SalonFocus Nov-Dec 2012

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NHF ‘manifesto’ for apprenticeships ‘We must believe in ourselves’ – Mark Coray Join Christmas colour test campaign Last chance to win Britain’s Best

WAVELENGTH

It’s manifestly right: apprentices must be fit to employ There’s even the hope that the NHF might be pushing The hairdressing industry can, quite rightly, be proud of at something of an open door in Westminster. When it the commitment it has made over the years to the training comes to education, the government has a lot on its plate and development of young people. That’s why, when at the moment, what with the academy and free schools salon owners speak – as they have done with great clarity, revolution and the small matter of scrapping GCSEs from as we report on pages five and six, in response to the 2017. But there does appear to be an appetite within the government’s Richard Review into apprenticeships – they deserve to be listened to, by the government, by the public coalition for rethinking vocational education. Last year, for example, we had the Wolf Review, and, most of all, by training providers and this year we’ve had both the Richard standards setters.

‘In a world so and Holt reviews plus, let’s not forget, It’s very clear, even to me as an outsider education secretary Michael Gove’s looking in at the industry, that the way often dominated decision earlier this year to remove vocational training is structured, funded by the jargon and thousands of vocational GCSEs from and delivered is flawed, possibly fatally. school league tables. There’s a long way Young people are being let down by a vested interests of to go, and these are big questions that system that churns them out with greatdo not lend themselves to easy or quick looking qualifications on paper yet not, as educationalists, if answers. But getting the voice of the one of our members so pithily put it, “fit employer out there – and expressing it to employ”. Salon owners, too, are being this manifesto can with reasonableness, absolute clarity let down because they have to pick up the strongly articulate and firm intent – is a vital beginning. pieces, often to the extent of being forced Finally, obviously I can’t let pass to retrain (or sometimes, seemingly, train the voice of the the news we report on page five that from scratch) youngsters who may have NHF secretary general Eileen Lawson raw potential but are lacking in proper, employer, reinforce will be taking early retirement from the salon-floor and people what apprenticeships end of the year. After the health issues skills, despite being she overcame so successfully last year, technically “qualified”. should contain and, her decision is perhaps not surprising Then there’s, too, the evidently completely the right one issue of older trainees, critically, what needs and for her. I – we all, I am sure – wish her people who have perhaps well and good health and, most of all, a come to hairdressing after to be the end result, chance to relax, regroup and recharge. a false start (and therefore then that will be Nevertheless, purely from a personal will often be bringing perspective, in her role as publisher of with them not just hugely valuable’ SalonFocus, I shall miss Eileen’s wisdom, useful life skills but the insight and fairness, her willingness benefit of hairdressing to challenge and interrogate, and in being their considered, the process push everyone to perform consistently to deliberate career choice), only to find it their best; most of all, however, I shall miss her strategic increasingly hard to get a foot in the door vision. Being able to rise above the “noise” and see the because of the vagaries of the apprentice big picture – to see what needs to be done and, above all, national minimum wage. They may still be a minority how to get there – is a rare skill, sadly lacking in all too among trainees, but they are important to the industry, many organisations and workplaces. Moreover, what I shall especially in a climate of job insecurity and high youth miss personally I am in no doubt the Federation will miss unemployment.

This is why the NHF’s decision to construct a “manifesto” professionally. Eileen’s contribution and commitment to the success of the Federation over the past five years may for apprenticeships within hairdressing could well be a often have gone unsung (as she preferred it to be) but it significant, even game-changing, moment. Of course, a has been massive. She will be a hard act to follow. piece of paper by itself isn’t going to change anything. But, in a world so often dominated by the jargon and vested interests of educationalists, if this manifesto can strongly articulate the voice of the employer, reinforce what apprenticeships should contain and, critically, what needs to be the end result, then that will be hugely valuable and may, in time, even develop its own momentum.

www.nhf.info

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 3

CONTENTS OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Ian Davies is creative director of Ocean Hairdressing in Cardiff

News

09 10 11 12 14

‘Manifesto’ for apprenticeships Apprenticeships: members have their say Mark Coray: ‘we have to start believing in ourselves’ Tax team to target north east salons Hairdresser first to be ‘named and shamed’ Patch testing campaign launched Chains rush to cash in on male grooming Saks and T&G looking to expand globally

Features

05 06 08

24 25 26 28-29 30

17-20

14

03 09 11 16 21-22 32 33 34

Tweet sweet – make Twitter work for you People power – using a recruitment agency Cut! – backstage on a Hollywood movie Age perfect – retaining the loyalty of more mature clients Clipper race – investing in quality combs, clippers and brushes

Inspired

Barber and stylist 5ive is a member of the Wahl Artistic Team and has worked on film sets and for celebrities such as Cuba Gooding Jnr, Sean ‘P-Diddy’ Combs, Nelly Futardo and Lionel Ritchie.

Gillian Dowling works for Croner as employment technical consultant

With a career spanning 50 years, hair colourist Daniel Galvin is one of most recognised names in the industry. A protégé of Vidal Sassoon and Leonard Lewis, he was made an OBE in 2006 and continues to be passionate about colour and the industry.

Bree Davie is salon director at Trevor Sorbie Hampstead

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Andrew Don e: sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk EVENTS Tina Beaumont t: 0845 345 6500 e: tina.beaumont@nhf.info

Paul Hood is owner of Styletech Hair Recruitment based in Sheffield, as well as owner of Fellas salon in the city

Beauty

Beauty Spots – ‘recession proof’ cosmetics Wavelength – it’s manifestly right: apprentices must be fit to employ HairClips – link between hair dye and bladder cancer rejected Movers and Groovers – Dame Kelly Holmes’ fundraiser Cutting Brief – your legal problems solved Federation Focus – Bournemouth and Reading mentoring scheme with colleges Column – Daniel Galvin’s Olympic spirit Events – key dates for your diary Britain’s Best – your last chance to win!

PAGE 4 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

PUBLISHER Eileen Lawson BSc FCIS FRSA e: eileen.lawson@nhf.info EDITOR Nic Paton e: sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk

Photo finished – images from this year’s NHF Photographic Stylist of the Year competition

Regulars

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

Front cover Hair: Linda Spackman, Cutting Crew, Willesden Green (overall winner, NHF Photographic Stylist of the Year competition) Photography: Michelle Martinoli

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Please include salon name, photographer & stylist.

NEWS

NHF ‘manifesto’ set to give employers

a bigger voice on apprenticeships The NHF is publishing a “manifesto” for change in how apprenticeships are structured and delivered that, it is hoped, will give employers a much greater say in the future training and development of young people.

The landmark document, provisionally being titled A Manifesto for Apprenticeships in Hairdressing, is being constructed out of an unprecedented response from members to the Richard Review into apprenticeships launched in June (SalonFocus, September/October 2012).

The manifesto is expected to be published in January and will be used to lobby for change in Westminster and within the industry.

NHF education committee chairman John Armstrong said: “The whole point of qualifications is that they need to make a person fit for the workplace.

We need to be ensuring employers’ views are taken into account when standards and processes are being reviewed.

“It is not going to lead to us producing JOHN ARMSTRONG: FIT standards or FOR PURPOSE qualifications; we want to be working with standards-setting organisations such as Habia and the awarding bodies. But it is about ensuring qualifications are fit for purpose,” he added.

The main arguments articulated by members in the survey were that: • apprenticeship training needs to be led from the salon floor; • employers’ bodies, such as the NHF, should have a greater leadership role in ensuring apprenticeships produce trainees who are “fit to employ”; • the age cap on the apprentices’ national minimum wage needs to be scrapped because, as it stands, it is a major barrier to salon owners taking on older trainees; and • employers need to have a greater say

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in the assessment of qualifications, as well as their content, structure and delivery.

A selection of member responses is published overleaf.

In a separate development, the government has performed a u-turn over its controversial £1,500 windfall for small businesses that take on apprentices.

When the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) was unveiled last November the government said it would only be offered to businesses that had not hired an apprentice before, in effect ruling out most salons, as reported in SalonFocus in January.

This led the NHF to lobby government as well as raise it with Richard Fuller, MP for Bedford, where the NHF is headquartered.

Now, as part of its response to a review into apprenticeships among small and medium-sized firms by entrepreneur Jason Holt, the government has confirmed the restrictions will be “revised” so only firms that have employed an apprentice in the previous year are now ineligible.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills told SalonFocus: “It remains the case that the grant is not open to employers who are already employing an apprentice or have employed one in the recent past. However, we have relaxed the latter eligibility condition, so that an employer will now be eligible for AGE if they have not employed an apprentice in the previous 12 months, rather than three years as was previously the case.”

A further change will be paying the £1,500 in a single instalment 13 weeks after the apprentice starts rather than, as previously, half up front and half only when the apprentice had progressed into “suitable employment”.

The Holt Review, published in May, argued apprenticeships as a career path were not given a high enough profile in schools and small businesses were often put off by a lack of coherent information and poor training providers.

• Apprenticeships: members have their say, page six

Eileen Lawson to step down as secretary general NHF secretary general Eileen Lawson has announced she is to take early retirement from the end of the year.

Eileen, who is publisher of SalonFocus and has been with RETIRING: EILEEN the Federation for LAWSON AT CONFERENCE five years, returned to WITH MARK CORAY AND work earlier this year PAUL CURRY following a severe bout of cancer but has decided it is now time to step back from such an intense role.

She said: “Working to promote the NHF and the importance of our sector has been fantastic. To have worked with so many creative, passionate members – people who care about their profession, their clients and their businesses – has been a joy.

“To all of you who have made my time with the Federation so rewarding, I owe you my thanks. I wish you all the best in your businesses and of course in your support of the Federation as it continues to fight ever harder and louder on your behalf.”

The Federation has started the process of recruiting her successor, with an appointment expected to be made by the spring of next year.

