SalonFocus Jan-Feb 2011

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR SALON OWNERS

JAN/FEB 2011 | £3.50

Join NHF’s

VAT ‘revolution’ Mark Coray:

my vision Get your

business into shape for 2011

Warning of high street closures

WAVELENGTH

WHY 2011 COULD BE

TRULY REVOLUTIONARY

respond to an ever-more demanding consumer mindset.

Happy New Year, and hello. As your new editor of Not helping, of course, is VAT and the rise from this SalonFocus I know that, first, I will have my work cut out month to 20 per cent. What a warm welcome to 2011 for to follow and improve on the many achievements laid the majority of NHF members! Many of you will know down by Andrew Don in his time at the helm of this of the NHF’s CuttheVAT campaign, which has been very magazine. SalonFocus is a magazine the Federation can successful and garnered cross-industry support. But the rightly be very proud of – I will do my best to maintain fact VAT appears consistently to be going in the wrong that quality and integrity. direction means we are going to have to box even Possibly more importantly, though, I appreciate cleverer in our arguments.

I have my work cut out getting to know you, the That’s why we’ve unveiled in this edition an membership of the NHF. My background is in business imaginative new report called Cut & Dried? The Case for journalism and I have spent many years writing about a VAT Revolution for Hairdressing Salons small, medium and large that we hope (because we’re going to businesses across a wide “What we are make a noise about it) will catch the span of sectors. So, when attention of government and opposition I was offered the chance pitching to the ministers as well as other industry to work closely with politicians, if they sectors, such as the building trade, which an industry as vibrant, face similar challenges when it comes creative and diverse as will just open their to VAT. yours, it was not a hard It is arguing that, not only does it decision to say “yes”. minds, is potentially make sense for the UK to move away Hairdressing salons revolutionary; a from a uniform, universally high rate of are the lifeblood of the VAT for labour-intensive sectors such as British high street – there blueprint that could hairdressing, but this could be combined are very few business a lowering of the threshold for sectors (or for that matter lead to a much more with VAT registration and much more active business organisations) promotion of small business-friendly that can claim to creative, fair and VAT schemes. This, the report makes encompass sole traders, microeffective tax regime clear, is not about hand-outs or giving businesses, family-run operations, salons preferential treatment, it is multi-unit enterprises, franchises and for salons“ about encouraging enterprise and large chains among their membership. discouraging the cash-in-hand economy.

Salon owners, with the NHF at your Crucially from the Treasury’s perspective head, can potentially speak to policyit is also making the argument that such an approach makers and the public with an authority few can match. could actually increase revenues – the “tax take” – So, please, I want to hear – at sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk despite lowering the VAT rate.

– your stories, your innovations and all the inspirational Will it work? We hope so. Will change happen ways you are working to grow your businesses. overnight? With this government and the way the Moreover, in your new president Mark Coray I economy is: probably unlikely. But we think – and we believe you have someone who will be an outstanding hope you agree – that what we are pitching to the leader. I listened to Mark in Dundee when he made politicians, if they will just open their minds, is potentially his inaugural presidential address to conference – revolutionary; a blueprint that could lead to a much and please do read the abridged transcript on page more creative, fair and effective tax regime for salons and 12. What came through to me very clearly was his other small, labour-intensive businesses in the UK. So absolute passion for hairdressing; his energy, vision, let’s get out there and change some hearts and minds. commitment to innovation and creativity and his desire to communicate to those within and outside the industry just how important hairdressing is to this country.

Which is just as well. Salons, it is clear, will be facing big challenges during 2011 and the coming years. It’s going to be tough (or should I say even tougher?) on the high street as this coalition government’s cuts really start to bite. As we report on page eight, business advisers BDO Nic Paton have warned that as many as 1,200 salons could go bust Editor between now and 2015 unless hairdressers evolve and

www.nhf.info

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 3

CONTENTS OUR CONTRIBUTORS

05 06 08 10 11 12 13 14

NEWS

NHF urges VAT ‘revolution’ Cuts warning on chemical straighteners Austerity could close 1,200 salons Call to freeze minimum wage Pension reforms spell danger Mark Coray – my vision for NHF Wi-Fi service to boost trade What to do if taxman comes knocking

FEATURES

28-29 32

Regis – why appraisals matter How Comprehensive Spending Review may create opportunities New Year audit to get into shape for 2011 Use colour to brighten up winter

INSPIRED

BEAUTY

21 27

17-20

10 26

03 11 13 16 30 22-25 33 34

Hair extension consultant Michelle Griffin is managing and creative director of the Michelle Griffin salon, academy and therapy suite in Barnt Green, Birmingham. She is active within the Fellowship for British Hairdressing, is an enthusiastic platform artist and has styled celebrities and trained top salons.

Marc Westerman is co-founder of hairdressing brand Westrow and has seven salons across Yorkshire

Sport chic – NHF Inspire for Fudge, with creative direction from Sassoon’s Bruce Masefield Beauty spots Bridal has to be “total” beauty package

REGULARS

Wavelength – 2011 shaping up to be a critical year HairClips – warning over “devastating” EU maternity plans Movers and Groovers – winners of 2010 British Hairdressing Awards Cutting Brief – your legal problems solved Beverly C looks back over 2010 Federation Focus – all the news from OMC World Hairdressing Championships Events – key dates for your diary Backwash – laughs from Dundee and beyond

PAGE 4 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

Basil Long is senior legal consultant at Croner

Jackie Lang has been managing director of Regis UK since 2008. She is responsible for 450 salons that include Regis’s UK branches and Sassoon salons in the UK, Germany and USA

Hairdressing icon Beverly C has twice won the British Hairdresser of the Year Award and she was the first female hairdresser to be awarded an MBE. She is a brand ambassador for Goldwell and Babyliss, and she is a regular face on TV and in the press.

SALONFOCUS IS PUBLISHED BY: National Hairdressers’ Federation, One Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford MK44 3WH t: 0845 345 6500 t: 01234 831965 f: 01234 838875 e: sfenquiries@salonfocus.co.uk w: www.nhf.info PUBLISHER Eileen Lawson BSc FCIS FRSA e: eileen.lawson@nhf.info EDITOR Nic Paton e: sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Andrew Don e: sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk EVENTS Tina Beaumont t: 0845 345 6500 e: tina.beaumont@nhf.info AD SALES Mainline Media Ltd The Barn, Oakley Hay Lodge Business Park, Great Oakley, Northants NN18 9AS t: +44 (0) 1536 747333 f: +44 (0) 1536 746565 w: www.mainlinemedia.co.uk

Rae Palmer is former Southern Hairdresser of the Year and is owner of Rae Palmer Hairdressing, Southsea and Rae Palmer Hair Boutique, Chichester.

She is a brand ambassador for Schwarzkopf, for its BlondMe and Essensity brands.

Advertising Sales Manager Tricia McDougall e: tricia.mcdougall@mainlinemedia. co.uk

Gillian Dowling works for Croner as employment technical consultant

Advertising Production Manager Craig Barber e: craig.barber@mainlinemedia.co.uk DESIGN & PRODUCTION Matrix Print Consultants Ltd t: 01536 527297 e: martin@matrixprint.com While every care is taken in compiling this issue of SalonFocus including manuscripts and photographs submitted, we accept no responsibility for any losses or damage, whatever the cause. All information and prices contained in advertisements are accepted by the publishers in good faith as being correct at the time of going to press. Neither the advertisers nor the publishers accept any responsibility for any variations affecting price variations or availability after the publication has gone to press. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher, to whom application must first be made. The views expressed by contributors to SalonFocus are not necessarily those of the NHF, the publisher or its editor. © 2010 The National Hairdressers’ Federation.

Material for consideration in this section of the magazine should be submitted on CDROM as high resolution jpeg or tiff files to The Editor, SalonFocus. Submissions should be made on the understanding that the National Hairdressers’ Federation has the right to use the material in any part of the magazine and any of its other publications, promotions or website, free from any copyright restrictions, or appearance fees other than the issue of artistic and photographic credits where applicable.

Please include salon name, photographer & stylist.

Front Cover Hair: NHF Inspire for Fudge Creative Direction: Bruce Masefield | Sassoon UK Creative Director Photography: David Oldham Clothes Styling: Tabitha Owen Make-up: Andrew Gallimore

NEWS FOR TODAY’S SALON OWNER

NHF CALLS FOR

TAX ‘REVOLUTION’ AS 20PC VAT ARRIVES The NHF is launching a radical new campaign to get ministers fundamentally to rethink how VAT is levied on labourintensive industries such as hairdressing, at the same time as salon owners have been “celebrating” the New Year by either adding 2.5 per cent to their bills or shaving it off their margins to cope with this month’s rise in VAT to 20 per cent.

The headline rate of VAT rose from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent from January 4, causing dismay among VAT-registered salons – now the vast majority of the NHF’s membership (see News, page 9) – who have been forced either to pass on the rise to clients at what is traditionally a tough time of year financially or to take a hit on their margins.

Salons contacted by SalonFocus ahead of the rise were divided as to what approach they would take, with some accepting HAMISH WILSON: NEED A they would have LEVEL PLAYING FIELD no option but to pass it on and others intent on holding their prices down, even temporarily.

NHF president Mark Coray said that at his Cardiff salon, Coray & Co, prices would be going up. “We held down our bills when VAT went back to 17.5 per cent but we just are not going to be able to afford to take a hit like this, especially when product and other supplies are going to go up straightaway.

“I think clients will accept it, they know our costs will be going up. But it’s just going to disadvantage us even more when compared with non VAT-registered salons,” he added.

But Roy Sparks, who runs MasterClass in Market Harborough and Wellingborough, said: “With the way my competition is around here I am going

www.nhf.info

to have no option but to absorb it.

“I do think it will force some salons to go to the wall; that it will be the end for quite a few. I also think it will simply encourage more people into the cash-inhand economy,” he added.

Tom Miller, of Renella in Falkirk, raised his prices in November in anticipation of the hike, adding 5 per cent to take account of the extra going on to VAT. “There is no doubt this is going to put pressure on our margins, especially compared with a non VAT-registered salon. We absorbed the rise from 15 per cent to 17.5 per cent until the beginning of April and we had no price rise at all in 2009. But now we have no alternative,” he said.

