CEO of Toni & GuyBruno Mascolo takes an emotional look back at the past year – from the excitement of selling TIGI to Unilever to the devastating loss of his brother Guy – and reveals where he sees growing next.

The last time I interviewed Bruno Mascolo, it was early 2009. He was celebrating 2008 record sales for TIGI, the company he had founded with his brothers, Toni and Guy. He was sharing the exciting news that the Mascolos had sold TIGI—the company that fathered Bedhead, Catwalk and S-Factor—to consumer goods giant Unilever. And, he was envisioning plans to refocus both his and Guy's energies on the Toni & Guy Salons and Schools, continuing to raise the educational bar.

When Guy Mascolo unexpectedly passed away a few months later, those plans "took a bit of a spiral," Bruno candidly expressed in a recent emotional interview with me. "I began investigating myself and what life was all about. It left me wondering, 'Do I really want to do this?'"

Over the following year, Mascolo took a remarkable journey, beginning to see "death as a new beginning" and determining to face life with a purpose he was passionate about. "I'm now looking at life with a new sense of motivation and energy," he says. Toward year's end, Mascolo initiated plans to focus Toni & Guy on quality instead of quantity and decided to make it the "Couture of Hairdressing" through quality education, customer service, and business finesse in order to offer the ultimate experience. 

It was a difficult and painful journey for Bruno, but his passion and determination ultimately led him to a strong new purpose. Everyone at MODERN SALON Media wishes the Mascolo family the best, and we can't wait to see how Bruno's new vision takes shape.