Getting to Know the New Editor of Barbershop Magazine - Louise May

Louise May is the new Editor in Chief for Mocha Group and looks after all mocha magazine trade publications across the Hair, Beauty, and Barbering Industries.

Louise has been with Mocha for a little over 3 years, starting off as the editor of Hair Biz Magazine, taking over the role of Editor for Beauty Biz Magazine 12 months later, and recently when a new role was created as Editor in Chief, she stepped into this, which also included the editor role of Barbershop.

She is also on the judging panel each year for the mocha group awards including the AHIA Creative, AHIA Business, ABIA’s and AMBA’s, and co-host’s the Hot Shots House and Beauty Squad House annually. A mentoring competition aimed at the rising stars of the hair, barber and beauty industry.

For the past 8 years, through her own mentoring/ coaching business, she has also looked after multiple salon owners, working with them and their teams as well as a private group mentoring platform and is also a certified life coach and NLP Practitioner.

Let’s get to know our new Editor in Chief and all the plans afoot for Barbershop Magazine under her expert guardianship…

Where did you grow up? What was family life like?

I grew up in regional NSW in a little town called Goolgowi, which back then had a population of 245 people. I have a brother who is 2 years older than me. My parents owned the only local General Store and supplied the town and surrounding areas with everything from groceries, gas, lotto, hardware, videos etc. I spent every moment I could with my horses. I am a huge lover of horses and I had several growing up.

My parents sold the store and we moved to a town nearby called Griffith, and this is where I started my journey in hairdressing.

Where do you live?

I live on the Mid North Coast of NSW in a small coastal town called Lake Cathie, which is 10 minutes south of Port Macquarie. We live between the lake and the ocean, and it is quiet and beautiful. We moved here in 2012 from Sydney.

We used to come up in the school holidays and visit my brother and their kids and fell in love with the lifestyle. Our kids have had the best childhood living here, they do all the things that we did as kids and more!

How did you first get involved in the industry, and tell us about your journey?

I started working as a salon assistant when I was 15, and did Thursday nights and Saturdays, and then I started my apprenticeship when I was 16. When I was in my 4th year, I made the bold move to move to the big smoke (Sydney) and worked in the heart of the CBD near Wynyard station and lived in Paddington.

I then opened my first salon from scratch with a business partner, however the partnership turned sour, and I decided to walk away from that business venture.

From there I was offered a job in sales and education for Matrix, which I accepted, and I was with them for a few years. From there I opened my 2nd salon which I had for several years, until we made the decision to sell up everything and move out of the hustle and bustle of Sydney and head up the coast.

One of our long-term staff members purchased the salon from us. We sold everything, my husband quit his job of 19 years, and we moved up north, both unemployed.

I was contacted by a woman in Sydney who had just created a private branding company that specialised in haircare & skincare formulations for the professional Hair and beauty industry.

I started working with the company and ended up buying the distribution licence to the NSW territory. It was during this time of visiting salons and speaking with salon owners about their businesses, that I discovered that so many of them were experiencing similar issues as each other in their businesses.

I started giving some small bite-sized pieces of helpful advice and these salon owners were getting really great results, it was also then that I realised that I it had really ignited a fire in my belly, and I wanted to be able to help salon owners have success with their businesses and strengthen our industry.

I spent the next couple of years intensely educating myself on business and human behaviour (in fact, I still love educating myself and I will never stop learning)

And then I created a mentoring platform called The Educated Owner. Many salon owners are so talented in skill, however, unfortunately do not understand how to run a business. It is a real passion of mine to teach salon owners the foundation and framework of running a successful business.

In 2019 I also took over a run-down salon franchise in Melbourne, and 6 months into taking it over, Covid hit, and we endured 6 lockdowns that we had to navigate remotely from NSW, and boy was it tough. During the lockdowns we got out of the franchise model, rebranded, and rebuilt the salon and sold it in July 2022.

In October 2020 I was offered the role as Editor of Hair Biz Magazine, and I accepted it immediately! I was so blown away, then my role progressed quite quickly, with the Beauty Biz Editor’s role and now the role of Editor in Chief for the Mocha Group.