Hamish Wilson, of Hamish Hairdressers in Hamilton, added: “We are going to increase our prices. Our problem is going to be competing against non VAT-registered salons.

Customers only look at the price, not whether you are VAT-registered or not.

Four of my nearest competitors are non VAT-registered, so we really need to level the playing field somehow.”

“We are going to be passing it on to clients. We have tried to keep prices down for the past two years but we cannot afford to absorb this one,” agreed John Bogg, director of The Vanilla Rooms, in Bawtry, near Doncaster.

“I think most people will understand it is one of those things. But some clients I suppose may look around and consider going to a cheaper, possible nonregistered salon as a result. People are feeling it and I do think for some salons it could be the final straw,” he added.

The Federation has long been lobbying for a reduction in the rate of VAT through its CuttheVAT campaign, which has successfully achieved crossindustry support.

But now, with VAT going upwards rather than downwards, it is urging the Treasury to consider an even more radical

VAT “revolution” for labour-intensive businesses and sole traders.

In a major new report entitled Cut & Dried? The Case for a VAT Revolution for Hairdressing Salons, which is being JOHN BOGG: RISE TOO published for the first time within this MUCH TO ABSORB edition of SalonFocus, the Federation is arguing that a more imaginative VAT regime might actually benefit the Treasury by encouraging small businesses to register for the tax.

The current VAT regime of a uniformly high headline rate and a single threshold for registration simply acts as a disincentive to enterprise while encouraging tax evasion, fraud and the “grey” economy, it has argued.

To this end, the NHF is calling for three key changes: • A reduction in the rate of VAT for salons operating under the Flat Rate scheme from 13% to 5% and the headline rate of VAT for labourintensive industries and sole traders from 20% to 10% • A reduction in the VAT registration threshold from its current £70,000 turnover to £40,000 • Better communication of the benefits of the Flat Rate and Annual Accounting VAT schemes to encourage greater take-up of VAT registration among small businesses “Hairdressers are not looking for hand-outs or preferential treatment. If anything, this could mean more small businesses paying VAT to the Treasury, a fairer, more level playing field and more entrepreneurs fulfilling their business potential,” Mark added.

• How has the VAT rise affected your business? Email your stories to sfeditor@ salonfocus.co.uk

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 5

NEWS

SALONS WARNED TO POLICE

CHEMICAL STRAIGHTENERS THEMSELVES Exclusive by Andrew Don

Steep cuts in local authority budgets over the next few years mean salons owners will not be able to rely on enforcement bodies to police the safety and legality of chemical hair-straightening products they are using on clients, an investigation by SalonFocus has concluded.

A combination of buck-passing and spending reviews by local authorities in the wake of the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review in October has left salon owners potentially in much greater danger of being sued by staff whose health might be put at risk because they have inadvertently used products that breach European Commission statutory limits for formaldehyde. Customers could also sue if affected Benjamin Shipman, brand director at Kebelo Systems, which planned to launch its own “hair-smoothing” system this month, told SalonFocus he had contacted several trading standards departments about a study his company commissioned from Intertek, the global group of testing laboratories, about formaldehyde levels in some products.

“They have either passed the buck on to another office or just simply said they don’t have the manpower.

One mentioned cutbacks,” he said.

And Mark Holmes, managing director, of TCQ Nanoscientific, MARK HOLMES: WORRIED complained his local office, Hampshire Trading Standards, was not doing enough to monitor or investigate products that could be in breach.

“I feel sorry for the people that will be affected by these products, now and in the future, who are not being afforded the protection they deserve and should expect,” he warned.

Christine Heemskerk, the Trading Standard Institute’s lead officer for

PAGE 6 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

product safety, admitted chemical hairstraightening treatments that had been subject to Rapex (Rapid Alert System for Non-Food Products) alerts from the European Union’s Department of Consumer Affairs because of formaldehyde content above the 0.02 per cent legal limit were still being offered to salon clients in the UK because local authorities did not have the resources to follow them up.

“Rapex alerts go to all authorities. We can’t insist they act on this. We are not the government and obviously with the current cutbacks it is going to be even worse. Each individual authority makes their own minds up how they allocate the resources they have,” she said.

Another issue for salons appears to be a worrying lack of clarity over the lines of responsibility when it comes to telling business owners they need to act to remove products from shelves.

Julie Barratt, director of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Wales, stressed it was the responsibility of salon owners, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to take any products known to be subject to an alert off their shelves.

“It’s not the job of environmental health,” she said, adding environmental health officers normally looked to the Health and Safety Executive to notify local authorities when it was necessary to put out a warning to salons But HSE spokesman Jason Green insisted this was a local authority issue regulated by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association director-general Christopher Flower has written to the BIS calling for an investigation into illegal chemical hair-straightening products, demanding “urgent enforcement action, primarily for reasons of public health but also to protect the reputation of responsible companies”.

Eileen Lawson, NHF secretary general, said: “As we clearly cannot rely on local enforcement agencies to police these products we have to be on our guard

MARCIA TEIXEIRA: NEW PRODUCTS FOR EU

when we consider using any of them as the buck will stop with the salon if anything goes wrong.”

NHF president Mark Coray agreed, stressing that salon owners were desperate for some clarity. “Forget the policing cost. Let’s just get the information out… knowledge is all important,” he said.

In response, Councillor Ken Thornber, leader of Hampshire County Council, strongly denied the county’s trading standards department was being forced to cut corners because of cost-cutting.

“The suggestion that Hampshire County Council Trading Standards took no action in relation to these products on the grounds of cost is completely without foundation. We have continued to monitor the marketplace for these products while on retail inspections, but to date have been unable to locate any such products in Hampshire to purchase for testing,” he said.

“Any information that these products are on sale here will be taken very seriously and investigated,” he added.

In a separate development, Marcia Teixeira has said it has all but given up hope that the Rapex alert on its Brazilian Keratin Treatment will be lifted “any time in the near future” because of the ongoing process of presenting laboratory data to the Irish authorities, from where the alert originated.

But it has nevertheless launched two new products specifically for the EU market, Brazilian Keratin Treatment EU and Chocolate Extreme Defrizzing EU.

NEWS

AUSTERITY MINDSET COULD FORCE

1,200 SALONS TO FAIL

As many as 1,200 hairdressing salons could go bust within the next four years, a leading firm of business advisers has predicted, unless they evolve to adjust to a new, post-credit crunch consumer mindset.

The Transitions report by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has argued that some 26,500 retailers in all could shut up shop by 2015 as fragile consumer confidence will make shoppers increasingly cautious and discerning about how they spend their money.

But the good news for salons is that, for those imaginative and flexible enough, there may be opportunities to tap into gradually rising consumer spending, which BDO has forecast will increase by 2.8 per cent in 2011, up from 2.6 per cent last year.

Don Williams, head of retail, told SalonFocus that, in a climate where DON WILLIAMS: MAKE HAIRCUT AN consumers are increasingly OUTING, NOT A CHORE looking for individualised service, the onus was now on salons to show what they could do.

“What we want is for salons to prove our headline wrong. We believe that, while money is tight, consumer spending will hold up and so there may be opportunities for businesses to maintain their share of that spend or even get increased footfall,” he said.

The report has recommended salons: • rethink who their customers are and who they want them to be • revisit what great service looks, feels and sounds like • continuously review customer spending data and use it to provide a bespoke personal experience • develop and invest in multi-channel marketing and promotional activity • focus on what customers want and need rather than product range or variety alone “Unlike big chains such as Sainsbury’s or Tesco, which have to spend a fortune through their loyalty cards finding out about what their customers want, small and micro-salons ought to be able to know intimately who their customers are,” added Don. Salons could be making more innovative use of mobile technology, he suggested, for example considering texting loyal clients every four weeks with updates on new styles, promotions or just to keep in touch.

“How many salons, for example, encourage customers to refer a friend?

Perhaps in return you could offer a discount or some other benefit?

“It is about creating an incredibly loyal customer base. It is about making going for a haircut an outing and not a chore.

It needs to be great entertainment, great personalisation, great theatre and a great haircut experience,” he added.

The “new” consumer will be suspicious of big business, looking for longevity in their retail relationships, more prepared to carry out research, be brand- and pricesavvy and impatient with poor levels of service, the report added.

‘AUDIT’ SAVES SALON £4K IN A YEAR A Milton Keynes salon has cut its bills by more than £4,000, or the equivalent of 950 haircuts, in the past year by carrying out a wholesale “audit” of what it pays out on utilities, credit cards, insurance and other expenses.

Phoenix Hair + Body made the savings with the help of price comparison and switching service Make It Cheaper.

Over the past 12 months, owners Mike and Sue Perry have saved a total of £4,275 by switching their: • business insurance (leading to a 70 per cent saving) • accountant (a 43 per cent saving) • telephone and internet (43 per cent) • gas and electricity (23 per cent) • credit/debit card supplier (13 per cent) “What I have learnt is not just to accept your renewal quote for anything. There is no mileage in loyalty these days on things such as your gas, electricity or insurance,” said Mike.

“Some things were harder to change than others. We had, for example, been with our accountant for 20 years, so it was a wrench to change but in the current climate you have got to keep things as tight as you can,” he added.

“We’re going to look hard this year at what incentives or grants the government has available for apprenticeships to see if we are making the most of them.

“It is just about being disciplined and developing a different mind-set.

You also need to make some time to do it – taking one day out to go through everything might sound like a lot but compared with what you might be able to save, it could definitely be worth it,” Mike added.

Get your business fit for 2011: how to do a New Year “audit”, pg 28-29

PAGE 8 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

www.nhf.info

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 9

BEAUTY

NEWS

MINIMUM WAGE

‘MUST STAY UNCHANGED’ The national minimum wage (NMW) must be frozen for the next two years if salons are to survive the tough climate on the high street, the NHF has warned.

With VAT going up to 20 per cent and the government’s public spending squeeze making consumers feel less confident, the last thing the industry needs is for the NMW to rise later this year, the Federation has said in its latest submission to the Low Pay Commission (LPC), the body that advises government on the level at which the NMW should be set.

