Latest / Not just a Hairdresser | Presented by Ally from The Beauty Grail / 8. Ash Croker: The Pink Palace, Big Career Moves & Launching Maria Nila Colour in Australia

Transcript

8. Ash Croker: The Pink Palace, Big Career Moves & Launching Maria Nila Colour in Australia · Not just a Hairdresser | Presented by Ally from The Beauty Grail

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Today's episode is proudly sponsored by Maria Nilla.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_01: Since 1999, Maria Nilla has offered colour care for every hair.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_01: Now Europe's fastest growing colour brand is coming to Australia and Rogue Beauty is bringing it to talent.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_01: Maria Nilla was developed with some of the world's most renowned colour experts.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's easy to use, easy to love, and easy to connect with, giving you high shine, long-lasting results, and exceptional performance without compromising hair quality or the planet.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: Want to be the first one?
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Follow Maria Nilla Pro.oz.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Maria Nilla connected to colour.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: You said farewell to your L'Oreal family after six years and dove head first into a new partnership with Maria Nilla, the new vegan colour range from Sweden.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: You're essentially Australia's Maria Nilla darling.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and you're the first to test and trial the product here.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: How did that feel making that transition, that leap?
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: I made a huge decision.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: Very scary.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_02: It was scary, it was exciting, it felt time, but you know, it was really hard.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_02: And then I obviously had obligations with L'Oreal, and I'm such a loyal person.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I always try and have the best integrity.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: So even just playing with the colour, I felt so guilty.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I fell so in love with it and the whole brand, the ethos.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think what it's about, the recent trip to Sweden, it just made me feel like I definitely did the right decision.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: Have you ever had someone in your career call you just a hairdresser?
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: Or sometimes you might struggle with your own internal dialogue.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Beauty Grail podcast, the place where the industry's most curious, ambitious, and creative artists come to learn, grow, and stay inspired.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Ali, founder of the Beauty Grail, and in each episode we sit down with artists, educators, and innovators shaping the future of the hair and beauty industry.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: From behind the chair to behind the brand, these are the stories, tools, and conversations designed to elevate you and your career.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because we all know you're not just a hairdresser.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_01: You're a business owner, a creative, an educator, a therapist, a content creator, and a chemist.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: The name of this podcast was inspired by our friend Natalie Ann.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: Some of you may remember she kicked off a social media series in 2025 called Not Just a Hairdresser.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_01: One of the biggest drivers behind creating the Beauty Grail was recognizing that the industry has world-level talent, but not everyone has equal access to learning from them.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: What excites me is giving every hairdresser from regional towns to big cities access to the kind of education and mentorship that changes careers.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: Joining me today is Ash Croker, founder of the Salon by Ash Croker, also known as the Pink Palace in Clavelli, Sydney.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: Ash is an ambassador for Maria Nilla Stockholm Vish Hair Clubs app, Aria Hair Extensions, and affiliate partner for Forest Software.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_01: Dog Mom to Iggy, Ash is a household name of Fashion Weeks both locally and internationally, and recently made the bold move to launch Maria Nilla Colour in Australia in partnership with Rogue Beauty.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the podcast, baby.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_01: So excited to have you here.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: I know, I feel like it's been a long time in the movie.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: I know, I know.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_01: How does it feel to be here?
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: Good.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: What did you think of your intro?
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, it sounds pretty special, doesn't it?
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you're pretty special.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: Now tell us, for anyone that doesn't know you or your story, how did you first get started in the industry?
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I grew up in Wollongong, which I think a lot of people don't know.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I used to actually get the train.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_02: I started my apprenticeship in Sydney because I felt like if I wanted to do hair, I wanted to be at the best.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: So I started my apprenticeship at Raw Anthony Nader and I was there.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: Did you?
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_02: I actually didn't know that.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_02: No, yeah.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_02: I did my whole apprenticeship with him and then um I went to Valons after that.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_02: So I was with Anthony for nearly five years.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_02: And then I went to Valons where I worked there for 10 years, just almost 10 years.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then I had a brief moment at Paloma when she did the whole rebranding.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_02: And then that's when I was like, I've got to do my own.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um so then in 2019 I opened my own salon in Cleveland.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: So when you started your apprenticeship um at Robert Anthony Nader, how old were you?
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_02: 14, 14, 0 months or oh no, I did high I did my HSC.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_02: I was 17.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_02: My mum wouldn't let me drop out.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: Wouldn't she?
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: Why?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um she wanted me to go to uni.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like most parents.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_02: But I proved her that hairdressing was definitely the right career.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: Oh wow.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: Was he always, has he always been in that space?
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_02: So we were on Burton Street.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: It was like a three or four-story terrace.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_02: It was huge.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_02: Gorgeous.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of cleaning as an apprentice.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_01: So how many years have you been at the Pink Palace for now then?
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_02: Seven.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_02: We just had our birthday in August.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_02: Crazy.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: God, it still looks brand new.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: I know.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_02: I'm a psycho.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I have a great team.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: You would not tell it clean seven years old.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_01: The fit out looks stunning.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_02: I wanted it was time.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's a really good fit out.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_02: Timeless.
• 5:10
  unknown: Yeah.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: Beautiful.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, what do you think shaped you in those early days in your career?
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: I think working for Anthony and Renya, they're passionate.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they were they had such great work ethics.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: So I kind of got that um say yes to everything kind of approach from them, I guess.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_02: And if you want it, just go for it.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: So I think, I think that, like, you know, they live and breathe it still to this day.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I I definitely took inspiration from that.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: So interesting.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_01: I think um, you know, meeting different people in the industry, those that have been in the industry for the long time, it's really obvious to, you know, those that have that passion still, like it burns so bright in them.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like to do this and to be in love with it, you have to have that passion for that longevity.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: Like I'm 23 years in, yeah, and I love it to this day, like I did back in 2003.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: Like Which is so beautiful.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: But you do, I mean, it's like it's not a career that people necessarily move out of, right?
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: No, I for those imagined, yeah.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: So for those that are doing, like starting from their apprenticeship at like 14 or 15, it's a long time to stay inspired and be passionate about what you're doing.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: How do you channel that?
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_02: I think you've just gotta love what you do, you know what I mean?
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like be aligned with like surround yourself with people that are the same.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like all my team have the same values.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_02: And when we put a new team member in, if they're not, it's so obvious, you know.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_02: So I think the biggest thing is staying around surrounded by that, having great mentors, always being inspired and keep learning.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_02: You know, like nep don't stay the same.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I mean, I adore your team at the salon.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: We had the the dinner just the other night at Chizzik.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and they're such a great group of girls.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um what's that?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: They really are.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, they're so much fun, they're hilarious.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um I know you're really passionate about raising the next generation of hairdressers.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: How are you thinking about that at the moment as a business owner?
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I chose, I think it was a year ago that I chose to actually close my salon on Tuesdays um to invest in my team because I feel like people come to certain salons or to work under people for a certain reason.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_02: And then when I was educating for L'Oreal and kind of traveling, the biggest thing was like apprentices not getting the training, is what I was hearing.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_02: And I was feeling guilty of that because I was like, I'm training all these other people.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_02: Am I giving enough back to my team?
