Hairbiz Year 15 Issue 2

Year 15 Issue 2

presents An interpretation of the Essential Looks Global Masters in collaboration with ‘Romance Was Born’

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AHIA

Business 2021

AUSTRALIAN HAIR INDUSTRY AWARDS

r o f Open ENTRY! Entry Deadline 12th July 2021

(Care Treat and Style Product Deadline for Entry 24th May 2021)

Finalists Announced 23rd August 2021 Winners Announced at the AHIA Gala Awards

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibiiton Centre, Gold Coast, QLD

10th October 2021 All submissions are online only. The Awards period for all entries is January 2020 – June 2021 – 18 months. This is longer than usual to incorporate pre, during and post Covid times to give all entrants an opportunity of demonstrating their business success in the financial quarter pre-Covid, how they dealt with Covid during restrictions/closures and post Covid coming in to the new year.

www.australianhairindustryawards.com.au

THE CATEGORIES

With 23 categories including the Australian Salon Business of the Year, these awards culminate in a spectacular gala awards night in October annually.

These awards were launched due to industry demand and are judged by an independent panel of judges, media, PR and business specialists.

Australian Salon Business of the Year Awarded to the best of the State Winners State Salon Business of the Year

NSW/ACT Salon Business of the Year VIC/TAS Salon Business of the Year QLD Salon Business of the Year SA Salon Business of the Year WA/NT Salon Business of the Year

Individual

NEW! Best Salon Team Member Salon Manager/Coordinator of the Year Business Director/Owner of the Year NEW! Sole Operator of the Year

Specialist

Salon Business Newcomer of the Year Best Eco Salon Best Customer Care Best Marketing Best Salon Design Award Best Salon Team of the Year Best Salon Training Best Business Performance of the Year (nonsalon)

Education

Educator of the Year- Individual Educator of the Year – Organisation NEW! Educator of the Year Product/Equipment Company

Voted Awards

State and National Wholesalers of the Year

Nominated awards

Vidal Sassoon Humanitarian Award

AHIA Professional Care, Treat & Style Product Awards The Categories

CARE: Best Shampoo and Conditioner pair TREAT: Best Cream Treatment STYLE: Best Styling Product.

PRIZES INCLUDE

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- Beautiful Trophy presented on the night of the AHIA’s - Use of the Title of winning category for 12 months - Coveted PR in leading trade magazine Hair Biz, PR campaign for EVERY winner - Personalised one-on-one time with leading Branding and Communication Experts Lily Blue Communications

www.australianhairindustryawards.com.au

ON THE COVER 36 Schwarzkopf Professional Presents An Interpretation of the Essential Looks Global Master in Collaboration with ‘Romance Was Born’

REGULARS 10 Contents 12 Editors Letter 18-20 Industry News 86-87 Hair Shop 88 Dateline City

FEATURE 14 Dan The Man 16 10 Minutes with Leanne Cuttler By Louise May 22 Lee Cohen – Leading the Way in Brand Development 26 Healthy Habits with Tenille Lawrence 46 Curly Girl By Louise May 68 Spotlight on a Hot Shot – Alannah Jade 79 Snapshot on Angelo Seminara

www.schwarzkopf-professional.com.au

CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL FEATURE 28 Global Talent Spotting - Clayde Bauman

By Pauline McCabe

PROFILE 30-32 Celebrating 25 Years of Toni&Guy in Australia

By Linda Woodhead 34 20 Years of Good Hair Days – ghd 78 Goldwell Sets The Trend For 2021 80 milk_shake Australia Announces Creative Colourist Ambassador, Jools Purchase 82 Styling In Half The Time – ghd 83 Bottle Blonde, The Swifter Lifter – evo 84 Dedicated To Creating Premium Blonde Results – Schwarzkopf

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COLLECTIONS 38-39 La Gloria By David Corbett 40-41 Revision By Chung-Yang Su

SALON PROFILE 48 Celebrations As Headgardeners Hair Salon Turns 25 50 Salon Kiins Little Sister By The Sea – Salon Kaia 52 Melbourne’s One-Of-A-Kind By Louise May 54 The WOW Factor

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EVENTS 72 L’Oreal Professional Colour Trophy Awards 2020 74 Hair Festival – Tickets On Sale

BLOGS 92 Lessons Learnt By Jenni Tarrant 93 Rule Number 1, Be A Number 1 By Gary Latham 94 You Can’t Fake It Till You Make It By Paul Frasca 95 Leading The Way By Clive Allwright 96 Are You Living In A Communication Bubble

By Dario Cotroneo

BUSINESS 100 Closing The Gaps By Kym Krey 102 Culture By Brodie-Lee Tsiknaris 104 The Circles Way – The Staff By Sharlene Lee 106 The Key To A Long-Lasting Business By David Watts 108 ‘Discount’ Is Not A Dirty Word By Chrissy Alger 110 The Most Essential Step To Being A CEO

By Larissa Macleman 112 How To See Your Business Bloom In 2021

By Sarah Garner 113 Social Media Face VS Fiction By Rachel Medlock 114 Staying Positive In A Negative Situation

By Angeli Marie Shaw

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EVY Professional

evyprofessional •evyprofessional.com • Tel. 1300 760 165

HAIR BIZ PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Louise May louise@mochapublishing.com.au

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nina Barbara nina@mochapublishing.com.au

ART DIRECTOR

Kellie Woodhead kellie@mochapublishing.com.au

ADMINISTRATION

Jess Richmond jess@mochapublishing.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS Louise May Linda Woodhead Pauline McCabe Kirstie Kesic Sheree Knobel Anthony Gray Jenni Tarrant Gary Latham Paul Frasca Clive Allwright Dario Cotroneo Kym Krey Brodie-Lee Tsiknaris Sharlene Lee David Watts Chrissy Alger Larissa Macleman Sarah Garner Rachel Medlock Angeli Marie Shaw

OFFICE

PO BOX 252 Helensvale Plaza Qld 4212 P: 07 5580 5155 mail@mochapublishing.com.au www.mochapublishing.com.au

DISTRIBUTION

Australia Post - Print Post 100005498

PRINTING Printcraft

PUBLISHED BY mocha publishing

PUBLISHERS OF

HAIR BIZ, Beauty Biz & Barber Shop Hair Biz is published four times a year by mocha publishing ABN 65 091 846 189 No Part of the publication may be reproduced in any manner or form without written permission. Hair Biz does not accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies, original artwork or other material. The views expressed in Hair Biz are not necessarily those of the publisher.

No responsibility will be accepted if the publication is delayed or prevented by factors beyong the control of the publisher. No responsibility will be accepted for errors in copy, or for any loss arising from the failure of an advertisement or any part thereof to appear. © 2021 mocha publishing All rights reserved.

EDITOR’S LETTER

Linda Woodhead linda@mochapublishing.com.au

So here I am sitting down to write my Editors letter, and I can’t believe that we are almost at the end of the first quarter of the year. Time is just flying by… and before we know it, we will all be catching up at the iconic Queens Birthday Weekend, in Sydney, at Hair Festival and the New AHIA Creative Awards!

We are super excited about this edition, it is an EPIC one for sure! We have jam-packed so much goodness in here, and we are thinking it is probably our biggest ever issue to date!

have the very clever Kristie Kesic and Sheree Knobel talking all things Colour with us… and it’s always exciting to go Global Talent Spotting with Pauline McCabe!

Firstly, before I continue, I just want to say a huge thank you to our 2020 contributors. You certainly looked after our salon owners with sound advice, tips and tricks and offered unwavering support throughout what has been the toughest year ever!

Featuring in this edition, we have AHIA Winner of Best Eco Salon for 2020 Tenille Lawrence, talking us through her Healthy Habits and we have 10 Minutes with the wonderful Leanne Cuttler. We cross the pacific with our International Feature on Danilo Giangreco, and there is oh so much more, that you will have to wait and see as you flick through the pages!

When the going got really tough, so many of you stepped up and offered guidance, and the amount of free online education that was produced was mindblowing.

This is an amazing Industry; there are so many special humans, that it’s impossible to name them all, but all I can say is that I feel so blessed to be a part of it.

In this mammoth edition, we are proud to introduce you to this year’s contributors! We are super excited to have so much talent collectively in one magazine… we have the amazing Jenni Tarrant, Clive Allwright, Paul Frasca, Gary Latham and Dario Cotroneo, delivering valuable information to you with their Blogs throughout the year ahead. We have the great business minds of Kym Krey, David Watts, Sharlene Lee and the Zing Team!

We have the wonderful Angeli Marie Shaw talking to us about mindset, Anthony Gray from MIG Training and branding guru Sarah Garner from Digital Bloom, and great social media advice from Rachel Medlock at, Do You Even Social.

Brodie Lee Tsiknaris takes us through Salon Culture, and how to achieve it with a young team and we

Last but not least…. The Australian Hair Industry Awards for Creatives & Business are BOTH open! We recently announced our biggest Judging panel ever!

Over 100 Judges for the Creatives and we are so excited for all the stylists who are entering our new awards. Not forgetting the Business awards now in their 9th year to recognise business excellence across this great land!

We can’t wait to catch up with everyone at Hair Festival and the New Awards and are honoured to be picking up the mantle from the legacy of Hair Expo in a collaborative with BHA Media. There are going to be many sneaky hugs taking place, I would say!

Until the next issue..

Take care & stay safe, practice gratitude and enjoy each day!

L ou ise M ay Louise May, HAIR BIZ Editor

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Starting out in his father’s small salon in Puglia, Danilo Giangreco is now a fixture on the Fulham Road in Chelsea. So, how did this self-confessed ‘little town boy’ establish himself as a big name in British hairdressing?

Danilo Giangreco’s hair career arguably began at the age of 12 when his father handed the young Italian some scissors and instructed him to cut his brother’s hair. Today, the Giangrecos still run a small salon in Puglia, Southern Italy, but Danilo has come a long way since that first, inaugural haircut on his father’s shop floor.

Danilo Hair Boutique occupies a prime spot on the Fulham Road and caters for a devoted clientele, which includes, amongst others, the well-heeled Chelsea set and a clutch of celebrities. In recognition of his skill, Danilo himself has been both nominated for, and won, a number of awards last year and has set his sights on scooping even more this year.

It’s somewhat inevitable Danilo would follow a future in hairdressing.

He was a Saturday boy almost as far back as he can remember – folding towels, sweeping the floor and helping out in the small family business. “I was never that much into school,” Danilo confesses. “I messed around too much. But my Dad spotted a talent in me for hairdressing and said, ‘we should nurture that.’” Aged 16, Danilo dropped out of school and trained hard as an apprentice for two years. On weekdays, he’d be at college all morning, coming straight back to work in the salon in 14

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

the afternoon and at weekends. Sharpening his technical skills, it was clear Danilo did indeed have the talent his father had observed, and an unstoppable creative streak was emerging too.

It wasn’t long before he was craving a bigger challenge.

In a bold move, Danilo packed his bags and headed for Milan, securing a job at Roberto Bellandi - one of the most glamorous salons in the most glamorous of all Italian cities.

Suddenly surrounded by footballers, TV stars and talked-about celebrities, Danilo describes himself as a ‘little town boy’ seeing a whole new side to hairdressing for the first time. Under the influential gaze of Bellandi, Danilo was improving rapidly and gaining an awareness for the complete salon experience. “I learnt about the whole journey involved in hairdressing. Not just the obvious skills you need, but the subtle things too like small gestures and using the right terminology.”

While working in Milan, Danilo took a trip to London and liked what he saw. Enrolling on an English course back in Italy, he expanded his vocabulary from just a small repertoire of words but decided that learning in the environment and being immersed in British culture was the best way to get up to speed. Settling on West London as his new base, Danilo knocked on several doors until he got a trial at a salon in Queensway. He was to stay here for six years, honing his craft and learning what it takes to run a salon, eventually managing separate premises on London’s legendary King’s Road.

“I’M CONSTANTLY SEEKING INSPIRATION. MY BRAIN IS ALWAYS BUZZING”

Despite his origins – the small unisex salon in Puglia – or perhaps because of it, Danilo’s skillset wasn’t just restricted to cutting hair. In fact, his eye for colour was equally sharp. He holds a L’Oréal Colour Specialist degree and take great pride in mastering both disciplines to the same high standards. “I think there’s a real satisfaction in creating an entire finished look,” he enthuses. “When you can cut and colour it enables you to see the whole vision.”

Little wonder that after ticking so many boxes this far in his hairdressing career, it was only a matter of time before Danilo would open up his own salon. That opportunity came by chance when Danilo was passing by an empty shop on the Fulham Road in Chelsea. Calling the number in the window, the next thing he knew, he was setting up Danilo Hair Boutique with his partner at the time. It’s been open for over eight years, and today he runs it in its entirety.

It’s no coincidence that ‘boutique’ features in the title. Taking his cues from the dazzling days in Milan, Danilo has created a space where his dreams of a luxury hair destination have come to fruition.

The affluent clientele appreciates the thoughtful attention to detail that underpins the salon’s philosophy. “It’s all about making people feel special. Everyone who comes here is looked after by the whole team, whether that’s a head massage or a perfect cup of coffee, our aim is not just great hair, but also to make our clients feel pampered.” The small, but cosmopolitan team are fully on board with this ethos, “you find the right people to fit your script,” Danilo explains. He invests plenty of time into teaching, training and sharing his passion. “It’s one thing to know it, but quite another to pass it on,” he says. Qualified as an assessor, Danilo takes no greater pride than in seeing his team finish a look he knows he inspired them to create.

The same for every salon owner, 2020 was a challenging year. For Danilo, he describes the first day of lockdown as the most uncertain time in his life. But not one to let his dynamic spirt dim for long, he soon came up with the idea of filming video chats amongst the team and putting them out on social media. A natural in front of the camera and with a knack of orchestrating fluid conversations, Danilo’s

‘Coffee Breaks’ caught the eye of long-standing friend and client Boris Becker who offered to get involved. The next thing he knew, the concept was flying, and he was soon attracting big hairdressing names such as Errol Douglas and Robert Eaton to take part in these easy, informal chats.

During the second salon closure, Danilo used the time to renovate the salon, but also fine tune some hairdressing techniques. “I set up a studio in my spare room and filled it with block heads and mood boards. I’m constantly seeking inspiration. My brain is always buzzing,” he enthuses. As testament to his increasing profile and creative accomplishments, Danilo was shortlisted for London Hairdresser of the Year at the 2020 British Hairdressing Awards.

He scooped two titles at the Tribute magazine ‘Big One’ awards for his acclaimed images and there have been nominations for business acumen and best team.

His photographic work is unsurprisingly influenced by his Italian heritage with a formula he describes as, “modern, elegant and timeless.” Despite his classic foundations, he does love to experiment and there are touches of avant-garde in his work. “I’m really inspired

by Angelo Seminaro and Eugene Souleiman,” he says. “Eugene has a completely unique approach to session work. The hair is always beautiful, but he manages to add a touch of madness to it.” As well as doing more session work, Danilo harbours ambitions to expand the salon and also amplify his name even more on the British hairdressing scene.

In an industry that can be all-consuming, Danilo’s world outside work is absorbed by his young son, who he adores and credits as keeping his feet on the ground. While his successes so far have been quite remarkable, he’s modest about his achievements. His father is retired from the salon in Puglia now and Danilo’s brother runs it instead. Clearly a close family, Danilo’s sister Valeria has joined Danilo as Head of Colour at the Fulham Road salon. When asked what his father thinks of his career, he mentions a framed photo of Danilo that takes pride of place in the small shop in Puglia. There’s no doubt this ‘little town boy’ has done his hairdressing father proud.

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

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10 MINUTES WITH

LEANNE CUTLER

By Louise May

Leanne Cuttler Photo: Sherbet Birdie

Leanne and Rupert boating on Prt Phillip Bay

Leanne and friend Susan competing in the 1927 Austin Cambridge in the Florence Thompson Women’s Rally 2017.

Leanne Cutler did well academically at school and had always wanted to go to Uni, so she did a Bachelor of Business (Communication) at QUT (then QIT), which resulted in an early career in Advertising, TV Production and PR. Running into Anthony Wynne-Hoelscher and his wife, Susa, who she previously knew, at the Queensland Art Gallery, in 1991, she was asked to apply to be the new Executive Officer of Hair Expo, which they owned at the time and had relocated from Brisbane to Sydney. She was just 24 but was instrumental in securing it as an iconic, national event in Sydney.

Leaving at the end of 1995 for work-life balance she then spent 15 years working in mostly the university sector in Creative Industries, Law and Medicine.

In 2008, Leanne set up Siren Marketing and the hairdressing industry welcomed her back with open arms introducing two industry brands, both of which are now well known and respected; Hair Shots 2 The World, a global PR service getting top collections published in trade and consumer media worldwide and Siren Marketing, an integrated marketing communications firm for small businesses and product companies, with one of her specialties being in the field of coaching and creating awards submissions.

LEANNE, WOULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR UPBRINGING?

I grew up in Ipswich in Queensland. Hair was always a big deal in my world. My Granddad was born in the back of the barbershop in Nimbin in 1910. Maybe that’s why I had a fascination with hair from early on. I was a baby with a mop of Shirley Temple curls so people in the street 16

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

would look at me in the pram and ask my Mum how she did my hair. It was natural, of course.

Then my best friend’s Mum was a Hairdresser, so I was always at their house watching Mrs Mahoney do sets, perms and even blue rinses.

When it was my turn, she’d decide that I needed a pageboy, thanks to Vidal Sassoon but after so many now, I just can’t bring myself to have another one!

My Dad was a fireman and my Mum worked in a pharmacy. Mum sold Steiner colour and would get permission to take me to the workshops as she didn’t have a babysitter, so I was getting colour lessons from about age 13.

Life in my family was not great for a lot of years before my parents broke up. My Dad was obese and desperately wanted to lose weight. He met a guy at a party who told him of a doctor in the Penny’s building in Queen St, Brisbane who helped him lose a lot of weight quickly.

My Dad went weekly and was given an injection of something, a LSD-like prescription drug. He lost 13 stone in 12 months but whatever that doctor did, fried his brain. At age 35, he became schizophrenic and remained in care until he died last year at 79.

I was his advocate for over 30 years, a parttime job in itself, dealing with hostels and nursing homes and Government red tape. I am only telling this story because I want to give a strong message. “Don’t do drugs”. You may not die but you may also become disabled and dysfunctional and lose your quality of life, as will the people left to look after you.

Despite this I have always worked hard on myself to make the most of my life and I absolutely refused to let history repeat. From

the outset, my career and my life was going to be great and the goals were set. I have had amazing jobs, travelled to the best places, worked with some of the best in the business and found true love.

WHAT ACHIEVEMENT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR LIFE OR CAREER?

Career-wise, there have been so many highlights, but getting Hair Expo secure as an event was a more-than-massive task that I am really proud of… And then spending the last 10 years founding and running Hair Shots 2 The World, promoting Australian, New Zealand and South African hair fashion to the world has been such a buzz.

Helping Australia be recognised as the creative leader of the world around 2015 was really exciting as 75 covers poured in. It is so wonderful to know millions of viewers of hair fashion globally appreciate the work of Hair Shots 2 The World clients.

To be honest, the thing I am most proud of is personal, and that is successfully advocating for my Dad with a severe mental disability. I kept him cared for safely, worked to make sure his medication was correct, liaised with social workers and carers and frankly, made sure he didn’t end up on the street.

IF YOU WEREN’T DOING WHAT YOU DO NOW, WHAT ALTERNATIVE CAREER WOULD YOU CONSIDER?

If I was younger, I’d become a hairdresser. The business opportunities are currently big for

Leanne with true love, husband Paul

Leanne with Lina Robinson, Tyson Kennedy, Freda Rossidis and Kylie O’Toole.

Leanne and Jean Witte of Synergy Hair and Intercoiffure South Africa

Baby Leanne with Shirley Temple ringlets those starting out now, due to the shortage of apprentices and seniors. In 5-10 years time, if the current hairdresser shortage worsens, hairdressers will be able to name their price (or I’m wrong and everyone will have long unkept hair). Demand will outweigh the number of appointments possible. Plus, I’d really love a ‘people’ job.

THREE THINGS YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT?

Hairdressers. I think a couple of hairdressers got me onto the right track when I was a troubled youngster, and my gratitude has stayed with me. My common hashtag is #hairdresserscare.

I see the good they do for people and I truly believe that this intangible but significant contribution is undervalued in society.

Family. I adore my family and friends. Now living in Melbourne, I have not seen my Queensland family and friends for almost one year. I’m an only child but I have nine incredible first cousins. The interesting thing about we cousins is that we have all really different careers. It makes catching up great fun to hear about such different lives.

Community Radio. In 2016, I became an arts and entertainment reporter on 88.3 Southern FM in Melbourne. Melbourne really is rich in the arts and our local area thrives. But it also brings great opportunities like opening night seats to musicals and fabulous interviews eg; the late Greedy Smith, Vikka and Linda, and emerging artists.

DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL SUNDAY

Sunday sleep in, then a gourmet omelette made by my husband, Paul. Then off to Sandringham Yacht Club to spend some time on our motor cruiser. If the weather is bad, a visit to a gallery or some live music is great – when you can!

Leanne with client Kristy Hodgson of Jarahs Hair, South Australia at the Hair Expo Awards

WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

• Make a tv series about the hairdressing industry.

• Return to South Africa. I keep dreaming about Cape Town and Kruger Park.

• Become a grey nomad and driver around Australia.

• Buy a dream home with room for a veggie patch and more animals.

• Walk the El Camino in Portugal.

• Meet Lady Gaga.

CRAZIEST, FUNNIEST OR MOST UNUSUAL THING YOU’VE EVER DONE?

Unusual for me was skydiving. I won’t even go on rides at the Show! Back in the 1990s, I was chatting with Benni Tognini and said that one day I’d like to go skydiving. My roommate and her client, a lady with cerebral palsy, had just done it and I thought “If they can do it, so can I! – one day”. About a week later Benni calls and says that the Tognini’s team were going skydiving on the weekend and have a spare spot. Not wanting to look like a chicken, I said ‘yes’. Despite a bumpy landing, I loved it and have loved heights ever since.

PETS OR NO PETS & IF SO, WHAT/WHO?

We have Rupert the 14-year-old Maltese Poodle and Henry, the neighbour’s Turkish Van cat, who moved in when he decided our outdoor furniture was better than theirs. I’m a great birdwatcher too. I don’t have time to go on expeditions but the birds at home are fabulous.

The wattle birds aren’t the prettiest, but they have sweet natures and chatter to me while I’m hanging out washing.

We also loved going on safari to Kruger National Park in South Africa but telling that story would be a whole other interview.

Leanne with Simone Lee in Perth

WHAT’S PLAYING ON YOUR SPOTIFY RIGHT NOW?

I listen to so much because of my radio gig on 88.3FM. New Australian music is a priority.

Some worth checking out on Spotify are Brooke Taylor, Delsinki, Caroline Hammond and Anna Farqhuar.

WHAT WAS YOUR NICKNAME AS A CHILD AND HOW DID YOU GET IT? My mother called me Gert or Gertrude; I have no idea why. She can’t even explain it. Otherwise, it’s Cuttlefish, from Cutler, of course.

IF YOU COULD LEAVE THIS INDUSTRY HAVING ACHIEVED JUST ONE THING, WHAT WOULD THAT LEGACY BE?

I’d like to help make hairdresser cool again in the eyes of the community and especially young people. Am thinking about a podcast to help make this happen!

DO YOU HAVE A MOTTO OR SIGNATURE LIFE PHILOSOPHY?

The one that has given me most solace and frustration concurrently is “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”.

This will probably be on my gravestone!

What makes you laugh?

All good tv comedy: Absolutely Fabulous, Schitts Creek, Friends.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST FEAR?

I have a fear of depths – deep water. This is strange since we have a boat.

YOUR GREATEST INDULGENCE?

Since I’m not meant to eat sugar, beautiful desserts. Thank goodness for pure cocoa and sugar-free ice cream.

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

17

INDUSTRY NEWS | INDUSTRY NEWS | INDUSTRY NEWS NEW YEAR, NEW MATRIX!

In one of the most refreshing changes in the history of the professional industry, Matrix is repositioning the entire brand with a new look and feel to match!

With a rich history spanning beyond 40 years, Matrix is approaching the market in a Brand-new way, with an offering unlike anyone else in professional haircare & colour.

This new brand imagery is an explosion of colour and a true representation of the amazing diversity present within our population.

This new Matrix comes with a promise of the newest innovation, and 2021 will be the kick-off of technology unseen before across both haircare and colour.

This ensures that every hairdresser and stylist has everything they need to THINK, BELIEVE. DREAM and DARE. To their fullest potential. www.matrixprofessional.com.au

RefectoCil Blonde Brow, Skin Protection Cream & Eye Mask, Micellar Eye Makeup Remover and Tint Remover. The kit also includes the RefectoCil Style book to guide and inspire your custom blending, as well as a hands-free mixing palette and the newly designed RefectoCil Browista brushes. Styling has never been easier!

Clients are so excited to return to a professional salon environment, so it’s the ideal time to incorporate lash and brow tinting into your salon menu. www.refectocil-australia.com.au

AFFINAGE LAUNCHES THEIR SS20/21 COLOUR COLLECTION – HAUTE COUTURE

Haute couture style and fashion were the essence behind this seasonal shoot.

Taking bold vivid reds, rustic copper, electrifying multi-dimensional colours and cobalt blue elevating the Affinage Professional brand and breathing new life to 2021.

Guest artistic director, Simon Crawford, assisted by Mark Matthews were the creative masters behind the inventive colouring concept. Each look accented edgy bobs, blunt fringes, flawless waves and soft curtain bangs showcasing the limitless composition of INFINITI’s diverse colour collections.

Creative Team: Simon Crawford, Mark Matthews, Julie Dunleavy Photographer: Krysta Atkinson MUA: Jim Jirarnuttaruij Stylist: Leigh McCoy www.affinage.com.au

AMERICAN CREW ANNOUNCES NEW ONLINE MAGAZINE

Touching base with an exciting announcement from American Crew – The brand have just launched their very first publication, a progressive digital and print magazine called ‘Changing Times’.

All creatives took a plunge last year, but the grooming industry was one that was hit the hardest. In this magazine, Australia’s leading barbers and other influential voices share inspirational stories of how they navigated 2020 and how we can re-think barbering and masculinity in our new world.

A few of the notable names in the magazine are grooming god David Raccuglia, 2020 All-Star winner Luke Munn and Beard Season’s founder Jimmy Niggles. The magazine was launched to celebrate the annual All-Star Challenge.

The magazine can be read here; www.issuu.com/americancrew/docs/american_crew_changing_times_ magazine

THE REFECTOCIL LASH AND BROW BAR IS YOUR NEWEST STYLING COMPANION Refresh and ramp up your look in 2021 by experimenting with some of the most coveted styles. With the new year comes the perfect excuse to celebrate the return to our hairdressers and test out some trending looks. Clients are more eager than ever for a makeover after such a turbulent year that has left us feeling less like our best selves. Along with a fresh and bold hair colour, bangs or a cut, eyelash and brow tinting is the perfect way to complete a look and make a statement. There’s no faster or more affordable way of dramatizing a makeover than accessorising a new hair style with a lash and brow tint.

RefectoCil Blonde Brow is the secret weapon in creating a unique brow style. Use this product to strip back colour, brighten brow tone and soften bristly and unmanageable hair.

