HAIRBIZ Year 18 Issue 2

NEW IGORA ZERO AMM

Zero ammonia

Zero compromise

– 43 ammonia-free permanent shades with Phytolipid Technology

– True-to-tone with up to 100% white hair coverage

– Vegan formula

#BeIGORA

BE THE COLOURIST YOU WANT TO BE

ANDISCLIPPERS.COM.AU

ANDISCLIPPERS.COM.AU

AAB Fashion Pty Ltd

AAB Fashion Pty Ltd

2 Ardena Crt Bentleigh East VIC 3165 Australia

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Phone: +61 3 9575 0600

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34 New Igora Zero AMM by Schwarzkopf Professional REGULARS

08 Editors Letter

18-22 Industry News

88-89 Hair Shop

90-91 Dateline Imports FEATURE

10 Overcoming Obstacles By Julie Bellinger-Gibb

12-14 Ten Minutes with Nathan Yazbek By Chereine Waddell

16 A Dynamic Force – Marcela Lastra By Louise May

24-26 The Dynamic World of Robert Braid By Rex A.C. Silver

36-38 State of the Industry with Vivienne Mackinder By Louise May

40 Meet the 2023 hotshot – Meghan King By Louise May PROFILE

30 Hemisphere Hair’s 25th Anniversary Milestone

32 The Journey of Cambridge Hair Collective

56

57 Homegrown Hair Empire to Triple Retail Footprint

58 Oscar Oscar Salons Embraces Inclusivity with Gender-Neutral Pricing

78 The Hair Academy Australia

42-44

PUBLISHER

Linda Woodhead linda@mochagroup.com.au

GENERAL MANAGER

Jarred Stedman jarred@mochagroup.com.au

EDITOR

Louise May louise@mochagroup.com.au

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Nina Barbara nina@mochagroup.com.au

ART DIRECTOR

Kellie Woodhead kellie@mochagroup.com.au

ADMINISTRATION

Jess Richmond jess@mochagroup.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS

Louise May

Julie Bellinger-Gibb

Chereine Waddell

Rex A.C. Silver

Kristina Russell

Anthony Gray

Justin Pace

Sheridan Rose Shaw

Nathan Yip

Paul Frasca

Kristie Kesic

Dwight Hodge

Kym Krey

Jay Chapman

Kelly Cunningham

David Watts

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Editors

Welcome to Issue 2 of Hair Biz for 2024!

As we delve into the latest edition, I’m thrilled to present an array of features and insightful stories tailored exclusively for our esteemed community of hair professionals across Australia and New Zealand.

Gracing our cover and featured as our cover story is the renowned Schwarzkopf Professional, embodying excellence, and innovation in the hair industry. Venturing overseas, our international feature takes us to the UK, where we spotlight Richard Scorer of Haringtons; prepare to be inspired by his remarkable journey.

We spend 10 minutes with Nathan Yazbek and gain valuable insights from his wealth of experience. Plus, don’t miss our chat with Hotshots 23’ winner Meghan King.

Our line up doesn’t stop there – we shine a spotlight on Marcela Castro, Robert Braid, Nicole Lamers, and her beautiful new product range, AER. Additionally, we sit down with MUA Brooke Clarke and find out more about her amazing industry journey.

This issue also marks a significant milestone as we celebrate 25 years of success with Hemisphere Hair, reflecting on their years in the industry. And be sure to take a look at the salon profile of Cambridge Hair Collective, expertly curated by Anthony Gray.

Turning our attention to recent events, our GM shares highlights from the CPR Forum recently held on the Gold Coast in February and the DeLorenzo ASPYA Conference in Thailand at the beginning of March. These gatherings serve as invaluable platforms for knowledge exchange and industry networking.

And let’s not forget about our incredible line up of business writers and bloggers who are here to offer their wisdom and guidance. Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on their valuable advice!

As we find ourselves already in the third month of the year, it’s a timely reminder to revisit our goals and intentions set at the year’s outset. Amidst the daily grind, it’s easy to lose sight of our aspirations. Remember, small, consistent actions can reignite our momentum and keep us on track towards achieving our dreams.

letter. Lou xo

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the AHIA Creative Awards. The deadline for entries is fast approaching on 28/03/24, with finalists announced

on 06/05/24. Make sure you secure your tickets for the GALA Awards event on Monday night, 01/07/24, following the Hair Festival from June 30th to July 1st. It’s an event not to be missed!

Here’s to a great rest of the year ahead. Let’s continue to support each other, celebrate our successes, and elevate the hair industry to new heights!

Big

Hugs,

Louise May – Editor of Hair Biz Editor in Chief for Mocha Group

louise@mochagroup.com.au @louisemay_hairbeautybiz @mochahairaustralia

Australia’s Only

PROFESSIONAL COLOUR MANUFACTURER

De Lorenzo has always been an Australian owned and made company, with a rich history that goes back over 80 years.

We develop and manufacture all our products at our headquarters in Silverwater, NSW. Each product is designed to suit Australia’s unique climate and conditions.

Our 100% vegan certified Nova360º range offers a complete professional colouring system, allowing you to achieve the full spectrum of colouring from the cleanest of blondes to rich dark hues and every fashion shade in-between.

De Lorenzo provides a world of high performance natural hair colour and supporting haircare products in one complete series.

Infused with Australian native plant extracts, protein complexes and Novabond technology, the results will ensure truer, richer, longer-lasting colour, complete white coverage and unmatched shine and condition.

A truly Australian home grown brand supporting salons with natural and organic beauty.

WITH A CREATIVE SPIRIT

By Julie Bellinger-Gibb

Richard Scorer, the Creative Director of the renowned salon group Haringtons, has had a remarkable journey in the world of hairdressing. Born with a creative spirit, Richard left school at the age of 15, facing the challenges of dyslexia. However, he didn’t let these obstacles define his path; instead, he embraced his artistic talents and pursued a career in hairdressing.

In his 38-year tenure at Haringtons, Richard has built a lasting relationship with the company, earning the trust and respect of both colleagues and clients. He believes in the power of problem-solving, considering himself more of a creative facilitator than the primary artistic force. Richard developed his creativity through handson experience, working in various salons and learning from the dynamic world of hairstyling.

One of Richard’s passions lies in changing the perception of hairdressing, especially among young people. He advocates for viewing this career with the respect it deserves, emphasising that it should not be seen as a fallback option but as a profession that requires skill, creativity, and dedication. Similarly, he advocates for the fair treatment of individuals who suffer from dyslexia or who excel in creativity rather than academia, recognising their unique way of thinking as an asset that can be harnessed, particularly in artistic fields like hairdressing.

At Haringtons, Richard fosters a flat structure within the business, providing equal opportunities for everyone, from trainees to senior staff. He encourages a collaborative environment where individuals are recognised for their specific skills, contributing to the salon’s key goal of giving the gift of confidence to both clients and staff.

Education plays a crucial role at Haringtons, with inhouse teaching up to Diploma Level 3 and training and developments for managers at each salon. Richard believes in continuous learning and advises individuals to cast their nets wide, learning from diverse sources to enhance their skills.

Inspiration, for Richard, comes from various sources, from fashion magazines to everyday observations. He is influenced by the likes of Bridget Riley, recognising that creativity can be sparked by anything. Years of international shoots, catwalks, and collaboration with renowned hairstylists have shaped Richard’s perspective, emphasising the importance of integrity and respect within a team.

Richard’s lateral thinking and solutions-driven approach have been put to the test in challenging environments, such as the Malaysian jungle and humid climates of Uruguay and Tenerife. These experiences have strengthened his commitment to finding innovative solutions in the face of adversity.

Regular team meetings across the salons ensure that ideas flow freely, with inspiration coming from diverse sources like Tik Tok trends, magazines, television shows, and trade events. Campaigns are carefully crafted with customer perspectives in mind, reflecting Haringtons’ commitment to understanding and meeting their clients’ needs.

Looking to the future at Haringtons, the salon group is actively seeking more talent and to expand its client base. The salon is actively working to recruit more talent and expand its client base. Career days at schools aim to showcase the diverse possibilities in the field of hairdressing. New services, highprofile trade activities, and enhanced marketing efforts are all part of the strategic plan to elevate Haringtons to new heights in the industry. With Richard’s vision and dedication, the salon group is set to continue thriving in the dynamic world of hairstyling.

Hair: Richard Scorer & Jasmine Buckle at Haringtons Make up Ruth Warrior - Styling Melina Mehic Photography Chloe Mallett

ten minutes with

NATHAN YAZBEK

By Chereine Waddell

Meet Nathan Yazbek, a visionary whose passion for hairdressing has ignited a path of innovation and excellence. From his humble beginnings frequenting a local salon to crafting Salon Yazbek into a beacon of creativity and sustainability, Nathan’s story is a testament to the transformative power of dedication and determination.

With accolades such as AHIA NSW/ACT Hairdresser of the Year 2022 & 2023 and British Hairdressing Awards International Collection of the Year Finalist 2023, Nathan’s commitment to pushing boundaries knows no bounds.

Mocha online Editor Chereine Waddell delves into Nathan’s extraordinary journey, uncovering the inspiration behind his craft and the impact he continues to make in the ever-evolving world of hairdressing.

Nathan, can you share with us your journey from your early days getting haircuts at the local salon to becoming the owner of Salon Yazbek in 2010?

My first taste of hairdressing was where I grew up in Sydney’s Inner West. I used to get my haircut at a local salon, and the owner needed a Saturday boy – this certainly beat working at Woolworths, so I jumped at the opportunity and worked at the local hair salon during high school and when I went to university. I spent my weekends sweeping floors, making coffees, chatting to clients, and listening to awesome music. A year into my Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Media I realised Uni wasn’t for me. I was more drawn to the high-end salons on my daily commute to Uni, so I dropped out, got myself an apprenticeship in Darlinghurst and started studying Hairdressing at TAFE.

My first real taste of my career was at a salon on the lower North Shore. It was huge, had a great culture, a massive team and was the perfect environment to build a clientele and develop my skills. I was completely focused and obsessed about owning my own salon. I headed back to the books with a Diploma in Salon Management at TAFE, took a sabbatical around the Middle East for 6 months, which left me more inspired than ever to come back to Sydney and open my own doors. In 2010 a rundown salon on Military Road Neutral Bay was a dream project waiting to happen – and Salon Yazbek was born! I was 24, oblivious of the whirlwind ahead, full of ego, but determined!

As the AHIA NSW/ACT Hairdresser of the Year 2022 and 2023, what do such accolades mean to you personally, and how do they shape your approach to hairdressing?

Winning these accolades for me is a measure of success. Because without a successful business, without being a successful leader, without a great team and great salon with great clients - I wouldn’t have the capacity to enter the AHIA.

It’s a huge creative project to pursue, you are responsible for the creative direction of the shoot, no one reassures you that your creative vision is on the right track, because creativity is so subjective. So, you just trust your gut and go all in, invest a whole lot of funds in bringing your creative vision to life, then hope for the best that your strategy turns out!

It shapes my approach to hairdressing as it means being recognised by industry peers. It shapes me by keeping my bar of standards set high and always wanting to do better, to keep evolving and growing.

Sustainability is a key focus at Salon Yazbek. How did your passion for sustainability and eco-luxe practices develop, and how do you incorporate them into your work?

My passion for sustainability and eco-luxe practices developed from a combination of personal values and professional experiences. I grew up in an environmentally conscious household, and I think it’s essential that to be a viable business you need to incorporate sustainability into your business practices. I’ve seeked out brands who shared these values and have adapted to new endeavours that align with my personal values.

Whether its endorsing vegan formula products or hair colour that is naturally derived and ammonia-free, I strive to integrate sustainability while still delivering luxurious high-end hair. It’s a journey that I am committed too and one that I believe is essential for the future.

With over 18 years of experience in hairdressing, what motivates you to continue pushing boundaries and striving for excellence in your craft? My motivation to continue to push boundaries and strive for excellence comes from my genuine passion for hairdressing. This has only grown stronger over the years. I find so much fulfillment in creating beautiful hair that help clients feel confident, sexy, and empowered. The satisfaction of seeing my clients’ happy faces after a beautiful haircut transformation really fills my tank. (cliché I know, but it really does!) Knowing that I’ve made a positive impact on someone’s selfesteem and confidence through my work is rewarding and inspires me to always give my best. You can give someone the BEST haircut ever, but if they don’t feel that connection from you, they won’t be coming back!

I also believe that setting high standards for myself and my work furthers you for excellence. This not only benefits my clients and team but helps me stand out in a competitive industry. Ultimately, my passion for hairdressing, coupled with the desire to stay at the forefront of the hairdressing industry motivates me to continue pushing boundaries and striving for excellence.

Can you walk us through your approach to hairdressing, particularly when it comes to cutting and colouring techniques, and how you stay innovative in your work?

Well, I don’t colour hair, lets be clear here! My approach to hairdressing revolves around technical expertise, creativity and an understanding of my clients needs.

-Firstly, the consultation is key. Clear communication is essential, making sure we are on the same page and that I can deliver the results!

-Then it’s the technical haircut. Having a strong foundation of cutting and styling techniques.

-Then its customisation. Anyone can follow the steps of a haircut, but no two clients are the same, so I consider factors like their face shape, lifestyle, hair texture to create a hairstyle that enhances my client’s beauty and makes them feel great!

-Getting Creative: I believe being creative and seeking inspiration adds fresh ideas into my work. It’s as simple as creating a pin board and buckets of different cuts to reference that keep your eye sharp and outlook creative.

-Education. Hairdressing is constantly evolving, which is why I prioritise ongoing education and professional development. Whether its industry catchups, online courses, bespoke classes, collaborating, I am all about learning and pushing the boundaries!

Beyond your role at Salon Yazbek, you’re also involved in educating and inspiring other hairdressers. What drives you to share your knowledge and expertise with the industry?

Like I said, I love hairdressing, and this motivates me to share my knowledge with others. Teaching is an opportunity for me to continue learning and refining my own skills. By educating students and peers, I gain new perspectives and insights that enhance my own expertise. Also giving back to a profession that has brought me so much joy and fulfilment is important! Sharing my expertise is a way for me to give back to the industry. And if I can inspire and empower other hairdresser’s to reach their potential then that’s an added bonus!

Balancing salon ownership, education, and family life can be challenging. How do you manage these different aspects of your life, and what keeps you grounded amidst it all?

To be honest, I don’t think I have mastered this balance, I’ve come to realise that it is not always possible to manage each aspect at full capacity all at the same time. But what I have learnt is that: there is a time for everything. And I’ve learnt to prioritise and allocate time accordingly. There are moments when I must wear my business hat for longer time in the day then I’d really like to. And at other times, my dad hat needs to quickly come on, when I bust in the door and three kids are wrangling my ankles! I used to rely on exercise and yoga to stay grounded, but my current schedule doesn’t allow for it now. But despite this, what keeps me centred is recognising that there is a time for everything, and embracing this perspective helps me manage the multiple roles and responsibilities I have, allowing me to stay focused and present as best as I can.

What advice would you give to aspiring hairdressers who are looking to establish themselves in the industry and make a positive impact, both creatively and environmentally?

I would say surround yourself with the best possible team you can, invest in education, get creative, be respectful.

• cont’d over page

Network and collaborate and be true to yourself and your values. So many people want to be like influencers but just be authentic! Have values and never stop learning… and get good at creating mood boards!

Outside of the salon, how do you unwind and find inspiration in your personal life, especially as a family man living in the vibrant north shore lifestyle?

Spending quality time with my family is a priority for me. Whether it’s a picnic, or going for a swim, or going for a walk along the harbour, or just staying at home and have a BBQ - its these moments that help me unwind and remind me what matters.

But honestly, at this point in time, there is nothing better than going out on a date night with my wife and having a really nice meal served up for us! What a treat!

Winning the AHIA NSW Hairdresser of the Year 2022/23 is undoubtedly a remarkable achievement. Can you share with us the behind-the-scenes journey leading up to receiving this prestigious award?

Winning this award involved months of hard work and dedication and constantly living the collection in your head.

forever until my category is announced, but you want to have fun with your team, and go say hi to everyone in the room, but don’t want to be rude to whoever is accepting the award at that point in time. Then there’s that moment you need to pee, but don’t want to go in case you miss your category! Then before you know it your name is being read out as a finalist… and the rest after that is honestly a blur!

Being recognized by your peers in the industry must be incredibly rewarding. How did you and your team celebrate this significant milestone, and what did winning this award mean for you and Salon Yazbek?

Winning such a prestigious award is undoubtedly a huge milestone for both me and my team. The recognition from industry peers is incredibly rewarding and validates the hard work, dedication, and passion that we put into hairdressing every day. The team and I partied pretty hard into the evening, when I left, they were all still going strong!

But winning has also elevated our reputation in the industry as well as to our clients and has positioned us as a premium awardwinning hair salon. It has also awarded me with opportunities that were not previously unavailable. It has also energised and inspired us to keep evolving.

Leading up to the shoot takes meticulous planning and preparation with your photographer, models, industry professionals, stylist, studio, your team. It involves creating infinite mood boards and chopping and changing them. Then there’s the doubts, the challenges of creating the hair you want to create for the shoot, the setbacks, but there’s passion and determination to pull it off! There’s the juggling your client’s hair but really just wanting to work on your shoot hair. Then there’s the actual shoot day, which is always a bit of a blur, because your so exhausted but excited and running off adrenaline and jacked up on coffee and lollies! Then there’s the post shoot crash, the mulling over your photos, the critiquing, the “I should have done this instead” Then the anxiety of needing to do something and create, but realising there’s nothing else to do because the shoot is done! Then my head goes silence for a little while… there’s lots of talk about the shoot in the salon and to your clients. You submit your images and portfolio and then you wait. Then you tune into the live announcement and if you’re lucky, you’re in the finals! Then you need to figure out what to wear to the awards and ensure it looks better than the previous year! Then the big night comes, there’s anticipation and butterfly’s in your stomach, and you arrive to the gala night and need to remember everyone’s name you bump into at the AHIA’s – then I’m like, make sure you don’t get too drunk in case you win and need to make a speech, but I might have a few just to take the edge off cause it feels like

As a leader in the industry, what role do you believe awards and recognition play in inspiring and motivating other hairdressers to strive for excellence in their own careers?

I believe that awards and recognition play a crucial role in inspiring and motivating other hairdressers to strive for excellence in their own careers. (Yes, I was that kid who loved receiving gold star stickers in primary school ha ha!) But awards serve as a validation of hard work and dedication that hairdressers invest into their craft. It also sets a benchmark for success and show cases your skills.

The images in these award-winning collections serve as inspiration for other hairdressers. These awards provide opportunities for hairdresser to come together to celebrate each other’s success. And it gives you increased visibility and exposure within the industry for awesome opportunities that might not have been there before!

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for Salon Yazbek and your own professional journey in the coming years? How do you plan to continue pushing boundaries and making a positive impact in the industry?

I just want to have the best Salon and be the best! I would love to expand the Salon Yazbek team and maintain the highest standard and excellence in everything we do at Salon Yazbek. I still want to keep shooting awesome collections and push boundaries in innovation and creativity in my shoots.

I believe giving back to the local community who have supported us so dearly is also important. And whether it’s just sharing my journey and experience, I hope to motivate other hairdressers to reach their full potential and make a positive impact in our industry. So, we can elevate the industry as a whole and keep it strong!

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED 2024 AHIA Creative & Hot Shots

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED 2024 AHIA Creative & Hot Shots

6th May 2024. 7PM AEST.

6th May 2024. 7PM AEST.

LIVE VIA FACEBOOK. MOCHA HAIR

LIVE VIA FACEBOOK. MOCHA HAIR

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

GALA NIGHT 1st July 2024

GALA NIGHT 1st July 2024

The Star, Sydney

brought to you by mocha group

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www.mochagroup.com.au

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A DYNAMIC FORCEMarcela Lastra

By Louise May

Marcela Lastra has combined her infectious energy and unwavering determination to become a renowned and dynamic force within the hairdressing industry.

With her most notable role as co-president of the South Australian Hairdressing and Beauty Association (SAHBA), Marcela has spent years advocating for and representing the hairdressing industry.

She is the creative director of the award-winning Longko Salon, where she passionately nurtures the professional development of apprentices. Additionally, Marcela serves as a National Educator for De Lorenzo Haircare, conducting classes like the Ebb & Flow and pioneering her latest project- Training the New School: A Workshop for salon owners and employers.

Beyond her professional achievements, Marcela is a community hairdressing advocate, recognised through her initiative “No Strings Attached,” which provides compassionate haircuts to the community.

Through her leadership, community engagement, and passionate commitment to education, Marcela shapes the future of the hairdressing industry through her emphasis on diversity, inclusivity, and growth.

Hair Biz Editor Louise May chats recently caught up with Marcela to chat about her journey and immense love of the industry.

Can you share with us your journey in the hairdressing industry, from your early days to your current roles as copresident of SAHBA, creative director at Longko Salon, and national educator for De Lorenzo Haircare?

Absolutely. My journey in the hairdressing industry has been such a rewarding process. It began humbly, operating from a home salon while balancing the responsibilities of being a new mum. Over time, and as my clientele grew, I transitioned to a smaller salon space in Mawson Lakes, which eventually led to securing a much larger space for what is now, Longko Salon. Alongside opening my businesses, I actively engaged in advocacy-based roles. I partook in international hair trips and contributed to my local communities as much as possible through the only way I knew how - learning, teaching, and giving back through the art of hairdressing. Each experience has served as a stepping

stone into roles such as a becoming a national educator and a representative for the hair and beauty industry at the statewide level. I think the key to this journey and the successes I have experienced is being open to opportunities, being committed to continuous learning but also leveraging and applying the skills I have gained along the way.

Could you tell us about the ethos behind Longko Salon and how you foster professional development among your apprentices?

Longko Salon is a labour of love, and central to our philosophy is inclusivity. Our team at Longko consists of passionate artists who are dedicated to their craft. They are not only highly skilled but also deeply committed to ongoing learning and growth. I think as a salon team, we have nurtured an environment where everyone is welcomed, celebrated, and embraced for their unique talents.

In terms of professional development, I believe every artist deserves the opportunity to thrive and express their individuality; as a team we provide the support and resources to ensure that happens.

Longko employs a minimum of three emerging stylists at any one time and provides personalised training modules that align with each stylist’s trade school curriculum. They cover an array of essential skills such as regrowth and grey coverage, foiling and lightening techniques, and foundational cutting services.

Longko’s senior creative team also takes pride in mentoring and developing emerging stylists; this reciprocal relationship has enhanced the way our team works together and elevated the quality of services provided to our clients.

Our emerging talent are also allocated additional training time outside of the typical hairdressing services to focus on developing their skills in open communication, empathetic listening, and

problem-solving techniques.

By actively listening to clients’ preferences, concerns, and feedback, the stylists learn to encourage open and constructive dialogue with clients, improving the stylists’ ability to offer creative solutions and further strengthening client-stylist relationships. This skill has improved client retention and our emerging talent to cultivate long-lasting relationships with their clientele from the outset.

What inspired you to create the “No Strings Attached” initiative, and how has it impacted both the community and your perspective on the role of hairdressers beyond the salon?

No Strings Attached is the one event I look forward to most every year!

What inspired me was simple - I receive all year, whether it be through the love from my family, the success of my businesses, or the people in my community who support everything that I do - No Strings Attached is a way for me to give back to the community who supports me. The cornerstone of NSA is ‘making an impact’. We’re not just offering haircuts but also sharing our passion and expertise, allowing us to make a meaningful contribution to someone’s life. This is an incredibly impactful and empowering experience, particularly for those who may not always have the opportunity to feel this way. Every year this event shapes and transforms the way I envision my role as a hairdresser and community advocate. At its most basic form it really solidifies to me how important it is to show up for somebody. I mean, we do this everyday in the salon and we are so blessed to be able to spend this amazing one-on-one time with our clients and give to them the way we know how - which is delivering incredible hair but it’s also about self-esteem. You are giving that person confidence - you are delivering a feeling, an emotion, and that’s what is so special.

INDUSTRY NEWS.

GOLDWELL’S TOPCHIC CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF TRUE COLOR EXCELLENCE

Goldwell, one of the leaders in breakthrough hair color innovation, is thrilled to announce the 50th anniversary of its iconic, in-salon color system, Topchic. This milestone celebration marks half a century of delivering an easy-touse, reliable, and high-performance color assortment to professionals and their clients around the world.

Since its inception, Topchic has been synonymous with performance, delivering vibrant, long-lasting hair color. With its innovative and user-friendly formulas, Topchic has become the go-to choice for stylists seeking intense color, excellent evenness, ultimate durability, and superior coverage with every application.

Throughout its remarkable journey, Topchic has established a legacy based on excellence and performance. As a trusted essential for professionals, Topchic enables stylists to unleash their creativity and achieve stunning color transformations unique to each clients’ needs. The brand’s 50th anniversary celebration is an opportunity to pay a tribute to the countless passionate stylists who have embraced Topchic over the years, making it an integral part of their professional toolkit.

The success of Topchic can be attributed to its unwavering commitment to performance and continuous improvement that brought Goldwell’s color offerings to unmatched levels. Over the years, Goldwell has consistently refined and expanded the Topchic range, introducing new shades, formulations, and technologies to ensure that stylists have access to some of the most advanced tools for creating stunning hair color transformations. Goldwell continues to be inspired by each professional’s passion and strives to continue to deliver best-inclass color they can trust. www.goldwell.com

BESWICK – ENGLISH COLLECTIONS GO GANGBUSTERS WORLDWIDE

The award-winning cut and colour team of Bernadette Beswick and Stevie English have taken the hairdressing world by storm since 2021 achieving a total of 174 publications around the globe.

Bernadette Beswick said that international publication was an essential tool in boosting Stevie and her profiles.

“It’s always a thrill to receive a new batch of published work from Hair Shots 2 The World,” she said.

“Whether it’s inclusion in Estetica magazine worldwide, an 11-page feature in Taiwan and loads of social media exposure, it’s all building our brands for our education business.

“I’m amazed at what we’ve achieved in just three years.”

Hair Shots 2 The World’s Leanne Cutler confirmed that the duo’s six collection earned the total of 174 publications including 10 covers and was spread across all inhabitable continents.

“Bernadette and Stevie really have created a series of standout collections that are the winning combination of cool intertwined with commercial,” Leanne said. “Their work is boosted by the excellence of Andrew O’Toole’s photography and his stellar reputation with editors around the world.” www.beswickeducation.com

LOVE IS IN THE AIR WITH ‘THE LOVE LETTER’ FROM FOIL ME!