In October 2020 I was offered the role as Editor of Hair Biz Magazine, and I accepted it immediately! I was so blown away, then my role progressed quite quickly, with the Beauty Biz Editor’s role and now the role of Editor in Chief for the Mocha Group.

I love how my career has evolved and how I have transitioned into my role with Mocha, and how collectively the Mocha team are able to help salon owners and our industry.

What achievement are you most proud of in your life or career?

I have 3 children, 2 boys 24 and 16, and a girl 14. I am majorly proud of them; they are my greatest achievement. I am proud of the life that my beautiful hubby and I have created for us and our kids.

I am also proud of the huge number of salon owners I have helped over the years and seeing what they have achieved, and extremely proud of the magazines that have been created during my time with the Mocha brand.

If you weren’t doing what you do now, what alternative career would you consider?

Ooh that’s a hard one! As I just love what I do. I am a lover of people and love helping people create change for the better, so possibly something with social work.

What inspired you to take on the role of Editor in Chief for the barbershop magazine?

I really love the role of editor of Hair Biz and Beauty Biz magazines, and the biggest thing for me is my love for the hair and beauty industries. I have an intense desire to shine a light on the industry and show our youth just how frigging amazing it is.

When the role of editor in chief was put forward for me to consider, I didn’t have to think twice! I cannot begin to explain how much I love and adore the mocha family. So, to be offered a role which enabled me to encompass the barbering world as well, I just could not say no.

Three things you’re passionate about: My family and friends Our Industry and my work. People and Kindness I am adding a 4th – music!

What’s on your bucket list?

Do a lap of Australia in our van. Ireland & Scotland and visit old castles and countryside. Sip coffee on the streets of Paris. Drink Champagne in Champagne, France. Do a silent retreat with Buddhist monks. Take my family to NY for a white Christmas. Visit Tuscany and soak up the surroundings. Learn to speak French. Hold a Workshop Retreat in Bali.

What’s playing on your Spotify? Depends on the mood… I could list a million songs/artists from many different genres…. However, this is my playlist I am currently listening to today, as I am writing this.

System of a Down. Metallica NWA 2Pac Frank Ocean Kendrick Lamar Stone Temple Pilots Pearl Jam Yelawolf Rage Against the Machine

If you could leave this industry having achieved just one thing, what would that legacy be?

Getting our youth really excited about our industry, showing our schools that it is so much more than doing hair and that it really is a great industry to be a part of.

What’s your greatest fear?

Losing a loved one and Heights.

What’s something interesting or quirky we might not know about you?

I win the majority of Music Trivia questions. I am a huge lover of all genres of music, and I come from a family that lives and breathes music on all levels. I also worked in a shoe store for a period of time and did a shoe fitting specialist course.

Do you have a motto or signature life philosophy?

Yes, “live life with integrity” … which means doing the right thing, even when no one is watching, and “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

Describe your ideal Sunday.

My ideal Sunday is seriously just about relaxing. Getting up before the kids, and having a coffee with my hubby and watching the latest episode of trip in a Van on YouTube, whilst the kids sleep in. Having breakfast all together and then heading out to enjoy our local coastal surroundings.

Either the beach, a coastal walk, lunch somewhere... I really don’t care, I am easy to please, as long as our dog Coco is heading out with us, and my family are present. Then late afternoon/early evening, making sure I have everything organised at home to kick off our week ahead. Groceries done; meals planned for the week. To-Do list done for work.

Favourite food?

Asian fusion with a Japanese or Thai influence. Milk chocolate-covered macadamias.

Favourite Drink?

Coffee is my most favourite drink ever! And I am extremely fussy with it. I do love an Espresso Martini or a glass of Veuve also.

Favourite Holiday Destination?

My favourite place to holiday is Port Douglas. It holds the most beautiful memories for me, as it is where my husband and I go for our anniversary, and where we take the kids between Christmas and New Year’s. I also fell in love with New York and can’t wait to go back.

@louisemay_hairbeautybarber