The RefectoCil Lash and Brow Bar is the easiest, most convenient way to promote lash and brow styling to all your clients. This nifty little portable brow bar includes 8 tint shades designed to be mixed together to customise colour, 18

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

PETER BECKETT JOINS HAIRCARE AUSTRALIA AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Haircare Australia is thrilled to welcome new Creative Director Peter Beckett to the Haircare Australia family. Globally celebrated for his styling talents, Peter brings a fresh, artistic approach to our portfolio of brands.

“I’m excited to be part of the Haircare Australia family,” states Peter Beckett, of his new role, “The diversity of brands within the Haircare Australia is something I’m really excited about!”

A force of nature in the industry, Peter is a powerhouse of styling nuance with his fresh, creative editorial looks taking him to the lights of London, where he styled hair for the pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire and campaigns for Roberto Cavalli, Charlotte Olympia, Levi’s, Selfridges, Dove and Britain’s Next Top Model.

Currently in his 22nd year in the hair industry, Peter has been entrusted by some of the world’s top celebrity & fashion talent such as Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding, Poppy Delevingne, Demi Lovato, Monika Radulovic and Behati Prinsloo. Peter is also a fixture at runway shows for fashion houses such as Burberry, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane across London, New York and Australian fashion weeks.

“The Haircare Australia is excited to have a stylist of Peter’s immense talent, as our new Creative Director”, says Ward Gauvin. “He will be working with the Haircare Australia team to create inspirational content across all our brands and a multitude of channels, provide expert product knowledge to salons and offer his expert insight into the industry.” www.hairaust.com

INDUSTRY NEWS | INDUSTRY NEWS | INDUSTRY NEWS JUST CUTS LAUNCHES APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TAFE NSW

Just Cuts has launched a new apprenticeship scheme in partnership with TAFE NSW to address the national skills shortage in the hairdressing industry, with over 50 apprenticeship positions now available across the company’s NSW salons.

The TAFE NSW scheme provides a Just Cuts CEO, Amber Manning pathway to success as a stylist or salon owner with the Australian hairdressing industry’s top employer, targeting school leavers, existing hairdressers looking to learn new skills and individuals searching for career opportunities during COVID-19.

Due to the national skills shortage, apprentices will be eligible to receive $1,000 after completing 12 months of the scheme, and a further $1,000 at the completion of the 3 year apprenticeship term Just Cuts CEO, Amber Manning, said COVID-19 provided the perfect opportunity to launch the NSW apprenticeship scheme, as salon owners look to improve the quality and quantity of fully qualified hairdressers. www.justcuts.com.au

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY TO THE LORNA EVANS EXCLUSIVE SCHOOL PROGRAM

Would you believe two weeks before COVID hit us with a thump Lorna launched her NEW program. Mapped to the Create Hair Up and Braiding Units, this program is exclusive only to RTO’s and comes with a pack of quality tools for every single student.

Before each student is enrolled into the program they are presented with a bag of amazing styling tools from both Lorna’s own range and from others around the world. “Starting your training with quality tools is not only exciting for the students but also extremely important” said Lorna.

“Now that we have the tools in the student’s hands they won’t want to wait to see inside the library of tutorials. The online learning platform is user friendly and interactive and can be watched on any device. It is broken up into bite size pieces to keep learning short, sharp and fun.

“We created a full section of the library to cover every way to prep; Fast product blow dry, Volume blow dry, Smooth blow dry, Directional blow dry, working with hot rollers and how to make padding.” said Lorna.

Every tutorial comes with detailed step by step instructions and head sheets and after the students finish each section they can send in their work and receive a personalised certificate of participation.

This is a perfect way for students to show their teacher that they have been practicing and are now ready to be assessed at school.

The program has its very own community where students can share their work and ask questions.

And for the life of the school being involved, every student will have access to the program and be able to go back and re cap on any of the looks.

Teachers are also invited to join Lorna for a training session to answer any questions.

As a BONUS Lorna will be holding two LIVE webinars throughout the year covering ‘World Skills ‘and the ‘Art of avant-garde styling.’ For more information head to the website. www.lornaevanseducation.com.au

NEW INSTAGRAM COMPETITION FOR APPRENTICES LAUNCHED BY INTERCOIFFURE AUSTRALIA

Apprentices at Intercoiffure Australia salons, now have the chance to show off their skills in a new Instagram competition called GOAT 21.

Intercoiffure Australia Artistic Director, Terrina Brown of Zedz in Perth, said that the competition would add some buzz into apprentices’ salon time as well as showcase the great work that they do with client looks, being snapped on smart phones in the salon.

She said that prizes would include a trophy, flowers and a L’Oreal Professionnel education class.

“We’ve had fun naming the competition GOAT, the acronym for ‘greatest of all time’ for 2021,” Terrina said. “Industry, friends and family will be invited to ‘Like’ their favourite looks with each ‘Like’ earning the entrant one point.”

Terrina said that the Instagram ‘Likes’ were one part of the judging system.

Major sponsor would be L’Oreal Professionnel Australia, Intercoiffure Guillaume Foundation (Paris) and selected Intercoiffure world members. They will judge according to the criteria of commercial looks, suitability for client and hairdressing skills as well.

Instagram voting concludes on 9am AEST, Wednesday 28th April.

“Intercoiffure Australia is proud to be supporting Australian apprentices in this way and we hope that the word about their hairdressing filters into the greater community through social media,” Terrina said. “It’s a great way to promote the industry.”

Any salon interested in the competition should email intercoiffure.australia@gmail.com

AUSTRALIAN HAIRDRESSERS TO UNDERGO CUTTING-EDGE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAINING

Hairdressers and barbers will play an important role in linking victims of domestic and family violence and elder abuse to potentially lifesaving resources through a new program by Hairdressers with Hearts (HwH).

The non-profit organisation has launched an Australian-first training program to utilise the sanctity of the client-hairdresser relationship to link victims who have confided in them with relevant professional services.

The innovative program has been developed with the assistance and expertise of the Red Rose Foundation, Caxton Legal and the Centre Against Domestic Abuse.

HwH Founder Sonia Colvin, who has already helped connect more than 200 cont’d over page

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victims with appropriate services, said sometimes going to the hairdresser was the only time a domestic violence or elder abuse victim was on their own, and able to speak safely about their situation at home.

“Hairdressers and barbers are frontline in the community,” Ms Colvin said, “reaching people on a grassroots level, having intimate conversations with clients on a regular weekly, monthly or six weekly basis. We are not domestic violence or elder abuse workers, we are the link, and with the correct resources and appropriate training, we can do our part.” www.hairdresserswithhearts.com.au

CONCEPTUAL BRANDS WINS BEST PERFORMING GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR

UROS MIKIC AND KINKY CURLY STRAIGHT JOIN REVLON PROFESSIONAL

Conceptual Brands were selected as the milk_shake distributor for Queensland + NSW 5 years ago and have experienced phenomenal growth in their territories with the brand ever since, seeing an average 55% growth year on year. In 2020 they were rewarded for their hard efforts, being crowned z.one concept’s (global owner of milk_shake) Best Performing Distributor of the year Globally. 2021 is set to see CB continue their success, expanding brands, new products and team.

Congratulations to a winning team!

THE NEW STAR PROCESS

Revlon Professional are excited to announce the appointment of multi award winning trailblazer, Uros Mikic, as their New National Artistic Ambassador and salon partnership with Kinky Curly Straight, Adelaide.

20 years’ experience from hair industries globally, including NZ, Australia, Italy, UK and Slovenia sees Uros bring an international flair to his work and the salon and his strong work ethic, commitment to his clients and team as well as his creative flair, has seen Uros’ talent recognised nationally and globally.

Led by Uros and his wife Mojca, the salon has already left a mark on the hair industry and local business community, taking home some of the most prestigious awards for both creative and business accolades.

“With our product partners we look to contribute to their goals, be it brand recognition, attaining new clients, or working towards a stronger business performance, we view these relationships as true two-way partnerships where we all grow and share in each other’s’ successes,” says Uros. “I’m really excited to be partnering with Revlon Professional, such an iconic brand that I grew up with in Europe. My goal as their new National Artistic Ambassador is to help grow Revlon’s reach and recognition here in Australia and New Zealand to help salons and artists see and experience why I love the brand and their colours.

Revlon Professional has been a bit of a well-kept secret and now it’s time for us to re-introduce it to the industry and share our secrets. I’m thrilled to be working with their wonderful team, they bring so much experience and expertise to their work, and embrace you into their family, and I think the best partnerships are exactly that, friends and collaborators in delivering inspirational work. I’m excited for you to see what Revlon Professional has to offer in coming years.”

Uros’ goals are to continue his rise in the industry and to cement himself as one of top Australian leaders both creatively and from business point of view.

His commitment to sharing and mentoring the industry remains solid, running education classes, contributing to industry events and preparing trend setting collections.

In his new Ambassador role, Uros will be strongly focussed on exploring and working with the full Revlon Professional range in Colour, Care and Styling at Kinky Curly Straight, not to mention his Creative input into forecasting hair fashion trends and creativity across the brand.

Look out for upcoming events and a new exciting journey for Uros Mikic and Revlon Professional.

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Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

The SA Hair & Beauty Assoc. (SAHBA) has been the peak body for the hair and beauty industry in South Australia since 1934 and in 2018 commenced a twopart project the SA Qualified Hairdressers Register (Register) and the Skills Training Assessment and Recognition Process (STAR) to address the problem of unqualified hairdressers and barbers.

The Register is a searchable list of hairdressers and barbers who have opted to have their qualifications promoted and publicly verified.

The STAR Process is a trade recognition arrangement recently approved by the South Australian government that acknowledges employment-based outcomes.

• SAHBA has developed the STAR to assist eligible hairdressing workers, who may not have the qualifications or recognition as prescribed in the Act. • Eligible, skilled, and experienced workers can now apply to the STAR to become recognised (become legal) or progress through further training and experience to become qualified as per the Act. • The STAR is unique and an Australian first. It is a very important structural development that will raise the benchmark and professionalism in the hairdressing industry.

The STAR is designed tom meet increased demand from industry for experienced, skilled, and legally qualified tradespeople; Cater for migrants requiring recognition of overseas trade qualifications or experience to enable them to gain positions within the hairdressing industry; Grow the pool of correctly qualified and experienced hairdressers to oversee the training of apprentices; Access trade level remuneration under awards or other industrial agreements The STAR aims to target skills shortages in the SA hairdressing industry, help boost morale and confidence within the industry and create a more skilled and stable workforce and staff retention.

The STAR Process is guided by current South Australia Training and Skills Commission Guidelines set out for this purpose and certification is under Part 3 of the South Australia Training and Skills Development Act 2008 SAHBA hope to have the STAR Process operational by the middle of 2021. Workers in the SA hairdressing and barbering industry wishing to apply for their Certificate of Recognition can contact SAHBA by email at: info@sahba. com.au or by calling on (08) 8271 1355 for more information. The Register is now operational, and eligible hairdressers and barbers can apply to be listed in an easy online process https://sahairdressersregister.com.au

www.hottools.com.au

Regional - District Brands, 0411 839 900 or dominic@districtbrands.com.au NSW - Stephanie Robalino 0435 932 988 stephanie.robalino@districtbrands.com.au VIC - Rachela Aristotite 0414 450 443 rachela.aristotite@districtbrands.com.au QLD - Conceptual Brands, 1300 110 032 or reception@conceptualbrands.com.au WA - The Hair Firm, 0421 714 991 or peter@thehairfirm.com.au SA - Hair and Beauty Collective 0421 714 991 or phil@hairandbeautycollective.com

“THE NOT SO SECRET TOOL” In the kit of the world’s best session stylists

LEE COHEN

LEADING THE WAY IN BRAND DEVELOPMENT District brands is an independent owner and distributor that connects global, reputable, high quality prestige brands with the salon industry. The company is a jointly-owned sister company to Rogue Beauty, known for such brands as Oribe, R&Co, Pulp Riot and Sachajuan.

Joining the team, in a newly created position, as Head of Brand Strategy, is none other than Lee Cohen, well known to the Australian Hair industry as an exceptional hair stylist, business owner, technical educator, award winner and more recently business development manager for one of the top luxury chain of salons, Oscar Oscar.

“I have done so many wonderful things in this industry’” says Lee, “and been granted so many opportunities, from being part of an education and product development team many years ago in London, to winning Australian Hairdresser of the Year, to working backstage at NYFW with Australia’s Hair Queen Renya Xydis. Now to be in a position to not only represent the best in brands this industry has to offer, but to also be part of a global brand development team, who are solely focused on expanding and developing the world’s best hair products is a dream come true!”

“TIME STANDS STILL FOR NOBODY”

LEE COHEN

“These developments are firmly built upon the principals of Innovation, authenticity, collaboration and most of all transparency. This is not only bringing me a feeling of coming full circle but is exciting me, like I am right back at the beginning of my career; the first blow dry, the first colour, the first cut; every hairdresser can surely remember that exciting feeling and I have it!”

The purpose behind having a sister company arrangement between District Brands and Rogue

Beauty is twofold; One, to guarantee that each brand has their own team who remain solely focussed on a specific message for each market and corresponding sales channel.

And Two. the wealth of knowledge shared between these two companies over the past 12 years, has garnered competitive insights around the Australian beauty landscape. The value, therefore, within the structure, lies in a robust infrastructure with a large amount of resources, established relationships with key retailers, salons, media, influencers and proven go-tomarket strategies that deliver success for all brands.

“More than a distributor, our goal is to work with the brands we represent and act as their local partner to help them grow to their full potential in the Australian and New Zealand market,” says Lee. “We achieve this by nurturing and embodying the brand’s philosophy, business goals, tone and personality while providing relevant and timely local market insights that are in synergy with our tailored marketing strategies. Quite simply; We know how to BUILD BRANDS.” District brands is also part of the Gateway group of companies, where each company within the group operates individually though an all access, state of the art, back end logistical facility in Prestons, NSW. This 26000sqm metre facility, has some 12000 orders leaving per week, that’s 24 trucks leaving daily, and with 7 million cartons stored, all salon needs are well and truly covered.

“Personally what excites me the most about this incredible new opportunity,” says Lee, “is the ability to work with the Industries best, Jared Fisher and Chris Hammond from Rogue, as well as Erwin Santos, an incredibly respected Industry figure with over 20 years of experience in this professional hair industry and a mentor to myself.

And last but not least, Alan Meskin from District Brands, a logistics and numbers super brain!”

This super team has a very clear vision, and that is to represent the best artists and high end brands, standing only behind the best.

And so, what does Lee Cohen hope to bring to this innovative group?

“Well, that’s a question I ask myself every day as there really is so much scope. It’s going to be a rewarding journey; of that I am certain! I have little or no interest in anything remaining where it is. Those that know me, will know that I can’t sit still, so this position for me is all about moving forward with the ability and capabilities of the brands I am blessed to work with. Some four years ago, with my great mate Oscar Cullinan, who has, without doubt, one of the most successful hair salon brands in Australian History, we set out, under his guidance, to make Oscar Oscar achieve what most would see as un reachable goals in relation to performance, quality and profit. At the time the brand had no major concerns due to Oscar’s ongoing and astute business acumen, but his core belief has always been, that if you are not moving forward in terms of double digit growth, in his words ‘be very careful the market doesn’t catch you.’”

Lee attributes his second most valuable learning also to Oscar, which he hopes to bring to his new role, and that is ‘you are either first or best to market…if you are neither, don’t bother,” seeing his transition into his new role about being confident in being the best, and in many cases first to market with the brands he will represent.

With a bright and exciting future ahead, Lee looks forward to District Brands representing only the best in class for all sections within the market, including Hot tools, Wet Lines, Colour, Keratin and Hair Extensions. “Think big, because we are!” he says!

Lee has certainly been involved in most aspects within the hair and beauty industry and understands the challenges faced in salon as well as anyone including staffing, pricing, rentals and more. As an industry, Lee believes a lot of this can be resolved by simply being better paid for what we do.

“During COVID-19 time, guests have been more appreciative of what we do and in turn have been spending more money. I think we have to understand that there may be tougher financial times ahead, although it’s my belief that guests are asking a lot more questions and certainly becoming more discerning in their spending.

Added to this, the global market trend of what they call, “the disappearing middle” (exceptionally interesting), it only makes sense to me, that we should be paying particular attention to what I call specialty services, Hair Extensions, Keratin Treatments or even extensive colour corrections.

This sector of the market will allow us the capability of charging the dollars per minute we deserve.”

And in summary Lee concludes, “We will never lose sight of the most important aspect of our business - Our Customers, because it is truly their needs that will determine the path we, as a super brand will take and I am so looking forward to the ride!”

Congratulations on the new role Lee, here at HAIRBIZ, we await to see what you will be pulling out of the hat, with great interest and anticipation!

HEALTHY HABITS

h t i w TENILLE LAWRENCE Little Birdie Hair Co is a reduced chemical and sustainability focused boutique brand and Winner of Best Eco Salon in the 2020 Australia Hair Industry Awards.

The sustainability focused team are passionate about creating as little waste as possible and recycle everything from product packaging to cut hair! Each week the salon’s hair clippings are collected by a local community garden so that they can be added to a compost, which is then used as fertiliser.

For over 15 years, the team have been creating amazing hair without the use of harsh, synthetic ingredients. A proud pioneer of low tox, sustainable hairdressing, LBHC continues to evolve to become the safest and greenest salons possible.

Owner Tenille Lawrence is a mum of 3 girls and a little baby boy.

Tenille has been in the industry for 23 years with the main portion of her career working as a colourist for some of the world’s leading colour brands, educating all over the globe. During her career Tenille received chemical poisoning from being exposed to a high level of toxicity constantly.

It wreaked havoc with her health and affected all her pregnancies in particular with the birth of her first daughter. After deciding this wasn’t right, Tenille made the decision to live her life and that of her family as low tox, sustainable and organic as she possibly good. Tenille saw a clear 26

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gap in the market for those who also shared her views when it came to hairdressing and thought now’s her chance to make a difference – and Little Birdie was born.

Everything in the salon is reduced chemical and low tox, even down to the way they wash the salon towels (in soap berries) they recycle almost everything (even the hair), and the salon is built with everything that is repurposed, reused or recycled, mainly sourced from scrap metal yards, junk yard sales and old demolished buildings.

Most of all providing this new way of low tox living, Tenille has been able to not only protect herself and her staff from harsh chemicals but also their customers.

With a busy home and work life, and being the winner of Best Eco Salon in the 2020 AHIA, Tenille was perfect for us to approach regarding her work/life approach to health and the environment in our regular series “Healthy Habits” not to mention finding out more about how she keeps the balance between the two.

HAPPINESS What does happiness mean to you and how do you find it in everyday life?

Happiness to me, is the feeling of content.

To me this means appreciating the things I have in my life and showing gratitude rather than wishing things were any different. My contentment comes in many forms – whether it

be smashing my to do list by lunchtime or even understanding that the kids will be perfectly fine if they don’t have a bento style packed lunchbox every day! It’s about spending my time focusing on the things that matter and giving less of my energy and time to the things that don’t.

BALANCE What do you do to maintain balance within a busy lifestyle?

I think for me as a busy business owner, it is always good to have some time each week to myself that is a complete “salon free zone” That means I can completely switch off and focus on something completely different not related to hair. I’ve recently taken up cross stitch would you believe and the ½ hour to an hour I get to spend slowly threading into a canvas is so calming for me that I feel that afterwards I can take on the world again.

FOOD AND EATING Do you have any specific dietary habits or preferences?

I like to keep my diet as chemical free, vegan and organic as possible with lots of leafy green veg and things that naturally come from the earth. In saying this- I still do love a little Friday night pizza and a glass of Shiraz . I buy fair trade and sustainably sourced food items and will avoid plastic and mass packaging at every given opportunity!

What would an ideal day’s meal plan look like for you?

As a mum of 4 (including a newborn baby) my mornings are a little on the crazy side.. I start first up with a drive thru almond flat white (my weakness) because you know priorities right!? and then generally move on to some sort of salad for lunch, a cheeky piece or three of chocolate around 2pm and then we have a big round the table dinner each night. My family eat a lot of pasta, Mediterranean food, veggie bakes and noodle dishes. I still have to hide the Nutella from them however or they’ll eat it straight from the jar!

EXERCISE Do you follow an exercise program?

To be honest, I don’t love to exercise! I’m yet to feel the mythical endorphin rush but I do go to the gym about 3 times a week for a HIIT class, it kills me! But I know keeping fit and healthy is so important, so I turn up and just get it done.

CONSISTENCY Are you consistent with your healthy living habits or do they start and stop depending on what is happening in your life?

I’m fairly consistant with my healthy living habits. I find routine so important and when implementing things into my diet I just make sure they become part of my normal day.

If I start to slip off the band wagon it’s generally because I’ve let my organisation slip and haven’t thought ahead to plan my meals or groceries etc which I normally do in advance.

HABITS What habits have you developed that set you up for success?

It sounds so cliché but having a paper diary and writing in it every day sets me up for success. My mind is clear, I know what I have to do for the week and what I have to get prepared. There is nothing like putting a pen to paper to clear your head. My to do list is always at least 30 things long per day but physically ticking off a list keeps me motivated to keep going.

What’s one habit that you’d like to break or change to be healthier or happier?

I have a terrible habit of watching social media in bed! I start looking for a recipe for tzatziki and next minute I’m watching a swan attacking a man in a canoe and its midnight and I’m so wired I can’t sleep!

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done for your own health or happiness?

The best thing I have ever done (pre Covid of course) is take a solo holiday on my own once a year somewhere in the world. A week away completely on my own is the best soul food I could ever ask for and I come back so alive and refreshed and grounded. It’s been an invaluable part of my life each year and I can’t wait to get on a plane again!

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CLAYDE BAUMANN

FROM THE MULTI AWARD WINNING D&J AMBROSE, UK

Pauline McCabe

GLOBAL TALENT SPOTTING WITH PAULINE McCABE

Pauline McCabe joins the team at HAIR BIZ for a series of TALENT SPOTTING features. Owner of Rock, Paper, Scissors - a place dedicated to using products that are sulphur and paraben free, cruelty free and eco-friendly, Pauline enjoys a stellar portfolio and continues to dazzle on a global stage, balancing days in the salon with educating, shooting and her prolific session work. Pauline always keeps her ‘eye on the prize’ - and brings to us a truly cool collective from the international hairdressing scene in a fun, not too serious way.

With over 20 years of experience, reigning British Colour Technician of The Year, Clayde Baumann is a specialist in corrective and creative hair colour, heading the colour department of D&J Ambrose, one of the most successful, highly decorated, independent salons in the UK. Clayde joined D&J Ambrose in January 2013 and his rise to success since, has been nothing short of explosive. Lured to London by his love of fashion and the pioneering and competitive nature of British Hairdressing, Clayde has pursued his passions relentlessly having worked on numerous high fashion projects including London Fashion Week and Central Saint Martin’s Fashion Week.

On his love of hairdressing, Clayde says “I love people as much as I love hair. The ability to create something in such a small space of time that has such a profound impact on another person’s life is an incredibly rewarding and empowering thing”.

In short succession, his accolades range from attaining the coveted title of Wella Master Colour Expert and is only one trophy shy of joining the illustrious British Hairdressing: Hall of Fame.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

Maintaining a keen focus on technical skill building, creativity, innovation, trend forecasting and direction as well as platform artistry, Clayde travels extensively representing D&J Ambrose in an educational and inspirational capacity and champions the Wella brand as a Top Creative Artist and digital influencer.

On being Ambrosian, Clayde says, “Being part of the D&J Ambrose Art Team is a huge opportunity for me to enhance and perfect my techniques and grow in various fields, whether it’s personally, professionally or socially.

Being part of any team is a great way to share and gain new information and techniques. It gives you access to other creative minds and increases your own ability to think laterally and creatively”.

IF YOU HAD TO NAME ONE SKILL THAT HAS GOT YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Communication - Not just the ability to express yourself and listen to others but the assertion of making sure people understand what you’re trying to convey. How your information is received is so important!

I think it goes without saying that winning my second British Hairdressing Award for Colour is my greatest professional achievement.

CAN YOU SHARE WITH READERS A TIME WHEN YOU OVERCAME A CHALLENGE?

I suffer from GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) and momentarily suffer from severe panic and health-related anxiety attacks. Mental Health is a daily struggle for me. I overcame this challenge by undertaking a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and I now successfully manage my anxiety.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR HAIRDRESSING STYLE?

I love making things that are weird and slightly off-piste looking fashion forward - I love producing hair that questions societal norms of what is wearable and beautiful.

WHAT THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL ENVIRONMENT? Energetic, Creative, Sharing

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK? It’s effect on other human beings.

WHAT THREE HABITS WILL IMPROVE YOUR LIFE? 1) Asking questions 2) Paying attention to the answers 3) Acting on good advice

FOR WHAT IN YOUR LIFE DO YOU FEEL MOST GRATEFUL?

So many things to be grateful for but impulsively I want to say I am most grateful for young parents and all the benefits that come as a result.

IF YOU COULD DO THE HAIR OF ONE PERSON ALIVE OR DEAD, WHO WOULD IT BE?

Oooooh good question! I’d say Joan Rivers, Marylin Monroe or Lady Gaga!

WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?

I was once gifted with an experience to go skydiving to help me conquer my fear of heights and flying from an ex-partner now turned friend. It taught me so much about myself as a person.

IG @claydebaumann @djambrosehair Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF TONI&GUY IN AUSTRALIA

By Linda Woodhead

TONI&GUY Australia was and still is the brainchild of Dennis Langford. Back in 1995, Dennis laid the foundations for TONI&GUY Australia in a carefully selected salon shop front on Oxford Street, Paddington. Since that auspicious day, he has remained faithfully at the helm guiding the iconic brand from strength to strength ‘down under’.

This shopfront soon moved down the street a little to become the ultra-modern and high-tech TONI&GUY Paddington flagship Academy, Salon and National Head Office. A creative melting pot for hairdressers and clients from all over Australia and Asia, the luxurious salon and educational space included a photographic studio and teaching zones and represented the position of the group in Australia.

As a hive of exciting activity for both clients and students, hairdressers have flown in from all over Asia and Australia to experience the internationally renowned TONI&GUY education.

Dennis initially commenced his career in New Zealand as a stylist for Rodney Wayne, however whilst undertaking promotional work in Japan, he was invited to join the TONI&GUY team in London.

Originally joining the company as a stylist, he soon progressed to Art Director and was then assigned to manage the TONI&GUY London Academy.

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His success at the Academy led to him being appointed Promotional Director with TIGI; managing training of both TONI&GUY staff and TIGI support salons worldwide. At the same time he also acted as Education Director making him responsible for Management Education in TONI&GUY salons as well as training for the International TONI&GUY Artistic Team. This unparalleled brand knowledge and business experience made Dennis the ultimate choice to introduce the brand to Australia.

Some of Dennis’ personal highlights over his tenure include continuing to flawlessly unite the worlds of fashion and hair, through various local, national and international initiatives. Whilst maintaining a strong Australian presence at London Fashion Week via the promotion and support of his Australian Artistic Team and he spearheaded the partnership between Hair and Australian Fashion via official and exclusive partnership with the Australian Fashion Chamber.

Whilst Global Brand Implementation and Franchisee Engagement remains a focal commercial responsibility, Dennis’s heart remains firmly the property of the craft believing that the greatest of hairdressing careers are underpinned by an innate desire to want to make people feel good about themselves.

