How has your brand evolved over the years?
RS: Really, I think our values have always been the same, but things inevitably change from society moving on. Our core is our people and our clients; that’s who we are.
DL: I agree – I wouldn’t say the brand has changed. I think we’ve stuck with our core values, but we’ve evolved along with what’s happening in the world.
What has been your biggest challenge – aside from Covid?
RS: The cost-of-living crisis has been terrible, and we’ve struggled immensely. Because we’re so people orientated, our biggest cost is people and everything that affects that is huge. Also, when we used to buy products, they would be negligible in cost. Now, they’ve gone up horrendously and are a significant expense for the business. Young people reading this might not understand, but going back 40 years, the cost of product was just so low.
How do you think our industry has changed over the years?
DL: It’s becoming harder and harder. I think this is partly due to the massive increase in mobile hairdressing, with so many people out there doing clients at home. That’s been really difficult for us.
What would you say are the greatest secrets to running a successful hair business?
RS: I think it’s about genuine respect and care for the teams and our clients. They’ve made this whole journey with us; we haven’t done it on our own.
Where do you see Haringtons in the future?
RS: I think it will go on, but it will be stronger. For us, it’s about succession and people coming through – we’ve got a lot of talent in the salons and in head office. The business was never built to have one person’s name over the door; it’s about the team.
Bruno Marc Giamattei, Co-Owner Of Marc Antoni Hair Salons
What are the biggest changes you’ve seen since you started out?
There’s been a lot of changes since we first opened the Henley Salon 40 years ago; we’ve seen the good days, the bad days, the recessions and Covid – and we survived them all. As a business, you have to learn to change and evolve. I love the way the industry has evolved from perms to precision haircuts to creating iconic trends all over the world.
What has been your most memorable moment or greatest success?
There have been so many! Expanding from one salon to five; winning awards; growing our team to include Dan Spiller (who has been with us for over 20 years); and even opening Marc Antoni franchise salons in China.
From everything you’ve learnt over the course of your career, what are your greatest secrets to running a successful business?
Never stop learning – every day is a school day. If you don’t know the answer, find people who do. Be humble and be kind; share your knowledge with others and be generous with your time.
Where do you see Marc Antoni in ten years? Have you built a ‘forever’ business?
The future for Marc Antoni is bright; we have a great team and established salons, so the next ten years are looking very positive. We’ve gone from a single barbershop that my father owned to five salons around the world – it’s taken time and been an incredible journey, but we are in it for the long haul!
How would you describe Mark Leeson as a brand?
All salons try to offer the best they can, but I think our main point of difference is that 90% of our team are homegrown. We’ve got a great retention because we truly care about our staff. The joy of teaching them ‘our way’ is that every member of our team produces such outstanding work.
What have been the hardest decisions you’ve had to make?
We opened a second salon in neighbouring Chesterfield with one of our long-standing employees. It was a natural progression for us, and we had nine fantastic years there, but sometimes you have to evaluate, adjust and realign. Due to the joint extremities of Covid, unrealistic landlords and rising costs, we made the decision to close. Initially, you feel like you’ve failed, but then you realise that it’s the right business decision and separate any emotional attachments.
How has the industry changed over the years?
I think perhaps it’s all become far morecompetitive because there are more opportunities out there. The power of the PR message has also changed – it’s all about the message you send to your followers on social media. On a positive note, I’m delighted that a career in hairdressing is being seen in a far more professional light these days.
What is your greatest secret to running a successful hair business?
It’s all about the foundations you lay. I still do clients on a weekly basis; I love working in the salon and I am known for working just as hard as my fellow team members. You need to be constantly feeding yourself and your team with inspiration, as well as keeping your finger on the pulse of fashion. Lastly, I’ve got to attribute the majority of my success to my partner in life and business – Richard. Hand on heart, I wouldn’t be celebrating 40 years in the industry without him.
What’s the secret to the staying power of Sally Montague as a brand?
We believe in continual education and reinvention, this has helped us to keep moving forward. From adding beauty services and Barre classes to phototherapy for a healthy scalp, we are always looking for ways to improve the salon experience.
What are the biggest changes you’ve seen since you started out 40 years ago?
Wow, there have been so many changes that have had an impact. The biggest would probably be how client expectations have grown; the rise of social media has meant that clients are much more informed and expect results in a much quicker timeframe.
What have been the hardest decisions you’ve had to make?
There are too many to pick! Sometimes, you come across a business decision that has no easy answer, but I always think about the long-term solution and try to go with my gut feeling. I don’t have any partners, investors or franchisees, so I need to be at peace with the tough decisions!
What does the future look like for Sally Montague?
At our 40th celebration, I said that this wasn’t a retirement party! We plan on opening more salons over the next 5-10 years – the aim is to reach ten locations whilst still growing the stylist team across the group. For me, the salon of the future will always focus on great hairdressing; it’s as simple as that.
How would you describe Janet Maitland Hair Excellence?
We always strive to achieve exceptional standards with very little staff turnover — clients become very comfortable with continuity. Our values have not changed since the first salon opened in 1979: we believe in honesty, excellence, professionalism and integrity.
What have you done successfully to achieve your salon’s longevity?
Our longevity is due largely to our training philosophy. We believe it is essential to keep training staff and moving young people on so they can see a clear career path.
How do you think the industry as a whole has changed over the years?
The industry-wide struggle to recruit high-quality staff – particularly apprentices – has been a significant hurdle. However, our brand’s adaptability and forward-thinking approach has allowed us to weather these storms and continue to provide an excellent service.
What is a challenge you have had to overcome?
In January 2021, we experienced devastating heartbreak when our founder, my wife, Janet, sadly passed away. I seriously considered selling and walking away, but at times like this, you realise that having staff you can trust is vital. The trust I had in the managers meant I never felt alone. We made decisions as best we could.