The LPC has been considering the rates for October 2011 to September 2012 and the Federation has been working to counter calls from organisations such as the union body the TUC, which is pressing for the adult NMW to be raised by as much as 3.5 per cent, or by 21p to £6.14 an hour.

REGIS: ADDING MUSCLE TO WAGES CONSULTATION

PAGE 10 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

The Federation is now the largest membership body in the sector, following the admission of Regis International to its membership.

In its submission, secretary general Eileen Lawson argued this meant the NHF now spoke for salons ranging from sole traders without employees “through to the largest salon business in the UK with 450 outlets”.

“Businesses are fragile, as are employment prospects,” Eileen also warned.

Even the current NMW regime is squeezing salons, deterring smaller businesses in particular from taking on apprentices, she emphasised.

A new apprentice NMW rate of £2.50 an hour took effect from October for the first time (SalonFocus May/June 2010), covering apprentices aged under 19 and, for their first year, apprentices aged 19 or older.

The NHF is already seeing evidence this is leading to a further reduction in the number of apprenticeships being offered by salons, said the submission.

Eileen also pointed to data from Habia, the government-appointed standards setting body for the hair, beauty, nails and spa sectors, suggesting that working hours for apprentices were being reduced to save money.

Within the submission, Eileen criticised the reduction of the “adult” classification for the NMW from 22 to 21 years old, which also took effect from last October.

This change was “ill-timed” and would create a disproportionate increase in costs in the sector, she warned.

“The change in the rule may also result in otherwise compliant employers making mistakes for which there is now a fixed penalty,” she wrote.

The adult NMW rate rose to £5.93 in October for workers of 21 and older. The rate for workers aged 18 to 20 climbed from £4.83 to £4.92 an hour and for those aged 16 to 17 from £3.57 to £3.64 an hour.

Meanwhile, a new scheme takes effect this month that will see employers who fail to pay their staff the minimum wage named and shamed, something the NHF has strongly resisted, fearing it could lead to those who inadvertently flout the legislation being unfairly tarred.

SPOTS

CHRISTMAS SQUEEZE ON BEAUTY The tough economic outlook will have caused spending by mums on beauty and hair products to be squeezed this Christmas, a survey has said. The study by marketing agency Haygarth suggested a third of mums would be tightening their belts on personal “luxuries” such as hair and beauty treatments in an effort not to have to cut back on presents for their children.

QVC UNVEILS BEAUTY CHANNEL

Shopping channel QVC has launched a new interactive beauty channel. The Beauty Channel is available on QVC Channel 640 and Sky, with viewers able to use their Sky remote controls to choose between four separate video channels and purchase on-air products from each one. The channel is believed to be the first in the UK dedicated to beauty programming.

SWANSEA STAR SALON

A Swansea beauty salon, Blue Lagoon, has been shortlisted for the first ever “YOSCAs”, a small business version of Hollywood Oscars being run by directories’ company Yell. The Yell Online Small Company Advert awards will be announced this month and have been created to honour the best films made over the year by independent companies, including hair and beauty salons.

HABIA BEAUTY SOFTWARE GOES ONLINE

Habia has launched a beauty therapy version of its online learning software U2Learn. The software, previously only available for Hairdressing Level 2 and the Diploma in Hair and Beauty Studies, is now available for Beauty Therapy Level 2 and is directly linked to Habia’s latest National Occupational Standards, it said. Habia has launched a website to help people access the software, www.habia.org/u2learn.

EXEMPT SMALL SALONS FROM NATIONAL PENSION,

HAIRCLIPS MATERNITY PAY WARNING

SAYS NHF The NHF has urged the government to exempt small salons from its plans to make all firms, irrespective of size, offer a company pension or enrol their staff in a new national pension scheme.

Pensions minister Steve Webb in October outlined radical reforms including forcing all businesses either to offer employees access to a pension or to sign staff up to a new LINDA CORNELL: PLAN National Employment Savings IS ‘UNAFFORDABLE’ Trust (NEST).

The scheme is due to start from 2012 but will be phased in, with the smallest employers only having to join from September 2016.

Federation president Mark Coray branded the new plans “unaffordable” and predicted that if they went ahead as they were they could spell disaster for many small and micro-salons.

He urged the government to think again and exempt microSTEVE WEBB: REFORMS businesses employing 10 people or fewer from its plans.

“Salon owners recognise employees need to save for their retirement and, where they can, will always encourage workers to do so. But forcing businesses employing just a handful of staff to set up pension schemes at their own expense is just not the way to sort out this country’s retirement mess,” he said.

“The net effect for salon owners will be simply to make a tough economic environment even harder, and for many may be the difference between whether they can afford to continue trading or decide enough is enough. As it stands, for many hairdressing salons this plan is unaffordable,” he added.

NHF director of competitions Linda Cornell, who runs Gray’s Hairstylist in Lancaster, agreed: “My staff are all great and I’d love to be able to help them save for their retirement, as we all should be doing. But my hairdressing salon is only a small business.

“While something like this sounds a great idea on paper, in reality it’s unaffordable at my sort of level. Especially at the moment, when times are tough, we just won’t have the money, time or resources to set up or run pension schemes for our staff, who also won’t want to be losing valuable take-home pay,” she added.

Further details on NEST can be found at http://www. nestpensions.org.uk/ while the government’s overall plans can be accessed at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/pensions-reform/workplace-pension-reforms/

www.nhf.info

MEMBERS GIVE SALONFOCUS SEAL OF APPROVAL SalonFocus has been given an important thumbs-up from NHF members as it enters its fourth year of publication.

The magazine got the third highest rating in the Federation’s latest poll of services rated by members, coming in just behind the Legal Lifeline in second place.

But it was the Federation’s support and advice on helping salons navigate their way through the legal and contractual minefield of staff contracts that was rated the most valuable service of all by members.

The scoring for the magazine of 4.92 – where one is considered “poor” and six “excellent” – was higher than seven other services, including competitions and area and branch activity, although these were still areas members regarded highly.

Alongside the Legal Lifeline and staff contracts, tribunal insurance also scored well when it came to the services members regarded as important, coming fifth in the poll.

The poll also gave the most up-todate snapshot yet of the Federation’s membership.

Virtually all – 90 per cent – of those who responded described their salons as unisex, while four per cent were ladies-only and three per cent men-only.

Half said they were hair-only, while 41 per cent offered beauty services, 36 per cent nails, 27 per cent massage, 10 per cent holistic therapy and six per cent spa facilities.

A total of 71 per cent said they were VAT registered, of which the largest proportion – 45.5 per cent – had between five and nine members of staff, 11 per cent had at least 15 and 21 per cent had between one and four employees.

The NHF has warned that European plans to force employers to offer new mothers 20 weeks’ maternity leave on full pay risk devastating the industry. MEPs voted in October to amend the Pregnant Workers Directive, which sets down minimum levels of maternity rights member states must provide.

Federation president Mark Coray urged MEPs to think again, branding the plan “ludicrous”.

SIMPLIFIED SAFETY

Corby salon owner Erik Lander is being featured as a “case study” to promote a new simplified, 20-minute online health and safety risk assessment tool launched by the Health and Safety Executive. Erik, who runs Top Spot salon, is being featured on the HSE website, http://www.hse. gov.uk/risk/casestudies/ hairsalon.htm, to highlight the new tool, which has been specifically designed for “low hazard” working environments.

BENEFITS OF MUSIC

More than eight out of 10 hairdressers believe playing music in their salons boosts the morale and productivity of their staff, according to a survey by MusicWorks.

Conversely, 72 per cent felt not having music in the background would make their salon less welcoming to customers in a competitive commercial environment.

AUDIO DEAL

Toni&Guy has appointed “on-hold” marketing firm PH Media Group to become its authorised supplier of audio branding.

The deal means the firm will supply all Toni&Guy salons with scripted promotional messages that a client will hear when they call a salon and are placed on hold or transferred.

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 11

NEWS

POSITIVITY AND PASSION –

CORAY SPEAKS HIS MIND Mark Coray, the NHF’s new president, called for a Federation imbued with positivity and cohesion at the annual general meeting and conference. The following is an abridged version of his speech.

“I have a passion. That passion is hairdressing. It infuses me. It enthuses me.

Many of you have that passion too, so how can we take that passion we have for hairdressing and turn it into something great?

We can take our passion and pass it on to others. We can take UK hairdressing by its roots and work it harder than it has ever been worked to rebuild its image, integrity, professionalism and the regard in which it is held.

We have a dynamic story to tell. So let us resolve to communicate to everyone for the greater good.

UK hairdressing is held internationally with such high regard. But we have some image and confidence building ahead.

I have a grand vision...

The NHF I see is an organisation that has within its ranks the larger proportion of UK hairdressing, reaches out to all substrata of hairdressing and attracts new blood into its ranks – brimming over with the passion of the younger member and the wisdom and expertise of the older member.

The NHF I see is re-energised – less ‘jaw-jaw’ and more ‘war-war’.

We have started by facilitating industry leader meetings and talking to the big colour houses and media giants.

It is no mean achievement that the UK

PAGE 12 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

salons of Regis International have chosen to join our ranks.

This is what helps to change the perception with which active hairdressers view us.

The NHF I see is an organisation that all those who are eligible to join are clamouring to do so, an organisation in which the positives of membership are visible to all.

I promise to use my experience and contacts to communicate and circulate among hairdressers, manufacturers, the public and the media to make the perception of the NHF and UK hairdressing what we want and need it to be.

At every opportunity I will stand up and shout ‘NHF’ to anyone and everyone.

We must all show that we strive for excellence every day of our lives.

With the NEC and the membership on my side we can achieve great things, not just in the artistic, creative and the competition world, but in the business and political world, too, for the good of British hairdressing.

It will take unity, cohesiveness, strength and positivity. I like to think that people will work with me and not against me. I do not believe in working behind people’s backs and I do not expect others to do likewise to me or our members.

We need to be open and honest and share what we do best and what we do horrifically. If we help one another we can only become stronger. It is important to use everyone’s individual strengths so we can grow.

Our aim for the 21st Century is all about empowerment, unity, strength and trust.

Through our Strategy for the 21st Century we have a universal hymn book today. We must all embrace it. We must raise each other up; not knock each other down.

