We Are Women, Hear Us Roar By Jenni Tarrant

After being in hairdressing for nearly four decades (yikes!) I have seen the industry landscape change significantly. When I first started my apprenticeship, high-end salons were run by men, with women making up the majority of smaller salons.

Males in our industry led the way, winning the state and national awards for business and creative work. It seemed comparatively rare to see women taking out such accolades. More and more, I am witness to outstanding women running very high-end, successful teams and businesses and/or being the creme de la creme of creativity and overall leaders in our industry. The thrill I get from this ‘evolution’ is about the equality of women and men sharing the space as the best Australia has to offer our population and the world.

I have always been so proud of the way our industry welcomes diversity and have rarely encountered any personal bias on the basis of my gender. The only time it seems to happen, even nowadays, is when I am asked what part my husband plays in my business. People are still surprised to find out that I am running my businesses solo with no input from a business partner or my husband. Operating a highly successful salon obviously takes a dedicated team of professionals helping to keep everything running smoothly and consistently, but all the bucks stop with me! I wonder how often males in my position are asked a similar question.

Generally speaking, I believe it has been a choice many women have made, in the past and today, to run smaller salons and balance family and/or other parts of their life. The thought of running a massive team and the non-negotiable commitment it requires to run a million dollar business solo can easily be overwhelming - even when one has been doing it for a long time. Today, I see this being achieved by so many women, both younger and older. Flexibility in the workplace for both men and women provide options and opportunities for solutions which may not have been available when I started my career, and even opened my first salon.

One of the reasons I love the hairdressing industry is because I believe we are true pioneers when it comes to welcoming diversity. There are few other business collectives that embrace differences in the way we do. Seeing both men and women of all ages and backgrounds shine is incredibly powerful as role models and mentors, giving us all an equal opportunity to learn and flourish.

I am so proud of what we are and what we stand for as an industry and I truly believe we are leaders and innovators when it comes to showing the world what we can achieve. Every leader, from salon owners to apprentice groups, need to pat themselves on the back for what we are creating - both for future generations and inspiring other industries to embrace equality.

So, for all the young stylists coming up through our ranks, hear this:

Anyone can succeed and anything can be achieved in the Australian hairdressing industry. Dedication, passion, and belief will take you as high as you are willing to go. And I can assure you that I won’t be the only one applauding your successes from the sidelines.