Tributes were led by president Mark Coray, who said: “What Eileen has achieved for the Federation over the past five years is almost unquantifiable. My deepest thanks go to her for her commitment and dedication.

“From SalonFocus (and it winning magazine of the year), through to our Strategy for the 21st Century, the reform and expansion of head office, centralising our banking, promoting membership and innumerable campaigns, the Federation has become ever more effective, while our profile and influence has never been more prominent. I wish her the absolute best in her retirement.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 5

NEWS

Apprenticeships: members have their say The NHF’s survey on apprenticeships for the Richard Review caught the imagination of members. With feedback now being incorporated into a ground-breaking apprenticeships’ manifesto, SalonFocus looked at a snapshot of the responses.

What should be the aims and objectives of apprenticeships?

An apprenticeship should provide a cost-effective way of employing inexperienced young people willing to learn and a programme that will enable them to become competent employees Who should apprenticeships be for?

Apprenticeships should primarily be for young people aged between 16-25 – however, often I am approached by older people who wish to retrain over the age of 25 and, as an employer, I cannot afford to offer an apprenticeship due to national minimum wage implications What outcomes should an apprenticeship deliver – for individuals, for employers and for the wider economy?

Employers should feel confident that all underpinning skills are covered in depth and all practical skills are supported and delivered in a way that suits each individual employer’s needs as well as the candidate’s requirements” “They need to be ‘fit to employ’. Far too many apprentices view apprenticeships as an easy option and are totally unprepared for the workplace What should be the defining features of a high-quality apprenticeship, what should it involve or contain?

Communication skills, personal presentation skills, employability skills (knowledge of maths and English… time-keeping, employment law), real industry training taking place in a real working environment” “Product knowledge and the chemical education of those products, basic and advanced colour and perming theory and practice… the practical side of wigmaking… people skills… the history of hairdressing…

How can we ensure the training offered really reflects employers’ needs?

Consultation with employers is the only way, which should produce training requirements that are properly and simply documented” “By letting employers do as much of it in the salon as possible

PAGE 6 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

What role should apprentices play in apprenticeships, and how can we ensure those qualifications are fit for purpose?

They are worthless if the person cannot do a job they would be paid for” “As an employer a piece of paper means nothing to me. Experience and passion and proof of dedication to improve is worth more. All the ‘qualified’ people we have ever had, we have had to retrain” “The qualification itself has to be developed by a cross-section of salon owners (probably NHF members), and reviewed by them annually What should the government’s role be with regard to apprenticeships?

Funding for the company to take on more apprentices, regardless of age… free transport to and from work, as many of the top establishments to train are based in London” “Many mature students are trying to join an apprenticeship programme. Employers can only pay a minimum apprenticeship wage for one year and cannot afford to pay a mature learner the present minimum wage to sweep the floor Who should pay for what?

The employer should pay a minimum wage which increases as the student reaches required levels during the apprenticeship. The government should where possible reward employers and companies who take on apprentices and there should be a bonus for completion to required standard that the employer must then invest in additional, on-going training” “The government should pay for the training that takes place away from the workplace but also allow an avenue whereby if a salon is doing the training themselves there is some form of ‘clawback’ for the time and effort that the individual employer has taken to ensure that the apprenticeship moves to completion. The ‘reward for completion’ that the training centre gets should be split with the employer, as the employer spends a huge amount of time and resources coaching and guiding a young person How can we boost employer and learner demand for apprenticeships?

Employers would demand more apprenticeships if the government funded the salon or the apprentice applied for a grant from the government and paid the salon.

NEWS

‘We have to start believing in ourselves and what we can achieve’ For most of us, this year’s thrilling Olympic Games began with director Danny Boyle’s mad opening ceremony and the Queen jumping from a helicopter. But I can reveal, in fact, this wonderful hotel we are in – the Hilton Cardiff – was where the 2012 games really began.

This is because it was here where Team GB’s hugely successful women’s football team stayed and where they played some of their opening matches, just down the road, even before the games had properly begun.

It is therefore appropriate we, the National Hairdressers’ Federation, should meet here both in this Olympic year and our 70th anniversary year. It is appropriate because some of the themes I want to speak about – teamwork, passion, ambition, celebrating the best of a nation – are Olympic ideals as much as they need to be goals for our Federation.

Last year I spoke about our Federation needing to stop being the best-kept secret in hairdressing – and I have made it one of my priorities as president to get out there and be heard, on TV, on radio, in the press and online. The NHF is beginning to punch its weight and become increasingly influential.

We all know the economic picture is intensely difficult, and has been for some years now.

Traditionally, hairdressing has been, if not exactly recession proof, then certainly recession resistant – but not now.

We can no longer assume the sector will just ride things out. Not only are we experiencing the longest, deepest, most challenging economic period since the Great Depression of the 1930s but high streets are facing a longer term crisis in the way internet and online is changing how people shop.

Hairdressing and beauty salons are something that will always need to be physically present on our high streets – you have to go in person to a salon to get your hair cut, after all. But in many respects, as a sector, we are at a crossroads.

If high streets continue to decline – and become a place for pound shops, discounters,

PAGE 8 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

Credit: Richard Dutkowski

In his last conference address as president, Mark Coray urged members to emulate the teamwork of our successful Olympians and Paralympians but warned that, with the industry at a crossroads, the Federation must change to fulfil its potential. The following is an abridged version of his speech.

‘The NHF needs to be at the forefront of protecting and promoting the excellence and professionalism of British hairdressing. We need to magnify the commercial and competitive advantages of providing a professional service by highly trained teams in a compelling, enjoyable environment.’

pawn brokers and burger bars – there is a risk hairdressing, too, will simply follow, chasing down to the lowest common denominator.

It is not expensive to set up a basic salon and already many high streets are awash with small, low-price salons all battling for the same pound in consumers’ pockets. The danger is if hairdressing begins to return to the bad old days of being seen as an industry with a cash-in-hand, cut-price, almost back street image.

Our Federation, therefore, needs to be at the forefront of protecting and promoting the excellence and professionalism of British hairdressing. We need to magnify the commercial and competitive advantages of providing a professional service by highly trained teams in a compelling, enjoyable environment.

To do that, however, we need to be looking at ourselves and our membership. Our history is massive and we must not lose sight of where we have come from, our traditions, conventions and values. But, like the best Olympic teams, hairdressing has to be about more than individuals; hairdressing is, to be blunt, a team sport. Without your salon team you are nothing.

We are a community, a family, in which we are the team leaders. But we are still too reluctant, too frightened almost, to let people achieve, to let young people come through. It is very easy to put someone off, to deter them from getting involved or sticking their neck out. It is massively, massively harder, but much more rewarding in the long run, to step back, encourage and champion new talent to come forward.

I want the Federation to be an organisation people want to join, not one people have to search for or go out of their way to discover.

The Federation is the number one voice in our industry, but we have to start believing this.

We have to start to believe in ourselves. We have to believe we can achieve our own personal gold medal – which, to me, is to speak for and to everyone, young and old, at home here in the UK or on the Continent, about this wonderful hairdressing industry that we all love so much.

NEWS

Tax team to target north east salons Salons in the north east of England are to be scrutinised by a special HM Revenue & Customs tax “task force” between now and the end of the year.

HMRC announced in September that hair and beauty salons in the north east would be DAVID GAUKE: targeted by specialist CRACKDOWN investigators after being identified as one of five “high risk” sectors around the country.

It means salons will see heightened inspection activity for about three months, most likely from October to around the end of the year, explained HMRC spokesman Andrew Bennett, with an average taskforce targeting around 300 businesses in an area.

“It will be short bursts of activity in certain areas. A team will be going out and visiting people or knocking on doors; they will want to be checking books, ensuring people are aware of their responsibilities, are registered for VAT when they should be and paying what is due,” he said.

“However, this is not something to be frightened about. It is not trying to pick on a particular sector and where someone has made a genuine mistake they will, of course, be treated very differently to someone who is deliberately putting cash through the till and not declaring it,” he added.

David Gauke, Exchequer secretary, added: “We have made it clear that we will not tolerate tax evasion and we are determined to crack down on the minority who choose to break the rules.”

The decision to target the industry is an about-turn by the Revenue, which last November told SalonFocus hairdressing was “not on the list” of upcoming industry-specific taskforces (SalonFocus, January/February 2012).

Since May last year HMRC has launched 30 taskforces focused on groups including electricians, private tutors and e-traders, among others.

Andrew Bennett was unable to rule out hairdressers in other parts of the

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country coming under similar scrutiny.

“If we do find a lot of issues that need to be addressed within a sector it may be that we move on to somewhere else,” he said.

The tax spotlight has come as lawyers are warning salons to be prepared for a rigorous enforcement of VAT on chair renting following last month’s closing of a tax “loophole” on such agreements.

Steven Porter, an associate at law firm Pinsent Masons, told SalonFocus: “After the first few months they [HMRC] will say ‘the guidance is quite clear and we will hit you with penalty and interest as hard as we can’.”

Julie Rawlinson-Smith, senior manager at Centurion VAT, agreed HMRC inspectors would probably now be being extra vigilant.

“I think any salon after October that is not complying is likely to be assessed and possible penalties and interest imposed. I expect leniency might not be forthcoming,” she warned.

The government’s Finance Bill, meanwhile, went for Royal assent in July and included a number of further amendments to VAT regulation for chair renting, as outlined in the HMRC’s recent consultation paper VAT: Addressing Borderline Anomalies.

The NHF had been working closely with HMRC to clarify the precise wording of these proposals and won some important, if subtle, concessions, secretary general Eileen Lawson argued.

“The main change is that businesses in associated professions, such as nail technicians or beauty therapists, who sub-let a room off a salon and where the business is completely self-sufficient will still be able to be exempt from VAT on their rent, which was unclear in the original HMRC document,” she said.

A seminar for NHF members to explain the changes was held during October.

