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Hometown

Hometown

Feb 19, 2025 | EXPLORE, HOME EXPLORE, PORTFOLIOS

Hometown

Michael Young’s homage to his home city of Newcastle was liberating in more ways than one

by CATHERINE | PORTFOLIOS

Over a three-week period in early February 2025, photographer Michael Young took to the streets and bridges of Newcastle, shooting a series of images that captured his love for his home city. This was a personal project of Michael’s, undertaken purely for his own pleasure and without any of the commercial or time pressures he encounters in his usual photographic work. Instead, the shoot was scheduled around the availability of the models (all of them from Newcastle, all of them wearing their own clothes, with hair styled by Michael’s partner Gary Hooker) and, of course, the good old Northern weather.

The resulting images – free of any influence from industry trends or peers – reflect Michael’s authentic connection with what excites him and stirs him creatively. ‘Hometown’ is about what Michael loves and what comes from the heart.

“When you’re immersed in your professional photographic work it’s so hard not to be influenced by what the current buzz is about, how you feel your work ‘should’ look. It’s easy to forget what you personally find interesting when you’re producing work for other people’s consumption. This project allowed me to step away from these influences and develop my own creativity.

“Working without constraints, without any pressure, allows my creativity to flow in a truly organic way. It tends to happen best when I’m working alone. I let my thoughts start in quite a small space and then allow them to expand and unfold as the project evolves. Shooting the looks and seeing the ‘Hometown’ story start to build was exciting – it injected freshness into my art. The process is like an artist painting at an easel, stepping away and then returning time and again with fresh eyes to see what needs adding next.

“A personal project like this enables me to develop my creativity by providing new sources and channels of inspiration and opening up new and exciting approaches to explore. It forces me to think differently about how I approach my subjects and this, in turn, affects my professional work, making me see familiar scenarios through different eyes.”

HAIR Gary Hooker & Michael Young for Hooker & Young

MAKE-UP AND CLOTHES Models’ own

PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Young

Michael Young will be talking about reclaiming confidence and staying creatively relevant as a salon boss at Creative HEAD’s Salon Smart business networking event on Monday 7 April. More information here.

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Tax, Rates And Wage Increases Are Coming. Can Hairdressing Businesses Cope?

Tax, Rates And Wage Increases Are Coming. Can Hairdressing Businesses Cope?

Feb 17, 2025 | DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS HEADER, EXPLORE

Tax, Rates And Wage Increases Are Coming. Can Hairdressing Businesses Cope?

From April, hairdressing employers will pay more in National Insurance, as well as a higher Minimum Wage. In a special edition of our On The Floor series, Creative HEAD gathered business owners from across the UK to discuss the impact of Labour’s controversial first Budget

by CATHERINE | DOCUMENTS

In April 2025, significant rises in National Minimum wages and employers’ NI contributions will come into force, driving up operational costs and squeezing profit margins for many hairdressing businesses at a time of fragile post-pandemic recovery. 

For many small business owners already struggling to keep their heads above water, the additional costs announced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first Budget will be crippling. There is talk of a curtailing of new hires, a need to make existing roles redundant and even business closures. 

If you’re one of those contemplating your rising cost base, the words of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh might spring to mind: “Could be worse – not sure how, but it could be.”  

However, some are pushing such gloomy thoughts aside and embracing the challenge by finding ways to offset extra costs. 

Creative HEAD gathered a group of hairdressing business owners – a mix of employers, rent-a-chairs and hybrids – at a virtual round table to discuss how the impending changes are impacting on their plans for the future. 

Upcoming Changes Announced In The Budget 

Employers National Insurance Contributions (NICs) 

From April 2025 the rate of employers’ NICs will increase from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent. The level at which employers start paying NICs (the secondary threshold) will also reduce from £9,100 to £5,000 per year. 

To help small businesses offset the increased NIC costs, the Employment Allowance, which helps eligible employers reduce their NIC liability, will increase from £5,000 to £10,500, and the £100,000 eligibility threshold will be removed. 