Fill your salon with the meaning of love and powerful affirmations with the latest inspirational and heartfelt foil from Foil Me - ‘The Love Letter’ - created in collaboration with Kaine Vakai and Ayden Hawkins of Kaine Vakai Hair Artistry. Just ahead of their own nuptials, ‘The Love Letter’ is a physical representation of the love Kaine & Ayden share for each other and the hair industry, illustrated and designed by Foil Me’s CEO and Creative Director, Emily Ciardiello, and brought to life by Graphic Designer, Chelsea Winter. This love has been beautifully manifested into two alternating designs in each box - one adorned in a luxurious illustrated pink marble, and the other featuring handwritten affirmations to motivate and inspire the artist within. Each element on the foil has been meticulously considered in its meaning and design. www.foilme.com.au @foilmefoils

O&M HAS ANNOUNCED ITS NEWEST AMBASSADOR, SHERIDAN ROSE SHAW!

Sheridan Rose Shaw is 11 years clean and sober and the unstoppable force behind MAMAWEST! Where life’s too short for sh!t hair!

With a trailblazing career spanning 17 years, she’s left quite an organic mark on Melbourne’s inner west community & hairdressing industry, bagging accolades like, AHIA Victorian Salon Of The Year 23, Newcomer Salon Of The Year award, Most Innovative Business Of The Year Award, Contribution to Business Award, AHIA New creative talent & HOT SHOTS finalist, AHFA Artistic Team of the year and even making it into the prestigious Australian FAME TEAM 2023!

Sheridan is an all rounded hairdresser though her passion for creative cutting and colour knows no bounds! She’s on a mission as a salon owner to nurture and empower the next generation of hairdressers and shape shift the future of the hairdressing industry!

“The O&M family of ambassadors are some of the most talented hairdressers in the world. Moving into 2024, we’re placing a huge focus on growing our ambassador network and sharing their gifts with the wider hair community,” says O&M Founder, Jose Bryce Smith.

“I first saw Sheridan’s work on Instagram. Her work with pigments really stood out to me, then as I looked into her as a person, I was so inspired by the vulnerability she displays when discussing mental health and selfcare. I knew straight away that her talent and her willingness to be so open and honest made her the perfect O&M Ambassador,” she concluded.

INDUSTRY NEWS.

JUST CUTS PARTNERS WITH WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN FAMILIES FACING BLOOD CANCER

Just Cuts has embarked on a major partnership with the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave to help raise awareness and much needed funds for Australian families facing blood cancer. Just Cuts CEO Amber Manning was joined by Stylists last week at the 2024 campaign launch at Madame Tussauds in Sydney’s Darling Harbour. Stylists from Just Cuts Campbelltown, Corrimal and Wollongong volunteered their time to host a shave, cut and colour activation on Thursday and Friday to help members of the public get involved with the national drive for blood cancer awareness and donations. The Leukaemia Foundation’s mission includes offering practical and emotional support services to patients and families, funding game-changing blood cancer research, and advocating for change. Just Cuts is proud to be a major partner in supporting the Leukaemia Foundation’s commitment to improving the lives of every Australian facing blood cancer through the World’s Greatest Shave. Amber was thrilled to show her support for the new partnership with the World’s Greatest Shave by having her hair coloured pink and purple. Sign-ups for the World’s Greatest Shave are available for individuals and teams from anywhere in Australia at worldsgreatestshave.com or by calling 1800 500 088. “By participating in the World’s Greatest Shave with a shave, cut, or colour, you can help shape a brighter future for blood cancer patients and their families,” said Amber.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR CURATE AWARDS!

Have you got your entry in for CURATE Awards yet? Entries close 25th March so this is the last call for all Apprentices to get involved. CURATE Awards is a unique competition platform which will discover and celebrate Australia’s freshest urban and regional Apprentice talent through the delivery of exciting hair vision and creativity.

Created by Brisbane hairdressing legend and reigning AHIA Creative Australian Hairdresser of the Year 2023 Justin Pace, CURATE is a unique tool to motivate and guide Apprentices to enter the competitive arena for the first time, and to shine a light on a diverse mix of salons. It also gives Apprentices an unprecedented opportunity to develop their profile within the industry, along with winning some pretty epic prizes.

There is a full-day photo shoot workshop with Justin, tickets to the AHIA Creative Awards gala, singleday passes to Hair Festival, coverage in HAIRBIZ magazine and across Mocha Hair digital platforms to a professional biography created in conjunction with Lily Blue Communications and plenty of goodies from collaborators. These include Major Partner L’Oreal Access, Media Partner Mocha Group, Sustainability Partner Sustainable Salons Australia as well as Excellent Edges, Australian Hairdressing Council and Kitomba.

The full list of judges has already been announced and it’s truly a who’s who of hairdressing’s international icons through to regional royalty. So, to get your work in front of them, it’s time to get filming your video entry. Check out @curateawards to get your creative ideas going and check out the example entries at www.curateawards.com.

Just Cuts salon owner (Wollongong & Corrimal) Tenille Deering & her daughter Imogen at the campaign launch

Just Cuts CEO Amber Manning with her new look for World’s Greatest Shave

INDUSTRY NEWS.

TAKARA BELMONT YUME HEADBATH

A blissful five minutes where the entire head soaks in warm water...

The soothing sound of flowing water transcends your client to a blissful relaxed state. Only moisture remains to promote scalp health and well-being. The Yume Headbath can be attached and removed easily with the client in the treatment position. Yume Headbath attachment is compatible with most Yume lie-flat complete series.

YUME HEADBATH is perfect for:

• Cleansing, purifying and healing the scalp in a short space of time

• Removing accumulated dirt and product build-up from the scalp to create the perfect foundation for healthy hair growth, and produce a clean, healthy scalp

• Relieving stress and transforming your client’s disposition through its therapeutic effect

• Delivering a spa-style experience for the scalp and hair that only professional salons can provide

• Yume Headbath is Sold separately

• Exclusive storage bag is included as a set. www.joiken.com.au

AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN HAIRDRESSING COUNCIL BOARD

As we usher in 2024, the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC) is actively involved in a series of new initiatives aimed at enriching the member experience, refining training, and education programs, and advocating steadfastly for the factors essential to our members’ success. The primary role of the AHC Board remains centred on crafting a targeted strategy for business continuity through ongoing Board renewal.

It is with a mix of gratitude and anticipation that the AHC announce a significant transition within their leadership. After an impactful 15-year tenure, Sandy Chong has decided to pass the baton to a new CEO. Sandy, who has been a driving force since the AHC’s inception, progressing from a foundation director to her current role as CEO, is providing several months’ notice to facilitate a seamless transition.

While stepping away from the CEO position, Sandy remains committed to the AHC and will offer her significant expertise and counsel, particularly in the areas of policy and advocacy. This strategic decision ensures a smooth evolution in leadership, while maintaining Sandy’s valuable connection with our organisation’s core initiatives.

Explains Sandy: “Moving forward, my focus within the AHC will be centred on my passions for making positive change for our industry, particularly in the areas of education, policy, and advocacy. This is where I feel my connections and vision will be most effective and beneficial for our members and the hairdressing industry.

“I look forward to welcoming a new CEO for the AHC with a foresight for growth and the future of our organisation, and I will be working alongside them to ensure a smooth transition in this exciting phase.”

“The board members and I are steadfast in our commitment to meticulously selecting the individual most aligned with this pivotal role, one who possesses the capacity to build upon our current foundation and shape the future of both the AHC and its members,” says Clint Piper, Chair of the AHC.

SABRE

Sabre Haircare is offering support to the growing number of SOLO stylists and rent-a-chair operators. Sabre is committed to providing you with their service, support, education, and business development skills. Contact details for all Solo Operators wanting more info: sales@sabre-group.com or AUS: 1300 764 437 NZ: 0800 456 426

THE FUTURE OF HAIRCARE IS TEXTURE INCLUSIVITY

Organic SUKU is a trailblazing professional Afro-texture brand, committed to providing salons with the tools, knowledge, and products needed to confidently embrace and serve the diverse hair textures of the community. Born from ancient African hair care techniques and driven by trichology, Organic SUKU is at the forefront of transforming the hair care industry.

Organic SUKU proudly unveils its revolutionary Basin Collection, marking a milestone as the first professional Afro- texture brand designed to empower salons to grow their skill set and open their doors to a growing client base and community through diversification. www.organicsuku.com

Organic SUKU also sponsored the Global Indigenous Runway at Melbourne Fashion Festival which was held recently on March 3rd at the Melbourne Museum. @globalindigenousrunway at @melbfashionfestival @melbournemuseum

GOLDWELL RELAUNCHES ITS STYLESIGN COLLECTION

Empowering professionals to unleash creativity and sustainability with every look, Goldwell is introducing the relaunch of its iconic StyleSign collection, designed to create and reimagine styles with ease. With a versatile yet compact assortment of 23products, including revered classics and some great additions, the StyleSign collection empowers hairstylists to create enduring styles that stand the test of time. www.goldwell.com

Founder/owner Lani Masuku Brand ambassador Alannah Reed

Global Indigineous Runway at Melbourne Fashion Festival

INDUSTRY NEWS.

PAYPAL MELBOURNE FASHION FESTIVAL X L’OREAL PRO

Editor in Chief for MochaGroup - Louise May went backstage to capture the BTS with L’Oreal Pro at the opening show of the 2024 PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival with L’Oreal Pro Hair Director - Brodie Tsiknaris and the L’Oreal Pro Styling Team, which consisted of hairdressers from salons nationally, who had auditioned for the L’Oreal Pro Styling Team. The look for the runway show was beautiful French girl hair. Sexy, expensive, elevated natural textures and working with the girls’ individual natural looks. Bringing them to life with shine and lots of texture, with a polished finish. Very cool - very “it-girl” vibes. @lorealpro_education_aus @brodieleerokstar

HOB SALONS HAS ANNOUNCED NATASHA GROSSMAN AS THE NEW CEO OF THE AWARD-WINNING 17-SALON GROUP. Natasha has a distinguished career in business, having moved through the ranks within the company over the last 19 years, and is now set to lead HOB Salons into a new era of growth and innovation. She says “I’m delighted to be working alongside directors Akin Konizi, Clive Collins and Paul Simbler, who are an inspirational trio and have been so willing to adapt to evolution and change. My plans are to keep the core values that have run through the veins of the business since 1983, whilst implementing a brand-new strategy and vision that continues to raise the standards within our industry, and attract top talent that results in higher client retention for a long-lasting and sustainable business.”

HOB Academy International Creative Director, Akin Konizi, says: “Natasha’s unwavering commitment and profound understanding of the business makes her the perfect person for this leadership position.”

Director Clive Collins adds: “I feel very proud to see my daughter lead the company for the next generation. Hairdressing is in her blood, and I can’t wait to work alongside her on the incredible plans she has for the business.”

Director Paul Simbler says: “Tash’s vision and expertise will undoubtedly guide us into an exciting new chapter for HOB Salons and she is focused on supporting every team member to help unlock their full potential for a bright and successful future.”

Instagram: @hob_salons www.hobsalons.com

CARTIER X O&M HIGH-JEWELLERY GALA

Globally acclaimed jewellery brand, Cartier, presented its High- Jewellery gala at the Sydney Opera House on February 18th, in collaboration with the haircare brand O&M. John Pulitano, appointed as the Hair Director, curated three distinct looks on the runway for 10 female models and 2 male models, embodying an understated editorial style. John Pulitano, the O&M ambassador, and Owner of Headcase Hair, has firmly established himself as one of the most renowned and innovative hair directors in the Australian fashion and beauty industry.

The exclusive event catered to 202 VIP clients from across Australia, featuring Cartier High Jewellery pieces styled by Jess Pecoraro. Coinciding with the inter-regional High Jewellery exhibition in Sydney, Cartier hosted an extravagant gala dinner at the iconic Sydney Opera House. The gala marked the pinnacle of the High Jewellery event series in Australia, offering a breathtaking grand arrival, followed by a fine dining experience, enhanced by an interactive runway, and featured performances by a Sydney based string quartet. John Pulitano shared his creative inspiration, stating, “Our vision for the hair was to enhance the appearance of the jewels with sleek, sophisticated, and minimal looks that showcase the décolletage and ears.”

HAIRCARE GROUP CELEBRATES 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS

This year marks 50 years in business for the Haircare Group.

Founded in 1974 by Geoff and Jan Gauvin, Haircare Group was born as a business dedicated to bringing innovative and professional products to the hair industry.

Whilst running their DeGauvin salons, Geoff and Jan recognised that beyond distribution, being a true partner helped owners build their businesses. Today, that partnership approach and dedication to the growth and protection of the industry remain at the forefront of the company mission.

“It’s the reason we still exist - to partner with salon professionals, offering real value that makes a difference to their business lives, personal lives and the community we share” says Managing Director Garth Gauvin

Haircare Group is one of Australia’s business success stories with a national footprint across Australia and New Zealand with over 220 employees, servicing over 12,000 salons and hair professionals with salon exclusive products, education, and tailored business solutions such as study tours and business summits.

With a strong stable of brands including Moroccanoil, Lakme, Olaplex, Evo and Color Wow, Haircare Group continues to lead the industry when it comes to range, innovation and education platforms.

“There have been so many suppliers, vendors, our team and customers, who have contributed to the Haircare Group and supported our growth, without them we would not be where we are today.”

In honour of the brand’s golden jubilee, Haircare Group kicked off celebrations with a gala event with over 220 employees, and all generations of the Gauvin family being a part of the festivities.

Celebrations will continue throughout the year and be extended to customers with special initiatives to launch including the opportunity for salons to win a host of prizes including $500 credits to their accounts in July and ‘golden ticket’ surprise and delight vouchers in orders.

“As we celebrate 50 years in business, it’s a special occasion for reflection and celebration on what has been achieved by the team over the years,” said Garth Gauvin, Haircare Group Managing Director.

“The past five decades have been a testament to our values and our enduring business mission to put our customers at the heart of everything we do. As we look forward, we are excited to grow further whilst continuing to strengthen our connection within the professional hair community that has been an integral part of our story so far.”

As part of our commitment to long-term business improvements, family succession and growth, some of our directors are taking on new roles and responsibilities effective immediately. Ward Gauvin transitions to the Managing Director of Haircare Group and Garth Gauvin assumes the position of Managing Director for Gauvin Group.

For clarity, Gauvin Group refers to our group of companies working together under a single umbrella for better business outcomes - improved productivity, efficiency, and long-term scalability.

“These changes are about supporting family transition and having the right focus in the right areas of the business for ongoing future success and growth. I am looking forward to Ward taking the reins at Haircare Group with many more years of success to come.”

SHEAR EXCELLENCE

Bernadette Beswick’s new Shear Excellence course got off to a stellar start in Melbourne recently with every participant highly rating their experience, walking away with improved skills in cutting and client communication.

Bernadette worked closely with every student, all from different backgrounds and at different levels.

“The entire group left Shear Excellence with a heightened sense of motivation and increased confidence and skill sets,” she said. “They felt elevated and ready to hit the salon floor.”

According to several students, they totally turned around their haircutting careers, stating that Bernadette’s education was second to none.

She said that building hairdressers’ confidence with a sure fire set of cutting techniques and vamping up consultation and retail sales skills would produce better results in the salon.

Shear Excellence was designed by Bernadette recognising the shortage of cutting skills in the industry.

“I teach the five go-to haircuts that every hairdressers needs to know,” she said. Bernadette said that she was living proof that you can develop yourself towards a thriving career after your initial qualification.

“I completed a fast-tracked, 12 month course to become a hairdresser, had four children, then returned to forge a successful career after choosing the right training and being passionate about my work.

“This means if I’ve had that background and can win back-to-back AHIA Victorian Hairdresser of the Year awards, anyone who builds their confidence and capability can reach their career goals.”

Bernadette said that the course had three motivating ingredients that would lead to excellence in cutting and communication.

“Firstly, the cutting techniques taught for short, medium and long hair are easy to apply in-salon. These include tips for perfect, current versions of trending haircuts.

“Secondly, most salons could do better at sales, so I teach participants how to communicate without being ‘sales-y,” she said. “Saying that sales is ‘not my thing’ is no longer an excuse, because my training moves hairdressers over that hurdle for good.”

“And thirdly, Shear Excellence alumni continually develop as part of an exclusive Facebook group who keep in touch and ask me questions afterwards.”

The three-day Shear Excellence intensive, trains teams and individual hairdressers. The next Shear Excellence cutting camps will be held in Brisbane and Sydney and the first ten to sign up for each course, go into the draw for a free, one-on-one with Bernadette worth $1,695. Each participant also receives a Shear Excellence Certificate.

www.beswickeducation.com

The Gauvin Family

EDUCATION THAT GROWS YOUR HAIR GAME

Gear up for a standout 2024 with Sabre Haircare Education. It’s all about leveling up your hair game with fresh, innovative techniques and real-world skills that matter in the salon. Whether you are looking to master new color trends, perfect your precision cuts or expand your business savvy, we have flexible learning options so you can advance at your own pace. This year, get ready to shine brighter, cut sharper, and style with unmatched confidence with Sabre Haircare.

innovate elevate captivate

FEATURING

CAROLYN GAHAN FELICITY BRUCE JOSHUA CONGREVE CRAIG ARGENT MIKELAH JAYDE RILEY ANDREW COBELDICK KERRIE DIMATTIA HAYLEY MEARS CALEB HEKE

the dynamic world of

ROBERT BRAID

MASTER BARBER, ACCOMPLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER, AND… MARTIAL ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE!

By Rex A.C. Silver

Embark on a thrilling journey through the life and artistry of Robert Braid, a name synonymous with avant-garde barbering and audacious creativity.

If you’ve been a part of the barbering scene for even a short while, you’ve undoubtedly encountered the iconic stories and collections of Robert in previous issues of barbershop, a mastermind in the world of hair. Recently, he dazzled Australia as Artistic Director for Heiniger during their grand Australian launch shows, showcasing the Swiss-made highend machines and demonstrating their unique capabilities to amazed audiences alongside our homegrown maestros of hair AMBA Modern Barber of the Year Matt Clarke and 3 x AHIA Best Men’s and 5 x AHIA Best Educator Jules Tognini.

I stumbled upon Robert’s genius about five years ago while scouting for extraordinary talents to spotlight in my articles. It’s rare to find artists whose work is instantly identifiable, but Robert Braid is a standout in this elite group. In 2021, his work was selected by the esteemed publishers of the Barbering Bible, which celebrated the top 12 barbers globally at the time. This illustrious list included industry titans like Sofie Pok, Robert-Jan Rietveld (The Bloody Butcher), and Roberto Ferrel (Rob the Original), whose creations are also recognised in the blink of an eye.

Since his rise to fame, Robert has graced stages worldwide, rubbing shoulders with these legends and imparting his unique techniques to eager barbers keen on honing their craft.

So, who is Robert Braid, you ask?

He’s a prominent figure in both the UK and US barbering industries, a recipient of the British Barber Association Judges Choice Hall of Fame, and a man born with a pair of shears in his hand. Alongside his brother David, he co-owns ‘Braid Barbers’ across two locations, continuing the legacy started by their father, Phillip, who opened the first Braid salon in Birmingham in 1976.

But wait, there’s more to Robert than just his clippers!

Robert has also made his mark in the world of martial arts, clinching a World Championship Title in Stick Fighting (Kali) at the WEKAF World Championships in 2008. The fact that Robert had the focus and determination to perfect his skills to that level and then have the confidence to fly to the Philippines and beat them at their own ancient fighting discipline speaks volumes about him.

And his talents don’t stop there:

For commissioned work, his partner in crime is world-renowned hair photographer Liam Oaks, but in Rob’s own time, he captures his creations through his own lens, a style he refers to as ‘Street,’ his efforts have graced the covers and pages of global magazines.

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Let’s check that out!!

Prepare to be captivated as we present 10 of Robert Braid’s most cherished individual images from the past four years, accompanied by his very own personal comments and insights.

1. 1st image This is one of my favourites and the most complicated haircuts I’ve ever done; Aztec symmetry is perfectly spaced and angled, and the planning and design of this cut was akin to an architect designing the blueprints of a building…I thoroughly enjoyed it.

2. I love this as it shows the texture in silhouette form on one side and true form on the other. We also had heaps of fun experimenting with this shadow effect in the studio; It was a great day. This is the only image in this selection shot by Liam Oakes (Roberts’s longtime collaborator for commissioned work)

3. This was the image that won me the Judges Choice Hall of Fame. Yes, it’s the same model from image one, but a few years earlier, it’s such a strong image and shows the simplistic beauty of a drop fade.

4. This is one of my favs not only because it is my son but also because his attitude perfectly matches the mod style he is rocking’…with no prompting or direction from, I have to add…. Straight-up pro!! Ha-ha

5. One of my favourites is the step fade shown on one of my favourite models, Jan, aka Eagle. The natural shape of his skull combined with his ability to pull off classic vintage style with his facial hair allowed me to paradox modern and vintage. I can always do this with Eagle… a phenomenal image and a phenomenal model to work with.

6. Jess is ideal to work with; her natural, symmetrical appearance is the perfect muse to showcase a box crop on one side and a textured crop on the other. I love this cut so much. I replicated it for Heiniger. It doesn’t age….

7. Dangeruss!…International Moustache of the Year winner two times in a row… Russ also can rock modern and classic at the same time…effortlessly. Here, I resurrected the 80’s mullet and incorporated that with a contemporary twist with the top cropped; Russ seamlessly adds vintage with his unique mo, rumoured to be insured for more than Kim K’s bottom I’ll have you know!

8. I love this as it represents me very acutely, mainly because I often work with the model’s natural physical attributes; in many cases, the features and curves nature gave them are very subtle; in this instance though, it is Kai’s tattoo. It’s dictating an invisible landscape from which I can create and build shapes and bring those to the forefront.

9. My version of a feminine mod crop, Victoria just booked to me before going out one evening; her make-up inspired me, as she had these fantastic silver teardrops, and after the cut, I just had to shoot her and document what we did. You will see I love working with the same models until I run out of ideas on how I can best present the thing, and I will call it a thing because words don’t describe what you see in a muse; you see infinite magic and have to bring these looks to life.

10. Victoria, again, I went full tribal cyberpunk. As you can see, she has no trouble rocking the vision I knew would suit her and my art.

Image 2 Photography Liam Oakes / Hair Robert Braid

All other images: Hair/ Photography Robert Braid

@r.braid

@liamoakesphoto

Crafted with Swiss engineering excellence, the all-new Heiniger clipper range embodies unparalleled quality - each one delivering power, precision and performance when results matter.

CELEBRATING A QUARTER-CENTURY:

HEMISPHERE HAIR’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE

Celebrating a remarkable 25 years of Hemisphere Hair, this milestone marks not only a legacy of excellence in Perth’s salon scene but also a testament to the visionary leadership of coowners Nick Mammoliti and Damien Kabay.

Hair Biz Editor Louise May chats with Nick to discuss their journey, the significance of Hemisphere Hair’s 25th anniversary celebration, and the secrets behind its enduring success.

With Nick and Damien at the helm, Hemisphere Hair has become synonymous with artistic innovation and client satisfaction, solidifying its reputation as one of Perth’s most respected salons.

How did you get into hairdressing & what’s your story?

It all started out very unplanned but that has changed with time! I started my apprenticeship because I knew I didn’t want to stay at school past year 10 and I was told that I needed to have a job if I wasn’t going to go to school! I thought barbering would be great but the salon where I got my apprenticeship – Salon Hair International in Perth – said that there was more money to be made in female hairdressing so that is what I did! I soon learned I had landed on my feet and loved the creative aspect of hairdressing. I broadened my experience working in London and went on to manage salons before reaching a crossroads. I was wanting a new career path, a new challenge, and realised that owning my own business would bring that challenge but having my own salon would best use my skills – and so Hemisphere Hair was born and here I am in my 40th year of hairdressing and Hemisphere is turning 25!

Hemisphere Hair is celebrating a huge milestone, to what do you attribute this longevity?

It isn’t any one thing but a combination of lots of things. Having great staff has contributed to a great salon culture. Loyal clients have absolutely been a key part of our longevity. We often hear from clients that they feel very comfortable as soon as they walk in, and we certainly try to make clients feel at home and special from the moment we greet them. For this reason, my focus when interviewing for new staff is on personality and being the right fit, rather than perhaps having every skill, which I know I can train.

Training has always been prioritised, with weekly training sessions. Training takes place in many different forms. As so many pressures are placed on all of us in today’s world, I outsourced a trainer/ facilitator, totally unrelated to the industry, to talk about mental health and mindset and really to be an external facilitator for the salon. We talk through any fears around changes, problems facing the salon as well as all the team having opportunities to talk about things on a 1 x 1 basis.

Without a doubt the absolute foundation of our success lies with two key people – my wife Jenny, who keeps the whole salon and business admin ship shape and my business partner Damien. Damien has worked with me in the salon for 18 years and in more recent years has become a business partner. We all work so well together and have our own areas that we focus on, and together we have made Hemisphere Hair the salon it is today.

Nick, Jenny & Damien

How will you be celebrating your 25th anniversary?

We will make September a month of celebrating with our clients and we will have a big open Sunday with champagne flowing for all our clients, staff – past & present – to celebrate with us!

What are the biggest changes you have seen in this time?

There have been big changes around technology and how to run your business. We of course rely so heavily on salon software today and social media is now so important. From a hair perspective – I think the evolution of hair tools, allowing clients to manage longer styles at home, has played a key role in long hair being fashionable for all ages –but I have to say I miss the precision work of short hair!

Is there one piece of advice you wish you had known 25 years ago?

I would definitely have bought my own building rather than rent! I would also have worried less and slept more! It was a big transition to go from turning up do a job, to worrying about how busy the salon was and all the responsibility – I wish that I had just

trusted in my craft and ability from the get-go!

You joined the Goldwell family in the last year – what different has that made to your salon and team?

We moved to Goldwell last year and had an extremely smooth transition and we have been so happy with the results. It was a change the whole team embraced and has brought some great opportunities for our team. This has included training for the team and Damian and I joining the Goldwell MBE programme. It really is a great way to keep up to date with the latest in all aspects of hairdressing. The speakers at the overseas event covered all different aspects of the business and it was a great opportunity to network with likeminded people.

What is your favourite product?

I just love the Goldwell Bondpro range it’s suitable for all hair types and protects hair integrity.

What trends do you see coming through in 2024?

We started to see more lengths above the shoulder in 23 and see that continuing. These looks also have more volume and movement, colour wise we are seeing lots of more golden

and sandy blondes.

What would you say to someone looking to get into the industry?

Do it! It is an amazing industry full of great people and creativity. For me it has also been a tool to travel the world and given me the chance to do the hair of the likes of Dani Minogue and Belinda Carlisle!.

Is there anything you would like to change about our industry?