We have to wise up to the new generation and the modern world, reflect it and be part of it. We need to be open to new ideas.

It is massively crucial to carry on implementing Strategy for the 21st Century and build on it. Our survival depends on it.

We need to see how we can rebuild, motivate and encourage more people to become active within the NHF. Standing united, hairdressing can achieve so much and get what it wants from government and UK legislation.

So I want to see so much less ‘can’t do’ and a lot more ‘can do’.

Together we can make it happen.”

MOVERS& GROOVERS RAE FOR SCHWARZKOPF

OFFER FREE “WI-FI”

TO BOOST TRADE,

SALONS TOLD

Hairdressing salons are being urged to encourage customers to sign up to a service that allows them free “Wi-Fi” internet access around their town or city, and in return gives salons the chance to send them offers and promotions via their mobile phones.

The package is being offered through a specialist internet access firm called WalkinWiFi, which is actively targeting upmarket salons.

Under the deal, clients who register agree that the salon can contact them with marketing information via email or text.

In return, they can then access the internet for free using smartphones, iPads or laptops at any WalkinWiFi location, which currently range from pubs to restaurants, as well as directly from their salon chair.

The company says it aims to have 7,000 such Wi-Fi “hot-spots” around the country within the next three years.

The combination of offering free mobile internet access alongside targeted marketing and “data capture” could PAUL FORD: WI-FI PROPOSITION potentially be a powerful business proposition for salons, argued WalkinWiFi director Paul Ford.

“The location owner has a ready-made database for marketing. Salon owners need to offer a point of difference to make them stand out from the rest of the high street, and free Wi-Fi is a perfect solution,” he said.

Every marketing text the salon owner sends out costs 7.5p, though emails are free. The service costs £99.99 to set up and then £45 a month, including broadband. Chains are charged £79.99 per outlet to set up with a £35 monthly fee, again including broadband.

WalkinWiFi, as data controllers, will store all information on behalf of its outlets, but has stressed this is only legally to safeguard customers.

www.nhf.info

Former Southern Hairdresser of the Year Rae Palmer has left her role as UK creative director for La Biosthetique to concentrate on a new role as ambassador for Schwarzkopf’s BlondeMe and Essensity colour brands.

Rae is also now offering nail and eyelash extensions as well as running a cosmetic clinic offering botox, fillers and more run by former NHS eye surgeon Dr Maire Rhatigan.

(Use colour to brighten up January, pg 32)

JAMIE STEVENS NOMINATION

TV and celebrity hairdresser Jamie Stevens has been shortlisted for the 2010 Wahl/ Black Beauty Stylist of the Year Award. The nomination follows a year in which he was appointed hairdresser on TV show This Morning, adding to his roles on Gok’s Fashion Fix and How To Look Good Naked as well as opening his own salon in Woolavington, Bridgwater. He has also recently added a new Keratin blow-dry treatment to his list of services.

COUCH WINS IN LEEDS

WELL DONE, TARA

Celebrity hairsylist Tara Smith successfully ran the New York Marathon in November to raise money for Children’s Leukaemia and LOROS, a hospice in her home town of Leicester, her third marathon of the year after competing in the London Marathon in April and Los Angeles Marathon in March. She was supported in New York by actress Rosario Dawson. To date she has raised £22,873.84 for the two charities.

BBC WINNER

Newcomer Becky Hunt, of Sanrizz Salon in Southampton, won the hairdressing competition in the 2010 BBC3 Young Talent of the Year series, broadcast in November. The programme was judged by Adee Phelan and Beverly C.

Twenty eight-year-old Daniel Couch of HOB Salons has won Best Hairdresser of the Year at the Leeds Retail Therapy Awards 2010, just eight months after graduating as a hairdresser.

The event was hosted at the Royal Armouries in the city in October. Daniel said; “It feels amazing to be awarded Leeds Hairdresser 2010. I am so happy to receive such recognition at an exciting time in my career, what a very unexpected but fantastic surprise”.

BRITISH HAIRDRESSER WINNERS

NHF salons scooped awards in six categories at the British Hairdresser of the Year Awards in November. Kim Johnson and Michelle Sultan of Hype Coiffure won Afro Hairdresser of the Year, RUSH Hair in London won the Artistic Team of the Year and Dan Spiller of Marc Antoni in Fleet, Hampshire, won Newcomer of the Year. Other NHF winners were Seung Ki Baek of RUSH in Epsom, who won Southern Hairdresser of the Year and Alexander Turnbull of Alexander Hair and Beauty, Hull, who won North Eastern Hairdresser of the Year. Scott Smurthwaite and Will Eagles of Cream in Gloucester won Wales & South West Hairdresser of the Year.

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 13

NEWS

TAX PROBES NEEDN’T BE (TOO) TAXING In the last of his two-part series, Peter Mount tells salon owners what to do should Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) come knocking.

We all hope it will never happen but every salon owner should assume that at one time or another they might be the subject of a tax investigation.

If the worst comes to the worst and the HMRC does comes knocking the good news is you can make the process much more straightforward (and hopefully much less stressful) by following a few simple and sensible financial house-keeping steps.

1. Make sure your paperwork is in order Document handling is one of the most important areas to consider: • Do not keep documents that you are not obliged to keep and have no need of.

• Retain documents that you are required to keep by law and know where to put your hand on them.

• Suspend any destruction programme immediately if you receive any notice or warning from HMRC; officials will give you a hard time if you continue to destroy documentation and they become aware of it.

• Make sure you are in a position to produce documents that might be required quickly and easily; all your receipts in a biscuit tin on a shelf somewhere is a bad idea.

• Take advice on, and understand, what documents may be the subject of legal privilege and keep them separately.

Peter Mount is a partner at Woodfines Solicitors.

PAGE 14 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

2. Know who will take charge of the process It is important to have identified who in your organisation should be involved if there is an investigation and make sure they are properly briefed.

Who this is will depend on the size of your organisation, but identifying the appropriate personnel resources in advance will improve both the speed and effectiveness of your response. The key is to treat it as another form of disaster recovery.

Ensure you are aware of which external professional advisers you would call on if there is an investigation and make sure they know who they are.

Steps you should automatically take if you become the subject of an investigation: • Make sure the notice is in order and take advice if you are not sure.

• Ensure there are complete copies of all originals handed to HMRC and of all copy documents that are handed over.

• Keep a complete file of all paperwork relating to the investigation.

• Consult your solicitor, claim privilege early and appeal if necessary.

• Co-operate! You do not have to roll over, but there is no point in being obstructive for the sake of it.

Deal with HMRC courteously and promptly and, if you are refusing to hand something over, make it clear why.

How to cope with a dawn raid What do you do if you find HMRC on your doorstep with a warrant when you open up in the morning – assuming, that is, officials have not already kicked the door down?

Dawn raids are unusual and can be intimidating, but the reality is that HMRC is unlikely to go to these lengths unless it thinks you, or someone in your organisation, is seriously out of order.

So how to react or respond?

Do deal with them promptly and courteously and do not lose your head. But do get your advisers on the scene quickly.

It is also worth knowing there are several things you can legitimately do to delay HMRC and re-establish some control over what is going on: • Check the identity of the HMRC officers attending.

• Check the warrant and try to delay access to your premises until your solicitor has had a chance to look it over.

• Try to contain HMRC’s activities but co-operate: offer a room to use as an office. Offer copying facilities if you have them, preferably in the immediate area of any room officials are using. Accompany personnel around the building.

• Limit knowledge of the inspection.

If members of staff do not need to know, do not tell them. Rumour that an inspection is taking place can be damaging.

• Do not destroy or tamper with documents.

• Brief relevant employees whose help you require.

• Once you have your professional advisers on the scene, let them take over and follow their advice.

CUTTING BRIEF

YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS

SOLVED Gillian Dowling from Croner, operator of the NHF’s Legal Lifeline, answers your questions We have a part-time hairdresser who works four hours a day over five days a week. We give our full-time staff 28 days annual leave each annual-leave year. However, as this employee only works half days, will their holiday entitlement be 14 days?

No. As the employee works five days a week (as a full-time employee would) they will still be entitled to receive 28 days annual leave each annual-leave year. The fact the employee is part time will be reflected in their pay for the annual leave, since they will only receive payment for the normal hours which they would work on each of the holiday days.

We have a stylist who has just notified us she is intending to start a family and is trying to get pregnant. We are aware pregnant employees have additional protection and extra entitlements, but would like to know when this protection starts? Is she already protected? When would any protection end?

Currently the Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to treat a woman less favourably on the grounds of her pregnancy or for asserting her statutory entitlement to maternity leave.

The protected period starts at the point an employee becomes pregnant. This means that, although your stylist has indicated her intention to become pregnant, she wouldn’t (at present) be covered by the legislation.

However, if she is successful in getting pregnant then she will be protected until the end of her maternity leave or, if she is not entitled to maternity leave in respect of the pregnancy, the protected period would end at the end of the two weeks following the end of the pregnancy.

Therefore a pregnant employee could be protected for 21 months in total (nine months pregnancy followed by 12 months maternity leave).

This period of protection against less favourable treatment extends to all rights connected to the pregnancy, such as the entitlement to paid reasonable time off in order to attend antenatal classes or other pregnancy-related appointments recommended by a registered medical practitioner, registered midwife or registered health visitor.

In addition, from a health and safety perspective, once your stylist has notified you of her pregnancy then you will need to arrange a risk assessment for her and any risks identified must be eliminated. Should she be unable to carry

PAGE 16 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

out her duties you may need to consider offering suitable alternative employment on no less favourable terms and conditions. If this can’t be offered then as a last resort you would need to consider a medical suspension on full pay until the risk is no longer present, which could be until the end of the pregnancy (and subsequent maternity leave).

A junior has recently approached me with allegations she is being bullied and singled out by one of my stylists. She is worried about her job and doesn’t want to raise the matter formally. Others in the team have approached me stating they are aware something is going on and are feeling uncomfortable watching it. What advice can I give her, aside from raising this formally?

You have a duty of care to this employee and she should be encouraged to give you detail of the incidents to which she is referring. Should she decide not to disclose any more information you should do all that you can to investigate to the best of your ability and establish as full a picture as possible about what has been going on.