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and as a salon owner, as ambassadors to brands and having social media requirements of content and stuff you have to produce.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_02: There wasn't enough time in the in the week.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: So I chose to sacrifice that day of earnings and really invest in my team.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_02: So we do like things from learning how to speak on camera.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we have TAFE come in to them.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_02: They have like one-on-one with TAFE.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_02: I'll teach them color, styling, everything like that.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_02: And then we have guest educators come in as well.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: So good.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_02: So what's the feedback been on the team?
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_02: Well, you can see it.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_02: Like I'm so lucky.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_02: I have such a young inspired, like my team are inspired.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_02: They are hungry, like they, you know, the other day, the met the event that you mentioned, like they said this was they were there for fun, you know, like and they were working so hard, but they they just love it.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that that's the best reward, creating that passion.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_02: And I feel like young people have had such a stigma about like so many owners I've met along the way of traveling, and you know, they're like young people don't want to work, and I think it's just about creating that environment where they shine, yeah, rather than judging that they are different and that they do have maybe stronger boundaries than what we had when we were younger, you know?
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_02: They do have a good balance, and I think I get inspired from them, you know?
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: What how did you go about making that decision to close on a Tuesday?
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like what was your thought process around that?
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what did you like review numbers?
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_02: Did you I looked at numbers?
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um I did look at numbers, but then I also am not caught up on numbers, you know, because we still do a four-day week and we still make the same revenue that we were.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_02: Really?
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_02: So doing Wednesday to Saturday.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: That's so interesting.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_02: It hasn't affected our figures.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_02: I kind of wasn't on the floor 100% on Tuesdays previously because I would always travel for work.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so my revenue that I add to the business wasn't really there anyway.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I just took the risk.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's so good.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_02: And now I have four apprentices that are so strong on the floor.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and are taking.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_02: My business coach is like what your apprentices are bringing like revenue-wise to the salon is crazy.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: So it's kind of like So you've seen that by closing all that day, you've seen that returning revenue.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_02: Because it's like the long game, not the short, like, you know, not looking at each week.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_02: It's kind of looking at it over a year or a six-month block, you know?
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: That's so amazing.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_01: And with TAFE coming to the salon, how does like, how does that work?
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_02: Well, Natalie Ann actually hooked me up with that when I first um opened my salon.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_02: So it was so funny as well because we're in Cleveland and her contact was at Croydon.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: So it was like the lady was like, Why are you ringing me?
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, Natalie um put me forward for that.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_02: And then now that's what I have done for the last four years.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_02: So they do like one online and then they do because we have multiple apprentices, they do like a four to six hour block um once a month with Tave.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_02: And then they do me twice a month, and then they have an online once a month.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_02: And then we also do training throughout the week as well.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_02: Lots of dolls hair training.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: And how does the team find that?
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_02: Good.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_02: It's because I think it's about creating repetition, comfortability.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like, you know, doing foils, getting that speed up, getting that technique.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_02: So then when you're doing it on a human, it's just like repeating that motion.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_02: Getting rid of that kind of nerve.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: Was anyone in your family a hairdresser?
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_01: Why?
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just thinking back now to, you know, how you did you had just say your mum, what did you do to uni?
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_01: It's like normally when I have people on, like someone in their family was a hairdresser.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, we had none.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: So where did that come from?
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_01: Just going on a completely different tangent for a minute.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_02: I honestly just loved it.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_02: Like, even when I look at all back at my school photos and stuff, like I obviously was born in the 80s.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_02: So I used to like go to school with the butterfly clips.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_02: I would do like up to the little baby one.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_02: And even like when I was in U10, I used to colour all my friends' hair.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_02: I look back at it now and I'm like, I had no idea what I was doing.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_02: Like I remember taking one of my friends from like coloured red hair to blonde, like in the backyard going to Priceline and buying the stuff.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_02: Like, no idea, but I had that passion.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_02: I just loved it.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_02: That's why I was like, I'm not gonna, no offense to anyone in Wollongong, but that's why I was like, it became kind of in year 10.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_02: Everyone dropped out and did like hair if they didn't know what they wanted to do.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, if I'm gonna do it, I want to do it well.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna commute to Sydney, to Paddington.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm gonna do it in the east.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's so interesting to me.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: Those little baby butterfly clips are making a comeback.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: I know.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_02: I've been seeing them and I'm like, oh my god, I'm getting to that age where everything's coming back around.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: I know, it's wild.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: I'm right there with you.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: So what were if there's no one in your family who's a hairdresser, what were some of those early influences for you?
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: I think like it honestly was just like my instant love for it, and then meeting Anthony because he was like, he grew up in Maria, so he was like a coast Maria?
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, I think that's how you say it.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_02: He's at South Coast too.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: So it was like I bonded with him and then I became like a little daughter to them.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_02: So I think it was like, you know, I was always shooting on the weekends with him.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_02: It just became my world really instantly, you know.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um and then like doing editorial shoots with him on the weekends.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and just constantly doing hair.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, like I was always around him, we were always just doing hair.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: So then it became kind of my world, you know.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_02: And then as I became 18, um, and then I moved to Sydney and it just can it can like it still consumes my life.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like I just love it.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_02: So I think it was just being around that passion.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_02: He was so big, like big on education as well.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: We used to do like training Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then I would kind of assist him on most weekends.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 13:46
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• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: So when did you realize that hair was your thing and you had a successful career and salon?
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: Like there might have been multiple.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there was there, I feel multiple.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_02: I think probably when I went to Valons and kind of stood out there because they're all so talented.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it was kind of Ranya spotting me in that kind of crowd of people because there were so many staff.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then I quickly, like I think three weeks in from working for her, we were already traveling together.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_02: So then I think it was like, oh, I've kind of got this.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: So like within three weeks, you're like her first assistant, essentially.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and then I started colouring for her.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_02: So I would do a lot of the colours, I would assist her um on our like well-ish trade shows, going around G H D.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_02: She was with G H D then too.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, it was just go time.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: And what about a moment when you realized like when you're on that part of your journey with the Pink Palace?