I wish the general public would perceive our industry differently – I think there is still the perception that if you aren’t doing well at school then hairdressing is suggested.

Kao Salon WA & SA State Sales Manager, Ryan Cicci says “We’re thrilled to have Hemisphere Hair in the Goldwell family. The salon has a fantastic team and a proactive culture. Together we’re rolling out some really exciting training programs and in-salon incentives to drive the business forward. We look forward to celebrating the success of Hemisphere Hair’s 25th anniversary year and can’t wait to see what the next 25 years hold!”

@hemisphere_hair

The Journey of Cambridge Hair Collective: Excellence and Education.

By Anthony Gray

Nestled in the heart of the Brisbane suburb of Wynnum Manly, Cambridge Hair Collective is testament to Marianne Gay’s dedication to her craft and her pursuit of excellence. With a journey that spans from schoolbased apprentice to educator to salon owner, Marianne’s story is one of passion, resilience, and commitment to providing exceptional service.

The decision to embark on her own salon venture was a culmination of Marianne’s extensive experience as an educator for multinational colour companies. After a decade of shaping the industry’s future through education, Marianne sought to transition from the rigors of corporate life and to prioritise family. Marianne seized a rare opportunity to acquire a local salon, leveraging her corporate expertise to breathe new life into the business.

Marianne’s journey into the world of hairdressing began as a school-based apprentice. Her hairdressing journey led to diverse experiences, from styling aboard luxury cruise liners with Steiner to educating thousands of hairdressers across Australia and New Zealand with Wella Professionals. Marianne worked for 5 years as an Wella Educator within the QLD team training delivering the Education at the QLD studio. This was followed with a promotion to the role of ANZ Capability Trainer, which was a challenging and rewarding position, delivering the internal onboarding program, and training hairdressers across Australia and New Zealand. It was this rich industry wide experience that laid the foundation for Cambridge Hair Collective.

At the helm of Cambridge Hair Collective, Marianne is supported by Manager Ali Wilkinson. Together, they lead a team comprising seven senior stylists, three apprentices, and one school-based apprentice, each contributing their unique talents to the salon’s success. With a tiered structure based on experience and expertise, the salon fosters an environment where growth and creativity flourish.

The philosophy of Cambridge Hair Collective is rooted in providing exceptional customer experiences and fostering a supportive, respectful culture among the team. While Marianne humbly acknowledges the salon’s recognition as one of Brisbane’s best hairdressers, she remains focused on delivering a service that continues to meet her client’s expectations.

A key pillar of Marianne’s approach is her commitment to attracting and retaining toptier talent. By prioritizing consistency, intuition, and personality fit over skillset alone, she has cultivated a team that embodies the salon’s ethos and values.

Education serves as the lifeblood of Cambridge Hair Collective, driving growth and innovation within the team. Marianne’s holistic approach to training and development ensures that each team member is equipped with the skills and knowledge to excel in their craft. From in-salon

training sessions to strategic partnerships with industry leaders like KEUNE and KERASTASE, education permeates every aspect of the salon’s operations. Cambridge Hair Collective partners with KEUNE who are their major partner in salon. The team utilise their Academy education as well as personalised in salon education. The Cambridge Hair Collective space is also used as KEUNE’s QLD Academy Education. KERASTASE is also a premium offering at the salons Spa area and Home Care. Their education is first class and excites both the team and clients.

Marianne has a very passionate and skilled team that share their skills and love for all things hair with one another. Marianne believes that utilising the teams’ strengths is one of the best ways to learn and develop. As a team there is a lot of respect for one another and each other’s work. As an example, one team member is the in-house Extension specialist who loves to share her skill set, expertise and real-life experience with those that want to offer the service to their clients. Marianne maintains that this is a highly effective way of learning as the team respect her stunning work. Another team member is an all-rounder makeover queen. She literally has a fan base of clients as she works absolute magic on every person that sits in her chair. They leave with a new lease on life, and it is infectious. This supports Marianne approach of wanting the team to learn from one another, it makes the teams skill set stronger and grows the salon fan base.

Working with Cambridge Hair Collective to support the salons apprenticeship training, we at MIG Training have been able to witness first hand Marianne’s dedication to nurturing emerging talent. By tailoring learning experiences to individual preferences and learning styles and providing mentorship opportunities with senior stylists, Marianne ensures that each apprentice is empowered to reach their full potential.

Through a 6 month “bridging year” program, apprentices transition from qualification to senior roles, focusing on client acquisition and business development under Marianne’s guidance. Furthermore, Marianne is spearheading an in-house education program focused on enhancing the team’s proficiency in colour techniques. Drawing from her extensive background in colour education and salon-floor insights, Marianne aims to empower her team with practical skills and real-time solutions, enriching their toolkit and enhancing client satisfaction.

As Cambridge Hair Collective continues to evolve, Marianne’s journey from apprentice to salon owner is a testament to her passion for the craft of hairdressing. As she continues to lead Cambridge Hair Collective into the future, Marianne’s vision of excellence and education, will undoubtedly leave its mark.

@cambridge_hair_collective

ZERO AMMONIA. ZERO COMPROMISE.

NEW ZERO AMM

IGORA ZERO AMM is the latest hair colour innovation from Schwarzkopf Professional, a vegan assortment free from ammonia and ammonia odour with 43 shades designed to create naturallooking hair colour.

Offering a permanent colouration, enriched with Phytolipid Technology, the formula offers true-to-tone colour results with up to 100% white hair coverage, whether you are painting a muted bronze or a vibrant red. All IGORA ZERO AMM formulations are vegan, silicone-free and without added fragrance..

Phytolipid Technology maximizes your clients colour experience. The blend of natural micronized oils and optimised pigment mixes for equal pigment penetration from root to tip increases diffusion efficacy to actively push pigments into the hair for optimised colour results. The micronised oils, consisting of Grape Seed Oil & Apricot Kernel Oil, help to improve the colour performance for long-lasting true-to-tone colour results. Infused with Omega 9 unsaturated fatty acids, the oils envelop the hair, supporting the moisture balance inside for optimal care performance allowing delicate but intense permanent color results that last where no additional developer is needed.

IGORA ZERO AMM pigments mix with cool and warm colour direction giving natural true-to-tone results, inspired by nature, resulting in delicate but intense long-lasting permanent colour and can be offered by the new services Classic, Refresh and Blonde Refinement, maximising the experience of an ammoniafree colouration.

MUTED BRONZE brings a holistic approach to the world of hair colour. Approaching the hair as a whole and using a placement technique elevates the often-utilised dual application and white coverage colour services to another level. The all new IGORA ZERO AMM enables colour without compromise for conscious clients. It is applied globally to the regrowth before three different tones are layered through the ends, creating a shimmer-like effect.

MUTED GOLD creates highs and lows emphasising the texture of the haircut.

Q&A WITH KATE RAWNSLEY , SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL AUSTRALIAN EDUCATOR

What is your favourite aspect of the new game changing Igora Zero Ammonia AMM?

My favourite aspect is that we now have a high performance permanent colour that delivers everything we love about Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA, without the need for unnecessary chemicals. The fact that there’s no ammonia odour really elevates the in-salon experience for my clients. I have to mention the colour shades within the range, this assortment is so versatile and truly allows you to be the colourist you want to be.

Can you elaborate on your experience with using it so far?

I’m addicted, IGORA ZERO AMM has quickly become a staple in my kit. The dimension it delivers is just so beautiful….It’s giving green energy, urban chic and grit. Think, effortless, lived-in, textured looks. The colours are warm, golden and bronzed, while the hair feels loose and undone.

What do think Hairdresser will love about the new service they can offer?

It enables hairdressers to offer classic, refresh and highlift colour services with no unnecessary chemicals or odours. Like me, they’ll be obsessed once they discover the results of a multi-tonal dual application with IGORA Vibrance demipermanent. This technique creates the most gorgeous multi-tonal shimmering effect. You get no harsh lines, just beautifully blended muted tones.

How does the new colour perform in our Australian Climate?

IGORA ZERO AMM is actually perfect for our transeasonal Australian climate. It’s formulated with Phytolipid Technology, which envelops the hair with beautiful nourishing oils and Omega 9 fatty acids. These ingredients help support hair health and maintains the moisture balance. Coupled with a good after colour haircare regime like BC Bonacure Clean Performance Treatment, you can’t go wrong.

For more information visit www.schwarzkopf-professional.com.au

@schwarzkopfproanz #ZEROAMM #IGORA #BEIGORA

• Trusted and reliable performance of IGORA

• Free from ammonia and its odour

• Natural true-to-tone colour results

• Up to 100% white hair coverage

• Up to 3 levels of lift (10-series)

• Can be used with the existing IGORA ROYAL Developers – no extra developer needed

• Sustainable packaging of Tube, Cap and Folding box.

• Flexible service opportunities within a concise assortment – offer 100% ammonia free dual application from roots to ends with new IGORA ZERO AMM & IGORA VIBRANCE

• Targets conscious consumers seeking free-from products

Kate Rawnsley

AN EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL COMMENTARY

with Vivienne Mackinder

By Louise May

Over the remaining issues of Hair Biz for 2024 we are going to be bringing our readers a unique and comprehensive understanding of the global landscape. We aim to delve into various aspects that shape and define the industry, offering a platform for thoughts on trends, challenges, and changes within the realm of hairdressing.

We will be featuring a Q&A session with global industry experts, who will share their thoughts on critical industry topics. We are particularly interested in exploring trends that highlight the creative side of hairstyling, insights on products making waves in the market, the ongoing challenge of skill shortages, and the evolving nature of the industry such as the rise of selfemployed professionals, salon changes, and innovative business models.

Our first feature is the amazingly talented Vivienne Mackinder

Vivienne Mackinder is one of the most highly respected international leaders and innovators in the hairdressing profession today. In her work as Artistic Director for industry ‘Grand Masters’ Vidal Sassoon and Trevor Sorbie, Vivienne developed an expertise for precision cutting and an eye for original hair design, from classic, commercial, to avant-garde.

Based in New York, she grew up in London and subsequently opted to ‘spread her wings’ to the United States. She has been honoured with numerous awards, including the prestigious IBS ‘Editors’ Choice Awards (three times). As well as the much-coveted North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA). Plus, the NAHA “Lifetime Achievement”.

Vivienne is an ‘in-demand’ featured guest artist-educator for premier international events worldwide and her work is consistently published in the international press. Vivienne’s career, as a master stylist, is divided between online education, editorial and advertorial shoots, advertising campaigns and countless special events as featured artist, not to mention her work for entertainment entities, MTV, and the VH-1 Fashion Awards. As a session stylist, she has collaborated and designed hair collections for runway fashion collections in New York, Paris, and London.

Vivienne Mackinder

Vivienne is also one of our esteemed AHIA Creative - International Judges.

Hair Biz Editor Louise May chats with Vivienne to get her perspective on the state of the industry.

From your unique vantage point, what creative trends are currently shaping the world of hairstyling, and how do these trends influence the industry’s direction?

The negative; - A trend that’s getting very old is unkept long hair, while I love long hair on the right person it is not for everybody. There seems to be no discernment as to whether it is: age appropriate, suits the face shape and

body type, or that the hair is quality enough to hang long. I find this global trend boring and so many women are walking around looking unkept. It’s tough to wear your hair to your waist when you’re 60 years old and its grey brittle and wiry! I’m sorry to say, it looks like a witch that ready to step into a Harry Potter movie. I’m also seeing another negative trend, which is over processed hair. Possibly the only time this hair looks amazing is when styled by a skillful stylist and photographed with filters. The reality of how the style looks in real life is very different! Just hang out in an international airport, good luck in finding stunning hair. Our mantra is - bring back beautiful hair.
A dream trend I would love to see, is a Hair Cut revolution to make haircuts look fresh and modern regardless of age.

Could you share your insights on standout haircare and styling products that have gained popularity globally?

There is new technology available - Curl Cult; in the perming world that allows us to pin curl and create waves using metal clips. To use rollers or bendies, this opens the door to fun haircuts and curls. 
A new styling product äz. Fun to play with, and a wonderful fragrance, highly concentrated with strong performance, a very sophisticated line.

Skill shortages persist as a challenge in the industry. What strategies or initiatives have you observed or implemented to address this issue, and what recommendations do you have for the industry at large?

Well, there is a shortage of hairdressers. But there’s an even greater shortage of skilled hairdressers. So many graduates from cosmetology schools are ill prepared for the reality of what it takes to build a business. Sadly, many coming out of school think they know it all, they think they can become an independent stylist not realising how important it is to be mentored and to continually train.

The dilemma here in the United States; two years in salon reality, 85% of new stylists have already left the business.

There is a huge burden on salon owners as they now have to have to offer advance in salon training which is a skill unto itself. Is interesting how hairdressers want to make more money and grow their business but when I ask them, what is your strategy to do so, they look at me blankly. You can’t grow anything in your business unless you have a personal professional growth plan. Sadly, from TikTok and Instagram, hairdressers TODAY - social is the platform for learning. While great for ideas, not a path to mastery. I have completely changed my training methods; I have a blend of online videos with weekly live virtual workshops.

It’s been fascinating to watch weekly progress, and ironically, those who really want to be good, are transformed. Increasing their business from anything from 20 to 50% within 10 months.

Our profession has always struggled with mindset and the willingness to stay open to continually learn. I’ve always surrounded myself with hairdressers who are lifelong learners, but sadly, the mass are not like that, which is why many stylists are struggling to make a good income, many lack the confidence and skills required, 95% don’t know how to do a consultation and that’s the gatekeeper to building your brand.

Hair is a lifelong study; loving who you become on the journey. Always seeing progress in your business.

If you can’t measure your progress, then how do you know if you’re succeeding?

There is too much focus on social media, and peer pressure. What is important is who you compare yourself to? At the end of the day, it’s about being the very best version of yourself. Understanding how to leverage social media to fit your own brand and stop comparing to others or using vanity matrix to evaluate your worth in the marketplace.

With the emergence of selfemployed professionals, suites, and rental booths, how do you see the traditional salon model evolving?

The industry has certainly been disrupted in booth rental. In many cases it has been a reaction against commission salons, who have not had great leadership. A lack of incentives and in-house training to keep their staff growing and motivated. Very difficult to be an independent operator, the whole weight of running your business sits on your shoulders; from folding towels, making appointments, social media marketing etc. When you are a solo operator trading time for money, you hit the ceiling of earnings very quickly. So, there is a price to pay for freedom and flexible hours.

Most are working harder than when they were in a commission salon, they’re not counting the hours that they’re putting into cleaning folding towels inventory, all those task that would’ve been done for them and a full commission Salon. They forget that time has value. Many fail in the independent world, because they do not have the entrepreneurial skills and determination and grit. But for

those who have the right skills; it can be a very good formula but there is no exit strategy. I think there’s a place for the return of the independent salons with incredible leadership with strong growth.

In salon training and teambuilding, it’s a tremendous amount of work, but with proper systems, and offering people some flexibility with their hours I think there is more potential to really grow and thrive within that world. Everything rises and falls on leadership.

The discussion around fair and equitable employment practices is gaining momentum. In your experience, what measures or policies have proven effective in promoting employee well-being and satisfaction within the hairdressing sector?

Entitlement for me is one of the most unattractive features a person can wear. I am drawn to people who are hungry to learn, who are humble, and who have remembered that we are in the service industry and whether we’re serving a client on a photo shoot, fashion show, or within the salon, the client comes first. It’s a mindset that permeates across all sectors of our industries around the world, and its certain countries is much more prevalent because of social media. The smart leader is going to challenge, inspire and set goals, so that the team are always striving to be better. For example, in my training, we do live events every week at the end of the class. Everyone photographs their work, and they post their work and a photographic forum here I can review their work, and I give video coaching feedback. There is no room for entitlement here.

can cannot compete with the human touch, compassion transcends all generations, the school of hard knocks hits hard on the ego. The highly successful people learn from mistakes and turn a challenge into a stepping stone for growth.

Often when someone’s entitled, they believe that someone owes them something. Underneath the entitled behaviour is the ego, fear, and insecurity.
When you’re open to learn; and want to be the best version of yourself there is no place for entitlement. I will not hire anybody who is entitled, I have zero tolerance for It.

How have the characteristics and preferences of Gen Y and Gen Z professionals and clients influenced the industry?

Every generation brings magical gifts. There is so much to learn from each other’s perspectives. It’s so easy though to judge and be critical. I love to keep an open mind to how each generation views the world, how they use technology and different learning styles. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter in which generation you’re born, we live in an industry where the human touch still has importance. There is nothing more magical than having a client sitting in your chair where she feels; seen, understood and safe. Ai

In what ways has technology impacted the hairdressing industry? Are there specific tools or platforms that you believe are pivotal in shaping the future of the profession? Technology - I am developing an app currently that has the potential to change the way we engage with our clients. I am pouring my 40 plus years of knowledge into “Beauty by Design”. More to follow soon.

This is where we see a generational and mindset divide. When used wisely, technology adds value to our daily lives, but we have to find balance.

Collaboration across borders can foster innovation. Have you observed successful instances of international collaboration within the hairdressing industry, and how can professionals’ benefit from a more interconnected global community?

I would personally love to collaborate more with like-minded artist, hairdressers, and companies. But I have found our industry to be very tribal.

Trying to collaborate and cross market has been a challenge; the business model in the digital world is so different to bricks and mortar. My door is always open to listen and learn.

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MEGHAN KING

By Louise May

In the dynamic world of hairstyling, accolades often serve as milestones, marking the journey of talent and dedication. Meghan King, a Senior Stylist at Sloans of North Sydney, stands proudly as the recipient of the esteemed 2023 AHIA Hotshots award. This recognition solidifies her status as a rising star in the industry, adding another layer of achievement to her illustrious career.

From her humble beginnings to her current role as a pivotal member of the Sloans Creative Team, Meghan’s journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment and relentless pursuit of excellence. As the recipient of the 2023 AHIA Hotshots award, Meghan joins the ranks of the industry’s most promising talents, poised to make her mark on the hairstyling landscape.

At Sloans, Meghan has found more than just a workplace; it’s a supportive environment that fosters growth and encourages innovation. Surrounded by industry veterans and mentors, Meghan has honed her skills and embraced her unique voice, propelling her towards greater heights of success.

Hair Biz Editor Louise May chats with Meghan about her journey in the industry and the excitement of being an AHIA Hotshot!

What made you want to be a hairdresser?

From a young age I was always been obsessed with my own hair, so it felt like a natural progression to become obsessed with everyone else’s too! I used to experiment on family and friends and after some encouragement I decided hairdressing might be for me and I committed to completing a pre-Apprenticeship course at Liverpool TAFE. I had no car and had to travel to TAFE via public transport which was at least 2 hours each way, but I loved it so much, the travel time was worth it. I quickly became hooked, and my learning journey has continued ever since.

What kind of hair work is your favourite and why?

I love everything about doing hair so it’s hard for me to pick just one aspect. If I had to though, I would say, most recently, I think it is session styling work and the whole art of collaboration whether it is with other hairdressers, photographers, makeup artists or fashion stylists. I love the fact that you learn something new every time from different hair directors, whether it be a different way of doing something you do all the time, or something new entirely. Being part of the Sloans Creative Team has been amazing for this and I am so lucky to be part of such a diverse and egalitarian group of humans.

How do you manage work and life balance?

If you find out, let me know as I am still figuring it out! I usually try and make sure I have at least one day a month off to myself to reflect on the month that has just past and set my goals for the coming month. I also ensure I have one day off a month with just my husband and no other commitments so we can spend some quality time together with zero focus on hair. At busy times it doesn’t always work out that way, but I work hard to make it happen as much as possible.

Who inspires you in the creative field of hairdressing and why?

Jordan Hone, my Director at Sloans of North Sydney. He has been my mentor from day one of me coming to work at Sloans and I am still inspired by him every single day. I’ll never forget assisting him on his Creative Colourist of the Year collection in 2018 during my first year at Sloans. It was such an incredible experience. I had always

dreamt of creating a photographic image, so to see a full collection come together from start to finish was unbelievable – and so inspiring. Even just standing and passing pins cemented my dream to do that myself one day and that I would keep pushing until I did. I have assisted Jordan on every possible hair event and shoot since then and am always the first to say yes to any opportunities.

If you could spend a day with anyone from a business or lifestyle mentorship perspective, who would it be and why?

In the hair world, I’d love to spend the day being mentored by the amazing Lyndal Salmon. She is just so talented both as an Educator and a Creative Artist. I’ve always been so drawn to her work as well - so many unexpected and exciting shapes and styles that I just can’t help but stare at. I also feel like we are similar with how passionate we are about the things we do, and I love that.

How important are competitions and awards to you?

They are really crucial to my journey as a hairdresser, and all of our journeys really! I love that they give us all a platform to showcase our talent and offer a creative outlet outside of the salon. I also find competitions a powerful tool for planning my year ahead with Jordan and setting my personal goals and aspirations to make sure I am always progressing and never standing still. Watching the success of other Sloans team members in the competitive arena like Scott, Jordan and Chris has also shown me the doors competitions can open and the incredible networking opportunities that come about as a result which are so important for anyone up and coming.

Can you tell us a little about what you love about being a member of the hotshots team?

I love that being in the Hotshots team gives me the opportunity to do more in the industry outside the salon and I am so grateful for the exposure that it gives me within the industry. The Hotshots house weekend that we have already had was so amazing - I was literally pinching myself for three and a half days non-stop! Getting to chat and pick the brains of industry

legends and be mentored by people the whole industry look up to, I knew how lucky I was. I’m also really looking forward to getting creative with everyone at the big photoshoot shoot we get to do together - I’m already feeling inspired!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

In 10 years’, time, I’ll be 37 which is really weird to think about to be honest. I usually like to focus on much shorter goals and then see where those take me. In saying that though, I definitely know that I will still be in the world of hair somewhere. I love my salon work so I can see myself still working with my clients behind the chair, but also pushing myself creatively with new challenges. Coming up with ideas for fun and exciting projects outside of the salon is the thing that gets me most excited. And let’s add a few trips overseas to work on Milan, Paris, London, and New York Fashion Weeks while we are at it! I am also a massive believer of education, so in addition to my personal ongoing learning journey, I’d love to create something new around colour or session styling education to really inspire younger hairdressers.

FUN SNAPSHOT

Worst fashion moment: I don’t know that I have one but there’s still time!

Worst hair day: when I cut my hair into a pixie- unfortunately it did not suit me at all. Fave destination: I’ve never been but I’ve always wanted to go to Greece and experience the Greek Islands.

Fave drink: Got to love a spicy margarita. If I wasn’t a hairdresser I’d be - probably working in admin somewhere! I’m a bit of an organiser at heart.

@sloanssalons

@meghan_king96

A LOOK INTO THE WORLD OF

JABBAS MAKEUP

By Louise May

Meet Brooke Clarke, the multi award-winning makeup artist known as ‘Jabbas Makeup.’ With a decade of experience and a distinctive flair for fantasy and Avant Garde styles. Brooke’s journey started in freelance and at the Napoleon Perdis counter, evolving into a role with KVD Beauty’s artistry events team in London.

Her travels across the UK and Europe for makeup masterclasses opened doors to a thriving social media career, collaborating with major brands. Returning to Brisbane, Brooke established her own makeup studio, focusing on private training and freelance work for various projects.

Join us as we delve into the artistic journey and insights of Brooke Clarke , a standout in the global beauty scene.

Where did you grow up and how did you get started into the industry?

I grew up in Brisbane, with my mother as a hairdresser. I was basically raised in the

salon, so from a young age I knew I wanted to be in beauty. I dropped out of school to start hairdressing and worked in that industry for about 6 years before deciding that hair wasn’t 100% for me. I had never even considered that makeup artistry was a job, or a career. I was googling beauty industry courses, thinking maybe I would do nails or something complimentary to hairdressing when I came across an advert for a makeup school in Brisbane. This advert had the most insane, crazy special effects, fantasy makeup creation that I had ever seen. It was like a lightbulb moment for me, I knew instantly that’s what I HAD to do. So, I saved up, did that exact course, and never looked back!

How did your early experiences shape your approach to makeup artistry?

My favourite thing to tell my clients is that I’m not a ‘one trick pony’ ha-ha. I love so many different elements in this industry, and love that I can cater to all of them. When I did my Diploma of Makeup Artistry, I had it in my head that all I wanted to do was SFX, blood and gore. I was incredibly surprised my how much I loved beauty and editorial makeup. Early in my career, I mainly worked as a freelance artist and for makeup counters as a retail artist. I would highly recommend this path for any new makeup artist, as the experience you gain is invaluable. Working in retail artistry really shows you how to work

with a diverse range of people, who aren’t necessarily there for you, or your skills, but rather they like the brand you’re working for. So, it completely widens your skillset almost immediately. Freelancing is a great way to earn money straight away, and also great experience for learning how to work in uncomfortable scenarios and make it work. Whether that be setting up your kit in a bathroom, no natural light, no airconditioning, the list goes on. I think having all of these different experiences has helped me not only to be able to work under almost any condition, but also to build up my tools and equipment needed to ensure I can do my best work in any scenario. Sometimes you don’t know until you know.

Where does the name Jabbas Makeup come from?

Jabbas Makeup comes from a nickname from when I was a kid ha-ha! It comes from the Star Wars character Jabba the Hutt. It’s what my brother used to call me as a kid, and I used to have a personal Instagram account with that as my handle. I had a decent following on that account, so when I decided to get serious about doing makeup, I named my account Jabbas Makeup so people would know it was me. It then stuck and is my registered business name now!! Its great though, almost like an alias. If someone approaches me in person and calls me Jabba instead of Brooke, I know I haven’t met them in person before. It’s a good way of keeping track of people when you work with so many different faces and teams all the time!

Can you share some memorable moments or experiences from your time overseas and how it influenced your artistic style?

Moving to London was the absolute best thing I have done for my skills! I’m a very competitive person when it comes to my career, and I was used to being the most creative person in the room in Australia. When I worked in London, I was humbled very quickly. The makeup artists over there are just on another level. Working with these amazing artists inspired me to really up my game, so whenever I had days off, I would just practise techniques and looks on myself that I couldn’t get the hang of. At some point, I started posting those looks of myself on my social media and one day it just all blew up, gaining literally thousands of followers overnight. Having a huge confidence boost like that just propelled me to further expand my skills.

I’m so attracted to the biggest, most insane makeup creations, so learning how to execute these sorts of makeups just from practise and learning makes my heart sing. I still do this to this day (although I rarely post the test makeups, I do on myself, anymore) but I think it’s so incredibly important to practise and learn and put in the time. Being surrounded by people that inspire me is what I’m all about!

