Leading the Way Since 1994 – Bill Tsiknaris

In 1983, when Bill Tsiknaris was in year 11, he was asked what work experience he might like to try. He listed motor mechanic, then electrician and in number 3 spot was hairdressing, purely due to the fact that his mum Nikki had suggested it, being something she had wanted to do when she left school!

“If I can set the scene and establish the foundation of my upbringing and environment,” says Bill, “that has a lot to do with the success and endurance of where I’m today.”

Growing up in his parent’s corner store milk bar & delicatessen working 7 days a week 7am to 9pm every day, gave him an insight into hard work and commitment.

Harry & Nikki Tsiknaris owned the shop for 16 years, building a great business and making the most of every opportunity there was. Before school and after school, a young Bill, helped setting up the shop in the morning and stripping it clean in the evenings.

“It was that daily grind that they did every day without fail. They didn’t finish when they were tired, they finished when everything was done.”

“A lot of this,” says Bill, “you can call training or life lessons, and to this day has been of great value to me. Getting into hairdressing was based on an opportunity to go for an interview at Stelios Papas, not because of my talent, but because my grandmother knew Stelios’s sister! I trialled for a week and didn’t get the job. I was devastated. But my mum called, and I eventually got an apprenticeship there!”

Nothing came easy for Bill in hairdressing, and for a while he confesses that he really didn’t find it easy or natural. “I was the racehorse you wouldn’t bet on because I was a donkey!”

“Mum dressed me, as I had no idea of fashion whatsoever and females scared me as I went to an all-boys school. However, compared to the shop I grew up in it seemed extremely glamorous.”

In his first year he cleaned and did all the maintenance in the salon from removing hair rats out of the S bend to repairing basins and toilets… and loved it!

“Benni Tognini was a senior there for many years, and when he opened his own salon, I followed him a year later. The two salons were a great foundation and I am forever thankful for the opportunities presented to me.”

PEOPLE SAY I’M SO LUCKY… NOT TOO SURE THAT LUCK HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, MORE SO A LOT OF HARD WORK!

In 1994 he opened Tsiknaris Hair in Elizabeth St in Brisbane City and in 2003 he completed building his own salon and relocated to 669 Brunswick St, New Farm. It was a big risk, way over budget, obstacles with self-building, and often doubt as to whether he was doing the right thing.

However, 20 years on and Bill Tsiknaris is an award winning, successful business owner. “People say I’m so lucky…Not too sure that luck had anything to do with it, more so a lot of hard work!”

The building now comprises of 4 apartments on the 2nd and 3rd level and Tsiknaris Hair and another retail space on the ground floor.

It also houses a photographic studio and has become a well-known landmark in the area. Named Tsiknaris Hair on the top of the building, with a 10m2 state of the art transparent digital screen front window showcasing incredible work.

“At 54,” says Bill, “I feel blessed where I’m at. We have an amazing space to work in, in a great location and I get to photograph and work with some incredible talented hairdressers when I’m not on the floor.” “My wife Brodie is an incredible talent and has built a dynamic business on the other side of the river in West End. We met 8 years ago, and we have a beautiful daughter Arabella”

“Success is measured in many ways for everyone. I feel if you wake up and have a feeling of gratefulness and accomplishment you are pretty much there. Every day won’t be unicorns or roses but without your commitment you will never start anything. Most importantly without consistency you will never finish anything.”

WE CAUGHT UP WITH THIS POWERHOUSE TO CHAT MORE ABOUT HIS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER THUS FAR…

Congratulations on winning AHIA QLD Hairdresser of the Year, tell us about your collection and what was the inspiration behind it?

Thank you. It was an absolute honour and what a fantastic night and to be there with my beautiful wife Brodie and sister in-law Shae in the same category it was the most amazing moment, any one of us to win I would have felt like I had won anyway. With Atelier 22 collection I wanted to create this weave of a magical world of bewitchment and illusion, with strength in fragility with richness in embellishment, mystery in transparency and beauty in everything. I photographed and set up the lighting to create light and dark shadow play, adding intensity and drama to the collection. This allowed the focal parts of the hair to stand out. With clothing, the use of fabrics such as rubber to reflect shine and mirror the hair, while exaggerated shapes and silhouettes. Make up was used to incorporate current elements of the fashion makeup world, inspired by punk makeup and the use of interesting shapes, to warp and change faces. The looks needed to be interesting and striking, while cohesively tying into the styling, colour palette and creativity of the hair, wardrobe, and lighting. The use of 3D elements such as gems and beads was to create a point of difference when applied to the face.

What excites you most about your work?

You know it’s one of the best feelings going to create a team comprising all ages, working together. Teaching and being taught is a wonderful thing if you are likeminded, leaving the ego at home! I am most excited about the proposition of making a positive difference in the lives of future hairdressers. It’s what attracted me to teaching originally, and my excitement has not faded yet. I understand well that almost every second family is broken, and that people often need more than a teacher–they need a role model, someone who cares for their future, someone they can look up to. It excites me to think that I can be that person. Of course, I know I won’t make a positive difference in life of every single person. And I know I may fail with some. But the sheer proposition of having an opportunity to have a significant positive impact on someone’s life excites me.

You are the Australian Global ambassador for Alfaparf Milano.

My family and I couldn’t be happier to have partnered with Alfaparf Milano as their Australian and Global ambassador, this is a fantastic brand to be associated with and delighted to bring more awareness to both the consumer and industry of their innovative range of products. Directed by Anthony Nasso, a man who has been true to his word, an incredible team has been built here in Australia, who are an absolute delight to be involved with.