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_02: I think it was like my decision to go there to the Pink Palace.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_02: It's like Lover Fairy.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know, it's like renamed Pink Palace.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um the salon.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_02: I think it was I actually used to go to Venustis.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_02: So this amazing, I don't know if you've ever heard of it, it's in Paddington.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, Jeannie, the owner, is an incredible, like energy kind of guru.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_02: Lots of like famous people go there now.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_02: But she, when I was at Paloma, she just kept picking up on my energy and was like, you need to create a mood board.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, no, not a clevoyant, more like a shaman yes.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: I think she wears many hats, to be honest.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_02: As my boyfriend would say, woo-woo, like a bit woo-woo.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but she was like, you need to create a mood board, like and visualize it.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_02: And then I actually opened the salon in 2019 and it looks nothing like it does now.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like I've renovated the salon three times.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um I just assumed it opened like as no, I was actually showing my partner the photos the other day that had like um flamingo wallpaper.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_02: It was like, and it was only half the salon.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: I need to see some of these.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I opened as an OM with OM.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and you're an ambassador then.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I was an ambassador for them, and it was like half the size.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_02: And then in the first six months, it was so busy, and then the old COVID came.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then with the regulations and the laws, and and that was just such a crazy time.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then I took the risk and I extended.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_02: So I took an apartment.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that was an apartment.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_02: So then we cut through, and then that's when I did that pink, and then I was like, I need to change the front.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_02: So then we did it that all again.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: I need those photos.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'll show you though.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_01: I can't believe this.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_01: I just assumed it opened.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_01: Like I knew you had expanded because we talked about this with your landlord and things.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: So I knew it expanded, but I didn't realize you'd actually gone through a few like mini refurbs.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, you would like I was laughing because I used to have like a pink neon sign that said the salon.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_02: I can imagine.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_02: They were very untrainable on that.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_02: I know, but it was very different.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we like I literally opened the salon with only two chairs, and then there was four processing chairs.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_02: So now we have like 12, I think even more than 12.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: We have eight and then six.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um I don't have my vish to help me calculate.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then we have six at the back, so yeah, it's it's way bigger.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, and it's so beautiful out the back, like with the outdoor deck and the natural light and yeah, it's it's it's where it needs to be.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_02: But my mood board actually had all the pink shaping, so all like kind of like tunnel shapes and and cones, and that's kind of where I think all the like animation of like the arched windows and everything like that all came from.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, oh my gosh, I need to see those photos.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_01: So let's talk a bit about some of the behind the scenes truths.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_01: I think um, from the outside looking in, a lot of people can look at someone like you in the industry and think they're an overnight success, but that's never the case.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_01: So, what were some of those challenges that you faced when growing in your career or scaling your business, like content, education, clientele that you can share with us?
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_02: I think the hardest thing is like, you know, when you work for someone, you can be so close to them and they're like kind of your world.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_02: And then say if you've outgrown that space or that journey, you know, things change and motivations and inspiration changes.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's really hard for what's been hard for me is like giving up those relationships because when I've resigned, those relationships have kind of ended.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I think, you know, you try and do everything the right way.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that that's what's hard.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_02: Like you you're in these worlds, and then for you to move on to a different world, you kind of leave that one behind.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that that's what's hard.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_01: As in more so when you've moved on from places or when you're gonna be able to do that.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think also like moved on from Ash.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_02: Oh no, my team, I'm very what's happened to me in the past, I don't ever treat like that to my staff.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it's just kind of that letting go, losing those like relationships and mentors that you've had for like you know, 10 years, five years, who they help mold you to who you are, you know?
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I think that's a hard thing because it's like you you're constantly stepping to grow up.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_02: And then, you know, that comes sometimes with a bit of isolation.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: And there's a lot of like deep relationships as well.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, I feel like hairdressers are really passionate.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_02: But then we it is can be a little bit of a toxic industry as well when you know you want to move on.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: But I feel like now that's kind of hopefully changing a little bit because everyone has the right to kind of create their own dream.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, totally.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: It is hard because you work so closely, there's like so much you do too.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_02: And you don't want to let people down, you know, like you but then you want to move on.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_01: I think as well, there's like so many complexities to manage in the relationship when you are moving on, like how you have the conversation and then how that's received, and then yeah, there's a lot of emotion around people moving on for sure.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_01: I also wonder, you know, having come from corporate, you know, people moving on is just a part of business.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's a part of any business.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: But like sometimes you don't have some examples of like someone who's done it well by both parties.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_01: So because you haven't seen or experienced that, it can be hard to navigate.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_02: I also think it's just you, as you said, like you become a family.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_02: And then it's like, you know, like you're it's like a breakup.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_02: And then and then I get it.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, I went up to Anthony Nader a couple of like months ago at a hair awards, and I was like, can we be friends now?
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_02: Like as it's been so long.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, like I get it.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_02: Like I get it.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_02: I've had staff that have been with me for years that have moved on.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um but you know, I feel like yeah, yeah.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_01: It's hard, hard for sure.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um now this year has been a huge year for you.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you said farewell to your L'Oreal family after six years and dove headfirst into a new partnership with Maria Nilla, the new vegan colour range from Sweden.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_01: You're essentially Australia's Maria Nilla darling.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and you're the first to test and trial the product.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_01: How did that feel making that transition, that leap?
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_01: I made a huge decision.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: Very scary.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_02: It was scary.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_02: It was exciting.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_02: It felt time.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, it was really hard.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_02: And then I obviously had obligations with L'Oreal, and I'm such a loyal person.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I always try and have the best integrity.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_02: So even just playing with the colour, I felt so guilty.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I fell so in love with it and the whole brand, the ethos.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think what it's about, the recent trip to Sweden, it just made me feel like I definitely did the right decision.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_01: It must have been one that you mulled over for a while.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: I would go back and forth, back and forth.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but then I had to really go to my core.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, there was a lot of changes within L'Oreal, like they had discontinued some like bleachers and things like that.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_02: And I specialise in freehand painting.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_02: So I couldn't really do that with the products that they had.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_02: And Marie Nilla has a beliage bleach.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_02: So then I kind of was like, Well, I need to channel my artistry, not my me as a businesswoman.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_02: And kind of go, well, what makes me happy every single day on the floor?
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, especially as a colourist.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_02: And at the at the end of the day, I might have all these other hats, but doing hair and doing colour is what like makes my heart sing.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_02: Were you nervous about shitting myself?
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_02: Like I cried.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_02: It was it was hard.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_02: And I love everyone in L'Oreal, and I'm super grateful for everything that I've done with them.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: And the last six years has been amazing.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: And some of my best friends are in that artistic team, you know, like Kelly, Matthias, and Pete.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, they're my core friends.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so you know, it was like Yeah, it was ending the posse.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: It was ending that and kind of going to something new that I didn't know.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_02: Like, and I was I am the first.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so you know, it was kind of like going from like a big family to like being a single like a solo child.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, growth is always uncomfortable though, isn't it?
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_02: A hundred percent.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_02: But I'm excited.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_01: So excited.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm really, really excited.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so exciting.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_01: Tell us about Sweden because you and Tanya from Rogue.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_01: You went over to Sweden, you've been to Marie Nilla's head office.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: The production.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: We went everywhere.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: So we started in Stockholm.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_02: So we went to the house of Maria Nilla, which is a literally, it's like I was born to be with this brand.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_02: Like my salon and their office is identical pretty much.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_02: And it's so crazy.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_02: They're all sage green and I'm all pink.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: So it felt very at home.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so we met the team, then we went to Helsingberg.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_02: So then they had their like big event, their annual event.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we did that, went to the factory, um, got to pick all the amazing brains of the creators of the colour and the team, and I got to make my own shampoo, which was super exciting.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_02: So cool.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_02: It was really, really cool.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then I got to play with more of the colour range that I hadn't got to use yet.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then we went to Copenhagen.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_02: So it was a big 10 days.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it was amazing, full immersion.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: So exciting.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_01: Have you been to Sweden before?