Business Rates 

April sees a scaling back of the business rate relief, with the current 75 per cent discount to be replaced by a permanent discount of 40 per cent, up to a maximum of £110k per business. 

Wage cost increases  

Significant Minimum Wage rises are coming into force in April 2025*: 

A rise in the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over at more than double the rate of inflation (from £11.44 to £12.21 per hour). 

A 16.3 per cent increase in the National Minimum Wage for those aged 18 to 20 (from £8.60 to £10.00 per hour). 

And an 18 per cent increase for those aged 16 to 17 and apprentices (from £6.40 to £7.55) 

*The April 2025 rates represent the largest increase on record for the 18- to 20-year-old rate. The Government has also made clear they want the adult NLW rate to be extended to cover 18-year-olds in the future. 

Q1 It’s fair to say the Budget has caused consternation in the business community, but which element will most impact on your business strategy as the new legislation comes into force this year? 

For the majority of our panel, the biggest impact on business will come from the changes to employers’ NICs and the National Minimum Wage.  

However, the increase in NICs wasn’t the killer – it was the reduction in the threshold that caused the biggest shock. Almost everyone is looking at making tough choices because of those rising costs, and apprentices are a major concern.  

Those with apprentices talked of cutting numbers or not replacing them when their current cohort qualifies, while acknowledging the medium- to long-term impact on their future workforce of having fewer apprentices on board.  

“We run our business as self-employed, but employing apprentices was something we were hoping to build up to in the future. Now, after seeing the Budget, we’ve been put off. I genuinely don’t know how people can afford them.”

_______

“We are fully employed with a team of 35, and we’ve worked out that the rate increase and the NIC threshold reduction are going to add around £30,000 to our wage bill. We will raise our prices in March or April to help cover that increase but our view is that later on in the year we will drop our apprentices from four to two. And the sad thing is that we rely on our apprentice programme for our stylists to come through, so that will be quite difficult in terms of our future workforce.”

_______

“The most disgraceful thing [the Government did] was reducing the threshold from £9,100 to £5,000. That is disproportionately hitting part-timers. If you’ve got one person on £150k, it will cost you £2.5k. If you’ve got 10 part-timers on £15k each, it’ll cost you an extra £10k. That’s insanity. So, supporting people like young mums, who come in at 10am and leave at 3pm, is now the most expensive increase in our labour cost.”

_______

“I run four salons in south London and around 75 per cent of our staff are employed, so [the Budget] is going to have the most enormous impact on our costs. The real frustration for me and other salon owners is that I don’t think the Government understands how the impact is disproportionately terrible for hairdressing. I can’t think of any other industry where the labour cost is around 60 per cent of turnover – we are overlooked in that respect.”

_______

“In the past, if I saw a great 19-year-old, I would have said, ‘Come on board, you could be worth the investment.’ Now I will probably think very differently. I am petrified for the future of apprentices in our industry.”

_______

“After many years of being a passionate employer, it became obvious that my team could walk off and earn so much more money self-employed, so I switched my business to chair rental. I was mid-transformation when the Budget hit and all I could think was, ‘Thank Christ I did that!’”

Q2 What action will you need to take to ensure your business can survive and thrive over the next 12 months? 

As well as raising prices (which can neatly be blamed on the Budget, and clients will understand), there was lots of talk of working meticulously through the P&L to make cutbacks, too.  

Apprentices are in the firing line, but so are those unique luxury extras for clients – one business owner talked of reducing the size of his coffee cups because clients are increasingly asking for more expensive oat milk; another said they would stop offering baker-crafted branded biscuits and go back to Biscoff.  

However, we also heard how some are looking at the positives of their business, “shutting out the noise” to focus on what they’re brilliant at and working hard to raise awareness of those USPs and to deliver a business that is flexible and responsive to both clients and team. 

