WRONG?

If you use your business as a vehicle to achieve a higher purpose, then perhaps the people working alongside you have a similar attitude. Have you thought to ask them questions like: what is it that they want out of working with or for you? What dreams and desires do they have? What is it that they desire to achieve? Many salon owners believe that money is the reason their team come to work, but believe it or not, money is way down on the list of reasons people work. Things like job satisfaction, interaction with people, making a difference and helping people are all much more important to many workers than money.

Well, I’ll tell you. They didn’t buy into your vision or dream of where the business is going and they don’t understand how you want your business to operate to achieve your goals and reach your vision. Worse still, you don’t know the answer to these questions yourself. You’re just operating the salon every day through reaction, and that’s a recipe for disaster. You might even feel that you’re a fire-fighter not a hairdresser or beauty therapist. You seem to spend your days putting out little fires all over the place. A business without a clear sense of direction will drift about and go whatever way the wind blows. I often see the result of this – it’s much like watching a cork bounce around in a spa pool. Without direction or order every day a salon and its owner and team will struggle with success.

Are you organised? Are you systemised? Do you have a vision for the business and have you inspired your team to follow that vision? Do you know where you are going? Why do you do what you do? I’m reminded of a saying I heard a long time ago and the title of this article: ‘If you don’t know where you are going, who knows? You may already be there!’

It has long been acknowledged that the majority of the human race are followers, and that means that most people are happy to follow others. So ask yourself the question: what have you as the business leader given your team to follow? What inspires them to do an amazing job? What reason other than money have you given them for coming to work?

You are the leader in your business. The leader sees the future through their vision, sets the course for achievement through the mission and then inspires, encourages and motivates their team to follow them towards it. There are six keys to having a winning team, and although I don’t have the room in this article to cover them all. It is important to highlight reason number one, and that’s Strong Leadership.

Before I hear you saying it, I’ll say it for you: “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink, Malcolm!” Well, you are right. However, have you thought about why a horse would want to drink? Maybe if you put some salt in its oats you will create a thirst. Then it will want to drink from your well.

Leadership is about painting a current picture of the future in the form of a vision. The leader must then be able to share that vision with the team. How well do you as a leader in your business inspire your team to achieve the vision?

A vision is the inspiration chosen by successful leaders to express the direction of their business clearly. By crafting a clear vision statement (the why) and mission statement (the how), you can powerfully communicate your intentions and motivate your salon team to realise an attractive and inspiring vision of the future.

As we look forward to a new year for us and our businesses, the real question is - are you being the ideal leader to inspire your team to greatness?

VISIT WWW.SHOCKCONSULT.CO.NZ TO LEARN HOW TO GET MORE PROFIT WITH LESS WORK.

SIX ESSENTIAL TIPS TO ENSURE BUSINESS RETENTION AND A HEALTHY BANK BALANCE By Larissa Macleman, Business Development Manager at Get Timely. As a business owner, one of my key focus areas was client retention. This ensured that my business would survive tomorrow, and my staff would continue to be productive. I’ve put together some essential tips to help make sure you and your team are fully booked for the future - not just for the next six weeks, but into 2015 and beyond.

THINK RETENTION NOT JUST REBOOKING

TAKE THEM ON A ‘HAIR JOURNEY’

CHANGE YOUR WORDS

It’s a trap to focus solely on rebooking as a targeted KPI (key performance indicator). It’s fantastic to aim to grow your rebooking rates, but you should focus on the client while you do it. Every client could potentially be your best, and you should focus on building long-term relationships. Rebooking and retention strategies should start with the heart, not cold, hard stats. Research shows that the relationship with a stylist is paramount when deciding whether or not to stay with a salon or stylist long term.

“What are we doing today, Mary?” Sound familiar? Limply asking your clients what they want is completely uninspiring and is effectively like saying you’re not that interested. If you’re not inspired then you can’t expect them to be!

Listen to yourself and your team when you’re at the reception desk seeing your clients out. Are you asking your clients to ‘rebook’? This is an inside industry term and does nothing to inspire your client to commit.

Instead, lead your clients on a hairstyle journey. Excite them about what is possible, the latest fashion and colours, how great she could look even if you can’t achieve it all today. Inspire them with photos and styles they’ve never considered before. Something different. Even those clients who have the same trim every time, reassure them that if they do want change then you’re the stylist for them. Studies show that one of the major factors in a client changing stylists is that they believe “my stylist won’t change my hairstyle”.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

“To keep your hair looking the best, let’s arrange your next haircut/colour now.” “When do you notice that your hair is starting to feel too long? Let’s book in an appointment just before it stops looking and feeling great.” “6 weeks is the <date>, let’s secure a time now so you don’t miss out one that suits you.”

ENCOURAGE CLIENTS TO COME SOONER

ONLINE BOOKING

STAY AT THE FRONT OF THEIR MIND - KEEP IN TOUCH BETWEEN APPOINTMENTS

Whether they book now or later remind them to come sooner rather than later. This strategy is a win-win for everyone. Client win: Their hair will look better and never get to that awful place, ensuring your work looks great out there. Your win: By increasing the number of visits your clients have each year you stand to increase your annual business income by a 3rd. It’s simple mathematics. The annual difference between a client who spends $200 each visit coming every 5 weeks or coming every 8 weeks is $600. Now multiply that by 7 clients a day, 5 days a week - you could increase revenue by $21,000 per stylist each year.

