Every Day Is A New Adventure By Louise May

It all started for Michael Turner in a small salon on Chapel Street in Melbourne as an apprentice with 2 other hairdressers. In his first year, he had an initial taste of the buzz of the hair competition world and was excited to receive Apprentice of the Year Finalist, a 2nd place for Makeup, and another 1st place for Victorian Men’s Hairdresser from Headmasters Academy”.

Michael then took a break and left hairdressing to study makeup, allowing him to work freelance in Melbourne. After a few years, he had the urge to get back on the salon floor and experience that environment again. He continued with Advanced Hairdressing and Diploma in Salon Management.

I was working for a large salon group, says Michael... who encouraged me to get back into competitive hair and runway shows and offered the opportunity of a national photographic competition. A highlight was winning Australian Stylist of the Year, Victorian Stylist of the Year and Australian Makeover Challenge of the Year at the time over 120 salons were competing. My prize was a professional photographic shoot with the Ubercool photographers Anniss Barton and Mark Fitzgerald and being featured in Hair Biz magazine.

Around that time, I was also selected as one of 5 hairdressers from around Australia for the Matrix H.O.T (House Of Talent) Team. This was an amazing opportunity which allowed me to continue with further education in colour mastery and many other programs as well as work on events in Melbourne. As a result of all of these experiences, I was lucky enough to work on styling sessions with Anniss + Barton photography as well as working as an assistant for the Australian Creative Director of Matrix at the time, on backstage shows, fashion, and hair shoots. Matrix flew me to Sydney to work on The Voice where I worked on Jessie J’s team for the season. I was offered a role by that Creative Director at his salon in Adelaide , so I moved to take up that opportunity before starting a new journey as a business owner 18 months later and opening Tincture Hair Studio.

Editor Louise May recently spent some time with Michael and learnt more about his personal and business journey, and the sacrifices made to enable him to become who he is today.

What inspired you to join the hair industry?

I’ve always had a burning passion for hairdressing and the awards scene and all of the creative work with events. My earliest memory was watching vintage sets, and the way the hairdressers manipulate hair and push creative boundaries.

Was business ownership always a priority for you?

It wasn’t a priority, but it was definitely in the life plan. I wanted to spend time learning about systems and procedures and small business management and how to make a business successful while I was working in the industry. The experiences I had as an apprentice were invaluable, and I learnt a lot about what I would like my future dream business to look like.

Share with us some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the journey and how you overcame these/ What’s been the most challenging aspect?

Being only 3 years into my business, I’m sure I haven’t faced my biggest challenges yet, however even with an award-winning background, going out on my own and opening a new business meant gaining a whole new clientele from scratch. This meant learning the process of engaging walk-in clients and winning them over, as well as rebuilding my profile in a different area and cold calling, visiting local businesses nearby to build relationships and build my clientele.

You made one particularly big sacrifice as you were starting your business, I understand. Can you share with us what that was?

When I was first starting my business, I borrowed a little bit of money to clear some old debt and put a deposit down on a lease for a shop. I found myself in a situation where I couldn’t afford both the house I was living in and the expenses of a business at that stage so ... one had to go. I made the decision to pack up my house and moved all of my furniture into the back of my shop and my dog and I lived in my car for 3.5 months. It was March in Adelaide, and it was still really cold. We regularly swapped up our sleeping places and added more pillows and blankets etc as the cold set in. I knew in my heart that I was sacrificing something for the bigger picture of my life. I said to myself that one day, this will make a great story, and will all be worth it when I’m looking back after buying my first house and .... here we are! I went from homeless to homeowner in 2 years. This has actually been the most humbling part of the whole journey, to see all of the hard work, passion and all the skills I learned along the way come together in this moment in time. It really highlights how the tried-and-true methods really do make a business grow. I really am thankful for the support and education I have received along the way and would like to especially say a huge thank you to my friends at Matrix for their encouragement and support.

Who were your industry heroes in your early years and who inspires you today?

I was inspired in my early years by industry professionals Sharon Blain, Tracey Hughes, Uros Mikic. Today I am inspired by our upcoming apprentices who show the same passion I recognise in a young version of myself. Our clients also inspire us each day, from the moment they come in the door and allow us to create and bring a moment in their life to forget about the outside world.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?

Karma has a funny way of working its way out, so always do good in the world. My advice to anyone looking to go on this journey would be don’t’ be too quick to jump in and make sure you enjoy the journey along the way.

What would you say are the core values or philosophies which define your business?

Integrity and honesty. We want to continue the value of high-level customer service and prioritise the importance of the relationships we make along the journey. Also, always prioritising quality, high-level training for our upcoming stylists and promoting quality products within our salon.

What’s on the agenda for the future?

Expansion, and even dabbling in another business adventure. Who knows?! Every day is a new adventure, and you never know who may walk in the salon and open a new pathway or what inspiration may come to light. I never thought I would be Winning Adelaide’s Greatest Hair or Beauty Service Award through SAFM or be nominated for an ANZ Small Business Award in 2022! Part of the SAFM prize included a $15,000 radio advertising campaign, which then sparked another $15,000 TV campaign on South Aussie with Cosi. Incredible exposure for any small business. I’ve also launched a fabulous new website which is live at www.tincturehairstudio. com.au so I’ve learned that you never know what the future may hold and that with hard work, great values and dedication, anything is possible.