How did exposure to different cultures and beauty preferences impact your own creativity and the way you approach makeup application?

It was such an incredible job and opportunity! I wouldn’t be the artist I am today without

these experiences. I was definitely pushed in ways that I hadn’t ever been pushed before, but those experiences are normally where I thrive the most. These sorts of experiences pushed me to practise, to play with makeup on days off, and to develop my own personal style in makeup artistry. I’m obsessed with learning and being a well-rounded artist. Moving overseas and working with different people is a very good way to get yourself out of your comfort zone.

Transitioning into the role of a social media makeup artist brought brand collaborations with major names like Colourpop, Sugarpill, Nyx Cosmetics, and Makeup Revolution. How do you balance maintaining a strong online presence with staying true to your artistic vision?

Honestly, it’s not always been an easy road, especially when brands have a different vision to your own. I’ve had to create looks that weren’t always my own style due to a brand not vibing with my initial concept. There was no rule book on social media brand deals back in the day, so you kind of have to figure it all out as you go. I have learnt along the way to only sign contracts with brands when I have full creative discretion, or there is a clear brief that I’m into.

Social media is a love hate relationship for me. It has given so much to me, but it’s hard not to get caught up in the politics of it all. I now have different social media pages to target my different audiences because my work is so varied, and that seems to be working well so far!

After your international ventures, you returned to Brisbane and established your own makeup studio. What inspired you to open your studio?

I wanted to create a space that was my own, that was good enough for me to spend every day in. I knew I wanted to take clients and get back to my roots of creating that salonlike environment. But I really didn’t want to freelance again, so it just made perfect sense at the time. I love my little studio and all my clients are literally a dream. When you put out work that you love, you attract people that love your work, so all of my clients are like my friends. It’s a really special thing to be a part of your clients’ most special memories, and I have always loved making people feel and look good. I am also a very easily distracted person and cannot get any work done at home, so it’s also the perfect place to come and do all of my admin!

Your studio serves as a space for private training and client services. Could you share some insights into the types of training you offer?

I offer a few different types of training, but in my studio, I offer hands on learning for makeup artists, including glam or fantasy. So, the artist gets to pick the look they’d like to learn, and I do one side of the face, and they do the other. It’s all step by step so we end up doing the makeup together and I can guide them into using my own techniques. I also do personal lessons for people wanting to learn how to do their own makeup. It’s so much fun! I have a background in education and have taught at a few makeup schools over the years, I love giving back to my

industry. I truly believe that you never stop learning, especially in an industry where trends change so drastically. I always used to say to my students that the minute you stop learning, or think you’re the best your ever gonna get, then that’s when it’s time to quit. Learning and further education is so important to create a well-rounded artist. I’m actually super excited to announce that I will be going on tour around Australia with a brand-new masterclass very soon! Watch this space ha-ha. I’ll give you a hint, my upcoming masterclass is called Fantasy Makeup Unlocked.

Building a team of talented hair and makeup artists at your studio is no small feat. What qualities do you look for when selecting artists to join your team?

I’m super picky when it comes to who I allow into my space, especially my studio. I am all about good vibes only. My business is my baby, and my clients mean the world to me. My team are some of my best friends!

Brooke Clarke

I’m never too fussed on years and years of experience, I just love motivated people that are willing to learn. I put in as much time to my team as they do to me - meaning we regularly do training days, they will assist me on shoots and jobs, I will assist them on jobs. We all work very closely together so it’s so important to me that they have my back as much as I have theirs, and that there’s no tension or animosity as it’s such a small environment.

As a makeup artist working across various mediums, including fashion shoots, music videos, and runways, how do you adapt your skills to suit different contexts and artistic requirements?

I guess my biggest thing is organisation. Because I work in so many different aspects of my industry, I have to figure out exactly what it is that my client wants from me. Anyone who hires me knows I love to be prepared. Half of my job is coming up with concepts, mood boarding, facecharting. I always like my clients to know my makeup plan prior to the day of the job. Often, I will organise 1-2 meetings with my clients in person before the actual job date. The first meeting is for me to gain as much information as possible on their concept, which might include their idea of makeup, styling, hair, lighting, etc. I’ll then do my thing and the second meeting is showcasing my ideas and getting approval from the client. This allows me to work with the most efficiency and ease on the day of the job, and I’m not stressing that maybe I’ve done something that the client didn’t expect. Open communication between myself and the client is so important to me, I’m all about bringing my A-game to each job. Doing this and offering my clients a few different concepts for the job always helps me to gage my client’s expectation.

Your signature style in fantasy and avant-garde makeup has garnered attention worldwide. How did you discover and develop this unique artistic expression, and what draws you to these particular styles?

Honestly it just happened naturally! I’ve always been the girl that wears the most amount of makeup, and I have always been attracted to the brightest, loudest, in-yourface looks. It what got me started in this industry in the first place, and once I had figured out how to execute these sorts of looks, it was very empowering. For a long time, the only makeups I would do were literally the biggest most out there fantasy looks. I’ve been working super hard in the last couple of years to bring a slightly more fashion, paired back (for me lol) element into my work - which has probably been my biggest struggle. I’m so in love with giving people a shock, and something they’ve never seen before, especially in person. That’s why I’m so excited to be running my newest masterclass this year, as fantasy makeup isn’t something you see walking down the street. Its straight up art, and I have always loved that so much.

Can you tell us about your cosmetics line?

Jabbas Cosmetics is my little Covid-born baby. It’s a small range at this stage, we only have multi-use liquid lipsticks and some epic neon pigments. I had always wanted to create my own brand and share with the world products that I love to use, so when I finally had the time during our covid lockdowns I started working on Jabbas Cosmetics. It took approximately a year to get off the ground, from idea to product in hand. It’s not an easy process to navigate but you definitely learn along the way. When we launched, we actually did a big fantasy makeup style runway in Brisbane city and had roughly 300 people come to watch the looks. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever pulled off, and I can’t wait to push the boundaries even further. I truly love getting to showcase my industry and my world to people that aren’t from it, and Jabbas Cosmetics has really allowed me to do so. I’m hoping to expand the line this year and bring some more amazing products to life that I am able to share with the world! Every time someone messages me personally to tell me how much they love my products; it makes my heart sing. And of course, I use them pretty much every day!

What are your future aspirations and goals?

I have soooo many different goals! Working in so many different avenues of my career, they sometimes get jumbled up, so it’s important for me to write them down in order to stay focused. A definite goal of mine is to work way more within the hair industry. I’m obsessed with doing hair shoots and working with other creatives in that field. Hairdressers are my favourite people, and I’m always in complete awe of the incredible hair that I’ve been lucky enough to witness in person. I find these shoots to be the most inspiring, and one of my favourite work environments. I would love to travel more with work, so I’m going to be doing regular trips throughout Australia this year so I can expand my clientele and work with lots of new people. For my studio, I am always aiming to create a safe space for my clients and will continue to do so. I have a ‘no bad energy in my shop’ policy, I just want my clients to have the best time. I really respect that my business is not a necessity for most people, its frivolous and exciting for my clients to be getting pampered. I’m literally in the business of treating yo’ self, so I always keep that in mind and strive to always be high energy and create a super fun space for my clients! I have probably gotten off topic, but ultimately my goals for this next year are to do more photoshoots, more runways, travel, learn, and give back to my industry.

@jabbasmakeup

@jabbascosmetics

@brookeclarkemakeup

@jabbasmakeupstudio

Imagery team credits:

Photographers: Caitlin Bolard KTB, Theresa Hall, Autonomiss, Macami, Eliza Mullins, Amber Toms, Jayzoo

Models: Ruth Hewson, Zai, Ava Von DaviVivians Model Management, Emma Hutton, Roxanne Murekatete, Serena Brookes, Maya Rune - Chic Brisbane, Anna Haycock - Vivians model management, Mabyro James, Charlie Hall - Hunter model management

Rinse Responsibly... Every Drop Makes a Difference

Introducing the Rapid Rinse Hairdressing Hand Shower with Eco Water Saving tech nology, the perfect solution for hairdressers and salon professionals who want to provide their c lients with a comfortable and eco-friendly hair-was hing experience.

Eco - Friendly

Reduces Water Consumption

The Rapid Rinse Hairdressing Hand shower with Eco Water Saving technology allows you to easily control the direction and intensity of the water flow, ensuring a comfortable and effective rinse every time. The innovative water-saving feature reduces water consumption by up to 65%,which not only helps the environment but also saves you money on your water bills.

Easy to Install

This hand shower features a powerful and spiral designed water flow nozzle that quickly and thoroughly rinses away hair dye, shampoo and conditioner residue from the hair, while also incorporating an eco-friendly water-saving technology that reduces water consumption and improves the quality of the rinse. View Rapid Rinse

This hand shower is easy to install and with most standard hairdressing basins. It also features a uniquely moulded handle design that provides maximum mobility and control during hair washing. With its durable construction, reliable performance, and eco-friendly features, the Rapid Rinse Hairdressing Hand shower is the perfect choice for hairdressers and salon professionals who value both efficiency and sustainability.

SUSTAINABILITY, SCIENCE & STYLE

By Louise May

Discover the transformative power of AER Haircare, the latest sensation in the world of hair wellness, crafted by the visionary Nicole Lamers. With a strong dedication to holistic haircare, Nicole, a renowned hairdresser, salon owner, Creative Director, and educator, has curated a range of scientifically tested products that are high-performance naturally derived products that help reduce waste and focus on human health and the environment.

Hailing proudly from Western Australia, Nicole’s journey spanning over two decades is studded with accolades, including finalist nominations for AHIA WA Hairdresser of the Year 2021 and AHIA Eco Salon of the Year 2023, alongside her recognition as a 2019 HOT SHOT Visionary.

Join us as we delve into Nicole’s award-winning journey and explore how AER Haircare’s sustainable, eco-friendly collection, rooted in the essence of outback Australia, is redefining industry standards while promoting ethical beauty practices.

How did your career start, and what inspired you to pursue a path as a hairdresser and salon owner?

I started out on the path like a lot of us do in the industry with the commencement of an apprenticeship. I signed my papers as soon as I could on my 15th Birthday. I couldn’t wait to get stuck into the exciting new world of hairdressing. Super passionate and driven to start my training I was off and running in no time. Moving forward a few years later, gaining some experience working in some of Perth’s top salons and upskilling my knowledge learning from the best in the biz. I then decided I would go out on my own and create something different.

This was the beginning of Revampd Hair Studio. Celebrating my 13th successful year this year. It has been an absolute rollercoaster full of lessons and great memories being a business owner.

Your journey in the industry has been quite remarkable, marked by many various accolades. How have these experiences influenced your approach to hairstyling and business ownership?

The reason I have entered into awards over the years has been to push myself out of my comfort zone.

Every award has been an opportunity for me to dive deep and really look at where I’m at, what I’m doing, how I can do things better, and push myself. I do believe there’s no growth in comfort and I live by

this motto. So generally, if it feels uncomfortable or scary, I usually lean into that feeling and explore it.

You are also an educator in the industry, can you tell us what education is taking place throughout 2024, what are you working on?

This year I will be focusing on educating for Aer Haircare, Providing product knowledge, styling workshops and customized sessions.

Currently there are two styling workshops pencilled in for July and October. These will be available to purchase through Piloroo events online.

If you’d like more info or like to set up some customised education email aerwellnessco@gmail. com

As the owner and Creative Director of Revampd Hair Studio, you’ve demonstrated a keen eye for innovation and excellence. How do you balance creativity with the demands of running a successful salon business?

To say it isn’t challenging would be a lie, I’m sure every creative will tell you that. Trying to find a balance between being able to express our creativity and being able to run a thriving business can really hard work There’s no easy answer. I do think we can’t do it all at once without compromising on something. Whether that be time with our loved ones, our health, or our business goals. I think it’s really important to be kind to ourselves and take the opportunity to be grateful the everyday small wins. I’m a true believer that where focus goes, energy flows and whatever you’re focusing on grows.

Let’s talk about AER Haircare. What prompted you to venture into creating your own haircare range, and how does it tie into your overarching philosophy on holistic hair wellness?

When I set out to find a professional, high-quality, eco-conscious product range for my own salon, I was disheartened to discover that nothing out

Nicole Lamers

there aligned with my vision. That’s when I started dreaming of creating a product line that not only honours nature’s beauty and utilizes its benefits but also puts sustainability at the forefront. Developing a range that offers top-notch performance without harmful ingredients and embraces inclusivity became a crucial part of my dream. My goal is to offer naturally derived products that not only deliver professional results but also reflect my commitment to promoting safe, sustainable choices that are kinder to the planet and create community connection.

Sustainability

and

eco-friendliness

are key aspects of AER Haircare. How did you ensure that these values were integrated into the development and manufacturing processes of your products?

This journey has truly been a personal passion of mine. Right from the start, I made it my top priority to carefully select natural, and ethically sourced ingredients for the products. It was essential for me to craft haircare products that not only deliver outstanding results but also reflect my deep-seated values of environmental care. Working closely with dedicated Australian suppliers who share my sustainability ethos, I have strived to bring this vision to fruition. I have been deliberate in the packaging choices, always opting for recyclable materials and making every effort to minimize waste.

Throughout the entire process of development and manufacturing, I have been unwavering in my commitment to finding ways to reduce our environmental footprint, whether through innovative eco-friendly practices or investing in sustainable initiatives. Integrating these values into the very essence of AER Haircare has been a labor of love for me. I take great pride in knowing that my products not only enhance the beauty of our customers but also make a positive impact on the health of our planet.

Your product range features a variety of carefully crafted items, each catering to different hair needs. Could you walk us through the unique benefits of the range and how they align with your vision?

The range is intricately connected to the brand ethos, which centres around the use of powerful superpower ingredients such as Kakadu plum, Macadamia Oil, and Aloe Vera. These unique ingredients harness nature’s gifts to deliver exceptional results. Beginning with the CLEAN sulphate-free shampoo, it ensures a gentle yet effective cleansing experience that respects the hair and scalp’s natural balance. CARE is the lightweight conditioner, infused with Kakadu plum, to promote healthy growth. The TREAT Hydration mask offers an indulgent

experience that deeply hydrates and nourishes the hair, reflecting the brand’s emphasis on luxurious yet sustainable formulations. Lastly, the RENEW leave-in cream, enriched with Aloe vera and macadamia oil, provides lightweight hydration with added heat protection. These products embody my belief in the transformative power of natural ingredients to repair and revitalize the hair, ensuring it looks and feels its best. In essence, the range embodies our brand ethos by delivering a harmonious blend of nature-inspired ingredients, innovative formulations, and a steadfast dedication to promoting healthy, beautiful hair in a way that aligns seamlessly with our values and vision for a more sustainable future.

Finally, your connection to the natural world is evident not just in your product ingredients but also in your choice of location for the AER Haircare launch event. How does this connection influence your brand’s identity, and what message do you hope to convey to salon owners and consumers through your products and brand ethos?

I guess I would consider myself to be a bit of a “modern day hippy” really. I really hope I can make actual change to the way salon owners, hairdressers and consumers think. Being a vegan for over 15 years, I always thought about what I was putting into my body but never really thought about what I was putting on it. It never occurred to me that was I was shampooing my hair with, was actually running down onto my body in the shower and essentially being absorbed into my body. Were surrounded everyday by harsh chemicals in our industry and if I can somehow reduce that and help the health and longevity of my industry peers, well that’s a pretty cool thing for me to have achieved, I think.

What’s on the agenda for you over the next 12 months?

The next 12 months is going to be very exciting! Building trust and connection with industry is what I’m most excited about. Bringing more salons onboard to offer their clients a unique alternative.

I have some workshop dates booked in for Aer haircare, which is always exciting to share my knowledge with others.

And the release of a brand-new product I’m currently working on coming at the end of the year.

So, a few things in the pipeline. I’m very excited to see what this year brings!

@nicolelamershair @revampdhairstudioperth @aerhaircare

Elevate Your Hair Colouring Game with Matrix Professional

Tonal Control Pre-Bonded!

Matrix Professional Tonal Control Pre-Bonded is a game-changer in the world of hair colouring, offering you a powerful tool to elevate your craft and exceed your clients' expectations.

Unleash Your Creativity: With Matrix Professional Tonal Control Pre-Bonded, you have a vast array of shades at your fingertips, allowing you to unleash your creativity and create stunning, personalized looks for your clients From vibrant reds to natural brunettes, you are able to cater to every client's unique style and preferences

Seamless Colour Application: The pre-bonded formula ensures even colour distribution, eliminating any worries about patchiness or unevenness. This means you can achieve a flawless, professional finish with ease, leaving your clients amazed by the seamless colour transition

Long-Lasting Results: Matrix Professional Tonal Control Pre-Bonded is designed to provide longlasting results that resist fading This longevity adds value to your services and keeps your clients coming back for more.

Gentle on Hair: Matrix Professional Tonal Control Pre-Bonded is formulated with care, ensuring it is gentle on the hair while delivering stunning results. The nourishing ingredients help maintain the hair's health, leaving it soft, shiny, and manageable after the colouring process

Efficiency and Convenience: Time is of the essence in a busy salon environment. The seamless application and quick processing time enable you to serve more clients without compromising on the quality of your work - enhancing productivity and profitability.

Matrix Professional Tonal Control Pre-Bonded is a game-changer for hairdressers seeking to elevate their hair coloring game. Embrace the transformative power of Matrix Professional Tonal Control PreBonded and take your hair colouring skills to new heights

GET GREEN . .. TO CLEAN by milk_shake

milk_shake deep detox shampoo is formulated specifically to remove copper and lead residue from the hair whilst nourishing the hair stem... but that’s not all you can achieve! Hairstylists and colourists alike who are armed with this bottle will be able to remove harsh minerals and metals, but also balance the playground of the scalp, restoring colour radiance and returning the hair back to its natural splendour. The shampoo features our favoured nourishing milk proteins, which are only enhanced due to the rich properties of the camellia sinensis (green tea extract). Not only are you combining the hairs health benefits, you’re also being captivated with a sweet, creamy fragrance.

The milk_shake® deep detox shampoo is suitable for all hair types especially those looking for a shampoo that has the power to strengthen and nourish hair. Deep Detox, being that it is infused with antioxidant-rich green tea extract, is packed with vitamins, minerals, and other microelements, this superfood has a soothing and balancing effect on hair & scalp.

SLS, SLES and Paraben Free the Deep Detox Shampoo utilises a cleansing agent that deactivates charged particles of metals which is then cleansed from the hair. milk_shake are so excited to launch this new shampoo into the market to compliment their rich offering of haircare ranges that focus on nourishing and hydrating hair.

RESULTS

55.5% of copper and 63.3% of lead is removed from lengths. 100% of styling product residue is removed. 94% of excess grease is removed restoring scalps healthy balance

Deep Detox Shampoo has changed my life! I use it in salon daily and haven’t heard anything but praise about it from my clients. My blondies love it as it strips away overtone and keeps hardwater build up at bay without drying out the hair. This is such a game changer when it comes to keeping blondes bright and healthy and I couldn’t recommend it more! Haylee, @dohlhouse_studios

At Exotique hair studio we are based on the beautiful central coast which is full of beaches and swimming hot spots. Detox is the perfect blend to help clear the hair from any impurities caused by harsh water or product build up whilst maintaining the colour longevity and shine in the hair. This helps us to be able to achieve the beautiful colours that we create in salon using the milkshake colour range.

Ebony, @exotiquehairstudio

We are so glad milk_shake have taken the time to produce another wonderful product that helps us creatives give our clients the best hair care and home maintenance routines. Our salons sit in the south west of Sydney and would be classified as semi-rural. When our clients come to us they are wanting big changes, as this is something that we pride ourselves on being able to do. However there’s always a potential for a spanner to be thrown in when it comes to hard water build up from living on land without town water and being supplied by tanks with harsh chemicals to keep the water “clean”, or old copper pipes that will send a blonde brassy in two seconds flat. Deep detox is a game changer for us. Being able to prescribe a product to client before they come into the salon for any service, but particularly a corrective service. To be able to add this wonderful product to their take home routine after their colour service is finished just secures our peace of mind. Giving us the confidence to colour and create the way every hairdresser wants to, with confidence that you’re not going to have a ball of jelly in your hands at the basin!

We are seeing brighter and healthier hair and could not be any happier with the results we are seeing. We hope that everyone can soon experience the way the camellia sinensis (green tea extract) soothes your scalp and the milk proteins re-nourish your hair making it feel as soft as silk.

Krisetlle, @charlijameshairco

Milk_shakes’s Deep Detox shampoo hits the mark on both scent and texture! creating a luxurious lather when emulsified into the hair and is now a must before any toning service to help me eliminate any hard water build up that may be present to achieve the perfect colours for my clients.

Marnee, @_bymarneejay

We are loving the new Milkshake deep detox shampoo! Perfect for pre colour services - minimising any unwanted build up that your guest may walk into the appointment with and creating the perfect canvas to create beautiful hair, and the smell... Well that’s just a bonus, its sooooo good!

Britt & Giorgia, @theblondecartel

Whether you’re soaking up the sun in Bali or simply looking to eliminate any underlying metals in your hair, the NEW Milkshake Detox Shampoo is our go-to solution. It’s specifically formulated to detoxify and cleanse your hair, leaving it refreshed, revitalised, and free from impurities. Its a true game changer for us.

Chanel ,@blonde.poetry

I am in love with Deep Detox Shampoo it’s fantastic to gently remove styling product residue, colour spray and harsh mineral / metal build up from the hair. I am also a huge fan of Deep Detox Shampoo after a lightening process prior to toning (after of course) the colour specifics range to stop the oxidising process. It is extremely gentle on chemically processed hair and leaves it soft and very easy to work with.

George, @mrghairartistry

SHOWPONY SOON TO LAUNCH NEW

Superfine

WEFT HAIR EXTENSION!

As an Australian-born hair fashion and beauty brand, Showpony is focused on empowering people to look and feel beautiful with hair extensions that transform.

Prepare to elevate your hair extension expertise with the new Showpony Superfine Weft Hair Extension! This beautiful and innovative product is poised to revolutionise the world of hair extensions, setting new standards of sophistication and discretion.

Say farewell to compromises and welcome a new era of seamless beauty. The Showpony Superfine Weft is meticulously engineered to flawlessly blend with thin to medium hair textures, delivering voluminous locks with an unmatched natural look and feel. Its sleek, undetectable design ensures a stunning finish, empowering clients to embrace their desired look with confidence and ease.

The highly anticipated first launch is set for April 2024, featuring 12 top-selling colours, including ombres.

But the Showpony Superfine Weft isn’t just a product; it’s a gateway to transformative opportunities. By embracing this cutting-edge technol, you’ll not only elevate your craft but also unlock new avenues for business growth and prosperity.

Following the launch of the Superfine Weft, the Showpony Education team will be hosting INSPIRE Masterclasses in Brisbane and Sydney for stylists who aspire to be the first to experience and offer this remarkable product in their salons. Learn the hands-on techniques and business strategies needed to make the Showpony Superfine Weft a resounding success for your business, and embark on a journey toward unparalleled excellence.

Don’t miss your chance to be at the forefront of innovation and be the first to experience the incredible benefits of the Showpony Superfine Weft! Spaces are limited.

Register today for the Showpony Superfine Weft Masterclasses in Brisbane and Sydney.

Finds links via Instagram @showponyhairextensions

With Showpony, you can be confident in the quality of your hair extensions, knowing that they are backed by a reputation for excellence and an unwavering dedication to sustainability and customer satisfaction.

For more information education@showponyaus.com.au or call 1800 233 386.

To partner with Showpony and to browse the range of premium hair extensions, hair care, accessories, and education offerings, visit www.showponyaus.com.au or call +61 7 5522 0488.

THE HUMAN CHOICE FOR TICKETS

Mocha Group has recently joined forces with Humanitix, a game-changing ticketing platform that’s not just about events but making a difference. 100% of profits from booking fees go straight to providing access to education, health care and life’s basic necessities to disadvantaged youth around the world!

“We are thrilled to announce that we’ve switched to Humanitix as our exclusive ticketing partner across all of the 4 mocha awards platforms,” says Ceo and founder of mocha group, Linda Woodhead. “Humanitix believes in tickets for good, not greed. They donate all profits from booking fees to charities that provide access to education, healthcare and life’s basic necessities to millions of humans across the world. We’re proud to be part of the Humanitix community that has already helped transform over $6.5 million from booking fees into a force for good.”

High school mates Adam McCurdie and Josh Ross founded Humanitix after making a pact to escape the corporate world and do something different and meaningful with their careers. Like many social entrepreneurs, they began by looking for industries with inefficiencies that could be ripe for reinvention. Then they found it: tickets. Event ticketing has always been frustrating for hosts and guests alike so, in 2016 Humanitix ambitiously set out to disrupt ticketing—for good!

It was clear from the start that their crazy idea wasn’t so crazy. They stayed laser-focused on developing a great product with amazing customer support, and hosts continued to switch to Humanitix for the superior customer experience and “no-brainer” social benefits of the 100% for-purpose model. Soon the organisation was funded by the Atlassian Foundation and the NSW Government.

Then in 2018 Humanitix won the Google Impact Challenge and has since doubled in size every six months, becoming the fastestgrowing ticketing platform in Australia and New Zealand.

Before Humanitix

Before their journey with Humanitix, Adam was an engineer who’d seen the power of education to transform communities in Tanzania. Josh was a hedge fund analyst who’d been moved by his experiences traveling through Vietnam.

On a hiking trip together through Sri Lanka just nine months after that country’s civil war, they came upon an abandoned house that had been completely blown out.

The cups and saucers still neatly stacked on the kitchen shelves struck them as a powerful reminder of how volatile and unfair life can be—and how lucky they were to have been born into such safety and comfort in Australia.

That night, camping under the stars, they decided to dedicate their careers to making a difference in the lives of children who weren’t so lucky. They sealed their pact with a wild dance around the campfire, howling on into the night.

The first event

The first Humanitix events included a Disney Trivia night, a Variety Fundraiser, a Social Impact Film Night, and a Halloween Hoedown. The very first ticket sold for ten dollars, plus a booking fee of 50 cents.

Where is Humanitix now?

Fast forward to today and Humanitix has transformed over $6.5M from those booking fees into helping humans around the world.

Humanitix is doubling in size every 6 months as more and more event hosts choose to give their event impact.

“We are so excited about this new partnership and through our events can play a small part in providing basic necessities to disadvantaged youth around the world through aligining with Humanitix rather than lining the pockets of profit based multi national corporates.”

Linda Woodhead

Founders, Josh Ross and Adam McCurdie

HOMEGROWN HAIR EMPIRE TO TRIPLE RETAIL FOOTPRINT!