“Dennis Langford has led Toni & Guy Australia to be at the forefront of business, education and fashion since 1995.” Says Sacha Mascolo Tarbuck. “He is a celebrated industry leader, icon and an exceptionally nice guy too! Always acting with integrity and respect, Dennis and T&G are responsible for educating and training some of the most talented hairdressers all over the world. Dennis and the team are world known on stage presenting countless creative, entertaining and educational shows and seminars.”

Today, Dennis believes his greatest fulfillment lies in his opportunity to observe, guide, encourage and mentor the unique talent that surrounds him, from his internal team, to external salon owners and hairdressers of both today and tomorrow.

Dennis continues to work consistently and single mindedly to bring to life the TONI&GUY vision; ‘To grow the best, most respected, creative hairdressing company on the planet. Where people love to work and clients love to be.’

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WISHES “Congratulations on 25 years success contributing to the hairdressing and fashion industry.”

Sandy Chong CEO, AHC

THE HISTORY

The 90’s saw the company establish its roots in Australia with the flagship store opening on Oxford St, Darlinghurst.

Imagine a world where the term ‘website’ or even the ‘internet’ seemed like something that belonged on the movie Back To The Future… Now imagine building the world’s largest Hair Fashion Brand with not one ounce of social media. Almost unimaginable, right?

Since the opening of the flagship store on Oxford St in Darlinghurst, TONI&GUY Australia gathered momentum, fast. Within 4 years, eight salons had opened across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. And let’s just say, it certainly wasn’t the digital marketing that was to thank for its growth.

Thanks to the successful franchising program curated by the Moscolo brothers in the UK, salons were opening at a rapid pace, with numerous staff seizing the opportunity to own their own TONI&GUY salon.

By the end of the 90’s, the brand of TONI&GUY had successfully launched 139 TONI&GUY salons internationally.

The new millennium not only marked a new era but also a significant change for TONI&GUY Australia.

The turn of the millennium saw some serious gear-shifting for TONI&GUY at a global level which had an undeniable flow-on effect down under. Sacha Moscolo (daughter of founding brother Toni) was appointed the position as Global Creative Director, bringing a dynamic new focus, with fashion moving to the forefront of the brand’s identity.

In 2004 the landmark decision to become the ‘Official sponsor of London Fashion Week’ further cemented this fashion focus – inextricably linking TONI&GUY with the fashion industry.

As a powerful father-daughter duo, Toni and Sacha saw the need to create a professional haircare range to support the fashion-led techniques the team was creating. Working closely with her father, Sacha led the product development and design of the label.m professional haircare range, which launched in 2005.

With more and more noise about TONI&GUY at a global level, news was quickly spreading down under about the credibility and scale of the brand.

Within just 10 years of operating in Australia, there were 20 salons, with 7 of these opening in Victoria in the space of 18 months.

“Toni and Guy landed in this country 25years ago.

Synonymous with creative progressive hairdressing. Dennis Langford has earned an enviable reputation for his business acumen, while Toni&Guy is a prolific trainer of excellent hairdressers and responsile for elevating the standards of hairdressing in Australia. A huge congratulations Dennis, on your 25th anniversary and for your continued success for many years to come.”

Sharon Blain, Craft PTY LTD, Sharon Blain Education

“Congratulations Dennis and all Toni&Guy Australia. We started our Toni & Guy journey together back in 1984, in Toni&Guy, Davies Street, Mayfair, London. We have since shared many years of friendship, and like all good friendships we have had our ups and downs. Always though with lots of laughter and sometimes anger…especially the night I tripped you over on Oxford Street and ruined your new Paul Smith trousers. You were very angry that night :-/ lol. However, the reality is, we have been on a big journey together since then.

I was so lucky to be part of the initial Toni&Guy Australian Team in Sydney. You showed us all the importance of professionalism. How to present on stage, I think you win that one hands down. How to dress, and in my case, why it’s so important to turn up for work on time!... especially after drinking lots of whiskey and learning all the words to Kool and the Gang’s song Misled ironically! All of which I will be forever grateful. Thank you for all your guidance and friendship. For the laughs and the tears, may there be many more, for many more years. Congratulations Dennis Happy Anniversary my friend.”

Clive Allwright, Co Founder of Our Place Salon Co Founder of piloroo.com

“Congratulations Dennis to you and your team @Toni&Guy for a fabulous 25 years achievement and great success story.

You have always been a true industry leader, inspiration, mentor and gentleman. Your professionalism is one to be admired and to aspire to. Proud to know you personally and be a friend. Here’s to another 25 years of success. Cheers!”

Tracey Lauretta Tracey Bazzano Lauretta, CEO and founder of EVY Professional

“Congratulations Dennis on achieving such greatness with the Toni&Guy brand here in Australia. It was such a pleasure to be a small part of your amazing T&G journey over the past 25 years. Treasured memories and life lessons were shared that’s for sure. Your friendship is the true success of our wonderful working relationship.

“Come Get Some” you said with amazing passion and commitment, and you did so in style my friend.”

Gita McKenna, Salon and Business Advantage

“Dennis was always the benchmark of what a great educator was for me and I truly valued my time learning from the best in the business. Happy 25th Anniversary T&G, I am so grateful we crossed paths.”

Dario Cotroneo, DCI Education cont’d over page

cont’d from page 31

“Congratulations to Dennis and the entire Toni&Guy team for celebrating 25 years of Toni&Guy Australia. Wella is proud of our longstanding partnership with this iconic brand and the experience, innovation, creativity and infectious energy that Toni&Guy brings to the hairdressing industry.

We wish the Toni&Guy team every success in the future.”

Max Amen, General Manager, The Wella Company Australia & New Zealand “Dennis is not a customer; he is a business partner and an important part of the Wella family. Dennis has impacted our business and our industry through the generosity of his time, for example with his Stage Craft program. Many have benefited from his coaching and mentoring. Congratulations Dennis and to all of the Toni&Guy family for reaching this impressive milestone.”

Stephen Keating, Sales Director – Professional Channels, The Wella Company Australia & New Zealand “Toni&Guy has raised some of the most inspirational and influential hairdressers in our industry. We are so grateful to have Dennis and the Toni&Guy group as part of the Wella Family.”

Ludmila Hlinovsky, Education Leader, The Wella Company Australia & New Zealand “I have worked for Wella Professionals in a partnership with the Toni&Guy brand across Australia for the past 14 years.

We have shared successes, awards, accolades and, most importantly, a true business partnership – not to mention many laughs along the journey. Thank you, Dennis and the Toni&Guy Family, for the last 25 years of business as part on the hairdressing community in Australia.”

Nadene Heapy, State Sales Manager - NSW/ACT, The Wella Company Australia & New Zealand

AND FINALLY ...

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM SACHA MASCOLO-TARBUCK

“I have known Dennis since the start of his journey with TONI&GUY, 33 years ago and lovingly remember our time together spent in the Sloane Square Salon and his years managing the Academy on St. Christopher Place. As someone who has always been incredibly inspirational and a fantastic motivational speaker, he took our TONI&GUY model to Australia, 25 years ago and has made such a huge success of it - I could not be prouder of everything he has accomplished.

He has always been a massive part of my TONI&GUY family and someone I love dearly. I wish him nothing but further happiness and success in the future.”

Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck, TONI&GUY Global Creative Director.

TONI&GUY Australia has a firm eye on the future, with no signs of slowing down yet.

The turn of the year 2010 saw another hairdressing first for Australia, with TONI&GUY becoming the most trusted, most reputable brand when it came to hair. Aspiring and established hairdressers from across the country had their eyes set on the opportunity to enrol at TONI&GUY’s prestigious, ultramodern and high-tech Academy.

The space became a creative melting pot for hairdressers and clients from all over Australia and Asia, with a luxurious salon and educational space that included a photography studio and practical and theory teaching zones. It was a hive of exciting activity for both clients and students, as hairdressers would fly in from all over Asia and Australia to experience the internationally renowned TONI&GUY education.

With a fleeting force of advocates and an eye firmly on the future, TONI&GUY Australia was a force to be reckoned with. The brand forged forward, creating fashion-focused campaigns that were featured in every major fashion and beauty publication. Teaching an average of 20 hairdressers a year, TONI&GUY’s Artistic directors continued to set new standards in hair; dominating the hairdressing industry.

“With 2020, a year to remember for us all, we can only imagine what’s in store for the true “Super Brand”, says Linda Woodhead, owner of mocha publishing and HAIRBIZ. “But for now we would like to wish Dennis, all past and present colleagues, educators, partners and friends who have influenced and been part of the overall success and longevity of Toni&Guy Australia, a very happy 25th Anniversary from all of us at HAIRBIZ and mocha publishing”

LONG MAY THEY REIGN!

CELEBRATING YOU CELEBRATING US CELEBRATING TOGETHER

The Wella Company congratulates Toni & Guy on their 25th anniversary in Australia, delivering an incomparable and colourful legacy on the hairdressing industry.

Thank you for our partnership.

20 YEARS OF GOOD HAIR DAYS

Cult hair tool brand, ghd, has been transforming lives with the power of a good hair day since 2001. The global leader in hair tools and number one recommended styling brand, ghd tools are used by 250,000 stylists around the world and sold in 30+ countries and more than 50,000 salons.

Merging science and innovation with luxury beauty and style, ghd pioneers new technologies and beautiful designs to create the most technically advanced hair tools in the world, which have become an essential part of the daily lives of hair stylists and women globally.

Now, the brand is celebrating its 20th anniversary with its biggest year yet.

“ghd has always been on the forefront of hair, whether it’s new innovations to empower women and stylists, or setting runway trends at 34

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fashion weeks across the globe,” said Ludovic Dellazzeri, managing director, ghd anz.

“In 2021, we want to imagine what the next 20 years of good hair days might look like, and set the tone for the industry both now and for the years ahead. That means more collaborations, more product innovation, and new heights of luxury indulgence.

To celebrate this 20 year milestone and in celebration of world renowned iconic design, life-changing technology, catwalk hairstyles and professional expertise, the clever folk at ghd have launched the Limited Edition Hairitage Couture Collection.

“Most importantly, we want to celebrate with our industry partners and consumers who have been with us on this journey over the past 20 years and excite and empower them to continue creating good hair days.”

A trusted and loved brand, ghd sells 2 million stylers every year, and 5 iconic ghd products are sold every minute. The brand has won over 300 beauty awards for its ground-breaking tools which maintain a consistent heat of 185°C – the optimum temperature for heat styling – for ultimate results without compromising the health of hair.

Merging science and innovation, with luxury beauty and style; ghd pioneers new technologies and beautiful designs to create the most technically advanced hair tools in the world.

Developed by leading scientists in the dedicated ghd Research and Development facility in Cambridge, ghd tools deliver safer for hair heat styling and have become an essential part of the daily lives of hair stylists and women globally.

This futuristic collection in unique ombré chrome design with exclusive ghd 20th anniversary hallmark features the awardwinning platinum+ styler that predicts your hair’s needs, the iconic ghd gold® styler and the professional’s favourite ghd helios™ hair dryer.

HELIOS™ HAIR DRYER

STYLE GIFT SET

Professional hair dryer for ultra-powerful drying and ultimate styling results, the ghd helios™ hair dryer with unique Aeroprecis™ technology and bespoke contoured nozzle puts the power of a salon-blow dry in the hands of you and your clients.

Exclusive 20th anniversary chrome washbag with must-have styling accessories; mini paddle brush, travel size bodyguard heat protect spray and 2x good hair day silver clips.

PLATINUM+ STYLER

Professional SMART styler with luxury chrome heat-resistant bag featuring groundbreaking Ultra- zone™ technology that responds to hair, controlling heat more effectively and predicting personal hair needs.

GOLD® STYLER

Professional iconic styler with luxury chrome heat-resistant bag features Dualzone technology for premium performance which delivers salon quality results sleeker, smoother and healthier-looking hair.

LUDOVIC DELLAZZERI Managing Director, ghd hair ANZ “ghd was born in salons – and in stylists hands, we have been transforming lives through the power of a good hair day since 2001. Everything ghd develops starts the professionals, first and foremost in our minds. We are so proud to work in an industry of trend-setters and game-changers, and we thank those stylises who choose ghd for entrusting us as your hair partner of choice on their creative journey.”

MONIQUE MCMAHON Director, Que colour “As a colourist and top educator, the health of the hair is my number one priority.

Great hair can’t exist without a harmony between the quality of the colour work and an incredible styling tool that looks after the integrity of the hair. Working alongside ghd gives me confidence that the hair quality is always looked after and the colour stays true to tone, whilst looking amazing! ghd is a brand that has dominated it’s field for 20 years and there is nothing else I would trust to style my colour work, and it has been an absolute pleasure to align my salons with ghd.”

MARIE UVA Director, UVA Salon “Whether it’s on the red carpet or the salon floor, ghd tools give me the confidence to achieve superior styling results. The advanced technology just gets better and better every year!”

www.ghdhair.com/au

COVER STORY

Dark Romance

presents An interpretation of the Essential Looks Global Masters in collaboration with ‘Romance Was Born’

Dark Romance

This year Schwarzkopf Professional brought Essential Looks to our shores, working with a series of creatives to see the chapters of Essential Looks through their eyes, infused with incredible pieces from Romance Was Born.

Dark Romance: A film noir drama, screen sirens dripping in glamour, fuelled by romance. They party into the night with slick, glossy hair, Hollywood make-up, black lace and sequins shimmering.

Everyday Decadence The Schwarzkopf Professional mission is to reinvent hair and do it together, with you, the hairdresser.

Innovation is a key part of their DNA hoping to inspire and motivate hairdressers in Australia and New Zealand to create new styles and dive deeper into the Schwarzkopf Professional ranges. Doing it together, with a true passion for hair.

Collaborating with Australian fashion house Romance Was Born on this project has taken the Schwarzkopf Professional Essential Looks to new heights.

“We are so excited to continue our local collaboration with Schwarzkopf Professional Australia and New Zealand. The three chapters of the story are back, beginning with Once Upon A Time before entering a Dark Romance and celebrating Everyday Decadence. Each of these Essential Looks chapters show how powerful and exciting a transformation can be. We continue to push the boundaries and hope to inspire.” ROMANCE WAS BORN

Everyday Decadence

Working with Guest Artists Travis Balcke, Natalie Anne, Jason Fassbender and Nic Shiun, a story has unfolded over the three chapters; Once Upon A Time, Everyday Decadence and Dark Romance.

CREDITS: Photography: Daphne Nguyen Make Up: Nicole Thompson Fashion and Styling: Romance Was Born Hair Styling: Travis Balcke, Natalie Anne, Jason Fassbender and Nic Shiun Hair Products: Schwarzkopf Professional 36

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

Everyday Decadence: Creatures from all eras come to play inside the Garden of Eden where whispering angels, harlequin clowns and flapper girls dance.

A celebration of indulgence and self-expression.

Once Upon A Time

HOW TO CREATE NATALIE-ANNE’S EVERYDAY DECADENCE

Once Upon A Time

COLOUR 1: BLONDME Bond Enforcing Premium Lightener 9+, BLONDME Premium Developer 6% 20 Vol (1:2)

Once Upon A Time: In a land far away, free spirits reign in a nostalgic fantasy. A surreal sweetness, where hair is soft and ethereal, with a dress code for dreamers.

COLOUR 2: NEW

BLONDME Bond Enforcing Blonde Toning Sand + Ice + Lilac, BLONDME Premium Developer 2% 7 Vol (1:1)

STYLING:

Step 1: Prep and prime the hair with OSiS+ Flatliner Heat Protection Spray.

Step 2: Create a small horseshoe section on the crown of the head, apply OSiS+ Sparkler to add shine then create a sleek ponytail to hide hair by creating an undercut shape.

Step 3: Section the hair with an 18mm tongue, in diagonal forward sections, curling everything in the direction of the model’s face.

Step 4: Brush out with fingertips. Spray OSiS+ Beach texture to hair to create soft texture use a dressing brush. Using a paddle brush tease the hair section by section towards the hairline to create a vintage fringe and shape with OSiS+ Texture Craft Step 5: Finish with OSiS+ Session Extreme Hold Hairspray to accentuate the width of the vintage fringe.

Alterna Caviar Pearl: It’s all in the details. A world of understated indulgence, where black caviar is piled high and pearls cascade.

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La Gloria Collection: La Gloria David Corbett, David Corbett Hairdressing Stylist: Jared Green and Marika Page Make-up: James O’Reilly and Lan Nguyen-Grealis Photography: John Rawson

“Inspiration for this collection comes from a quote I love. “There has to be a beginning of any great matter but the continuing to the very end until it’s thoroughly finished yields the true glory” (Francis Drake wrote it when he overcame the Spanish armada).

So La Gloria represents a decade of change for me, a body of work that captures my journey and reminds me what it means to speak our truth, believe in ourselves and never give up.”

David Corbett, David Corbet Hairdressing, Bothwell, Glasgow

REvision.

REvision.

Collection: REvision Hairdresser: Chung-Yang Su @yoshisumelbourne Colourist: Sanja Scher @sanjascher Photographer: Chung-Yang Su Makeup artist: Ann Stevens Stylist: Jessica Jade @jessica_jadehunter Salon: Chiseled Hair @chiseledhair

“This is the year of change. Moving from a salon with over 9 years employment and joining a new salon. Creating a new start with the new people in a new environment.

Included in this comes other challenges in relation to different products, stepping away from the familiar products had been used for over 15 years. These new barriers, wrought from change, have been scary. But this brings a new level of focus and engagement in an industry where there is the same level of passion as there was all those years ago.. A re-evaluation of how we work, not just from changing to a new colour or styling product, but working with new people in a different salon, culture and environment. It’s about having a different mindset of where we are going and where we want to be. The collection “REvision” is more about experiencing and experimenting with new products and colours working alongside new team members, building relationships in conjunction with generating different looks from an altered state of mind.”

Chung-Yang Su

Curly GIRL

By Louise May

One may be forgiven for assuming Rumbie has only ever been a hairdresser upon meeting her, knowing her passion for artistry oozes, however after taking the time to delve deeper, it is obvious her zest for life, people and community runs far more profound.

Rumbie (pronounced:“Room-B”) became accustomed to a sense of community at a very young age. Originally from Zimbabwe, she now calls Australia home.

Before finding her calling in all thing’s hair, Rumbie was certain life in service was what she would find most fulfilling, and so she began a career in geriatrics. The change in direction was not until her sister was facing challenges with her hair, that she unintentionally decided to pursue a different route. There was an apparent lack of hairdressers who specialised in afro hair. Proof of this was when her sister encountered several salon mishaps that forced Rumbie to take matters into her own hands (quite literally).

Self-taught in braiding and weaves, the line of family and friends requiring her services soon outgrew her living room. With her family’s support, Rumbie decided to cease her career in geriatrics and began an apprenticeship in hairdressing.

After renting chairs in multiple renowned salons and a completed apprenticeship in hand, Rumbie developed a loyal client base of those who shared the same need for an expert in Wavy, Curly, Afro.

In 2014 she decided to take the plunge and open her very own Salon, thus Rumbie the entrepreneur was born. 6 years on, the Rumbie & Co expanded into a new location.

Your one stop destination for Wavy, Curly, Afro – Rumbie & Co Hair Salon in Sydney’s Chippendale 46

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pays homage to its original industrial beginning, whilst exemplifying minimalist design that transports you to a true state of relaxation. Circular accents scattered throughout soften the sleek interiors, while providing a sanctuary for your curls to be unravelled by a Wavy,Curly, Afro expert. The monochromatic interior provides an easy backdrop for brass accents, which highlight the Rumbie&Co products on display. Elegant touches of greenery embrace the essence of an inner-city oasis. A hair salon with a difference – After six years, Rumbie & Co have relocated to their forever home on Cleveland Street in Chippendale.

Hair Biz Editor Louise May caught up with Rumbie to dig a little deeper and find out more about her story.

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

One of the biggest things that comes to mind is not loving my hair (my true self) and that negative self-talk. If I went natural, and my hair was kinky, who would I then be? Would I be beautiful? Would I be enough? Would I be attractive to myself and others? What if I look like a man? Curly hair doesn’t look good on you etc Before formulating my own products, my fears were based around “where would I find products that suit my hair needs?” and what if they get discontinued and God forbid the search begins

again. My hair was oily but still dry.

I struggled finding hairdressers who were confident in working with my hair, even when it was chemically straightened. The hairdressing trips were traumatising.

Before getting into hair, there seemed to be a lot that needed to be done to get half decent hair.

Everything seemed too complicated because it was! Gave me more reasons to not want to go on that journey.

“I JUST ENJOY THE VERSATILITY OF HAIR, THE ART OF HAIR AND THE ABILITY TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN LIVING THEIR BEST LIVES.” There is a huge following in the Curly Girl Method, what would you say makes you unique to this?

I respect the CGM method and I think it’s helped reveal to others that there is a better way, and

it’s opened up people to embracing themselves however, I think it’s largely anecdotal. Most of the techniques are borrowed from Afro hair culture, some aspects of things I remember doing growing up.

At Rumbie&Co we mainly focus on simplifying curly hair. Whether it’s with the products or the techniques. Our goal is to produce predictable results with amazing, hydrated curls.

We broke down the science of curly hair and dealing with the anatomy and physiology of hair to give lasting change. (Maybe this comes from my nursing background). We believe the less time spent, the more laser-focused you are with no compromise on the end result, equals winning.

We take a specialist approach, address the exact problem e.g dehydration of curls and not the symptom e.g frizz. We understand the psychological impact/trauma that curly haired people can be subjected to since childhood, and our goal is to empower them to thrive and simplify curls with the Rumbie & Co products and the Rumbie & Co curl experience.

What do you enjoy most about your business?

It definitely has to be the impact. No day in this business is the same; we consistently are demystifying challenges people have had with curly hair for years, and unravelling points of confusion to bring clarity to just how simple styling curly hair can be.

In the salon you’ll find people crying, hugging us (when not in COVID times) in shock, blowing kisses to themselves and even videoing family in on the appointment. Needless to say, it’s a pretty cool environment to be in where there is so much solidarity and I believe one too many times we have been described as being a safe space always changing people’s lives, both young and old.

Also, I can work with any texture and any modality that involves hair; whether it’s straight or Afro

whether it’s on wheels or Braids, whether it’s making a wig or installing a wig. I just enjoy the versatility of hair, the art of hair and the ability to assist people in living their best lives. And I guess I’ve come full circle back to impact!

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

Our values spell the word “TRUE”: TOGETHERNESS: “I am because we are” kind of like the notion of being my sister’s keeper.

RESPECT: That’s just a minimum UPLIFTMENT: being mindful to be constructive in speech and action EMPOWERMENT: Commit to being a life-long learner and leader

What are your thoughts around how curl cutting is taught traditionally in our industry at TAFE & Private Colleges currently?

While I understand that this may be controversial, in my experience, I would argue that it isn’t taught.

Other than me having to critically think about the skills I had been taught and the hair textures before me, I’ve never felt as though I had tools to be confident in working with curly hair whether wavy, curly and/or Afro textures.

Curls always had to be manipulated either with heat, or chemically.

My active curiosity to solve the curly hair conundrum, and my relentlessness towards refusing to accept the idea that curly hair is hard and can only be straightened to be presentable has been a driving force. Many things we implement in Rumbie & Co techniques are rooted in techniques I observed within the Afro hair culture between early teen and early adulthood, and then I developed them further.

“CURLY DRY CUTS ARE THE WAY!” Curly hair cutting was mentioned but was always done wet and that’s a no-no, unless one remembers to consistently keep the hair at the same amount of wetness, remembering the exact amount of bounce back from each curl. (My brain is about to explode just thinking about it). Curly dry cuts are the way.

Who are your biggest influencers in the industry?

I have 3!

Sandy Chong: she’s passionate about the industry.

She’s a true boss, a connector and I love how she balances gentility and strength in her leadership style. #Goals Faye Murray: strong, passionate, generous, reliable and a knowledgeable leader in our industry.

Definitely aspirational.

Aaron Sansoni (business mentor): This man has helped business make sense to me. He made it fun and doable.

What’s on the agenda for the future?

Impact.

It’s our mission to impact 1 million curly haired people by 2025, by empowering other hairdressers to simply transition into understanding curly hair and impacting their clients so they reap loyalty and grow their businesses just like we did.

We also have the last of our products being formulated. We have the academy going crazy and in-salon shadowing as of March. So, we are excited. www.rumbie.co

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CELEBRATIONS AS HEADGARDENERS HAIR SALON TURNS 25!

“We often have new salon guests ask us, ‘How long have you been here?’ It blows our minds when we inform them it’s now 25 years!”, says owners Tim & Liz Jory.

she trained in Paris, then educating took her all over Australia within salons and hosting seminars and speaking at Tafes on behalf of the product company .

“People are also wowed when they ask, ‘in this same shop?’ YES the same shop and same Cronulla location!”

Headgardeners was established in 1996 and was marketed to the beautiful beachside area of Cronulla and it’s surrounds.

Liz and Tim set out with a holistic approach and a brand awareness message of making hair healthy, that looks and feels amazing, not just when their guests walk out the salon door, but at all times.

They wanted a real community salon where all people want to belong and feel valued, they created a down to earth environment with a high priority to the hairdressing industry. Their motto has always been HAIR MEANS THE EARTH TO US.

Married for 25 years, Hairstylist and Molton Brown trained Tim Jory from London is Married to Liz, also London experienced, from Sydney, Cronulla.

Tim recalls his days working in various famous salons in London. ….. a lot of “titled” and wealthy clientele visited. I remember Brooke Shields and Linda Grey among the clients and Lady Vesty, Princess Beatrice and Fergie and Serena Linly just to name a few. The salons had many chauffer driven clients who waltzed in had their hair done, whilst the chauffeur waited and then waltzed back out for the chauffeur to settle to bill … amazing days in the 80’s!

Then there was the bridal hair, that we would work on at fabulous country manors etc and London Hair shows were huge back in the day. A lot of work and dedication for the craft.. says Tim Tim met Liz In London where she was working on the Kings Road at that time. Liz is a former technical Manager for Revlon Professional where 48

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

Liz & Tim have had a long-time partnership with Aveda and Kevin Murphy and the salon has always stayed at the forefront of the industry with all things education, training & products. The salon equipment and fit outs have always been kept in high standards as have the business operations, becoming a company in 2007.

We encourage our team to be good commutators mainly friendly, kind ,fun, honest and importantly happy, says Liz, yet always professional and caring to maintain our good quality representation in the Sutherland Shire community as we welcome everyone to enjoy our services .

In 2005 we won the Sutherland Shire Business of the Year and Best Hairdresser Award and again in 2006 and 2007 .

Prime Minster Scott Morrison was a salon guest for 10 years is their most recognisable salon guest and some other well-known locals they keep discreet .

Like all businesses over time, you experience highs and lows (we have a had a share of them ) says both Liz & Tim… be it, during shop fit out disasters, professional and personal achievements or mishap ,staff management or financial issues, learning in new and rapid technical times or during 2020 challenges …you’ve got to love to want you do and keep it real and manage your time, salon guests and your team .

So, Headgardeners has been our life, and our Daughter 21 and Son 18 can tell you that.

We have enjoyed theses highs and learnt from the lows ..along the way loving it .”.people make a place” having the right team as we have two amazing hairstylists that have been in the salon for 12plus years and another for 8 years.

We have all been hard working, proud to be hairstylists ,polite, professional caring and supportive for each other and as they say, “work hard stay humble ,because you are only as good as your last haircut!”