HAIRCLIPS CANCER STUDY

Dutch scientists have concluded there is little evidence to support a link between the use of hair dye and an increased risk of contracting bladder cancer. A study published in the journal Cancer Causes & Control in July argued that “various types of hair dye, intensity of exposure to hair dyes or dye colour do not appear to be important factors for bladder cancer development”.

ARTISTIC AUDITIONS

Auditions were held for the NHF’s Inspire and Barbers’ Elite artistic teams during September.

The successful candidates, who will be joining from next year are, for Barbers’ Elite: Stuart Dalton of Blaze, Leamington Spa, Ben Howe, of Wigs and Warpaint, Sheffield, Kade Kut, of Barber Shop, Bedford, Steve Clewlow, of The Coach House, Wolverhampton and Deon Moffat, of Copperfields, Perth. For Inspire, they are: Danielle Seally, of Goldsworthy’s, Wiltshire, Amy Flower, of The Industry, Christchurch, Claire Flack, of Wigs and Warpaint, Sheffield and Ryan McCreadie, of Medusa, Edinburgh.

LIABILITY INSURANCE CHANGE

Insurers and brokers writing employers’ liability insurance policies will now be required to collect additional information from employers under new regulations brought in by the Financial Services Authority. Employers will need to supply details of any subsidiary companies and employer reference numbers, also known as PAYE reference numbers, the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office has said.

SALON AMBITIONS

West Sussex salon group Lookfantastic has unveiled ambitions to double in size within five years. The chain currently has 13 salons but director Keith Conniford told SalonFocus he hoped to expand to 25-30 within five years, mostly through franchises in the south east. The company began life as Crowns Hair in 1978 before rebranding in 2006 and then selling itself to online retail giant Hut Group two years ago.

FAKE REVIEWS

Hairdressers potentially lose millions of pounds of sales from fake or unjust online consumer reviews, according to internet reputation management firm Got Juice. Managing director Mark Hall estimated as many as one in 10 reviews is fake, yet 85 per cent of shoppers used them in purchasing decisions.

TRAINING CALL

Eight out of 10 businesses don’t believe school leavers are ready for the world of work, according to a study by the Federation of Small Businesses. Nearly six out of 10 of the 2,774 firms questioned also felt their young employees had poor literacy skills.

CARD WOES

Spending on cards at independent hairdressers fell by eight per cent between April and June this year, compared with 2011.

The analysis by CardSave concluded average card turnover in this period was £11,518.97, down from £12,554.93.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 9

NEWS

Hairdresser first to be ‘named and shamed’

for flouting minimum wage A Leicester hairdresser has become the first employer to be “named and shamed” by the government for failing to pay her staff the national minimum wage (NMW).

Rita Patel, owner of Treena Professional Hair & Beauty in the city, who is not a member of the NHF, was named by minister for employment relations Norman Lamb in September after an investigation by HM Revenue & Customs found she had neglected to pay £3,361.22 in arrears to a former worker.

Given the opportunity by HMRC to correct the situation she still failed to do so, and now the debt was being enforced through a court case, the government added.

Naming and shaming was introduced in January 2011, and the NHF has long argued the complexity of NMW pay bands means it is easy for salons to make an innocent error which, if they then fail to correct it, risks them being publicly branded as a result.

In this case, however, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills emphasised that Rita had “refused or neglected to pay arrears of the NMW to workers, following HMRC intervention, which has resulted in HMRC taking action against the employer to ensure payment of arrears to workers”.

Norman Lamb, who has since been reshuffled to the Department of Health, added: “Where arrears of the minimum wage are identified by HMRC they will always be pursued. There is no excuse for not paying the NMW in the first place but failing to pay on being required to do so by investigators from HM Revenue and Customs is unacceptable.”

This, argued NHF secretary general Eileen Lawson, indicated there should be little sympathy for the salon owner in this instance.

“We have long had our concerns about naming and shaming, but wilfully acting in this way, even after HMRC had intervened, simply brings our industry into disrepute.

NORMAN LAMB: “The adult national NO EXCUSES

PAGE 10 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

minimum wage has been in existence long enough that responsible businesses should by now be fully aware of its requirements; deliberate non-compliance can never be condoned,” she added.

In a separate development, the NHF made a submission in September to the latest consultation of the Low Pay Commission (LPC), ahead of it deciding on the level of the 2013 NMW. In it, the Federation urged the LPC to keep the wage unchanged next year.

“Until we see growth return to the sector, our members, who are by and large micro businesses, would find any increase in the national minimum wage difficult and would definitely not be able to cope with any increase beyond one of

the cost of living,” it recommended.

The Federation also argued the introduction of the apprentice NMW in October 2010 had led to many salons simply stopping taking on apprentices.

National minimum wage rates from October 1, 2012 • Adult rate: £6.19 (up 11p) • 18-20 year olds: £4.98 (unchanged) • 16-17 year olds: £3.68 (unchanged) • Apprentices: £2.65 (up 5p)

Government inches forward

on dismissal reforms The government is to carry out a consultation around the introduction of so-called “settlement agreements” designed to make it easier for employers to dismiss workers where the work relationship has broken down.

The move was one of a raft of business-related initiatives announced by business secretary Vince Cable during September, including: • a consultation on settlement agreements to run until November 23, with conciliation service Acas being tasked with creating a new code of practice; • the same consultation to gather views on capping the compensation limit for unfair dismissal claims, currently £72,300, to either 12 months pay or a new reduced upper limit; • confirmation that it will not be taking forward proposals for “compensated no-fault dismissals” specifically for small and micro businesses; and • the introduction from April 2013 of a “light touch” health and safety inspection regime, with firms only being inspected if they operate

in “high risk” areas or have a poor record, with shops classed “low risk”.

Settlement or compromise agreements are legally binding agreements between employer and employee and can be used to resolve employment claims.

The employer provides a severance payment in return for the employee not pursuing a claim against them in an employment tribunal, although the employee will normally also need access to independent legal advice.

The idea of compensated no-fault dismissals was floated earlier this year by venture capitalist Adrian Beecroft, in a government-commissioned report but widely reported to have been dismissed

by Vince Cable (SalonFocus, July/August 2012).

NHF secretary general Eileen Lawson argued the move could simply increase discrimination and whistleblowing claims, where compensation remains uncapped.

“Settlement agreements appear to require expensive legal input and may create red tape and procedural pitfalls that would make them of very limited value to micro businesses,” she said.

NEWS

Consumer campaign will hammer home benefits

MOVERS&GROOVERS HABB FUNDRAISER

TODARO’S FIFTIETH

of patch testing this Christmas

The NHF is joining forces with the Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA) to launch a major new PR campaign from this month to highlight to the general public the importance of allergy and patch testing before colouring their hair, whether at home or in the salon.

The Colour with Confidence campaign is the first widescale attempt by the industry to educate the public about the benefits of allergy alert and patch testing pre-colouring and, it is hoped, will in turn help salons that are struggling to communicate the importance of patch testing to impatient clients.

The joint campaign, but led by the CTPA, will launch this month and run through December, a time of year when many thousands of people look to get their hair coloured ahead of the Christmas party season.

As SalonFocus went to press, work was under way to gather the support of a range of celebrity stylists, with NHF president and celebrity colourist Mark Coray prominent among those giving their backing to the campaign.

Mark Coray said: “Patch and allergy testing is often seen by the public as a bit of a drag, but it is an absolutely vital part of safe hair colouring.

“It is therefore important salons – and the Federation – take the lead in educating their clients as to why testing is so important and how allergies can occur, sometimes even after hair has been coloured in the same way for many years. This is a very welcome and necessary campaign,” he added.

Members can contact NHF head office for more details or email info@ctpa.org.uk.

In a separate development, the NHF and its insurance partner Coversure Insurance Services have between them sealed a landmark agreement with insurers that means hairdressing salons may no longer need to patch test every time they colour hair.

Negotiation with key underwriters has led to a modification of their stance on colour testing.

Under the terms of the new agreement salons will only need to do a sensitivity test each and every time if it is specifically specified as a “protocol” by the manufacturer or published on the manufacturer’s instructions with the product.

But the agreement does not mean salons will be able to do away with patch testing altogether, merely that there is now more flexibility around the issue, the NHF has stressed.

For more details on the agreement, contact Coversure Insurance Services on 0800 458 8181 or email nhf@coversure.co.uk.

www.nhf.info

Double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes dropped into London Region secretary Ian Egerton’s salon The Stress Exchange in September to help raise money for HABB. Dame Kelly shaved the head of stylist Barbara Comerford to help the salon in its goal of raising £5,000. Ian also completed his Cape Cod charity bicycle ride, again to raise money for HABB, in October, on which there will be more in the next edition of SalonFocus.

Congratulations to Pembrokeshire salon Todaro’s, which celebrated 50 years in business in August. The business, which has two salons, was set up by Frank Todaro, now 80, who started cutting hair during lunch breaks while working on the construction of Milford Haven Esso oil refinery (pictured) before opening his first salon in 1962.

Since starting the salon chain has trained and employed as many as 120 people.

FUDGE POP-UP

INSPIRE DAY

Members from the NHF’s Inspire artistic team attended an educational day with Daniel Caceres, art team and special events director with the Trevor Sorbie Art Team during the autumn as part of their ongoing mentoring year. The day was focused on creating beautiful looks by tonging hair using different techniques and included Daniel demonstrating a modern French pleat and a “shell”.

REGIS MOVES

Hairdressing giant Regis has appointed a new chief executive.

Daniel Hanrahan, 54, joined the company in August from cruise ship company Royal Caribbean Cruises. In an unconnected move, UK director of merchandise and marketing Paul Taylor has left the company.

Hair brand Fudge teamed up the Zaha Hadid Design Gallery to hold its first “pop-up” salon during both London Fashion Week and London Design Week in September. The salon not only carried out styling, cutting and colouring but showcased designs by the architecture firm, which won the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004.