Leading Australian hair and beauty retailer Oz Hair and Beauty will open 10 new shopfronts across the country in a multi-million-dollar investment, marking a significant shift in e-commerce trends as shoppers allocate spending across both online and physical stores. Its latest store opens this month in Sydney’s Macquarie Centre, Macquarie Park.

The move by Oz Hair and Beauty aligns with recent analysis indicating that retailers with integrated online and physical stores, known as ‘Bricks and Clicks’ retailers, have outperformed marketplaces and pure e-commerce stores, and experienced a 7 per cent increase in online sales on 2019.

Australian Bricks and Clicks retailers specialising in beauty and personal care products are well positioned, with this market forecasted to grow to 8.09 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 4.19 per cent from 2023-2038.

Oz Hair and Beauty was founded in 2012 by Anthony Nappa, whose parents have owned and operated hairdressing salons in Sydney for years, including their flagship OZ Hair salon in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building (QVB) since 1986.

By 2019, Oz Hair and Beauty was turning over $2 million a month, and doubled its revenue to $40 million by 2021. In the same year, a consortium of investors, including Edison Growth Fund Accent Group, the CEO of Accent Group, Daniel Agostinelli, and billionaire businessman Brett Blundy bought a stake in the business for an undisclosed amount.

Today, it has six physical stores and salons in Sydney’s Penrith, Castle Hill and the QVB, as well as Erina Fair on the NSW Central Coast and Charlestown in Lake Macquarie, NSW. The company employees more than 120 people across its stores and its warehouse in Sydney’s Caringbah.

Oz Hair and Beauty will expand its stores to 15 by the end of the year, increasing its employee count to 165. It’s latest store opening, this month, is in Macquarie Centre shopping centre in Sydney’s Macquarie Park. Three additional stores are earmarked for Sydney, including Rouse Hill, and one each for Canberra Centra, Green Hill in NSW’s Maitland, and prime locations in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Anthony says the company’s loyal customer base are increasingly craving online and in-

store options equally. A 2023 KPMG report[3] reveals the most successful retailers offer both options, and that their commitment to enhancing customer experiences and integrating online and in-person sales channels are their key distinguishing factors. This approach caters to the evolving nature of customer retail journeys, which often commence online but are completed in store.

He says: “The cost of running an online business has skyrocketed by more than 20 per cent in the past couple of years, with postage costs having soared by more 15 per cent alone.”

While the rising costs of running an online store has shifted the company’s focus to physical stores, Anthony says the shift is about more than just the bottom dollar: it is helping Oz Hair and Beauty give customers the personalised experience they crave. “In the hair sector, particularly, our customers consistently seek advice, tips and support from specialist sales staff who help them find the best products, as they are qualified hair and beauty specialists. So, we’re taking that feedback and not just expanding across Sydney, but in other cities where we have

a large and loyal customer base. With hair products making up most of our sales, we strive to ramp up the personalised and expert-led experience our customers love.”

Anthony, excited a to tackle the venture, says: “Following COVID we continued to operate at a higher baseline and, we while we have continued to grow online, our data indicates the e-commerce sector has softened as that rate of growth was unsustainable. Our analysts now predict a slower and more stable trajectory that a rising physical store presence will complement.”

Accent Group CEO Daniel Agostinelli says: “Over the years Oz Hair and Beauty has successfully grown and pivoted in tune with changing retail trends and that has helped it emerge as one of Australia’s leading hair and beauty retailers. Its physical move into customer strongholds across the country showcases a savvy and customer-centric approach. I believe the next two years will be exciting as it takes its omnichannel retail model to the next level.”

www.ozhairandbeauty.com

From Left, Guy Nappa, COO and Anthony Nappa, CEO

GENDER-NEUTRAL PRICING OSCAR OSCAR SALONS EMBRACES INCLUSIVITY WITH

Oscar Cullinan

Oscar Oscar Salons, the leading name in luxury hair, announced today a ground-breaking shift towards gender-neutral pricing across all locations.

The move solidifies the company’s commitment to inclusivity and aligns perfectly with the vibrant spirit of celebration embodied by the ongoing Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.

“We believe that everyone deserves to feel fabulous and confident within themselves, regardless of being positioned with gender identity or expression,” says Oscar Cullinan, Founder & Director of Oscar Oscar Salons.

“By recognising gender-neutral and therefore eliminating gender-based pricing, we’re breaking down outdated barriers and creating a welcoming environment where all individuals can celebrate their unique style. This is a really important step forward as leaders in the industry, equally for our guests and all our OO team.”

Oscar Oscar Salons has long been a champion of diversity and inclusion, actively fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and respected. This latest initiative underscores the brand’s dedication to providing a truly inclusive experience for its clients, team members, and the broader community.

Furthermore, adds Oscar; “The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is a beacon of self-

expression, inclusivity, and the unwavering fight for equality. By launching this initiative across all our salons Australia-wide, we collectively stand proud and in solidarity with this incredible celebration and demonstrate our own core belief that beauty transcends labels.”

With gender-neutral pricing, Oscar Oscar Salons embraces a pricing model focused solely on the length, complexity, and time required for each service. The expertise of the service and deliverance of it is not confined

to gender. This transparent approach ensures that guests are charged fairly based on their individual needs and preferences.

Oscar Oscar Salons is a renowned chain of luxury hair salons. With a reputation for innovative styling, exceptional service, and a commitment to sustainability, Oscar Oscar Salons sets the standard for a truly elevated hair experience.

To learn more, visit www.oscaroscar.com.au @oscaroscarsalons

HAIR FESTIVAL 2024 TICKETS!

Early Bird DON’T MISS OUT!

2024’s weekend of hair will be here sooner than you know it, with Hair Festival taking place on the new date of June 30 and July 1 at Sydney’s renowned ICC. You can secure Early Bird tickets and save up to $150 with limited offers that are valid until April 30 or unless sold our prior.

The ticket packages available now include the pinnacle Hair Festival All Access Pass, which is usually $695 and $749 at last call, available for just $595, to experience the whole event in full. The REALtalk Business Forum Pass, which is usually $199 or $229 at last call, is now $179, and you can also secure the Festival Wonderland Pass for $179, as opposed to $199 usually $225 at last call. Festival Education Sessions are currently a huge bargain at $49 each.

Beyond these tantalising limited prices, you can also register to the Festival Hub completely for free, where you’ll find the latest industry innovations, inspiring live demonstrations, dedicated Business and Barber Hubs, the all new THE STAGE, networking and coffee spots and more. The new THE STAGE feature brings important education to the floor to entertain you all weekend long. Exhibitors across hair colour, care, tools, furniture, software, technology and more make the Festival Hub a salonspecific oasis.

In education, respected leaders, educators and brands will be taking to the stage to share their insights and expertise, as both local representatives and from around the world. Highlights including Multi-Million Dollar Moves by Circles of Hair’s Jessica Del Borrello and Sharlene Lee, as presented by L’Oréal PRO.Connect, which will educate on the business strategies the pair have utilised to future-proof this industry-leading salon that grows every year and boasts a 50-strong team. Sessions by Schwarzkopf Professional, Dateline Imports, One Zero One Education, Joico, and De Lorenzo will educate on a myriad of relevant topics. Hair Candy Australia will teach Signature Hair Extension Methods, BKT Beauty will educate on hair straightening with the brand’s Brazilian Keratin Treatment Nanoplasty Pro in ‘Unleash Your Salon’s Straightening Potential’, while Danger Jones will present the Danger Jones Show: A Creative Color, Blonding, Toning, Cutting and Styling Event. The education agenda will also constitute a variety of sessions still to be announced, ensuring a program filled with

comprehensive insights.

In the highly anticipated Hair Festival live competitions, you can compete to be a Hair Festival Champion. New and returning competition categories traverse barbering, colour, women’s style, bridal, emerging talent and more, where competitors will accumulate points to be the bona side Hair Festival Barber Champion, Stylist Champion and Rising Star Champion for 2024, in the event’s most dynamic competition series yet.

The Hair Festival Wonderland party will again be the year’s biggest celebration, with food, drink, installations and entertainment all part of the ticket and adding to the festivities, and ensuring Hair Festival weekend is your one stop event to shop, learn, compete and connect.

For more information visit www.hairfestival.com.au

THE MOST ANTICIPATED BARBER EXPO TO HIT AUSTRALIA AND NZ

Don’t miss this game-changing event, destined to redefine the boundaries of style and innovation in the world of barbering, and give barbers the voice and respect they have always deserved.

It was early May 2023 when Emma Simmons found out she’d been shortlisted for International Hairdresser of the Year at the Australian Hairdressing Industry Awards (AHIA). Up against powerhouses of the hair world such as Mark Leeson and Martin Crean, no one was more shocked than Emma to see her name on the line-up.

EXPO4BARBERS will be the biggest Barber event in Australia & New Zealand history where you can witness an unprecedented convergence of top-tier grooming professionals, cutting-edge technology showcases, and live demonstrations by renowned barbers from around the globe.

Immerse yourself in the latest trends, techniques, and tools shaping the future of the industry, and be part of an experience that will revolutionise the art of barbering. And meet our proud Media Partner mocha group and Barbershop Magazine at the event!

April 20th — Barber Battle & Open Party, Mobile Barbershop Depot, Bundall, GC

@barber.josh.op

April 21st & 22nd — Full Expo, Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach, GC

WHAT TO EXPECT AS AN ATTENDEE AT EXPO4BARBERS

@frankdabarber

As the world of barbering continues to evolve and expand, EXPO4BARBERS emerges as a

pivotal event, bringing together enthusiasts, professionals, and industry pioneers. For those planning to attend, the expo promises a comprehensive experience that is both enriching and exciting. Here’s what you can expect from this monumental event:

1. Networking Opportunities

EXPO4BARBERS serves as a melting

pot for barbers, stylists, and industry professionals from various backgrounds and skill levels. Attendees can expect to mingle with a diverse crowd, from local talents to internationally recognized names. This is a golden opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build connections that could open new doors for your career or business.

2. Educational Workshops and Forum’s Education is at the heart of EXPO4BARBERS. Prepare to engage in a wide array of workshops and seminars led by seasoned professionals and celebrity barbers. These sessions cover a range of topics, from cutting-edge barbering techniques and trends to business management and digital marketing strategies tailored for the grooming industry. Whether you’re a novice looking to sharpen your skills or a seasoned pro aiming to stay ahead of the curve, there’s something for everyone.

3. Live Demonstrations

One of the highlights of the expo is the live demonstrations where master Barbers & Educators showcase their skills in real-time. These demonstrations not only provide visual and practical learning opportunities but also inspire creativity and innovation and real time in how the tools & products work. Watching these artists at work is a unique experience that can offer fresh perspectives and techniques you can incorporate into your own practice.

4. Product Launches and Exhibitions

EXPO4BARBERS is a launchpad for the latest products and innovations in the barbering industry. Attendees get the first look at new tools, products, and technologies designed to revolutionize the way professionals work. Exhibitors from leading brands to emerging startups offer hands-on experiences, allowing you to test and compare a wide range of products. This is also an excellent chance to snag exclusive deals and discounts offered only at the expo.

5. Competition and Awards

The competitive spirit of barbering comes alive at EXPO4BARBERS through Barber Battle contest and awards ceremony. This competition will not only recognize talent and skill but also celebrate creativity and artistry in the field. Participating in or even just witnessing this contest can be incredibly motivating, providing benchmarks of excellence and showcasing the industry’s top talent.

6. Entertainment and Social Events

Beyond the workshops, seminars, and exhibitions, EXPO4BARBERS knows how to keep the vibe upbeat with a mix of entertainment and social events. From live music performances to barber battles, the expo ensures that there’s never a dull moment. These social gatherings provide a relaxed atmosphere to unwind, enjoy and foster friendships within the community.

Attending EXPO4BARBERS is more than just an opportunity to learn and network; it’s an immersive experience that celebrates the art and science of barbering. Whether you’re there to build your skillset, find inspiration, or simply soak in the vibrant atmosphere,

the expo promises to deliver a memorable experience. Get ready to be part of an event that not only shapes the present landscape of barbering but also charts the future of this dynamic industry.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON MAIN STAGE?

The main stage at EXPO4BARBERS is set to be the pulsating heart of the event, showcasing an electrifying lineup of showcases, demonstrations & leading business forums that encapsulate the spirit and innovation of the barbering industry. As attendees gather around this central hub of creativity and expertise, they can expect a dazzling array of activities designed to entertain, educate, and inspire. From aweinspiring hair artistry performed by some of the countries most renowned barbers, and inspiring runway photoshoots the main stage promises an unforgettable experience that highlights the cutting edge of barbering culture and craftsmanship.

Main Stage RUN DOWN

1. JRL Australia Education Team

2. BaByliss Australian Education Team

3. Heiniger Nation Team

4. TEKMATIX – Female Entrepreneur of The Year 2023’, Sarah Cordiner, ‘’10 Ways To Put Your Salon, Barber & Hair Business on Auto-Pilot and Get Simple Tech To Do Your Admin & Marketing FOR You!”

5. Business Forum (Linda Woodhead, Fraser Forsey, Jarred Stedman, Mark Rabone, Jimmythehairdresser, Tony Alessi, Michele Kannis, Lino Dadderio, Frankdabarber)

6. Naked Accounting – Michael Jeffriess (How to manage your business for success)

7. Barber Brands International – Styling Level UP

+ Many more

TICKET OPTIONS

1. General admission tickets – 1 Day $79 / 2 Day $99

Include your entry to the Exhibition floor for access to the best deals and newest drops in the industry, Entertainment on the show floor, main stage education and forums, live demonstrations from all the participating brands at their booths.

2. Josh OP & Frank Da Barber Education workshop – 1 Day $349/2 Day $499.

All of the above is included in this ticket with access to the EXPO floor along with 2 to 4 exclusive Education workshops catered by 2 of the World’s most renowned Educators in a private education room within the convention centre.

3. EXPO VIP – $1100 Value for ONLY $699

Not for the faint hearted BUT for the Creative that wants the royal treatment with all the perks! This is an ALL-ACCESS pass with front row seats at Main Stage and in Josh OP & Frank Da Barber’s Education room! With a VIP ONLY lounge on the show floor to wind back, network and soak in the atmosphere with FREE FOOD & A COUPLE DRINKS to ensure the 2-day event is done in style! Did we mention every VIP ticket holder gets their own VIP SWAG BAG with over $300 worth of goodies from EXPO sponsors!

4. OPENING PARTY & BARBER BATTLE –Entry Fee $39 Contestant Fee $59

Saturday 20th April from 5:30pm we are kicking off “The Barber Battle and Opening Party” which is set to be an electrifying event that will capture the essence of creativity and camaraderie in the barbering community. Picture a vibrant venue pulsating with the energy of passionate professionals, all gathered to showcase their exceptional skills in a thrilling BATTLE that pushes the boundaries of hair artistry. Imagine the air filled with the buzz of clippers and the scent of pomade as barbers from various backgrounds transform ordinary hair into extraordinary masterpieces. As the evening unfolds, the party kicks into high gear, with live music setting the rhythm, and attendees mingling, sharing stories, and celebrating the art of barbering. It’s not just an event; it’s a spectacle of talent and a testament to the barbering culture, promising an unforgettable experience that will leave everyone in awe of the creativity and spirit of this unique community.

FOR ALL INFO AND TICKETS

www.expo4barbers.com.au

THE SALON FORUM

By Jarred Stedman

Over 20 years ago, CEO Cass Donnelly had an idea for CPR to evolve and support the hair industry by resourcing the network with excellent business education and industry wide resources. Hence, The Salon Forum was born.

Mid Feb 2024 saw the awakening of this 20-year-old dream. The foundations had been set and the CPR community was hungry for more connections and business acumen.

There were over 200 people at this 1 dayof-power conference, coming from all over the country. Some travelled for over 8 hours, with teams of 10 arriving in style; groups of apprentices including 2 salon owners who have been in business for over 40 years.

It was safe to say that the CPR Salon Forum was filled with a diverse and eager group of people who wanted to grow and be guided into their next phase of professional and personal development.

Cass choreographed the day into six different movements – taking the audience on a journey, flowing from personal development through mental strength, inspiration, shaking off the old and embracing the new, being motivated but also having practical tools to take back into their salons.

On top of Mocha Group and HairBiz being the Official Media Partner for The Salon Forum, our General Manager Jarred Stedman was also the MC for the day. “The schedule was very full, with 10 different speakers in 8 hours and my job was really just to be a bit of a ‘sugar hit’ for the audience, bringing some life and laughter to help the next speaker go on stage with an audience that was energised, focused, and ready to absorb all that they had to offer.

It was a real an honour to be part of this moment in time for CPR,” said Jarred.

Movement 1: Started off with everyone getting to catch up outside and have coffee and juice. Once everyone had found their seats, phase two of the movement began with Djembe rhythmic drum session. Designed to get everyone moving, stomping their feet and in a mindset of awakening.

Movement 2: Cass Donnelly and Lisa Conway were the first speakers.

With plenty of time to plan and orchestrate this forum, Cass didn’t want this to be a ‘one off’ moment, so he and the team have created a 12 month aftercare program called ‘Holistic Salon Service’ which was being launched here first. The Holistic Salon Service is a one stop shop program for CPR salons to have access to business support, resources and classes, plus a growing space to connect external specialists to come into the curated network and offer their skillsets to the business owners and managers.

Lisa Conway, the founder of The Zing Project, could have spoken on budgets, and maximising profits but decided to share about something a little less talked about. How to avoid burnout. Her section was titled ‘How to fill up your Cup’. When asking the audience what one of the main takeaways from her session was – they said ‘just learning how to say NO, and being ok with that’. It was an empowering phrase for a lot of people because so many are caught in a place wanting to give their clients and staff all of them but leaving nothing left over for themselves.

After a voluntary crowd dance off with bags of lollies as rewards, it was time for the next movement.

Movement 3: Sandra, owner of Scruples Salon in Nowra, took the team on a journey through history. Highlighting that after 30 years in business, there is still so much we can do. Growing and investing in the next generation is a key for the success of the industry.

This flowed into a fashion runway lead by Paul Graham from Paul and Paul Salon. The runway showed off the newest CPR campaign with 6 models, bringing to life what was on the cover of everyone’s brochures. The campaign was shot and ready to go but the team wanted everyone at the conference to see it in 3D.

The Salon Forum was not disappointed by The Island Hotels hospitality. There was great food, delicious drinks, coffee and sugar to help all the attendees focused and ready for the next movement.

A SYMBOL OF A NEW ERA IN THE 60-YEAR HISTORY OF CPR.

Movement 4: Natalie Henry (CPR Creative and Digital Sales Coordinator) and Casey Parsons (leading digital marketing) had the audience on their feet and transported to a vertical salon space. Thanks to the team at Comfortel who had organised a mirrors, basin, front desk, shelving bench chairs – the attendees got a step by step guide on how to capture content with a live model and an iPhone. Natalie and Casey shared practical tips to elevate and simplify the sometimesdaunting process of social media.

Keeping in the spirit of practical tools for the business owners tool belt, Shakira Jade was up next. She was chosen for a few obvious reasons. She is a CPR salon, she owners 3 salons in Queensland, she has a hair extension company ‘Hair Candy’ and is a business mentor. She got people excited about processes and how they can be the key to freedom. Her piece of the day left the room excited and challenged about their own business procedures.

Movement 5: By two o’clock, there had already been enough insight, inspiration, challenges, and enthusiasm that if the day stopped there, everyone’s cup would have been filled. That was not the case. Julie Gillespie professionally focuses on ‘Strategic Connections’ in the corporate world. When connection is authentic, leaders can lead with a team that trusts them. The cherry on the top in this movement is that Julie is Cass’s sister. Strategically bringing a more emotional level to movement 5.

Following on from Julie, was Cass and Natalie again, celebrating what CPR is doing to help create career pathways for the more creative minds. They shared about the Mane Event, and Mane Gala which is the photographic competition that launched last year.

Movement 6: This was the last key of the day. Its focus was to slow down the mind and body. Create a space to pack all their thoughts and inspirations into a place where they wouldn’t get lost.

Dario Cotroneo, Founder of DCI Education, shared about the power of your mindset with his title of the session being ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’. Knowing that the ability to lift your eyes and look up is sometimes all you need to keep going.

A big part of Dario’s strength comes from his ability to be consistent in his meditation. Just 10min a day – and that’s what he got everyone to do. A practical and tangible guide on how to stop and be still before the day begins.

Cass had one final surprise up his sleeve. A new experience for many people in the room – a Gong Sound Bath. Cass brought in a professional to take the whole room through

this truly unique experience.

For content – a Gong Sound Bath is where a large symbol (a Gong) is played and the frequencies vibrating from the gong helps to inspire the new shapes and patterns for the next chapter in someone life.

Seeing this the dream come alive was truly a moment in time for the CPR story. It was also a moment for those who has travelled near and far to be part of this authentically passionate community.

You will be able to see the CPR team at Hair Festival this year and don’t forget to look up The Mane Event for all the competition details.

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ASPYA

By Jarred Stedman

Celebrating its 20th year, DeLorenzo’s ASPYA conference continues to impress. The Australian made and owned company loves to treat its top salons with empowering and inspirational trip to a unique destination to unlock their business creativity for the next 12 months.

This year, MochaGroup’s General Manager Jarred Stedman was delighted to be invited to Phuket, Thailand to experience this incredible connection of like-minded salons.

The 3 day conference was based just 15 minutes north of the Phuket airport at the 5 star Hotel, JW Marriot Phuket. The hotel was chosen by Melinda Mason, ASPYA Loyalty Program Manager, because of its direct access to the beach, which is where the team had organised 2 of the themed dinners. Each night was designed to get people chatting, eat some delicious food, enjoy, network and be entertained by local talent.

Over 200 APSYA salon owners, managers and even 5 apprentices attended the conference and were inspired by great speakers.

- Anthony Whitaker. Business coach, best-selling author, podcaster and international speaker.

- Sandy Chong. The Australian Hair Council (AHC) CEO, salon owner for 39 years and advocate for building a better hair industry.

- Amanda Stevens. A renowned speaker with a double degree in physiology and marketing, and a specific passion for bettering customer service experience in business.

- Chris Helder. A charismatic speaker, relighting the fire for purpose and drive in business owners with his trademark idea of ‘useful believes’ over positive thinking.

The conference was made even more engaging by the hilarious MC Rob Carlton. You may know him from his most recent appearance in the 2024 Netflix show “Boy Swallows Universe”. He has been in the film industry, throughout Australia and globally, since one of his first appearances in the 1925 American drama “The Mysterious Stranger”. Rob brought the attendees more than just announcements and directions to the bathrooms!... but was the exciting entertainment thread throughout the 3 days drawing on his vast theatre and stage experience.

One of the core values of the DeLorenzo business is its desire to honour loyalty and longevity and in light of that, Anthony DeLorenzo, Chris DeLorenzo and Mel Mason handed out awards of those salons what had hit their significant markers of 5, 10 and 15 years with DeLorenzo.

Anika’s Mirror, Finesse Hair, Hermosa Hair, Mundijong Hair achieved 5 years with the brand.

Roz Bradley hairdressing in Bendigo VIC celebrated 10 years with DeLorenzo.

Heidi Tuomi, owner of Mieco Hair Salon in Narrabeen NSW, was congratulated and awarded for her 15 year commitment.

“We have put our heart and soul into the salon. And we never forget to look into Organic and Sustainable options. We take pride in making a positive difference each and everyday,” Heidi Tuomi .

Another highlight from the conference was the interactive Look and Learn showing off the new 360 Nova range.

MC’d by Megan Yabsley, Trichology and Education Manager for DeLorenzo, we welcomed 3 Guest Artists and Educators on the stage along with their 6 models.

Lisa Polini from Perth, Angela Soong from Melbourne and Holly Breen from Brisbane recreated their unique looks from the newly launched 2024 Autumn / Winter collection.

They used the majority of the new Nova 360range, including Nova Colour, Nova Tone, and Nova Fusion.

This was one incredible conference, filled with lots of entertainment from local singers, DJs, and the famous Simons Cabaret team. Beach side dinners, international speakers, dancing, pool side cocktails, and a whole lot of enriching conversations with industry leading salons.

Mocha Group loved once again being invited to attend and look forward to the next event as always with this incredible Australian company.

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I’m an old school hairdresser of course...!

By Kristie Kesic

Trending across socials at the moment is what hairdressers back in the day did compared to today, or the idea of why old school hairdressers are better than the new ones. So, I thought I’d have a little bit of fun and gather some old school facts together and ask our Australian hairdressing community on socials to see what they had to say.

Now disclaimer** This is all meant to be very light-hearted. I write this article as a 36-year-old who has been hairdressing for 17 years and has grown from a full-time college student to an apprentice, manager, now salon owner.

I have first-hand experienced most of this list below however some are well beyond my years. Old school hairdresser seems to be anyone 30 or older or anyone who has been hairdressing for 10+ years. If you get easily offended or are triggered by the old days maybe skip this article. For the rest of us, sit back and enjoy these IYKYK flash backs. For any of you new hairdressers and apprentices or anyone hairdressing less than 10 years, the list doesn’t lie, these really did happen.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I could get fired on the spot.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I had to train after hours and not get paid.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I was yelled at daily by my boss.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I went home crying.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course my boss decided how my hair would look which often meant being forced to sit down and shave some of it off or cut it short and dye it some outrageous colour so I could ‘look like a hairdresser’.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I used to scrub the floors on my hands and knees with a toothbrush and domestos.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I do not know what a sick day is.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I have no idea what a lunch break is.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I smoked in salon with my clients.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I used that same cigarette ash to remove colour stains from my client’s skin.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course my boss never paid me super.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I had to roam the shopping centre and ask random strangers to be my classic bob model for training.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I came to work with 1 hour sleep and the nightclub stamp still on my wrist (and yes worked the whole entire day).

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course my diet was caffeine and cigarettes.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I used a paper appointment book. I used a pencil to make appointments and used a rubber to cancel out appointments.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I picked up the phone and manually rung each client to confirm their booking.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I used 18% and higher peroxide with bleach.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course taking a client blonde meant inflicting pain on them by using a silicon cap with holes it in called a streaking cap and crochet hook to pull that hair through said holes.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course a tip out meant putting blonde on the very tips of short hair or using the technique called shoeshine. Shoeshine meant painting bleach on a piece of foil and skimming it over the top of short hair that your hair sprayed to stick up.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I used so much lacquer on my client’s hair I’m surprised their cigarettes didn’t light that hair up in flames.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I specialised in all areas of hairdressing.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I loved perms.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course a toner meant applying fanciful to my client’s hair.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I used tissue instead of foil.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I used 40 vol on scalp and put it under heat.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course bleach was just bleach. There was no bonding agents or plex’s or 7 levels of lift or 9 levels of lift, there was just bleach.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I pierced my clients’ ears.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I had to re-use foils which meant rinsing the colour out of each foil, pressing them flat and letting them dry out over night or my sticking them on the wall.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course the salon had a CD collection because playing music in the salon required us to go down to the music store, purchase a cd, put it in the cd player and play that same cd all day long.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course I turned up for an interview.