Clients book flights, hotels, restaurants and buy clothes online. They want instant results, and they want them when it suits them. Clients are easily frustrated and inconvenienced by things that take too long. If it’s not available right now (or worse, if it doesn't work) they will leave as fast as you can say ‘I just lost a client.' Ensure you have online booking on your website and Facebook page, and remember that not all booking systems are made equal. Here’s a quick checklist: 1. Mobile Optimisation: Can your clients use it without having to squeeze and pinch? A booking page should respond to the device it’s being viewed on. Remember, around 60% of people who are on the web are on a mobile device. Make it easy for them. 2. Can your clients book, reschedule and cancel? To maintain their loyalty, you have to provide them with the flexibility to manage their own time. You’ll also save yourself many interruptions with less incoming rescheduling phone calls. 3. Ease of use – is it simple and easy to navigate for your clients? Avoid clunky user experiences, as this reflects badly on your brand.

Keep in touch and you won't fall far from your client’s thoughts, ensuring they think of you next time their hair is in need of attention. Here are some tips to stay at the front of your client’s mind: Text them between appointments asking how their hair is. Email them a photo of a great hairstyle you know they’ll love, or send them a link about something you were talking about during their visit. Send a monthly e-newsletter about what’s hot and what’s not. Give them a copy of your favourite book to read (they’ll have to return it to you at their next appointment).

I’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR RETENTION STRATEGIES. GET IN TOUCH.

LARISSA MACLEMAN, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER E: LARISSA@GETTIMELY.COM WWW.GETTIMELY.COM WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LIKETIMELY

“CHASE THE VISION & THE MONEY WILL FOLLOW YOU.” Brenda Perham of Bamboo Consulting shares her business advice.

With a fresh New Year comes the ability to review the performance of the last 12 months, set some goals, get organised and create a plan of attack for 2015.

he title quote by Tony Hsieh is one of my favourite business quotes, and one that I think is very relevant to the hair industry. Hairdressers are visual people who everyday transform a hair canvas into something fabulous. We love watching our clients leave the salon with an awesome 'do and a spring in their step.

It’s all too easy to glide into the New Year and suddenly realise the first quarter of the year has disappeared, along with all your best intentions.

So if we have the vision how come the money doesn’t always follow or flow?

Systems, structure and strategy are my thing, so I’ve put together a few tips and a bit of info that will help you make 2015 your best and most organised year ever.

As hairdressers, we think of the word vision as that “painted picture” in our mind or the emotion or feeling around our salon. When I googled the word “vision” I found an interesting statement that I think provides some insight.

LOOK BACK AT THE YEAR THAT WAS…. What was good, what was bad and what was ugly? Look back and celebrate your salon’s strengths, recognise your weaknesses and set strategies in place to overcome them. Every problem has a solution, so create a to-do list and start working your way through it. Delegation is a beautiful thing, so get your team to help out too.

VISION: “The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.” Plan with imagination or wisdom: that’s the part that maybe we could do better. Systems, structure and strategy don’t always have a natural affinity with creative, passionate, fun loving hairdressers, but believe me this is the “secret sauce” for your salon.

Sometimes we become so client focused that we forget our team are the touch point for the clients. Their happiness is vital. GET YOUR APPOINTMENT BOOK ORGANISED

You need to create a strong culture around your salon and keep your team fed, focused and motivated.

Whether you are using salon software (my recommendation) or putting pencil to paper, mark out all the public holidays and ask all your team to submit their holiday requests for the first 6 months of the year. This allows you manage your cash flow better, as you will know what weeks you will be paying out holiday pay. It will also mean your clients won’t be mucked around with appointment changes.

The beginning of the year is a great time for a staff appraisals and to set turnover and education goals. This needs to be a formal process and a two way street. Set aside at least an hour to discuss their personal dreams, goals and career aspirations. Some salons allocate education dollars at the beginning of the year to subsidise seminars, shows and workshops. Get in touch with hair companies for their education calendars, look beyond only the brands you use in the salon, and plan your education for the year and get it all booked.

SET YOUR SPENDING BUDGET You should know how much your salon costs to run each week. If you don’t, ask your accountant to work this out for you. This will create a clearly defined goal for your weekly turnover.

Some salons kick off their year with a get together. Ideally take your team out of the salon for this. Share your vision for the salon and the coming year, and perhaps even invite some guest speakers, like a make-up artist to show the latest make up tips or a budget adviser to help them achieve their personal financial goals for the year. Think outside the square and you can create something really interesting to inspire your team.

You need to manage your spend well. There will be some expenses you can’t change – like your rent and power – but stock is an area that you can save a lot of dollars. Always use the stock function in your salon software so you know how much you are spending before you place the order. Set a fortnightly or monthly budget based on ordering frequency and stick to it. It’s also a good idea to do a stock take after Christmas and promo out any discontinued lines or excess stock: it’s all money sitting on your shelf.

CRANK UP THE MARKETING MACHINE I still believe that “word of mouth” is the best form of marketing for a salon. Your billboards are out and about every day in the form of your clients. What’s great is that with text/email campaigns, Facebook and other social media we can connect with our clients between visits. Planning your marketing always pays off.

SET YOUR “DREAM GOAL” Once you know what you must turnover each week you can work out your ‘dream goal’ of what you would love your salon to tick over each week.

Put together a marketing planner for the year. Mark in the key opportunities like Valentines Day, Mother Day, Christmas etc. Look back at your salon’s turnover pattern to help you identify quieter times that you could target for promotions. Make sure you keep a record of what you ran, the resources you used and the success of the campaign. This allows you to build a portfolio of resources for future reference.

