Lightbulb Moment with Noel Higgins

In the Family
My mother was a hairdresser, so I suppose you would say it is in the blood. When I was 16 I was asked by a friend of the family who owned several successful salons could I help him out for a few weeks as he had opened a new salon in Killiney and was short staffed. 30 years on and the rest is history. And I still love my job.

Colour Creative
Colouring courses always meant a lot to me, all my colour courses were in the L’Oréal Academy in London. Colour Correction was the course that really helped my career as it is the biggest part of my business.

Balancing Act
Being head colourist and salon owner/manager is a big role. Working behind the chair and managing staff is difficult at the best of times. In a small company, employees can’t avoid each other so it’s important to find people who mesh well. This doesn’t mean they all have to have the same disposition; aim to hire a nice mix of individuals, including those with bubbly
personalities and those with calm, laid-back attitudes.

Knowledge Share
Motivation doesn’t always mean money: training and support has always worked for my employees. After every course that my staff attend, we always have an in-salon training night
to share new ideas.

Mint Condition
It all starts with a good consultation. Sometimes clients might not be happy hearing the truth
about their hair, but when you give them good advice and explain that we can work together to improve the condition of their hair and achieve better colour.

Smooth Talker
Once you have the client seated, now is your chance to explore their needs. Ever client is different and some will need more encouragement than others to express their requirements. Having some strong opening questions ready, that encourage clients to define their needs, can be really useful
to spark conversation.

Not for Turning
There is nothing I would do differently in my career. I have tried my hand at different aspects, from working in the salon to being a colour technician for several colour companies. Working
with Keratherapy and becoming an ambassador for Ireland and the UK has been a highlight.

Always Learning
I have talked for so long about going back to the book and becoming a trichologist. Hopefully 2018 we will see that journey begin. I am currently working on a project which will benefit salons
in Ireland and the UK. It’s in the infancy stages and cannot say much more... 

noelhiggins.com