HJ OVERHEARD

On our travels we’ve heard some seriously inspiring pearls of wisdom from some great leaders…

Balancing Creativity and Business

“I don’t think I ever strike the perfect balance between creativity and business. I’ll have some months where I do too much creatively, and I won’t do many clients or have business meetings. But then I’ll have other months where I say no to creative opportunities, and I’m solely focused on the business – the retail sales, the stock, my reception team and clients. As an average of 12 months, maybe there’s a balance there?! But, I have to have both creativity and business in my career to feel fulfilled.”

JORDANNA COBELLA, OWNER COBELLA ON HJ IN CONVERSATION WITH PODCAST SEASON 1, EPISODE 3

Growing a Movement

“Magic happens when passion meets purpose. We’re in our third year of TressGala, where we champion and celebrate the creativity and business entrepreneurship of Black hairstylists, barbers, and beauty pros and we’re so proud of the movement we’re building. I am Hair Equity Lead at the British Beauty Council and we need people to support our mission to unlock funding for textured hair education on the curriculum. Keep an eye on our social channels!”

ANTOINETTE ALE, FOUNDER TRESSLY AND TRESSGALA

Manifesting Your Future

“WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG AS A HAIRDRESSER, SOMEBODY TOLD ME: LIVE YOUR FUTURE SELF. SO I’VE ALWAYS PRETENDED AND LIVED MY CAREER AS IF I’M IN THE JOB THAT I WANT TO BE IN.”

ZOE IRWIN, EDITORIAL COLOUR AMBASSADOR FOR L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL PARIS

Don’t be the Loudest Voice in the Room

“Great leadership in hairdressing isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room – it’s about listening, lifting others, and leading with purpose. Our industry flourishes when leaders create spaces where creativity and people can thrive. My advice to aspiring leaders is to stay curious, never stop learning, and remember that true leadership is measured by how many people you empower to lead themselves.”

MAX AMEN, WELLA PROFESSIONALS GENERAL MANAGER UK AND IRELAND. MAX WAS RECENTLY RECOGNISED BY HOUSE OF ROSE PROFESSIONAL ON ITS BREAK THE CEILING TOUCH THE SKY® 2025 GLOBAL MALE CHAMPIONS FOR GENDER EQUALITY LIST

Build Your Profile YOUR Way

“PEOPLE SAY YOU SHOULD BE AIMING TO BE AN INFLUENCER, YOU SHOULD BE AIMING TO BE ON STAGE, YOU SHOULD BE AIMING TO BE IN A MAGAZINE, AND YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR OWN DIRECTION, AND SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD BE DOING WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS DOING. BUT, YOU’VE JUST GOT TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, AND YOU’LL FIND YOUR OWN PATH WHEN YOU NEED TO.”

DEMETRI DEACON JONES, DYSON EMEA BEAUTY TRAINING MANAGER

What NOT to do When Starting a Business

“Most of us get into the business of hairdressing by mistake. It feels like a logical step forward from running a successful column – but we often don’t have credible business plans. So, we either get lucky or we fail. Or we drift into a merry go round of trying to keep our heads above water. Did you know that 50% of businesses fail within the first two years; of those left, 50% of those fail in the next three years? Your business plan is a jigsaw that needs to include overheads, variable costs, the team and pricing. I opened my own first salon without a proper business plan – it wasn’t pretty.”

SEAN HANNA, FOUNDER SEANHANNA SALONS AND SEANHANNA BUSINESS CONSULTANCY