Welcome to the Revlon Professional Family

Uros Mikic To hold nothing back is to be empowered to take on challenges, to push the limits.

It is a shared experience that brings next-level confidence confidence. It is learning and un-learning with equal curiosity because beauty is an infinite journey.

It is finding your own voice by doing what you think and feel, not what you are told.

Revlon Professional nurture, promote and celebrate a diverse community of unapologetic and unique hairdressers, unleashing talents to…

CREATE BOLDLY, LIVE BOLDLY.

Uros Mikic, National Artistic Ambassador Revlon Professional And New Salon partnership with Kinky Curly Straight, Adelaide.

“With our product partners we look to contribute to their goals, be it brand recognition, attaining new clients, or working towards a stronger business performance, we view these relationships as true two-way partnerships where we all grow and share in each other’s’ successes.”

Uros Mikic

www.revlonprofessional.com

IG. @revlonprofessionalaustralia

Salon Kaia

SALON KIINS LITTLE SISTER BY THE SEA

It’s been a decade since ‘that girl with the pink hair’ from Western Sydney began to make a mark. Back then she worked in her Dad’s salon s.81 Hair in a modest shopping centre in St Clair. She employed four staff members, invested heavily in education, and battled with the precarious balance of bright lights verses business.

Fast forward to March 2020 and the now a birth mother of two, business mother of twenty-two, and owner of some serious award silverware opened the doors to her second salon. This time she is joined by her best friend and now business partner Lee-Anne Lamanna, we caught up with Maria Unali as she opened the doors to Salon Kiin’s sister by the sea.

MEET SALON KAIA. Why Wollongong?

Both Lee and I made the move to the coast to build our forever homes, to raise our families by the sea. Lee also spent her childhood there. I felt right to have something close to home, close to our families.

Penrith to Wollongong must be a 3 hour round trip? Does it take its toll?

The drive doesn’t bother me I make use of the time. I listen to podcasts and they instigate ideas. I do a lot of my best work on the Hume Highway! I also only head to Kiin three days a week, I get there after the peak and leave late, so traffic isn’t an issue. I also have a massive support network in my husband and my mother-in-law.

It’s a fairly iconic building did you have your eye on it for a while?

Maybe a bit of manifestation ha ha.. no, we were actually in the process of reviewing terms on another lease, but the terms were a bit heavy for a startup. When 58 Campbell Street was up for grabs it felt like magic. We wanted an intimate space, which was really different from KIIN, we want to create this whole journey of self-care idea, it worked in the space, for me it always starts with the space.

So Kaia is different from KIIN? In many ways no. Culture, communication, service, core values are the same.

It’s Kiin’s little sister by the sea. It’s much smaller, with four operators for now including me (for now). I think the way you run a business is standard.

Spend less than you make. There is a lot I’ve leveraged from Kiin to give Kaia a leg up in the processes. And that’s the perk. So yes, a lot will be run the same as Kiin but on a much smaller scale. The team is tighter. The space is more intimate. The 1:1 service offering- the same. The incredible hair- the same.

Who designed the space?

We Are Triibe. They brought KIIN to life. They just get it. Not just exquisite interior design, palettes, and pretty stuff, but the things that matter most, lighting, efficiency of space, basin verses bench. Those girls are the goods!

So how does the partnership work?

Lee and I are different in lots of ways but our core values as people are aligned. Lee is happy to let me shape the hair side of things, I have had ten years+ in salon business, twenty years in hairdressing. I have made mistakes, plenty of them. I also know what works in terms of building teams, retaining clients, pricing, promotion, that kind of thing. Lee is from a Corporate Sales background, she runs a tight ship and is super social. She is a real host, she makes people feel cared for naturally. Lee is an extrovert, I am an introvert.

It’s a good balance.

The campaign is beautiful, it oozes coastal vibes? Who did what?

Brogan Chidley shot Kaia, she does a lot of bronzed beauty work, we wanted it to be beachier, fresher, more natural, and less styled than Kiin. Shooting it with an ocean backdrop cemented the location and communicated our marketing pledge of creating a sanctuary by the sea. Isabelle brings the whole thing to life, she was the perfect muse, she’s just a dream.

How will you split your time between the two salons?

I will do one day on the floor at Kaia for now. We are really lucky with the team we have. With Scarlett, Megan, and Mandy on the floor and Lee managing from the front (back and sides!) we should be more than alright.

It’s always them, it’s always the team.

How have the staff at KIIN responded to Kaia’s opening?

They’re so happy for us and for the brand to do well. They loved being ‘clients’ in the process. We involved them asking them about opinions on the logo and website functioning. I love getting them involved! www.salonkaia.com Socials: Instagram @salonkaia

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MELBOURNE’S ONE-OF-A-KIND

By Louise May

Innovative design, bygone charm and local collaboration for the freelancer that pines for a place to call their own, sans the commitment.

Open 24 hours, seven days a week, 1 Maples Lane invites freelance colourists and hair stylists to rent a residency at the chilled-out yet staggeringly beautiful communal salon space in Melbourne’s brave, new post-COVID world.

Future Colourist of the year in 2008, to working backstage at New York Fashion Week, Nathan has garnered a wealth and diversity of knowledge on how hair professionals operate and the myriad ways of working.

1 Maples Lane is Melbourne’s first co-working, ‘lock up and go’ hair salon. The clandestine co-working salon is tucked away off the beaten track of Prahran’s main circuit, aptly named after its hidden address.

After navigating a laneway swathed in graffiti and grunge, clients and freelance hair stylists will step inside a utopic, all-white portal of beauty.

After the beauty industry took a cataclysmic hit in the peak COVID era, Nathan left his salon role to pursue his zeal for the flexibility and excitement of freelance work. With a yearning for greater freedom and frustrations with the conventional hair salon model, lockdown proved the perfect time to shift gears and pull the trigger on cultivating a space of his very own (while welcoming other like-minded creatives in on the fun).

The stark-white, expertly designed studio haven is a project of local hair colourist extraordinaire Nathan Jeffrey. After 18 years in the industry, Nathan has forged and finessed the first-of-its-kind space.

From claiming impressive accolades like Redken’s

The rental system at 1 Maples Lane works on a monthly fee, allotting a secure locker space, hair trolley and access to the fully stocked, single-use

client refreshments bar. Each renter will also have access to all stations, basins, and premium floor stock from Oribe and R&CO, but must BYO eftpos machine, booking system and dyes. The studio undergoes a deep clean weekly to ensure the space is left sparkling, but each visitor is encouraged to treat the dazzling space with respect and care for the next arrival.

“The vision is for freelance hair stylists and colourists to feel at home at 1 Maples Lane.

They can do what they want, how they want, when they want, in a totally transportive, Palm Springs-esque space that clients will love.

From my own experiences in the industry, the goal here was to offer a working space that nobody feels smothered in. That’s why creative freedom is at the core of everything we do at 1 Maples Lane,” says Nathan.

Joining forces with local designer Anouska Milstein of studio a.m.i, Nathan turned the industrial bones of 1 Maples Lane into a midcentury marvel.

The bleached warehouse space still retains some of its original quirks and edgy charm.

Everything eye-height-up is untouched, while eye-height-down has been reinvented and dipped in luminous white. A central ‘colour table’ zone is where clients can sit and sip and work rather than gaze into a mirror while their colour sets in.

The space is loosely divided by white curtains and adorned with locally sourced furnishings that offset the vivid white vault. There’s scatterings of tall, aged cacti sourced by Nina Pederson, Fenton & Fenton potter and an original Willy Rizzo coffee table from the 70’s from Smith Street Bazaar. This mix of old and new drives the feel of the space, with the overarching aesthetic motive to be a hybrid of perfection and imperfection.

A concrete trough created by Concrete Collective allows hair artists to easily wash up and clean their tools in a deep-set, school art room sink. The concrete balances practicality with a grandiose aesthetic, reflecting the mix of function and beauty that underpins 1 Maples Lane.

Retaining the galvanised steel of the studio’s pre-existing front door, metallic touchpoints are carried throughout on silver benchtops and cushion coverings. Doing things differently doesn’t stop there, with three grand Italian-hailing Maletti hair-washing basins — thee Rolls Royce of their kind — are plotted on a step-up stage and cradled by white leather massage chairs.

Hair Biz Editor Louise May caught up with Nathan to congratulate him on the new absolutely stunning creative space and to find out a little more about his vision and his “why”.

Do you feel that Covid has changed the Hair Industry and the way Salon Owners are wanting to do business in the future?

Absolutely. And that’s why I came up with 1 Maples Lane. From the salon chairs to the beverages bar and amenities, everything is made stringently COVID-safe and socially distanced.

The chairs are plotted two metres apart and all cups and bottles are single-use and recyclable (no lippy marks left behind) to minimise waste and hassle. When COVID coincided with the early design and conceptualisation phase of the space, it forced me to put the hand-break on planning to consider COVID compliance. I think it’s something that will make hairdressers reconsider existing salon spaces, start renovations or look to forge a similar space as 1 Maples Lane.

What Inspired you to go down the communal business path and create a space for freelancers, instead of the more traditional salon concept?

For 18 years, I was employed as an apprentice, then came salon work, after that a management role, then opening a business of my own with a silent partner and employing nine staff on the books. From there, I went freelance for the sake of creative freedom. I covered all ways of

working as a hair colourist to experience the whole gamut of salon life and see firsthand what works best. I see 1 Maples Lane as an antidote to the anxieties and rigidities of working in a conventional salon. With this lockup-and-go model, you can be your own boss (sans commitment). The flat rate per month allows for flexibility and come-as-you-please ease, with total autonomy, a safe space to store your tools and a fridge to store some G&Ts for you and your client to share if that’s how you roll.

What’s on the agenda for the future?

Next stop would be Sydney. I’d love to explore the opportunity of expanding 1 Maples Lane interstate with a similar concept, but different name to match the bespoke location. The coworking model allows me to entrust hair professionals with a key to the studio and give them total creative reign over the space. This means I simply don’t need to be in two places (Melbourne and Sydney) at once and can bring the same concept to Sydney’s talented beauty and hair landscape.

Design team: Interiors: Anouska Milstein, Studio A.M.I @studio.a.m.i Concrete trough: Concrete collective: @concrete.collective Cacti: Nina Pedersen: @b.tanical_creations Photography: Sharyn Cairns: @sharyncairns

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THE WOW FACTOR Letitia Hutchings grew up around hairdressing and from the age of 4 can remember being around her mum in the salon. She started being a T’n’Tidy for her mum on Saturday’s when she turned 13 and when she was 17, decided to pursue hairdressing as a career.

“I’ve seen the best and worst of this career going from managers that would want to grow their staff, to a manager that didn’t care and wouldn’t guide you. This made me decide what kind of leader I wanted to become.”

2011 Letitia qualified and continued her career working at Wow! Excellence in hair, and worked her way up to a management position and shortly after in, 2014 she took ownership of 2 Wow! Stores in Taigum & Strathpine, QLD. “This was a new chapter for me, learning the business side of things, from having to balance the books to organising stock. I learnt a lot about managing people, a lot about training and what my strengths and weaknesses were as a manager.”

In early 2017 Letitia was approached by a leasing team member of Grand Central offering her a position in their shopping centre, which at first, she declined but later decided it could be a good opportunity.

She decided to keep one salon in Brisbane and give Toowoomba a go!

“We started the design and leasing process to building what is now my beautiful creation and rebranded Wow! Excellence in Hair.

The same name but a different look!”

Wow! Excellence in Hair, Toowoomba opened its doors in December 2017.

Letitia brought a senior stylist with her, who she trained in Brisbane from a first year to qualified stylist and… “we have been smashing goals ever since!”

“Working full time on the floor while managing my busy Toowoomba salon left little time on my days off to visit the Brisbane salon and 2019 made me rethink my business priorities.

I no longer had the time to spread myself between the two salons and was struggling to find a good work life balance.”

So, in Feb 2020, she sold the Brisbane salon to be able to give her Toowoomba salon 100% full attention to help her salon grow and achieve her goals!

“Covid was a slippery Slope for many businesses but for my salon we powered on through it! Some stylists chose to assist the business by going onto Job seeker and others decided to work the hours that I could provide, this meant the salon could paddle through these uncharted waters and successfully get to the other side!”

“Post Covid was hectic as the salon came back twice as big as before and hasn’t stopped yet! Our clientele keeps expanding and we have built the salon on word of mouth! I’m getting close to qualifying another apprentice who started with us as a first year soon after opening. I enjoy growing my team from the beginning as I feel they then know and can meet my exceptional standards and I can ensure I’ve hand moulded them to ensure my customers are in the safest hands possible.”

Wow! Excellence in Hair was named recently in the Top 3 best rated salons in Toowoomba, a beautiful compliment to Letitia’s team of wonderful stylists and just goes to show if you put the hard work into your staff they will return the effort in their work.

“2021 is going to be another amazing year for Wow!,” says Letitia, “with new junior stylists joining our team to help the business grow and expand. My future goal is for my business to outgrow my current space within the next 5 years allowing us a bigger salon and more team mates to join the crew!”

“I feel so lucky to have the amazing team I’ve created and look forward to many more years in the industry creating beautiful hair and touching many hearts in the process.”

Letitia is a loyal customer of M&U Imports using the Hilift True Colour, True Eco, Silver Brilliance and Cureplex ranges, Hilift retail and Magnesium hair straighteners. She also stocks and uses the Adore and ABBA range, Brasil Cacau, Speedy hairdryers and Zalon colour remover to name just a few.

“My favourite product is Brasil Cacau smoothing, the results are amazing and it leaves the hair smooth and easy to manage,”, says Letitia. “True Colour is perfect for my salon being an affordable range which enables us to create beautiful long lasting colours that come in an amazing boutique range. M&U provide lots of marketing to us free of charge and I regularly receive beautiful banners and stickers making them the perfect partner for me!”

Wow! Excellence in Hair, Grand Central Shopping Centre, Toowoomba FB and IG @wowhairtoowoomba

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113 African Violet

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125 Purple Black

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150 Platinum

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HOW TO UTILISE YOUR COLOUR PORTFOLIO TO BEST ACHIEVE DREAM RESULTS

By Kristie Kesic

How fortunate we are as colourists in our industry. We have access to so many prestige brands with the most beautiful and expansive colour ranges. Because of this there are so many things that an owner must consider when choosing a colour brand for their salon. Some see benefit in choosing to be a brand exclusive salon; others may prefer to build a tailor-made product portfolio for their salon, choosing bits and pieces from several companies or lines. Regardless of what is available in your salon, it’s up to you as a colourist to become an expert on that product and utilize the entire range. There is a purpose and application for every single product within any brands’ range.

I’m going to focus on the blonde portfolio, because it is the most extensive one and, in my opinion, it’s also the most misused product portfolio. My advice that follows is based on my personal tried and tested results. Always follow your chosen products manufactures instructions. Don’t be afraid to ask for the advice from your specific brands’ guest artists or creative directors. I say these guys because they are the ones using these products every single day and can give you honest product feedback and results.

I won’t talk brand specifics as this is not a sponsored blog. I’m and open book and I want these articles to be helpful to as many colourists as possible. Generally speaking, most colour brands have a blonde portfolio that may include the following products: - Permanent tint colours - Special blondes - Powder lightener - Cream Lightner - Clay Lightner We have access to this diverse range of lightening products yet more often than not, colourists hear blonde and they reach straight for the bleach. On the other side of the chair, you will come across clients that say they want to go lighter but don’t want any bleach on their hair. What about the ones that just want a tint, but don’t want to see any warmth or gold in their hair? The reality is, it’s not your client’s responsibility to know this the chemistry of our product portfolio. Through in-depth consultation, your client should only need to establish what they want (or more importantly what they don’t want). It’s our responsibility to determine what product is best suited to achieve their desired result.

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Let’s look at each product category individually, so we can understand their function and why they hold their place in the wonderful world of colour.

PERMANENT TINT:

When I think blondes in a tint range, I think levels 7-10. Some ranges are ammonia free; some are PPD free, some still contain both ingredients. The level of lift you will achieve with a tint depends on 3 important factors; starting level, the peroxide, the reflect.

A permanent tint mixed with 6% will cover grey or give two levels of lift. 9% will give you three levels of lift and 12% will give you 4 levels of lift.

The tone of the hair will depend on the reflect of the tint colour chosen. Finally, the result will also depend on the underlying pigment of the natural hair you start off with. Most colourists will tell you; if you use a tint colour to lighten hair it’s likely going to throw warmth and brassy tones unless you are naturally blonde.

By choosing to use a tint colour to lighten hair darker than a 7 level, you will produce a caramel

colour or a warm blonde. If you choose to use a colour with too much ash in an attempt to counteract the warm underlying pigment, the colour may also appear darker. This is because ash or cool colours appear darker to the eye and will appear to lighten one shade less. For example, if you use an 8/11 tint (8/ash ash) on 6 level hair you will most likely achieve a 7 level result.

WHEN YOU WOULD USE THIS PRODUCT:

Utilize tint in foils when you want to create multi tones within blondes. It is the perfect colour range for this. Tints can be used as a regrowth colour to cover client’s grey hair and then add in foils. I’m a big fan of using tints as a lightening product when you want to achieve less than three levels of lift and want a slighter warmer result. Remember not every client wants to be a platinum blonde. You may have a client who is a natural brunette wanting subtle lightening or to create movement with colour. This is when I would use a tint in a foil or balayage technique.

It’s the perfect product that will produce longevity in a colour. As a colourist I love when a virgin hair client comes in just wanting a subtle lift. My go-to is a tint because I know that colour isn’t going to go too brassy or wash out to be too light over time, because the product has done its job and only lifted to the desired level.

SPECIAL BLONDES:

Ahhh our 12 level, or ‘high lift’ series. The magic blonde range that can lift and tone in one go with a tint. You may also know these products as the ones that sit on the highest shelf collecting dust. If you’ve used them incorrectly, you might have used these once and never picked them up again. I love the concept of a high lift tint but let’s be real, unless your hair is naturally blonde and I mean a level 8 natural or lighter to start off with, these colours will always be mighty warm.

When mixed with 12% peroxide, these products will only ever (in the perfect world) give you a maximum of four levels of lift. As they are mixed with 12% peroxide and can be put under heat (brand dependant) it can be a product that may also cause an uncomfortable tingle on your client’s scalp.

When you would use this product:

To achieve warm blonde tones without using bleach. Salons have used these products to ‘prelighten’ the hair before applying another product to achieve vibrant shades of colours. This is a very clever way to achieve vibrant colours that are best supported by an orange undertone eg. reds, coppers and vibrant yellows. Special blondes or high lift tints have also been known to remove direct dye pigment from the hair. Ask your brand educator for any other creative ways they may see fit to utilize these products.

POWDER LIGHTENER:

Also known as ‘bleach’, this is the ultimate blonde product. Powder lightener is versatile and predictable. In my opinion it is the number one product a colourist cannot live without.

The strength of this product depends on the peroxide it is mixed with. Usually, these include 4%, 6%, 9% or 12% (or whatever other cheeky higher percentage peroxides some people have hiding in their salon). I believe it is also the most miss-used product. Powder lighteners are designed to lift up to seven levels, with some brands claiming to lift up to nine levels (yes, trust me… that brand will give you nine). If you want to achieve any kind of lighter colour or any level of lift on already artificially coloured hair, a powder lightener must be used. If you want the maximum level of lift in any lightening work including foil, balayage, colour correction or creative colour work; Yes! Reach for the bleach.

Remember bleach isn’t bad and with correct use

and application it won’t break the hair off. A bad colourist that miss uses the bleach is the one that will cause the damage.

Powder lightener will dry out and swell or bleed onto other unwanted areas of hair if left to process in open air, hence why we use foil, plastic, paper or other equivalents to lock the products moisture in.

When you would use this product:

This really is the product you can use almost anywhere for a variety of desired results, which is why for a lot of colourists it has become habit to use it. Powder lightener can be used to create the ultimate blonde with maximum levels of lift. It can be used in foils to lighten through artificial colour. Within a balayage technique, this product can be placed between plastic, foil, paper or mesh to create maximum level of lift in one go. It can be used on natural hair for any blonde work you desire, or in creative work to pre-lighten. When you are using bleach, you are stripping colour out of the hair and exposing the underlying pigment beneath. This will then need to be toned/glossed to achieve the true colour result you want. A rule to live by; don’t lighten the hair past the desired level. If the hair is lightened beyond the target, you will be required to tone the hair back deeper and the longevity of that tone will be sacrificed.

CLAY LIGHTENER

With the world embracing all things balayage, colour product companies had no choice but to create a premium product to facilitate this new colour trend. And what a fabulous product it is.

Clay lighteners boast technology in which this product creates its own protective outer shell, allowing the lightener inside to retain its moisture. This means the product won’t transfer to other unwanted areas of the hair, yet can still continue to lighten on the inside. Manufacturer’s instructions often suggest these products can lighten up to 6-7 levels, but when assuming a desired result I would highly recommend you take into consideration; texture of hair, existing level of hair and if the hair is natural or artificially coloured. Clay lightening products are normally mixed with their own specific peroxide range. A 6% peroxide designed for a clay lightener is not the same strength as 6% peroxide mixed with a powder bleach or tint.

When you would use this product:

In my opinion this is the ultimate freehand application product due to the fact that it can process in open air without any foil or plastic and without heat. In my opinion it should be used only when wanting to achieve a maximum of four levels of lift.

CREAM LIGHTENER

Cream lightener is my favourite product for all on-scalp lightening work. This is a colourists best friend when it comes to scalp bleaches wanting maximum levels of lift. Most of these products will lighten seven levels, however some ranges may have a product with extra push power to give you eight. I have a cheeky rule of wisdom I live by with my scalp bleaches though: if you have to double process to receive the desired result, it’s your client’s hair telling you they shouldn’t ever be that blonde.

Manufacturer’s instructions also state to only ever use up to 6% strength peroxide on scalp.

This is extremely important for the comfort of the client, their scalp and hair condition. This is one rule as a colourist that I would never break.

If you are thinking of breaking it, I suggest you apply bleach and 9% peroxide or above on your own scalp to experience what you would potentially be putting a client through.

Cream lightener is the product colour brands have designed specifically for on-scalp work.

Often, they contain soothing ingredients or extra oils (for example chamomile extract) that will make the product more comfortable whilst processing on the client’s scalp. Due to the creamy consistency of these lighteners, the product won’t dry out as quickly which is very import when processing in open air and utilizing the natural heat band of the scalp.

When would you use this product:

For all on-scalp lightening work. If you are chasing an all over platinum bleach blonde regrowth application, cream lightener is your go-to.

Now I am by no means an expert on every brand or range of colour. However, I am lucky that I do get to play with many different companies, products and tools. I keep across all the latest products, their results and developing technology. I am also a Master Colour Expert within the product company I use in my own salon. To be the best colourist you can be for your clients, the best piece of advice I can tell you is; to learn their products inside and out.

Test them, try them, use them in their intended way and in a controlled scenario push them a little too. Become the expert. Know how each product reacts and then understand how and when to use them. Don’t always pick up the bleach, stop and think about the whole portfolio you have access to. Challenge yourself to use one product other than bleach when the situation allows you. It will keep your days interesting as well as giving your clients a more personalised colour and point of reason to keep coming back to you!

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FACE FRAMING

By Sheree Knobel

Face framing and money pieces is still a strong trend for 2021and this year saw Sheree Knobel, owner of Bixie Colour, presenting her take on how to achieve a strong FACE FRAME on an existing Blonde at Redken Symposium, held globally online for the first time ever.

So, what exactly is a Money-Piece? We asked Sheree to break it down for HAIRBIZ. A money piece is a SPOTLIGHT on the hair.

Its’ where your eye is first drawn to when you look at the hair. It is the highlight of the colour. The HERO. A money piece will usually frame the face and stands out from the rest of the hair.

With so many variations to choose from, how do you know which one is right for your guest?

The first thing I do with my guest is pull up my Instagram. Here I have many saved photos of money pieces. We go through them one by one so I can see my guest’s reaction to the many variations I have saved. Some are super strong (think E girl), and others are soft and subtle.

This gives me an instant idea of what my clients personal preferences are.

Next, I look at my client’s hair & health. Does my client have enough hair near her hair-line to support the money piece, or is too broken and dry?

If it’s sensitised and not ready to handle any more lightening, I’ll put my guest on a home maintenance program of Redken Extreme Shampoo & Conditioner + Ph bonder treatment + Play safe for heat protection.

We will agree to a home maintenance routine to ensure my clients hair is healthy and strong before creating our face frame. Something to work towards.

If my guest has healthy hair and can be lightened, I’ll then decide on the technique I use to achieve the desired result.

• Where your attention goes, your energy flows. I’ve seen many colourists not get the re-sult they wanted because they got lost in their foils. Always start with a plan. Where do you want the brightest part of the hair to be? If that’s at the front, start at the front and work your way back.

• Face frames/ Money pieces are usually strong with more blonde than the rest of your hair, so don’t be afraid to take slices instead of weaves. A slice will give you a more concentrated colour result and if placed on angles or curves, will always fall softly.

• TOP TIP - A thick slice of hair will take longer to lift than a finer slice of hair. This comes down to saturation. A finer slice of hair will lift quickly and more evenly so if you are working on a thick slice section, break it into

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a few finer slices for maximum impact.

• If you are only using slices, your money piece will be strong and unblended so keep this in mind. To soften it out a little, I recommend starting on a weave ( on hairline ) then moving to your slices, then finishing on a few weaves. This will give you the strength of the pop, but with softens and blend.

A face frame /money piece will always pop more if it’s next to darker hair as it creates a shadow. There is more contrast making the blonde look BLONDER. This means it can sometimes be hard to create a strong face frame on already blonde hair.

A few things I find useful is to create my face frame with foils, then once rinsed, balayage my face frame again at the basin.

I like to do this while my Zone tone is on, then gently tip out the hairline ends with balayge. Because the hair is already lightened, I recommend using a gentle lighter like Redken Flash lift with blonder inside + 10vol for 10 mins only.

Zone tone and balayage at the same time.

I suggest dropping down your root shadow to a level 8 or 9 but keep your hairline lighter like a 9 or 10 level. As long as there is 1- 2 shades difference between you roots and hairline, you are creating contrast and helping your money piece pop.

My pet hate for zone toning is when the face frame looks stripy from the root (unless my client has asked for it of course).

Take the time to drop the very front piece of the hairline down and this will help avoid and stripes. It will make your colour much more wearable and also help minimise any severe grow out lines.

The most important thing is to make sure your client feels comfortable with their new look. Sometimes what we see on Instagram doesn’t always match how we feel when it’s in our hair, so be the one to make any necessary adjustments your client may need with their money piece and be thankful that we’re open to experimenting with this fun trend.

I’m obsessed with this technique and have many examples on my Instagram account @shereeknobel_bixiecolour Be sure to tag me in your creations, I’d love to see them! Sheree x

Flawless

A FUNDAMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

By Cobelle Creative

FLAWLESS is the education lovechild of dynamic duo, Kristie Kesic and Elle Schoemaker of Cobelle Creative.

Together, they bring expertise in specialist cutting and colour work.

Salon education is the foundation of a strong hair industry, and sharing knowledge is powerful. Kristie and Elle demonstrate how mastering the basics is essential for a strong skill set, and why it is important to first respect and understand these fundamentals, before attempting more advanced techniques.

Kristie and Elle bring you practical education, applicable to the salon environment. Flawless aims to educate and inspire industry peers, raise industry standards and ignite passion within the fundamentals of our craft.

