Salon owner and training guru, Ross Miller, talks to Rebel Beauty about his work and philosophy. You might even know his face if you’ve attended one of our education classes!
Q Where are you based, what do you do, tell us about your week to week.
I’m based in Scotland at my salon Renella, in Falkirk which was established by my mother. I started work there when I was 16 and have been running it for the past ten years. My time at the salon is split half and half with my MTA Hair Education business which is dedicated to training quality hairdressers, providing learners with mentoring and support throughout their professional careers together with ongoing inspiration. I’m on the salon floor on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the rest of my time is devoted to training.
Q When did you discover Keratin Complex?
I’ve been using Keratin since about 2004 and went on to using Keratin Complex in 2008.
Q What in your view would be the success of the brand?
I’ve always loved Keratin Complex because of all the things you can do with it. Other keratin products may be great as a soothing treatment but Keratin Complex goes way beyond that and has so many benefits for hairdressers and their clients. It makes a stylists’ job easier and allows them to design treatments for individual clients. It is almost 100 per cent infused products.
Q Is there any advice you’d give to salon owners and stylists who are looking to invest in a smoothing system in salon?
Keratin Complex gives salon owners and stylists enormous potential to expand into smoothing treatments. Once a client has seen how much it can change their hair, they will keep on coming back so it’s a great way of holding onto clients, effectively creating stronger loyalty.
Q We know you’re quite rightly revenue orientated, so with utilising Keratin Complex, what’s your top tips in getting the most out of the brand?
Keratin Complex provides great opportunities to upsell, to make far greater profit per head so it’s a great business prospect. Clients who are delighted with its effect talk about it to other people who will be eager to try it for themselves therefore it can bring in more clients, expanding your business.
Q How do you see education in the industry right now, post covid period?
Education is enormously valuable, it’s key. Educators can become a bit insular, they may be able to show a stylist how to do a lovely smooth bob, but there should be a lot more to it than that. There’s a big difference between being an educator and a teacher and I think there’s a danger of running out of good educators. It’s important to teach people but I want to do more than that. I can walk in to watch stylists at work and immediately pick up things like they are not holding their scissors correctly, that their elbows are too high, that their angles are wrong, why are they doing such and such. Changes like that can make a big difference.
Q Are there any UK associations or shows in the industry you’d champion?
I’m a big fan of Salon International, in fact it was one of the very first shows I attended with my mother when I was just a teenager. But nowadays I attend as many shows as possible, not just the major ones but a huge number of local ones too. I go to everything. That means a lot of evenings, so my working weeks are mad, but I feel it is very important to talk to people, to keep up with all the developments in the hairdressing industry. I thrive on it and absorb information like a sponge.
Q Give us 3 things you’d like to see change within our industry in the next year.
Education is everything and I’d like to see more being done to teach good educators. I’d like to encourage people to be bold, to be motivated, to take advantage of everything that’s on offer. And to talk to other people in the industry - you have to be involved in things as much as possible.
Q Final thoughts, with Keratin Complex in mind, as you’ve just toured the South England area delivering education on new KCRIO Restorative Keratin System, what 3 things would you want to say about the brand if you were speaking directly to all salon owners and stylists?
KCRIO Restorative Keratin System is a fantastic product and I’m proud to be delivering education on it, showing how to get optimum results. If you’ve used keratin products before, try this and Keratin Complex to expand your existing portfolio of the treatments you can offer to your clients. I use them every day and the benefits are amazing. They deliver exactly what they say they can do. Continuous use can have a big impact on your business with clients returning again and again and therefore boosting your profits.