CLIPSO BIRTHDAY

Clipso’s Hemel Hempstead branch celebrated its 30th birthday in September by sharing a cake with staff and clients and decorating the salon with birthday balloons. The salon also ran a special 19.82 per cent off promotion, in recognition of the year it opened.

SALON MERGER

The two salons behind bhp hairdressing merged over the summer. The salons, both in Guiseley, have been running for 12 and 10 years respectively but have now merged the operations into a single business employing 25 people. The move led to owners Claire Benson and Christian Hefti receiving a letter of congratulation from local MP Stuart Andrews.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 11

NEWS

Chains rush to cash in on

red-hot male grooming market

An explosion in the number of highquality stand-alone barbershops is poised to revolutionise UK hairdressing, as the sub-sector cashes in on burgeoning demand for professional male grooming and ever-more sophisticated service.

SalonFocus reported in the summer that sharply rising demand for male grooming and barbering was sustaining many hairdressing and beauty salons battling the stagnation of town centres (SalonFocus, July/August 2012).

One business leading the charge is 12-year-old men-only chain Headcase Barbers, which has revealed it now has the funding in place to expand rapidly and open hundreds of franchised branches, amid ambitions to become “equal to Toni&Guy”.

Headcase has said it expects to have 12-15 salons by the end of this year, with the newest in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and Newbury, Berkshire.

Negotiations were under way for properties in London’s East End, Billericay, Essex and Loughborough, Leicestershire when SalonFocus went to press.

The chain also plans to open a second Brighton salon, which Oliver Nobbs, founder and creative director, told SalonFocus he hoped would also be up and running by the end of the year.

Oliver, who trained under John Gill at Sweeny Todd’s, has worked with Wahl global artistic director Simon Shaw and as the Good Barbers’ Guide “hair doctor”.

He said men were spending twice as much as they were three years ago on services, and visiting barbers and salons twice as often as before.

Expenditure had grown from £8 to £10 to about £20 for a wet cut. He said a typical men’s wet cut could take 20 minutes, so three clients could be completed in the time it took to do a ladies’ cut and finish.

Headcase’s turnover is upwards of £200,000 a year and profit margins are an impressive 40 per cent. At least 10 per cent of this turnover is retail, with men more willing to buy products than women, said Oliver.

“Our plan now is to attack the business going to Toni&Guy, Rush, Saks, HOB and Regis,” Oliver said.

Oliver said Headcase had “pre-

PAGE 12 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

arranged” funding from NatWest and HSBC to help grow to 100 salons in three to five years.

Headcase is in the process of opening a 3,000sq ft academy at St George’s Wharf in London, which Oliver hoped would be open by the end of the year or early 2013.

He revealed the business was also launching a range of professional shaving cosmetics products called Something for the Weekend early next year – an initial range of eight selling for £10.95 to £12.95.

On top of this the business is experimenting with Headcase Ink, a bolt-on tattoo service in Brighton which, if successful, will be offered to all franchises.

Saks, meanwhile, has said it hopes to open “hundreds” of The Dog’s, an embryonic format “for the forgotten lads”.

The group has invested more than £100,000 in developing the brand even before the first branch has opened, with managing director Stephen Kee anticipating a first site to be up and running at the beginning of next year.

Another chain getting in on the act is HOB Salons, which has said it plans to open its new HOB Man concept in all 11 shopping centres owned by commercial property giant Hammerson, following the launch of its first at Brent Cross in north west London in June (SalonFocus, September/October 2012).

Director Clive Collins said: “We have to give it at least until Christmas and then come January, if Brent Cross is still on target, we will be looking to open a couple more.”

Earlier this year, too, Regis told SalonFocus it was looking to roll out its

OLIVER NOBBS: MORE HEADCASE SALONS

Barber’s format nationally over the next five years (SalonFocus, March/April 2012).

James Beattie, who heads the NHF’s Barbers’ Elite team, attributed the growth of this market to men realising that looking after themselves can be affordable.

James, who himself has a three-year plan to expand from his two Beattie’s & Co salons in Brymawr and Abergavenny to five and an academy, said of barbers: “If they adopt a professional approach and take more pride in their work, they will reap the rewards because men are more loyal.”

Training providers, too, are seeing growing demand from youngsters to move into barbering.

Martin Harkness, director of hairdressing at Skills Solutions, the training arm of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “In the past 12 months Skills Solutions has seen a growth from just 55 applicants on to the barbering apprenticeship to 350 – a significant indication of the increasing popularity of barbering as a career choice.”

Bill Shaw chairman of Dimensions Training Solutions, added: “With male clients now being more style and fashion conscious, the potential for modern barbers shops is huge. Over the past few years there has been an explosion of highquality barbers’ shops being opened.”

NEWS

Saks and T&G looking to

extend global presence Franchise giants Toni&Guy and Saks have separately revealed plans for further expansion overseas, with analysts suggesting the UK industry’s reputation for excellence has become one of the keys to the success of British brands abroad.

Toni Mascolo, chief executive of Toni&Guy and Stephen Kee, managing director of Saks, updated SalonFocus in exclusive briefings on plans to extend their brands into China, India and other countries.

The moves follow hard on the heels of iconic UK brand Nicky Clarke’s revelations that it is in talks to open master franchises in India and the Middle East (SalonFocus, September/ October 2012).

Toni&Guy already operates all over the world, including in much of Europe, North America, Australia, the Middle East, the Far East, India and Pakistan, Russia and the Ukraine.

Toni told SalonFocus he was now focused on expanding the organisation’s operations in India and China, where there are currently 25 Toni&Guys and Essensuals and four academies, all operated by local managers.

“It’s been a hard slog because China is not an easy place to get straight answers from everybody, but it’s the way forward,” he said.

He said he expected to have 100 to 120 salons in China in the next five to ten years and 20 to 30 in India.

“It will take longer in India than in China.

China is more wealthy and more commercial,” he added.

The chain was also expanding in Indonesia and had had “enquiries” from Montenegro, Slovenia and Bulgaria.

Saks, meanwhile, has said it is on target to open 10 salons and an academy in India by the end of September next year.

It currently has two 5,000sq ft hair and beauty salons in Mumbai, which also have dermatologists working in them.

Stephen Kee said: “The original plan was to have 30 in India over the next five years. That’s definitely achievable. Whether we decide to go on to 200 is another thing. We might focus on fewer salons but bigger ones.”

Stephen also revealed plans to open two more salons in Dubai after opening its first in the emirate four years ago.

Saks was “well down the road” towards

PAGE 14 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

BEAUTY

SPOTS

COLOUR GROWTH

Exclusive

By Andrew Don

The UK’s colour cosmetics industry appears to be “recession proof” researcher Mintel has argued, on the back of statistics that show the market continuing to grow fast. UK retail sales went up by more than eight per cent last year to £1.38bn, from £1.28bn in 2010. The market will be worth £1.44bn this year, it added.

BEAUTY BAZAAR

Department store chain Harvey Nichols has launched a “Beauty Bazaar” concept. The boutique includes a hair salon and nail bar as well as services such as botox, fillers and teeth whitening. The first 22,000 sq ft outlet is expected to open at its Liverpool One outlet this month. The chain is said to be eyeing up Cardiff, Belfast and London for future openings.

SPA STRUGGLES

SAKS MUMBAI: AMBITION

opening soon in Italy, where its ambition is to have 12 salons in place over the first three years. The first salon there is expected to open next spring.

Other expansion targets are Qatar and Jordan, where Stephen said he hoped to have three salons in each country, with negotiations still under way when SalonFocus went to press.

“We are probably speaking to 12 countries at the moment: China, Portugal, Cyprus and all the European countries, except France and Germany. France has a lot of franchise companies and they like French hairdressing.

French people don’t see us as the epicentre,” added Stephen.

Industry consultant Nigel Sillis, a former director of UK salons and schools at Vidal Sassoon, argued both chains were effective in using the UK hairdressing industry’s fantastic reputation overseas as a way to help them into foreign markets.

Nigel advised that uncertainty around the Chinese and Indian economies, which have been slowing of late after rapid expansion, meant it probably made sense for salon chains not to rush in but perhaps wait for a year to see how the bigger picture developed.

Nevertheless, both markets offered “massive potential” in the medium to long term, he added.

More than half of spa owners say their revenues this year have been lower than in 2011, yet more than two thirds remain confident income next year will recover and even beat 2012, research by promotions company Groupon has said. A third had expanded since 2011, six out of 10 had stayed much the same size and nearly a tenth had downsized.

LIGHT THERAPY

A new light therapy beauty treatment has been launched in the UK by JK Group. The Beauty Angel Energising Light Technology is claimed to be able to regenerate skin cells up to 200 per cent faster than existing light therapy systems. The treatment is available at Spa Illuminata in London’s Mayfair and Cucumba salon in Soho.

BLACK BEAUTY

A seminar to highlight the imbalance in the industry when it comes to offering make-up suitable for black and ethnic minority customers was held at the Olympia Beauty Exhibition in September. It was run by celebrity make-up artist Eryca Freemantle.

CUTTING BRIEF

Your legal problems

solved

Gillian Dowling from Croner, operator of the NHF’s Legal Lifeline, answers your questions

We hang up people’s coats while they are having their hair done, however recently we have noticed a spate of coats going missing. At first we thought someone had just taken the wrong one, but now it’s becoming quite a few.

What should we do? Are we liable for the cost of the coat?

This depends on a number of things. First, do you take responsibility for the coat? If the hooks or stand are simply left available for customers to use and you offer to hang people’s coats up, then you are not assuming responsibility for the safe-keeping of the coat.

This is where a sign telling customers you are not liable for any personal belongings and they are left at the customer’s own risk would be very useful.

Obviously if the area you take the coats to is secure it should eliminate any issues of theft, though someone mistaking their coat for someone else’s may still be a problem. In any event, you should avoid putting the hooks or coat-stand within easy access of the door where someone could do a grab-and-run.