FLAWLESS COLOUR BY KRISTIE KESIC This in salon education workshop is designed to highlight the importance and value of mastering fundamental colour skills and techniques. In particular, discover the opportunity that foiling confidence can have on your business’ success.

WHAT KRISTIE WILL SHOWCASE • The importance of consultation • Why it is important to personalise your colour services • Why technique and precision are everything • Why you should embrace foiling • Salon relevant looks used every single day in the salon WHAT YOU WILL LEARN • How to create a platinum blonde look with foils • Multi-dimensional blondes • Natural blondes • Foil techniques and patterns to suit every haircut WHAT YOU WILL WALK AWAY WITH • A love for fundamentals • An appreciation for in salon work • An array of foiling techniques you can incorporate into your salon work

FLAWLESS CUTTING BY ELLE SCHOEMAKER This in salon workshop centres around breaking down key components of skills, techniques and actions used in providing excellent hair cutting services.

Focus is brought to understanding and perfecting the fundamental principles of hair cutting, and how to effectively apply them on clients in your salon.

WHAT ELLE WILL SHOWCASE • The importance of thorough consultation • How to determine style and technique choices • Why technique and precision are paramount • How personalisation can elevate a style WHAT YOU WILL LEARN • Basic cutting terminology, techniques and actions • Personalisation and texturizing techniques • Finishing techniques to enhance styles WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY • An appreciation for the fundamentals • A better understanding of hair cutting principals • The ability to effectively choose cutting techniques to achieve a desired outcome • An array of skills and techniques applicable to salon clients Both Kristie & Elle work with you to assess your teams’ workshop. They will personalise the day to get the most out of your team for their skill level.

“We started flawless education because we were seeing a lack of skilful hairdressers applying for jobs within our salon.

We put such a big focus on education within our salon and our own internal program but realised a lot of salons don’t.

We knew we had something special we could share with the industry and wanted to make hairdressers appreciate the importance of the fundamentals.

It’s so easy to want to go straight to the creative stuff but if you learn these fundamental skills correctly from the start you are going to be a better hairdresser for it.”

Kristie & Elle For FLAWLESS Education enquiries please contact Kristie & Elle at flawless@cobellecreative.com.au Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

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Covid, closures and chefs taking over... what’s next? Well let’s start with...

THE HAIR AND BEAUTY INDUSTRY’S TOP 4 CHALLENGES Challenge 1: The huge drop in interest for Hair & Beauty Apprenticeships - remember the good old days when people used to line up when Salons placed an ad for an apprentice?

Challenge 2: Teachers and training organisations carrying the torch by themselves. ALL of the industry is responsible for what is taught to the future generation of artists. We cannot expect teachers to push this forward alone. We must stand with them, united.

Challenge 3: A lack of training that is current, relatable, relevant and has students ‘job ready’ and happily connected to the learning journey. We need GLOBAL MASTERS OF THE CRAFT engaging and exciting the future of our industry. Educators that are respected and loved the world over for their skill and ability to ignite passion.

Challenge 4: An industry that is often overlooked. Seen as a last resort for students lacking direction.... A place to stop for a moment, but not for the career of a lifetime.

An assumption that MUST change – one that is far from the truth, and certainly far from fair.

THE SOLUTION: THE CRAFT BY SHARON BLAIN Welcome to a new era of Hair and Beauty Education. A first-ever coalition of global masters that are bringing the world of hairdressing to the student’s doorstep.

Delivered by such hairdressing luminaries including the coveted team from the SASSOON Academy, Sharon Blain, and Vivienne Mackinder to name only just a few.

GLOBAL MASTERS unparalleled in their excellence and relevance, that until now, students would have found impossible to access, let alone earn their formal qualifications alongside.

Just imagine...

Industry training meticulously designed to be the new gold standard in education, mapped to the training packages for Certificates and 64

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

Diplomas, that can also be offered as stand-alone Short Courses around the world. Starting with CERT III & IV in the country that has produced some of the world’s greatest artists – AUSTRALIA. An offering designed to specifically address the industry’s most crucial issues: • Lifting the value of the industry and attracting more students to the Hairdressing and Beauty professions.

From Certificate to Diploma, and Short Courses that allow students to add to their skills where they need it most • Meeting the massive untapped potential to foster world-class training for learning, motivational upskilling, creativity and overall best practice for existing professionals and apprentices • Removing the stress and time required for curriculum preparation and allowing trainers and assessors to focus their time and energy on supporting their students, instead of tedious administrative tasks • Providing ‘train the trainer’ programs that support hard working teachers, keeping them engaged, current and inspired, whilst also backing them with a unified front where the whole industry works together to push education forward • Retaining and motivating students to finish their education, remain in the industry, and continue their journey with a world of opportunities in their hands Is this really possible?

YOU BET IT IS! And it’s already here!

THE CRAFT by Sharon Blain is...

The most spectacular, eclectic, and outside the box education program ever seen nationally and internationally.

Importantly it meets all the onerous training package requirements - educator content is matched by detailed student learner guides, thorough assessment tools, teacher support, marking guides and handbooks.

It is a turn-key, future proof, and yet affordable offering for students and education providers in a delivery system that embraces the digital disruption of the education market and the learning preferences of today’s student.

TAFE’s,

Colleges

and

Registered

Training

Organisations powered by THE CRAFT can together be the vital engine and trusted partner of the industry.

They can address the most crucial issues and reignite the passion for Hairdressing and Beauty in Australia.

TOGETHER WE MUST UNITE AS WE PROPEL THE HAIR AND BEAUTY INDUSTRY BACK TO ITS FORMER GLORY. How can you get involved or find out more?

Join the #LOVEMYCRAFT movement as we stand united during one of our toughest times yet.

Go to lovemycraft.me and find out how to work with Sharon and THE CRAFT TEAM to drive the Industry, your team, your salon, and yourself, forward.

“I’ve been in the industry for over 50 years and education is my passion and my legacy. THE CRAFT brings some of the greatest icons of our time to your local TAFE or College. Outstanding CERT III & IV UNITS delivered by global masters from around the globe that are mapped to the official training packages” Sharon Blain, Founder of THE CRAFT For more information, please contact Sharon Blain at info@thecraftbysharonblain.com

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BECOME

GREEN SHOOTS

By Anthony Gray

The start of 2021 has seen an incredible upswing in the numbers of new apprentice sign-ups in some states while in others the rate has stagnated under the ongoing threat of COVID 19. Fingers crossed, with more hopeful signs of a national recovery in 2021 the growth experienced by some will become a national trend in 2021.

Fueling this demand is the incredible sums of commonwealth money being chanelled toward the traditional trades. Principally the “Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements” wage subsidy is a 1.2 billion dollar scheme designed to support businesses to take on new apprentices. The funding aim is to help all trades including hairdressing to build a pipline of skilled workers into the future and act as a building block for a longer term economic recovery.

In real terms the Boosting Apprentice Commencement wage subsidy means that a salon who engages an apprentice may be eligible for a subsidy of 50% of the wages paid to the apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 30 September 2021 up to a maximum of $7 000 per quarter. Amazing right, but with everything, there is a catch and the catch is that the support in limited to 100 000 places across all trades. As you can imagine these places are quickly being filled with the australian apprenticeship support networks reporting an almost doubling of the month on month commencement of apprentices since October 2020.

But that’s not all. The industry has been blessed with further government support to attract new entrants in the guise of a training funding program called JobTrainer. JobTrainer is a $1 billion dollar funding partnership between federal and state governments to provide low cost or free courses in a range of trades. The program is targeted at those aged between 1724 years and who are looking for work.

For hairdressing the JobTrainer funding pool supports the Certificate II in Salon Assistant qualification. At this early stage the qualification is free for job seekers in QLD, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

Unfortunately at the time of printing the Certificate II in Salon Assistant was not yet supported by JobTrainer in NSW and WA. Traditionally the domain of school based trainees, a free or low cost Certificate II in Salon Assistant course will allow training 66

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organisation to supply the industry with new entrants who have the basic skills to hit the ground running.

While this list is not exhaustive the qualification includes the buiding blocks for new entrants.

The key elements include: • Salon procedures and regulation • Shampoo and Basin • Blowdrying • Communication and reception • Greet and prepare the client • Colour application and massage • Braiding The Certificate II in Salon Assistant can provide the perfect introduction to the trade for aspiring hairdressing and can help to reduce the high rate of cancellation that is the bain of most salons when employing an apprentice. Successful completion of a pre vocational program such as the Cert II also helps to sift out those who are unsure if hairdressing is for them. Ideally every strong industry focussed program run by colleges will incorporate a substantial industry placement component. This component allow salons to essentially try before they buy. As a low-cost option with a limited commitment required, industry placement provides the opportunity for salons to identifying aspiring hairdressers that are a good fit. The natural progression for a promising graduate of the JobTrainer funded Cert II is to then roll over into a full time or part time apprenticeship.

Because of the free nature of The JobTrainer program it provides the industry an unprecedented opportunity to compete for new entrants and attract a new talent pool.

For us as an industry to make the most of the opportunity it will require colleges to deliver Certificate II programs that are exciting and contemporary. The programs will need to focus on developing the key soft skills in line with a passion for service and basic practical capability.

Furthermore ongoing success will only happen if the colleges align themselves closely with the salon community to ensure students are salon ready and attractive to salons when they

Recently qualified Hairdressing Apprentice Rebecca Farrow from ZORBA HAIR graduate. In the end, increasing the number of qualified Salon Assistant is pointless if salon owners are unwilling to take them on due to a lack of the skill required to add value to their business. Funding of this nature is signifigant and only sustained by government when it is clearly hitting its objective to reduce the shortage of skilled and capable Hairdressers.

For Salon owners looking to access those who will complete the JobTrainer Cert II in Salon Assistant qualification or engage with those who will undertaking the qualification as part of the program over the coming months the best course of action is to connect with your local colleges as we all have a roll to play in attracting new people to our amazing industry.

With substantial government funding in place via the Boosting Apprentice Commencement wage subsidy and the new entant Job Trainer program it is the first sign of green shoots and new growth for the future of Hairdressing in some time. The challenge for us all is excite and inspire those who have been newly attracted to our industry. But above all the challenge will be to retain and nurture those people so that they stay.

Anthony Gray is the owner/director of MIG Training, an Australian hair industry education pioneer celebrating almost 30 years in business.www.migtraining.com.au

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SPOTLIGHT ON A HOT SHOT

ALANNAH JADE

We continue our series of features on the 2020/21 HOT SHOTS Team with a spotlight this issue on the beautiful Alannah Jade - the Jade to Ella&Jade!

Alannah has worked in the family owned business since the young age of 14 alongside her mother and sister.

At the age of 19, she moved to London for two years to expand her knowledge within the industry and immerse herself within a different hairdressing culture. It was upon returning to Australia that Alannah took over the management of E&J and 4 years later in 2018 took over the ownership.

Alannah’s vision when she took over was simple; to create a space that delivered beautiful, fashion led hair in a space that clients could feel relaxed and comfortable; “I wanted to build a team that would carry on the family feeling that we stem from, and a place where everybody gets to succeed and grow together.” Alannah says. “Growing off our fundamental techniques that are timeless, giving the young generation the best start to their careers as possible and finally, to build a brand that is successful for who we are and what we represent is the foundation of Ella&Jade” With a raft of experience under her creative belt, Alannah’s true passion lies with colour.

Having completed her degree with Wella Professionals in Master Colour enables Alannah to bring science and fashion together to push the envelope creating bespoke shades for her clients and on set during award season.

As a current member of the prestigious Hot Shots Team for 2020, and a regular at fashion week as part of the Wella creative team for New York and London, we spoke to Alannah about her past, present and exciting future!

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE A HAIRDRESSER?

From a young age I was immersed into salon life and salon culture from watching my mother on the salon floor and then opening her own salon.

The creative freedom, team culture and endless career opportunities was always something that appealed to me. !3 years on and I love the industry more than ever, the inclusivity, the connections you make with clients, team and peers is unlike any other industry.

WHAT KIND OF HAIR WORK IS YOUR FAVOURITE AND WHY?

I have always loved the art of colour and its ever-changing landscape. I am not a colourist who follows trends, but rather am obsessed with the technicality of colouring therefore I find lots of colour corrections in my chair.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO OWN A SALON?

Both my parents have always owned and run their own businesses, so from a young age I saw the freedom, flexibility and passion for creating something of your own and knew that I someday wanted to go in that direction.

Once I completed my apprenticeship at my mother’s salon (my Algester branch now) I moved to the U.K for 2 years on a working holiday visa.

I was fortunate enough to land a position at a well know and reputable salon group which expanded my knowledge and opened my eyes to the world of business management and leading 68

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teams. I learnt some valuable skills and lessons which are still implemented into my business model today, but I also discovered what type of employer I wanted to be to my team. These two years absolutely helped to shape the person and employer that I am today, and in July I will celebrate 3 years in business.

WHAT LED YOU TO OPENING YOUR SECOND SALON?

It was all about brand development and expanding into the Brisbane scene for real. It’s always been a dream of mine to create a space that was more than just hair- but to create an experience-based salon and incorporate elements of a day spa. We have completely run out of room in our Algester location, with clients already travelling from all over Brisbane to see us, it made sense to locate ourselves more centrally and tap into a different market that we haven’t been able to reach before.

Brand development for me means more employment opportunities and more chances to grow our talent; this is a fundamental part of who we are at Ella&Jade.

WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION COME FROM REGARDING THE FIT OUT OF THE NEW SALON?

When designing the space, I really wanted to focus on the feel of the space, it certainly is not your typical salon design. I wanted to elevate the salon experience and offer Brisbane a unique experience like no other.

We wanted the basin area to feel more like a spa with soft lighting tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the cutting floor.

A large stone table will be a real focal point of the salon with its organic shape being picked

up in details around the shop. I think for us, the big change is not having a reception desk.

We wanted the client experience to feel very different and more like walking into a designer boutique or fine dining restaurant.

It has helped us create a strong brand image that is recognisable not only to our industry body but reaches consumers to and has helped to grow and attract likeminded creatives to our brand.

And of course, the exposed colour bar. I wanted the clients to be involved in every aspect of their experience, the colour bar allows us to involve our clients in this process rather than being disconnected and hidden in the back room.

WHAT PRODUCT COMPANIES DO YOU PARTNER WITH AND WHY?

HOW DO YOU JUGGLE OWNING THE 2 SALONS IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT?

At the moment I split my time between both salons so that I can see all of my team as often as possible, and alongside this I have a full time Operations Manager who helps manage the team, stock and everything in between.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE LIFE AND WORK BALANCE

I am still trying to figure this one out, but Covid has taught me that it is okay to completely switch off at times to be the best version of myself for my team and my clients. Being more present and taking time out to spend with my partner, family and friends has been a priority this year, and during the week I practice yoga as often as I can.

WHO INSPIRES YOU IN THE CREATIVE FIELD OF HAIRDRESSING AND WHY?

With social media these days we are surrounded by inspiring creatives on the daily, but I am always inspired by the work of Renya Xydis, Sally Brooks and Trevor Sorbie to name a few. A lot of my inspiration these days comes from educating my junior team, their passion and excitement for the industry is always so contagious.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS TO YOU?

Competitions and awards have been an integral part of the growth and expansion of Ella&Jade.

We are a full Wella salon at both locations.

The support on a business level is better than any other brand I have dealt with, the colour range is reliable and always performs, they are progressive and the education and learning opportunities that they offer to help grow and develop my team and I are amazing.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO DURING YOUR TENURE AS A MEMBER OF THE HOT SHOTS TEAM.

Learning, Connecting & Growing!!!! Being a business owner we often get wrapped up in business life and the never ending to-do lists that come with that, that sometimes we don’t stop and do something for ourselves or step outside our comfort zones. I am excited to learn and grow with other like-minded creatives to help fuel my creative soul.

HOW HAVE YOU KEPT YOUR TEAM MOTIVATED DURING THE LAST 12 CRAZY 12 MONTHS?

It been challenging to say the least, especially when at times it’s been hard to keep moving forward and motivating myself. Team Culture has always been something I have focussed on heavily, so connecting outside of salon life has become more important. Bringing the focus back to the salon experience and client experience has been a huge focus and extremely rewarding as it’s the core reason why we all do what we do. The past 12 months have taught us as a salon community to enjoy a slower pace and more balanced work life whilst we can. But we are excited to jump on a plane and network at awards and expos as soon as we can. www.ellajade.com.au

SPEED DATE WORST FASHION MOMENT

Way too many to remember, but somehow they all end up back in fashion so maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

WORST HAIR DAY

My Mum was a hairdresser in the 80’s so she used to experiment on me and my sisters when foiling started becoming popular.

FAV DESTINATION Japan

FAV DRINK

Espresso Martini

IF YOU WEREN’T A HAIRDRESSER YOU WOULD BE A…..

I have never really thought about this, but I love the business side of what I do so definitely something in business development, and I love numbers too.

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

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MASSIMO TIRIMACCO’S BLUNT SCARLETT BOB

TAKES THE WIN AT THE L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL COLOUR TROPHY AWARDS 2020

The longest-running live hairdressing competition in the world returned for the 65th year last night as the search for Australia’s best colourist reached the Grand Final. The Awards brought together 15 finalists from across the country, all battling it out to be the 2020 L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final winner. Hosted by style icon, Melissa Leong, the esteemed competition has set the standard for the most coveted hairstyles of the year

2nd Place - Jessica Schofield, Cataldos Jessica

Judged on the execution of their colour placement, technique, colour choice and hairstyling, second place was awarded to Jessica Schofield from Cataldos in ACT, third place was awarded to Evie Golding from Rokstar Salon QLD and the Marie Claire Reader’s Choice Award was also given to Massimo Tirimacco from Zohair in SA. The evening’s festivities also saw the announcement of this year’s L’Oréal Rising Star award taken home by Brielle Kerr from Biba Salons in VIC.

1st Place and Marie Claire Readers Choice - Massimo Tirimacco, Zo Hair

3rd Place - Evie Golding, Rokstar Salon

Live stream Massimo Tirimacco

From major waves to bold hair colours, L’Oréal Professionnel has officially coined the hairstyle we’ll be asking for in the salon this year. Massimo Tirimacco from Zohair in SA was crowned the 2020 L’Oréal Colour Trophy winner, for his blunt Scarlett bob, using an alternated mix of blonde and bronzy tones.

Brikelle Kerr and Rising Star Trophy

For the first time ever, this industryexclusive event was held virtually and open to the public to watch online. With L’Oréal Professionnel’s flagship event in Melbourne being hosted by multifaceted foodie and certified style icon, Melissa Leong, the Awards delivered a night of glitz and glamour - pushing the boundaries of hair innovation and trends.

L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards Host, Melissa Leong, said, “It has been a pleasure to be involved in such a long-running and prestigious event that celebrates the best of professional hair, colour and fashion. The calibre of talent here in Australia is most impressive.”

David Higgins, General Manager, Professional Products Division Australia New Zealand

Melissa Leong & Cara Riley, General Manager, LOreal Profesionnel, Kerastase & Shu Uemura 72

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

L’Oréal Professionnel General Manager, Cara Riley, said L’Oréal Colour Trophy is an awe-inspiring competition showcasing exceptional hairdressing talent nationwide.

“We were so inspired by the creativity, fashion-forward styling and innovation demonstrated; it was almost impossible to select a winner. Congratulations to the incredible winners and thank you to all our Australian participants for making the 2020 event so memorable,” said Riley.

For more information and to find a L’Oréal Professionnel salon near you visit www.lorealprofessionnel.com.au.

O

A brand new initiative giving men’s hairdressers and barbers a platform to showcase their creative and business skills

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CATEGORIES Photographic and Submission Australian Modern Barber of the Year Australian Modern Barber Business of the Year PHOTOGRAPHIC ONLY Best Men’s Collection Classic Best Men’s Collection Freestyle Best Team Collection Best Men’s Collection Junior BUSINESS CATEGORIES Best Director/Owner of the Year Best Customer Care Best Men’s Educator of the Year Best Barbershop Design of the Year NOMINATED CATEGORY Special Recognition

AMBA Clean Skin Professional Product Awards Categories HAIR CARE - Best Shampoo and Conditioner pair or 2-in-1 product HAIR STYLE - Best Styling Product. Entries can include:- Styling Wax, Cream or Paste BEARD CARE - Best Beard Care Product. Entries can include:- Oil, Wax, Cream or Paste

PRODUCT ENTRY DEADLINE 10th May 2021

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED 20th September 2021

GENERAL ENTRY DEADLINE 2nd August 2021

AWARDS NIGHT 7th November 2021 Plaza Ballroom, Melbourne

BARBER SHOP WWW.AUSTRALIANMODERNBARBERAWARDS.COM.AU

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HAIR FESTIVAL TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Tickets to Hair Festival, the hairdressing industry event of the year, are now available via online registration. The highly anticipated event takes place over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend from June 13 to 14, 2021 at Sydney’s iconic Carriageworks venue.

Free tickets giving access to MarketPlace are available exclusively to members of the hairdressing industry via www.hairfestival. com.au. First release ticket pricing is now available for REALtalk, Festival Education Sessions and the much-anticipated Festival Wonderland. More ticket releases will be announced in the coming weeks.

The dynamic marketplace of bold industry innovations and must-have products is free to enter with this registration. At REALtalk and in the education rooms, sessions start at $55 per session, different options are available across the two days and a multitude of speakers.

Speaker names include celebrated educator Phill Nosworthy, social media expert James Fitzgerald and motivating industry leader Terry Hawkins. The event is supported by the Australian Hair Industry Awards (Creative), presented by Mocha Publishing, which take place on the night of June 14. It also partners with The Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC) and their Schmoozefest event, as well as environmental leaders Sustainable Salons.

Networking events and hair competitions complete the agenda for the weekend’s festivities.

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Hair Festival can be followed on social, media at @hair_festival on Instagram and HairFestivalAustralia on Facebook, where consistent news and announcements, as well as community competitions for luxury prizes, are already updating. Additional speakers, Hair Festival events and brand partnerships will continue to be announced in the coming weeks.

The event offers attendees the opportunity to SHOP, LEARN, COMPETE and CONNECT during one dedicated weekend that has always belonged to the hairdressing industry.

From 2021, this legacy will be maintained with modern, relevant activities and opportunities that will unite, propel and inspire the hair industry forward.

To register for Hair Festival visit www.hairfestival.com.au Hair Festival is proudly owned by BHA Media and supported by the Australian Hair Industry Awards and mocha publishing

Shop. Learn. Compete. Connect.

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Carriageworks - SYDNEY

Get your tickets now Sponsorship opportunities now available Jo Cowan +61 410 594 189 jcowan@intermedia.com.au BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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1 2 0 2 r o f d Sets the tren The creation of Goldwell’s annual style statement for 2021 began with an inspiring and exciting workshop in Berlin. At the workshop, the Creative Team was joined by the Global Winners of the Color Zoom Challenge ’19 Irakli Sardalisvili, Yuujin Ho and Jackie Lim. The creatives brainstormed for ideas and visualized them on mood boards. At the end, all of their creations and ideas merged together to define the new fashion statement and to bring it to life and create the latest Goldwell Editorial and Couture Collections for 2021.

ESSENTIALISM Goldwell’s Editorial Collection 2021 In 2021, COLOUR & STYLE strip away access and focus on what is most necessary. That is which gives us comfort and a sense of normalcy. It is what we call ESSENTIALISM. 2021, colour takes it cues directly from fashion. Colour trends swing between Neutral Grounded Tones and Metallic, Vintage Brights, blending seamlessly together to create a harmonious balance. The Essential Neutrals Palette embraces softness at every level. True Naturals, gently elumenated with warmth. De-saturated colours, from soft darker tones to lighter hues that have an almost pastel character. Say Goodbye to bold, pop colors, as fashion tones arrive in a form of Nostalgic Brights. Inspired by the charming retro colors of the 70s. Orange, Green and Lilac make a nostalgic comeback.

NIGHT MOVES Goldwell’s Couture Collection 2021 This year Goldwell’s Creative Team has created a Couture Collection that captures the spirit of Escapism, by revisiting the Disco days of the 1970s. As fashion continues to be inspired by looks of the seventies, hair fashion follows suit with retro shapes and updated textures. The result is glam, sexy and modern. NIGHT MOVES captures the spirit of the Disco Decade in a way we can all relate to – the feeling of escape when you’re able to dance like no one is watching.

After the chaos of 2020, a little escape will do everyone some good….even if it means turning up the music and dancing to our favorite retro tunes.

The cuts and styles are all inspired by vintage 1970s looks – from the Disco Diva curls, the Feathered Farrah layers. Texture, curl and wave are key to creating these iconic looks - ranging across a spectrum from natural, unruly curls to soft, languid waves. Hair must have movement and it must be full of volume.

Photo credits ESSENTIALISM & NIGHT MOVES Photographer: Ralph Mecke Hair: Daniel Martin Color: Goldwell International Artists Make-up: Jochen Pahs Clothes: Ingo Nahrwold 78

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

ELUMEN

Angelo Seminara

SNAPSHOT ANGELO SEMINARA

HISTORY

When I was a young boy growing up in the South of Italy, I was a bit of a ‘wild child’. My grandmother suggested that I work in a barber shop near home to get into a routine and learn discipline. Little did I know that it would be the start of an incredible journey, leading me to where I am today. I have been doing hair since the age of 11 and I am still going strong 37 years later!

SIGNATURE STYLE

STYLE ICON

Selina Gomez

Trevor Sorbie

My signature style has always been to make someone look and feel incredible. However, I do like originality, even if it’s a classic bob it needs to have a special twist on it.

My style icon is Rick Owens, an American Fashion designer, who makes really cool and chic clothing.

HAIR ICON(S)

Trevor Sorbie, Leonard Lewis, John Frieda and Kamo.

Angelo Seminara

Fixing Effect Hairspray

GOLDWELL BRAND AMBASSADOR

Jack White

I am very passionate about tools and developing the world of colour. Therefore, I set out to find a brand with top colouration techniques. I researched for eight months non-stop and just by trying Elumen (a leader in direct dye) once, I decided that I would like to join this amazing brand. Shortly after, I met John Moroney and we decided to start a collaboration. I am absolutely delighted about the choice and can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.

NEW ROLE

Shoes by Rick Owens

My role with Goldwell includes creating signature Angelo Seminara collections, working closely with the Research & Development department as well as working with the Goldwell teams. My goal is to also develop new colour techniques and to represent Goldwell in the best way possible.

Chloe Attitudes

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Italian Flag

I will be very involved in the developments going forward. It’s something that I am passionate about and also extremely interested in the technology behind producing a hair product.

FAVOURITE PRODUCT

I have two! Elumen colour is my absolute favourite! I also love ‘Fixing Effect Hairspray’ from Kerasilk.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT

I think that being awarded The Fellowship ‘Patron of the Year Award 2018’ was a really proud moment for me. I believe that they don’t give this award out often and so it was such an honour to accept the award.

OUT OF THE BOX

I work really closely with an incredible fashion and exhibition curator, Judith Clark. We have been collaborating for over a decade, on various projects including, Chloé Attitudes in Paris, Frida Kahlo in Mexico, Homo Faber: Fashion inside and out in Venice and many more.

THE FUTURE

I think that in the next few years there will be a lot of change in the industry. Hair brands will have to evolve in terms of the new services we can provide. Highlights, balayage and tints are the norm at the moment, but we have to prepare the new generation with something new and exciting. Products will become way more sustainable and attract those who are more caring about the environment in general. This will be a massive change, which sooner or later we will all have to adapt to. For example, not wasting energy in salons or throwing hair colour down the sink, the list goes on and on.