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it was really cool.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_02: They're chic there.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_01: So chic.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_01: So chic.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_01: Is it just everyone blonde over there or really light?
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_01: Light faces.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like everyone's a level eight and above.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, I would love to paint the hair here.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_02: Like I just did.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's like perfect, creamy blonde hair.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_02: And was there some kind of um show?
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, they did a big show.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_02: So they had an education day with some artists.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_02: So then I got to go to like a global ambassador, you know, which was really cool.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and they have some incredible people using the brand for such a new, like the colour lane colour range has only been out for two years.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and even their acidic colour only got launched this February.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_02: So even though the brand's been out since 1999, it's had a huge resurgence.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_02: Like Zara Larson's hairdresser, like he's part of the global ambassador team.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_02: There's some really cool people.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_00: So cool.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_02: So then we did that, and then some of them presented, and then they did like a an amazing, like kind of night.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_02: It was really fun.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: Amazing.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_01: So with the making your custom shampoo, is that like a standard thing or no?
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_02: They actually said that normally they only let people do the fragrances, but I was really into it.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_02: So they're like, the lady was like, You're a pro, I'll just let you.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_02: But it was so interesting of like how it starts out at water, then how you add certain things and the temperature.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_02: And it was it was fascinating.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_01: Today's episode is proudly sponsored by Natalie Ann Haircare.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: When you spent years perfecting your craft and educating the industry, you don't just put your name on any product, you create something that reflects everything you stand for.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's exactly what Natalie Ann has done: a professional hair care range built on real expertise, designed for stylists who demand results and clients who expect the best.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_01: And her latest launch, the sleek and smooth range, a smoothing balm and styling brush made for the flawless slick back styles.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: No flyaways, no crunch, just polished perfection.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: Discover the full NA range at Natalieanne.com.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: I actually love the fragrance of Marinella.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like it's just the perfect amount of fragrance.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_02: Well, it's not overpowering.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that that's all because it's natural natural kind of, you know, it's derived.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_02: It's not overly perfumed.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's and all yeah, it's heaven.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_01: But it's not like barkey.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_01: Do you know what I mean?
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_01: Like natural as in like barkey and sandalwoody.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_02: No, well, it's all like floral and kind of like pomegranate and and fresh.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: So beautiful.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_01: So how long were you over there for with Tanya?
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_01: Ten days.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: In and out.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_01: What a whirlwind trip.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_01: It was unreal.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_01: So when does the maria Nilla colour officially launch?
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_02: March 2027.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_02: So we the salon goes full marineella, I think, next week.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_02: So we've been dabbling, obviously, but new shelves are going up and it will be all pink.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_02: Oh.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_02: So the tubes are pink.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_01: Are they?
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_02: The colours you're like, it's so good.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_02: Because I hate an ugly colour shelf.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_02: And our colour shelf in our salon is so exposed.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_02: So this is literally like the marineilla shelves are like perspective with pink.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like I I can't.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm so excited.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_02: It's just meant to be.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like pastel blue and pink is like the kind of core colouring for the range.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_02: Amazing.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_02: Super chic.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_01: So because you're a local, you're a national and a global for marine Elliot?
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, TBC.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_02: Did I just no?
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: You're like, I can't tell.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: I can't.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: I can't.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's all very new.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, yeah.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_01: Exclusive here people.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um so when we had our dinner at Chisit, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was sure that the rogue team said that some of them haven't even trialed the colour product.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_01: They were literally the first person to trial.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_02: So the event that we did last week at the salon, was it last week?
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_02: Was basically to invite some people that are interested in the product to showcase what it can do.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_02: So there was hairdressers from around Australia that came.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_02: I presented some models.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, the education team that were there was the first time some of them have um touched it.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_01: Because you've you've obviously um who's Anthony Nader with colour brand wise?
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: Can't remember.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_01: I would have no idea.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_01: So Villon's Weller, you're with OM for a while.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I've done Weller.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_02: I think Anthony when I left him was Goldwell.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_02: Then Weller with Renya, OM.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_02: And then I was like a little bit with um Kevin Murphy at Paloma.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_01: L'Oreal for a really long time.
• 30:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_01: And now Marie Nella.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_01: How does it feel as an ambassador, an educator, a salon owner, like making that change colour brand wise?
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's always obviously always like a big risk, you know, because you've got to think of like, will your team adapted if you like like A, it has to perform, then you have to think of as a business owner the cost.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_02: And then you've got to then think of how the team are gonna take the change.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_02: My team is super adaptable and excited.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_02: Like they were just really excited.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_02: They think the packaging is just heaven.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_02: So they were like, we can't wait.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, I think performance obviously and being a like when I first opened my salon and going to OM, it was always my core value to kind of have ammonia free.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um and even using L'Oreal, most of our permanent colour range that we had in the salon was like all ammonia free.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so coming to now Marie Nilla, I kind of feel like I've done this whole journey, but I'm like where I am meant to be, if that makes sense.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_02: Like I feel like I've learned so much over the last seven years and everything, but it was kind of I don't want to say Marie Nilla's like OM, but it's kind of like that their values and the environment and everything like that very much align.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um so it kind of feels like I'm now back where I kind of started in a way, but feeling more aligned and comfortable with who I'm with.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_02: Does that make sense?
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, totally.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_01: Totally.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_01: And how have the team taken on with the change?
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, they're so excited.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_02: Well, and we've just had such great success using the colour and testing it and and manipulating it and seeing if like, you know, but it's just heaven.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_02: Like the the results, the shine, like you can't not love it.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_01: And you're also very technical colourists as well.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_01: So exciting.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I can't wait.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_01: Full circle.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like there's something about like as you get older in life and career and just like understanding your needs, your direction, and where you're going as well.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, we were talking a bit earlier about you know, the change of colour brand, but also you kind of really dialing in on your work life structure.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um do you think that's been a bit of a consideration for you, like making this move?
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_02: I think, you know, again, super grateful for everything with L'Oreal, but but it did take me out of my asylum quite a lot.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um and now I'm all loved up and stuff.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_02: Like I don't necessarily want to be traveling as much as I was.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_02: But then I felt like that's who I was with L'Oreal, if that made sense.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_02: So um yeah, I don't like I don't know.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_02: Like I feel like I feel like the marine lily is just where I kind of it fits into my kind of lifestyle, it fits into kind of where I see myself, where I'm pivoting for my career.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um Yeah.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think like I've just noticed like a bit of a change in you.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: You're a lot more I don't know what the word is.
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_01: Like a peace.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_02: Someone said to me at the last L'Oreal thing I went to, like you're way more chilled.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_02: I just feel content, like I'm happy.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_02: That's the word.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_02: Content, yeah.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_02: I'm very happy in life and in work.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_01: And in love.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_01: Without sounding like a cheese mall, but it's true.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_02: I just feel like everything's like the team are good.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_02: There's a great flow.