Once you’ve worked out this number all you need to do is work out how you are going to achieve it. Do you need more clients? Do you need the clients you have to spend more money? Are you turning clients away and do you need more staff? Quite often the answer may be a combination of the above, although generally salons have enough clients, they just need to increase the client average spend. Awesome client consultations and a fantastic client journey is the key to this increase.

Whether you decide to do all of the above or pick out a few ideas to implement into your salon, the most important thing to remember is that if you do nothing, nothing will happen! Have a very Merry Christmas and my New Year wish for you all is that 2015 is your best salon business year ever.

YOUR TEAM IS YOUR BIGGEST ASSET Sometimes we become so client focused that we forget our team are the touch point for the clients. Their happiness is vital.

BRENDA PERHAM, FOUNDER OF BAMBOO CONSULTING, HAS BEEN PART OF THE HAIRDRESSING INDUSTRY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. BRENDA STARTED HER CAREER AS A HAIRDRESSING APPRENTICE AND WORKED HER WAY UP TO ROLES AT L’OREAL, MATRIX, JOICO, AND KERASTASE IN SALES AND EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, MANAGING SALON GROUPS AND COACHING BUSINESSES HERE AND OVERSEAS. SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY AND HER MISSION IS TO EMPOWER SALON OWNERS, MANAGERS, AND THEIR TEAMS WITH TOOLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SYSTEMS TO BUILD THEIR BUSINESS, CULTURE, AND PROFIT. VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.BAMBOOCONSULTING.CO.NZ.

FROM YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR:

HEALTH AND SAFETY IS A CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR FOR ALL SALONS David Patten, LLB:BA; MBS; FAMINZ, gives advice on legal matters.

ver the last few months I have had the privilege of attending a number of regional association meetings and running what I have described as an employment law clinic. Effectively what I have tried to do is bring attendees up to date with the latest developments in the area of employment law. It has been great to meet many members face to face and put names to faces (given that most of my work with the hairdressing profession is over the telephone).

The Independent Task Force on Workplace Health and Safety delivered a critical report on this matter. This Report was augmented with the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine tragedy. The basic conclusion of these Enquiries was that the existing system involved a weak regulator with poor worker engagement and confusing regulations. As a consequence, the Health and Safety Reform Bill was introduced into Parliament earlier this year in order to repeal the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. A new regulatory body has been established known as Worksafe New Zealand.

One of the topics I cover in the clinic is health and safety in the workplace. It’s a topic which, in my view, too many employers throughout industry have only paid ‘lip service’ to in the past. Recent legislative changes are going to force a change to that perspective!

The main purpose of the Bill is that workers and other persons are given the highest level of protection against harm to their health, safety and welfare from hazards and risks arising from work or from specified types of plant that is reasonably practicable. What does ‘reasonably practicable’ mean? It means whatever is reasonably able to be done in relation to ensuring health and safety, taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters.

The reality is that NZ has an appalling workplace accident record. More workers in NZ are killed or injured than in other similar jurisdictions. The total cost to NZ is approximately $3.5 billion per year.

DAVID PATTEN

In short there must be the protection of workers and other persons (e.g. salon clients) against harm to their health, safety and welfare by eliminating or minimising risks arising from work or from prescribed high risk plants.

WELL THINK AGAIN. IN MY VIEW: The legislative changes do affect you in a direct way – you have an absolute responsibility to ensure a safe and healthy working environment (e.g. free of bullying).

A term in the new Bill is ‘a person conducting a business or undertaking (‘PCBU’). It provides for a wider liability than under the present law. This includes employers and those who manage or control a workplace, fixtures, fitting or plant. It also includes anyone that designs, manufactures, imports, supplies, installs, constructs, or commissions plants, substances or structures. The reality is that company directors are going to potentially held liable under the new law and as a consequence are going to have to give considerable attention to health and safety. If they don’t, they will face serious consequences.

Think about the number of safety issues that the typical salon has to ‘manage’ each day. Do your staff know what is safe and unsafe? You cannot rely on common sense to prevail in this area of your business. You have an absolute responsibility to be proactive and regularly discuss health and safety matters with your staff. Salon health and safety should be a standard agenda item at every staff meeting! The excuse of lack of time to develop a salon health and safety policy will not ‘wash’ with a District Court judge who will determine the penalty for an offence under the Act. Indeed I suggest that if this excuse is made, watch the penalty for a proven infringement increase significantly!

The focus of the legislation changes from identification of risks rather than hazards. Employees in a workplace must: • Act in a way that protects their own safety and welfare, and the safety and welfare of others

The Bill also outlines dramatic increases in the category of offences with a three tiered hierarchy being introduced. At the top end (Category 1 - ‘reckless conduct’) penalties range from $600K for an individual through to $3million (maximum body corporate penalty) and/or imprisonment of 5 years. At the lower end (Category 3 – ‘failure to comply with a duty’) penalties range from $100k for an individual to $500k for a body corporate. That is a lot of hair cuts!

• Follow instructions that allow them to meet the requirements of health and safety legislation • Cooperate with reasonable policy and procedures relating to notified health and safety in the workplace. In keeping with this, a feature of the Bill is to uplift worker participation in determining appropriate health and safety procedures. They will help ensure a safe workplace by appointing worksite health and safety representatives.

Finally on this subject I commend you to an excellent HITO publication HITO e-Forma Issue 60: Health and Safety is key to your business. This email is full of practical tips on matters such as working with bleach, working with colour etc. It also identifies a number of resources for salon use and links to same. You can find this e-Forma on the HITO website (www.hito.org.nz) under Resources.