“I can’t make progress if I’m feeling anxious or negative. What I need to do is take practical steps to ensure that my business is sustainable. I’ve set aside the whole of this first quarter of 2025 to completely rework my business model. I need to look at every single line, I need to take it all apart and then put it back together in a model that works, that will tell me what I need to do with my pricing, my contracts, my apprentices, my stylists.” 

_______

“We have decided we need to be stricter on targets, so we now have a weekly huddle on a Monday morning to clarify our goals – we’re not drifting into anything anymore. We are trying to plan and make sure that every member of the team knows where they are financially.” 

_______

“I will be looking at my pricing and actually trying to understand it better (it’s always been a bit messy). I’ve been using the Maddi Cook calculator and putting it all on a spreadsheet and seeing how an increase could help me. This is definitely an excuse to blame the Government. I can be blunt with clients and say, ‘My staff deserve a decent wage and this is the only way we can afford it.’” 

_______

“We’re going back to basics – facts and figures. How much do we need to make? How are we going to do that? What skills will be required? We’re letting that inform us how we need to address the Minimum Wage, the business rates and so on. I feel you can get caught up in the noise, what’s going wrong, whereas we need to think about what we’re good at, what we’re offering and how we will achieve that financially.” 

_______

“For us, it’s been an exercise of consolidation. We’re trying to bring everything back in-house, which will require a bit of restructuring and like everyone has said, there’s no room for any fat. We’re looking at efficiencies, really trying to work out where we can make savings, while bringing up those service standards so that clients feel they’re getting value. What’s scaring me a little is that we put up our prices every April and they will have to go up significantly this April, so we’re having to work out how to present that to clients without spooking them.” 

Q3 What action would you like the hairdressing sector to take to support your business over the next 12 months? 

It was widely felt that industry organisations are not making our position clear to Government. There is a distinct feeling that hairdressing is not understood, and we need to be more vocal in sharing our real issues.  

There was talk about the need to raise the reputation of hairdressing. The public needs to see that we are not the Wild West – that hairdressing is a legitimate industry, and we invest in our people. For the first time in a while, the issue of compulsory registration was raised and there were calls for training organisations to be vetted and rated. 

Business owners are also taking a hard look at their suppliers, many of whom have just announced price rises. It would be good if those account managers and reps could be there to offer business support, rather than just trying to sell more product… 

“I think the industry bodies that are supposed to represent us are doing a bad job. A couple seem tone deaf in terms of the impact of [the Budget] changes on our industry. We are lumped in with beauticians and cosmetics brands so what’s presented to the Government is actually a muddled picture about growth, when actually if you drill down the trend in hairdressing is a total exodus from employment into self-employment and businesses deliberately staying below the VAT threshold, which creates an unlevel playing field.” 

_______

“The organisations who represent us are run by people who are not hairdressers, none of them own salons. It’s effing ridiculous!” 

_______

“I do think that not having a voice is an issue for us. Salon ownership is at an all-time low. So, if someone is doing a survey of hairdressers and asking them what the problems are, the results are not going to be representative of the issues that we [as business owners vs independents] are facing, because only a small percentage of respondents will be running a business and having to deal with these very real issues following the Budget. If the Government is being told, for example, that 90 per cent of the industry is managing, then why would they take any notice of the other 10 per cent? We’re getting to the point where we can’t train anybody anymore and nobody’s coming through as a result. That message needs to be clearer.” 

_______

“I think we need to register hairdressers. I think there needs to be some kind of clampdown on standards in training organisations because some of them are shockingly bad.” 

_______

“With the bigger brands, obviously, the more you spend, the more support you get. But when you’re trying to support the smaller independent brands, they just don’t have the ability to deliver that. So, it’s all a bit tough, it’s treacle out there – it’s sticky.” 

Q4 What action would you like the Government take to address some of the negative impacts of the Budget on your business moving forward? 

