We had a catch up with Jacqui Victor, salon owner of True Grit, and creator of the ‘wow-factor’ for our clients. With a wealth of knowledge and experience along with a fair few tales to tell, she’s a hoot you want to get to know!
TG: How did you get started and when?
JV: In the ’80s. 1985 to be exact. I was working in a bank and I had a girl crush on my hairdresser. I asked her if I was too old to be an apprentice (I was 21 at the time!). She replied that ‘you can never be too old’. I applied the next week and got an apprenticeship with Hairline in Hamilton
TG: You’ve survived uncharted waters before. How did you rise from the post-earthquake ashes?
JV: A hidden drive to succeed I never knew I had. True Grit was my life and the team was so important to me I just had to make it happen. I was responsible for 20 odd team members’ lives and wellbeing. I always had believed if you fall off the horse you get back on it!! So we did just that.
TG: What is happening now behind the scenes and what future plans are you penning to paper?
JV: The online shop really took off in lockdown so that kept me busy during that time. Now we are open again and have just opened the books back up for new clients. Something we haven’t done for a good while. During the lockdown of level 4 then 3, we had to put plans into place knowing that so many clients would be desperate to get an appointment as soon as the doors were open! And of course, that came with more new ways of working with social distancing, etc. So rostering and stressing over balance sheets it is! I will have to go back to being on the floor a little more regularly too. Not quite sure how my body is going to cope with this! It sounds like a call for early morning yoga to prep the body…
TG: Are there any patterns of requests or changes you have seen in the clients who have been lucky enough to get an appointment at level 2?
JV: Yes! A significant amount of clients have decided to grow their colours out to reveal their grey / white / natural hair. Which in retrospect is a wee problem for us, but exciting to be doing loads of cut and style changes. Don’t get me wrong we still have many clients with “roots for Africa.” It’s been amazing seeing our clients faces as their new do is revealed. I really believe that hairdressers have gained a new kudos over these trying months. We are back at the top of every client’s list as an essential part of their lives.
TG: What have been the most exciting parts of your career?
JV: In no particular order:
1/ Buying True Grit in 2005, by 2009 having 24 on my team.
2/ Launching an ammonia-free permanent colour range for L’Oreal Professionnel. I flew around New Zealand with them to do shows. So much fun.
3/ Winning Kitomba Salon of the Year in 2016.
4/ Winning Hito training salon of the year 2014/2015 two years in a row.
5/ Being elected on to the HITO board in 2017 (I’m still on the board now and we meet every 6-8 weeks in Wellington).
6/ Watching the young team develop into amazing hairdressers.
TG: What do you love most about having the salon?
TG: If you hadn’t chosen this career, what would you be doing?
JV: Lordy, I certainly wouldn’t be holed up in a bank where the whole journey started. I think I would be a shoe buyer, although I tend to think I’m one in my spare time with over 60 pairs lining up in my wardrobe!
TG: What’s the craziest request you’ve had from a client?
JV: My husband asking for hair extensions☹
TG: Do you have a hair icon?
JV: Yes my old boss Ray Astwood who trained me in the 80’s. He saw my potential as a successful hairdresser. Ray was a barber, turned women’s stylist. He was an incredible man who trained many amazing stylists in his time. Over the years I have dedicated all my awards to Ray…… He was an amazing man and I loved his open-door management ethos. My other fave because of his incredible creativity is Benni Tognini from Brisbane and his crazy family of hairdressers…… They are so inspirational and clever in business and skill.
TG: Who’s locks would you like to get your hands on?
TG: Where is the strangest place you’ve ever done someone’s hair?
Perissa beach on Santorini, in the Greek islands. We set up shop and cut backpackers’ hair…… If we did hair that day we drank and ate like kings and queens that night.
TG: Expose the biggest hair myth you’ve heard!
TG: What makes a good hairdresser?
JV: A very well skilled trained hairdresser can listen exceptionally well and apply all their knowledge accordingly with consistency. So you need skill in hair, be a great listener, be very consistent, be a great councillor, be kind and caring.
TG: What is the best product you can’t live without?
JV: One are you joking ???? Got a bunch…… I’m extremely lazy with my hair and if I can get away with not washing it then I’ll be into any dry shampoo I can get my hands on. Shampoo and condition with Kérastase Blond Absolu used to be my go-to but now I’ve gone red so I keep my copper flames alive with the Copper Evo Fabuloso Conditioner. I also love Redken’s Spray wax, and I have a cheeky Evo spray wax too to tame it all.
TG: Where is your happy place?
JV: Traveling somewhere remote with my hubby …. Probably the beach in the sun reading a book. That is my all-time fave and best way to relax and really feel like I’m away from it all, making memories.
TG: What did you miss the most in lockdown?
JV: Great Coffee, my darling son, my mum, my friends, going out for dinner (I was so over cooking), and of course my clients. My massage therapist, my nail technician, and the girls at Total Body Concept……You should have seen my eyebrows.
TG: What do you do to relax?
TG: What’s the best support anyone can give you right now?
JV: A hug and a wad of cash