NOW LET’S PAUSE HERE FOR A MOMENT. How does this legislation affect me as a salon owner? I have a safe workplace! I deal with safety issues as they arise. My staff know what is safe and what is unsafe. They don’t need reminders from me about this subject. I don’t have time to develop a salon health and safety policy.

I trust you will all have a safe and relaxing festive period. Until next time...

IF THERE ARE ANY MATTERS OF AN EMPLOYMENT LAW NATURE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO WRITE ON PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO ME AT DAVID.PATTEN@DJPASSOCIATES.CO.NZ.

time to downsize, reap the benefits and upsize your career By Lyndsay Loveridge.

‘Time to downsize, reap the benefits and upsize your career’ – no doubt a controversial headline for some.

or most of my life, I’ve been overweight. Sure I have had my ‘slimmer ‘moments, but for most of my life I’ve carried between 15 -20 kilos more than what is considered an ideal weight. And yes, I have lied about what the scales have said.

new you. A combination of optimum fitness and new agility in both body and mind. Now who could say no to that? Why, I have dreamed of this state most of my life.

Bikinis were not something I could pack for that overseas trip, and chafing of the inner thighs, well I’ve suffered that too. I hated with a passion fancy dress up affairs - so would you if the only thing in your size was a ‘General’ or ‘Miss Piggy’ costume. And having my photo taken, that was a no-no!

I am not an expert on the right method of weight loss, but I do know being overweight and unhealthy is limiting. It limits your potential and it limits your choices in life. There are various resources out there to help you on your health journey. Social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest are rich with inspiration (and great for support from friends and the fitness community). There are also plenty of official resources to help you out:

I am currently on a program to downsize. I am liking me again and feeling the benefits health wise. It’s taken me since September 2013 to lose 18 kilos and honestly, I am still overweight. During this time, I completed two 12-week community weight loss courses and now am continuing my low GI (Glycemic Index) healthy eating plan. I still have 10 kilos to go.

• The Ministry of Health website has plenty of links to various resources, as well as more information about the health benefits of eating right and exercising: http://www.health.govt.nz/yourhealth/healthy-living/food-and-physicalactivity/obesity

I consider I am vulnerable because of a lifetime of bad habits and excuses that do not change quickly. What I do know is I feel passionate about the benefits of losing weight and committing to a healthy lifestyle.

• The Ministry of Health also has information on the benefits of physical activity and advice on how to get moving: http://www.health.govt.nz/ our-work/preventative-health-wellness/ physical-activity

Being overweight is difficult. It comes with many health issues. And it can be hard to change your habits. It requires new eating habits, new exercise habits, and often changing other habits too – like quitting smoking. Even if you are not overweight, you can still have these bad habits. And quitting smoking or eating less processed food are difficult to do, no matter your size. You can come up with all the excuses in the world.

• HealthEd has a healthy eating brochure that details the benefits of healthy eating and gives advice on how to change your eating habits. It also has exercise advice: https://www. healthed.govt.nz/resource/eating-healthyadult-new-zealandersng%C4%81-kait%C5%8Dtika-ma-te-hunga-pakeke-o-aotearoa

As an industry, hairdressers have some unhealthy habits. We are often overweight, and we often focus on our work over our health. It isn’t easy to change, but it is possible.

• Health NZ has advice on quitting smoking and the advantages for your health and well-being when you do: http://www.health.govt.nz/yourhealth/healthy-living/addictions/ smoking?icn=yh-quit-smoking&ici=heading

Let’s face it – if we could see our body as a machine, aiming for optimum performance, we would see food as fuel and acknowledge it as a balance between intake versus output. Food would be a power source. We would eat to sustain a healthy body. We would make wise choices about what we chose to eat. We would control our portion sizes. We would enjoy the art of eating rather than using it as a crutch for our emotional needs. And our bodies would be primed for our lifestyle.

Choosing to adopt a healthier lifestyle isn’t something we can do on our own. You need a coach, a friend, or someone to hold you accountable. That way you won’t make excuses. It’s about ‘state of mind’. You have to acknowledge you have a problem that you seriously want to change, and you are prepared to change your habits to do so.

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. But it is possible to change. There is no easy quick fix to lose those unwanted kilos or to break those bad habits. The first step is committing to change. The next step is making the time to make those changes. Changing your health habits is a lifelong journey, and it requires a complete change in your thinking.

Time now to hear a wonderful success story from a fellow hairdresser who accepted the challenge and changed themselves forever!

Be smart about your changes. Create a healthy eating plan and an exercise plan designed to maximise your health, to tone up and drop those extra kilos. The result is a trim and toned

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

"So say no more to those ‘one-day diet start-ups’: to change you must change your thinking and commit for life."

HEATHER FROM CLEAVER AND MOORE

CLEAVER AND MOORE OWNERS KIM (LEFT) AND KYLIE

HEATHER'S STORY: She’s young, she’s gorgeous, she has an infectious, bubbly personality, and now she’s got a sense of confidence and maturity too. Here is a young woman who is truly happy with where she is at in life. She has a body she is content with, health she can enjoy and a job she loves. It doesn’t get much better than that!

She’s now a gym convert, exercising with the help of a ‘movement coach’. During the summer she never misses a chance to get out and go for a walk. Heather’s journey is on-going. She plans to keep exercising and eating right, looking after her health however she can. Her co-workers at Cleaver and Moore have been supporting her, too – the whole salon has a new health-based approach to life (read about this in the article over the page). Kylie and Kim, the owners of Cleaver and Moore, have mentored and supported her throughout her fitness journey. Heather encourages anyone looking to change their health habits to share their goals with others – that way they can support you on your journey.