VAT was an issue brought up by all – how a reduction in the rate and/or in the threshold would make a huge difference, although nobody saw any VAT change on the cards. The predominant feeling is that all hair pros providing a service should be paying similar taxes and all should be VAT-registered. That would create a level playing field that would make business ownership and employment more sustainable – and that needs to be better explained to Government.  

“I’d like to see Government give us a VAT that is proportionate for service industries. I know they do that in Ireland (VAT for hairdressers is charged at a reduced rate of 13.5 per cent versus the standard rate of 23 per cent) but I’d like to see it go further. I’d like to see them make every independent stylist charge VAT as well to give us more of a level playing field. So, if you’re a practising hairdresser you should have a VAT number.” 

_______

“When it comes to VAT, [the Government] needs to realise that we are an industry that works on totally different principles to an awful lot of the High Street, and yet we’re bundled in with the same set of responsibilities and it just doesn’t work. They also need to understand that we are a craft and that for us to be able to train and pass on that craft we need better financial support. Through economic necessity, assistants are being asked to go onto the floor too quickly.” 

_______

“VAT is just the killer. It’s so depressing watching your business grow and then seeing how much tax you have to pay and how little you can offset. Every week, when I put that money into to the pot I use to pay my VAT, I just feel like, What’s the point?’” 

_______

“We all know that in barbering there are so many crooks on the high street, and it sucks knowing that we work so hard and are doing things properly while there are 30 other barber shops down the road doing cash in hand and probably making more money than us.” 

_______

“Government has to understand that our industry is labour-intensive. They’ve got to level the playing field. Everyone has to be VAT-registered, whether you work from a shed or from a salon in Mayfair. And I think they need to reward employers that train people, that’s also key. Until that happens, it’s all going to become more and more of a challenge. But I do think salons that can survive the next three or four years are going to be smashing it, because if you can keep your head until then…”  

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“Keep Working Like Nothing Is Wrong”

“Keep Working Like Nothing Is Wrong”

Feb 13, 2025 | CONVERSATIONS, CONVERSATIONS HEADER, EXPLORE, HOME EXPLORE

“Keep Working Like Nothing Is Wrong”

When Creative HEAD held a discussion on the impact of problematic periods, a female salon boss wrote to us saying: “This exact woke attitude is why women aren’t taken seriously in business.” Why the lack of sisterhood? Periods are not fun for anyone, but the fact is that some are hit so badly they need sporadic time off to deal with them. Surely they need a workplace that’s supportive, not one that expects them to suffer in silence?

by CATHERINE | CONVERSATIONS

Hairdressing is an industry that’s powered by women – around 88 per cent of workers in hair are female. Obviously, a big chunk of them are having periods, and according to statistics, for around 40 per cent period pain is so bad they will have to miss work. Yet despite there being a flurry of activity around the menopause in recent years, there hasn’t been any real discussion around how to help women working in salons or as independent business owners with troublesome periods. Slightly baffling.

Menstrual leave, launched in Spain in 2023, is widely derided in Britain as a woke European thing, so the offer of three to five days of paid leave per month won’t happen here just yet. That means the only tangible workplace support for problem period sufferers in the UK – reasonable adjustments like reduced or flexible hours, home working and the provision of special equipment – is if they meet the threshold for disability.

If we want women to be able to work – to be able to function – as humans despite the various nonsensical menstrual conundrums bestowed upon us, we need not just to look into what’s causing problem periods but also to give women the time and space to deal with these things. That is why Creative HEAD gathered a group of women to discuss the impact of problematic periods on working women, to consider how best to manage them and find solutions – and to learn how to better advocate for yourself with employers who might have a similar attitude to our email correspondent.

Cristina Fazzone – independent colourist

@cristina_fazzone

“I find it shocking that we don’t speak about periods. For the 40 per cent of women who have to miss work due to painful periods, it means we’re suffering in silence. I would love to break the taboo, start seeing change in the workplace, and to do that, we need to start talking about periods openly, because it’s definitely a topic that we steer away from. We push through and we hope everything’s going to be okay, and that isn’t the way to deal with it.