From a pragmatic perspective, it would be wise to reassure your junior that you will treat her concerns with confidentiality and in accordance with any relevant policies or procedures. Reassure her this is not going to affect her employment and offer support and guidance throughout the process.

In the meantime, given that her colleagues have raised concerns over this employee, you should try and get these staff to give you witness statements. Once you have established some initial details and facts, it may be necessary to consider suspending the stylist while you conduct your investigations. The stylist is essential to your investigations and you will need to interview him/her as soon as possible and get a statement from them as part of your process.

If your junior cannot be convinced to disclose any further details then suggest to them that you still investigate based on the feedback from various staff members and build your investigations up from there. Your investigations should still be thorough and reasonable.

Once you have investigated as fully as possible you can consider whether disciplinary action would be appropriate, and you may wish to meet your junior to advise her that appropriate action is being taken.

• This article provides guidance only. If you have any general queries for Cutting Brief please email sfeditor@salonfocus. co.uk. NHF members are entitled to specific advice on the telephone from the Legal Lifeline on 0844 561 8180 but you must quote your membership number. Legal Expenses Insurance can only cover restrictive covenants where NHF standard contracts of employment are used.

INSPIRED

o p S

t

r

r

cto

e Dir

ic

h

ive

t rea KC

nU

o sso

| Sa

C

ld fie e dg ase M Fu for Bruce am re h spi on: Old wen id a O F In cti NH Dire : Dav bith ore a ir: y im e Ha ativ raph ng: T Gall i Cre otog Styl drew Ph thes p: An Clo ke-u Ma

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 17

www.nhf.info

PAGE 18 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

www.nhf.info

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 19

PAGE 20 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

REGIS

MAKE TALKING

TO YOUR TEAM MATTER The New Year lull can give salon owners the perfect opportunity to refocus their staff on the year to come. Jackie Lang shares how her company uses appraisals to keep its teams on target.

Jackie Lang has been managing director of Regis UK since 2008.

She is responsible for 450 salons that include Regis’s UK branches and Sassoon salons in the UK, Germany and USA.

In an industry that has traditionally suffered from high staff turnover and nomadic careers, keeping staff motivated and on track is essential to commercial continuity.

One of most effective tools at the disposal of any salon owner for doing this – but also one of the things that too often gets overlooked in a busy salon – is staff appraisals.

When you have 101 other things to do it can feel like a chore to sit down with staff – who you probably feel you are talking to day-to-day if not minute-by-minute anyway – and carry out a formal, structured appraisal.

But it is worth it to get away from the pressures on the salon floor and connect with your employees about their roles, training needs and aspirations and, of course, deal with any issues or problems they or you may have. It is about you, as their employer, showing you are

What makes a good appraisal?

By Helen Buck, senior HR business partner, Regis • Be prepared. Book the time out in advance to ensure you will not be disturbed and to allow the employee adequate notice to prepare. Collate information you will want to refer to, for example sales figures, client count and so on.

• Tailor the process to the individual. Everyone has different lengths of service, experience and skill sets and will need to be treated differently. Try to identify what motivates and engages the individual and will continue to do so.

• Encourage self-assessment. It’s their review not yours, so encourage the employee to review their own performance.

• Give positive feedback. Where possible start with praise for a specific achievement as this will help both sides relax!

• Be constructive with criticism. Appraisals need to be meaningful, but focus on making criticism constructive – so not “you’re bad at this” but “how can we help you improve?”. Encourage discussion or suggestions from them. Normally people want to do better and will respond positively if the right tone and approach is used.

• Ensure there are no surprises. If you have performance issues, for example timekeeping, these should have been discussed at the time and not “saved up” for the review.

• Agree measurable objectives and a plan of action (and stick to it).

The aim should be to end the review meeting on a positive note.

www.nhf.info

APPRAISALS CAN BE A POWERFUL MANAGEMENT TOOL

taking accountability for their long-term career and not just managing the day-to-day.

At Regis we manage performance through appraisals on a 12-week cycle, so it is very much a continuous process. In fact, we recommend that even the smallest business should ideally plan to appraise its staff twice a year.

However often you do it, the January lull is a perfect time. It is also, of course, often when motivation can be quite low and people are reevaluating their career direction and goals.

IMPROVE POTENTIAL

Even if there are areas where you feel people are not performing to their full potential, the key is to be using the appraisal to talk about how an employee can grow or improve.

Formal reviews are also a good moment for both sides to identify strengths and weaknesses and highlight training and coaching needs.

Another common pitfall is that the process becomes just a form-filling exercise rather than providing any real benefit. So if you make promises it is important you deliver, just as it is important the employee delivers on their side.

Appraisals should set out clear, achievable goals and timeframes that both you and your staff can refer to on an on-going basis and use as a benchmark at the next appraisal. Believe me, you’ll soon see the difference!

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 21

By Stephanie Munno

FOCUS

INSPIRE A HIT NORTH OF THE BORDER

AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT: MATTHEW GUY SUTCLIFFE WITH MODEL AT DUNDEE

WELSH TRAINEE OF THE YEAR

The NHF’s Inspire artistic team took to the catwalk at the Federation’s annual conference in Dundee in October.

Working in front of an audience of 100 members, the team presented a 40-minute seminar focusing on the team’s trend interpretations, which had been developed under the 2010 mentor tutoring of Bruce Masefield, Sassoon’s UK creative director.

The team produced six stunning looks, combining a range of cutting, colouring and hair-up techniques gained from their seminars and shoots with Bruce and the Sassoon creative team throughout the year, as well as offering their own tips.

The team comprised Colin McAndrew, Matthew Guy Sutcliffe and Katy Grimshaw, and were compered by Inspire team manager Rebecca Dickenson.

Their three catwalk looks also used plaits, elastic band foundations and crimping, all different textures seen recently at London Fashion Week.

“The audience really got involved, coming onto the stage to see up close how Colin was preparing his model’s hair,” said Rebecca.

“The audience were experienced stylists and salon owners alike and this was a great opportunity to introduce the NHF Inspire team to them and show everyone what we as a team are all about,” she added.

sh Trainee of be hosting its Wel ril Ap in ll wi n gio The Welsh Re ion. be the Year competit e hairdressers, will is open to all traine The event, which April 10. m held in Cardiff on can be obtained fro rther information fu d an @ lon sa Details : ail em d an tel: 07983759237 James Beattie on .uk beattiesbarbers.co

PAGE 22 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

TEAM GB’S TAYLA GETS HER BIG DAYBREAK

PHOTO: Daybreak TV

FEDERATION

TAYLA MARDY (SECOND LEFT), WITH, FROM LEFT, CHRISTINE BLEAKLEY, LUCY VERASAMY AND ADRIAN CHILES

Tayla Murdy, the youngest junior in Team GB, has been making headlines – and even appearing on ITV’s new flagship breakfast TV show, Daybreak TV. Last year Tayla, who is still only 15, represented Great Britain at the World Hairdressing Championships in Paris in November, and is already a European champion.

News of her achievements was picked up, first, by her local paper the Northumberland Evening Chronicle, followed by an interview on Tyne Tees News before Daybreak TV, which is fronted by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley, got in touch.

“I couldn’t believe it, it was so exciting,” said Tayla, who was sitting in an English lesson at school when the TV show rang.

“I had to be at the studio for 6.15am and I suddenly found myself having my make-up done with Lorraine Kelly sitting in the chair next to me,” she added.

“We filmed live at 7.45am I was really nervous, but just before I went on it all started to become real and I couldn’t believe it. Adrian and Christine were just normal people and I didn’t expect them to be so nice.

“While being interviewed by Adrian and Christine I styled weather forecaster Lucy Verasamy’s hair,” she adds.

GET SET FOR BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

WIN £500 AND GET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED

This year’s British Open Hairdressing Championships will take place on Saturday 12 June at Cardiff City Stadium, home of Cardiff City Football Club.

The championship is one of the highlights of the hairdressing calendar and is a vitally important competition for the industry.

It brings together competitors from all over the country, as it is open to anyone, of any age or experience, who is interested in competition work or who simply wants to experience it or show off their artistic flair.

Categories include juniors (under 25s), trainees and newcomers, as well as the seasoned professional, meaning there should be something for everyone.

The NHF’s Inspire team will be showcasing throughout the day and NHF members are urged to come along and give them your support, while at the same time hopefully learning some new techniques to try.

The nearest railway stations are Cardiff’s Ninian Park and Grangetown, while the stadium itself is located just off the A4232.

HABB GENEROSITY

BY ABERDEEN

PHOTO: Sarah Bissel

DONATION: BRIAN SHEPHERD (L) AND JEFFREY BONN

www.nhf.info

A cheque for £2,200 for the Hair & Beauty Benevolent (HABB) from Aberdeen Area was presented to NHF honorary treasurer and HABB representative Jeffrey Bonn at the Federation’s annual conference in Dundee in October.

The money was donated from a benevolent fund set up by Aberdeen Area for members from the region but had not been used for many years.

A consultation within the area came up with the unanimous decision to donate the money to the HABB, with the cheque presented to Jeffrey by Brian Shepherd of Pat Grant in Aberdeen.

Would you like to see your photographs published?

Now’s your chance, as entries are open for this year’s NHF Photographic Stylist of the Year competition.

Entering competitions can be a good way to market yourself and gain awards. What’s more, it really doesn’t matter how expensive your camera equipment is, it all comes down to a keen eye and artistic flair.

There is cash at stake for the winning entries, with a top prize of £500 for the overall photographic stylist of the year winner and £250 for the winners of the ladies’ hairdressing and men’s hairdressing categories.

The competition is for photographers of all levels of ability, and entries from beginners as well as the more experienced snappers among you are welcome.

Entrants will be asked to create a fashion look suitable for the front page of a fashion magazine for ladies’ or men’s hairdressing. Competitors may be individuals or teams consisting of two or more people.

They must, however, send a photograph of their model for public viewing who, it has to be stressed, must be aware of, and give consent to, their image being reproduced!

It is possible to enter either the ladies’ or men’s category but to be eligible to enter for the overall winner category entrants must have entered in both categories.

