MENU
SEARCHRemembering his difficult childhood, visionary Vidal Sassoon focuses his passion on building homes for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Compiled by
Alicia Marantz Liotta and Stacey Soble
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, industry icon Vidal Sassoon turned to his wife Ronnie and said, "We need to go down and build houses."
The plight of the homeless hurricane victims resonated deeply with Sassoon who, as a child, endured hardships that left him homeless and in a London orphanage for six years. He was finally reunited with his mother after World War II and, thanks to housing constructed by the post-war British government, his family was able to move into a home of their own.
"When I look at New Orleans and see how many people are homeless, it brings me back to my early days. I continue to ask myself, ‘How can one of the richest countries in the world not look after one of its greatest cities?'" he says. "We are number one in innovation and technology, but when it comes to looking after our own we fall short."
Vidal and Ronnie did indeed go down to Slidell, Louisiana, and in 2006 constructed two houses in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Hurricane Katrina-displaced families. Afterward, Sassoon found himself thinking, "Wouldn't it be marvelous to get the entire craft involved?"
Moved by the joy his efforts brought the partner families as they moved into their new homes, yet overwhelmed by the enormity of the destruction that remained, Sassoon called on Mary Rector-Gable of behindthechair.com for help. Together, they founded "Hairdressers Unlocking Hope," an initiative to not only bring continued awareness to the desperation still felt by families in the aftermath of Katrina, but also to show the world that the entire hairdressing community can make miracles happen.
Rebecca Bedinger and Doug Denton of Ippatsu Salon in Champaign, Illinois, hammer trusses into place on a Habitat home.
Krystal Journee and Jason Honore are parents of three children, Dominice, 8; Jason, 7; and Jalen, 2. The family lived in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina forced them to evacuate. Since returning to the area, the family has been forced to rent in an unsafe neighborhood where the children can't play outside and the bedrooms are so small, they barely fit a bed and belongings. The family is excited to be moving to their new three-bedroom home built by Hairdressers Unlocking Hope and Habitat for Humanity.
In its first year, the initiative rallied hair industry professionals to raise $1.5 million in funds, as well as build 10 homes in partnership with Habitat families. "What was so exciting is that even young kids were sending in $50," says Sassoon.
Last June, Hairdressers Unlocking Hope broke ground on nine new houses in St. Tammany Parish near Slidell. "About a month ago, I came out of New Orleans, and the 21st house had been built, and it was all done by hairdressers."
Industry icon Vidal Sassoon surveys progress of houses built by dollars and man-hours donated by stylists to the Hairdressers Unlocking Hope initiative he founded with Mary Rector-Gable.
The following companies and salons raised funds and sent volunteer teams to build houses for Hairdressers Unlocking Hope:
• The Vidal Sassoon Foundation
• PureOlogy
• Sport Clips
• Bumble & bumble
• Kenra
• Paul Mitchell The School
• Ratner Co.
• John Allan Club
• Equibal Labs
• TIGI
• Professional Salon Concepts
• Charles Penzone/The Brittany Group
• Neill Corporation
• Art+Science
• Mitchell's Salon & Day Spa/Pump Salon
• Intercoiffure/Chaters Canada
All beauty professionals should know how to identify when a client may need some health guidance. Tracy Rado discusses some common questions that clients ask in the chair, how to advise them, and when to refer them to a specialist.
In his latest blog, Leon Alexander Ph.D., challenges industry conventional thinking to help owners add more to their bottom lines.
In her latest blog, Amy Pal helps you develop your own clear guidelines around complimentary free employee services.
From managing air traffic on busy days to handling frustrated guests' complaints, your front desk team often serves as the salon's emotional shock absorber. From a customer service lesson from the DMV to a list of strategies for caring for your front line, our experts offer ideas for alleviating stress, celebrating wins, and setting goals.
According to the KIM Report, top-line salon revenue appears steady or slightly up, but that growth is driven primarily by service price increases. Beneath the surface, retail performance and client visit frequency (appointment drift) are under real pressure. In his latest blog, Alain Audet offers strategies for keeping your salon's retail sales strong.
Putting your family to work in the salon offers some real tax benefits, but you have you have to play by the rules of the tax code to claim them. Azarvand Tax Law's Leticia Skrabut, Esq., shows you how.
Discover how to create a true “WOW experience” for every client by first building a culture where your team feels engaged, empowered, and inspired. Drawing on Calvin Stovall’s Iconic Framework, this blog explores how salon, spa, and clinic leaders can strengthen culture, elevate customer experience, and build a business that stands out for the long term.
Sponsored by Phorest Salon Software
The wellness industry is growing fast, and salons and barbershops already are an important part of it. In her first blog, Tracy Rado shares where the wellness dollars are heading, and how salons can grow with this movement.
While salon sales are increasing, owners often feel they're working harder for the same or less profit. Leverage Q2 data from The KIM Report, Alain Audet reveals some of the structural changes that are dampening your growth and why your region and your salon size matters.
Weaknesses in your business are amplified during the Holiday Season. Spark Pro Global's Lucy Randall shows you five things to do now to have the strongest holiday season yet.
In Kati Whitledge's latest blog, she shares how salons have moved away from dress codes and embraced appearance standards. But by removing strict dress codes, some businesses may have unintentionally lowered their appearance standards. Whitledge helps you explain to your team why an appearance standard is important and how to smoothly implement a new appearance policy.
The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit for for-profit businesses that provides a financial incentive for eligible employers who offer health insurance coverage to their employees. Leticia Skrabut, Esq., walks you through how to claim that credit.
Developing strong work habits early in one's career supports long-term success in the salon industry. Jesse Linares offers new stylists his top five tips.
Most salon owners have no idea what these numbers are. You can hit record sales and still have a profit problem. The difference comes down to four numbers almost nobody was taught to track.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
A five-area audit every owner-dependent salon needs to run. You built something that looks successful. Now find out if it can survive without you.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
Every month you put off fixing the problem, it gets bigger, more expensive, and harder to solve.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
At Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty, Director of Operations Natasha McMillen helps bring her wife Janet St. Paul's vision to life, elevating every system from education to operations.