• I’m an old school hairdresser of course if I wanted to quit, I went to my boss and quit in person.

Sound familiar to anyone?

Burn out culture was just expected, you tolerated things you never would now because if you didn’t you wouldn’t have a job and there would be someone else right there waiting to take your place. Products were harsh and how they were used were even worse. You would probably get sued today because these actions would melt the hair off or burn your clients scalp.

Even from when I was an apprentice it was a different world to now.

I will never respect some of the toxic workplace traits that were just considered normal, but I think it’s safe to say the biggest thing millennials and older walked away with from their apprenticeship and early workdays is an insane work ethic and some serious respect for skills. We weren’t afraid of the hard work it takes to reach goals, we respected the process, didn’t want to skip steps, and learnt techniques properly from the start. For this I am so grateful.

Now rather than whingeing about the past, a lot of us have been part of the change. We have taken the insane work ethic that was drilled into us, and we’ve started our own salons and created environments and cultures in which our staff will never have to experience some of the above conditions. The longing for healthy hair, the scientific developments and push for chemicals to be less harsh or products to be natural means we know where the line is when it comes to damaging client’s hair and we don’t cross it.

To the hairdressers that have been hairdressing 30+ years, your passion is next level but my goodness the environments you would have experienced, the products you used and the way in which you used them, were kind of crazy. But the respect you have for your mentors and your skills are unmatched.

To the millennials, us hairdressers that have been hairdressing 10+ years, boy do we have a good work ethic and some incredible skills. We are old enough to know respect and where its deserved and we understand hard work, yet we are young enough to embrace change and want to do better.

To the newer generations, the gen z. I say to you, you’re welcome! It’s because of us old school hairdressers you should never have to go through a toxic environment. You will never have to use overly harsh chemicals on your client’s hair, and you will never have to experience the anxiety of having to pull that silicon streaking cap off a client’s head and hope the hair doesn’t come with it.

BUT! Whilst you should never experience the above you do still need to understand a few things like we do. Respect that things don’t just happen overnight, appreciate that you need to put in the work and the effort to move up in the workplace, take pride in the process and enjoy the journey. Now after reminiscing about the above, I can only wonder what the future holds and what young hairdressers will be laughing about in 10-30 years’ time when comparing then to now.

Kriste Kesic @kristiekesic_ Colourist @cobellecreative

Transforming Hair Colour Formulation

By Kristina Russell

In the ever-evolving landscape of hair colour, where trends shift like the seasons, innovation is key. Among the latest advancements, one technology stands out: ChatGPT. Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, ChatGPT offers a revolutionary approach to generating basic hair colour formulas.

As we delve into this ground breaking tool, we’ll explore its benefits for newcomers to the industry, its limitations, and the indispensable role of expert guidance in mastering the art of hair colouring.

Embracing Innovation: ChatGPT for Hair Colour Formulation

ChatGPT’s entry into the realm of hair colour formulation marks a significant milestone. For emerging colourists, it serves as a springboard into the world of creative expression. Imagine having a virtual assistant at your fingertips, ready to generate tailored colour formulas, based on your preferences and desired outcomes. Whether you’re experimenting with new toners or navigating the nuances of a particular colour brand, ChatGPT offers invaluable support.

Chat GPT is a free app you can access on your mobile device or desktop computer. If you’re an emerging colourist or hairdresser seeking inspiration for formulas, I’ve got a couple of ideas to help you get started with Chat GPT. Here are a couple of scripts you could try…

Pastel Dream: Looking to achieve the perfect pastel hue? Simply input your desired base shade and target colour intensity into ChatGPT, and voila! You’ll receive a formula that transforms your vision into reality.

Natural toned Balayage: Striving for a seamless blend of natural tones? ChatGPT can provide nuanced formulas that enhance your client’s features while maintaining a natural allure. Try writing the keywords of balayage and the starting level of your client and tones for suggested formulas. Don’t forget to include your target level!

Understanding the Limitations

While ChatGPT serves as a valuable tool in the colourist’s arsenal, it’s essential to recognize its limitations. Hair colour formulation is a multifaceted process influenced by numerous variables, including hair texture, porosity, and existing colour history. Here’s where ChatGPT may fall short:

- Individual Variability: Each head of hair is unique, presenting its own set of challenges and opportunities. ChatGPT’s algorithms may struggle to account for the intricacies of individual hair types, leading to formula suggestions that require adjustment.

- Brand-to-Brand Conversion: While ChatGPT excels at generating formulas within a specific brand’s product range, it may encounter difficulties when transitioning between brands. Different formulations and ingredient concentrations can yield varying results, requiring manual adjustments by the colourist. Trust me! I have tried to do brand conversions with very detailed scripts to help the AI and it just couldn’t do it. Nothing can replace us doing physical swatching in the salon and generating our personalised formula library.

The Path to Mastery: Expert Guidance and Training

As invaluable as ChatGPT may be, it’s no substitute for the expertise and insight of a seasoned colourist. Mastery of hair colour formulation requires hands-on experience, meticulous observation, and a deep understanding of colour theory. That’s where expert guidance comes into play. Nothing replaces investing in education and working with a haircolour coach to help you every step of the way. I have flexible pathways for learning with both online education and inperson workshops.

ChatGPT represents a game-changing innovation in the world of hair colour formulation, offering newfound possibilities for creativity and exploration. However, its efficacy is tempered by the inherent complexities of hair colour chemistry and individual variability. Aspiring colourists must complement technological tools like ChatGPT with hands-on training and mentorship to unlock their full potential. As an Industry mentor and Brand-Free Hair Colour Educator, I’m committed to empowering the next generation of colourists through a blend of cutting-edge technology and expert guidance.

In this article for Hair Biz magazine, I’m sharing how to navigate technology that’s easy and accessible whilst openly sharing what to be wary of. Chat GPT is a great foundation or research tool that can springboard new ideas but is certainly not a replacement for swatching and supported training.

In the dynamic world of hair colouring, precision and creativity are paramount. With the emergence of ChatGPT, an AI-powered assistant, hairdressers now have a cuttingedge tool at their disposal for generating customized colour formulas. Let’s delve deeper into the capabilities of ChatGPT, exploring specific examples and scenarios where it can streamline the formulation process.

Example Prompts: Unveiling

ChatGPT’s Potential

Example 1: Transitioning to a Level 8 Ginger

Hairdresser: “ChatGPT, I have a client with natural level 6 hair and approximately 10% grey. How can I achieve a vibrant level 8 ginger shade with [your brand]?”

ChatGPT: “Based on your client’s starting level and desired outcome, I recommend using a combination of warm-toned shades. Consider mixing 1 part [Brand] 7.4 Copper Blonde with 1 part [Brand] 8.3 Golden Blonde. Adjust developer volume according to desired lift and deposit.”

Example 2: Neutralizing Brassiness in Blonde Hair

Hairdresser: “ChatGPT, my client’s blonde highlights are appearing brassy. What formula can I use to neutralise the unwanted tones?”

ChatGPT: “To neutralise brassiness in blonde

hair, opt for a toning solution with cool undertones. Try mixing 1 part [Brand] 9.1 Ash Blonde with 1 part [Brand] 10.1 Platinum Blonde. Use a 10-volume developer for gentle toning action.”

This one makes me a little nervous I must admit because I would never use 10 vol when toning. This is a more detailed script to try in this scenario; “Chat GPT, my client has level 8 golden highlights that we want to be toned to a level 7 ash, what can I use with my [brand]?”

Example 3: Creating a Natural Balayage Effect

Hairdresser: “ChatGPT, I’m aiming to achieve a natural balayage effect on my client’s medium brown hair. What formula do you recommend for my lightener using [brand] and toner [brand]?”

ChatGPT: “For a seamless balayage effect on medium brown hair, consider a gradual transition to lighter tones. Try blending 1 part [Brand] 6.0 Dark Blonde with 1 part [Brand] 7.0 Medium Blonde for subtle dimension. Use a freehand painting technique for a natural, sun-kissed finish.”

The Importance of Expert Guidance

While ChatGPT provides a valuable resource for hairdressers, it cannot replace the expertise and experience of a seasoned professional. Mastery in hair colouring requires hands-on training, continuous learning, and a deep understanding of colour theory.

But be warned! When I recently attempted to create 5 examples of Peach Hair Colour Toners for a recent online masterclass, I hosted I realised I would only consider using 1 out of the 5 suggestions. So just like a consultation in the salon where our clients might have a different expectation or vision to us, it’s the same for Chat GPT. This technology is also not able to use photo uploads yet, which inhibits sharing the same vision with the robot replies generated in Chat GPT.

I have flexible education pathways suitable for every learning style with online programs and in-person events. Take a look at my website if you’re a hairdresser or salon owner, suite owner, booth renter, commission stylist, self-employed freelancer, newbie to the industry or salon professional with years of experience.

ChatGPT represents a groundbreaking advancement in the realm of hair colour formulation, offering hairdressers unprecedented access to tailored formulas and creative inspiration. By leveraging this innovative tool alongside expert guidance and training, hairdressers can elevate their craft and unlock new realms of possibility in hair colouring. Embrace the future of hairdressing with ChatGPT as your trusted ally, guiding you towards endless possibilities in colour creativity.

Now is the time to transform your relationship with formulations & hair colouring, make more money and uplevel your salon colour clientele in every way imaginable.

Please reach out to me to enquire about attending a class or hosting me in your space in 2024 for a hands-on workshop or demonstration session. I will be touring across Australia and internationally.

Learn more about my Brand Free Colour Academy for Hairdressers at www.kristinarussell.com.au/courses

Send me a DM on Instagram

@colourkristina

Say hi and follow on FacebookColourKristina

Subscribe and listen to the Colour Kristina Talks Podcast on iTunes or Spotify.

THE HAIR ACADEMY AUSTRALIA.

Meet the Mother Son Combo: Dee Thomas & Gareth Philpott - Co-Owners of The Hair Academy Australia. In the competitive world of hairdressing education, Dee Thomas and Gareth Philpott stand out as a dynamic duo, spearheading The Hair Academy Australia with passion, expertise, and a commitment to excellence.

As co-owners, they have transformed the landscape of apprenticeship training across Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW), offering specialised programs that empower aspiring hair professionals to flourish in their careers.

A Visionary Partnership

Dee and Gareth share a vision of revolutionising hairdressing education, driven by their extensive industry experience and dedication to nurturing talent. With Dee’s background with over 40 years in hairdressing and education and Gareth’s expertise in education and training which spans over a decade, the duo brings a perfect blend of practical know-how and pedagogical excellence to The Hair Academy.

Empowering Tomorrow’s Talent

At The Hair Academy Australia, Dee and Gareth are passionate about providing aspiring hairdressers with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed in the competitive industry. Through specialised apprenticeship programs, they offer hands-on training, personalised mentorship, and industry insights that go beyond textbook learning, ensuring that graduates are equipped to excel in their careers.

Tailored Apprenticeship Training

Dee and Gareth understand that every aspiring hair professional has unique goals and aspirations. That’s why they have curated a range of apprenticeship programs tailored to the individual needs of students and salon across QLD and NSW. Whether it’s mastering the art of precision cutting, perfecting the latest colour techniques, or honing business management skills, The Hair Academy provides comprehensive training that empowers students to pursue their passions and carve out successful careers.

A Commitment to Excellence

Quality is at the heart of everything Dee and Gareth do at The Hair Academy. From recruiting industry-leading educators to investing in state-of-the-art facilities and resources, they spare no effort in ensuring that students receive the highest standard of education and training. By upholding rigorous standards and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, they instil a sense of excellence that sets graduates apart in the competitive job market. This has also resulted in an 80% completion rate with their apprentices, which is a complete contrast of the industry average of 25-35% completion.

Building a Thriving Community

Dee and Gareth’s impact extends beyond the classroom, as they are deeply invested in building a vibrant and supportive community of hair professionals. Through networking events, industry partnerships, and ongoing support, they create opportunities for students to connect, collaborate, and thrive in their careers. The Hair Academy alumni network is a testament to their commitment to nurturing talent and fostering lifelong connections within the industry.

Looking Towards the Future

Dee and Gareth continue to push the boundaries of excellence at The Hair Academy Australia. With a keen eye on emerging trends, evolving industry standards, and the changing needs of students, they remain dedicated to innovating and adapting their programs to ensure that graduates are wellprepared for success in the dynamic world of hairdressing.

Dee and Gareth’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence have cemented The Hair Academy Australia’s reputation as a premier destination for aspiring hair professionals. Through their passion, expertise, and dedication, they continue to inspire the next generation of talent and shape the future of the hairdressing industry in QLD, NSW, and beyond.

@hairacademyaus

Transforming Hairdressing Training: Proposals for Training Package Reform by the Australian Hairdressing Council!

By Anthony Gray

On January 29th, the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC) convened a workshop dedicated to finalising its stance on the reform of qualifications within the Hairdressing training package.

As a leading authority in the field, the AHC is spearheading efforts to modernise training methodologies and enhance the quality of education for aspiring hairdressers. Here’s an in-depth exploration of the proposed changes to the training package advocated by the AHC.

Identifying Challenges in the Current Training Package

After nine years of extensive consultation with industry stakeholders, the AHC has identified several critical challenges within the current training package. These challenges include:

1. Lack of Flexibility: The existing units of competency are overly prescriptive and lack the flexibility to adapt to evolving industry trends and practices.

2. Assessment-Centric Approach: The focus on assessment outcomes often overshadows the importance of practical training and skill development, leading to a disconnect between training and real-world application.

3. Complexity: The current training package is burdened by complexity, with a high volume of assessments and stringent requirements that can be daunting for both trainers and apprentices alike.

As an industry, Hairdressing is not alone in its thinking around qualification reform. The Australian government as part of the National Qualification reform project found:

Proposed Changes to the Training Package

In response to these challenges, the AHC proposes a series of comprehensive changes aimed at transforming the training package into a more dynamic, relevant, and learner-centric framework. These changes include:

1. Transitioning to Vet Reform Skills Standards: The AHC advocates for the transition of current narrow units of competency into broader Skills Standards. This would lift the narrow taskbased focus of our units of competency up to a broader skills and job function level which in more in line with what happens in the salon.

2. Regrouping Skills Standards: To better reflect the commercial realities of the hairdressing industry, the AHC proposes regrouping skills standards into a more commercially oriented format. This restructuring will enable trainees to acquire skills that are directly applicable to their future careers and adapt to changing market demands.

3. Unit Amendments: The AHC recommends amendments to existing units of competency to enhance flexibility and accessibility. By streamlining and simplifying unit requirements, the training package can better accommodate the diverse learning needs and preferences of apprentices.

4. Refocusing Training Delivery: Rather than prioritising assessment outcomes, the AHC advocates for a refocus on practical training delivery. This entails placing greater emphasis on hands-on experience and skill development, ensuring that apprentices are equipped with the competencies needed to excel in their profession.

What do these proposed changes looks like in reality?

In reimagining the hairdressing training package, the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC) places paramount importance on inclusivity, gender neutrality, and accessibility. Recognizing the

diverse needs and backgrounds of aspiring hairdressers, the AHC’s proposal integrates these values into every aspect of the reform. Here’s a closer look at how the proposal addresses these crucial considerations:

Gender-Neutral and Inclusive Approach

Ensuring gender neutrality and inclusivity is central to the AHC’s vision for the revamped training package. By eliminating genderspecific language and imagery, the AHC aims to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for all students. Whether male, female, or non-binary, every aspiring hairdresser deserves equal opportunities and recognition within the industry.

Accessibility for Remote Students

Accessibility is another key pillar of the AHC’s proposal. Recognizing the challenges faced by students in remote areas, the AHC is committed to making hairdressing education more accessible through innovative delivery methods and technology-enabled learning solutions. By leveraging online platforms and virtual resources, students in remote areas can access high-quality education and training without geographical limitations.

Combining Units into Specialist Categories

Outside of those soft skills that span all sectors the AHC’s proposal involves regrouping the current 28 units of competency into nine Specialist Categories, each designed to encompass a comprehensive range of skills and techniques. These categories include:

• Shampoo or Basin Services

• Cutting

• Styling

• Colour

• Texture

By organising units under these broader headings, the training package becomes more streamlined and intuitive, allowing for a more cohesive learning experience. Moreover, the integration of FOUNDATION (individual skills) and COMMERCIAL (combination skills) segments ensures that apprentices develop both fundamental competencies and advanced techniques.

Flexible Practical Assessments

Recognising the limitations of the current assessment process, the AHC advocates for the development of flexible practical assessments. These assessments can be completed in-salon or at an RTO, using mannequins or models as needed. By providing multiple assessment options, apprentices have the flexibility to demonstrate their skills in diverse settings, without being restricted to one-at-a-time completion. Additionally, the introduction of a Skills Passport enables apprentices to track their progress and achievements throughout their training journey, fostering accountability and motivation.

Refocusing on Training Delivery

In shifting the focus from assessment to training delivery, the AHC emphasises the role of RTOs in providing comprehensive and nationally recognised training. By prioritising practical skill development over assessment outcomes, RTOs can better equip apprentices with the competencies they need to succeed in the industry. This shift in focus ensures that apprentices receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for the realities of the hairdressing profession.

In conclusion, the AHC’s proposal for hairdressing training reform embodies the principles of inclusivity, gender neutrality, and accessibility. By regrouping units, integrating skillsets, developing flexible assessments, and refocusing on training delivery, the AHC aims to create a training package that meets the diverse needs of aspiring hairdressers across Australia. Through collaborative efforts and a commitment to excellence, the future of hairdressing education looks brighter and more inclusive than ever before.

CURATE Awards. Genesis of an Awards’ Platform

By Justin Pace

Before finishing grade 11, I decided to leave my Mackay, Queensland school for a hairdressing apprenticeship. My parents made it clear if my boss fired me, I’d have to go back to school and repeat year 11 – so early on in my apprenticeship, I knew there wasn’t much room to fail (academia not for me.)

As a result of the employment condition my parents placed on me, my rather hard boss, Liana noticed I wanted to run before I could walk (like most apprentices.) Unsurprisingly, this apprentice outlook hasn’t changed.

To keep me focused, Leanne encouraged me to immediately enter hairdressing competitions, so I found myself competing in the first year of my apprenticeship.

Even though my very first competition only entailed a mannequin blow-dry, competing didn’t solely encompass presenting this finished result; rather, it demanded I plan, set up and rehearse in advance (which dovetailed with what Liana was also teaching me . . . each incremental port was as substantial as the destination.)

By the second / third year of my apprenticeship, I was competing up and down the North and South Coasts of Queensland, Cairns to Bundaberg in a variety of platforms.

Looking back, I was extremely fortunate to have an authoritarian who didn’t go easy on me . . . someone to push past boundaries and help with the achievement of sequential goals. Consequently, this preliminary educational intervention ended up setting me on a strategic career path, providing the impetus and hunger to do more (since I immediately experienced the pleasure of success.)

Now I look back – due to hairdressing – I’ve realised both a professionally- / personallyfulfilling career and life, plus travelled the world and been paid. As not every vocation can lay claim to this, it’s these aspects I want to highlight to a younger generation . . . the perception of hairdressing as an exciting, gratifying career.

Currently, there’s an Australian Hair Industry apprentice dropout rate of 63%. What happens to the industry, individuals, salon owners, product companies, brands and all manner of stakeholders if there are no apprentices to carry the future baton? The industry dies a slow death, and with it a truly special community worth saving (plus a host of human dreams.)

To keep apprentices both retained and engaged – as I was my first year onward – I created CURATE Awards alongside Lily Blue Communications. My dream is to help apprentices bank a variety of skills that contribute to long-term career growth and progression, sustaining motivation beyond the day-to-day constancy of the salon (younger generations acknowledged with industry recognition, credibility and rewards.)

In addition, there’s another equal – if not greater – component . . . perpetuation of the Australian Hair Industry. With freelance operators now no longer training nor hiring apprentices, it falls to a dwindling percentage of ‘traditional’ salons to secure the industry’s future.

As with any Government / business / personal program – if there are additional benefits that motivate an individual (for example financial incentives and / or prizes) – it’s always a more attractive proposition.

For salon owners / directors / managers, CURATE Awards presents a rousing tool to excite and direct apprentices to enter a competition platform for the first time. As

most high-end salons have an expectation of excellence before an apprentice reaches the floor (enabling enterprise proliferation), competitions can function as a solid tool to keep a young mind multilaterally engaged (for example in individual investment and education, the salon where the stylist works, and of course . . . the Australian Hair Industry.) In addition, an owner / director / manager can use the opportunity to augment their internal training programme with supplementary tuition – coaching that allows an apprentice to be creative immediately (technical skills required to support imaginative instincts.) Therefore . . . I see early-intervention competitions as a way for salon stakeholders to enhance the technical skills required to enable creative displays (ultimately benefiting apprentice career progression and business perpetuation.) Lastly, I view competitions as a useful tool for stakeholders to share promotional content.

For apprentices – our all-important next generation – CURATE Awards is a gateway experience to invest in what the hairdressing industry CAN off: national credibility, training with leading professionals, national and international travel, lasting connections and grooming celebrities – plus perhaps –the opportunity to create a dream salon one day.

I would like CURATE Awards to take away the nerves / pressure of apprentices competing, providing an initial platform for younger generations to participate in the Australian Hair Industry. As competing requires an individual to think outside the box then apply common sense, ensuing procedural skills can teach a person about themselves (additional traits developed in the process.) Ultimately, CURATE Awards is a steppingstone for salon owners / directors / managers and apprentices.

@pacejustin @curateawards

Strengthening Salon Culture. The vital role of team meetings and 1:1s within the hair salon.

By Sheridan Rose Shaw

When I first set out in business, I would never prioritise a team meeting or individual progress meetings. Mainly because of my previous salon experiences. We only were ever called into a team meeting if sh!t was going down – so I avoided them like the plague #conflictavoidant. And the only 1:1’s I was ever having was if I was being held accountable for something a teenager, just isn’t equipped for #behaviourissues!

But as the weeks progressed, I leaned into my mission and vision of wanting to make a difference in the landscape of hairdressing and deep down, I knew that creating my own sacred, safe space was the whole entire agenda! That meant carving out time for the team.

My first few, I was riddled with anxiety. Like literally, had the shakes! But I remember the time that it all turned around for me. There was a client observing seeing another business working within our space who overheard the whole team meeting.

She said to me “Sheridan, you are a LEADER! And that was the most incredible thing to bear witness to. The way you hold your team is so, so special”.

It’s as if, the universe had my back, and I got a new perspective from a different angle. It changed my life. Those meetings had more power than the way I felt on the inside.

Now – I see team meetings and 1:1s as a monthly NON-NEGOTIABLE! Where we hold space for an agenda, open dialogue, where stylists share their insights and where we can trouble shoot systems and processes, together. By fostering a collaborative environment, we share a sense of unity and camaraderie, enhancing team morale and culture.

The one on ones, however, is me giving my team my 100% undivided attention! Which truthfully, doesn’t happen often between managing a team of 12, being a mum, an educator, running a business and expanding to another location. It’s also appropriate

time for me to provide an opportunity for tailored feedback, goal setting, personal and professional development. And as a leader, that is my duty of care and responsibility! To bridge their gaps and help continually improve them individually, personally, and professionally.

I also believe, that if there is any underlying issues, having regular catchups gives space to address them before it can become too big to tackle. Which in turn equals, longer term employment.

If you haven’t incorporated monthly meetings into your salon routine. It’s really a missed opportunity to elevate your business and your team’s needs. Taking ownership and dedicating time to nurture your salon & your team can have longer, lasting benefits for all. Including our industry as a whole.

@mamawest_

The Art of Consultation Part 1

By Nathan Yip

Here’s a big one, grab a good cuppa and settle in, this is one I have been wanting to write for a long time! A topic that is very close to my heart and one I teach A LOT.

A great consultation is a true ART form of its own, it requires a lot of skills including: Communication, psychology, body language, sales, recommendations, opinions, critical thinking and being able to adapt to varied personalities and communication styles to understand, relate to, and translate what another human is trying to tell you and what they have come to see you for (sometimes it’s not what you expected).

I believe the biggest issue is how it’s being taught. I understand as an educator that to teach a broad subject to a mass you have to have a structure and system, otherwise it gets too hard to try and teach philosophy and nuance. However, what I believe is lacking in the education around consultation is the core principlesIt is a verbal and non-verbal conversation to understand your client’s needs, to unpack their challenges and then conceptualise/ visualise their brief, plan and execute.

a robot, and you spend more time waiting to ask the next question rather than listening. Scripts will always give the same results because when you ask a certain question you will get the same answer and they don’t allow for side quests.

The first breakdown in consultation happens long before the client sits in the chair, consider this scenario: Jenny has moved to your area and wants to book in with you as she has heard great things about you, she calls up asks for an appointment on Thursday, you reply Jade can do Thursday and ask what she wants to book for? Jenny is unsure, all she knows is the last stylist was amazing and she always just sat down, and they did whatever they needed to. You press further and ask is it a tint or foils? Still unsure, so you ask does she go lighter, and she replies yes, so you assume and book Jenny for a 1/2 head of foils and a haircut on Thursday at 2pm. When Jenny comes in and is greeted and seated, Jade checks the book and sees 1/2 head foils and a haircut then proceeds to ask, “What are we doing with your foils today?” See what has happened here? Jenny Has not been given a proper consultation she has already been pushed into a direction via assumption. We have become obsessed with scripts and systems, what happens when you are trying to remember a script, you sound like

Consider how most consultations start: “Same as last time?” This is the worst one I can think of another is: “What are we doing today?” This will just elicit an answer for what they want... today. Not actually gain any important info or what their hair goals may be of the future.

To create a fantastic result and problem solve properly, you need fantastic responses. To get a fantastic response you need to ask fantastic questions - ask shit questions you will most certainly get a shit response, resulting in an undesirable result.

I hear many people talk about open ended questions but are they really open? Consider this and maybe try with your client, friend, or partner: Ask “Tell me about your car?” Leave it at that and see what they say, now try “Tell me what you like about your car” see what comes out, or “What are we doing with your car today?” All are open ended questions; however, they will deliver vastly different answers. I bet you find the more important question was the first as it fully allows the space for respondent to download whatever they feel is important for the situation.