Photographs/images entered must also not have been previously shown in any editorial magazine or any other publication.

The closing date for entries is 31 January, and finalists will be notified in March.

The awards ceremony will take place at the British Open Hairdressing Championships in Cardiff, with winning images published in the summer issue 2011 of Inspirations.

For an application form contact Karen, Julie or Claire at the NHF on 0845 345 6500 / 01234 831965 or email enquiries@nhf.info

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 23

FEDERATION FOCUS

REGIONAL PATRICK CAMERON AND HIS MODELS

MODELS PRESENTED BY JULIE LEWIS

BEN LATHAM DOING CLIPPER CUT

PHOTO: Davis Barrow Photography

NEWCASTLE: STUNNING SEVENMODEL SHOW. COMPERE (BELOW): REBECCA DICKENSON AND TEAM

PAGE 24 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

PHOTO: Frank Shipton

East Midlands Area held a hugely successful evening with Patrick Cameron in September in Kirkby in Ashfield, at which more than 200 people attended.

Patrick styled four different professional models with modern-day styles, all on long hair and which could be taken back to the salon for everyday use or for weddings, covering both the bride and bridesmaids.

Marchella Broughton from the West Midlands Area was in the audience and was invited by Patrick to help on the stage as his assistant.

Sue Callaghan, head director of Patrick Cameron, also paid a surprise visit to see how the evening was progressing.

The NHF’s Inspire artistic team presented a show for the North East Area in Newcastle during the autumn, presenting a stunning seven-model catwalk show.

The team did their preparations throughout the day in Barry & Bobby’s Salon in the city and then went onto the do a show at the Vermont Hotel in front of an audience of 130.

Immediate past-president Harry Walker welcomed and introduced the team, which was compered by team manager Rebecca Dickenson.

North East Area branch also held a business presentation during September, featuring former salon owner Julie Eldrett who now runs a business consultancy and has done work with L’Oreal and covered salon exhibitions.

PHOTO: Martyn Dudley

ROUND-UP

Also during September, Avon Branch invited members and non-members to a presentation of evening hairstyles and a gentleman’s clipper cut.

Julie Lewis of Jay Jay’s in Bristol gave a demonstration of evening hairstyles, using three different models, while Ben Latham demonstrated the clipper cut.

Finally, the Somerset Hairstyling Competitions took place in October, an event that saw 85 competitors come together from across the region, including many juniors.

This year’s event saw entrants coming from Taunton’s Somerset College and Bridgewater College, the Trowbridge College in Wiltshire and South Bristol Skills Academy.

The senior championships were won by George Knight from South Bristol Skills Academy, .the junior championships were won by Carla Russell, from the same academy.

PARIS GOLD

www.nhf.info

PHOTOS: Christ

The NHF’s Team GB came away with one of its bestever hauls of medals and placings at the OMC World Hairdressing Championships in Paris in November.

Equally exciting for the future was the strong showing put in by the team’s junior members.

Linzi Weare, who at the age of just 21 is one of the younger members of the squad and works for Reds Hair in Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, won gold in the Junior Ladies Technical Creative Hairstyle category – the first time a junior has ever won in this category.

Linzi joined juniors Lucy Macey, of Marc Weston in Clifton, Belinda Dwyer of Jon Richard in Bradford, Ben Price of Robert Johns in Bristol in winning bronze in the Junior Ladies Team, as did their trainer Stephen Coles.

Linzi was again a winner, along with Leanne Willis of The Venue in Ashington and Allyson Clewlow of The Coach House in Wolverhampton, in taking fourth place in the Senior Ladies Full Fashion category.

Will Davis of Franco International in Wolverhampton, Dan Blakemore of Jacks of London in Birmingham and Liz Hale of Reds Hair achieved fourth place in the Junior Gents Technical Team.

Gary Pearce of Slick Hair in Huddersfield, Steve Clewlow of The Coach House, Franco Colabella of Franco International and Brian Hastie of The Hairstyle Co in Droitwich, also secured fourth place in the Senior Gents Technical Team.

Franco, Steve and Gary, meanwhile, took fifth place in the Senior Gents Fashion Team.

Stephen Pyne of Peter Pyne & Son in Cannock, took fifth place in the Senior Ladies Technical Day style category.

NHF president and international juror Mark Coray said: “We had a fantastic time in Paris and our team excelled in every aspect of hairdressing.

Securing gold in the individual Junior Ladies Technical category is a great achievement, as this has never been achieved by a junior from Great Britain before.”

The other judges were Lloyd Griffiths, Stephen Coles, Ian Foreman and Graham Smith.

John Jenkins, the NHF’s Ladies Delegate was awarded the OMC International Achievement Medal for his contribution to the hairdressing industry.

Wendy Harris, Team GB manager, said: “A very big thank you goes once again to Aston & Fincher for the use of their training centre and to L’Oreal for their sponsorship for the World Hairdressing Championships.”

opher Fields

BODES WELL FOR FUTURE

P: THE GOLDEN GROU GATION OFFICIAL DELE

L – R MODEL , LEANNE WILLIS, ALLY SON CLEWLOW, LI NZI WEARE, MODEL, MO DEL, JULIE WALLIS, MOD EL AND STEPHEN PY NE

Now the OMC World Hairdressing Championships 2010 has ended the NHF is looking to recruit a team manager, senior ladies trainer/coordinator and senior gents WEARE WINNER: LINZI trainer/co-ordinator for Team GB. These voluntary positions are held for two years to coincide with the championships.

Applicants must be NHF members and available to attend weekend training sessions and competitions leading up to the Milan 2012 championships. To find out more please send a CV and covering letter to Stephanie Munno at head office by 31 January.

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 25

BEAUTY

WEDDING

BELLES

Brides are increasingly looking for a “total” package of styling, extensions, hair-ups, nails and make-up. And don’t forget the groom either, writes Michelle Griffin.

MICHELLE GRIFFIN: MAKE SURE YOUR TEAM IS FULLY PREPARED

Every woman dreams about her wedding day and will often plan it for years. What we are increasingly finding is brides want a “total” package that covers styling, hair-ups, hair extensions, nails, make-up and so on.

We had a record year last year for brides, both in the salon and on location. As well as bridal hair we have been seeing business increasing in a number of areas, particularly hair extensions, bridal make-up and packages for the groom.

“EXTENDING” MARGINS

What better way to make a fairytale-look on your wedding day than through long, thick and luscious locks? But most people don’t tend to have enough length or volume with their natural hair, so brides will often look to hair extensions to create a style that will wow groom and guests.

There are many different methods of hair extension attachment, as well as various levels of quality, and it is best to offer a variety of methods. This will give your hair extensionists more to offer clientele, and it will give you an edge over your competition.

At our salon we offer semi-permanent methods such as taped wefts, and Flip-In hair extensions, which are great for wedding hair as they can add instant glamour to any look and transform a style in a matter of minutes.

For a more permanent change, one that will last through the honeymoon and Hair extension beyond, pre-bonded and hot and cold fusion consultant Michelle hair extensions are best. These can last up to Griffin is managing three months with regular maintenance. and creative director We also run the Michelle Griffin of the Michelle Griffin Academy, an independent hair extension salon, academy and training academy that teaches and educates therapy suite in Barnt professional stylists and students, covering Green, Birmingham. everything from traditional to modernShe is active within the day styles and fashions and, in particular, Fellowship for British wedding hair.

Hairdressing, is an enthusiastic platform artist and has styled celebrities and trained top salons.

TRIAL RUNS

On top of extensions, bridal make-up can be a great additional service and we offer

PAGE 26 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

brides access to a range of professional make-up artists. Much as with extensions, it is always beneficial to have a thorough consultation with your brides to ensure they will be 100 per cent happy with their new look on the day.

We insist on a face-to-face consultation. You need to get to know her and her family and she needs to get to know us, who the extensionist will be, the make-up artist and so on. Trial runs are vital in giving clients confidence and to help them and us understand the look they want to achieve on the day.

It’s important to recognise it’s not just the bride who might be able to create business but the groom too. We are doing more and more work with grooms and offer different levels of packages including, for example, a manicure, haircut and shave, which are increasingly popular. For 2011, we’re going to be working on more extensions but we will also be looking to extend our grooms’ packages.

NO SURPRISES

While brides and their families are normally happy to spend to get the occasion they want, everyone, especially these days, is working to a budget. So transparency is vital. We go through it all very carefully; we write everything down they are asking for, talk about what services they want to add in, cost it all up and send them the options of the packages they could have – though we always throw in a free bottle of champagne!

We need to be clear how big the bridal party will be, whether the groom also requires a package and how many stylists will be needed on the day. It is imperative your team is fully prepared and understands what is required. It’s important, too, if there is more than one wedding that you keep them separate. We don’t want things to get mixed up but, most importantly, we want clients to feel it is all about them; that it is their special day.

If you read nothing else, read this….

• Present bridal as a “total” package • Hair extensions, make-up and the groom can be lucrative additions • Insist on a face-to-face consultation • Be absolutely transparent in your pricing • Train your team in what is expected

ANALYSIS

WHAT SPENDING REVIEW

MEANS FOR SALONS

There were positives for salons in the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, but the fear is it will still make life tougher on the high street, writes Marc Westerman.

The government’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) in October may have caused doom and gloom in some areas, but for hairdressing salons the changes outlined by Chancellor George Osborne included good news as well as challenges.

The biggest potential positive was the announcement of an extra £250m a year to fund 75,000 new adult apprentices annually by the end of the spending review period (in 2015).

Described by the Chancellor as “the largest ever financial investment in adult apprenticeships”, the change could result in more funded training schemes in the industry.

POSITIVE COMMENT

What we don’t know, as Alan Goldsbro, chief executive of Habia, pointed out at the time, is the detail of what this change will actually mean on the ground. He warned: “If the funding per learner is reduced, learning providers will have to ask learners and employers to contribute to the cost of delivering a good-quality programme, if they are not already doing so.”

But, overall, the fact the government has indicated so strongly its commitment to apprentices at such a time is positive news for salon owners. Here at Westrow, for example, it is our up-and-coming, young platform of trainee staff and those on apprenticeship schemes that helps to keep our business fresh. In fact many of our top stylists started as apprentices.