Heather has always been a striking young woman. She engaged with everyone and had a successful career. But she wanted more. She looked at her friends and knew she wanted a slimmer and healthier body. One day she decided ‘enough was enough’ and she decided to do something about it. Heather remembers the exact day she committed to her health goals: 28th August 2012. Since that day, she has lost 50kg and has dropped eight dress sizes.

Watching her food intake and portion size will always be a priority, and so will regular exercise. These are not things we as hairdressers always prioritise as clients comes first. But we have to look after ourselves too.

Being overweight was limiting her life and she was going to do something about it. She felt tired at work, couldn’t wear what she wanted and was feeling low on confidence. While she had youth on her side, she knew she was a candidate for diabetes and high blood pressure.

Heather’s new approach to health and fitness has made her life better than ever. She gets out more; she enjoys shopping again, and she has tons of energy. Now she can put 100% into her work and still have the energy to live her life outside work too.

Shopping was not a fun experience either. She had to buy high end (not the budget an apprentice hairdresser could afford), or the clothes were dowdy but within her budget. The only way she could enjoy shopping was going with a friend.

Heather advises people to start a journey to better health today. Put the right food in, watch your portion size, make water your best friend, learn to say no to alcohol and exercise regularly. Get someone on board who you can share your journey with and who helps you to be accountable to yourself. So say no more to those ‘one-day diet start-ups’: to change you must change your thinking and commit for life.

Socially she was retreating. It was just easier to stay at home, and she sensed she was becoming a couch potato. She knew it was time to make a change. She wanted the benefits of a slimmer, healthier body. First, Heather changed her eating. She started watching what she ate and how much she ate. Next she added exercise.

LOOK AFTER YOUR STAFF, LOOK AFTER YOUR BUSINESS

“The staff look great and feel great and they are having less time off due to illness. They are motivated and so the energy in the salon is very positive,” she says.

In an industry where caring for the client is important, taking care of yourself and your staff should be equally important. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Many hair and beauty professionals can end up burnt out, run down or suffering from career-threatening injuries because they haven’t been working safe.

TIPS FOR STAYING HEALTHY IN THE HAIR & BEAUTY INDUSTRY

Many employers are beginning to realise that this is not the best way to run a business. Cleaver and Moore Hairdressing in New Plymouth is one such business. This salon has a major focus on health, fitness and workingsafe. As a result, their employees are happier, healthier and more positive than ever before.

A good level of fitness is essential in these industries where work is physically demanding. Dealing with clients can be stressful too. Being fit and healthy enables you to feel alert and full of energy for longer. It can help you to be more resistant to harm. Having a fitness programme can be as simple as going for a walk several times a week to raise your heart rate. A healthy diet is also important.

KEEPING FIT

“We want our staff to enjoy the work and feel inspired. Developing a healthy lifestyle is a key factor in this. It’s a no-brainer!” says Cleaver and Moore co-owner Kim Cleaver.

WORKING SAFE People in the industry should follow good practice by using the correct techniques and postures. Otherwise, they are prone to musculoskeletal disorders such as overuse syndrome. Employers should eliminate risks by having a safe design for the salon and ensure that work techniques and processes are safe. Employers should also make sure that their staff take regular pauses and breaks throughout the day. This gives their muscles time to rest and recover.

“We recommend that other employers look after and support their staff holistically, in all aspects of their life. This creates happier people with positive energy, something that clients notice when they visit. Ultimately that's what clients want - great hair, obviously - but also to feel inspired about life!” The salon’s focus on health and well-being began when one of their staff members embarked on a massive weight loss and lifestyle change journey. This was about two years ago and, amazingly, this employee has now lost over 50kg.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE Don’t wait for a problem to crop up before you try to combat it. Once pain sets in, it takes longer to cure. It’s best to prevent discomfort and pain from happening at all by ensuring your techniques and postures are safe.

“We got on board with her, which in turn motivated all of us to start looking after ourselves better. We are always discussing food, exercising and healthy living, the staff are all going to the gym, and they often exercise together,” says Kim.

USE YOUR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS SAFELY

Another reason that influenced the salon’s change of focus was when Kylie, co-owner with Kim, had to undergo shoulder surgery because of an old injury.

Those in the hair and beauty work with a lot of chemicals. It’s important to use these safely – always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and store the chemicals safely. Keep these chemicals away from sensitive areas.

“Kylie had to take about seven months off the floor to recover from this injury. This also sparked our initiative to better look after our bodies,” explains Kim.

EARLY SIGNS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS • muscle discomfort • fatigue • aches and pains • soreness • hot and cold feelings • muscle tightness • numbness and tingling • stiffness • muscle weakness

To do this, the team at Cleaver and Moore now teach better posture and use of tools when training. They encourage their team to be physically fit, and even pay for regular massages for their staff to keep them work ready. They also encourage their staff to set and reach their personal health and well-being goals. “At the start of every year we do vision boards to pinpoint what everyone wants to achieve personally in that year,” says Kim. “Then we try and work together as a team in the salon to support one another to achieve these goals.”

Take action immediately if discomfort occurs to ensure pain does not develop. If the discomfort continues, consult your doctor. They can advise you on the best course of action. The sooner a pain disorder is identified, the better the outcome.

Kim says the effect of this change of focus in the salon has been huge. Not only is everyone feeling happier in general, but they feel closer as a team. She has noticed positive impacts for the business too.