“The most important thing I wanted to raise here is the impact of my periods on my work, and how it started to affect my job as a hairdresser. When I was employed, it was a nightmare – a sick day meant rescheduling a whole day of clients, losing clients potentially because of it. But on top of that, there was a lack of empathy from my bosses around why I was calling in sick.

“Things got a lot worse when I became self-employed because it affected my income so much more. I also started to notice the impact of my periods on my creativity and being able to give my full energy to a client. Our creativity is affected by our cycles. We can’t expect to deliver the same results every time.

“So essentially, the question is, how are we catering to women in the industry? I feel it’s time for change. For women to be taken seriously, the process taking place within our body needs to be understood, because we can’t deliver the same efficiency if we are just pushing through and pretending that it doesn’t happen.”

Connie Owen – Cristina’s period coach

@conniemarieowen

“I am a cycle awareness guide. I help women rediscover the sacredness of their cycle, which is the rhythm that we live to as women. As cyclical beings, just like nature has seasons, we’re never the same person all the time. Understanding our cycles can help us be more creative, be more efficient.

“The menstrual phase, our bleed, is when many of us have our lightbulb moments. When an idea does come, write it down rather than pursue it at full force because I wouldn’t advise embarking on a project during your bleed. 

“When you move into the follicular phase, this is a time to break your idea down, perhaps with a moodboard. Then, as you move into the ovulatory phase, you can really shift the gears into making your dreams possible. You’ve got this surge of energy, you’re glowing, you feel determined to bring your idea to life.

“Finally, you go into your luteal phase, which is when you start cocooning back into the darkness to reflect on your creativity and the month that you’ve had – what went well, what needs to change. And you then carry that into your bleed and the cycle begins again. Every phase can help you with your creativity. It’s just knowing when to go full force with something and when to hold back a little bit.

“My advice to working women who suffer from painful periods would be to not push through. The energy that we have on our bleeds is meant for healing, and when that’s outsourced, we can end up being really depleted and fragile. It’s about having boundaries with yourself, giving yourself permission to say no or to rest, because you can’t expect other people to allow that for you when you don’t allow that for yourself.”

Anna Cooper – co-founder of charity, The Menstrual Health Project

@menstrualhealthproject

“I’m a nail technician and co-founder of The Menstrual Health Project, a patient-led charity that seeks to improve education around menstruation and help people navigate these conditions more confidently, accurately and comfortably. Our vision is a world where gynaecological health is no longer stigmatised – society sees periods as dirty, and we’ve ignored the topic far too long

“We’re up against it in this industry, having to cancel a day of clients due to period pain, but actually, the biggest thing is communicating with your clients and your boss, if you have one, so they understand what you’re going through. Often, people just don’t understand conditions like endometriosis, that it causes long term pain, that there is no cure and that it comes under the disability bracket, and that actually comes with rights.

“I urge anybody who manages staff to educate yourself on these conditions, because we’ve gone for far too long with the attitude that women have to put up and shut up. Did you know, when a woman goes to a GP it takes an average of 10 GP visits for her to be taken seriously? It takes an average of one GP visit for a man to be taken seriously. So, we have a huge gender health gap within our health system, which doesn’t help.

“Being aware of your healthcare and employment rights is crucial, they’re there to protect you. Make sure you are going to your boss with accurate information about your condition. Tracking pain and symptoms is not just for when you’re going to the doctor, it also can help within the workplace, because it can show your bosses what you’re having to deal with. Don’t be afraid to ask if you’re able to have flexible working; explain why you need it and how.

“Be your biggest advocate. Trust your body as you know it best. Don’t feel afraid or embarrassed to speak up. Talking about mental health is not shameful. We need to understand that the only way things will change is if we open up. As women, we don’t get a choice whether we have periods or not, so we shouldn’t have to make a choice whether we speak out about it or not.”

