Colin Greaney, international creative director, Mahogany Hairdressing
My light bulb moment…
I came up with the idea of filming an educational hairdressing DVD with a small spy camera attached to my forehead so that the audience could see exactly what I could see. The only problem was that we shot the film in 2002 and produced it in a DVD format. Unfortunately most of the world was still watching VHS videos and did not own a DVD player, so my light bulb blew out fairly quickly! Now, however, we produce the educational DVDs every year – showing how to achieve our collection styles, and they’re a great success!
My scariest decision…
In 1995 when Mahogany decided to open a salon in Mayfair, London. We knew that successful London salons had expanded out of London into smaller cities around the UK, but it had never been done the other way round. So for Mahogany to come from Oxford to London, particularly right into the heart of Mayfair was terrifying.
If I could go back 10 years…
I would have opened a Mahogany salon that had a whole floor dedicated to a coffee shop. It seems to me that in the last 10 years the world has become obsessed with coffee!
I’ll never take for granted…
The clients that walk through the Mahogany front door, particularly in volatile times like these. I am obsessed with attention to detail and perfect service.
The most important lesson I’ve learnt…
Do not to go in to business with people you don’t have a long working relationship with. When times get tough and big decisions need to be made you need people you can trust and rely on.
My favourite piece of advice…
The most important principle in achieving a good haircut is that it’s not how much hair you cut off, but how much you leave on! The process of every cut should take into account, the shape, the poise, and most importantly the suitability of fitting in with the client’s lifestyle.
I owe it all to…
My Mahogany partners whether present or retired. Without Richard Thompson or Martin Gannon I would not have been able to achieve the cutting skills I now take for granted, which has taken me all over the world demonstrating and teaching in shows and seminars. Also, Russell Barker and Antony Licata, who have both always showed trust and confidence in my creative vision for Mahogany.