ONE STYLIST SHARES THEIR EXPERIENCES... MOANA RIDDELL >> HAIRSCENE HAIR AND BEAUTY

oana is a newly qualified stylist at Hairscene Hair and Beauty in Whangaparaoa. She started the business qualification earlier this year.

Now that she’s a qualified stylist, Moana wanted to start working towards her next career goal – eventually owning a salon. She knew the business qualification would be a good first step. “My long-term goal is to open a salon and work for myself,” Moana says. “The small business qualification will help me gain the knowledge I need.”

EXPAND YOUR SKILLS WITH A NATIONAL BUSINESS QUALIFICATION W

Moana is studying the small business management pathway. She completed the communications topic and said the qualification is going great so far. “The communications topic was interesting, and my tutor was so helpful with any questions I had,” Moana says. “I’m now working on the small business management paper.” One of the biggest challenges Moana has faced so far has been finding the time to study and complete the assignments. “It takes a lot of planning around work, life, and other commitments,” Moana says. She also says the correspondence aspect can be challenging – it’s up to you when you study and when you hand in assignments.

hether you’re an experienced salon owner or a brand-new stylist, the National Certificate in Business (Level 3) is right for you.

Moana would recommend that anyone else doing the qualification make a detailed study plan. She recommends that they plan out each week of the course and make note of what should be due in each week.

The qualification covers two topics – small business management and teams and leadership – and you can pick either one or both to study, alongside a communication module. The qualification takes 32 weeks to complete and is correspondence-based. You should expect to spend 3-4 hours each week studying.

Moana is finding the business qualification extremely helpful.

The qualification provides an introduction to all aspects of business, making it perfect for anyone interested in running a hair or beauty business. In the July issue of Forma, we spoke to Linley Wade, an experienced salon owner completing the National Certificate in Business to refresh her knowledge. This time we took a different approach, speaking with Moana Riddell, an employee of Linley’s at Hairscene Hair and Beauty. We asked her about her experiences with the business qualification, what she liked about it, and who she’d recommend it to.

“I think this qualification is great for newly qualified stylists,” Moana says. “After finishing my apprenticeship last year this helped me keep studying and stay focussed on future goals.” “It’s great to study something that you’re interested in,” Moana says. “The best part is learning something new each time I study.”

TURNING EXPERIENCE INTO A QUALIFICATION It’s not alchemy or magic, it’s just a simple process. Peter Emery of VIVO Albert Street shares his experience with Qualification by Experience.

PETER EMERY WITH HIS NATIONAL CERTIFICATE

hirty years ago, Peter Emery started his career in hairdressing. After a varied and exciting career, Peter decided to take the next step and gain his National qualification.

When she arrived in the salon, Peter had set up trolleys with everything he would need to answer the assessor’s questions. He had mannequin heads ready to show her his razor cutting techniques, a trolley full of products to use if a client had scalp conditions and more. Everything he needed to answer the interview questions was there.

“I always knew I wanted to be a hairdresser,” Peter says. Peter started his career with an apprenticeship in Thames, working under Sue Parkinson. That was only the start of an exciting career – Peter went on to travel the world, do hair for celebrities, and work on Miss World, Miss Australia, and different fashion shows across the globe.

“I was visually and mentally prepared to answer every question,” Peter says. The next step for Peter was sitting his final assessment, an experience that Peter says was “fun, but nerve-wracking.”

“The fashion side of things was one of the things that drew me to hairdressing in the first place,” says Peter. “It was an extension of the creative and art skills I enjoyed at school.”

“I didn’t sleep for three days,” Peter says. “I made sure every I dotted every ‘i’ and crossed every ‘t’. You have to think of it like an exam, and prepare accordingly”.

Peter now works at VIVO Albert Street and says he still enjoys the ‘art aspect’ of hairdressing. He also enjoys the variety of people – both clients and colleagues. He also enjoys the variety of people - both clients and colleagues – and enjoys having the chance to interact with and learn from them..

Now he’s qualified, Peter’s encouraging others in the VIVO group to qualify too. “Now I can prove to other people that getting qualified is possible. I’m helping one other staff member at VIVO Albert Street apply for her QbyE now,” Peter says. “Getting qualified really boosts your self-esteem.”

“VIVO have so many creative people here to learn from,” Peter says. “Even 30 years on I’m still learning and improving.”

Because of his efforts, Peter won the VIVO Excellence Award for 2014. He was also nominated for another award, and his salon was a finalist for VIVO Salon of the Year.

VIVO have a huge focus on staff improvement. It was that focus that led Peter to decide to gain his National Certificate in Hairdressing (Level 4) using the HITO Qualification by Experience (QbyE) process. QbyE was ideal for Peter, because it took into account all the industry experience he had and counted it towards his qualification.

Training and learning are a big part of life at VIVO. They also offer a full training schedule for the whole year – since qualifying in August, Peter has attended two training sessions. He’s got plans for more training next year, too.

The QbyE process begins with an interview with an assessor, who reviews the skills and experience of the applicant. If there are a few gaps in some areas, it’s a simple process to complete extra units. Once those are complete, applicants sit their two final hairdressing assessments (Unit Standards 2759 and 2757). The whole process takes roughly six months.

Peter is holding an information night for other VIVO staff about getting qualified. He’ll be speaking to staff at multiple VIVO salons, aiming to inspire them to get qualified. “We underestimate ourselves as hairdressers,” Peter says. “We’re always wondering if we’re good enough to achieve what we want. The answer yes, we’re fantastic”.