Now let’s bring it back to hair, when I

conduct a consultation, I simply start with “Tell me about your hair”. What I have found is that the majority of people will to proceed to list (in order of their priority) what matters most to them about their hair. Most often I hear “My hair is dry, frizzy, heavy, dull” (Most of which are solved with a treatment and at home hair care - Pro tip, this is when you should be recommending these things as it will solve their number one concern.) then they will proceed to explain that they just need a “trim” of he ends, some softness around the face and some weight taken out etc. What I simply do from there is unpack and digest each of their concerns in the order that they relayed them, I clarify I understood them by paraphrasing and repeating it back and then stop talking.

See what I did, I asked a human being a broad question about their hair, actively listened, addressed each of their points, paraphrased and repeated it back to them for clarity. Simple right, some who know me will laugh but I have learnt to say less and listen more.

Keep an eye out for the next edition of hair biz where I will share my biggest tips for consultation including Language, Facial Features vs Face Shape, technology and how to un pack photos.

If you want to chat more about this or enquire about consultation education catch me at @prettyvac_nt

Peace x

Shaping a Sustainable Future. How the Salon Industry Can Lead the Circular Economy.

By Paul Frasca

As a Founder of Sustainable Salons, I’ve witnessed first hand the transformative power of collective action within the salon industry.

Today, I want to delve into a pressing issue: salon waste and how our industry can pivot towards a circular economy, all while championing sustainability and community impact.

Embracing Salon Waste

Salons, bustling hubs of creativity and style, also generate significant waste. The accumulation of discarded materials, from plastic product containers to foil and hair clippings, poses environmental challenges.

But here’s the thing: what if we viewed this waste not as a problem but as a potential resource?

At Sustainable Salons, we’re reshaping the narrative around salon waste. Our

program isn’t just about recycling; it’s about closing the loop and giving materials a new lease on life. Take our latest innovation, the Sustainable Salons Comb, for example; it is crafted using recycled plastics sourced from our members. It’s not just a styling tool; it’s a symbol of our commitment to circularity.

Partnerships for a Circular Future

But our journey doesn’t stop there. We’re fostering partnerships with like-minded organisations, like Defy Design, to push the boundaries of sustainable design and manufacturing. Together, we’re turning plastics into valuable products and exploring innovative ways to repurpose salon waste. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration in driving systemic change.

Educating and Inspiring Action

Our mission extends beyond recycling bins and product design. We’re educators, empowering salon owners and stylists to embrace sustainability in their businesses and daily practices. Through knowledge and resources, we’re equipping our community with the tools to minimise their own waste and maximise their positive impact on the planet.

Sustainable Salons member Chantelle Cowcher, owner of Telleish Hair Studio in South Melbourne, takes pride in being a Sustainable Salon. They understand the impact they are contributing to and the benefits for future generations.

“Sustainability matters to us as a collective at Telleish because we only have one planet; we are just renting it; let’s leave it for our kids and grandkids in a better way than we found it.” Chantelle Cowcher, Owner of Telleish Hair Studio in South Melbourne.

Lead with Sustainability

So, where do we go from here? It starts with each salon owner, stylist, and client recognising their role in the circular economy journey. Whether choosing eco-friendly products, implementing waste-reduction and resource recovery strategies like the Sustainable Salons Program, or supporting initiatives like Sustainable Salons, every action counts.

Join Us in Making a Difference

Together, we can redefine the salon industry’s relationship with waste. Let’s transform challenges into opportunities, fostering a future where sustainability isn’t just a buzzword but a reality.

Are you ready to join us towards a brighter, more sustainable future? Together, we can make every salon experience sustainable.

For more information go to www.sustainablesalons.org/for-salons

2024 AHIA Business Awards are OPEN FOR ENTRY now!

Product Entry Deadline 3rd June 2024

Entry Deadline 22nd July 2024

Finalists Announced 2nd September 2024

Awards

Gala Night 21st October 2024

The Star. Gold Coast.

s s

brought to you by mocha group

www.mochagroup.com.au

HAIR SHOP

BLONDME CLAY LIGHTENER BY SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL

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Curl Jam: Leaves hair feeling hydrated and soft without heaviness. A gel that enhances natural curls and coils with light hold, reawakening the hair’s bounce while improving its manageability. www.schwarzkopf-professional.com/au/en.html

NEW FROM M&U IMPORTS

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The Pro One Evonic power to weight ratio is incredible, don’t risk injury with an old school dryer, the time for change is now!

Contact M&U Imports for details

THE NEW AIRSHOT PRO BY

CLOUD NINE is proud to announce its latest innovation – the new Airshot Pro – a quieter, lighter and mightier new hairdryer to help Aussies achieve the salon look at home. Built with features that make the tool healthier on hair, easier to use, and even more effective, prepare to be blown away by the revolutionary technology that will make blow-drying a breeze.

CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR OF SALON STOOLS BY COMFORTEL

With its clean contours, this comfy, cushioned Salon Stool is a salon favourite. Perfectly balanced, the round curved and padded seat gives this salon cutting stool an element of relaxed cool, while being super, super comfy and easy to sit on. The salon saviour? This stool features large hair free wheels for easy rolling (and cleaning!)

Available in a range of colours and bases from Comfortel Salon Furniture. www.comfortel.com.au

MARLEY RECEPTION DESK BY COMFORTEL

Designed in-house by the talented Comfortel team, the Marley Reception desk fuses a cool, curved aesthetic with functional design features. Introducing arched shapes for a clean and contemporary decorative detail front, the gloss cream pink finish completes the look. With ample storage space including cupboard with movable shelves, cash drawer shelf and front privacy panel, it’s perfect for keeping essentials at hand. The extra bonus, its compact size makes it the ideal salon front counter for smaller spaces.

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DYSON SUPERSONIC®™ HAIR DRYER

Dyson’s lightest, smallest, and most precise styling tool. The Dyson Supersonic®™ professional hair dryer is 30% smaller, 20% lighter, and more manoeuvrabledelivering fast drying, smoother, frizz free and shinier results. The Dyson Supersonic®™ Hair Dryer is available to purchase exclusively by professional stylists across ANZ in June 2024. www.dyson.com.au/products/hair-care/ professionals/supersonic-r/sign-up

NEW RANGE BY PURE ELEMENTS ORGANICS

Pure Elements Organics Chia Seed Nourishing Shampoo: This gentle shampoo nourishes damaged and porous hair. Pure Elements Organics is Cosmos Organic Certified by ECOCERT GREENLIFE.

Pure Elements Organics Aloe Smoothing Nectar: The perfect antidote for unruly hair, this smoothing nectar not only sounds delicious, but it’s an exceptional natural styling lotion for smoothing and straightening untamed tresses. Pure Elements Organics is Cosmos Organic Certified by ECOCERT GREENLIFE. Pure Element Organics Coconut Curl Texturiser: Take the tangles out of curly hair and enjoy defined, softened curls with this certified organic Aqua-gel curl enhancer.

Pure Elements Organics is Cosmos Organic Certified by ECOCERT GREENLIFE.

Pure Elements Organics Camellia Taming Gloss: Inject your hair with an infusion of light botanical oils to deliver shine, tame frizz and enhance curls with this luxurious new taming gloss. Pure Elements Organics is Cosmos Organic Certified by ECOCERT GREENLIFE. www.smithscollectivebrands.com.au

THE BOSS DIGI FORCE BY EVY PROFESSIONAL

The new EVY PROFESSIONAL BOSS DigiForce DIGITAL HAIR DRYER is set elevate your hair game with effortless styling through super powerful, lightweight and hydrating technology. Think of it as your blowdry commander with triple core benefits. Driven by 2650 watts of super-charged power and new digital technology this is the strongest dryer in Australia. The smoother motor offers a more effective experience making it an eco-friendly solution both at home and in the salon. Created at a super lightweight 390 grams it is the easiest tool to manage, whether an experienced stylist or novice client. Comfortable to hold and work with and with in-built vibration reduction, it reduces strain making it a pleasure to use. Featuring patented EVY Mineral Infused Technology, the BOSS locks in inner hydration for faster drying and styling. Infused with an extraordinary blend of 32 Japanese sourced minerals which generate negative ions and far infrared energy, micronising water into fine particles that penetrate hair leaving it healthy, shiny and looking lustrous. As with every EVY PROFESSIONAL product quality and sustainability is at the forefront ofevery detail. 100% Italian made (including parts) and non-toxic paints, as well as a quality ceramic grill and maximum durability for longer life, it’s a sound investment for any creative thanks to the2 year warranty. The BOSS DigiForce also comes with two nozzles for maximum styling flexibility as well as a diffuser, plus an extra-long 3 metre cord.

Available in Graphite Stone and Pearl White www.evyprofessional.com

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The Consistent Beauty of a One-Day System to Slay Your 2024 Marketing

By Digital Health Co.

Running a hair salon often equals “organised” chaos. As the owner, your role isn’t just about keeping your salon afloat; it’s also taking on roles like a hairdresser, accountant, and social media guru, on top of an already overflowing beauty tray.

Let’s face it, marketing is the one thing that ends up at the bottom of your endless to-do list. It’s rushed, feels like a tedious chore, and sometimes you wonder if your Instagram posts are even reaching beyond the salon walls. We understand – your time is as precious as a bottle of retinoid, and marketing isn’t always a priority. But guess what? neglecting your marketing isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s costing you more than you might realise including time and potential clients.

The reality is that you could turn things around in just one day, thanks to systems. Yes, this article isn’t about diving into another Instagram growth hack. No, we’re talking about a one-day system that can transform your marketing strategy into a seamless process.

The Beauty of a One-Day System in Marketing

The absence of a systematic approach to marketing often leads to challenges, leaving you feeling overwhelmed. Without a system, the daunting prospect of not knowing what to post on social media becomes a recurring nightmare. Consistency slips through the cracks as your sporadic efforts fail to cultivate a thriving online presence. The reality is that without a structured system, each post feels like you occasionally slapping hair oil once a while and waiting for it to heal dry ends.

Trust us when we say, we understand your salon leaves little room to meticulously curate, write, and design your content. But maintaining this “we’ll see” approach in 2024 isn’t gonna cut it anymore because it will make you waste more time than ever before and let potential clients slip away. This is why, now more than ever, you need to slay your marketing in one day. By streamlining your marketing efforts into a single, efficient day, a ‘One Day to Slay’ system reclaims your time, nurtures consistency, and ensures your business doesn’t miss a beat in the beauty industry.

The Domino Effect of Consistency and Long-Term Strategy

Consistency in marketing is like laying a series of dominos – small, deliberate actions that, when aligned over time, create a powerful cumulative impact. Consistent messaging reinforces your beauty and aesthetic salon in the minds of potential clients. Just like seeing a familiar face regularly makes it easier to recognise, repeated exposure to your marketing materials establishes recognition. This repetition builds familiarity and trust, making your business a reliable presence in

the eyes of your audience. The reality is that trust doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a gradual process. Consistency in your marketing efforts signal’s reliability. By posting on your social media, adding a blog to your website every month, and sending a weekly newsletter, you provide regular, cohesive, and consistent updates to your client. It makes your business look active and dependable. Over time, this builds trust, a crucial factor for potential clients to choose your services over others.

Take the Google algorithm. Consistent content creation on your website and updates to your Google business page signal the software that your business is once again, active and pertinent. This consistency attracts the algorithm’s attention, positively influencing your website’s ranking in search results. It’s a domino effect – regular updates can lead to improved visibility and, consequently, more potential clients finding your business online.

Consistency positions your business as an authority in the hair and beauty industry. Just as repeated exposure to a product convinces consumers of its efficacy, frequent and reliable communication through consistent marketing reinforces your expertise. This positioning helps your audience see your business as the go-to source for their hair needs.

In short, while consistent marketing may not yield immediate results, it sets the stage for long-term success. Just as tending to damaged hair requires consistency to heal, nurturing a consistent client base through marketing efforts ensures sustained revenue. Understanding the domino effect of consistency in marketing is not just about short-term gains; it’s a strategic investment for long-term business prosperity. And guess what, you can create this cumulative effect in one day, with the right system.

The One System You Need: One Day to Slay

‘One Day to Slay’ is a system enabling beauty and aesthetic business owners like you to plan their marketing strategy for the next three months in just a single day. Yes. 3 months of content made in a single day. And the best part? You don’t have to waste hours finding the right idea or writing to make marketing generation seamless.

The ‘One Day to Slay’ system makes this possible by providing a structured process. The key is starting with the bigger picture – mapping out what you want the next quarter to look like. This system simplifies the process further by breaking down your overarching theme into practical content ideas. It ensures that your content aligns with your business goals and resonates with your audience. Additionally, the strategy

encourages efficiency by showing you how to repurpose one core idea into multiple content forms. With ‘One Day to Slay,’ you’re not just streamlining your marketing; you’re setting the stage for consistent, effective, and timesaving beauty business promotion.

Step 1: Define Your Quarter’s Big Goal

Shifting your mindset from monthly to quarterly planning in marketing is not just a shift in perspective; it’s a strategic move that brings clarity and purpose to your salon. When you operate on a quarterly basis, thinking in three-month blocks, you gain a broader view of your marketing landscape. This extended timeframe allows you to craft a cohesive messaging and promote your offers more effectively.

First, start by considering the upcoming holidays and events in the next quarter. Holidays are golden opportunities to narrow your promotions and offers according to your client’s needs. For example, you might find husbands actively looking to treat their wives over Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, and your marketing during that quarter should include promotional messages targeting the men. In short, mapping out your marketing activities around these occasions ensures that your strategies align with the seasons, capturing the attention and interest of your clientele at the right time.

In essence, the shift to quarterly planning allows you to navigate the hair marketing landscape with precision and purpose. By outlining holidays, promotions, your ideal buyer, and your business goal, you create ‘themes’ and a quarterly map that will cohesively drive your marketing forward with ease.

Step 2: Create a Short List of Ideas and Break Them Down

The next step in your ‘One Day to Slay’ system implementation is to use your quarterly map and the theme you have set to narrow down a list of content ideas. If your theme is Valentine’s Day, for example, your list of content ideas could include a dry brush treatment promotion or the benefits of a new dry brush technique your wife will love.

Overall, having a theme will help you narrow down your offer and promote it more effectively. Once you have your theme, brainstorm a shortlist of five to 10 ideas related to it. Break down each idea, considering how it relates to the theme and why it’s relevant for your client.

Now, create SMART goals, for each idea. Instead of a generic goal like ‘increase sales,’ make it specific, like ‘increase dry brush bookings by 20% in the next two months.’ Ensure your goals are measurable, achievable, relevant to your theme, and have a clear timeframe for implementation. This methodical approach not only streamlines your marketing but also sets tangible targets. It keeps your efforts focused, ensuring that each idea contributes meaningfully to your marketing and business.

Step 3: Repurpose One Idea into Multiple Pieces of Content

Now that you have your quarterly marketing mapped out in more depth, it’s time to make things a little more strategic. Social platforms like Instagram would have you believe that you should create fresh new content every single time to stay relevant. But this approach is not only unsustainable, it is downright impossible for busy salon owners like you. But you know what is sustainable and beneficial for your business? Breaking one idea into multiple pieces of content.

This approach not only ensures consistency but also reinforces your messaging. The thing is, it’s time to recognise that your clients will have diverse preferences in how they access and consume marketing information. So, while it’s important to have a blog, a social media account, and a newsletter, it’s also essential to repurpose your content instead of creating something unique for each.

Let’s say one of your ideas is to share how to manage breakage while dry brushing at home. You can craft a long-form, in-depth blog about it with multiple subsections for your website, then break down everything you’ve already written into bite-sized pieces for social media. Then, take it a step further by using the same content and summarising key points for your newsletter.

This approach not only saves time but also ensures that your messaging remains consistent across different platforms. Sure, it may feel like you’re repeating yourself, but it’s essential to understand that people consume information in various ways. Some prefer in-depth reads, while others lean towards quick, visual content on social media. By repurposing one idea into multiple formats, you cater to these diverse preferences, make the most of your creative effort, and increase the chances of your message resonating with a broader audience.

The ‘One Day to Slay’ System: Access Our Free Masterclass

It’s time to rely on systems to slay your marketing in 2024. By creating cohesiveness and consistency, systems like ‘One Day to Slay’ will ensure you no longer lose time, waste energy, and trigger a breakout over marketing. Start with the three steps we shared and when you’re ready to slay your marketing for the quarter, sign up for our free masterclass to unlock the full potential of this system.

In the ‘One Day to Slay’ masterclass, you’ll not only understand the nuts and bolts of the system but also uncover additional benefits that can elevate and streamline your marketing game even more. We’ll guide you through practical steps, demonstrating how to implement the system seamlessly in your hair salon.

What’s in it for you? First and foremost, a more efficient and cohesive marketing strategy. You’ll learn how to plan your promotions strategically, create content that resonates with your audience, and maximise the impact of your marketing efforts. The workshop is designed to provide actionable insights that you can implement immediately, yielding tangible results for your hair and beauty business. Don’t miss out on this chance to take your marketing to the next level. Click the link below to sign up for the “One Day to Slay” free masterclass.

Unlock the full potential of ‘One Day to Slay’ https://digitalhealthco.com.au/slay/

3 Skills Successful Salon Owners Have Mastered. And You Can Too!

By Dwight Hodge

The fact that other salon owners have been hugely successful in creating significant profits and, more importantly, having the freedom to live the life they choose means you can too. Those who have gone before you have left clues and a path to follow, and here are 3 skills all successful salon owners have mastered.

Following in their footsteps and developing your skills in these three areas will add 10s, if not 100s, of thousands of dollars to your bottom line.

Leadership Confidence.

Constantly experiencing Leadership anxiety is a fast track to business failure. Unfortunately, you get stuck in your head, continually worrying about what might go wrong, thinking about what you should have done and second-guessing every decision you’ve made or failed to make. When you’re stuck in your head, you’re imprisoned in old ways of thinking and doing without the keys to unlock new perspectives, opportunities or the solutions to old problems that are holding you back. Leadership confidence is not about having all the answers. It’s about taking steps to develop your leadership capabilities. I know what you’re thinking: that’s great, but how do I flip feeling’ leadership anxiety’ to living with ‘leadership confidence’? It all starts with you!

You need the right mindset. That’s not to say you don’t already have it; for some, it’s a matter of fine-tuning. When you have the right mindset, your perspective shifts. You see challenges, not problems. You find solutions, not roadblocks, and focus on what can be done instead of what can’t. You lead confidently, communicate effectively, and create a strong team culture where you all come together as one and achieve success.

Know Your Numbers

WOW! Talk about overwhelming. Not only do many salon owners fear the numbers, but they dread the thought of even looking at them. And let’s be honest: when you don’t understand the numbers, do you feel smart, in control and like you know what you’re doing as a business owner? NO WAY! Adding up the daily take is enough to send some salon owners bonkers. For others, it’s P&Ls, bank statements, bookkeeping, payroll, targets, hourly sales targets, bonuses, tax, superannuation, and the list is never-ending...

You don’t need to know, understand, or memorise every number in your business. However, you need to understand the critical numbers that give you a snapshot of how your business and team are tracking. They are the three to five key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to your business. KPIs are like the dashboard of your car. I don’t know

how the engine in my car works. However, my dashboard lets me see the car is running well. I take my car to a mechanic if the engine warning light comes on. It’s the same with your business; instead of a mechanic, you have a bookkeeper, accountant, mentors and maybe a coach. You can look at general industry benchmarks, yet every business is unique, and you should calculate what is right for your salon to maximise efficiency and profit.

Business Success

Most salon businesses fall into one of two categories when they fail to grow.

1. Low or no client growth. Your regular clients love you and always come back. Yet attracting new clients is a real struggle. You want a flood or a constant flow, but you barely have a trick. Not only has your client growth stagnated, but so has the drive of your team and your ability to lead and motivate them.

2. You’re too busy and overwhelmed to move forward. I know it sounds ridiculous, but how can you be too busy to grow? Well, salon owners can get caught on the hamster wheel of life. You get busy being busy. Your hamster wheel is spinning at a rate of knots, but you’re getting nowhere.

When you’re stuck, urgent tasks after urgent tasks keep getting thrown at you. Your to-do list is ever-increasing, and you can’t see a way out.

When you’re that busy, everything else falls apart, not to mention the important tasks and responsibilities you should attend to as a salon owner. Stepping back and prioritising time for important tasks allows you the time and space to create the business you’ve always wanted and deserve. The important work leads to a more robust culture, more effective team members and the ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities to them.

Giving you freedom while you work less and achieve greater profits.

With ‘Leadership Confidence’ and ‘Knowing Your Numbers’, you’ll elevate your team’s performance and achieve ‘Business Success’. You’ll have the right mindset and perspective to lead your team and navigate your business to success. With leadership confidence comes empowering and effective communication. You will feel heard and listened to and empower and motivate your team to be accountable, effective and engaged with their growth and development. Knowing your numbers isn’t about memorising or understanding every number. It’s about knowing the right numbers to focus on and monitor to grow your team and business.

Mastering these 3 skills and creating clear goals and simple strategies to achieve them, coupled with effective feedback and accountability conversations, means you will develop a strong culture, an engaged team, and a thriving business. Now it’s time to take ACTION!

Dwight Hodge is an experienced leadership coach and mentor. His career spans over two decades as a business owner, company director and coach. He founded The Creative Leader, a leadership coaching practice that assists salon owners in propelling their leadership capabilities and business to the next level. Dwight is a salon owner, a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), holds qualifications in Business and Personal Coaching, is a Master Coach of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from the Victorian Collage of the Arts (VCA)

dwight@dwighthodge.com

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Secrets of Million-Dollar Salon Owners.

By Kym Krey

Over the years I’ve worked with some seriously kick-ass salon owners helping them scale their businesses up over the $1,000,000 turnover mark and beyond and this has always been one of the most fun elements of my business.

And as I worked closely with these dynamos, whilst also working with salon owners of smaller businesses who we’re dreaming of that milestone but struggling to achieve it, some very clear differences became obvious to me. I noticed that there were very stark differences in how these 2 categories of business owners thought, how they responded to challenges and made decisions, and ultimately, in the beliefs they held about their business, the industry and employees in general, which I could see contributing significantly to the difference in their turnover, profit and lifestyle.

These two groups had wildly different experiences as business owners and employers. Although they faced the same challenges, they responded to them quite differently and so had very different outcomes.

Let me take you behind-the-scenes of what I see to help you master the mindsets and habits of highly successful salon owners, so that you can become one too!

Problematic staff:

The most dramatic difference and the one I probably see most often is how employers respond to someone on their team who has become highly problematic- even damagingdespite endless conversations to try to remedy the issues and turn the behaviour around.

The struggling salon owner is usually adamant that there’s nothing they can do. There are no staff out there, they cannot afford to lose this

one, so they have no choice but to put up with whatever drama and chaos they bring. They are powerless. A victim of an unfair situation.

The million-dollar-salon owner has already made up their mind. They know the situation has become dangerous and, whilst they’d have liked to see a different outcome, they are already making plans to move the problem person on, protect their business and re-build their team culture. Yes, it’s going to result in a few weeks or months of being short-staffed, of having to re-jig rosters and reschedule client appointments, but the choice between long-term damage to their business and short-term inconvenience is a no-brainer. They’ve got to go!

In fairness, to understand the importance of this decision, they’ve likely learned a painful lesson somewhere along the way- having avoided this decision in the past and lost several key staff in the process who resigned because they just didn’t want to work with such a negative team member anymore. Ouch!

Onboarding & Induction:

This area shows another stark difference due to the time required to give the new employee the thorough download of all the values, explanations, how-to’s, this-is-how-wedo-it-here and rules-of-the-game required for them to slot straight in and become a productive team member.

The struggling salon owner says “I’ll get to that later. I’m too busy. I’ll just explain as we go” . The inevitable result? That salon owner

complaining months down the track that the new stylist isn’t performing and is nowhere near the level that they portrayed in their interview. They feel misled.

The million-dollar-salon owner isn’t going to let that new team member anywhere near their precious clients until they’re confident that they’re equipped to deliver their signature salon experience, every client, every time. They don’t care which salon they’ve come from or how long they’ve been in the industry, they’ve worked hard to build their salon’s reputation and aren’t about to damage it now through a less-than-ideal experience with a newbie.

They’ll reschedule, juggle, and do whatever needs to be done to prioritise the hours needed to onboard them properly. They have very clear expectations of this new team member, and the standards are high- so they understand that they must, in fairness, give their newbie the best possible chance of being the absolute superstar the business needs. They are literally building a champion.

I also see systemisation starting to form in their onboarding processes. They create an induction program once and use it again and again, each time they welcome someone new. They even create short videos to form a library of mini tutorials on how to do everything from work the washing machine to present a client’s refreshment tray or answer the phone. Then they forward links to these videos, a few at a time, to the newbie over their first few days (or even before they start so they hit the ground running!), marking off a checklist of topics to ensure everything has been covered.

Continual Coaching Routine:

Closely tied to the previous topic is the ongoing commitment of prioritising time regularly with each team member to discuss progress, celebrate wins, identify performance or skills gaps, and create plans for progression.

The struggling salon owner says, “It’s hard for me. I have staff starting at different times so I can’t talk to them all at once. I’m the busiest person in the salon so I can’t cross out time to sit and talk! That would cost me a fortune”.

(Hint: not as much as an underperforming employee!)

Or they’re hit-and miss with these conversations, trying to squeeze them in while colours are processing- and cutting the conversation short when they have to leave to rinse, or cancelling the meeting because they took a last-minute client appointment, leaving the staff member feeling un-prioritised and under-valued.

The million-dollar-salon owner has their eye on the prize- and that prize is the freedom to have time away from their business and have it still operate profitably in their absence, or not having to work 40+ hours on the floor every week (with aching joints and muscles) just to pay the bills. They understand that by the time they have around 7-8 staff, their role needs to shift away from ‘hands-on-hairdresser’ to ‘team builder’ and ‘people developer’ so their weekly one-on-ones, monthly reviews and full performance reviews are already recurred in their booking schedule months ahead, so they never struggle to fit them into a booked out appointment schedule.

The struggling salon owner sees themselves as the source of their income whereas the million-dollar salon owner knows that they’ll make far more if they can get each member of their team firing – it’s literally duplicating themselves and their ability to earn.

This Results-through-others mindset is key if you want to scale. The most important skills that you’ll need (and the one I see most lacking in business owners) is the ability to achieve results through others.

Employee Beliefs:

The struggling salon owner believes ‘There are no decent staff out there. None of them want to work. They all just demand ludicrous hourly rates but can’t make a target to cover them. The industry is in bad shape. It’s happening everywhere.’