BEST CAREER ADVICE TO GIVE

Be open minded, look for a mentor and ‘copy copy copy’ but at the end of the copy try to find your own identity. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Take your time and enjoy the way. The journey is more fun than the destination.

WHO ARE YOU IN THREE WORDS

Curious, passionate and nature obsessed.

Almost three words!

IF YOU WEREN’T A HAIR STYLIST WHAT WOULD YOU BE?

I think I would be an architect! I have always loved design, functionality and aesthetics.

WHOSE HAIR DO YOU LOVE?

I really like Selena Gomez she’s so cool and always on trend.

WHOSE HAIR WOULD YOU MOST LOVE TO DO?

To cut anyone’s hair, it would have to be Jack White! That would be amazing!

Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

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milk_shake Australia announces Creative Colourist Ambssador

JOOLS PURCHASE s Of J ools A KA Hau

milk_shake Australia has moved from strength to strength over the past few years with a number of their haircare products taking out performance awards globally. Now, it’s time tto urn to the spotlight to their complete professional line of salon chemicals. True to form, milk_shake professional products are innovative, fresh and fun and what better artist to showcase the endless creative opportunities of milk_shake, than Jools Purchase, known on the gram as Haus of Jools.

Jools joins a creative team including Kirstie Richey, Ben O’Brien and Sarah Van Daalen, each bringing their own unique talents, Jools certainly brings the creativity and quirk.

Jools Purchase is a Brisbane local, known for her quirky and colourful creations on the heads of people around Brisbane and beyond. After finishing her apprenticeship at 18, Jools took a break and pursued a career in choreography. Teaching dance for many years was the break she needed to find out the true passion was always hair.

In her early years, Jools mum, Genevieve was a regular at Stelios Papas in Coolangatta, where she would do the makeup for hair shows and often come home with outrageous coloured hair thanks to Bennie Tognini! This is where Jools first felt inspired about the hair industry.

Finishing school early, she followed her dreams to become qualified and work around the world in salons and learn from as many of her idols as she could. Winning Indola Australian Apprentice of the Year at the age of 17, Jools travelled to Salon International in London and was surrounded by leading Hair dressers Trevor Sorbie, Toni and 80

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Guy and Antoinette Beenders were among her favourites.

After having a break, Jools took on an Instagram that focused on weddings. It gained a lot of popularity and Jools was doing up to 60 weddings a year. Whilst styling, she rented a chair in a salon and as the clientele got bigger, so did her Instagram. Now no longer doing weddings, Jools’ book is full of clients that like to walk on the wild side of life.

Personal hair stylist to Australian pop band, Sheppard, Jools unleashes her imagination creating vibrant milk_shake colour cocktails + headlining hair styles, most recently at the 2020 AFL Grand Final in Brisbane.

Brisbane is the lucky city to have Jools share her backstage tips and tricks + colouring techniques in her milk_shake workshops, to book into one of Jools’ workshops this year, head over to conceptualbrands.com.au/education. ‘’We are very excited to have Jools on our Creative Team, I believe she brings a unique approach to the products, pushing the boundaries of manufacturer’s instructions which keeps our technicians on their toes! And I think it’s her real love for the milk_shake products that helps our relationship with Jools come across so genuine, which is very important in an age where most consumers are hyper aware of paid sponsorships.’’

– Hannah Bebb, Brand Manager.

You can find Jools’ new salon space in Freedom Suites at Gasworks, Brisbane, surrounded by colour, happy people and a bit of magic.

SPEED DATE WITH JOOLS WHAT PRODUCT WOULD YOU TAKE TO A DESERT ISLAND? Incredible milk WHAT’S YOUR FAV COLOUR COCKTAIL? Golden blonde and pink to make the perfect peach.

WHERE DOES YOU INSPIRATION COME FROM? Ru Paul’s Drag Race WHAT ARE I LEAVING BEHIND IN 2020?

Expectations Where will you go once the borders are open?

Thailand to see my Dad.

THE INNOVATIVE BLACK LIGHTENING CREAM, ENRICHED WITH CHARCOAL AND SPECIAL PIGMENTS FOR ALL LIGHTENING TECHNIQUES. PROVIDING INTENSE, COOL TONE RESULTS. Black Light completes the milk_shake Decologic family to provide a complete lightening portfolio with endless creativity.

To stock the collection in your salon, contact your local milk_shake distributor on; QLD + NSW: Conceptual Brands _ 1300 110 032 VIC: K Two & Co _ 0409 596 771 WA: Ultimate Salon Supplies _ 08 9204 2200 SA: Beautopia Hair & Beauty _ 1800 635 545 TAS: AJHS _ 0409 014 070

@milkshakehair_aus facebook.com/Milk-shake-Australia

STYLING IN HALF THE TIME! Meet max – ghd’s new solution for speed styling with impeccable results. ghd has long been synonymous with stylers, beloved across the globe for its straightening technology. Now, to kick off a year of innovation and celebrations for the 20th anniversary, the brand is revamping its ghd max professional wide plate styler, to enable seamless styling on long, thick or curly hair in just half the time. “ghd is dedicated to listening to our stylists and consumers, developing solutions which answer their biggest styling needs with best-in-class tools,” said Ludovic Dellazzeri, managing director ghd anz.

Don’t just take ghd’s word for it – consumer testing showed 97% of women agreed that the new ghd max is the best wide plate styler they’ve ever used.

Award winning hair stylist and ghd creative artist Natalie Anne agrees.

“We know time is precious, whether you’re a stylist in salon or a consumer trying to get out the door more quickly at home – and this goes for the 53% of women across Austalia and New Zealand who have long, thick, or curly hair.

“The new ghd max styler is by far the best wide plate iron I have ever used,” Natalie said. “[My client’s] afro textured hair was smoother than ever with only one pass and she has worn it for almost two weeks!”

That’s why we’re so excited to launch a solution which will deliver flawless styling in half the time, and with no extreme heat – respecting the health and integrity of the hair.”

The high-performance delivery is thanks to years of development, with the ghd max styler subject to over 608,000 hours of testing in the ghd Research and Development facility in Cambridge.

The new, sleek design features ghd’s patented dual-zone technology and their widest surface ceramic floating plates, delivering 80 per cent more shine and two times less frizz – a good hair day saviour in our humid temperature where 45% of women struggle with frizzy hair.

“the ghd max styles long, thick and curly hair quickly at the optimum temperature of 185°c while also achieving sleek and smooth results in one pass” said Grant.

The curved edges of the barrel allows for snag free styling and less breakage, while the barrel shape enables users to create a versatile range of looks, from flawlessly sleek styles to Hollywood glam curls.

“The beauty of max is the wide plate surfaces allow you to take larger sections of hair for faster straightening and styling, while the dual-zone technology and floating ceramic plates ensure the hair is flawlessly styled in just one pass,” said Grant Norton, national education manager ghd anz.

“The rounded barrel means hair will never catch or snag when styling, as well as giving you a lot of versatility. I love the variety of looks max can create, and knowing that it will leave the hair smoother, shinier, and healthy looking.”

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ghd isn’t stopping there though. For best results, ghd recommend pairing the ghd max styler with ghd straight on spray when creating ultra-sleek styles, to deliver an elevated three times less frizz. “ghd max and straight on spray are the ultimate styling power couple for a sleek and polished look,” said Grant. “Our ghd straight on spray also features out signature heat protection system, which provides a lightweight and invisible barrier of protection between your hair and heat – resulting in healthier looking hair.”

The ghd straight on spray is part of ghd’s much anticipated relaunch of its heat protection styling range. The new packaging design highlights the strength of ghd’s signature heat protection system, which provides a lightweight and invisible layer of thermal protection for the hair when heat styling.

Backed by a 2-year professional use warranty, the new ghd max and straight on spray will soon become a kit bag essential.

“Whether you’re a professional looking for an effective speed styling solution, or one of the millions of women looking to speed up their styling routine, all without compromising on the health and integrity of your hair, the ghd max with straight on spray is your perfect styling partner,” said Ludovic.

So, whether you’re choosing to embrace and enhance a natural goddess texture or looking for a super-fast style switch when you fancy a change, play with the ghd max and achieve sleek, straight hair in half the time. www.ghdhair.com/au.

bottle blonde, the swifter lifter evo bottle blonde is a professional lightening portfolio that provides maximum lightening power and flexibility with clean, even blonde results while respecting people and the planet. so, what makes evo bottle blonde different? better performance: performance has been put first so colourists can achieve complete lightening flexibility and epic lifting power with clean, even blonde results. better for people: all formulas are fragrance-free to reduce scalp irritation and sensitivity during the lightening process. plus, they’re vegan, cruelty and gluten-free . better for the planet: refill bags have been used to help reduce plastic waste and formulated without petrochemicals, like mineral oil. the new powder and clay lighteners put performance first with reliable lightening solutions and both include key ingredients that are better for the planet such as: - cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar gum): provides hydration and prevents powder from drying out.

- isopropyl myristate: conditioning alternative to mineral oil that provides hydration and slip.

- kaolin: creates creamy consistency and prevents bleeding, while strengthening and hydrating.

powder lightener is suitable for all lightening applications that evenly lifts up to 9 levels while preserving hair strength and moisture.

clay lightener is for creative and precise free-hand lightening that evenly lifts up to 8 levels while preserving hair strength and moisture.

features + benefits • evenly lifts up to 9 levels • doesn’t dry out, swell or bleed • grey colour allows for a clear visual of the hair during processing • creamy consistency for easy and precise application • fragrance-free formula reduces sensitivity on scalp • suitable for all applications

features + benefits • evenly lifts up to 8 levels • thick, creamy consistency adheres easily to the hair for easy and precise freehand application • forms a coating on the outside, maintaining moisture on the inside to prevent dryness, crumbling, swelling or bleeding • fragrance-free formula • suitable for all free-hand applications without the need for foil

levels of lift: up to 9 mixing ratio: 1:2 application: on scalp, off scalp, foil development time: up to 45 minutes use with: 6.5, 10, 20, 30, 40 vol hue-verse cream developers available in: 500g + refill

levels of lift: up to 8 mixing ratio: 1:2 – 1:3 application: free-hand development time: up to 45 minutes use with: 6.5, 10, 20, 30, 40 vol hue-verse cream developers available in: 400g

“i love the fact that bottle blonde gives me such a beautiful and even lift every single time. the fragrance-free formula means that i can offer clients on-scalp comfort like never before. plus, the fact that our carbon footprint is reduced with the refill option means that i can go about my job feeling proud in the choices i make.” jay kownacki – evo head of education

vegan / cruelty-free / gluten-free / made without petrochemicals and fragrance.

Exclusively distributed by Haircare Group 1300 437 436 thehaircaregroup.com

DEDICATED TO CREATING

PREMIUM BLONDE RESULTS

Blonde hair has the most delicate hair structure, yet despite this, colourists have to guarantee perfect hair quality and spectacular colour results.

BLONDME, powered by the Bond Protection System, offers a unique colour range that can be tailored to any individual wishes and hair type. With easy, ready-to-use products, perfect blonde looks are guaranteed every time.

Overcome any blonde challenge.

Rely on BLONDME for superior blonde hair quality, even in the most demanding of situations. The BLONDME Bond Enforcing Premium Lightener 9+ offers an unbeatable 9 levels of lift, making it one of the most powerful lighteners on the market.

BLONDME is the 1st Bonding Colour & Care Brand with an Advanced Bonding System, that strengthens hair from within. The integrated 3D Bond Creation Technology works across 3 integral steps of a BLONDME Blonding Service, combining Bond Protection, Bond Creation and Bond Maintenance for ultimate care.

FINISH WITH CUSTOMISED BONDING CARE

BLONDME Care caters for all the needs of diverse blonde hair types, with a compact line-up that’s easy to navigate.

BLONDME Care is designed to work together with BLONDME Colour products to maintain the most iconic blonde results on the delicate structure of pre-lightened or natural blonde hair, all thanks to our 3D Bond Creation Technology.

The full care regime includes: • All BLONDES Light Range is for fine to medium hair • ALL BLONDES Rich Range is for medium to coarse hair • ALL BLONDES Detox Range is purifying and removes impurities • COOL BLONDES Neutralizing Range purple toning formulas help to remove brassiness and neutralise yellow undertones • BLONDE WONDERS Finishing Range to protect blonde from external aggressors whilst providing softness and longlasting shine

2021 TREND FORESIGHT BY NATALIE ANNE

“We’re seeing a lot more high-fashion colour and pops of colour. We’re seeing the top section really bleached out and using BLONDME makes that super easy to achiever. It leaves a clean blonde and you’re able to create more depth, which we haven’t seen since Avril Lavigne in the early 2000s.”

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Make sure you are following @schwarzkopfpro on Instagram for the latest news and inspiration – use the #BLONDME and #BLONDESOFTHEWORLD hashtags when posting your BLONDME looks. For more information visit www.schwarzkopf-professional.com.au

t e r c e S ’ s t s i l y t S n o p Wea The RefectoCil Lash and Brow Bar (RRP $285) is a simple and convenient way to promote lash and brow tinting to your clients. This lightweight, portable kit includes 8 tints designed to be blended to customise colour plus all the necessary items to complete the treatment.

The kit also includes the RefectoCil Style book to guide and inspire your individualised blending, as well as a hands free mixing palette and new RefectoCil Browista tint brushes. Styling has never been easier!

For product and training enquiries, contact RefectoCil Australia directly. +61 2 7200 8452 sales@refectocil-australia.com.au www.refectocil-australia.com.au

HAIR SHOP SPARROW HAIRCARE

Sparrow is a low-tox, Australian made, sustainable and eco-conscious hair care range. Ingredients used within the bespoke products are all certified organic, 100% vegan and gluten free. Some of the essential ingredients used include Tasmanian blue gum extract, hydrolysed quinoa, dragonfruit extract and avocado oil.

In addition to this, the products offered are cruelty free, made from recycled plastics and packed in sustainable, reusable bottles.

Hair care that is good for the hair, soul and earth. Our range of certified organic, vegan and gluten free products are the ideal addition to the salon with a conscience. A sustainable solution for your clients who want more than just a service from their hair care provider. www.sparrowhaircare.com

No. 0 Bond Intensive Bond Building Treatment By OLAPLEX

OLAPLEX No. 0 Bond Intensive Bond Building Treatment, the newest product to join the retail range of bond building products.

OLAPLEX No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment is a professional-inspired treatment that primes your hair for deeper repair, rebuilds hair bonds, strengthens, and protects hair integrity. It’s designed to be used in conjunction with OLAPLEX No. 3 Hair Perfector to prime hair for a deeper repair. It’s scientifically proven to provide 68% more repair and 3x stronger hair when used as the two-part system. Use as the first step in a two-part system with No. 3 Hair Perfector (sold separately) to strengthen and repair all types of damaged hair. Olaplex No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment is available to purchase from Haircare Australia. www.haircareaust.com

NEW to the Oil Ultime range. By SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL Dedicated to pure indulgence, Schwarzkopf Professional have added five new luxurious finishing oils to the Oil Ultime range.

The perfect final touch to any haircare regime and made with a special blend of natural oils fused with self-evaporating oils to leave your hair lightweight, radiant and bouncy.

The five finishing oils are made with a special blend of natural oils to meet the needs of your unique hair type, leaving your hair lightweight, radiant and bouncy.

Mediterranean Finishing Oil – Adds radiance & protects (All Hair Types) Marula Finishing Oil – Boosts shine (Fine to Medium Hair) Argan Finishing Oil – Adds shine (Medium to Coarse Hair) Barbary Fig Finishing Oil – Intensively replenishes (Very Dry and Brittle Hair) Rose Finishing Oil – Soothes & nourishes (Stressed Hair and Scalps) www.schwarzkopf.com.au

Color Balance/Infuse By JOICO

Introducing Restaged JOICO Color Balance/Infuse – now with Smart Release Technology!

Formulated with pigments that instantly neutralize undesirable warm tones and featuring SmartRelease Technology: Joico’s one-of-a-kind liposome delivery system that continuously releases Rosehip Oil, Arginine, and Keratin to help strengthen hair; along with antioxidants and UV absorbers to help protect hair.

Featuring; COLOR BALANCE PURPLE - Keep your blonde hair cool with Joico’s Color Balance Purple collection, designed to instantly neutralise unwanted yellow and warm tones.

COLOR BALANCE BLUE - Kick brass to the curb and keep brunette hair free of unwanted orange tones with Color Balance Blue. COLOR INFUSE RED - Rev up your red and keep it that way with our color-depositing Color Infuse® Red Shampoo and Conditioner—NEW and improved for longer-lasting results. www.joico.com

d , X o e

Foil Me Skin By Foil Me®

Creative instigators, industry disruptors and innovative change makers, Foil Me® has launched its latest game-changing, luxury product – Foil Me Skin – an entirely Australian-made formulation designed to help many skin conditions.

An unexpected yet exciting venture from their renowned foil & brush collections, Foil Me Skin came to fruition from a desire to help people who suffer from skin irritations, especially those who are in the hairdressing industry, where exposure to harsh chemicals and constant washing of hands takes its toll on the body’s largest organ, the skin.

Foil Me Skin is SLS and Paraben-free, Vegan and organic, contains ethically sourced ingredients and it is not tested on animals and the invigorating combination of essential oils work together to deliver varying benefits including: • Relieves itchy, dry, red, cracked skin that is caused by exposure to harsh soaps and chemicals.

• Prevents severe reactions or unwanted side effects due to it being SLS and PARABEN-free.

• Cares for your skin and scalp where its key plant and essential oil ingredients are derived from nature and not harmful man-made chemicals.

• Provides a fresh natural aroma that will not interfere with other fragrances worn.

• Quickly delivers a non-greasy, soft and silky finish; it is perfect as a barrier cream. www.foilme.com.au

Root Volumiser Spray By GROW HAIRCARE

Grow’s Thicker Fuller Root Volumiser Spray is an innovative styling spray that provides amped up volume for flat, tired and dull hair, whilst nourishing the hair from the roots down. Also strengthens the hair and helps to reduce hair breakage, allowing for better hair growth.

Rooted in the belief that every individual deserves happier, healthier hair, Grow’s Thicker Fuller Root Volumiser Spray is enriched with the highest quality ingredients. Vitamin B3 improves hair texture and volume, while glycerine and amino acids moisturise, strengthen and repair the appearance of damaged hair. Grow’s Thicker Fuller Root Volumiser Spray is made up of a lightweight formulation that delivers root lift and exceptional volume in just one spray. www.growhaircare.com.au

Eco Tint Brush & Eco Tint Bowl By Joiken

Welcome to JOIKEN’s NEW innovative, environmentally Eco friendly Recycled Plastic Tint Bowls/Brushes. A new generation of sustainably minded designs have pioneered ways of using recycled plastic as a raw material, as concern over pollution increases.

Eco Tint Brush & Eco Tint Bowl colours available: Storm White, Marinace, Modern Art and Cherry Flower www.joiken.com.au

NEW Finishing Spray By AMERICAN CREW

American Crew®, the leading men’s professional grooming brand, introduces NEW Finishing Spray, an essential tool for stylists to add the ultimate finishing touch to their creations. This lightweight, fast-drying spray helps control style while adding texture and body to any look. American Crew Finishing Spray is formulated to de-frizz hair without leaving any visible residue, while providing manageable control and all-day protection from humidity.

Designed for long-lasting hold with a natural shine, Finishing Spray is the latest addition to American Crew’s comprehensive line of styling products that cater to the men’s grooming Professional. www.americancrew.com

LumiShine’s NEW Ash Ash Series By JOICO

Show brass who’s boss with Joico LumiShine’s NEW Ash Ash Series - a cool palette of seven gorgeous permanent crème and demi-permanent liquid shades specially formulated to neutralize unwanted warm tones. With bond-building ArgiPlex™ Technology infused into each and every shade, you’ll pull off those on-trend “mushroom” hues and leave hair healthy-looking—all in one cool move. Available APRIL 2021 www.joico.com

, g n i l y t s ir a h t s e b “Home t o t he d n a ls o o t g n i m o o personal hair gr ” s t c u d o r p d e t a i assoc MORE TO LOVE

New 1 litre shampoos and conditioners from 12Reasons. Previously available in only 400ml, 12Reasons supersizes transformational hair care formulas we love, including Argan Oil, Keratin and Marula Oil ranges.

KERATIN-INFUSED STYLING CREAMS

New from Keracolor. Text It Up Texturising Hair Cream amps up texture, while Keep It Tame Blowout Hair Cream wins the frizz fight.

Ingeniously infused with keratin to rebuild hair.

DEBUT DUO

Debuting in 2021, BaBylissPRO Duo Clipper and Trimmer Set in gorgeous GraphiteFX. This pack includes BaBylissPRO Clipper and Trimmer with a charging base - the ideal setup for any workstation!

PERFECTLY PAINLESS BLOW-DRY

Create the perfect blow-dry with WetBrush BreakFree Collection. More body, more bounce. Less pain, less effort and less breakage. Unique round brushes infused with proprietary VitaBoost Complex.

SILVER BULLET’S FIRST SHAVER

What’s the buzz, man? Introducing Silver Bullet Buzz Man Fade ‘N Shave Shaver, Silver Bullet’s first shaver. The ultimate finishing, fading and blending tool for the face, head and neckline.

SUSTAINABLE NORDIC HAIR CARE

Welcome to the ZENZ universe. ZENZ Organic is a premium professional range which aims for a sustainable beauty industry. Eco-friendly and allergy-certified. Powered by organic aloe vera and avocado oil.

LIMITLESS VOLUME

The faster, better volumising hot brush for curls, waves and straight hair. Silver Bullet Limitless Volumizing Hot Brush features heating elements between bristles for maximum volume.

Result? Smoothness, shine, VOLUME.

Day-light

Cool-light

Warm-light

New Arrival Zain LED Mirror

code: 43838

Features : • Illuminating on/off/brightness touch sensor • Daylight Colour Temperature • Cool White Colour Temperature • Warm Colour Temperature • 2 mounting wall brackets

Touch Sensor |

Illuminating On/Off/Brightness

Touch Sensor |

Measurements Diameter : 80cm

Colour Temperture Lighting Effect

*Bench not included

Reasons you need Zain LED Mirror right now! Backlit LED mirrors are fast becoming a must-have item in Hair/Beauty design. Not only do they provide mood lighting for your space but can add a beautiful design aesthetic to your Salon.

*Despite every effort to provide accurate images of each product's colour finish, actual colours may vary slightly, due to different device screen settings, the lighting in the installation location, slight differences in product finishes over time and other factors. Joiken will not accept responsibility for any colour or design differences that are not factory faults. In purchasing from Joiken, you agree to accept the risk that there will be a slight variation between the actual colour and design, and the representation on our website.

Also available ...

Meghan

Zain LED Mirror

Kate

Belle

Lauren

Gigi

Bardot

Goldie

Estelle

www.joiken.com.au

For stockists call Dateline Imports P/L on (02) 9666 3611 or visit datelinecity.com

ADVANCED CLIMATE CONTROL® Our Anti-Frizz Nano Technology penetrates hair with silk protein, Sericin, sealing the cuticle with a protective barrier that locks in moisture and prevents frizz. Hair is left silky-soft, shiny, and with frizz-free definition.

/DatelineImportsAustralia

@datelineimports

BLOG SPOT. LESSONS LEARNT

BY JENNI TARRANT Hi everyone! My name is Jenni Tarrant and I am the owner of Bond Hair Religion in Canberra. As a hairdresser of 37 years and a salon owner for 17 years, I understand the incredible joy we get from being part of this amazing industry, and I understand the difficulties that we also face day-to-day.

As a business owner, it has been a massive learning curve and has resulted in some significant insight into what it is like as an employee and a boss. When I was considering a topic you would be interested in reading, I thought I would share lessons from my own greatest hurdles.

I would say that staying motivated in our salons, especially when we face difficult times both personally and professionally, is one of the biggest challenges. The stress from constantly keeping everyone motivated, churning through admin, focussing on keeping clients happy, constantly educating ourselves, and trying to have consistency when everything can change in a day, results in becoming unmotivated, tired, and disconnected. One of the lessons I have learned over the past 17 years is that if I feel this way, so will my team. The saying, ‘The fish rots from the head down” is 100% true.

The key to staying motivated as an employee or business owner is to reconnect with WHY you chose the career you have, or the two careers if you are on the floor and running a business.

To stay connected and motivated, I consider my top three reminders:

DIRECTION: Am I going in my chosen direction?

When we started in hairdressing/owning a business we had a story in our heads, our dream.

It may have changed over time but the core of what we really wanted to feel, see and be, is still there. If you close your eyes and take yourself 92

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back to the day you started, what was the feeling?

What did your future look like?

If you still have the same feelings and are living your dream, then you are following your direction.

If the present and your dream are out of alignment, then the opposite is true.

When I am objectively looking at my direction and it is lacking, I look my choices to change that direction. It is 100% up to you. If you are unhappy then make the choice to be the person you aspired to all those years ago. Decide to make a plan to realign yourself in that moment. Remember, every one of us stuffs up, makes mistakes, gets angry, frustrated, and does the wrong thing. That is how we learn and gain ‘experience’. It’s choosing to accept it, take responsibility for the part you played in it, and connect with your vision from that first day.

am!

Have I f@#ked up over and over? You betcha, and has that led to me losing all sense of my joy? 100%.

When this happens I go back to my foundational choices and consider how I can change what I have done to lose my joy. I reset, make the decision, and the very next moment I get back on track.

JOY: What brings me joy?

I hope this brings some insight into how to find your personal motivation and/or those in your team. Remember, no one can make you feel anything you don’t choose to feel, it’s up to you.

Am I feeling joyful right now? For me, owning a business from that first day was about having a safe space for my team, a community, more than just a business. Always growing and moving forward, never being a follower, always being a leader. Am I doing that 17 years later? Hell, yes I

NOW: Am I living in today?

It is so easy to live in past mistakes and waste time worrying about tomorrow when we can be motivated and feel joy NOW. Wake up and decide to live your initial vision we saw on our first day.

Choosing to be focused on your foundational values makes decisions so much easier and avoids overwhelm. Be in today, that’s all - just today. See how you feel. This will keep you motivated, and you will find your passion and inspiration again.

Jen xxx

BLOG SPOT.

RULE NUMBER 1, BE A NUMBER 1.

BY GARY LATHAM

So, you’re just about to start your own business or manage one and you want to be a top boss.

The first thing you need to remember, forever, is what you know now. It’s priceless. What it’s like to be an employee. Ironically, you’ve probably spent your last few years as an employee thinking about what it’s like to be a boss, what you would do different, better etc. Now you are in the big chair it’s time to think about what it’s like being an employee. Amongst all the new pressures and responsibilities, it’s easy to forget after a year or two what it’s like to be an employee. Remember what your needs are now, rewards, attention, freedom, support, guidance, trust.

When Jayne and I opened our shop towards the end of last century (I love saying that it makes it sound so long ago) we had two simple guidelines, to have a salon we would like to visit as a client and one we would like to work in. Quite basic and obvious really, but it has served us well. Our staff retention, touch wood, is pretty damn good. In our line of work good staff are hard to find so it’s a key to success. The best way to keep clients is to keep staff. As an employee I was very lucky to have a few great bosses who taught me a lot. The last one set up an environment that I knew I would only ever leave to changed careers or work for myself. I’ve always wanted my staff to feel the same.