• 33:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:45
  SPEAKER_02: Like I have no stress.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I feel like that does a lot for the soul.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you can be on a rat race sometimes.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like sometimes you just gotta think, what do you want?
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and I feel like, yeah.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_02: I was giving a lot, and I feel like for me, I just needed to slow down a little bit and think of what I actually want.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_01: Like the other day I was talking to you, and you're like, oh yeah, I'm just whipping together this lamb and making some dip for the team.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, oh wow, she really is Mother Hen.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_01: And loving it.
• 34:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_01: Now I want to take a bit of a change in direction for a quick minute because I know you know you're super passionate about technology and AI.
• 34:26
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, you're a um ambassador for fish, hair clubs app, and affiliate partner for Forest.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_01: How are you thinking about technology and AI at the moment as a business owner, like in the salon space?
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I use it a lot.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I'm so not a computer savvy kind of person, my like naturally.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I've been uploading all my like stats in it, um, all my marketing, like Braden and I have been filming some stuff that will come out soon to hair club people.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_02: So just of how to use it, because I feel like it's you've really got to feed like you know, it whether it's Claude or ChatGPT or something.
• 35:06
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like so many people just use it as like a question, like kind of a question box.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_02: And I feel like what Braden taught me was how you kind of put the information in to get, yeah, to get that out.
• 35:18
  SPEAKER_02: So we use it for our marketing, we've got some really cool things that we're kind of using me as a case study for to like show how I put it into Claude, how we then like planned it out from whether shooting our like say social media campaign for it, then how do we then market it to like our hair club members?
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we've rebranded the hair club.
• 35:37
  SPEAKER_02: So we're now called Club Pink.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and we've got like some really cool things coming out, like a little like blow dry membership, for example.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_02: So that got all kind of done through Claude.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_02: What are you doing with the blow dry membership?
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so we're doing it where clients will like basically it's a menu for four looks.
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then they buy a membership, like a gym membership.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like they pay for it each month.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_02: It comes through Stripe, and then they get a$12 discount for each blow dryer.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_04: Wow.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_02: So they pretty much pay for like three, get four.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it's like, but I did it to like build my younger staff up.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_02: And then by doing the four looks, they weren't overwhelmed um of like what if they ask for this or what if they ask?
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_02: Like, so it was teaching and them and them nailing those four looks on all different hair types and then giving them that confidence to get their hands on the floor and build that relationship with clients.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_01: So good.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_01: What's been the commercial value?
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_01: Like, have you seen some good numbers come out of that from a revenue point of view?
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we have, we're still like in the we're launching it.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_02: So like there's like we have done it to some of our like regular clients, like as testing, and it's created a really amazing um, especially Saturdays and Wednesday nights, Thursday nights.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's like we weren't ever really a blow dry salon.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_02: It wasn't really something that I feel like it would be more people getting blow dries after a colour service.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_02: Whereas now we're getting just blow dries coming in, which is really cool.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_01: So interesting.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_01: I'll be so interested to see how that goes.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, I'm gonna go.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's it's gonna lead on to other things, like then all going into like upstyling and stuff like that, where it can be like curated looks, um, just to also make hair a bit more fun.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_02: Like I feel like hair got very just a tongue for a while.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_02: And I I kind of wanted to teach my team like roller sets, like kind of creating different shapes in hair.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, I feel like it's gonna be a goodie.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think for clients, but also from like a commercial revenue point of view, to have that like consistent exactly.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_01: Like, because with memberships, it's like a bit of a seven set and forget for the client and for you as a salon owner or a business owner, you've got that set revenue amount every month.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_02: And then we've created like Brayden created a really cool digital kind of card.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_02: So it's all cardless.
• 37:52
  SPEAKER_02: So you they they just kind of like we'll tap that kind of like a gym, it's super chic.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_02: So um, and you know, if they're anything like me, I pay a gym membership every week and I don't go.
• 38:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_02: So it was like also creating that, like, oh, if it's like set, if they only come for three instead of four, it's not that huge deal.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_01: So clever.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, like, especially having it in Apple Wallet.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, so I'm excited to hear that one.
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_02: We're just in the last little marketing email stages and then it will go.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_01: Amazing.
• 38:23
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• 38:26
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• 39:24
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• 39:30
  SPEAKER_01: So, what do you think is the most exciting like technology project you worked on this year?
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_01: Tech or AI.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_01: So I know you've been juggling a few.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's kind of working with Braden and kind of the hair club and kind of creating that really strong community, but using technology to like like the geotags of when clients are in the area, they get like a cute little message.
• 39:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um using like my forest of like reconnecting, just kind of streamlining all the admin that it takes to run a salon.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_02: You know, so I've been kind of really utilizing like the AI receptionist.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, that's been a great tool.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_02: I'm looking at getting more of that where they actually do, like Aegan from Vish is like is trying to get me to hook up with this other brand that so I'm just in the stages now of seeing that that like kind of answer the phones, do chase-ups, all of that kind of thing.
• 40:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, I'm kind of really trying to lean into it and take my load off.
• 40:26
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I will I also get it to now prompt me because I'm like I have undiagnosed ADHD for sure.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_02: So my phone is literally notes, like, but then I don't go back on the note.
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 40:39
  SPEAKER_02: And then I get overwhelmed that there's so many notes.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um so now I created like a bot which was wild.
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, coming to like someone that's in tech, you like that would be easy.
• 40:48
  SPEAKER_02: But for me, and then now I have someone like each day it like goes check this, do this.
• 40:52
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I love it.
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_02: You know that accountability.
• 40:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 40:55
  SPEAKER_01: But you know what?
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_01: For someone that says they're not very good at tech, like you're very curious and always open to learning what's happening out there in the market.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I don't think it's going anywhere.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_02: So then rather being scared of it, I was like, I want to deep dive in.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_02: And then when I was away in May, like we were in Vietnam and I was like, there's no courses for hairdressers.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_02: And then I rang Braden and I was in the pool, I was like having a champagne, having the time of my life.
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, Do you reckon we could do something like this to help people?
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_02: Because even when I've gone to business conferences, they talk about AI, like, you know, we're gonna be driving this car in 2032 or whatever, but it's no really like how do you take the load off?
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_02: Like, how do you get it to help?
• 41:33
  SPEAKER_02: Practical application for the industry.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_02: Whereas like now I can put my forest reports in and I'm like, where's where can I improve in my business?
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_02: Where's their holes?
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_02: Where's there this?
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_02: And and it helps me, you know.
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 41:45
  SPEAKER_01: Love that.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_01: So good.
• 41:48
  SPEAKER_01: I think the practical application to the industry is what's so important.
• 41:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 41:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, like what are some tangible things you can be doing day to day, week to week, month to month in the salon um to really create headspace to focus on the things you want to be focusing on with your team or in the business overall.
• 42:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I think, well, yeah, because when I look at really successful salons, like say circles and and stuff like that, they they do all of that too.