If you had to name one skill that got you where you are today, what would it be?

Looking back, you can always learn new skills. What is important: Adaptability. Always adapting in your environment. Directional change of 1 to 2% on your path/direction for the better will see you miles away from where you would end up in 20 years) Not being afraid of failure. I hear it so much; I don’t want to do it until I’m perfect at it…. Some of my best lessons are the ones I F*#K up.

Can you share with our readers a time when you overcame a challenge?

The death of my brother Con in 1986 and seeing what my parents went through losing a child. There were two years of watching him deteriorate knowing that the outcome was that he was going to die no matter what. Witnessing the tremendous courage my mum and dad went through with their son’s diagnosis and even though the doctors said there was no cure they never stopped trying to find some sort of cure or hope. My brother Chris was born just before Con was diagnosed in 1983, and Dimitri after Con had passed from Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). It’s a very rare, but fatal disease of the central nervous system that results from a measles virus infection acquired earlier in life. SSPE generally develops 7 to 10 years after a person has measles, even though the person seems to have fully recovered from the illness. There is a tremendous amount of helplessness, sadness. To lose a sibling is very sad to lose a child is a tragedy; after so long I still get choked up talking about it. I threw myself into work, I spend countless hours at work doing the extra after hours it was my happy place. All this led to creating the foundation and endurance for the future, no matter what came my way nothing comes close to that pain. When I opened Tsiknaris Hair in 1994 Chris and Dimitri did their apprenticeship with me. I’m so proud of them. They are so successful and Shae who is married to Chris joined us in 2003. They are the pillars of success the business sees today. So, the lesson for me here is… Life is not easy, life is not fair, never was, it isn’t now, and it won’t ever be. Don’t fall into the entitlement trap.

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given in your career?

I have had few over the many years but these two are always relative no matter what age. 1.God gave you two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion. 2 There is no losing, only learning! No failure only opportunity. There are no problems only solutions and It’s NEVER about making it.... it’s about MAINTAINING IT.

Where do you find your creative inspiration for your collection work?

Inspiration for my collections comes from so many different directions, mediums, and sources. That said it’s all about tinkering and playing with those ideas. You only need a thread of an idea to start a collection. Photographs, art, teens on the street what they are wearing, some of that raw untrained creative talent is amazing. Everyone gets to see the best six images of a collection. Not the mishaps, the ideas that didn’t work. Funny enough some of those that didn’t work or make it, come to life the following year or two. Preparation is key as shot day is an expensive day. There is always plan A, plan B, Plan C. Once I have my direction, idea, and theme then It’s all about having a great Photographer, make-up artist, clothing stylist/theme, models and most importantly my team.

Who do you look to for inspiration, or who has guided your career?

It varies, there have been so many over the years at different times of my life. Some close and some you see from afar. What’s common with the ones you aspire to and want to emulate is that they have changed the world with their positive messages. I see one consistent theme: these individuals have used all of themselves; their past pain, their quirks and idiosyncrasies, their raw experiences, their unique voices, their isolation and shame, and their past and current struggles to uplift the world.

What are your top tips for the planning and execution of a collection?

People often ask me what makes a great collection – and the answer is ‘there are no rules.’ Imagery is subjective and what one person likes, another loathes. So, you have to shoot for yourself and create a collection that represents you and your skills. I have been incredibly privileged to have worked with some amazing photographers over the years and each of the collections are different and tell a different story. Here are a few tips for putting together a winning collection: 1. Plan your mood board before you start your collection. This will give you your feel, your theme, and your story. 2. Prepare like crazy. You can’t over prepare for a shoot. There will always be something unexpected that happens, but the more

you are prepared the less stressful it will be! 3. Think ahead – what are you going to use the images for? A photo shoot is costly, so decide what you will be using your images for after the competition. You want to use them for press, marketing, your window displays – so bear in mind who your audience is. While you want to show your skills as a hairdresser, you also need them to be commercial and wearable. 4. Have a great support team with you that know what you are aiming for. The team you have chosen to work with are all experts in what they do, so listen to their opinions on lighting, or make up.

Concentrate on the hair and let them worry about what they’re there to do; don’t get distracted by other elements on the day. Of course, give your feedback and opinion, but let them do their thing first. 5. Have your hair team with so they can do all the beginning and end work that frees you up to be on what you are shooting at the time. If you are stressed, it will show in your photos. You won’t create the amazing work you are capable of, and you will be disappointed by the results. So, make sure everyone has a job and everyone there contributes in some way. 6. Find your own style. You can be inspired by someone else’s work, but don’t copy it.

You can take a texture, shape, or colour as inspiration, but build on it to make it your own. 7. Keep the day positive. It’s easy to fall into a negative hole if something isn’t working.

But stand back and start again, look at it from a different angle or move on.

What’s on the agenda for the future?

Outlook on the future is always very positive, the last couple of years really paused the future for a lot of us but we pivoted and adapted, and it’s been a huge success for us. I have always believed in apprentices and training them they is very much Tsiknaris Hair’s future and I love seeing them grow. The right people are instrumentally the success of your future. There are some that come through that just don’t fit and that’s ok. It’s best they move on as quickly as possible because they are holding up a position for someone that is truly right for your business. We are always looking for opportunities that we as a whole team can benefit from, we will always tweak and adapt if needed but the core foundation and principles are set in place. I have to say I’m happy to enjoy the ride and blessed to be where I’m at.