To find out more, visit menstrualhealthproject.org.uk

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“We Know We Can Rely On Our Future Workforce”

“We Know We Can Rely On Our Future Workforce”

Feb 10, 2025 | DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE, HOME EXPLORE

“We Know We Can Rely On Our Future Workforce”

Why Hooker & Young have always invested in apprentices

by CATHERINE | DOCUMENTS

“We Have Always Invested In Apprentices” – Michael Young, Co-Owner, Hooker & Young, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Victoria Lynch

Michael Young

“The Hooker & Young group consists of four very busy salons located across the North-East, and I’m proud to say that apart from a couple of exceptions, every single one of our 55 stylists started as an apprentice with us.  

“We have always invested in apprentices to assist our stylists, right from when we opened our first salon 30 years ago. Over those three decades, our apprenticeship programme has built real momentum within the business because we know we can rely on our future workforce. What’s more, it means that every single apprentice who goes on to the salon floor understands the Hooker & Young ethos and what is required of them. That is so valuable.  

“Hooker & Young is about luxury hairdressing, and we charge prices to match. Our clientele is well-heeled, very demanding and expects a five-star experience, like they get in the restaurants they frequent. They notice the details.  

“Just like in those restaurants, where you’ll often have one waiter for every table, we have an assistant supporting every stylist. That’s crucial, because it allows a stylist to move easily between multiple clients, knowing that each client is being well looked after by the assistant in between.

If it wasn’t for the assistants, the stylist would need to stay with the same client for the duration of their appointment, and that is obviously very limiting. 

“Assistants not only allow us to deliver the levels of service we want, they are a crucial part of the process that brings extra revenue into the business. Thanks to our assistants we never have to turn clients away and that means our salons continue to grow. The way we look at it, our apprentices and assistants are as important as anyone on the salon floor.” 

“The Salon Is Where I Do All My Learning” – Amelia Richardson, Apprentice, Hooker & Young, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 

Amelia Richardson

Amelia Richardson

“When I left school I already knew I wanted to be a hairdresser, but I was pushed into doing A-Levels at Sixth Form College. I left after a few months because it wasn’t for me. I really did want to do hairdressing! 

“I chose to do an apprenticeship because I like to be in the workplace. Hooker & Young responded to my CV, and after an initial taster session in their Jesmond salon, I showed up for my first day at work as their first new starter in eight months.  

“I was very nervous, but because everyone in the team had started out as an apprentice themselves, they knew exactly what they had to show me so I could do my job. By the end of the day I knew where things were kept, how to clean down a styling station, how the salon dynamic worked. I felt so happy. I knew I’d made the right decision.

“Although I spend a day in college every two weeks, the salon is where I do all my learning. You learn from observing the stylists you work with, as well as other apprentices – it’s incredible how a salon works. I love being part of a team, there’s always someone you can talk to, no matter what it is you want to talk about. I look forward to going to work, to see my co-workers.  

“It’s absolutely possible to live on the apprenticeship wage (currently £6.40 per hour). I work 41 hours per week and over the last two years I’ve been able to pay my board, buy a car, get my phone, eat out a couple of times a week and have a decent holiday. The trick is to budget properly – my mum has taught me that. 

“I’m 18 years old and coming to the end of my apprenticeship. In June I’ll be doing my End Point Assessment, which is where an external assessor comes and observes me essentially run my own column for a day. I’m nervous, but I know it’s something everyone in the salon has been through themselves.  

“I see myself spending the next 10 years at least at Hooker & Young. Of course, I dream of owning my own salon one day, but I have seen how people can grow here and how much support they are given – it’s exciting and reassuring all at the same time. I am so glad I chose hairdressing as my career and I am very happy I got to do my apprenticeship at such a great salon.” 