Apprenticeships are often oversubscribed and this extra money will really make a difference. We as a result expect to see many more young people joining us in forthcoming years.

It is also important, as NHF president Mark Coray highlighted in the wake of the announcement, that this extra money is carefully targeted to ensure apprentices get as much exposure to the workplace as possible.

As Mark put it: “Pledging more money is only half the answer. What hairdressing salon owners want, and what too many colleges are still not providing, is young people who are properly equipped with the practical skills they need

www.nhf.info

to make a better future for themselves.”

The main challenge from the CSR is if it dents confidence on the high street and makes people more cautious in their spending. In this environment, hairdressing salons may have to work harder to retain their existing client base.

It has become second nature for consumers to shop around for lower prices in all areas of their lives, and this trend may become more pronounced. Nevertheless our own market research has indicated that, by and large, as long as a client is happy they won’t change to another salon, even if it is offering a lower price.

What is therefore going to be crucial for salons is to continue to offer very good value for money, in all senses, not just price. So, the quality of the service, the customer experience and customer satisfaction will become even more important.

Marc Westerman is cofounder of hairdressing brand Westrow and has seven salons across Yorkshire.

CLIENT CONSULTATION

We, for example, have recently introduced a new client consultation process across all of our salons in which we encourage our stylists to speak to customers about their lifestyle and needs and to get a feel for their personality, all of which means we can better tailor our service to them and make better recommendations.

Similarly, in a climate where it may be harder to attract new clients, how salons use or spend money on advertising, PR and social media to cultivate or maintain relationships with clients may become more important.

GEORGE OSBORNE: SPENDING ON APPRENTICES

If you read nothing else, read this….

• CSR could be good news if it leads to increased numbers taking up apprenticeships • But if it dents high-street confidence salons may have to work smarter to retain customers • Offering good value (price, service and customer experience) will be key, as will be maintaining and building relationships

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 27

ADVICE

GET YOUR BUSINESS FIT

FOR 2011

January is a great time for fresh thinking, especially whether your business is heading in the right direction, says Basil Long.

All right, who’s already broken those enthusiastic resolutions made when ringing in the New Year? Most of us may barely get beyond March when pledging to get fit, cutting out alcohol, quitting smoking or generally “improving” ourselves, but when it comes to business the traditionally quieter post-Christmas and New Year period is a great time for salons to step back, re-evaluate and regroup for the coming 12 months.

Here are four ways to get started: • Revisit your business plan You sweated over it when you went to the bank, but has your business plan been sitting in a drawer ever since? Business plans should ideally be “live” documents, which evolve as your business grows.

So, go and have a look at it. What are the most profitable sides of your business and are they what you anticipated they would be? Is there room to increase your margins? Where are you in relation to your first year, three-year or five-year plan?

Within this, how are your finances looking? Be realistic: do you have a good cashflow or are you getting by each

Basil Long is senior legal consultant at Croner.

PAGE 28 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

month by the skin of your teeth? Could you negotiate better terms on any loan, savings or overdraft facilities? Are you constantly, and expensively, having to max out the credit card (and if so why)?

Do you have a tight enough control of your outgoings? You might even be able to improve cashflow by something as simple as changing the date when things go out.

More widely, are you expecting any significant capital expenses this year – perhaps a new roof or a major new piece of equipment? If so, do you have funds available or should you be starting to shop around for the best loan? Have you got enough of a contingency fund set aside in case something unexpected crops up?

• Look at your customer base, marketing and premises with fresh eyes Has your customer base changed noticeably over the past year or so?

Perhaps your clientele are becoming younger or older, more ethnically diverse, less (or more) cash rich, and how should you adjust your services, brand and pricing strategy as a result?

Are you communicating in the most effective ways and have you set aside enough of a budget for ongoing promotional activity? What about social media or mobile technology – could they work for you and, unless you’re an expert yourself, who might be able to set this up for you in a professional way, and at what cost? Is your website as dynamic as it could be?

Do you know, too, when all the trade shows are so that you don’t miss out

on the latest exciting developments? And when was the last time you had a look at your price list or gift voucher packs?

Maybe there is additional competition in your area or, in the current climate, have you actually lost competitors, which could in turn possibly create opportunities? Are there any salons shutting down that might be acquisition targets – although you need of course to understand why they failed!

Because you spend so much time in your salon it can sometimes be hard to see whether the décor is beginning to look tired, or whether fixtures, fittings or equipment need updating. But try and step back and assess whether you need to redecorate or give the salon a facelift.

What about extensions or alterations? Will you need planning permission?

Might it, even, be time for a move or change of location? Sometimes, if alterations are going to be too costly and cause too much disruption, it can be cheaper and easier to move. At the moment it is a buyer’s market and there may be some good property deals to be had. But don’t forget to factor in the costs associated with moving – including agent and legal fees.

If the property is leasehold, do you know when your lease is up for renewal or when a rent review is due? If you have a break clause or are coming to the end of the lease and want to move on, make a note in your diary of when you will have to serve notice by. Are there, too, any obligations in the lease to redecorate?

• Get serious about contracts, licences and insurance With any insurance it’s a good idea to give yourself enough time prior to expiry to look at alternative quotes rather than automatically renew – so now’s the time to check renewal dates. Are you adequately covered or have you made purchases that now mean you are under-insured, a common failing for small businesses? Similarly, has anything affected your public liability insurance and is your employer liability insurance up to scratch? On a positive note, with property values having fallen in many areas, it may be worth checking you are not now paying too much for your building insurance.

It’s not the most exciting of jobs but do carve out some time to ensure all relevant licences are up to date and, again, that you know renewal dates. Think not only PPL or PRS for music licences but also the TV licence if you have screens, an alcohol licence if you have one and any other consents you may have from the council or elsewhere. Do you lease equipment or have hire-purchase agreements? If so, can you get a better deal or negotiate an upgrade? What is the situation regarding final payments or terminating an unwanted agreement if you no longer want the equipment?

“What are the most profitable sides of your business and are they what you anticipated they would be? Is there room to increase your margins?

Where are you in relation to your first year, three-year or five-year plan? “

www.nhf.info

RINGING IN THE NEW: BUT IS YOUR BUSINESS PREPARED FOR THE YEAR AHEAD?

Do you have rolling contracts for waste management, cleaning, marketing or your utilities and are they good value?

Be warned, though, these usually have very specific termination provisions and if you do not serve notice correctly you could end locked into an unwanted contract. Of course, don’t forget to renew your NHF membership!

• Give some power to the people Look around your salon – do you have the appropriate number of staff? Just as importantly, is everyone happy; are you challenging and engaging your staff or do you keep losing people and have to go through the expense and hassle of hiring and training up new faces? If it’s the latter, is there a reason why?

Do you, too, have any planned departures on the horizon, perhaps a retirement or someone heading off on maternity leave? What contingencies do you have in place for eventualities like these happening unexpectedly? It’s not the sort of conversation any of us likes to have, but is there the prospect of redundancies this year? Might there, too, be more flexible ways your staff could work that might help you avoid wielding the axe, though any contractual changes in terms and conditions will of course need to be managed carefully, and you may need some professional guidance.

Another area to consider is training and development. Are there members of your team who could benefit from having more skills? If so, how will you go about offering those and through what providers? What will be the progression plan for any apprentices who are qualifying this year? You may, too, want to examine the staffing implications of expanding the number of chairs in your salon or adding products or services.

Hopefully, the year ahead will bring successes as well as challenges.

Either way, a bit of forward planning, preparation and thinking should make your salon better able to roll with any punches as well as maximise any opportunities that come your way.

If you read nothing else, read this….

• Use the New Year to take stock of your business direction • Look afresh at your business plan, how your customer demographic is changing and whether your marketing can be improved • Reassess what your needs will be in terms of finance, capital spending and investment in your premises • Ensure all contracts, licences and insurance are adequate and up to date • Don’t forget staff training and development

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 29

COLUMN

THE

BEVERLY C COLUMN

Hairdressing icon Beverly C has twice won the British Hairdresser of the Year Award and she was the first female hairdresser to be awarded an MBE. She is a brand ambassador for Goldwell and Babyliss, and she is a regular face on TV and in the press.

What an amazing year 2010 was! Despite all the gloomy news of recession and an unsettled political situation, the hairdressing industry has been as busy and creative as ever.

For me, last year was truly hectic. I was involved in a massive project for Babyliss doing the creative direction, imagery and filming for their websites, packaging and trade and consumer global brand campaigns – 18 hour days and a challenging schedule of back-to-back shows, six a day, but I loved it!

HAIRCARE RANGE

Also high on the agenda for 2010 was the development of my haircare range. I had no idea it was going to be so exhilarating (or take so long!) but we’re nearly there now.

All the formulas, the stability testing, the design, copy and fragrances have now been approved and agreed. We’re deciding which retail outlet to launch in and then production will start. We’ve done quite a bit of research into what women really want and even I’ve been surprised by the results. It’s helped me to refresh my own brand and I’m absolutely delighted with the results.

It’s been a full-on year with Goldwell too. I’ve been out and about around the UK visiting salons and doing some bespoke education and motivation.

I’ve also been off to Poland a couple of times to do

PAGE 30 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

seminars, which was very different. Then in October I travelled to Paris for the Goldwell Colour Zoom Global finals as an international judge.

The competition took place at Paris Fashion Week’s key venue Halle de Freysinet, which was very glamorous and exciting. I was judging three categories – partner, new talent and creative colourist – and there were more than 70 national winners from more than 30 countries competing, so it was quite a task. We were all thrilled it was UK entrant – Neil Barton, owner of Neil Barton in Edinburgh – who won Global Creative Colourist 2010.

I also spent time in Russia with Stephen Glendinning the international art director of Beverly C, to host a workshop for all the winners of the Russian Hair Awards on the dos and don’ts of winning awards.

My last big project of the year was a really exciting shoot for the Fellowship of British Hairdressing. I was on its council for many years and am also a past president. As an organisation we’ve always been great at promoting the work our fantastic members do to our own industry, but never showing off to the consumer. The fellowship’s new president, Terry Calvert, is passionate about raising our profile to the consumer, and invited myself, Nicky Clarke, Mark Leeson and Andrew Collinge to produce a collection of salon-friendly “must-have-hair” images to use in the fellowship’s latest PR campaign.