However, if you take the coat away – particularly to another room – then in the absence of any indication otherwise you are probably taking responsibility for it.

Where you do take responsibility for the safekeeping of the coat and it does go missing, you can guarantee it will happen with someone’s incredibly expensive designer jacket. However, the customer is only entitled to like-for-like compensation.

This is the second-hand value, not a brand-new replacement for their threadbare poncho. Even if the customer has just bought it from the shop down the road, it will have immediately lost value.

But by far and away the best way is to ensure the thefts cannot happen in the first place, because you don’t want your shop getting “that” sort of reputation.

One of our employees has raised a grievance about the way they are being treated by one of our senior stylists. I know we need to meet them both and perhaps other witnesses. But how soon should this happen?

Once you have received a grievance from an employee, your first priority should be to apply and follow your company grievance procedure. In most cases this will require you to arrange a formal grievance hearing with them, although it may be appropriate to pursue an informal approach in an effort to come up with a resolution.

If you adopt the formal approach the employee should be invited in writing to a formal hearing as soon as possible, and be given the right to be accompanied in line with the company policy (this should include the right to be accompanied by a work colleague or accredited trade union official).

The purpose of this is for the grievance to be discussed in detail so the investigator can go away and carry out necessary investigations before compiling a response to the complaints.

These will include talking to the senior stylist mentioned and any

PAGE 16 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

relevant witnesses. Any investigations should occur in good time in an effort to provide an outcome to the grievance as soon as is reasonably practicable.

The grievance outcome should be confirmed in writing giving details of whether the grievance is being upheld or not and any recommendations as a result of the process. The employee should then be offered the opportunity to appeal the decision within a specific period of time.

Today we have suspended an apprentice pending investigations into a serious act of gross misconduct.

She has pre-booked holiday in a week’s time and I don’t think we will be able to complete the investigations by then. Does she remain on suspension during her holiday?

It is possible to lift an employee’s suspension in situations such as this, which would allow the employee’s holiday entitlement to be used up. This would ensure you are limiting your liability to pay accrued holiday should your investigations result in a disciplinary hearing and subsequent dismissal.

In order to lift the suspension you should write to confirm the period of time the suspension is lifted. You should be cautious and aware that over this period of annual leave the restrictions that apply during suspension (in other words that the employee cannot contact colleagues or come into the office and so on) cannot be applied.

However, you should remind the individual that, regardless of the holiday, the investigations will continue and if they do anything in that time that could be considered as evidence (such as intimidating a witness or attempting to destroy data) it can still be considered for the purposes of the disciplinary. This should be enough to discourage them from breaching the suspension restrictions.

What the Legal Lifeline offers you: • •

24/7 employment-related queries Advice and commercial matters, 9am-5pm Monday to Friday Access to the Legal Lifeline is available by calling 01234 834389. Alternatively NHF members can log on to www.nhf.info. A full summary of cover can be found on the reverse of your legal card carrier or by logging onto to www.nhf.info/membershipbenefits/legalsupport.

The NHF operates a “fair use policy” for the lifeline.

Members exceeding 50 calls within a 12-month period may be charged £20 plus VAT per call. All calls to the Legal Lifeline are recorded and monitored by Croner. If your chosen membership category does not include employer support service or your membership is unpaid at the time of any call a charge of £20 plus VAT will apply for all such calls made.

INSPIRED

Overall winner Linda Spackman, Cutting Crew, Willesden Green Photography: Michelle Martinoli

>Photo Finished Images from the winners and finalists of this year’s NHF Photographic Stylist of the Year competition

www.nhf.info

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 17

INSPIRED Ladies

Winner: Aesthet ics, So lihull Photogr aphy: John Ra wson

Rache l Golds Lait, worth ys, Swind o Photo n g James raphy: Rudla nd

s, Clive Boon, Boon Retford Photography: John Rawson

PAGE 18 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

INSPIRED

Donna Mitchell, Bonce Salons, Wednesbury Photography: Barry Jeffery

Men’s Winner: Clipso Art Team, W atford, Hertfor dshire Photogr aphy: Martin Evening

eam, stic T i t r A ah Spa, Savann Salon h a n n Sava tle Newcas phy: ra Photog irkwood K d o r Gar

www.nhf.info

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 19

INSPIRED

Linda Sp ackman, Cutting Crew, Willesde n Green Photogra phy: Michelle Martinol i

, urphy Lee M g Crew, n Cutti den Green s e l Wil y: graph rtinoli o t Pho a M lle Miche

PAGE 20 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

FEDERATION FOCUS

Salons urged to join

college mentoring scheme NHF Bournemouth and Reading Networking Group is urging salon owners in the south of England to put themselves forward to join an innovative scheme it is agreeing with local colleges, including Eastleigh, Fareham, Southampton and Bournemouth.

Under the scheme, “which the networking group is hoping to launch formally by Christmas, established hairdressers and salon owners will act as mentors for apprentices and students completing NVQ Level 1, 2 and 3 hairdressing qualifications.

The ultimate aim, if the mentoring scheme proves popular and sustainable, is to set up a regional artistic team to give youngsters a way to demonstrate their skills and learn new techniques.

“What we would like is for hairdressers to be prepared to go into the college perhaps a couple of times a month to work with the students and pass on their advice and knowledge,” explained Wendy Cummins, networking group vice-chair, owner of Quiffys salon in Eastleigh and one of the instigators of the scheme.

“My view is that, rather than hairdressers just complaining about the sort of training young kids are getting at

colleges, we should be doing more to help.

This will help to give students an insight into what working in hairdressing is really like and what they can expect,” she added.

The first college to sign up, Eastleigh, was approached at the end of the summer term and agreed in principle to take part in September.

“Ideally we’re looking for perhaps eight to 10 hairdressers who would be willing to take part, and they don’t just need to be based in Eastleigh, we would like to make it wider than that,” said Wendy.

“If it proves really successful, I don’t see why as a model it couldn’t be rolled out elsewhere,” she added.

The mentors will also be expected to help with the students’ end-of-term show.

More information can be found on the NHF’s Facebook page www.facebook. com/nationalhairdressersfederation or interested hairdressers can contact the Federation directly by emailing enquiries@ nhf.info.

If an art team is eventually created from the programme it would join the NHF’s other regional art team, Fusion, which was launched by NHF Avon earlier this year.

Fees update for 2013 Members are being reminded that the NHF’s salon membership fee will rise to £250 from January.

Group membership will be £124 per additional salon, with solo membership £135 and affiliate membership £129.

All figures are gross and inclusive of VAT. NHF secretary general Eileen Lawson said the rises had been kept to a minimum and membership still represented excellent value for money.

“Salons, we all know, are facing difficult economic conditions. But that, if anything, makes it even more important to have the NHF behind your business and fighting your corner,” she added.

Ascot proves a hit for London

NHF barbering centre stage The NHF’s excellence in barbering was in the spotlight at Salon International last month as well as at a workshop run by Wolverhampton Networking Group in July.

The Federation’s Barbers’ Elite team, led by James Beattie, demonstrated at October’s Salon International for the first time, and a full report will be published in the January/February edition of SalonFocus.

Wolverhampton’s event, meanwhile, used the Olympic Games as inspiration, with demonstrations from Steve Clewlow, Franco Colabella and Richard Grizzle, better known as “Foxy”.

Foxy produced two works of clipper art and demonstrated the subtle differences WOLVERHAMPTON WORKSHOP: EXCELLENCE between traditional barbering and Afro Caribbean barbering, while Steve showed techniques using both scissor-over comb and clipper cuts.

Franco, meanwhile, showcased more traditional work and techniques, with all demonstrating against the clock to highlight their skill and speed.

www.nhf.info

ASCOT: NETWORKING EVENT

NHF London Region members held their first networking event at Ascot racecourse in August.

Members quaffed champagne and Pimms at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, as well as got down to the serious business of talking about the industry and building relationships.

The event was led by NHF London secretary Ian Egerton and chair Mikaela Martin and was such a success the region now intends to make the event a permanent fixture in its calendar.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 21

FEDERATION FOCUS

West Midlands’ Valerie Young

celebrates 50 years at the top Former West Midlands regional president Valerie Young celebrated 50 years in the business over the summer with a party attended by more than 100 friends and former customers – including, incredibly, the salon owner who first mentored and trained her.

Valerie, 72, has run the Valerie Young Hair Salon in Coventry since June 1962, originally buying it for the grand sum of £3,000, and has been a stalwart NHF member for all that time.

In July she held a party for former and current staff, friends and valued customers to celebrate the landmark event.

“We had a really good time and it was lovely to see old and new customers and friends,” Valerie told SalonFocus.

“Among the guests was my former employer Lillian Dodd, who trained me and is now 91, which was absolutely amazing.

“In fact it was Lillian who got me into the NHF, because she was an active member when I was an apprentice and was among those who started the Coventry Hairdressing Academy. I just felt the NHF would be someone to turn to if anything ever happened,” she added.

In her time, Valerie has been president of the Coventry branch, president of the West Midlands region and still serves on the Central England region’s committee.

“I hope I have a few years in me yet. I’m at the moment training my granddaughter Freya who wants to make a career in the industry, so I might think about retiring after that. My daughter Shelley also works in the salon on Fridays and Saturdays,” she said.

“I have trained a lot of people over the years, some of whom have gone on to open their own salons, which is great, and one who even went off to become

From the NEC Alan Rapkin, membership committee chair, outlines some of the innovative recruitment and retention activity members can expect to see over the coming months and into 2013.

This autumn and winter will see a significant acceleration in the NHF’s ongoing campaign to attract and retain new members, the NEC’s membership committee heard in August, in a presentation by head office marketing executive Tori Priestley.

Britain’s Best in November is being seen as a vital springboard from which to reach out to new members, both in terms of speaking to people on the day and, hopefully, through the wider profile and presence the NHF will receive as a result.