• 42:13
  SPEAKER_02: But then they also have, you know, someone that does checking the teams like where they're at.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_02: Like this, they have so many hands on deck, whereas I don't have that.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_02: And I don't want to put on a receptionist.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_02: And I would rather invest that more into hairdressers or education or pay rise my staff.
• 42:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like for me personally, I think a receptionist is like dead money.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_02: So, like if you can do all that with AI and have all of that and all that automation with like your software company, you don't really need that anymore.
• 42:41
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 42:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you don't because they're doing the like follow-through of people that haven't like reconnecting with unrebooked clients.
• 42:47
  SPEAKER_02: Then you've got all your stats.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_02: Vish takes care of all the colour, then you can order off that.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_02: Like it's just creating streamlined kind of procedures.
• 42:54
  SPEAKER_00: Love that.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_02: So I love it too.
• 42:57
  SPEAKER_04: Productivity.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 42:59
  SPEAKER_02: And I don't want to do it.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 43:02
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I didn't open a salon to be a businesswoman.
• 43:05
  SPEAKER_02: I opened a salon because I wanted to do hair in an environment that I loved.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_02: That was kind of why the why of my business.
• 43:12
  SPEAKER_02: You know?
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_01: You're very good like that though.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_01: Like you're very clear on the things you do want to be investing your time into and the things you don't want to be investing your time into.
• 43:22
  SPEAKER_02: Well, they just make me miserable.
• 43:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 43:24
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 43:24
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like you want to be happy.
• 43:26
  SPEAKER_02: Like my I have a mentor that I'm Tom, who I do coaching with, and he's like, you know, the goal should be for you to get off the floor a bit.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, no.
• 43:34
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, don't start telling me that or else I won't use you.
• 43:37
  SPEAKER_02: Because that's my joy.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_02: Like I want to be 80 doing balayage.
• 43:40
  SPEAKER_02: Like I I love it.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_01: Free hand painted balayage.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'll be in a nursing home, like doing some sun kissed doing.
• 43:46
  SPEAKER_01: Doing the golden girl.
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 43:48
  SPEAKER_02: Why not?
• 43:48
  SPEAKER_02: For sure.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_01: That's a vibe.
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_01: Pink, pink.
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_01: Pink rinse.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_02: Bring back that like um fanciful.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 43:55
  SPEAKER_01: Speaking of education, then, what's I Mean education has been such a priority for you, both, you know, talking about closing on Tuesdays for your team, you know, traveling locally and internationally for education, whether that's you educating or you going to education classes, what's coming up for you over the next 12 months?
• 44:18
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I don't know.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_02: And that's kind of the fun part.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_02: I think um obviously, like Marie Neil is not coming still for another six months.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I'm not having those conversations yet.
• 44:29
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, we're gonna launch some things, and there's things that I can't really disclose right now.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_02: No, frenzy.
• 44:34
  SPEAKER_02: No, I'm not getting in trouble.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_02: But I also am going to team up with a few of my hair besties um and kind of create a different education class, and I think you guys have seen from me, um, which is gonna be exciting.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_02: I think, you know, combining AI, combining, you know, my partnership with Aria hair, how to incorporate extensions into a business.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_02: You know, that I've grown as a person and as a hairdresser and as a business owner.
• 45:00
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I feel like I can offer more than just a belayage or a blonde or a skin tone analysis.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_02: So it's kind of combining all of that into something fun.
• 45:11
  SPEAKER_01: I do love your skin tone analysis though.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we're gonna really go hard on that.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_01: Like all of the time we spend together, you're always like saying, see how we change that colour and it just like completely changed her complexion.
• 45:25
  SPEAKER_01: Like I love hearing the way that you talk about it.
• 45:28
  SPEAKER_02: Well, even say today with the lipstick, like amazing makeup artist, but like it was a pinky tone.
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_02: And then as soon as I showed you the orange on my skin, it's like so important.
• 45:37
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_02: It's like hair colour is makeup you don't take off.
• 45:41
  SPEAKER_02: And that's kind of one of my biggest things I've always been an advocate of.
• 45:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, and I feel like hairdressers aren't valued enough.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, when you go and pay Botox, you can pay, you know,$1,500 for Botox and it's not questioned, but then you spend six to seven hundred dollars on hair for four months, and you know, you need to justify that kind of cost, um, which is what I see a lot of on Instagram and socials.
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_02: And for me, I think having those tools that most hairdressers look at that, but we don't explain it to a client, you know, of the why and and kind of really give us that strength of our knowledge.
• 46:16
  SPEAKER_01: I love hearing you talk about it.
• 46:18
  SPEAKER_01: You actually inspired me to go back more natural after we were talking about my own skin.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like we'll just casually weren't even doing it formally, we'll just have like a casual conversation about it.
• 46:26
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, I'm going, I'm gonna go back natural.
• 46:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 46:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 46:29
  SPEAKER_01: And look how hot you look.
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, baby.
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_01: Mummy.
• 46:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um that's what we're optimizing for at the moment.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, for someone wanting to become an educator in the industry, what tips would you give them on how to get started?
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_02: A, I think share everything.
• 46:47
  SPEAKER_02: I think the biggest thing that I I've been such an open book, and I think that nowadays to stand out because there is so many incredible educators out there, it's like A, have your niche or what you kind of want to, what you want to be known for.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but then also like share that and share it openly and passionately because I think people can feel your excitement and when you get that privilege of standing in front of um other amazing hairdressers that are in your class, like they everyone can do good hair, but you know, they're there to see your signature or your style or how you think of something.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_02: So I think that it's always good to be open and share that in a really beautiful space and also have fun.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_01: What do you think they should be doing from social media?
• 47:28
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's such a huge part of becoming an educator.
• 47:32
  SPEAKER_01: How important do you think it is?
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's important, but then you know, I'm now doing a little bit of a rebrand and building like my Ashkroker page to be more say hairdresser education because I feel like my salon page, it's hard, right?
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_02: Because your social media, you're talking to like what are you who is your audience?
• 47:51
  SPEAKER_02: Because like from my salon page, my audience is clients, but then I also have um hairdressers, and then I also have my ambassadors like that go on all that.
• 48:01
  SPEAKER_02: Whereas I was like, I don't feel like what I've seen of people succeeding the most is having that really direct audience and and speaking to that audience.
• 48:10
  SPEAKER_02: So if your hair page is not full of hairdressers and it's full of clients, it's not gonna really attract that.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_02: So it's either building that up on a different platform or you know, using maybe TikTok and Instagram differently.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, I feel like it can be hard because you you've you've got a lot of different people on the page.
• 48:30
  SPEAKER_01: Whether it's clients, whether it's peers.
• 48:32
  SPEAKER_02: And you don't like there's good, there's cute like ways to educate a client or if there's a trend or something that you want to kind of use.
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, I think Instagram, your page is amazing for that.
• 48:41
  SPEAKER_02: But I feel like I don't know, you can lose interest or followers if it's do you know what I mean?