Peter put a lot of hard work and preparation time into his QbyE. He liaised with his assessor while he was on holiday to make sure everything was prepared for the interview.

WANT TO GAIN YOUR QUALIFICATION THROUGH QBYE? CONTACT MARIA AT HITO ON (04) 499 1180 OR AMA@HITO.ORG.NZ, OR VISIT WWW.HITO.ORG.NZ FOR MORE INFORMATION.

brushing up on training skills Jeanette Cork, owner of Capelli salon in Cambridge, took a nerve-wracking step this year: she went back to school for a day.

JEANETTE CORK

“It’s worth it, even if just to reiterate that you’re teaching the right things the right way."

eanette trained in hairdressing in the 1980’s. Since then, she has had many years of experience as both a stylist and a business owner. However, she was faced with an unexpected challenge earlier this year when her Education Manager at the salon suddenly left.

one day of off-job training with a class of apprentices to experience first-hand what was taught. Although she was a bit apprehensive about this idea at first, Jeanette’s experience at off-job training was positive. “It was a bit nerve-wracking going into a class full of apprentices, including my own,” she says, “but everyone was so welcoming! Penni didn’t make a fuss, which was great. She just carried on with the day as though I wasn’t there.”

With an apprentice in the salon who needed to continue building her skills, Jeanette realised she would need to take over the responsibility of training her. She had been out of the education game for some time though, focusing on the business side of things.

After spending the day at Wintec, Jeanette says she felt much more confident in her training abilities.

“I hadn’t done any up-skilling in a while. I knew there were lots of things that had changed since I’d done my own training,” she explains.

“I came away having reiterated what I knew, and feeling much more confident in what I was teaching,” she explains.

Having trained in the UK, Jeanette was aware that some of her terminology and techniques were different to what is taught in New Zealand today. She was also concerned about teaching occupational health and safety. This area wasn’t as much of a focus when she did her own apprenticeship.

Back in the salon, Jeanette has enjoyed getting into training with Kara. She discovered that Kara had fallen behind in some training, so Jeanette organised many one-on-one sessions to make sure she got back up to speed.

For Jeanette though, the priority was to make sure her apprentice Kara had the training and support she needed to excel.

“Kara got through all those assessments, and now she’s looking to sit her finals soon,” says Jeanette. “She’s working hard to build up her client base at the moment. I’m proud of her.”

“I was feeling a bit silly. But then I thought no, if Kara goes to sit her assessments and she doesn’t pass, that’s my responsibility,” she explains. “I wanted to do all the right things for her.”

For any other salon owners who might find themselves in a similar situation, Jeanette says she would “absolutely” recommend attending a day of off-job for a refresher.

In order to refresh her training, Jeanette approached Penni Warner, hairdressing tutor at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) in Hamilton. Penni organised for Jeanette to attend

“It’s worth it, even if just to reiterate that you’re teaching the right things the right way.”

CHE KERR

HAIR 4 LIFE Charity Hair 4 Life share the benefits of suicide awareness and prevention training for hairdressers.

air 4 Life is a project that promotes suicide awareness and prevention in the New Zealand hair industry. The project offers basic suicide prevention training for hairdressers and barbers delivered in a 30-minute workshop in a salon or barbershop.

Research from around the world has shown that people open up to their hairdresser about personal issues and share information that they might not share even with friends, family members or health professionals. This includes clients sharing suicidal thoughts. How you respond to your client in these situations could make a big difference in someone’s life. It could even save a life.

The project, launched in Auckland, is run by Che Kerr who has been a hairdresser for 16 years. Che says:

When the opportunity to run this project for hairdressers came up for Che, she knew it was her chance to raise awareness on suicide prevention.

"Over the years, suicide has had a big impact on my life. At age 15 my high school friend died by suicide one week before her 16th birthday. That left a big question about what I could have done to help her at that time.” Che says. “A few years later in my third year as an apprentice I asked one of my regular Friday ladies how she was. The usually upbeat and cheerful client said blankly ‘I lost my son... he hung himself dear.’ I burst into tears and had to duck out the back to compose myself. I remember thinking that I have no clue what to say or do in this conversation. It always stuck with me how unprepared I felt in that situation.”

“I want to share the basics of suicide prevention with as many hairdressers and barbers as I can. It is simple stuff. I leave every salon and barbershop with contact numbers of support organisations that can be passed on to clients should they ever need them. The workshops are not about becoming experts in suicide prevention. They are about raising awareness and learning a few simple steps to take should we ever need to.”

The Hair4Life workshops are 30 minutes long, are free, and take place in the salon or barbershop. Call Che Kerr on 021 173 3934 or email her at: chekerr.nz@gmail.com to book your salon or barbershop for a workshop. The project Is funded by New Zealand's First Maori and Pacific Suicide Prevention Programme run through LeVa.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH KIERAN JANES Kieran Janes of KJ Scissors explains the process behind creating his ergonomically designed scissors.

ieran Janes has been sharpening, manufacturing and supplying high quality and hand crafted, professional hairdressing scissors for over 20 years. His scissors are 100% New Zealand made and ergonomically designed by him to help prevent the R.S.I (Repetitive Strain Injury) associated with cutting hair. His scissors are approved by ACC.

to hairdressers nationwide, thanks to courier post. That way, customers can experience the benefits of having great scissors no matter where you are in the country (international courier is also an option if you are abroad). Kieran also offers other scissor services and can help get the most out of your snips. He can offer a wealth of wisdom and knowledge on how to store, maintain and adjust your scissors properly. He also provides in-salon visits for small friendly seminars where you can learn more about using your scissors in conjunction with ergonomic combing techniques, making every cut a pain-free pleasure. Price and availability of this service is varied depending on where you are located. Contact Kieran at KJ Scissors today for scissors with a competent edge.

Kieranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scissors are among the highest quality scissors in the world. The process to create them is in-depth and designed to create a long-lasting, hairdresser-friendly scissor. Each blade has two pieces, creating a more effective blade. The handles are cast from hypo-allergenic stainless steel then welded onto the blade piece which is made from cold rolled high carbon stainless steel.

Of course, there are some disadvantages behind the scenes too. Kieran has had some issues with rogue mobile scissor sharpeners. Some of them have been saying that they have been trained by Kieran, and have the skills to do just as good a job. However, this is not the case, as Kieran has not trained any of these people. Kieran has seen many good scissors ruined by poor scissor services and would like to prevent this happening to any others.

After welding, stock removal and shaping they are then sent off to heat treatment specialists. There they are taken through a series of very complicated steps and tremendous heat to get them to the exact hardness required for superior sharpness and durability. After this, they are honed to perfection by Kieran. Kieran also provides a high-quality sharpening service to return your scissors to manufacturer standards with quick turnaround

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CHECK OUT KIERANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WEBSITE AT KJSCISSORS.WIX.COM/KJSCISSORS.

IMPORTANT DATES 2015 5 Jan 19 January

HITO office re-opens

20 April

HITO AGM

Wellington Anniversary (HITO National Office closed)

27 April

ANZAC day observance (HITO office closed)

4 May

WorldSkills Regional Competition

6 February

Waitangi Day (HITO office closed)

11 May

WorldSkills Regional Competition

12 February

Off job training day

1 June

Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday (HITO office closed)

13 February

Off job training day

8-10 June

14-17 February 1 March

Apprentice of the Year Regional Winners Boot Camp

ipsn Board meeting

3 April

Good Friday (HITO office closed)

6 April

Easter Monday (HITO office closed)

19 April

11-16 August

Industry Event

1 April

13-17 April

10 June

August

Sydney Hair Expo Careers Expo Hamilton WorldSkills International (Brazil) HITO Graduations (date to be confirmed)

21-28 August

New Zealand "Get a Trade" Week

26 October

Labour Day (HITO office closed)

November

HITO/Kitomba/NZARH Industry Awards (date to be confirmed)

WorldSkills Oceania (dates subject to change)

25 December

Christmas Day (HITO office closed)

NZARH AGM

26 December

Boxing Day (HITO office closed)

HITO AGM NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the New Zealand Hair and Beauty Industry Training Organisation Incorporated To be held on Monday 20 April 2015.

his notice is to advise that the New Zealand Hair and Beauty Industry Training Organisation Incorporated (“HITO”) Board and Members, that the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of HITO will be held on Monday 20 April 2015.

3. Employer Member Delegates: Employer Members who wish to appoint a delegate to represent them at the AGM must forward in writing the name of their Delegate to the HITO CEO by 10am, Monday 16 March 2015.

The meeting will take place at MACs Brewery, Cable Room, Corner of Taranaki and Cable Street, Wellington commencing at 10.00am. Tea and coffee will be available at 9.30am.

4. Member Representatives: Association Members, Education Members and Corporate Members who wish to appoint a representative to represent them at the AGM must forward in writing the name of their representative, and who they represent, to HITO CEO by 10am, Monday 16 March 2015.

The important points related to the AGM are: 1. Board Member Election: One Elected Board Member position (currently held by Malcolm Gibbons) is up for election at the AGM. Applicants must complete the HITO Elected Board Member Application Form (available from the HITO Website) and return it to Erica Cumming (HITO CEO) by no later than 5pm Thursday 19 February 2015 (60 days before the AGM). 2. Items of AGM Business: If the Board or any Employer Member wishes to submit any proposed motions (including alterations to the HITO Constitution) or other items of business for consideration at the AGM these must be received in writing by Erica Cumming no later than 5pm, Wednesday 18 March 2015.

5. Attendees: Any other HITO members who wish to attend the AGM must notify HITO CEO by 10am, Monday 16 March 2015. 6. Proxy & Electronic Votes: The deadline for submitting Postal and Electronic Voting Forms is 10am Saturday 18 April 2015. The Postal and Electronic Voting Forms will be supplied with the AGM paperwork available 1 month before the AGM. 7. Proxy Forms: The deadline for submitting Proxy Forms is 9.00am, Monday 20 April 2015. The Proxy Form will be supplied with the AGM Agenda. The Returning Officer for the AGM will be confirmed on the AGM Agenda. The AGM Agenda will be sent to the HITO Board and HITO Employer Members no later than 20 March 2015.

contact NATIONAL OFFICE PO Box 11 764, Wellington 6142 Phone (04) 499 1180

AUCKLAND Phone (09) 579 4844 Mobile (027) 443 2401

MID-CENTRAL Phone (04) 499 5150 Mobile (027) 470 0170

NORTHERN SOUTH Phone (03) 338 5376 Mobile (027) 483 2405

NORTHERN Phone (09) 579 4844 Mobile (027) 470 0169

MIDLAND Phone (09) 579 4844 Mobile (027) 480 6550

CENTRAL Phone (04) 499 5150 Mobile (027) 445 5758

SOUTHERN SOUTH Phone (03) 338 5376 Mobile (027) 470 0171