At Britain’s Best, for example, there will be a special “networking table” where people interested in the Federation can meet head office staff and others.

The NHF will also be running what is being called its “Big 10” campaign, highlighting the 10 main benefits for salon owners of becoming a member.

PAGE 22 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

Another key area of activity will be the launch of a new “Tell a friend” campaign to encourage members in the regions and the networks to get out and speak to friends, contemporaries and colleagues about the benefits of Federation membership.

Members can also expect to see a high-profile membership recruitment and marketing campaign kick off both sides of Christmas.

This will include Christmas and new year greeting cards and “e-shots”.

Less visible, but no less important, will be the increasing “data-mining” of our databases and the establishment of new databases from which to launch membership activity.

The contact and conversations the NHF is developing with non-members through social media and interactive events such as Britain’s Best have, I believe, real potential.

CELEBRATION: VALERIE YOUNG (RIGHT) WITH LILLIAN DODD

manageress on the QE2, continued Valerie.

“The industry has, of course, changed a lot. With the economy so difficult at the moment there is a sense some salons are struggling more to get clients through the door than they were a few years ago.

“But, if anything, this to me just highlights the value of being part of an organisation such as the NHF,” she added.

Branding refresh for 2013

New-look NHF promotional material will be landing on members’ doorsteps from January.

The updated designs have been developed by design agency The Stream and were given their first public outing within the Federation’s annual report, published this summer.

The new imagery will be incorporated within membership renewal packs from January and, it is hoped, will create a more consistent brand and image for the Federation.

Members and regions will be encouraged to use the new branding material as widely as possible.

ADVICE

Tweet sweet

Twitter is becoming an increasingly valuable business and marketing tool for many salons. Ian Davies explains how to make it work for you.

Tweets may be limited to just 140 characters, but there’s no denying Twitter is huge. Get to grips with it and you’ll find it’s not just a fun way to interact with your clients, it can also be a valuable business tool.

So, how do you get started? With Twitter popularity is the name of the game. Twitter is about engaging with people, so you need to make sure your tweets grab their attention.

Conversations

Talk about what’s happening in the salon, what new products and services you are offering and promotions you are running.

Add in helpful style advice and hair inspiration and encourage your followers to ask questions.

Link in any coverage you’ve had in the papers, and remember to mix it up with what’s happening in the wider hair and fashion world, as well as perhaps a little celebrity gossip.

Another option is you could update it with personal news about the team, so followers feel even more a part of the salon.

Add photos and videos – remember it needs to be fun and up to the minute.

Essentially the secret about Twitter – and in fact any social media – is about finding a balance. If you only tweet about salon promotions people quickly may lose interest. On the other hand if you only talk about celebrity gossip, you’ll miss out on the potential of raising brand awareness. So mix it up to keep it interesting.

Competitions

Another great idea is to run competitions. Asking followers to re-tweet messages in order to qualify for a prize draw works well.

Prizes could be anything from electrical styling goods and hair products to discounts on salon services.

Tweet, re-tweet and mention other Twitter members to broaden your connections. Add a hashtag (#) at the end of your tweets along with the name of your salon to increase awareness and get into the habit of “Friday Following” others (#FF).

Make this a regular thing and it will soon pay off as others start to Friday Follow you in return. Other fantastic business benefits of

If you read nothing else read this…

Ian Davies is creative director of Ocean Hairdressing in Cardiff

• Twitter can be a powerful tool for marketing, promotions, competitions, recruitment and chat • Try to post at least five times a day, but balance your content • Re-tweet to broaden connections and link to other sites • Don’t forget to promote and talk about it in and around the salon

PAGE 24 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

TWEETS: PROMOTIONS, PRIZES AND CHAT

Twitter include the opportunity it gives you to fill appointments at short notice after last-minute cancellations.

Twitter is all about communicating in real time so it’s great for immediate interaction with clients. It’s also an ideal platform for recruiting – your notification of a vacancy will reach all your followers instantly.

As well as your own tweets, it’s important to consider how your profile page looks. You can customise your profile design to make it more in keeping with your brand by using your salon logo or collection images as a background image.

It’s best to update your Twitter on a daily basis. The research we’ve had indicates the best time to tweet is weekday afternoons between 1pm and 3pm.

So it makes sense to post regularly and spread out your tweets rather than posting lots of tweets all at once.

Generally, if you can, you should post at least five times a day and space these tweets out throughout the day to achieve maximum impact. If you’re busy but still want to keep up Twitter momentum, you can use tools such as TweetDeck to help you space out your tweets through the day.

You can also link your Facebook account to your Twitter account so that Twitter is automatically updated with your Facebook notifications.

It’s a good idea to put a link to your Twitter account on your website and tie it in with activity on blogs or other social networking sites such as Tumblr, Pinterest and YouTube.

Don’t forget, too, to add your Twitter address to your promotional leaflets and business cards. Chat to your clients about Twitter when they come into the salon and encourage them to follow you.

But most of all simply have fun with Twitter. It’s a great tool and it’s absolutely free so make the most of it!

Especially during this current economic climate, it’s a valuable way of giving your clients extra attention and making them feel their hairdresser is on hand 24/7.

It’s a fantastic way to get instant feedback, build relationships and drive people into the salon. So, get tweeting!

ADVICE

People power Word-of-mouth, a card in the window or an ad in the local paper are the traditional ways salons recruit new staff. But using a specialist recruitment agency can save on hassle, and may end up cheaper in the long run, argues Paul Hood.

As a salon owner myself I know all too well what a minefield recruitment can be, especially for a small or micro salon where you are already trying to do everything yourself.

I launched Styletech Hair Recruitment three years ago because I was so frustrated at the hassle involved with looking for stylists, whether it was needing to stick a card up in the window – which always looks dreadful – or placing an advert in the local paper, which obviously costs money and is no guarantee of success anyway.

Profiling

The advantage, to my mind, of using an agency is twofold: saving on money and saving on hassle. We can take a lot of legwork off your hands in terms of profiling, sourcing candidates, filtering applications and CVs, even the interviewing.

On the money side, the salon does not pay anything until the person has been placed with them.

We charge £495 per placement, which may sound like a lot but, in fact, is a lot less than many agencies, which will often be looking for the equivalent of 10-15 per cent of the candidate’s annual salary which, if you have a high staff turnover and are needing to replace staff quite often, can quickly mount up.

We find that by simply employing someone successfully you tend to cover the costs of using an agency within the first fortnight – so there is a very quick return on investment potentially.

Moreover, with an ad in a local paper you can still be spending anything around £200 a time with no guarantee you’ll even get a reply, let alone one from the right person. We, by comparison, have 6,000 stylists on our books at any one time all over the UK. We tend to place mainly just general stylists and managers, and work with well known chains as well as independents.

www.nhf.info

It is important to choose an agency that feels right for you, which understands your business and your needs. The fact therefore that I own a salon really helps because I “get” what salon owners are about and the issues they are facing. We also of course sit down and work out closely a profile of exactly what sort of stylist you are looking for, what your requirements are.

Job uncertainty

In terms of demand for stylists, there is no question this year has been quieter than normal. That’s not surprising given the economic environment and the fact there are a lot of people out there looking for work and so it can often be quite easy for salons to hire people through informal networks or word of mouth.

There is also a fear among many stylists about the uncertainty of the job market so more people are sitting tight and not moving.

Having said that, since the summer, we have started to see things pick up. We also find our busiest time tends to come after the pre-Christmas rush. Stylists will normally be intensely loyal to their salon and will not want to move over the Christmas period because it is so busy and they do not want to upset clients.

Paul Hood is owner of Styletech Hair Recruitment based in Sheffield, as well as owner of Fellas salon in the city.

But once January comes and everything quietens down that is often the moment people start looking around and owners need to look at filling gaps and vacancies. In a way hairdressing is a bit like hospitality in that you tend to get a lot of movement at certain times of year.

For the modern salon you do need to be using the right recruitment tools.

Just relying on a card in the window just doesn’t cut it these days and can look quite negative in terms of your brand or image. So it is about boxing clever and looking at new ways to make the process easier and simpler.

If you read nothing else read this…

• Agencies can be a useful, hasslefree way to source staff • You will pay a fee, but it may work out less than regular newspaper advertisements • Choose an agency that knows the industry and understands your needs • The new year is often a busy time for recruitment

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 25

ADVICE

Cut!

It sounds like the epitomé of glamour, but what’s it really like being a hairdresser backstage on a major Hollywood film-set?

Celebrity stylist 5ive spills the beans.

I got into session styling many years ago, starting off with mostly musicbased clients before gradually moving into working behind the scenes for TV productions and films. I’ve worked on a number of productions, including 2011’s BBC drama Shadow Line, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Christopher Eccleston, among others.

One of the biggest productions I’ve worked on was as head barber for the Hollywood film Redtails, which was shot in 2009 in Prague in the Czech Republic and was in the cinemas Barber and stylist earlier this year.

5ive is a member I was on location of the Wahl Artistic constantly for three Team, working months styling the around the world for hair for the main trade and product characters, including companies as well Cuba Gooding Jnr and as on film sets and Terrence Howard, to for celebrities such name but a few. as Cuba Gooding One of the Jnr, Sean ‘P-Diddy’ challenges of working Combs, Nelly on set is that the hair Futardo and Lionel for every character Ritchie. UK celebrity has to be styled/done clients have included every day for continuity radio presenter reasons – the characters Richard Blackwood, have got to look the singers Brian Harvey same from shot to shot. of E17, Craig David, Michelle Escoffrey Long hours and footballer Moreover, because Clinton Morrison. you’re on a set you have He was the 1992 to get used to working Soft Sheen S-Curl in all sorts of areas that Champion, Wahl were not designed Barber of the Year to be a hair salon. It’s 1997 and Southern quite common to find Stylist of the Year yourself working, at in the 2011 Afro speed, in inadequate Awards.

PAGE 26 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

lighting and cramped conditions.

