Coming of Age at The Disco

By Louise May

After 10 years in business, owner, Mikey Forster and the team couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate such a milestone than with a beautiful fresh space. The new Disco Salon is an evolution of the brand; a ‘coming of age’; The new brand identity and name change has been designed to complement, and in some ways, take a back seat to the salon artistry that they are known for.

The new font type and logo emulates the salon design - refined with soothing curvatures and striking geometries. Sophisticated and modern, The Disco is almost like a polished, grownup version of Horse Meat Disco Salon, yet still maintains its roots and familiarity for their clients and team and recently celebrated finalist status at the 2022 Australian Hair Industry Awards for Best Salon Design!

Hair Biz Editor, Louise May, caught up with The Disco owner & founder, Mikey Forster, to chat about the industry, the new refurb, and his philosophies around building a strong brand and salon culture.

Was business ownership always a priority for you?

I believe for me it was the next step in my career. I had never imagined or planned to have a salon this size, the growth happened organically. I always thought that as long as I made enough money to pay the bills , initially, that would be amazing. After 10 years I now have a salon with 14 stations and employ 11 people.

Tell us a little about your career prior to opening your salon.

I had been working in the industry for 8 years at the same salon I started my apprenticeship in. I knew at some point in my hairdressing career owning a salon would be my next goal. I had entered local competitions in the past and had done well, but this time I entered a national competition and I won ‘People’s choice of the Year’. I knew at that moment it was time to change. I had the support of some of my clients and I have financial support from my family, so I started looking around for vacant shops.

Share with us some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the journey and how you overcame these.

Staff 100% of the time lol No one told me that staff would be the biggest challenge. Business I think is relatively easy, but dealing with so many personalities in a creative environment can be challenging.

I have been working with my business coach, Faye Murray, for 6 years and she has helped me so much. I owe a lot of my success to Faye; she is an absolute icon! Love her

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

In the early days of my career, it was pre social media, so I got all my Inspo for my team I worked with and from industry magazines. People like Renya Xydis, Marie Uva and Joey Scandizzo have alI always been inspiration for me. And I can’t forget about all of the books, and DVD’s I studied from Vidal Sassoon. These days, Renya Xydis, Monique McMahon, Lyndal Salmon, Jack Morton, Lauren McCowan, Mark Lesson, Keiran Street, Lo Wheeler.

You have recently rebranded and had an amazing refurb! what inspired you to rebrand and talk us through your stunning new salon fit out. It’s next level!

Thank you so much! The rebrand came about while we were working with our architect. We had our mood boards and inspirations and when I was imagining what the new space was going to be like, I just didn’t feel like ‘Horse Meat Disco Salon’ suited the new space.

I like to think of it as the brand growing up and evolving. Jared Webb (@j.ar.office) was great to work with. He hadn’t designed a salon before, so it was so nice to work with someone with a different way of thinking of how salons need to look.

Essentially, I said I want a basin retreat area separate to the main room, 14 stations including a colour processing table, a staff room and laundry and a lovely waiting area. I also wanted everything to have a ‘home’, so nothing is out of place, and everything is seamless and tidy. Jared has done an incredible job at bringing our vision to life.

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

Respect, communication, fun, knowledge, and care. All of these things are so important to our culture at The Disco and when all of these core values are followed, it leads to a fabulous time in salon. The team get on, the clients can feel the great energy. It’s a big vibe.

Share with us your philosophies around staff selection and development. How do you find, keep, and grow high performing staff?

Education has always been paramount at The Disco since day one. Without knowledge and education, it’s the beginning of the end. The Disco is able to offer all education to the team for free, we pay for it all. I do this because these are opportunities I would want as an employee. I know I won’t have all team members for ever, but while I do have them, I want them to be amazing! Not just good stylists.

When hiring I look for personality and assess whether I think they will fit in with the team. I don’t usually hire on skill. Skill can be taught (if the stylist is willing), personality can’t be taught. All team members are giving all opportunities, and I like to know what their personal goals are in the future. I like to know how I can help them grow and what we need to do to get them there.

What are your secrets to juggling the demands of running a busy salon and large team?

Always communication. If there is open communication, I generally find that there is less issues. Once communication slows, the culture and vibe starts going downhill. I’m lucky to have a great leadership team who help me stay on top of this, especially when I’m out of the salon travelling for work or unable to be there in person.

What has been your greatest lesson or piece of advice along your business journey?

Business is hard, but it’s also fabulous! There’s highs and lows. There’s happy and sad. I wouldn’t change it for anything.

What advice would you give others who dream of building an impactful brand?

Go for it!! It will be the best decision of your life. If you have the drive and skill to run your own business, it’s the perfect place to start. I have so much support around me from my beautiful husband Jonathon, my family, friends, and very loyal clients. It’s been a dream and I can’t wait to see where The Disco goes next.

What’s on the agenda for the future?

I want to travel more with work. I want to work internationally and be recognised on a global scale. This will take time. It will be hard work. But I’m so ready for it!!