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“We Particularly Focus On Consultation”

“We Particularly Focus On Consultation”

Feb 10, 2025 | DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE, HOME EXPLORE

“We Particularly Focus On Consultation”

How Tribe Salons ensure their apprentices are salon ready

by AMANDA | DOCUMENTS

“When people are homegrown, understand your way of doing things, and have been with you from the start, they stay for longer” – Elle Foreman, head of education, Tribe Salons, Clapham and Chislehurst

Victoria Lynch

Elle Forman

“We’re a family run business with two salons – in Clapham and Chislehurst – and we’ve always kept things quite small so we can be personal and people orientated. We have a very diverse clientele across both salons, aged from 16 up to 92, all different hair textures and hair types. The salon is priced more towards the higher end, as we’re an Aveda salon. That means we have a high standard to maintain. 

“We’ve always offered apprenticeships, we need to bring new talent through, that they’re able to learn on a daily basis. We have seven now, and probably about 50 per cent of the teams across both salons started with us as apprentices. It’s so hard to recruit nowadays, especially in London. When people are homegrown, understand your way of doing things, and have been with you from the start, they stay for longer.  

“While apprentices are doing their NVQ, they train within the salon, learning alongside the stylists on the job. However, after their EPA, their training goes further with us. Every Tuesday, I have all the newly qualified assistants, and we book in models for the whole day so that it’s like having a column of clients, and I help them advance their skill set so they’re fully equipped when they hit the shop floor. We particularly focus on consultation. I think it’s something that can be skipped over with an apprenticeship. The focus is on learning the technical skills, but consultation for us is a big one. We make sure our apprentices understand how to talk to people and get the best out them so that they can deliver a confident result.  

“We had a period last year where it was quite evident that people were coming into the industry thinking it would be an easy route, but then quickly realise that to become a hairdresser, and you must do lots of training. We’ve changed our recruitment process, adapting the questions to try and filter out the ones that aren’t doing it for the right reasons.” 

Tripe Clapham

Tribe Clapham

“I really like the social side, all the different personalities” – Hannah Robinson, Apprentice, Tribe Salons, Clapham and Chislehurst 

Amelia Richardson

Hannah Robinson

“I wasn’t too sure about what I wanted to do it first. I looked at apprenticeships in law and mechanics, but I opted for hairdressing. I’m coming into my second full year. I go to college every Monday, and then Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays I’m in the salon.  

“I wasn’t too keen on it first, but I’ve really grown to like it. I find it fun and interesting. Even if I continue this for the next 10 or so years and then change, I will always have this skill. I thought it would be quite easy, and then once I started doing it, there was a lot of standing, cleaning and tidying, but I realised there’s a lot I could learn while I’m doing it. It all started to click for me after my first Christmas – I was doing more in the salon, getting involved with more clients and enjoying it more. 

“I enjoy doing colour, but I think I’m more of a cutting stylist. Once I start talking to a client, and get to know them a bit, that’s what I really enjoy. I really like the social side, all the different personalities. 

“I’ll probably do my EPA next year, so I’m fully prepared. I might like my own salon one day, but I’m not much of a business type. I think I’d rather go into the events side, special occasion hair, weddings and Fashion Week.

“I really enjoy working as part of a team. I can get help from everybody else when I don’t understand something, or if I need help with a client or doing a certain job. I feel I can rely on everybody else around me to help me with that.” 

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“I can’t Imagine A World In Which I Would Have A Salon And Not Have An Apprentice”

“I can’t Imagine A World In Which I Would Have A Salon And Not Have An Apprentice”

Feb 10, 2025 | DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS HEADER, EXPLORE, HOME EXPLORE

“I can’t Imagine A World In Which I Would Have A Salon And Not Have An Apprentice”

Stripe Colour Studio on why more salons need to invest in the next generation  

by KELSEY | DOCUMENTS

“Do you care what happens to the future of hairdressing? If you do, then you need to take apprentices on. It can’t just be every man for himself” – Nancy Stripe, owner of Stripe Colour Studio, Handforth 

Victoria Lynch

Nancy Stripe

“I can’t imagine a world in which I would have a salon and not have an apprentice. The two go hand in hand, and as a salon owner, it frees you to do so much more for your own business.  