The million-dollar-salon owner believes ‘There are good people around but they’re never going to do it on their own, without my help. They’ll be a product of my culture, my expectations and accountability routines, and my ability to develop them. I’m very clear on the raw ingredients (attitudes and behavioural traits) I’m looking for and I know how to take it from there”.

[And I’m going to add in here: Their coaching routines mean that if someone isn’t performing

or progressing to expectations, they’ll pick it up quickly, address it and give them team member the opportunity to turn it around, but if they choose not to, they’re not afraid to set them free and try again. Underperformance is never allowed to become normal. That’s not how they roll!]

Money Management:

We’ve all experienced the struggle of tight cash flow in our early years, right? That rollercoaster of “Woohoo, big week. I have money!” .. and “OMG how am I ever going to find $8,000 to pay that stock bill by next Friday?” but this is again where I see a stark difference in habits between successful and less-successful business owners.

Most of us start with next to nothing in terms of back-up cash and are running on the smell of an oily rag for the first couple of years, but if you’re still doing that after 5 years, we need to look more closely at why.

If you know that BAS is due every quarter and you’ll need to pay staff superannuation around the same time as well, it’s no surprise. So why are you continually getting caught short? Because you’re sticking your head in the sand for 12 weeks and then stressing out for the 13th when the bill arrives!

The struggling salon owner scrapes the money together (or puts it on credit card) to pay what’s due and then doesn’t want to think about it again for a while, which means they’re completely unprepared again when the next instalment is due.

The million-dollar-salon owner thinks “I’m never going to be caught out like that again!” so they immediately start putting money aside each week (even when it’s tight) so the money is easily available when due.

This habit of putting money aside for different purposes serves them well. Once they’re on top of immediate liabilities like tax and super, they start to save for staff holiday pay, sick leave, and long service entitlements, so that money is also sitting there when needed, and then for big staff education opportunities

(Sassoon course in London anyone?), their own holidays and sometimes even an investment property. You have a different feeling starting out a busy week when you know your efforts are not only paying you well but also paying off assets to build your investment portfolio which gives you an ongoing income long after you’ve exited this business.

In summary, the people I speak to who have built million-dollar businesses know there will be challenges but aren’t prepared to be stopped by them and refuse to believe that they are powerless in any situation. Rather than getting bogged down by thinking “it’s hard” , or “It’s not fair” , they will immediately look for ways to overcome the issue. Instead of “I can’t” , it’s “How can I?” or “What would that take?”

Same industry. Same economy. Same employment market. Very different outcomes and bank accounts!

To summarise, there is no truer statement than to build a million-dollar business, you must become the level of person who can build a million-dollar business. You must think like a million-dollar business owner. You must choose your beliefs wisely. What’s the point of believing that you can’t make money in the hairdressing industry anymore when you OWN a business in the hairdressing industry? That makes no sense, and it certainly won’t make you successful!

By the way, you most certainly CAN make money in the hairdressing industry and to all of those who’ve done it, I’m standing and applauding, because I know what that takes to achieve.

Kym Krey is a highly experienced and trusted salon industry business coach and leadership mentor. She’s been where you are and has the runs on the board to help you get real results. If you’re ready to turn your business around, become a better leader, take that next big leap, or scale to a million-dollar turnover and beyond, get in touch: kym@kymkrey.com.au; @kymkrey or www.kymkrey.com.au

The Fundamentals Are NOT Sexy!

By Jay Chapman

This is your opportunity to have complete clarity on where the $$$$ is hiding in your business, and you might be surprised with the answers.

In order to build a house, you need a frame, a roof, fittings, and fixtures. Although I am far from be-ing a builder, I do know that if you don’t have solid foundations, all you need a gusty wind and it’s all over! (I would look great in tradie gear)

Having my nose in a 100’s of salons and clinics allows me to see trends that all successful busi-nesses have in common. I refer to the 5 areas’ below because time after time I find myself coming back to these ‘foundations’ that need to be nailed in order to thrive.

that you set. Otherwise, they simply won’t remember!

ultimately the business.

Numbers: Firstly, we need to talk about the numbers. Yes, I know! Here I am again banging on about knowing your numbers. How I like to explain this to my clients is that you need to imagine you are at a football game and you are trying to keep score without a scoreboard. Sure, by the end of the game it can be quite obvious who the overall winner is, but if you were to try to replicate that success again without knowing the recipe of how you got there, you would be using guesswork.

Knowing your KPI’s and sharing them with the team is not set aside for the advanced entrepreneurs in our industry, this is a business basic that allows you to make smart informed decisions based on facts, not guesswork.

One on one meetings: Once you have complete clarity on your numbers you need to communi-cate your vision with the team. Whether you have 4 or 14 on team, you need to be having Weekly, consistent 15-minute meetings with everyone on your team. This is so important that if you cannot commit to doing this, I will not work with you as your business mentor.

Communication is the response you get, and if you are not growing in business you have to ask yourself, “could my communication and leadership the better?” Always start with you.

Think of it like this, if I was to ask you what you had for breakfast one week ago from now, there’s a chance that if you dug deep enough you could remember, right? But if I was to ask you what you had for breakfast last month your chance of remembering is next to zero! So, let’s get one thing abundantly clear, monthly GROUP team meetings is simply not going to cut it!

Sure, still have your Group team meetings to set the goals for the next four weeks, but you also need to beat meeting with each team member one on one every week to checking to see how they are going with the focus

You need to make your communication specific to the person that you are meeting with and focus on the areas that are relevant to them.

Default Diary: When you think about how you organise your appointment book, it’s quite often planned and scheduled within an inch of its life. But when it comes to working on our business and also having time off, the structure, consistency and accountability all goes out the window. If you wouldn’t run your client diary like this, why on earth would you not give your business and yourself the same level of respect? It just doesn’t make sense, does it?!

The first thing you need to do is group all your business activities together, so you are aware of the actions that you need to take to keep your business thriving. The second step is to book them into your Smart phone calendar on repeat, same time, same place, every single week.

Lastly, but certainly not least! Is making sure that you have read sources that allow you to re-chargeable batteries. Yes! Booked these in your diary, because how are you meant to give 100% of yourself to your family, friends, client send team when you haven’t exercised self-care?

It could be as a simple as a morning ritual, going to yoga 3 times a week or even taking your dog to the dog park, whatever fuels your soul.

Retail: When I look after a beauty salon or clinic and then retail figures are healthy, by default I of-ten find that client retention and spend is also healthy. You see, when you solve your clients’ prob-lems not just in the salon but also at home, that’s when the real results show.

It’s just fact, the therapists with exceptional retail figures perform better quality consultations that a more in depth and return better results for them, their clients and

There’s a gap between what we deliver and what the client expectations are, the ultimate service that you can provide for your client is to not only fill that gap, to exceed their expectations by show-ing them what is possible. Retail is largely the solution. Period.

Four hours on growth: We all want growth in our business in some way, shape or form. Whether that is a larger team, more profit or even to have more balance in your work life. These things don’t magically appear all get a lifted and dropped into your lap! The truth is you need to work on the growth of your business for a minimum of four hours every single week.

Like the old saying ‘you have to be in it to win it’ the same goes with the growth of your business. If you’re not focusing on your next steps and the actions that will take you to where you want to go you will simply stay the same.

Don’t get caught in the trap of working on the business and just completing admin tasks, you need to be working on marketing, systems, team motivation and incentives, perfecting the client experi-ence and breaking down your numbers. All the things that I just mentioned inch you closer to growth.

If what you’re working on today for your business doesn’t make you or your team smarter, faster, or happier, it’s probably an admin task and not contributing to your overall growth.

Have you heard all this before? yes, probably…. But the real question here is are you absolutely nailing these core fundamentals? If you can’t give me a very confident yes, then my advice is sim-ple. GET BUSY.

Jay Chapman is a senior Coach at The ZING Project. For more industry wisdom and a good dose of honesty, email jay@zingcoach.com.au or visit www.thezingproject.com.au

Rent Negotiations: Tips For Getting The Best Deal!

By Kelly Cunningham

“Wont the Landlord propose the market rent? Landlords are always looking for growth on their assets, so their ideal position is nearly always an increase …”

Rent on Commercial Leases. How much should I pay? As a regular part of the work we do, at Your Leasing Co, in representing Tenants in their commercial leasing matters and in getting to know our clients, one of the most common questions we are asked is “How much rent should I be paying”?

Rent is one of the most important things to negotiate in any commercial Lease and so it is important that you understand all of the elements and considerations that make up a fair rent negotiation, to ensure you are doing the best by your business and maximising your profit.

What is market rent?

A market rent is defined by what the tenancy would be worth if it was vacant. If your tenancy was unimproved and available to the market, what would the Landlord be seeking in rent from a new Tenant? Once you know this, you know the market rent.

Next question then is … how do I find out what that is?

There are a number of ways to establish this, but the best way is to compare your premises to others that are available on the market today and see what they are renting for or find out about recent deals done in your area. We can help with this!

Once I know this, does my Landlord, then have to agree to this?

No, the Landlord is allowed to make their own determinations when it comes to the rent for their property, but it is certainly helpful in your negotiations to be able to provide some comparables to the Landlord to show why you think your rent should be at a certain level.

Remember, the market rent is what your tenancy would be worth, if it was unimproved and available to the market. Your existing tenancy is neither of those things exactly, as it is fitted out (so not “unimproved”) and is occupied by you, an existing business (not “available to the market”), so the market rent is really just an indicator to get you started.

You will then need to work out what kind of premium on top of the market rent, is fair, to compensate for the fitted out premises and existing business elements.

Wont the Landlord propose the market rent?

The Landlord will propose a rent which will generally be an increase on your existing rent. This may or may not have a relationship to the market rent indicators. Landlords are always looking for growth on their assets, so their ideal position is nearly always an increase.

Remember, the rent you are paying now is only the rent, because you agreed to an amount 5 years ago, when you entered the Lease and that amount has increased annually by 3,4 or 5% or CPI, to bring the rent to what it is today. The rent today is based on a calculation determined 5 years ago, not what is going on in the market today.

Often, these two numbers are very different. KEY TIP: USE THE MARKET RENT AS YOUR STARTING POINT FOR A NEGOTIATION, NOT THE LANDLORDS ASKING RENT.

Tenants often make the mistake of negotiating their position from the Landlords asking rent, rather than the market rent indicators, meaning that if they save $10,000 on the Landlords asking rent, they feel really pleased with the outcome, but what if the market rent is $30,000 less?

What is percentage rent or turnover rent?

Percentage Rent or Turnover Rent is most often seen in shopping centre leases. This is where the Landlord gains access to your sales figures and then at the end of the year, calculates whether you should pay them more rent based on your sales.

If you are paying a fair market rental, then have a percentage rent provision in your Lease as well, this may mean that if you perform well, you are penalised by the Landlord and will end up paying more than what is fair for the actual real estate.

Percentage rent is a great tool, however, if you are unsure of how the business will perform. It means that the amount of rent you pay is tied directly to the business performance. If sales are low, then so is the rent, however, if sales are high, then the rent can be too. It is

important to just work out a percentage that you think is fair.

KEY TIP: KEEP THE PERCENTAGE LOW, SO THAT THE THRESHOLD FOR PAYING “PERCENTAGE RENT” KICKING IN, IS HIGHER THAN THE MAXIMUM SALES YOU THINK YOU COULD ACHIEVE IN ANY ONE YEAR.

What is gross rent?

Gross rent is when the rental payments you make to the Landlord include the common outgoings for the property. Most leases include an element of net rent (profit centre for the Landlord) and then a contribution to the common property outgoings, for things like common cleaning, security, council rates, insurance etc (a direct recovery of actual costs). These operating costs can go up and down quite dramatically and if your Lease is a NET Lease, with rent and outgoings calculated separately, rather than a GROSS Lease, then you will pay your outgoings contribution to the Landlord annually and this will move up and down, as expenses move up and down.

If you have a GROSS Lease with gross rent payable, then you will pay a fixed amount per month and this will just increase annually by an agreed rent review amount, often 3,4 or 5% and this will happen, irrespective of the changes to the costs involved in operating the property.

KEY TIP: OPT FOR A GROSS LEASE WHERE POSSIBLE

If you have any questions about negotiating the best outcome for your next Lease, please call us for a free, no obligation conversation on 1300 356 702.

By David Watts

In the hair industry higher profits aren’t just a numbers game, it is the key to unlocking the doors to personal freedom, business longevity, and a simpler, more fulfilling life.

Unfortunately, what I see a lot is misdiagnosis when it comes to business challenges. Success doesn’t come from knowing your numbers, it’s about understanding the story they tell so you can stop leaving money on the table.

If your business decisions seem to be draining your bank account instead of filling it, there might be undiagnosed issues at play. When you start uncovering opportunities that can boost your bottom line the magic starts to happen.

When profits are optimised, navigating the complexities of salonpreneurship becomes more straightforward and less stressful.

The journey to greater profits in your salon begins with recognising and rectifying the common misdiagnoses, accepting that understanding your numbers is a superpower you need to develop, and making business decisions that fuel growth, not hinder it.

The true power of profit:

It is not just about financial gain; profit is the bridge to personal freedom. When your business is truly profitable, it becomes the vehicle for the life you desire, not a source of stress.

Financial freedom offers the ability to build a life that resonates with your personal values and dreams, set your own schedule and to pursue your passions outside of work.

Psychologically, the shift from financial strain is empowering. You feel more in control, your overall well-being levels up, and work becomes a source of joy, creativity, and personal growth.

Profitability in the salon is also important for the well-being of your team members. It provides the opportunity for self-improvement and personal development, the chance for skill enhancement, and the security to explore their professional potential. As financial worries diminish, you and your team can invest more energy into honing your craft and finding fulfilment in your roles.

Why it matters for business longevity:

Profit plays a crucial role in ensuring the longevity and sustainability of a business. It serves as the lifeblood that fuels growth, resilience, and adaptability. Salons that consistently generate profit are better equipped to withstand the test of time. These salons are able to invest in growth, navigate challenges, attract top talent, and importantly service their clients better.

In business we need a buffer against economic downturns or unexpected challenges. Building profit into your salon will serve as a financial cushion, helping weather unforeseen circumstances without the wheels falling off.

Team members are more likely to stay committed to a salon that demonstrates

stability and growth. They also find it easier to attract top new talent by offering competitive salaries, benefits, and professional development opportunities. A skilled and motivated workforce is a secret to long-term success.

Long-term client relationships contribute significantly to your revenue. Profit allows salons to invest in delivering high-quality products and services. Satisfied clients are more likely to be loyal and advocates for the brand.

Debt is one of the biggest challenges I see impacting salons’ bottom lines, it is crippling to cash flow. Profitability provides the money to pay off debts, reducing financial liabilities and interest expenses. A salon with lower (or no) debt is better positioned to succeed long term.

The profitable strategy for business freedom:

When working with salon owners to diagnose financial issues we are effectively looking for which profit levers to pull. I think that salon owners should be generating 30% profit and accepting anything less is short changing themselves and the business.

How you approach the numbers will determine what lever to pull…

You can analyse your fixed expenses and ensure they are sustainable; they can blow out and impact your profitability quickly. If you ask your accountant, they will generally tell you to cut expenses, it is how their brains are wired.

However, as a strategy it ignores the commercial reality of investing in valuable business activities like marketing or coaching. The true diagnosis would be to check the return on investment from your marketing or coaching as turning that tap off could have a detrimental effect on your profit.

There are some quick wins to be found in your bank statements generally; forgotten or unnecessary subscriptions, old insurances still active or finding other hidden expenses you have long forgotten are all things you can tidy up and save money on but in reality, your fixed expenses are just that, fixed.

To improve your ratios around fixed expenses you can generally only increase your sales. This strategy often creates more headaches and is an all too familiar story across our industry.

Many salon owners run into more trouble as their sales increase, they don’t have more money in the bank, in fact they often have less, and this is because their menus are not priced for profit.

Pricing is impacted by your variable costs like wages and cost of goods, yet these are often ignored when it comes to setting up our service menus. There are too many salons that have guessed the price of services or

used the market as a guide.

Even your best performing team member cannot outperform a low profit menu!

You can analyse performance, utilisation, and many other metrics in your salon but if you ignore the price you charge for your services you are likely to misdiagnose your problem and focus your efforts in the wrong place entirely.

It’s also not enough to say that you will raise your prices by a particular percentage, you actually need to do the work to know what it costs to perform EVERY service on your menu and build your profit into the pricing.

Honestly, this is a time-consuming task, but it is well worth it. You will need to measure usage and amounts of products and guessing or estimating here won’t work. You need to base this on how your salon operates and not what the supplier may suggest you are using.

Now for the reality check, you will probably need to rip the band aid off and execute on implementing your new prices. Your financial future depends on it.

The fear of client backlash often looms large when contemplating price increases. However, the prevailing wisdom that “no one will notice your price increase” holds a powerful truth. The majority of your clients won’t even blink.

For you and your team it’s not just about adjusting numbers on a menu; it’s about ensuring you provide your clients absolute value that aligns with your newfound pricing. Clients accept price increases when they identify a corresponding increase in the value they receive. It’s not just a financial transaction, it’s their conscious choice to invest in an experience.

Strategic Profit Mastery:

Strategic pricing involves a multitude of decisions. It’s about recognising the unique value you bring and balancing your pricing structure with the perceived worth of your services. This strategic dance ensures not only financial gain but a profound impact on the health and longevity of your salon.

Reach out to us at Freedom Mastery and we can talk about tools you can use to assist you in nailing your profit and pricing. My DMs are full of salon owners who are seeking to not only make money but creating the life they have always envisioned simplicity in business life.

David. XoX

Head of Coaching at Freedom Mastery, David has a diverse background in sales, marketing and operations and is passionate about improving the professionalism of the industry. Contact David via email david@freedommastery.com.au or DM on Instagram @davidwatts_freedomcreator

Powerful Brands Live in Our Minds, Rent Free. Which Ones Are Living in Yours?

By Digital Bloom

Need new underwear? You might say you need new Bonds. Time for a phone upgrade? You might say it’s time for a new iPhone. To us as their loyal customers, these brands are consistent, reliable, and secure - cementing themselves as the go-to purchase for their own product category.

These intentional components of building a brand are layers designed with humanness in mind. To relate to people. Afterall, people have problems that need solving and are willing to pay money for solutions to said problems.

When you think of the couture powerhouse Chanel, thoughts of a woman living in a château in France come to mind, right? What about a brand like Harley Davison – a burley, leather-clad man? The reason why these figures come to mind is because they have successfully crafted an impactful brand personality.

Curating these personalities goes beyond the face or name of the person that founded the brand. Thinking about a brand as a person with unique traits just like the rest of us, allows that brand to show up in our lives in a way that connects with us, attracts us, and encourages us to be the person we aspire to be.

As humans and consumers of the world, we lean into our ability to connect with other humans, not necessarily a product or a service. Instead, we’re sold by the feelings, emotions, and sensory experiences that they evoke in us.

Identifying the humanness in your brand takes deep intentional work, it’s only once you intimately get to know those characteristics, can you implement these throughout your touchpoints. So, when someone finds your business, it feels familiar to them and

connects on an unconscious level.

Driven by your brand values, start to think about the words that you want people to associate with your brand. Are you a homebased clinic in Regional Victoria where every appointment feels like an hour with your best mate? Sincerity might be your go-to. Our CBD hair studios with marble benches and Moet on ice may fall under the sophistication category.

With this in mind, knowing and embracing the human qualities behind your brand allows you to understand what it truly is about your business that your customer connects with. It gives your brand a heartbeat, a sense of humanisation, that if it were alive in some way, your customer would have some type of relationship with it.

However, defining your brand personality isn’t about neglecting reliability, hard work, or staying on trend—it’s about transcending features to resonate with your dream customers. Authenticity is key; don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Embrace your true identity and connect with customers who align with your brand.

Once you’ve defined your brand personality, the next step is to infuse it into everything you do. Your brand personality shapes your tone of voice. An exciting personality, for instance, would employ fun, humorous copy with unique taglines, pushing boundaries with cheeky text and trending topics.

The visual identity, including font and colour choices, plays a crucial role in humanising your brand. For example, a competence personality might utilise reliable serif fonts and traditional blue hues, while a ruggedness personality could opt for bold fonts in earthy greens and browns.

With a cohesive identity in place, maximise your touchpoints to create memorable brand experiences that embody your unique personality. Your brand personality is a promise—now it’s time to live up to it and become the trusted choice for your customers.

Contact Digital Bloom via their website www.digitalbloom.com.au

Sarah Garner is the Founder and Creative Director at Digital Bloom, an industryspecific branding boutique dedicated to making your hair, beauty, or wellness brand turn heads for all the right reasons.

Let’s stop looking at what’s happening in our industry as a problem and start finding opportunities and solutions.

By Hayley Mears

Recently I’ve been overwhelmed with discussion on how our industry is in rapid decline. Things are a shitshow everywhere, apprentice numbers are dropping, salons are closing, the rising cost of living and increased stock prices, oh and burnout is here, there, fucking everywhere.

But… My podcast co-host Stephanie Mason said to me, “In crisis, there is always opportunity”. She is so right. We are looking at this all wrong. While there is no denying the traditional business frameworks we have always known are now shapeshifting and the future is less stable than ever before, can we not look at this as the verge of huge innovation?

We may have to go through this to come out the other end with newfound philosophies, disruptive ideas and letting go of what we have always done.

I’m sure we all have those moments, experiences and eras of our lives that have been awful, full of turmoil and maybe even trauma. Right now, many people are experiencing business hardships and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is REALLY hard when you’re in the thick of chaos. Some of the most devastating blows I have ever had eventually turned out to be blessings. You know the things like, not getting the job or a gig you desperately wanted, because something even better was waiting for you just around the corner. Sometimes it takes years and hindsight to see what the real plan was and how the universe had your back this whole time. Sadly I don’t know what the second coming or the future of hairdressing will look like, but I do know if we do what we have always done, we will get what we have always got. I keep seeing these memes and quotes presenting themselves to me as I scroll through Instagram.

Quotes like:

“The world belongs to the risk-takers who bet on themselves when no one else will”.

“Your biggest supporter is a stranger, your biggest hater is someone you know.”

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Choose people who say your name in a room full of opportunities.”

Maybe it’s going to be a bunch of superstar hairdressers creating a SUPER-Group style salon, that operates as a new education hub

Maybe it means apprentices working in multiple salons at any one time to give apprentices more scope to learn and salons the flexibility to host an apprentice in a parttime capacity. Maybe the salons that thrive are the key to industry entry. They are the lifeblood of new hairdresser intake, holding up the rest of the industry and without them, progress stops. Are we going to collaborate instead of compete?

Can we start throwing out some crazy ideas and see if anyone is brave enough to put their hand up and dive in? Is there another salon you can share a space with... I don’t mean collaborate and work in the space together at the same time, but share the salon 3 days a week each. Find clever ways to switch the signage depending on who is onsite. Explore the option of “sharing” an apprentice. Did you know this is becoming a huge trend in

hospitality? One team or business operates the cafe in the morning, of an evening, a different business bumps in and uses the premises. GENIUS!

It’s easy to think the state of our industry is someone else’s problem. It’s often forgotten that we have people fighting the fight for us at the front lines. Sandy Chong the CEO of the AHC is regularly meeting with state and federal policymakers to refine the shape of our industry and better protect the longevity of our craft. The AHC can’t do it all on their own, it takes all of us to make changes, help each other and collaborate for change. If you find yourself thinking... “This has to change”, don’t wait for someone else to take action. Start making the first steps and collaborate with like-minded peers to build something better.

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How to turn fear into a positive motivator.

By Angeli Marie Shaw

Fear. We all know what it is, how it feels and what it can do regarding how we feel, respond and act and in certain situations. Our ancestors developed their sense of fear as a survival tactic, and from this we’re ingrained with our fright-or-flight instincts to keep us safe from external threats and harm’s way.

But unlike our ancestors, we now live with many more stressors that trigger our fear response. The thing is, fear isn’t an inherently negative emotion, and when used correctly or from a different perspective, can be a valuable tool and strong motivator to excel.

So, what is fear? What are the different types? And how can we use fear to its full potential as one of your most powerful motivators?

We’ve all felt that sinking feeling in our stomach when dread, distress, or panic suddenly consumes us. Fear is our body’s alert system and when we feel threatened, physically or psychologically, our body automatically sends out a red flag to warn us to protect ourselves by activating our fight-or-flight system. Where fear can differentiate, is when the fear is defined as rational, or irrational. Rational fears tend to include responses that happen when your life is in imminent danger, for example, having a weapon pointed at you, whereas irrational fears can be described like phobias, something that offers little to no threat to you, such as a fear of judgement. Some irrational fears stem from a common rational fear, but the response is so disproportionate, that it becomes unnecessarily debilitating. A person may have a healthy fear of snakes and not want to be near them, which is rational. But if a person can’t even look at a picture of a snake without being overcome with panic, the fear becomes irrational. It’s unhealthy to let our fears become more powerful than the threats and becoming inundated with feelings of distress can disrupt your mental or physical well-being, leading to problems like mental burnout, physical exhaustion, or clouded decision-making, but what if we can use our fears as motivators instead?

We can describe the types of motivation in a few different ways; two of them being internal and external. The first coming from within, and is found when doing something that aligns with our interests, ambitions or personal values. The later, coming from outside of us, to potentially earn a reward, like a promotion, or avoid a punishment, such as job loss. Then there’s also consequencebased fear motivation and solution-based fear motivation, or short term and long term fear motivation. The fear of missing a pending deadline or arriving late for a meeting are

examples of where short term fear motivation can help us perform better, but again this is only in the short term. With long term fear motivation, fears don’t have timelines or clear resolutions. So, for example, you may hold the fear of losing your job, however with that fear you strive to do your job to the best of your ability and keep improving your skills to avoid possible job loss.

So, while fear is certainly one of our most uncomfortable emotions and we naturally try to move away from it, for better or worse it also works as a motivator by compelling us to act. I can guarantee that many of us probably share the same, if not similar fears. For example, fear of failure, falling behind on finances, or losing a job, even losing our businesses. But to successfully use fear as a motivator, it must be paired with a solution! Think about your fears. What solutions can you think of?

Fear is a natural part of life. None of us can escape it. But we can all learn to manage it and use it to our advantage. Rather than letting fear overwhelm and paralyze you, learn how to detect the difference between good, short term fear that keeps us creative and bad fear, mainly long term fear that wears

us down and leads to poor decision-making. Once you equip yourself with a better understanding of your own fears, not only will you get to know yourself better, but you can embrace them and use their motivating power to move forward, grow and succeed.

As always, I believe in you!

Love & Bliss, Angeli xxoo

Angeli is a Holistic Empowerment Coach, Mindset Mentor/Trainer and the founder of The Bliss Coach.

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