So, what do staff want? For what it’s worth, here is my list.

Pride.

More important than what they actually do to most people, is what they tell people they do and what reaction they get. If your staff are at a party on the weekend and they get asked “what do you do?” and their answer falls flat, don’t expect to turn up to work on Monday morning with bells on.

Belonging.

To be part of something. Everybody wants to be special. Only once or twice have we ever employed someone with clients. The bulk of our staff have either come straight from school or from interstate or overseas. I think this has been an integral part in creating the family feel at Wild Life.

Enjoyment.

Many do, but why would you do a job you don’t like?

We spend over 2000 hours a year at or travelling to work so make it a place you want to be.

Valued.

Financially staff aren’t going to stick around if they feel they are just working to feather your nest.

Don’t be greedy. Having said that for both staff and clients I’ve always thought money doesn’t become an issue until they are not happy.

Respect and trust.

It’s easy as a boss to think the worst of staff and one or two can really test you but you need to give trust and respect to get it back.

Growth.

You’ve managed to grow your career to a level of a salon owner, don’t forget your staff want to progress as well. Have a plan for each one and know where they want to go. Help them and it will help you.

Distractions.

You can’t expect full time focus. If workers just thought about work all day they would go mad.

Goals, holidays, special events and rewards keep them focussed but not suffocated.

Flexibility.

I come from a hospitality background, so I am used to dealing with casual staff. I say staff can have what they want if I get what I want. The flexible workforce was already here but Covid has certainly locked it in.

My list may look attractive to staff but impossible to managers/owners. Of course, you won’t be able to give every employee such a wish list, but the good ones deserve it and it will only make them better. If you think they don’t deserve it, then maybe they don’t deserve you.

So boss, be good to your employees, after all the most important person you will ever employ is yourself.

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BLOG SPOT. YOU CAN’T FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT

BY PAUL FRASCA

It’s fair to say that we’re in an industry where it’s easy to get caught up in the magic - the hair and beauty biz sells the hope of transformation, self-improvement and inclusivity, and on the most part, it really delivers.

But given all that’s happened in the last 12 months and the growing number of conscious consumers, I’ve started thinking about how we ‘sell sustainability’ in our businesses… and do we deliver?

Let’s agree that the ‘green-washing’ movement has (finally!) moved out. When eco was introduced to the mainstream, it was kind of a trend; a label spruiking ‘natural’, which was enough to propel your business into the ethical category and satisfy the new eco-consumer. But there was rarely an actual eco-impact in that bottle; it was full of empty promises.

We’ve come a long way since then, though. Young Aussies are living the consequences from past actions and now they actually care about what’s behind the label - they’re passionate, informed and armed with the power of a dollar they won’t give up easily.

I’m normally a big fan of ‘fake it till you make it’ (words to live by when you’re trying to get a startup taken seriously), but when it comes to adding sustainability practices or statements into your business, this MO needs to go in the bin.

And with the help of the recent Junkee Media 2020 Youth Research report, I’m going to show you why.

FACT: 70% of young people really give a sh*t about Sustainability and the Environment Second only to mental health and coming in above gender equality. It’s one of the big, profound issues of our time, and we can no longer pretend it’s just the hippies who care.

FACT: 89% are taking environmental action in their own lives They’re reducing the amount of fast fashion they buy, actively avoiding single-use products, increasing their reusables collection and even reducing their meat consumption - the youth 94

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market is not just aware they now have environmental choices, they’re making them.

You know what else? 51% said their environmental actions had not changed because of COVID-19. I think Junkee summed it up best: “It’s a passion so deep that not even a global pandemic could stop them.”

FACT: 79% are willing to sacrifice chemicalbased beauty treatments to help the environment You can only work with what you have available to you, I completely understand. But are you researching your suppliers’ sustainability practices like a young Aussie is researching yours? It’s true that the hair and beauty industry has a long way to go to provide more sustainable product options (it’s a single-use wasteland!), but there are incredible companies out there innovating and offering solutions - even if they’re small ones for now. Think biodegradable, compostable, recycled, recyclable, machine washable, FSC certified (for paper products), and certified organic.

FACT: 56% say the most important quality in a brand is acting ethically/with integrity (and 33% say it’s giving back to the community) Now that I’ve put the hard word on about your product choices, I’m sorry to say, but stocking ecofriendly haircare is just not enough anymore.

56% need you to prove you’re acting with integrity - that’s more than half. And I should point out that it was the third highest on a list of 19 options, beaten only by “has good quality products” and “is

environmentally-friendly” (see above facts 1, 2 and 3).

This is where faking it won’t just hurt your client’s feelings, it could eventually really hurt your bottom line. Offering a trend-based ‘green’ statement, whacking up a social media post claiming your virtual support for a cause, or introducing a practice you can’t explain end-toend is eventually going to catch you out.

Believing what you’re implementing and understanding it start to finish, creating a staff culture that accepts and advocates this, and visibly acting upon these practices in full view of your clients is the only way to satisfy (and grow!) this important segment in your business.

At Sustainable Salons, we’re passionate about helping our salon members successfully introduce sustainable practices through an awesome induction, ongoing education and transparency, fun and meaningful engagement opportunities, and a super simple recycling and community benefits system that your clients can actually touch and feel, and see you do.

And nothing is more real than that.

Keen to join the movement? Find out more at www.sustainablesalons.org!

BLOG SPOT. LEADING THE WAY

BY CLIVE ALLWRIGHT I can recall a number of years ago listening to the ever so glamorous session stylist Sarah Laidlaw, giving her acceptance speech at an industry awards night. I remember her telling the story of how when attending university, she decided to seek some part time work at the infamous Tognini’s salon in Brisbane.

This decision changed the course of Sarah’s life forever. Changing direction on her university Law degree then eventually becoming one of Australia’s most talented and successful and celebrated session stylists.

I can remember my business partner Kelly Grant saying to me at the time “This is exactly what Piloroo needs to focus on, getting the right people to join us.” (www.piloroo.com) Our biggest competitor in attracting young people into the industry is the hospitality industry.

Sydney’s ever powering “Merivale Group” comes to mind. I wonder how many young people at university take up part time work within the Merivale group. With a choice of 90+ unique locations in and around the Sydney metro area.

Then sometimes decide to pivot and embark on a new and exciting career in hospitality. Whether it be discovering the exciting new world of the wine sommelier or front of house manager, bar manager, or restaurant manager, or even being a celebrity chef. Then proceed to have very successful careers in a very different industry, rather than the one they originally once thought.

I recently heard this exact story from one of our long-time clients. How her son Henry had years earlier taken a job as a glass collector at a Merivale location while studying for a career in real estate. He had progressed through the ranks over many years and had recently opened his own very successful Italian restaurant called Sofia’s Broadbeach QLD. His Mum Theresa beamed with pride as she explained “It changed the course of his life forever; he has never been so happy, and we are so proud of him”

Over the past few years we are all aware that our industry has faced some serious struggles.

Especially in regard to attracting young people into our industry. Both Kelly and I have heard it all over the past 3 years on our journey with Piloroo.

We have been told “They just don’t look the part” “They don’t have the right attitude” “They don’t have the right work ethic, or don’t wear the right clothes or have the right hair” Let’s be clear! They don’t have many of these attributes when they start day on day one at a Merivale location either! Merivale’s employment customer training is world class or they are trained to become the right fit for their brand, at numerous opportunities across their locations.

Imagine the impact it would have on your business if you and your team could radically improve the on-boarding and training system for new team members?

For decades our industry has targeted the people that dropped out of school, and then complain why they leave or fail. We have also been told “They don’t really want to pursue a career in hairdressing, in fact they don’t really show an interest in anything” As a father of 3 children, 15-16 years of age is a very challenging time for most kids. There are obviously a few exceptions to this rule. But most are struggling with their own self-confidence, let alone massage a complete strangers head to the salon owners’ satisfaction.

is what we are up against on the pay scale. Imagine if we could pay wages like this, just imagine who would possibly join us.

The minimum we should be paying assistants is $28 an hour. Just like in the hospitality industry.

That’s a big leap especially compared to the wages in other countries like USA where the minimum wage is $6- $9 dollars per hour. Or sometimes £5£8 per hour in the UK. Remember this is a global skills shortage, it’s not just an Australian problem. Maybe it’s time we lead the way, just like Australia & NZ has done with the global pandemic!

A few years ago, Piloroo conducted a survey on how people became involved in our industry “Did you grow up always wanting to be hairdresser?”

Or “Did you just fall into the industry by chance?”

The data came back - 45% fell into it. That’s nearly half our industry had no idea they wanted to be hairdressers. We need to keep chasing the lost 45+%. Just like we chase our KPI’s with retail & rebooking’s etc.

We need to continue to find new and exciting ways to attract the right people into our industry, just like the hospitality industry.

My friend’s daughter is 14 years old and working after school at McDonalds and earning $16.60 per hour.

You can’t change the entire industry on your own, but you can change your salon. What are the top 3 three things that you and your team could consider doing to make a hairdressing career in your salon more attractive to potential employees?

My eldest daughter’s ex-boyfriend took a part time job at our local golf club behind the bar. On a Sunday he is being paid over $50 per hour… This

Maybe attracting people looking for work while studying at university is one, just like Sarah Laidlaw?

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BLOG SPOT. ARE YOU LIVING IN A COMMUNICATION BUBBLE?

BY DARIO COTRONEO With this BLOG I wanted to share my learnings in Interpersonal Skills.

As hairdressers we need to learn the technical part of hairdressing (skills) and we also need to communicate effectively to build great relations with our clientele for long term growth. When we master both we hit the “jackpot”. We retain and grow our clientele because we are producing great work but more importantly, our client enjoys “connecting” with us on a personal level, which ultimately creates a great advocate for you and your business.

Interpersonal skills matter because none of us live in a bubble (some of us choose to). In our industry, we have to communicate and interact with clients on an hourly basis. Good interpersonal skills make the interactions with them smoother and more pleasant, they allow us to build better and longerlasting relationships at work and in life.

It is no exaggeration to say that interpersonal skills are the foundation for success in life.

Hairdressers with strong interpersonal skills work well with clients, and the salon team. It is therefore worth spending time developing really good interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal skills are sometimes referred to as “social skills” or “life skills” that we use every day when we communicate and interact with people.

They include a wide range of skills, but particularly communication skills such as listening and effective speaking. They also include the ability to control and manage your emotions.

You can improve your interpersonal skills by developing your awareness of how you interact with others and practising your skills everyday (it’s a work in progress).

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You already have Interpersonal Skills which you have been developing since childhood, usually subconsciously. Interpersonal skills often become so natural that we take them for granted, never thinking about how we communicate with other people. If you have developed good habits, this is fine. However, it’s also possible to develop bad habits, and then fail to understand why your losing clients or unable to get along with the rest of the team.

Communication is far more than the words that come out of your mouth. There’s a reason why we have two ears and one mouth, and that you should listen twice as much as you talk.

Firstly, let’s look at 3 key areas, within our communication skills: Verbal, Non-Verbal and Listening.

• Listening is definitely not the same as hearing.

One of the most important things you can do is take time to listen carefully to what others are saying, considering both verbal and nonverbal communication. Using techniques like questioning and reflection demonstrates that you are both listening and interested in a client’s story.

• Verbal. When you are talking, be aware of the words you use. Seek feedback or clarification to ensure your message has been understood. By using questions effectively, you can learn more from clients.

• Non-Verbal Signals. Non-verbal communication actually plays a much bigger part than many of us are aware. Approximately three-quarters of a ‘message’ is communicated by non-verbal signals such as body language, tone of voice, and the speed at which you speak. These non-verbal signals reinforce or contradict the message of our words and are much harder to fake than words. They are therefore a much more reliable signal. Learning to read body language is a vital part of communication.

Once you are confident in your listening, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, you can move on to more advanced areas around communication, such as becoming more effective in how you speak, and understanding why you may be having communication problems. Communication is rarely perfect and can fail for a number of reasons.

The major issues that make conversations more difficult are Emotion and Change.

• EMOTIONS: Various emotions can get in the way of communicating, such as anger, aggression, or stress. Few of us are able to communicate effectively when we are struggling to manage our emotions, so the best thing to do in this situation is postpone the conversation until you feel calmer. Remember to breath!

• CHANGE: Difficult conversations are often about the need for change. Many of us find change hard, especially if it is criticism on our work. For example, when you have an unpleasant conversation with a client who is not happy with their hair or service. The thing to remember here is, detach your personal emotions from the persons opinion, listen to them and see how you can make the situation fair and a “win” for all.

My personal growth journey mastering my own interpersonal skills continues. As I learn, I find it easier to listen, ask questions and understand other emotions and their reactions to a situation.

It helps me connect with others, especially my students and it’s particularly useful with my teenage girls!

Remember, “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.

Love Dario x “What Ever it Takes”

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CLOSING THE GAPS

By Kym Krey

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So here we are in March. We’ve survived the Christmas rush, got all of our staff off on holidays through January and hopefully managed a break ourselves, and we’re now looking at the year ahead and getting our plans together. Well, I’ve got one more for you.

February, March, and April is an ideal time to turn your focus to your staff, clean up some issues, close some gaps and really get your team and your business on track for your best possible results.

Many if you will have staff who have what I call a ‘skills deficit’: an area where they are not fully where you need them to be.

It might be: • Someone who is very slow at foiling • Another who does not do balayage • One who just isn’t confident with long hair (and hates you booking it in their column!)

• And that Stylist who keeps sneakily moving graduated bobs or choppy short hair cuts to someone else’s column!

Now in the busy-ness of normal salon life, it’s easy to turn a blind eye and allow this to become the norm, often thinking that there’s nothing you can do- that’s just the way it is, right? But the question I want to ask you is …..what is this costing your business?

If that Colourist takes 90 minutes to do every set of foils when your service is priced on 60 minutes, and she does, say, eight of those sets of foils each week, that extra (uncharged) time could be costing you over $22,000 per year!

PER-STAFF-MEMBER! If you have 5 staff, all doing the same thing, we’re talking over a hundred grand! That’s serious buckaroos!

If you also have staff who continually stretch general styling appointments to allow extra time because they’re slower than you need them to be, but they do not also adjust the price to match, there’s another frightening chunk of cash slipping out of your bank account.

Wondering why your wages costs are so high and you’re working 50 hours a week to cover your bills? Hmmmmm…….

We often just allow these things to roll on and become entrenched because we think that’s ‘just the way it is’- we don’t feel like we have any other choice, but this is the perfect time to put your ‘Action Taker’ hat on and get cracking!

Let’s get each person on your team from wherever they are, in terms of timing and skills, to where you need them to be and finally resolve these problems. This is my favourite time of year to accelerate skills progression, break bad habits and clean up staff-related issues.

Here’s a great exercise to get you started.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT Make a simple list (or create a table if you’re computer savvy) of each of the skills you expect your senior staff to be competent in, in return for their wages. You can create a different list appropriate for apprentices, reception staff and other emerging staff-in-training too.

Now, rate each of your staff from 1 to 10 on each of these skills. Go with your first gut response- don’t overthink it or you’ll talk yourself out of that 4 rating that really needs to be acknowledged! Once you’ve rated all staff on each of the skills in your list, go back and use a red pen or fluoro highlighter, and circle any score that was a 7 or less. (Let’s be honest…. you didn’t employ them to be a 7 out of 10!)

Any skill that is currently a 7 out of 10 or less is costing your business and the amount continues to increase month after month. How much longer are you willing to allow that to happen?

So, you’ve now identified the areas where each staff member is not yet meeting your performance expectations. These are the areas you need to address and now’s the perfect time to do it.

Put this list in order of priority for each staff member and transfer it to your Training Plan.

(If you’d like a copy of my Skills Assessment template or Training Plan, shoot me an email to kym@kymkrey.com.au).

When you employ a staff member, you make a significant investment in their total employment costs. It’s not just gross wages, it’s also holiday and sick leave + loading, superannuation, training costs… you know the drill!

In return for that investment, you have expectations in how you need them to perform for you. Some of those expectations will be behavioural- how you want them to conduct themselves within your business with you, your staff and your clients. Some of those expectations will be performance-based to ensure they make a profitable contribution to the business. These include being able to complete important core services competently within your expected timeframes.

If you are carrying staff who are not yet meeting those expectations, then as the leader of your business, it is your responsibility to address and resolve these issues. You must tighten up that loss of income so the business can achieve the results it requires for the wages investment.

Now is the ideal time to get busy and address the issues you’ve been turning a blind eye to or quietly seething about! Don’t allow those skills gaps and stretched appointments to cost you another year’s potential profit. Make this a priority and set yourself a goal that within the next 90 days (let’s say June 30), you’ll have cleaned up the most urgent skills issues to enable your business to finally operate at full capacity.

Now, grab your diary/appointment schedule and allocate a regular block of time, maybe weekly or fortnightly, to work with that staff member to address that skills gap. Stand with them while they foil (on a model), observe their technique, notice the inefficiencies, doublehandling or where they’re wasting time and step in to guide them with a more effective way.

Keep working on that issue until the problem is resolve and they can confidently complete the task to a high standard within your expected time frames.

You’ll be right on track to make the second half of 2021 your most profitable yet.

Work on only 1-2 skills at any one time, otherwise you can easily overwhelm or confuse your stylist and leave them feeling frustrated and disheartened. Choose one, nail it and move on to the next. Keep going until you’ve completed all of the tasks on their Skill Assessment/Training Plan and then…… update your Skill Assessment and repeat!

When it comes to getting your business into shape or helping you build a team that really performs, there is no one better. Kym Krey, The Salon Mentor, is a highly experienced coach with the proven runs on the board to get real results. If you’re determined that this is the year you finally take action, get in touch. www.kymkrey.com.au, kym@kymkrey.com. au or find her on socials. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn…. and you’ll definitely make a lot more money!

Make the decision and the commitment to clean these things up. Schedule the time and don’t keep taking it out to squeeze in lastminute appointments! Keep at it until you’ve finally resolved the issue.

And if you just said, “But I can’t AFFORD to turn away clients to work on training!” you need to talk to me about getting your pricing sorted!

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CULTURE

By Brodie Lee Tsiknaris

Team culture, or team satisfaction as I like to call it. We all know it, we know about it well when we have someone who does not fit the mold, and we know about it when we have to force someone into it.

Too often or not I hear the comments about younger ones these days, they don’t work as hard or they don’t have the respect and ethics, they lack motivation.... My opinion on that couldn’t be further from that. You see to me it all comes down to the word Culture.

As business owners the focus is put strongly on the outside of the salon and client service, and training in hair. But how many train culture?

You see culture to me is something that has to be worked on every single day/ week. When you work at it that hard, if someone isn’t right it’s very easy to see and you can coach them up or out fast!

Why am I enforcing culture so much...? Because I truly believe if you start with this and have a solid culture that the team respect, enjoy being a part of and feel appreciated, then the rest comes easy! Richard Branson said look after your staff not your clients, if your staff are happy your clients will be... So True!

Younger generations, Gen Y and below, have strong values they are just different to what yours may have been when you started. They are environmentally aware and conscious, they are so technology savvy, they’re snapchat kings and queens, tik tok pros and spend more time texting than talking face to face. So how do you work with them?

How do you incentivise and keep them motivated? Well, if what you’re doing now isn’t working, I believe you should change it, this is the future of our industry!

Just because we were on our hands and knees with Domestos scrubbing floors, doesn’t mean they should.

Are you engaging with them?

Do you know what makes them tick?

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What excites them?

Do you know what they value?

Understanding what’s important to them will help you create a beautiful relationship and culture. Is it time off they value? Is it money?

Is it balance? Where does their confidence sit?

How can you help them? not just at work, but in their own life.

Does your commission structure excite them and reward them for hard work. Show them how to budget, how to make money, how to understand break evens.

This is a skill that teaches them how they can earn a maximum wage by simply being more productive and getting rewarded for hard work.

How often do we hear hairdressers aren’t paid well?!

Look at how you can reward them, this keeps them interested and engaged. I love teaching young stylists how to achieve bonuses and have a very generous pay packet at the end of the week. Is it work life balance they desire?

Can you change their training from after work hours to inside their rostered hours? Do they value sustainability, and do you share that same value? if not how can you adapt your ways to connect with them and work together on something as simple as caring for the environment in the salon?

Do you do formal one on ones or just little pep talks here and there? I personally find sometimes formal one on ones create anxiety within the young ones, after all they are so comfortable on their phones… so sitting down with the BOSS may be very daunting. Can you change this up to little pep talks here and there so they are relaxed and more open?

All these things help to keep them excited

motivated and engaged and it becomes a part of your culture.

Strategies for working with the younger team, if you are lost on where to start; • Hold a team meeting and map out your core values. BE clear on this and create a statement that you put on the back wall or in your policies and procedures manual.

• What is the vision they share for your salon?

• What are their goals both personally and professionally?

• How can they contribute more to the workplace?

• What can you do to make them feel more supported?

At the end of the meeting, as a Salon owner have a look at all the feedback you have been given, do an assessment as to what has worked well and what hasn’t throughout the year and what do you wish to change. It’s a brilliant place to start.

Lastly TRAINING! Train them and train them well, they represent your brand and deserve all of your attention. Set them goals with training to engage and excited them.

Rewards along the way!

You see, the Younger generations want it now!

So, give it to them now! As with everything in our industry it’s always evolving and the way we do things is changing, and so are the younger ones.

They are the future of your business and our industry, so we should be doing everything we can to adapt and move with them. I can hands down say I have an incredible young team, we play to win every day and I can count on them and they know they can count on me. CULTURE IS A BEAUTIFUL THING when its established.

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y a W s e l c The Cir

THE STAFF

HELLO MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR FRIENDS! Let’s talk staff and those universal issues- how to get them and how to keep them. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve been given is to employ people that are better than you and I embrace this philosophy wholeheartedly. From the person I hire to manage SEO to the party planner to organise a lavish bash (pre-COVID of course), to all those people in my life in between, this is especially true when it comes to the Circles team. They are all exceptional in their own way, and it’s my job to ensure they are realising their potential. I believe the strategy to entice and keep the right staff is pretty similar- creating a workplace which is aspirational, nurturing and exciting is going to do both. You can’t create incredible incentives for people to come, without focusing on creating the same incentives to stay.

My ideology is ‘empower from within’. One of the biggest challenges we face when hiring and advancing staff is TRUST. You invest in them, give them your time and yet they can let you down. I get it, it’s scary and many of us have experienced that person who left for the competitor or to start their own salon with all that incredible knowledge you gave them. It hurts. You think maybe you just hold back with the next person. Take it from me, you can’t.

Yes, that talented colourist and much-loved team member may leave, but the alternative is the one who isn’t trained and doesn’t get 104

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By Sharlene Lee

along with people might also stay- forever!

All you can do is commit yourself to find and nurture the best hairdressers professionally and personally as best you can.

With a universal lack of industry up and comers, our focus recently has been around our apprentice acquisition strategy. Our initiation is incredibly structured and involves training from scratch which they love as it takes out the guesswork of wondering whether they will fit in. We make it clear that we will give them the best opportunities to grow and that we understand and support them as individuals. The Circles culture is one of strong determination to succeed and they can see this happening with the older apprentices and senior stylists and they want to be a part of it. Giving them praise and encouragement and showing them the figures they are doing weekly helps them to motivate themselves to strive for more. We have 8 to 9 apprentices in the Subi salon which are a very tight family and then in the Fitz salon we have 4 and are happy to add another 2, but only when I find the right fit.

With a team of over 30, we certainly have our challenges, but with that size also comes some of the biggest rewards. My relationship with my business partner Jess, Co-Owner of Circles on Fitzgerald, is the perfect example. I own Circles of Subiaco 100% and I actually never had the vision for another salon. Subi had become such a leading brand and our financial success was incredible so I didn’t see any reason to change that. However, I had wanted to buy

another commercial property and using that as a second salon location meant that I could give one of my long-term staff members an opportunity to build our brand. I knew her youthful vitality and dedication could take the business to new heights and that mentoring the younger generation could help drive me to more success. I have allowed the mentee to become the mentor, supporting her growth rather than feeling threatened by it, and I will stand by that decision till my last day! The added benefit? I’ve set a goal for the team now to think about how they can expand the Circles brand- a powerful motivator to commitment.

In fact, since COVID I am working closely with 3 of my top stylists as they increasingly show interest in becoming business owners. It’s my choice to develop them into amazing leaders/ mentors/educators/communicators and to think like business owners. As we know, most seniors run their individual columns and to be honest I am not sure where this is going to go but they can see how Jess has grown and succeeded and they would like to have a part of it.

This doesn’t mean I will open another three salons but if it could lead into a joint venture or even for them going out on their own, as least I can play a part in their future success. Getting to know everyone’s goals is crucial and I am at a stage now that this is what I will concentrate on more than ever in 2021.

When you’re deep in day to day operations it’s easy to forget every hairdresser is different. Too often education is presented as a ‘one size fits all team’, rather than as a powerful way to increase job satisfaction. At Circles we delve into each person’s goals to create a tailored plan, which is incredibly intensive and labour heavy, but is proven to work so we make the commitment. The key is inclusivity with everyone given the chance to facilitate education and an emphasis on peer support, further complemented by our partner system which links our Seniors with Apprentices for skill specific training. Regular L’Oréal training nights and days are also a requirement and external educators are brought in for bespoke workshops. Consultations and communication are the key to any successful business, so we have introduced an In-House Industry Educator who runs through the full consultation/retail/ treatments/ above and beyond process to reach maximum results and confidence. The commitment to bringing someone in-house at this top tier level means that we have a unique opportunity to support struggling staff to reach previously unattainable targets with one-on-one support. Our apprentices and new staff work very closely with Kirsty to pick up good habits and understand the salon culture

as they work alongside our senior colourists and stylists.

Outside of education, let’s face it, people love perks. I do, so why shouldn’t my team! So how do I motivate? Annual conferences overseas (will these ever be back!?), coveted experiences like personally bringing out Charles Marcus to Australia, tickets to gala award shows and in-house comps, work on the SHU Crew artistic team, Perth Fashion Festival, Jen Atkin workshop Hair Expo and time in Bali for Miss Universe. Also in this category is competition activity- don’t forget how much of a win win this is guys! For a monetary outlay that you can budget for and manage by working with like minded creatives, you provide your team a huge incentive to get creative and expand their skills which keeps clients happy, and, you might also win! Stick that Salon Business of the Year win on your next job ad and chances are you are going to have your choice of the candidates because it represents opportunity.

Outside of the fun stuff, it’s a serious thing that we do. Managing staff, particularly over the past year with the pressures of COVID and the increasing impact on mental health, staff wellbeing has never been more crucial. We have an HR Manager who works to pre-empt issues and deal with conflict or concerns, whilst providing a safe and welcoming environment.

Everyone is provided access to have issues or concerns recorded to ensure they are dealt with professionally and discreetly, as well as keeping an eye on goals and team harmony.

One of my biggest tips for keeping staff happy though? Cross Fit. Yep, cross fit. It challenges me every day and keeps me focused, disciplined and energized. Plus, it’s so great for the team to see that I am so consistent in my training, just like I am at work. Not to mention I can pretty much kill them in pull-ups! We are all guilty of underestimating the importance of movement on our minds, so incorporate something into your salon life, even if just small. You’ll be shocked at the impact it has.

The best way to retain staff is to make them proud. Proud to work for and alongside you, proud to tell people which salon they work at.