“My job is not an everyday nine-to-five job – I do lots of different things outside of the salon and I can’t work the way I do without them. Zoe is now a graduate stylist and Kitty will be completing her apprenticeship this year, so I’ve always got to be thinking, ‘Where would I be this time next year if either of them left? What would happen?’ With them on the team, I can do more teaching and go to places I need to go. Apprentices are the most important people in the salon.  

“I also like to bring them along to events and education as much as possible. I want to get them involved in things they find exciting because hairdressing is not an average job and there are so many avenues you can go down. When I went to London earlier this month, Kitty came with me and was my right hand while I was teaching. I want to show them that to curate your dream job with your dream clientele, this is where it starts. 

“Salons need to show their apprentices what’s next. If you have some fun projects happening or things that aren’t necessarily everyday appointments, bring apprentices into the fold and allow them to be part of it. That, in turn, gives them a better view of what their career can be.  

“It baffles me that everybody’s just thinking for themselves now. Do you care what happens to the future of hairdressing? If you do, then you need to take apprentices on. It can’t just be every man for himself.” 

Tripe Clapham

Zoe and Kitty working hard at Stripe Colour Studio

“To do a hairdressing apprenticeship, you’ve got to really want to do it. You can’t be 50/50 about it” – Zoe Mcgruer, Graduate Stylist, Stripe Colour Studio, Handforth  

Victoria Lynch

Zoe Mcgruer

“My mum is a hairdresser, so it’s something I’ve always considered doing for my career. I enjoyed doing all my friends’ hair, but I qualified as a nail technician first before deciding on this industry. It made me realise that I wanted to give hairdressing a go, so I came and worked for Nancy. 

“In this area, there’s no other salon like us – no other space specialises in colour and grey blending, so I knew it was the right choice to work at Stripe. Everyone is so supportive in the team, and watching how everyone does things differently has made the experience so enjoyable.  

“I’m newly qualified, and I’m still learning from Nancy as I go. If you’re not sure about something, just say how you feel. Be honest and say this isn’t working for me. If everyone’s honest with each other, you can move forward. There are no bad feelings. No one takes it personally.  

“Finding a really good boss – someone who actually cares about you – is so important. Nancy doesn’t just care about how we are at work, but also outside of work; she always checks up on us. She looks out for us and I think you need that. It’s good to have guidance from someone experienced to support you with going in the right direction.

“To do a hairdressing apprenticeship, you’ve got to really want to do it. You can’t be 50/50 about it – it’s a job that you’ve got to give 110 per cent in no matter what, because it is not an easy job to be doing. My advice is to find somewhere that suits you – don’t just stick it out if it’s not working.” 

Nancy with Zoe and Kitty

“It’s been one of the most positive journeys of my life, and I can’t take anything bad away from it” – Kitty Dyson, Apprentice, Stripe Colour Studio, Handforth 

Kitty Dyson

“I’m really happy with how I’m progressing through my apprenticeship. I can’t believe how fast the two years have gone and how fast I’ve learned everything. It’s been one of the most positive journeys of my life, and I couldn’t take anything bad away from it. 

“My grandma was a hairdresser, so I grew up around it. I used to go to work with her if my parents couldn’t look after me, so I’d go and help her by passing the perm papers. I was always around it and hairdressing has always interested me. It’s the atmosphere of the salon that I love the most – we’re all in it together. It doesn’t matter what has happened before I arrive, I know we’re still going to have a nice day together. 

“I’m with Nancy pretty much all day, so I’m by her side learning all the time. It could be watching a certain placement of the foils or a technique or product being used. I learn the why behind it and ask the questions that needed to be asked. I try to absorb as much knowledge as I can.  

“While the first year was a slower pace, the second year has ramped up. Now, I will help Nancy with root shadows or blow-dries when she is back-to-back with clients. You can’t expect to be doing a set of highlights after a month of training; you need to be realistic with your expectations, but bit by bit, the pieces will all come together.”  

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