Shoots will often last for many hours – and can start very early, finish late or even go through the night depending on what is required from the schedule or perhaps what the director is looking for in terms of light or weather. So as an on-set hairdresser I’ve regularly worked nine to 12-hour days, which can be pretty intense.

It’s important to do your research beforehand into the setting of the production so you turn up fully prepared. If, say, you know the film is going to be set in the 1960s you want to make sure the hair fully reflects the styles of that period.

This was very much the case with Redtails, which was about a crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training programme during the Second World War, who faced intense racial discrimination and segregation. So, again, the styles very much had to reflect the period.

But, while it is hard work and high pressure, it’d be wrong to say film and video work is not sometimes pretty glamorous!

It can take you around the world – I can find myself being flown to wherever artists are gigging or on location. I also got to attend the Redtails premiere in New York in January, which was huge fun.

You get some memorable moments too. One I recall was when I was working with a music group abroad. I had checked into the hotel and decided to fill in a bit of time by going out to take a look around the area.

The hotel lobby was packed with the group’s adoring fans and as soon as the lift door opened, everyone starting screaming and cheering, running over to me to get my autograph, taking pictures and so on. Of course, they thought I was one of the group members! It was a great feeling but unfortunately short-lived!

ON LOCATION: 5IVE WITH TERRENCE HOWARD (RIGHT) AND CUBA GOODING JNR

Inspiring influences

For a salon owner doing this kind of work can raise your individual as well as your salon profile immensely, whether it’s taking time out yourself or encouraging a team member to get this sort of experience under their belt. The brand association and publicity that can come with this sort of work can be a great marketing tool.

It can also open your eyes to lots of different influences, inspiring and improving your work as a stylist. More widely, I firmly believe it can boost staff morale, inspiring younger stylists to aim high and to consider going down this sort of route later in their own career.

REDTAILS: PERIOD STYLES

If you read nothing else read this…

• Working on film or music sets can be intense and mean long hours • You need to be prepared to travel and do your research • But it can be great publicity and useful marketing • It can also influence and improve your work, and that of your team

en n ou e k se oo isc se r b r d ea e ou Pl ch r y u o vo d f e os

cl

t

Not invested in the NHF’s model chair renting agreements?

Now is the time to do so.

Already got them? Do you need to renew them?

If you’ve had lease agreements for two years you should be looking to renew them now.

As this edition highlights on page nine, the government has tightened up the law around chair renting and enforcement is expected as a result to become more rigorous. So there’s never been a better time to ensure peace of mind over your arrangement.

Contracts are available to members from Head Office or order online from the Federation’s “e-shop” at www.nhf.info.

ADVICE

Age perfect As Britain’s population ages, hairdressing salons are going to need to retain the loyalty of older, more mature clients to survive. But how can a salon attract the “grey pound” while avoiding coming across as “old” or staid? It’s all a question of balance, argues Bree Davie.

All salon owners to a greater or lesser extent have a “typical” client in mind that they skew their salon towards. Whether it’s the décor, ambience, music, look of your staff or collections on the wall, most salons do deliberately attempt to position themselves to attract a certain age range, spending power or type of client.

This positioning, to an extent, is going to be led by your location. It stands to reason a salon on a trendy urban high street or in a university town is going to be different from one in an elderly or rural market town, commuter belt or somewhere where there is a cosmopolitan melting pot of nationalities.

Moreover, no salon owner – or at least no sensible salon owner – is going to go out of their way to try and deter clients; none of us can afford to do that in the current economic climate, after all.

Disposable income

Nevertheless, as the UK’s population ages, salons do need to be appreciating the spending power, changing expectations and needs of older, more mature clients – male and female. Mature clients, after all, may have more disposable income, may be more inclined to come in regularly and may be more open to things such as skin and beauty treatments.

Yet in an environment where most salon staff are young, where youth and being “on trend” is celebrated and encouraged, how can you do this? More’s the point, how can you position yourself to attract a more mature clientele without falling

PAGE 28 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

into the trap of being seen as Bree Davie is salon somehow elderly or staid – all blue director at Trevor rinse and sets?

Sorbie Hampstead.

One of the key things we at Trevor Sorbie aim to recognise – emphasise in fact – is that “mature”, or being in your 40s, 50s or older, definitely does not mean “old”.

Someone like Kylie is in her 40s and looks absolutely fabulous. You can still look cool and elegant in your 40s and 50s. Even clients in their 70s regularly say to me “I don’t want to look like my age”. People want to come in and be pampered and made to feel a bit younger and more vibrant, and the salon needs to give them 100 per cent service.

Clients tell me “I would be horrified if someone stood up to offer me a seat on the tube and I wouldn’t want my salon to treat me in the same way.” People will not want to come to a salon that presents itself as somewhere for “older” clients because, naturally, people don’t tend to think of themselves in that way.

It is very simple: it’s about knowing your clients and accommodating them.

Varied playlist

Take music, for example. I’ve been with Trevor Sorbie for about 14 years now and you do sometimes see younger stylists coming through who want to put on some banging music. But most of the time we try to have a variety of playlists for different

ADVICE

times of the day and different types of client. If you’ve got more young professionals coming in – perhaps on a Saturday morning – then we’ll try to put music on more for that age range, which will probably be a bit different to the sort of music we’re likely to be playing on, say, a Tuesday afternoon when the clientele may be more likely to be older, perhaps jazz or something like that.

Salons also need to think about continuity and loyalty. If you attract someone at a young age and they like what you do, it may well be that they will “grow up” with you and, as time goes on, spend more money and time with you. When I, for example, moved over from Trevor Sorbie Covent Garden to Hampstead I was able to bring quite a number of clients with me – I’ve had some clients staying with me now for 10-12 years.

When we designed the salon the focus was on creating something timeless, classy and elegant rather than cutting edge and “youthful”.

OPPOSITE: BREE DAVIE, TREVOR SORBIE AND THE TEAM. ABOVE: TREVOR SORBIE HAMPSTEAD

Timeless elegance

For example, two years ago the trend was all for colourful wallpaper and chandeliers but we simply kept with the classic look. So for younger people it is not going to feel old, but for more mature clients they are still going to feel at home and certainly not feel intimidated.

Another key element is training. We train all our staff in how to work with older ladies who perhaps have different expectations. We want our 17-18 year-olds not to feel intimidated by older clients but also for our clients to feel that even a young stylist is really looking after them and understanding them. It is about behaviour, style, how you communicate and what you talk about to clients.

But sometimes it just comes down to attitude. We have, for example, one young stylist who, although he’s just 22, gets on really well with our older clients. They all love him because he really looks after them – even though he’s just being himself, it’s just how he is.

Ultimately, salon owners need to recognise that the business potential from mature clients is immense, especially if you are able to bring people with you through their teens and 20s and develop that loyalty to the salon or the salon brand.

Older clients in my experience are more prepared to spend money on styling and colouring, more prepared to invest in retail and venture into professional brands. They have more disposable income for things such as skincare. People should definitely not be scared to target the more mature clientele.

www.nhf.info

Why age matters The so-called “grey pound” – or spending by those aged 65 to 74 – is being recognised by retailers as something increasingly lucrative and valuable, especially in a tough economic climate.

Older clients, especially those who have retired with decent pensions, will be less constrained by issues such as job insecurity, debt, mortgages or childcare responsibilities.

Research by retail researcher Verdict Research has calculated that, by 2017, spending by the 65-74 age bracket will have increased almost 40 per cent from an average of £4,379 per person per year in 2007 to £6,055, with spending focused on areas such as fashion, beauty and electrical goods.

The second fastest growing category was those aged between 55 and 64, who would be spend £7,412 each a year by 2017, an increase of 36.5 per cent, it added.

By comparison, those aged 25 to 34 would increase their retail spending by less than 14 per cent, although they would still spend more per head.

The value of the retail market for the over-65s would rise from £37bn to £64bn between 2007 and 2017 it calculated.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 29

BACK TO BASICS

Clipper race

Mig article ht this within be useful y Pass it our salon? share round and it with stylists your !

In the last of our ‘Back to Basics’ series, SalonFocus looks at what you need to be thinking about when it comes to investing in quality combs, clippers and brushes.

The average busy barber will use their clippers and trimmers between 10 to 15 times a day, meaning these tools are something of the workhorse of many salons, both barbering and hairdressing.

For the new or would-be salon owner this means durability has to be top of the list when it comes to the purchasing decision, alongside performance and maintenance.

“That’s why it is so important to invest in quality clippers from a trusted brand – get the right clippers and you’ll be creating amazing sharp, edgy styles quicker than ever before,” explains Simon Shaw, European artistic director at Wahl UK. “First, think about what you want from your clipper – do you want a versatile clipper that allows you do everything from basic clippering to layers and texturizing, with extra accessories for advanced design techniques?” he advises.

“Or are you looking for a specialist clipper, for example for Afro styling that requires super close cutting and fading?

Whatever your needs, when investing in new products, make sure the manufacturer can offer you an after-care service so you can get the best from your products for longer,” he adds.

“Currently we are experiencing a surge in demand for Denman products which create volume SIMON SHAW: GO FOR and root-lift in the QUALITY hair,” argues Jonathan King, marketing manager at Denman International.

Volume

SHAUN B: FOCUS ON YOUR NEEDS

He cites the example of the brand’s DressOut Brush when it comes to teasing and back-combing to create height at the crown and its Head Huggers for volume and loose curls.

PAGE 30 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

hairdressers to their clients has created a demand for Denman at retail level,” he adds.

Maintenance

It’s a good idea to look for a clipper with a powerful running motor but one that remains cool, even after using for long periods of time, advises Wahl’s Simon Shaw.

“Have a look at the running time – a battery with longer running time will allow you to perform more cuts in between charging periods,” he says.