• 48:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's like if you're not clear on who you're speaking to.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and you have to have that on your page.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think when we're talking about the hair community and collaboration, you know, whether that's with your salon team or with your peers um in the industry, whether that, you know, was with your L'Oreal Posse or, you know, where you're going now with Rogue and Maria Nilla.
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_01: You're really big on collaboration.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um were you kind of always that way, or is that something that you've really leaned into recently?
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_02: No, I think I've always kind of been like that, you know, because I would collaborate with Anthony and I would assist him a lot and kind of started doing all the colours.
• 49:26
  SPEAKER_02: I think in my second 30 with him, um, and then I would collaborate with Renya.
• 49:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 49:32
  SPEAKER_02: It was like I would do the colouring, she would do the styling or the cutting.
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I think that my career's always been around other people.
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_02: Like it's I haven't just been a one-woman show.
• 49:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I think that it's also amazing to be inspired and around that energy.
• 49:46
  SPEAKER_02: So I I love it, you know, like I love being around like beautiful people that love what they do.
• 49:54
  SPEAKER_01: You're very good at like connecting people though as well.
• 49:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but it's if you're my people, you're my people.
• 50:00
  SPEAKER_02: If you're not, we're not.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_02: I connect with my vibe and my tribe.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_02: If you if you're not in that, like you'll know.
• 50:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 50:07
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_02: There's probably people that are gonna listen to this and be like, shit, that shit doesn't connect.
• 50:14
  SPEAKER_01: Quick shout out to something I actually use every day at the Beauty Grail, the 270X Creator Tools from FK.
• 50:21
  SPEAKER_01: The viral mag safe snapstand is my absolute go-to.
• 50:25
  SPEAKER_01: My phone just clicks on and I've instantly got the perfect angle.
• 50:28
  SPEAKER_01: It's compact, reliable, and it honestly comes everywhere with me.
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_01: The wireless mics are super clean and an absolute must-have.
• 50:36
  SPEAKER_01: And the vlog screen, genuinely game-changing.
• 50:39
  SPEAKER_01: It sticks to the back of your phone so you can use your back camera and still see yourself, which means way better video quality without the guesswork.
• 50:47
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• 50:54
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• 50:58
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• 51:03
  SPEAKER_01: I actually love this stuff.
• 51:05
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• 51:06
  SPEAKER_01: All details linked in our show notes.
• 51:08
  SPEAKER_01: But I do find you're very good at like if someone is in your tribe, you're very good at like, oh, you need to meet this person.
• 51:14
  SPEAKER_01: Or you know who you, you know, we'll be in the middle of something and you'll be like, you really need to speak to this person or you met this person or yeah.
• 51:23
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, I think that that's what's beautiful.
• 51:25
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, why you don't need to keep it for yourself.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_02: You know, there's enough for everyone.
• 51:30
  SPEAKER_02: And what you do and what you bring to a table is different to what I bring.
• 51:33
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 51:34
  SPEAKER_02: So I think why not connect that and help people, you know?
• 51:37
  SPEAKER_01: But do you think that the in I don't know if the industry is always necessarily?
• 51:41
  SPEAKER_01: Of course not.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_02: Of course not.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_02: It can be toxic as hell.
• 51:44
  SPEAKER_02: It can be.
• 51:45
  SPEAKER_02: But I think that we're changing it and it takes people to change it.
• 51:49
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I I think help, be authentic, but also have integrity.
• 51:56
  SPEAKER_02: You know, like I've I've recommended Braden, even though I I knew I was leaving L'Oreal, I still promoted him to do that ProConnect stuff.
• 52:03
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, he's one of my core people in my team now to help me create the visions that I have.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_02: But why would I hold anyone back?
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_02: Like it just doesn't serve in any way.
• 52:14
  SPEAKER_01: So when do you think like what have been some of the key things that have happened in the industry that have really pushed it more into that collaboration direction, do you think?
• 52:24
  SPEAKER_01: Like what's your opinion on that?
• 52:26
  SPEAKER_02: I I honestly don't know.
• 52:28
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's just I've met people that I've connected with really well.
• 52:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, and and it leads to things like there's some things that I wish I could share that um I'm pitching for for next year with some of my hair mates that I've seen a whole, but in the in in the industry.
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you know, I can't do it on my own.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_02: Like, so it's kind of like having that collaboration energy, like it can help you achieve more things and that you can do on your own.
• 52:54
  SPEAKER_02: So I don't know exactly when, but I couldn't imagine it.
• 52:57
  SPEAKER_02: I love it.
• 52:58
  SPEAKER_02: Like, yeah, I love people and I think that everyone helps.
• 53:02
  SPEAKER_02: Like you've helped shape the industry, Braden, Vish.
• 53:05
  SPEAKER_02: Like, why wouldn't I share that?
• 53:07
  SPEAKER_02: Like when Vish first came, I was like, why wouldn't I share that to other salon owners?
• 53:12
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you know what I mean?
• 53:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 53:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's interesting because I think that um, you know, it sounds corny and everyone says it, but it's like, you know, collaboration over competition, but I'm not sure if everyone is it quite there yet.
• 53:25
  SPEAKER_02: No, I feel like it's changing a lot.
• 53:28
  SPEAKER_02: I think Natalie Ann's been amazing at creating that kind of energy in the industry.
• 53:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 53:32
  SPEAKER_02: Like she lifts up so many hairdressers and helps build them and then encourages them to move on if they need to.
• 53:37
  SPEAKER_02: Like with Dom, you know, she like I think having people like that kind of headline that filters down to other people.
• 53:46
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's changing.
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 53:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's so interesting that you bring up Nat because I think that's something that she's so amazing at.
• 53:53
  SPEAKER_01: Incredible at.
• 53:54
  SPEAKER_01: And it's it's not competitive.
• 53:58
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 53:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's like it's that could that feeling of community.
• 54:01
  SPEAKER_01: And like often like posting content or anything, you go to someone that's like in the NA community and you go to their content and you see it's all like NA people all like engaging and on each other's content and like turning them on.
• 54:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's actually really beautiful.
• 54:16
  SPEAKER_02: And you can't create that community.
• 54:18
  SPEAKER_02: Same as even say OM when you look at Jay, like they're I've seen them heaps on my socials later.
• 54:24
  SPEAKER_02: You can't fake that.
• 54:25
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 54:25
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 54:26
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like you can't fake or you can't advertise or you can't like pay to have that community.
• 54:32
  SPEAKER_02: You you create that community because of the energy you put into it.
• 54:35
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm so excited to be able to do that now for Marie Neela.
• 54:39
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what I mean?
• 54:40
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what's exciting.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 54:42
  SPEAKER_02: It's like new, new energy.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_02: The people that are coming on board already are incredible.
• 54:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_01: So exciting.
• 54:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I can't believe it, but we're already on to fast five lightning rounds.
• 54:57
  SPEAKER_01: So, first one, what's a myth about the industry you wish people would stop believing?
• 55:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, oh, that's a good one.
• 55:06
  SPEAKER_02: I think that being success like say having oh, I know one now.