I’m committed to providing opportunities and pathways for Circles staff so that they go out into the industry, under my brand or not, as the kind of stylists any Director would be proud of.

If I could leave this industry having achieved just one thing, it would be keeping the legacy of my brand alive which is why I’ll never sell to a stranger. The brand will always keep going within my Circles family and when it is time for me to hang up my scissors, I’ll be passing the opportunity over to a young stylist or stylists who have the same values I always had. What is a better legacy for a Director to leave for their staff than that?

Much Love, Sharlene Lee

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THE KEY TO A LONGLASTING BUSINESS

By David Watts

Perhaps choosing this topic for my first contribution to Hair Biz is insane as it seems to invoke fear in every salon owner I talk to, but a challenge is always good. So here it is, let’s rip the band aid off and talk about profit, the key to a long-lasting business.

First, I want you think back to the day you opened your business and how you felt...

Were you full of energy?

Ready to tackle anything?

Highly excited and ready to count the money that was going to flood in?

Today you probably realise that the paint was not the only fresh thing in your salon. After many long days and even more long nights, today you realise those mysterious profits are hard to achieve. Or are they?

Before we delve too far into this, I need to make this clear, profit IS NOT what you pay yourself, that is compensation for the work you have done. Profit is the amount remaining after all your expenses have been paid (including yourself.) When your salon is profitable your cash flow improves, your stress levels decrease, and the health of your business is secure.

There are some key steps to ensuring your salon is profitable, you do not have to lose money or simply get by, owning your own business should be rewarding financially as well as creatively.

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KNOW YOUR BREAK EVEN

TAKE AN AXE TO YOUR EXPENSES

Putting it simply you have to know this before you open the doors each week, it is essential to know what it will costs to run your salon.

If you are new to this concept, keep it simple and create a list. The three biggest expenses are generally wages, rent and stock, but it does not stop there, think about your point of sale, insurance, utilities, training, marketing or even a loan.

When was the last time you looked at where the money is going? Not understanding your expenses is a definite way to reducing your profit. Are you overstaffed? Do you have a clear process for ordering? How much waste is there in salon? I look at subscriptions as the enemy of profit; they are stealing your money one direct debit at a time. Your expenses need to be tightly controlled to have a successful salon.

Tip - You need to total all the expenses and understand that there is no profit in your business until your sales surpass this number.

Tip - It is time to get the bank statement out and go through it line by line. Be honest with yourself and make the necessary changes to reduce your costs.

PRICE YOUR SERVICES CORRECTLY

Stop guessing and definitely stop worrying what the salon in the next street charges.

You need to understand what it costs YOU to provide a service. To get this right you need to go down to the gram. How much colour? How much developer? How long does it take to apply? What is the staff cost? Now you have your cost, add your profit margin, this should be consistent with every service.

Tip - It is essential that EVERY service you do is profitable, those that aren’t should come off your service list.

PLAN FOR PROFIT

Your new best friend should be your accountant, working with a great accountant is a secret weapon to business success, together you can create some magic by understanding the numbers. Stop thinking that they are only there to do your tax, a good accountant is skilled in helping small businesses succeed. You can work with them on forecasting, benchmarking or simply helping you learn the basics of business finance.

Tip - Talk to them about wage percentages so you can roster correctly and not overstaff.

SALES SALES SALES

You work hard to get clients in the door, DO NOT let this opportunity go to waste. Building a culture of upgrading and strong retail sales will allow you to maximise potential profit at every appointment. Oh, and do not forget the fundamental of salon business, securing the rebook, in 2021 we need to accept that clients are not why rebooking rates are low, it’s us. Recurring business is essential for strong profit in salons and you are responsible making this a reality.

Tip – A well-executed membership program will change your cash flow and profit margin for the better.

SLOW DOWN TO SPEED UP

The worst thing you can do is grow your business if you are not making a healthy profit, this will set the scene for a BIG crash and burn. You need to have your prices correct, your expenses controlled, and your team trained. Do this and you will reach your goals faster than if you continue to fly blind.

Tip - Take the time to work ON YOUR BUSINESS and build yourself a foundation for future success.

Remember you can have a profitable salon. The reality is you need to accept this in your mind, and: • Ignore the inner voice telling you no.

• Acknowledge only you are responsible.

• Commit to making the necessary changes.

• Take immediate action.

• Keep yourself accountable for your success.

Make profit important and know that if you increase your income and reduce your expenses there will be plenty more of it in the future.

David XoX A salon owner and business coach with a diverse background in sales, marketing and operations David is passionate about improving the professionalism of the industry.

Contact David via email david@ antonhair.com.au or DM on Instagram @davidwattscoach

‘DISCOUNT’ IS NOT A DIRTY WORD

By Chrissy Alger

Hello everyone, I am Chrissy Alger - Senior Coach and new recruit for The Zing Project, Salon Coaching… I thought I would introduce myself, given the provocative title of this article- before I explain myself...

I am a Salon Owner, Salon Marketer and Salon Coach having successfully ran my own Salon business from start-up- NOT as a technician and purely as someone addicted to business… I am actually a Psychologist, who decided to do something different and venture into the salon industry space under the guise of wanting to do more to promote health, wellbeing and self-confidence (all the things we get when we spend time in a Hair or Beauty Salon).

So here goes…..

Start Up Businesses, are hard work. Especially when you cannot do the work yourself. So, over the years I have had to learn all of the business strategy known to man to keep my business afloat and to stop myself from going bankrupt!

But the problem was, my business was drowning.

I had no clients coming through the door, I had no services really being provided that could actually be considered as “devaluing” as quite frankly, there was no-one to even service!! So, I had to think differently.

Not only was I able to scale and grow my Salon Based business exponentially, but I have been able to help other Salon Owners do exactly the same. My methods can be controversial (hence the heading) and are often not liked or slammed in the industry as a “bad idea” or “devaluing service”.

But I am here to help you think differently about sales and marketing and to change ‘regular’ thought patterns amongst the industry… Call me a ‘pattern disrupter’ if you like.

But my main message is “what got you here, won’t get you there”, so if you want to continue to grow your business and yourself for that matter, you need to be open to new ideas.

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‘THE DISCOUNT’ Slammed as the single quickest way to attract a “bargain hunter” or not an “ideal client”, discounting services in order to attract new clientele has often been frowned upon by the Salon industry elite. “NEVER DISCOUNT” was something I heard time and time again when I first started my business.

I had to develop a way to attract clients through the door, and my marketing research told me my ‘offers’ had to be absolutely irresistible in order to entice people to come through my front door.

So, I learned all about “Low Barrier to Entry Marketing” and from there, everything changed.

“Low Barrier to Entry” Marketing – What is it?

Low Barrier to Entry Marketing is simply a way attracting new clients by limiting any possible barrier to the client getting to know your business.

Whether the client barrier to accessing your service was price point, not understanding how the service would benefit them, believing the service would not benefit them, client indifference or the service access simply was put in the “too hard” or not enough “time” basket, there are a number of reasons why clientele may not access services from you.

The Low Barrier To Entry style of marketing aims to reduce all of these typical client objections to make your marketing offering virtually impossible to refuse.

Reducing Price Point AKA ‘The Discount’ The Low Barrier To Entry Marketing Model (LBTE) would prescribe that providing a service for a fraction of the amount you would typically offer this service, is a certain way to attract high volumes of new clientele. It would not be unusual to offer a blow dry for $7 or a colour service for $99 under a promotional offer such as this.

The price point is SO unbelievable, that clients are compelled to attend your Salon, it’s a “nobrainer” type of offer.

But this is where most business owners get it wrong. The low value price point aims to simply have you “break even” on the service e.g. cover the costs. Your aim, is to make it profitable via upgrading the service and selling retail.

Also, the holy grail of LBTE marketing, is that

you secure this client as a life time client.

But often, due to poor sales consultations, underperforming staff and lack of preparation and understanding of the strategy, none of these objectives are reached and the strategy is often deemed “not to work” or as a failure.

The reality is, LBTE marketing with price point CAN be a highly successful way of bringing large volumes of clientele through your door, and quickly, in order to grow and scale your business.

Now, there will always be the D Grade client that attend as a result of this type of promotion. But the aim is to consult and service as many clients as possible in “seeking” the right clientele for your business. With a robust consultation, skilled staff and sales strategy, you will find this your ideal clientele by engaging in this style of marketing.

Education- Does Your Ideal Client Know They Need You? Another LBTE marketing strategy can take the format of resources and education, as you do not always have to compete in the market with price point. Often one of the biggest challenges we face with our prospective clientele, is that…

1. Our prospective clients do not know we exist 2. They may not know why they need our service or 3. They may not understand why our service is better than others Whether you create downloadable resources in the format of a “Tips and Tricks” article or a

document that educates, helping your market solve a problem by offering a resolution is a sure-fire way of securing a prospective client’s business.

Often presented in the format of a “Sales Funnel” this resource or form of education is deemed to be a first “touch point”, that is the first point of contact that a prospective client will have in getting to know and understand your value proposition as a business.

From here, you can effectively “funnel” the client into other more meaningful forms of contact with your business, such as via email, SMS, consultation until finally, they are ready to make a purchase.

What you are doing here, is “warming” the client to make a purchase, as rarely does someone simply just make a purchase from you without knowing or understanding the value that you can offer them.

THE FAILURE The negative connotations attached to discounting services as you would in a LBTE style promotion or in giving away “free” stuff, is often derived from not understanding the objectives and the strategy of the LBTE style of marketing.

Salon Owners who are not familiar with this strategy are often quick to dismiss or deem this strategy to be too risky or not worthwhile.

I had also found that for those that have been brave enough to take the plunge into LBTE style marketing, have had significant vulnerabilities in their business exposed as a result. For example, if your team cannot provide a strong consultation,

often they cannot upgrade or retail to the client.

Commonly, LBTE marketing is “blamed” for issues such as these. Statements such as “the marketing only bought bargain hunters” or people that were unwilling to purchase or rebook. The reality is I have tested it, over and over again and the strategy does attract high value clients, if they are treated and serviced in the right way.

For this issue in particular, businesses including my own that have strong consultations and team suitably trained in sales, we were able to win these clients over. Other businesses who did not have such foundations, could not. But the issue was never the marketing, it simply unveiled a pre-existing issue. That the business had team members who were not consulting effectively and were not trained in sales.

Regardless of the client (new or existing), it was likely that their existing clients were probably leaving money on the table as a result of this problem as well. The reality is the LBTE marketing strategy is “hard work” but hugely rewarding. It will unveil every vulnerability in your business, but the savvy business owner will seek to close these gaps and build a business that is stronger than ever as a result.

For more salon strategy, email me at chrissy@ zingcoach.com.au, listen to ‘The Salon Hustler” podcast on all your major podcast platforms and follow me on Instagram; @chrissyalger_zing and Facebook: @chrissyzing Hair Biz Year 15 Issue 2

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THE MOST ESSENTIAL STEP TO BEING A CEO

By Larissa Macleman

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Do you ever have those periods of time where you feel completely unmotivated? You know there are things you need to do, but you don’t feel excited by these things, and you don’t really know why you’re even doing them.

This happened to me not too long ago. I was sleeping in late, watching Netflix in bed, and was completely unenthused by the prospect of getting up and working on my business.

bringing about growth in your business. It’ll seriously set you free and allow you to fully get into that CEO mindset.

But growth comes with its own challenges...

I started to make every excuse under the sun: “it’s cold,” “I’m tired” ... I’m sure every business owner has found themselves doing this at one point or another.

And what’s worse, is that I knew this wasn’t a great place to be in... but I couldn’t figure out how to get myself out of the rut, or why I was even in this rut in the first place!

I still loved my team, loved the owners I was working with and loved my life, but something just wasn’t right. ….and then it hit me!

The 1 thing so many Salon Owners are missing... let me tell you more about it.

Growth breaks things. Have you ever experienced this in your business?

You’ve just hit a massive period of growth, and things are flying along nicely. Finally, you can see your dream start to unfold… then suddenly, things start to go wrong!

Everyone is too busy to do anything, life gets messy and what worked before now starts to fail…

And that means you’re likely to be once again pulled out of CEO mode and into Manager mode or even back to being a stylist. Your attention gets diverted because you’ve got to put on your Mrs. Fix It hat and mop up other people’s errors. It doesn’t have to be like this!

WHAT’S MISSING? I realised that what had happened was: I had crushed my previous goals and wanted to push ahead more, but got stuck because I hadn’t identified what that next step actually was for my business.

Instead, I was busy being ‘busy’ and I’d lost sight of where it was all going, why I was doing this and what it was all even for.

And without the “where” “why” and “what,” there was no way I was possibly going to be able to achieve the “how.”

Do you ever feel this way?

Like, you have periods where you’re absolutely #killingit in business… you get up early feeling motivated to work on your business because you’re so pumped for what’s to come.

Your business is moving forward at a rapid pace because you’ve identified what ‘moving forward’ actually means for you and you know what the destination is.

But then you have these down periods, like I had. Nothing is clear, nothing is happening in your business and you feel stuck.

See the common denominator here?

It’s the clarity of knowing where you’re going and what you need to do to get there.

When you have this clarity, you have focus and drive. You have a purpose and you feel energised and excited to tick off your to-do list at pace!

This type of clarity is the key factor in

THE THING ABOUT GROWTH…

The reason why growth breaks things, is because what once worked- when your team was smaller and your Salon was quieter- is now no longer going to work.

You’ve grown, and that means that what got you to this point probably won’t get you any further… and that’s OK! What you need to do is be prepared for this before it happens and plan ahead.

It may feel like your team is falling short, but it’s actually your responsibility as CEO to be ahead of this growth and have a plan in place for when things may start to break.

And if this is your first salon or business, then you probably won’t be able to recognize what’s coming ahead of time. It’s OK to get it wrong the first time, but make sure that you remember the lessons learnt for next time, and plan ahead to avoid them.

I know, easier said than done...

YOU ARE NOT YOUR BUSINESS

You’re probably wondering… “If I’m kneedeep in shite, how am I meant to even think about planning ahead or gaining clarity on what’s next?!”

Maybe you can’t figure out what’s going wrong or why this is happening. I get it. You probably aren’t connecting the breaking to the fact that you’ve been growing and that it’s always going to happen if you’re unprepared!

In this circumstance, I recommend you take a step back and regroup. As business

owners, I think we can become so immersed and intertwined with our business that we lose our sense of perspective. Remember that you and not your business and that it’s important to remove yourself from the fishbowl and look at things objectively.

What you need is time to think. And I don’t just mean taking a 5-minute walk… I mean completely removing yourself from your business for a decent period of time (a holiday is great!)

Giving yourself time to think will allow you to leap over those obstacles you thought were invincible and really get past those mental blocks in your head… trust me, it really works.

Again, you won’t always get it right the first time off! I used to find myself in a tough spot quite often actually. I would watch too much TV, drink a little too much wine, blurt things out to my team in frustration, snap at my kids, and think everything was going wrong and that I was a terrible business owner.

But now I’m able to separate myself from my business and recognise the process of growing and breaking, and so I’m able to plan ahead for it. Now, I want to help you do the same and save you, your team and your families from a whole lot of unnecessary pain!

MAKE A PLAN

After I mentioned my roadblocks to my team and we sorted through them, we were then able to formulate a strategic plan for what’s coming next. We met and planned out our focus for the next quarter and even started planning for 2020.

And guess what… things are already starting to happen!

Because we first gained clarity, and then made a plan, we were able to then take action and really gain momentum.

I’m now getting up early again and going to the gym at 5:30am. I then arrive home at my desk with a clear plan for that day and actually feel excited to crack into the day of work.

Larissa Macleman is the CEO & Founder of the Salon Owners Collective Podcast - The Salon Owners Collective Podcast Website - www.salonownerscollective.com Facebook - Salon Owners Collective Instagram - @salonownerscollective

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HOW TO SEE YOUR BUSINESS BLOOM IN 2021

By Sarah Garner

Your brand is so much more than your logo, it’s the essence of who your business is, what it stands for and what your customers love about you.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that standing out from the crowd and showing up for our customers is absolutely crucial. From the way we present our business online to the touchpoints throughout our customer experience, every inch of your brand journey needs to ooze authenticity.

So, how are you setting yourself apart in 2021?

It needs to begin with your brand. Today, we’re drawing your attention to 3 key elements of your visual identity that with a little love, attention and a strategically placed colours and font [we couldn’t help ourselves], your brand is set to bloom its way into the new year and beyond.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE [AND LOVE THEM HARD]

Are you communicating directly with your dream clientele or just sending messages out into the universe and hoping for the best? If option B was your answer, then you need to keep reading.

In 2021, we want you to be so clear on your target audience that when your dream customers (they are the ones that leave you feeling incredible) engage with your touchpoints, it feels like a note from a long-lost friend.

When working on your branding goals for the new year, ask yourself the following questions: • What am I helping my client achieve?

• What feelings does my current brand evoke at first glance?

• What story do my current brand colours and fonts tell?

• Why do my existing clients choose my product or service over somebody else’s?

• What makes my branding different from the others in my industry?

Knowing exactly which rocks to look under to find that dream audience, understanding what lights them up and also what they love about your brand is incredibly valuable insight.

Use these details to start deciphering ways that your brand can attract more of the right people and channel your valuable energy into touchpoints that deliver results. This may see you tweaking your tone of voice, updating your colour and font choice or reviewing your logo.

Whatever changes you make, ensure you update your branding style guidelines too.

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REVIEW AND REFRESH YOUR TOUCHPOINTS

This year, we have seen an *explosion* of consumer interest in shopping local and supporting small business, not to mention the bucket loads of online sales. Consumers, more than ever, want to know the story behind the brand and the unique points of difference just as much as the product or service offered. They want to connect with your business as thought they were connecting with a new friend. They want to experience your brand for its unique point of view, difference and all that you make them feel.

Now is the perfect time to review and refresh your branding touchpoints to ensure that at every stage of your customer journey, you’re creating those meaningful connections that your dream audience craves. Tap into your brand values and look for ways that you can be interacting with your customer more, creating conversation, showcasing your brand’s why.

For our hair, beauty and wellness petals, this could be refreshing your in-person experience with client welcome gifts or a glow up of your printed treatment menu. Online, it could be injecting more of your brand’s style into your social media content or boosting your reviews and recommendations to provide social proof that align with your brand values and ooze authenticity.

For many, this isn’t a case of reinventing the wheel, rather adding some extra air into them, helping them move into 2021 at a much smoother pace.

CLARITY, CONSISTENCY AND COMMITMENT TO YOUR BRAND

If defining your audience and touchpoints is leaving you unclear, the start of 2021 is a brilliant time to start making those power moves and set some serious branding goals for your business.

Beginning with clarity, it’s time to get crystal clear on your brand’s values, mission and who your touchpoints are intentionally speaking to.

Once you’re clear on what your brand is, you’re able to start crafting ideas and strategies around how to share it with the world. If what you’re visioning doesn’t align with what you’re working with, it’s time to do a branding audit to see what’s working, what’s missing and what’s not quite right. Designed for the blooms who want to know how to fix the leaky holes in a

ship, our branding audit is the best place to start for your road map to getting your Brow Brand Game Strong.

Branding in 2021 and beyond is SO much more than a logo and a colour but these elements are still some of the most important features of your visual strategy. If you’re not already working with a style guide, this is a fantastic starting point to help you bring more consistency into your branding.

Know the features that make your brand bloom and stick to them. Now is the time to stop using that colour that doesn’t align with your message, that font that’s hard difficult to read and the tone of voice that is the total opposite to your beautiful energy. We know we sound like we’ve got our bossy pants on but someone’s gotta say it right?!

2021 is the year for every inch of your business to exude your beautiful brand. By kicking off this year with a solid review of what you’ve done, where you’re headed and how to get there, every corner you turn, every touchpoint you create and every customer experience you embrace can see your brand bloom.

Sarah Garner is the Founder and Creative Director of Digital Bloom, an industry-specific branding boutique dedicated to making your growing hair, beauty or wellness business turn heads for all the right reasons.

Visit Digital Bloom’s website www.digitalbloom.com.au or contact Sarah at hello@digitalbloom.com.au

SOCIAL MEDIA FACT VS FICTION

By Rachel Medlock

Social media – two words that have the power to bring an ear-to-ear smile to some and a plea for something off the top shelf for others. Luckily, you’ve got a Digital Fairy Godmother on your side for 2021.

If we haven’t met before, hello! I’m Rach, the Head Honcho behind ‘do you even social?’

We’ll get to know each other over the next year as I join the Hair Biz squad as your social and digital expert. Kicking off our time together, we’re going to dive deep into some social media must-knows for your business and uncover the not-so truths about these everevolving platforms.

“My clients aren’t on social media” Real talk. If your clients haven’t connected with you on social media yet, then you either haven’t let them know or you’re on the wrong platforms. Currently, there are 3.8 BILLION people currently using social media every day and your clients are without a doubt a part of that.

Think about whenever you’re looking for a product or service yourself. Do you often head straight to Google and find businesses that fit the brief? This is exactly what your potential clients are doing too.

If your business isn’t appearing with an updated Google My Business profile and insight into your services through social media, then the chances are they’re going to be booking that appointment with your competitor that does.

If you’re not sure what platforms are right for your business, ask your clients what they’re using and how they found you!

“There’s a secret to the best time to post on social media” Fact, Fact, Fact! The best part? It’s totally not a secret and you can find out in 30 seconds!

If you have a Facebook or Instagram business page, you have access to a glorious feature called insights. This feature gives you up to date information on your audience such as their age, gender, location and when they’re hanging out online the most.

Facebook and Instagram insights give you a solid understanding of the kind of people that are seeing your content and when they’re most likely to see it. When scheduling my social media posts for the month, I always visit my insights first to make sure I’m publishing them at the most optimal times for my audience. There may

be more than one peak in your insights, so don’t be afraid to test different days and times to see what they respond to best.

When posting on social media, don’t forget to think about the kind of people your clients actually are. For example, if your clientele is predominantly mums, then I’d steer away from posting during the school drop-off, pick-up or bed and bath time. They’re too busy for social media! Instead, those times before the morning rush or during the evening wind down would suit their scrolling habits better.

“Nobody will know if I purchased followers on Instagram” Awkward. They totally will. My stress level when I see businesses purchase followers is similar to that time Kim lost her diamond earring in the ocean (if you know, you know).

Not only will purchasing followers deeply impact the accuracy of your insights data but Instagram will absolutely find out (and potentially suspend your account). When you purchase followers, you’re paying for a number on your profile, not any genuine engagement or appointment bookings. It’s time to see your social media presence as so much more than followers and start nurturing the ones already on your page.

Remember, you might only have a couple of hundred followers but that’s still a couple of hundred potential paying customers! Growing your audience should always be a goal but don’t let it come at the cost of ignoring your existing fans.

“The more posts a hashtag has, the better” Noticing a quality over quantity trend throughout this article? Hashtags are no different. We’re calling fiction on this myth and a pro insight called hashtag density is the reason why.

Hashtag density refers to how many posts are associated with a particular hashtag. Whilst it

seems counterintuitive to choose hashtags that are less popular, it’s actually a powerful way of getting your content seen by the right people, quicker.

For example, a high-density hashtag such as #balayage sees your post competing with over 26 million other posts whereas a lower density hashtag like #melbournebalayage brings us down to around 10 thousand.

Harnessing characteristics such as your salon’s location or point of difference (think #melbournebalayagespecialist) can make it a lot easier for your business to appear during their search.

“It’s just social media – I don’t need a plan!”

If you didn’t need a plan, then I wouldn’t be writing this article! Gone are the days of just winging it on social media. An absolute powerhouse for your business, social media should be a core focus in your overall marketing strategy and work in synergy with all the other ways you’re engaging existing and potential customers.

When you have a solid social media marketing plan, your messages become more consistent, impactful and crystal clear to your dream customer. Your feed starts to appear cleaner; your branding begins to shine and don’t even get me started on the increase in engagement you suddenly discover!

This year, we’re going to dive deep into the different ways you can be working smarter on social media and ensure it’s working hard for your salon.

Let’s make our friendship official online.

Connect with do you even social? on Facebook and Instagram and let’s get social!

Rachel Medlock is the founder and creative director at “do you even social?”, a creative digital agency with a twist. Learn more about Rachel and her digital fairy godmother skills at www.doyouevensociaal.com

STAYING POSITIVE IN A NEGATIVE SITUATION

By Angeli Marie Shaw ‘The Bliss Coach’

Although challenging, staying positive and optimistic during times of crisis is crucial to your overall physical and mental wellbeing. The reality is, negative situations happen all the time, and as we can’t always avoid them, we can certainly work to counteract their negative effect on our lives and our attitudes, one step at a time.

It’s been a tough pill to swallow, the global pandemic and its effects on the world. But what’s more heart wrenching is seeing the confidence and faith of people diminish as we navigate through the unknown.

If you are one of them, going through a challenging time, remember that you always have a choice no matter what the circumstance is. You can either choose to let panic feed on your mind and body, and let it grow stronger at your expense, or you can choose to see your situation in perspective, and end the panic then are there.

But how do you do this, let alone remain positive, when it feels like wave after wave is crashing upon you? Spend some time thinking about the consequences of your negative thinking? Learn to surf is one idea, but let’s go deeper than that.

1. Quit being the victim. It is easier to assume the role of victim than taking responsibility for yourself. But by taking the easy way, you prolong the suffering and unconsciously put off people who may be able to help. Let go of the victim label and free yourself from resentment and bitterness. Holding onto these will only block any creative energy you need to get out of your mess and put a barrier up to those that can be of assistance.

2. Focus on the positives. No matter the situation, there are always some positives to find. It’s actually your unwillingness to look for them that blinds you to the brighter side. Glass half empty? Look again, it’s half full!

3. Have a positive support group. Notice I said ‘positive’ support group. Surrounding yourself with positive people will help you stay positive! And hanging around with negative people…. Just don’t. Negative attitudes will just bring you down and be counterproductive to your cause.

4. Retrain your MIND. This one is huge, but not impossible! When we are presented with a situation that we may have experienced before, unconsciously we respond in the 114

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same way that we always do. It’s a learned behaviour that continuously pops up until we decide to consciously change it. Next time you find yourself beating yourself up, questioning your actions or doing something that holds you back, try flipping your perspective. Instead of saying ‘I can’t do this’ ask yourself ‘what CAN I do?’ Anytime a negative thought enters your head, stop, recognise it, then turn it into a positive. At some point this will become more natural as your brain begins to automatically turn negatives into positives.

5. Exercise. It’s good for the body and the mind. Moving your body releases those natural endorphins in our brains that make us feel better, and it is proven that exercise has not just physical, but emotional benefits too. You may decide to take a walk or do something like yoga or a boxing class. Either way, get moving and fight the negative effects of a bad situation.

6. Acceptance and finding solutions. The only constant in life is change, and the sooner we accept this, the quicker we can find solutions. Accepting that changes are part of life, means the resistance fades, and our focus can be put towards problem solving, not staying trapped where we are.

Tough times present hard, but valuable lessons that force us to re-evaluate the meanings we have attached to events in our lives. The power of positive thinking allows us to put negative situations into perspective and deal with them as they arise.

Still having trouble shifting your mindset? Try creating a list of all the ways your negative thinking impacts your life. Now create a new list of the ways positive thinking could be beneficial. Now run with it! (high five’s if you can physically run at the same time, we’ve learnt the benefit of that one!)

You’ve got this!

Love and Bliss Angeli The Bliss Coach www.theblisscoach.com.au

AHIA

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