“Make sure the clipper is ergonomically designed for control and is comfortable to handle. Check if it is cordless or if it is mains operated – if it has a cord make sure it’s long enough to give you the flexibility to move as you work. A lightweight clipper will give you maximum control and the blades should be high precision, preferably chrome plated and rust resistant to stay sharper for longer,” he adds.

“Don’t look what tools are offering, consider what you want from the tool,” agrees Shaun P, chief executive and inventor of Tangle Teezer.

“Write down your needs as well as the client’s. For instance, a brush may give you good tension when blow-drying, but may be too harsh and cumbersome for your client. Remember, brushes and combs should be a pleasurable experience for both the stylist and the client,” he adds.

Retail potential is another factor that needs to be considered in the purchasing mix, suggests Denman’s Jonathan King.

“For a client to maintain their hair in tip-top condition between salon visits, it is important that they can have access to the very tools that their hairdresser uses and trusts.

“Over time, continuous recommendation of our products by

It may not be part of the purchasing process but proper training, care and maintenance is absolutely imperative if you want to get the most out of your brushes, clippers and combs, emphasises Wahl’s Simon Shaw.

“Once you’ve bought your clipper, it’s important to invest time in maintaining it to ensure it lasts longer and works to its full potential,” he explains.

“Remember to brush off cut hair from the nosepiece and blades of the clipper and oil the blades between customers.

Hygiene is paramount, so make sure you use a sterilising spray on a regular basis and remove the blades weekly to clean the cut hair from behind the nosepiece.

“Get into the habit of checking the blade alignment – poorly aligned blades will not cut effectively and can be potentially harmful to the client. Don’t forget the power cord – make sure it doesn’t become twisted up and never hang the clipper up by the power cord.

“Finally, have the clipper serviced regularly. This will be dependent on usage but I recommend getting it serviced every six months. The clipper should also be Portable Appliance Tested (PAT) once a year – if you buy Wahl clippers this is offered as part of the complimentary after-care service. With these tips in mind, your clippers will last longer, run cooler and stay sharper,” adds Simon.

If you read nothing else read this…

• Clippers, combs and brushes get heavy use, so go for durability • Think about what you want from the product, not just what the tool is offering • Focus on regular maintenance, after-care and proper training • Consider the retail potential of equipment

se Plea cher d vou see enclose k boo or your f t oun disc

COLUMN

London

calling By the time you read this we’ll already know the result, but it was a huge honour in September to discover we had been shortlisted for this year’s London Lifestyle Awards.

The awards, which will take place on October 17 at the Hurlingham Club, celebrate London achievers across 18 categories and we were so proud to be shortlisted in the London Hairdressing Salon of the Year and London Beauty & Health Facility categories.

While it is always an honour to receive recognition from your peers and from within the hairdressing industry, the fact, too, these are awards that attract thousands of votes from the general public makes it really special – and is of course exactly what the NHF is trying to achieve through its own Britain’s Best competition later this month.

After the real buzz in the capital of the Olympic and Paralympic Games over the summer it’s great that London and Londoners are being celebrated in this way.

After a summer when the eyes of the world were on the capital, Daniel Galvin is hoping his salon will be among the success stories picking up a prestigious London award.

I may have been in the business for half a century, but I firmly believe social media, especially Facebook, is one of the quickest, most effective ways of getting our message across.

To my mind, Facebook is a fabulous tool for hairdressing because it allows us to upload pictures and offer visual inspiration as well as comment on current trends and celebrity styles.

MEN’S OFFER: DANIEL GALVIN AT THE CORINTHIA

Social profile

That’s why at Daniel Galvin we over the summer started ramping up our social media profile.

We began an exciting new initiative, our “Friday Gallery”, in September where we run a series of posts on a topical theme.

It can be anything from a celebrity sighting to an update OLYMPIAN: DANIEL WITH AUTUMN COLOURS: WARM on what we’re up to or just BETH TWEDDLE AND RICH outlining some of our special offers. The key for salons is they With a career spanning 50 years, hair colourist Daniel really have to make the effort to Galvin is one of most recognised names in the industry. A use social media if they want it protégé of Vidal Sassoon and Leonard Lewis, he was the to make a difference. first UK colourist to launch a signature line of professional We’re also increasingly hair colourants, expanding into Japan and the Far East in recognising the value of the Olympic buzz the 1990s. He was made an OBE in 2006 and continues to men’s grooming market, and We were honoured when, after be passionate about colour and the industry. from September at our salon the games, bronze medalat The Corinthia hotel began winning gymnast Beth Tweddle running a promotion called dropped in for a colour and “Men’s Mondays”, offering a precision cut and a gin and tonic for cut. We were also visited by silver medal-winning cyclist Lizzie £30 instead of the standard £75.

Armitstead.

It’s been proving a really popular promotion, showing what We had a lot of fun offering a menu of promotions tied to the an important element in the mix men are now becoming. games, including offering 15 per cent off one of our “red carpet” Finally, hair trends this autumn and winter are definitely blow dries for anyone coming in during the games as well as our towards warmer colours. I see the cool hues which tend to “DG Triathlon” – or a special offer on a combination of a cut, half dominate the colour scene during the winter becoming deeper head of highlights and conditioning treatment. and more intense.

We also offered discounts for anyone bringing in a friend – Think Reese Witherspoon gold, the Duchess of what we called our “synchronised swimming” promotion – as Cambridge’s rich tones or a Christina Hendricks auburn. well as our “100 metre sprint to perfection” pedicure, among It’s very much going to be suitably autumnal, warming others. It was all just a bit of fun but really got the salon talking, colours designed to leave your colour looking vivid and warm, as well as being picked up in various style magazines and on even when the weather is dreary and cold! websites.

PAGE 32 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

EVENTS NHF EVENTS OTHERS Please send your events to the NHF at enquiries@ nhf.info by 1 November for January/February, 7 January 2013 for March/April and 5 March by May/June.

Updated events listed on www.nhf.info

4

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

12

NOV Cheshire Championships Romiley Forum Theatre, Stockport Contact Michael Burgum on 0161 220 7375

19

NOV Masterclass with Leo Bancroft and Desmond Murray, Carrington House Hotel Bournemouth Contact: Glynnis Elliot on 02380 339461

16/17

MAR Blackpool International Hairdressing Championships.

Winter Gardens Hotel.

Contact: Eileen Clough on 01253 343723 (day) or 01253 406834 (eve) or suloe@tiscali.co.uk.

25

MAR Patrick Cameron seminar, Derby College, Pride Park, Derby.

Contact: Ivan Blount on 01773 745580

19

MAY Welsh Open Championships, The Coal Exchange, Cardiff Contact: Pani Lazarou on pani@nhfwales.co.uk

26

NOV British Hairdressing Awards, Grosvenor House Hotel, London Contact: 020 8652 8845 or daniel.eversfield@ rbi.co.uk

16

JAN London Region personalised photoshoot with Desmond Murray.

Contact: Ian Egerton on 0207 357 7070 or Ian@ ico-management.com

www.nhf.info

Britain’s Best The final deadlines for this autumn’s Britain’s Best competition are looming fast. Here’s a reminder of all the dates you need to remember.

9

NOV Deadline for nominations for Britain’s Best floor competition Contact: www.britainsbest.me

18

NOV Britain’s Best Competition Hilton Metropole Hotel, Birmingham Contact NHF head office on 0845 345 6500 or 0845 345 6500

See overleaf for a full update on the final countdown to Britain’s Best.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 SALONFOCUS PAGE 33

BRITAIN’S BEST

Who will be crowned

Britain’s Best?!

The moment is almost here… we’re just days away from finding out who are Britain’s best salon owners, managers, barbers, stylists and others. But who will be stepping up to raise the coveted Britain’s Best trophy?

There’s still time for you to come and join us at the Birmingham Metropole on November 18, either as a competitor or spectator, and experience the drama, passion and excitement of Britain’s biggest and most interactive artistic and style competition.

Britain’s

Best Text Vote Popularity Poll

With more than 150 nominees shortlisted, the votes have been cast and the lines are now closed!

It has been a tense wait for all our nominated finalists to see if they have done enough to persuade clients, peers, family and friends they have what it takes to become Britain’s Best.

Join us at the Birmingham Metropole to see who has made it across the finish line in each of the six categories.

Be a spectator, and meet Lee Stafford!

Britain has never experienced a hairdressing competition quite like Britain’s Best, so why not come along and soak up the atmosphere in person?!

There are still spectator tickets available, allowing you to watch and become a part of the drama as it unfolds.

If that wasn’t enough, competitors and audience alike are being offered a chance to meet celebrity stylist Lee Stafford, get your picture taken with him and ask all those questions you always wanted to know the answer to!

So BOOK NOW. For full details on all the competitions and how you can purchase your spectator ticket visit www.britainsbest.me or in the Britain’s Best leaflets enclosed within this edition of SalonFocus.

PAGE 34 SALONFOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

Britain’s

Best

Click ‘n’ Send Head of the Year Photographic Competition It’s not about hiring expensive studios or dealing with precious photographers – it’s all just about the hair!

The Britain’s Best Click ‘n’ Send Head of the Year Photographic Competition is the first national hairdressing photographic competition anyone can enter simply by using their mobile phone.

As a result it has caught the imagination of up-and-coming and experienced hairdressers across the land.

Again, the deadline for entries has passed and our Britain’s Best judges have been hard at work deciding who will go through to the final to recreate their style in the pressure cooker atmosphere of the Birmingham Metropole.

The quality of entries has been high and competition on the day is bound to be intense – but there are still spectator tickets available (see below).

So come and cheer on your favourites as they battle to win the “Head of the Year”!

Britain’s

Best Competition

Now is your last chance to compete in this year’s Britain’s Best floor competition!

There is still time to submit entries… but you’ll have to hurry.

Entries have come in thick and fast since the competition launched in the summer, and the quality has again been very high.

The closing date for entries is November 9, so the deadline is looming. For more details, go NOW to www.britainsbest.me Proud sponsor of Britain’s Best