ROLAND SEMAARN

By Louise May

Roland Semaarn was terrible in school, he couldn’t concentrate or understand the stuff they were teaching, he was absent a lot. He used to hang out at the local fish and chip shop and play on the pinball machines all day. He would forge his dad’s signature to get out of school, then one day it all came crashing down, as his parents found out he missed about six months of school.

They were so disappointed in me, he says… their only son was not going to be a doctor or lawyer. Roland became a hairdressing apprentice the day he turned fifteen. His aunt was the manager of a salon and offered him a job. It was fun, but he didn’t take it seriously, until he met John Morrey years later. John was like a mentor to me, says Roland. A rockstar of the industry, he had it all… the fame, fortune, and the girls, I wanted to be like him.

Hair Biz Editor Louise May spends 20 minutes with Roland Semaarn, to find out more about his business and personal journey, to date.

Tell us what you do in the industry today.

My latest project was relocating Semaarn salon, I decided that a small seven seat salon in the prestigious beach side suburb, Port Melbourne was perfect for my brand, and I love the beach Cafe lifestyle here, it makes me happy to be near the water.

To help us get to know you a little more, would you share a little about your upbringing and where you grew up.

I was born in Lebanon and raised in Melbourne; my family is massive. I have about a hundred cousins, and we all lived a few streets away from each other. It was an awesome childhood, and we were a very close family, our parents worked a lot, so the cousins hung out a lot. We would always eat together and look out for each other and if you messed with one cousin, you had to deal with a hundred of us. No one picked on us ever ha-ha, great fun, simple times, and great memories.

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

I’m proud of so many things, firstly that I raised my two sons alone the past eight years. They are my life. My eldest has followed in my footsteps, and started training as a hairdresser, and the younger one can’t wait to join the team at Semaarn, when he finishes year 11.

I feel proud that I managed to grow Semaarn salon’s from 1 team member to almost fifty full timers in the late 90s. It was the best time, so many wonderful memories for me.

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

I love helping people and I love children; I would either be a teacher or involved in customer service. I’m happiest with people around me and laughing, feeling good and having fun. I sometimes think I might want to own a farm with lots of animals and I could grow my own food, but I can’t even grow tomatoes, so I’ll probably go hungry.

Three things you’re passionate about:

My new salon, I want to make it a place where every client feels special and attractive and where all staff learn, grow and share. It’s not about me, it’s about the people in my life. I love walking, I walk everywhere. I love discovering new things on my walks, architecture, gardens, old shops, I literally stop and smell the roses and life slows down for me, it helps keep me balanced.

I’m also into classic cars, I love rare old cars that go fast and smell like petrol, guess I might be a petrol head... I hope to restore one with my sons and make it a family project that they can hand down to their sons.

Describe your ideal Sunday.

My perfect Sunday starts about 6am, I usually get my classic car out of storage, give it a clean and then I go to my favourite Cafe for breakfast. Then I usually see who’s up for a Sunday cruise to the Yarra Valley, or the Dandenong’s for lunch. I love getting out of the city on Sundays, then returning home and thinking about a Sunday night cook up for the family.

What’s on your bucket list?

I don’t have one, I’ve done everything, it’s crazy to me not to go out and try new things, I’ve slept on floors, six-star hotels, walked through Europe, back packed across America, parties that last a week, I can’t think of anything that I want to do, that I haven’t done.

Craziest, funniest, or most unusual thing you’ve ever done?

I used to run a weekly party in my apartment, door bitch, security, and DJ, it got so big and out of control that I had to move it to a night club. It got named club Semaarn and it was the hottest night in Melbourne for a decade, people still ask me today if I could do it again, maybe I’ll do one night only.

Pets or no pets?

I owned a mini pig for six months, it didn’t stay mini for long, I think the breeder lied to me because it got huge, I became known locally as the pig man, I didn’t like that title much. I now own a 4 year old cat who is part of our family, and only recently I got a chihuahua (Bruno) from a lady who walked past the salon and had three puppies in a pram. I traded her one-year free hairdressing for Bruno, he’s a funny little puppy about 10cm long.

What’s playing on your Spotify right now?

I’m currently into Lebanese or Arabic house music, I know it sounds weird, but I like the middle eastern sounds mixed with modern beats, it’s different and puts me in a great mood.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would have abs and have thick afro hair, but I’m bald and I love food, so I’ll keep dreaming. Maybe I could develop more patience too, I struggle with mediocrity or people that don’t push themselves to realise their potential.

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

Have fun, it’s an amazing industry, enjoy making people feel special and don’t take yourself or life too seriously. It will all end eventually and all you’ll have is your memories, we can change lives with what we do.

What’s your greatest fear?

That my sons don’t reach their full potential, it’s a waisted life.

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

I have been told I’m high maintenance, I’m not even sure what that means, ha-ha, I just like things done a certain way, I guess.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced in the industry and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge is getting staff to realise their true potential, anyone can be great, you just have to work hard and believe in yourself. I try and set an example and I hope that will motivate others around me.

Do you have a motto or signature life philosophy?

Today could be your last day, play hard love hard and don’t waste it. Helping others achieve their goals is my greatest reward.

What is on the agenda for the future for Roland Semaarn?

Keep playing, trying to be better each day, and most importantly sharing our love with everyone who come in contact with Semaarn. We want to influence and change lives for the better.