• 55:10
  SPEAKER_02: Having a large following on Instagram means you're successful.
• 55:14
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like everyone's trying to like be the next viral moment.
• 55:17
  SPEAKER_02: And I think sometimes we it's about money coming into your business as well.
• 55:23
  SPEAKER_02: So I feel like yeah, it's about the figures too.
• 55:27
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 55:28
  SPEAKER_01: Now, a mentor once said to me in my early 20s that the skills that got you to your current place in business or promotion or goal aren't the ones that will keep you there or get you to the next stage.
• 55:40
  SPEAKER_01: Essentially, you need to be always learning and evolving all the time.
• 55:45
  SPEAKER_01: So, what's one thing that you're currently letting go of and that you're really honing in on or focusing at the moment as you move into this next stage of your career?
• 55:53
  SPEAKER_02: I think I'm letting go of comparing myself to others.
• 55:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think that that's been one thing that's held me back in the past that I always will judge myself whether and I might not post it or I might not pitch it or or I might not say it.
• 56:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I'm letting go of that energy and I'm honing in on my craft and what I specialize in and the knowledge that I have.
• 56:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because you know, I look at my Instagram sometimes and I'm like, none of that's on there.
• 56:21
  SPEAKER_02: Like none of that's on there.
• 56:22
  SPEAKER_02: My consultation tools, my skin analysis, my um the way that I do things, the fast approach that I have to colouring hair.
• 56:31
  SPEAKER_02: Like I don't do six to eight hour kind of colour corrections, but I achieve um corrections in short amounts of time.
• 56:37
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like showing that um is what I'm gonna be honing in on.
• 56:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, being more face to camera.
• 56:44
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 56:46
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 56:46
  SPEAKER_01: I can't wait to see that.
• 56:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 56:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, what's a decision that you've made in the past that changed everything but might not have made sense to anyone at the time?
• 56:56
  SPEAKER_02: That's I don't I don't even know.
• 56:58
  SPEAKER_02: Would it be leaving L'Oreal?
• 57:00
  SPEAKER_02: I think that because no one really knows where to where I'm going yet.
• 57:03
  SPEAKER_02: So this is kind of the first thing that people know that I'm the Marie Niller ambassador.
• 57:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um so taking that risk and I feel like it's gonna give me the biggest growth that I've had in my career so far.
• 57:13
  SPEAKER_01: So we're in it.
• 57:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, we're almost in it.
• 57:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 57:17
  SPEAKER_02: By the time these airs we'll be, we'll be in it.
• 57:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 57:21
  SPEAKER_01: What's the standard in your life or career that is now non-negotiable?
• 57:25
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I think having integrity and being transparent for me is a non-negotiable.
• 57:30
  SPEAKER_02: I think how you show up, how you present yourself, how you align with with people that like have the same values as you for me is a non-negotiable.
• 57:40
  SPEAKER_02: So it's being authentic and having amazing integrity.
• 57:43
  SPEAKER_01: And kind of how did you get to this?
• 57:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think I've kind of always I think I kind of always have um been this person, but it's kind of I guess being content in your life and then having time to slow down and and really focus on what I want my future to be.
• 58:01
  SPEAKER_01: That's such an interesting one that really resonates with me at the moment.
• 58:04
  SPEAKER_01: Just like slowing down a bit and like you don't have to be running a million mice an hour all the time.
• 58:10
  SPEAKER_01: And you need some of that time and that headspace to be like assess, right, where am I at?
• 58:15
  SPEAKER_01: Where am I going?
• 58:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and what do I want?
• 58:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and like if I was actually to rebuild my life today, what does that look like?
• 58:22
  SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
• 58:23
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 58:24
  SPEAKER_02: Because sometimes we get on this rat race and it's like, well, I need to do this, I need to do that.
• 58:28
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like that wasn't making me happy.
• 58:30
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and now I don't want to be away from my partner and my dog on weekends.
• 58:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like I, you know, it was fun to go to the Calal and live it up for the night and then go and educate or go to Mel.
• 58:39
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, that was fun and and it served me well at that time.
• 58:43
  SPEAKER_02: But, you know, now on the weekends I was painting and going on a bushwalk, like I don't even know who I am.
• 58:48
  SPEAKER_02: Who is you know what I mean?
• 58:49
  SPEAKER_02: Like, but it's making me more creative.
• 58:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I feel like that's something that I lost.
• 58:54
  SPEAKER_02: You got that big space.
• 58:55
  SPEAKER_02: And I feel like creativity.
• 58:57
  SPEAKER_02: I took away that part of me for so long, and it was just like, you know, client this, client that, then then shooting, then doing this, and then doing that.
• 59:04
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like, well, am I happy?
• 59:06
  SPEAKER_02: You know, am I like, am I loving what I do every day?
• 59:09
  SPEAKER_02: Am I waking up going, I'm so grateful for this?
• 59:12
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like we we're the only ones that can change that.
• 59:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we're the only ones that are in control of that.
• 59:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 59:18
  SPEAKER_02: So I think it's like slowing down, rethinking, and then, you know, acting on that rather than worrying about all the noise around it, making those hard decisions and then acting on it and doing it in the right way.
• 59:31
  SPEAKER_02: Like my goodbye and my farewell tal'real was so authentic and meaningful, and and you know, Kat could see that as well, you know.
• 59:38
  SPEAKER_02: Like I I love them.
• 59:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it was just a progression for me now.
• 59:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 59:42
  SPEAKER_02: You know?
• 59:43
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 59:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, final question.
• 59:47
  SPEAKER_01: What's the next audacious goal you're working on right now?
• 59:50
  SPEAKER_02: Well, you kind of spilled the tea before, but I think it's it's to be more aligned globally with Maria Nilla.
• 59:56
  SPEAKER_02: Oh.
• 59:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's definitely.
• 59:58
  SPEAKER_02: You're not gonna elaborate on that?
• 59:59
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 1:00:01
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 1:00:02
  SPEAKER_02: Come on, we're all friends here.
• 1:00:03
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_02: I gotta I gotta launch it in Australia first.
• 1:00:06
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, I wanna I wanna really build that um relationship.
• 1:00:10
  SPEAKER_01: Global.
• 1:00:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:00:11
  SPEAKER_02: I love them.
• 1:00:12
  SPEAKER_02: We've had great conversations.
• 1:00:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but so we'll see what happens over the next kind of 12 months.
• 1:00:17
  SPEAKER_02: But my energy is very much focused on my salon and Marine Illum.
• 1:00:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um so excited.
• 1:00:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:00:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's that's where my energy is gonna be.
• 1:00:26
  SPEAKER_01: Well, 2027.
• 1:00:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, look at it.
• 1:00:29
  SPEAKER_01: Watch this space.
• 1:00:30
  SPEAKER_01: I know, babe.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for joining us today.
• 1:00:34
  SPEAKER_01: We have linked all of your handles and details from this episode in the show notes, along with the link to join the wait list for Maria Nella.
• 1:00:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, get on our wait list.
• 1:00:44
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, babe.
• 1:00:45
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.