A BUSY 2011

Looking ahead to 2011, I foresee another busy year. My products will be launching on to the high street and I’ll be off round the UK and the rest of the world passing on all the technical information and business advice I can, as well as creating imagery, doing shows and promoting British hairdressing abroad and on TV. I’ve also just filmed another series of “Young Hairdresser of the Year” for the BBC. The last one had excellent reviews, but I have to admit I feel it made me look rather cross and disapproving! So this time around I am hoping I’ll come across as more the “real me” – in other words not just caring, friendly and down-to-earth but also, of course, passionate about hairdressing and helping hairdressers.

USE COLOUR TO BRIGHTEN

UP JANUARY

not just for clients but for I love the New Year. Yes, my teams too; it gets them all the excitement of the motivated and energised run-up to Christmas has after the Christmas break. passed and it’s often cold If you have a stylist who and the gets dark really excels in a certain colour early. But it’s also a time or technique, shout about of new resolutions, new them and make yourself chapters and… new the go-to destination for colours. that service.

Salons traditionally do I want to be seen as lots of colour work before a forward-thinking salon Christmas but, with clients Rae Palmer is former with colour and so I will be often in a “New Year, Southern Hairdresser of looking to get clients really New Me” frame of mind, the Year and is owner of excited about new colour January can be a great Rae Palmer Hairdressing, products and innovations. opportunity to launch Southsea and Rae Palmer This January, for example, I exciting new colour Hair Boutique, Chichester. will be launching two new product innovations and She is a brand ambassador fantastic colour brands: techniques. for Schwarzkopf, for its Schwarzkopf Essensity Don’t be fooled into BlondMe, and Essensity natural colour along with thinking clients have no brands. the premium blonde brand money at this time of year BlondMe. Promoting for spending on a new blondes is big business anytime of the colour – just think how much many of us year – but the beginning of a year is a are willing to spend on the January sales.

Particularly if customers need cheering natural time for clients to want to feel up or feel at a low ebb because of the “anti- “brightened up”.

Alongside new products we will be climax” of January, then spending cash on offering exciting catwalk trend colour a new hair colour will be seen not as an techniques. I believe the next generation extravagance but because they “need” it. in colour is to offer luxury, premium brands Moreover, from a business perspective, that are healthy, natural and organic, or how you use and promote your colour designer colour that is created bespoke for services can make a big difference when it the client. comes to maintaining revenue and growth during January and February. For me, going back and seeing gaps in the columns is AFTERCARE always a bad way to start the year, and is For the salon, part of driving up the not good for the morale of the team either. average bill is to follow the colour service with prescriptive colour haircare to maintain and refresh the colour at home.

INCENTIVES We promote our new colours as packages, In my salons, we offer lots of incentives for always following the services with clients to return in January. We work really aftercare and maintenance. hard in the run-up to Christmas to keep Finally, within the salon we try to create numbers up once the festive season is a special New Year company philosophy, over. If your client is thinking about a “new such as perhaps “life without colour is me” they are going to be more receptive monochrome”. So, be up for promoting the to the recommendation of a new colour to help achieve the overall look, particularly if New Year to your team as a time to try a new look and encourage them to advertise your staff are well trained in talking about any new colour, techniques, trends and trends, colour and consultations. products on their own hair.

New Year colour launches are exciting

PAGE 32 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

PHOTO: Rae Palmer for Schwarzkopf. Andrew O’Toole.

When it’s cold and grey outside, colour and colour services can cheer up clients post-Christmas, and give your business a vital boost, writes Rae Palmer.

If you read nothing else, read this….

• Don’t write off the New Year, as many customers decide they want a new look and a new colour in January • You can use colour products and services to maintain revenue and growth during January and February • Run incentives and promotions before the New Year to encourage clients to return in January • Offer a “total package”, including aftercare and maintenance • Train your staff to talk about trends, products, techniques and colours, and encourage them to try them out themselves

NHF EVENTS OTHERS

EVENTS

Please send your events to the NHF at enquiries@nhf.info

by January 10 to appear in March/April 2011, March 8 to appear in May/June and May 10 to appear in July/August.

Updated events listed on www.nhf.info

22

27

29

28

JAN White Rose Dinner York Race Course.

Contact Glen Jackson on 01904 635877

JAN Yorkshire Region AGM Gomersal Park Hotel.

Contact Phil Cooling on 07818 306305

31

JAN North East Region and Networking Group AGM Marton Hotel, Middlesbrough.

Contact Avril Walker on 01642 597197 or 01642 591466

7

FEB Southern Area Vidal Sassoon Show Carrington House Hotel, Bournemouth Contact John Light 01794 521849

13

FEB North West Region and Networking Group AGM Holiday Inn, Lancaster.

Contact Ken or June Taylor on 01253 895711

14

FEB Huddersfield Networking Group AGM Jon Laurence International, Huddersfield.

Contact Neil Kaye on 07719 723364

www.nhf.info

NOT TO BE MISSED...

FEB Red Rose Championships Swallow Hotel, Preston.

Contact Ken or June Taylor on 01253 895711

FEB Julie Eldrett Seminar Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham.

Contact Avril Walker on 01642 591466 or David on 01642 611025

13/14

MARCH Blackpool International Hairdressing Championships Winter Gardens, Blackpool.

Contact Dorethea English on 01253 294760

27

MARCH Devon and Cornwall Championships Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton, Devon.

Contact Pat or Doug Cording on 01386 561704

28

MARCH North East Region and Networking Group Meeting Ramside, Durham Contact Avril Walker on 01642 597197 or 01642 591466

3

APRIL Bournemouth and Reading Competitions Carrington House Hotel, Bournemouth Call 02380 644084

10

APRIL Welsh Region Trainee of the Year Competition Cardiff.

Contact James Beattie on 07983759237

11

APRIL HABB Golf Classic 2011 Marriott Forest of Arden Golf & Country Club, Warwickshire.

Contact Pete Statham on 07904 401533 or Teresa Frise on 01737 212494

17

APRIL North East Region Championships: Body Painting and Two Tone Colour Competition Marton Hotel and Country Club, Middlesbrough.

Contact Avril Walker on 01642 597197 or 01642 591466

14

MAY Yorkshire Region President’s Dinner Dance Dubrovnik Hotel, Bradford.

Contact Phill Cooling on 07818 306305

5

2/3

JUNE South West Region Championships Winter Gardens, WestonSuper-Mare, Somerset.

Contact Pat or Doug Cording on 01386 561704

OCT Annual General Meeting and Conference Marriott Hotel, Metro Centre, Gateshead, Newcastle.

Contact NHF head office on 01234 831965 or 0845 345 6500

12

14

27

20

JUNE British Open Championships, Cardiff.

Contact NHF head office on 01234 831965 or 0845 345 6500

JUNE North East Networking Group AGM Ramside, Durham.

Contact Avril Walker on 01642 597197 or 01642 591466

NOV Cheshire Championships Romiley Forum Theatre, Stockport Contact Ian Barrell on 0161 4276953

NOV South of England Championships Novotel, Southampton Contact John Light on 01794 521849

JAN/FEB 2011 SALONFOCUS PAGE 33

BACKWASH

CHOO-ING

OVER THE X

X Factor never fails to entertain Backwash and the series just gone was no exception.

Backwash did, however, find Mancunian beauty therapist Rachel Choo eardrum-toxic.

Her version of Whitney Houston’s Saving all my love was enough to turn any blonde diva silver.

She aspired to be the next Lady Gaga but Backwash concurred wholeheartedly with superjudge Simon Cowell when he said, “...this is one million per cent not for you darling”.

Guest judge Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer with girl group sensation the Pussycat Dolls, hit it right on the nail when she said she did not know if Choo and the music were in the same room sometimes.

Thankfully HOB Salons receptionist Katie Waissel really knew how to pack a ditty or two and unemployed hairdresser Rebecca Creighton was a breath of fresh air when she sang Pixie Lott’s Cry Me Out and made it into Belle Amie which crashed in week four of the live shows.

Even so, Backwash doubts she will be unemployed for long.

PINK PUSSY What ever possessed Natasha Gregory to dye her pet pussy pink?

It is bad enough the 22-yearold from Swindon named her feline friend Oi! Kitty.

But the whiskered white feline lost the last remnants of dignity when Natasha used food colouring to match her own pink hair.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it would pay the hapless owner a visit and warn her about the hazards of cat-colouring.

Backwash bets Herbert of Liverpool, who loves all things pink, would simply dye to get his hands on Oi! Kitty.

Wouldn’t we all, darling!

If you have stories for Backwash, send them to the editor at head office or e-mail to sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk putting Editor Backwash in the subject line.

PUBERPAUSE One of Backwash’s sources was enjoying a girls’ night out at The Old Bull and Bush in Hampstead, north London, when one of them started complaining about the hot flushes she began shortly after she turned 50.

“All night long, I throw the sheets off and my husband pulls them back on again. He says I’m like a radiator.”

“I’m having exactly the same problem,” said the hairdresser in the group, who also has not seen 40 for at least a decade. “I hate puberty.”

Backwash knows just what she means.

PAGE 34 SALONFOCUS JAN/FEB 2011

HIP HIP CORAY What do the Queen and Mark Coray have in common?

We all know they are both charming, successful and appreciate a good hairdo.

But what you might not realise is that the head of the NHF’s new president, like the Queen, appears on bank notes.

Well, not real bank notes but the fake variety that were in circulation at the Dundee annual conference’s “casino night”.

Hip hip horay... or perhaps it should be Coray.

A BUS CALLED SORBIE First there was Muffin the Mule, then Thomas the Tank Engine. Now there is Trevor Sorbie the Bus. For the celebrated Paisley-born hairdresser, who holds an MBE, was nominated by Scots to have an Arriva bus named after him.

The local hero said: “I’ve had some wonderful awards, even from the Queen, but this is right up there for me.”

Trevor is rightly proud to have been honoured in this way. But let’s hope he did not drink all that champagne on his own.

We all love a bubbly hairdresser but there are limits.