To cool for school, by Aid Tams
At the time, I didn’t realise I was cutting my business partner’s hair. Daniel Torres and I maintained a client-hairdresser relationship on and off for about eight years. During this time I had seen his career go from a retail shop floor assistant to an account manager for TIGI, followed by a move to London where he was account manager for some top salons, including RUSH and Clipso. We used to discuss hair and fashion whenever I cut his hair. It just felt like the right time, so I asked him if he’d be interested in owning a hair salon. He said yes, and a week later we met to talk over the new salon name and plans. Daniel listened and put some points forward, but mostly he loved my ideas. The main thing was that he loved the name and concept for the new salon: Bad Apple Hair.
There was an existing salon available in Birmingham in a beautiful arcade on New Street, and the owners wanted out quickly. Everything was falling into place. Daniel and I secured our finances and got the salon. Everything happened so fast and after a negative experience with my previous salon, I was feeling very nervous!
The doors opened and we have gone from strength to strength – double-digit growth during a massive economic downturn! The CVs started rolling in and my dream of having the best hairdressers all under one roof started to happen – within 10 months I had won the Regional Men’s L’Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy! This was great for my confidence and made me realise I had done the right thing. We have since won it again but with stylists that work for the salon. It was good to know we were recruiting and training with a recipe for success. With Daniel doing the numbers side I could concentrate on what I do best – hairdressing.
It’s important the stylists in our salon know the brand isn’t just about me, that it can take you anywhere in your career. Daniel has a management programme and I have a hair programme to ensure this. My hair programme includes classics that I have evolved from Toni&Guy days to my advanced cutting program called Balance. We are also introducing a third programme shown to me by our new creative director, Harry Denning.
It’s great for me to work with younger stylists that have fresh ideas. It just makes our team stronger and stronger. I get a massive buzz from working with them, and I enjoy model evenings so much that my dream is to have an all-singing, all-dancing studio and academy!
Tune in tomorrow to read what happens next…
Loving the story line.. You don’t realise how good the journey has been until you see it in black & white
Aid, love your out look for your salons very much. It is very much like mine but you got yours to a T. I’d love to do some work with you one day. I wish you the very best with your salons and future as I know it will be bright. Keep letting people know hairdressing is not a 9-5 job. It’s life!