From entering competitions early in his career to winning two British Hairdressing Awards, Danny Malone proves confidence comes from backing yourself first
"Everybody used to say, 'You're like the underdog because you're always by yourself'," Danny Malone tells us with a laugh. But little did he know that nickname would become part of his identity. Today, it's a fitting description of the self-employed stylist, milk_shake ambassador and two-time British Hairdressing Award winner who built his reputation by backing himself.
Unlike many hairdressers, Danny didn't start his hairdressing career at 16. Instead, he entered the industry at 21 after initially considering becoming a social worker. In fact, it was a friend's sister, who managed Peter Mark in Ireland, who encouraged him to give hairdressing a try. "I didn't even know how to hold a hairbrush," he laughs.
Thrown straight into one of Ireland's biggest salon groups, Danny quickly discovered where he belonged. Entering a hairdressing competition early in his career and placing third changed everything. "That's when I realised there was no going back. I loved making people happy and I became passionate about the whole hairdressing world."
After leaving Peter Mark, Danny moved to a smaller salon, but it was outside of working hours where his career really began to evolve. Evenings were spent researching, making wigs, preparing competition entries and studying magazines (including HJ!), looking for inspiration and new opportunities.
Why Hairdressing Competitions Can Help Build Your Career
Hairdressing competitions soon became an obsession. Travelling to events alone could have been intimidating, but Danny saw it differently. "It's not about winning all the time," he tells us. "It's about taking part, networking and getting your name out there. If you're passionate enough, you just have to go for it. You'll get plenty of knockbacks before the right one comes along."
That mindset became central to his career and is something he now shares with the next generation.
Away from competitions, Danny remains committed to salon life. Now working as a self-employed hairdresser, his typical day completely revolves around the people and his clients. "My job is making sure everybody leaves feeling better than when they came in," he says. "For some clients, their appointment is their downtime, so I always want them to leave feeling confident."
Becoming a Self-Employed Hairdresser
Making the leap into self-employment wasn't without nerves. "You don't know whether your clients are going to follow you," Danny admits. "That was probably the biggest challenge." But fortunately, they did!
In fact, the move also gave him the freedom to develop his own profile within the hairdressing industry, something he found difficult while working under a salon brand. And that decision definitely paid off.
Winning the British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, remains his proudest achievement. "I still can't believe it," he says. "When I heard my name, I was in complete shock."
Looking back, he believes that first win transformed his confidence. "Since that day I've grown as a person. I've become much more confident about putting myself out there, and I've made so many friends through the industry."
Danny Malone's Advice for Young Hairdressers
Along the way, Danny has found guidance from respected industry names, but one piece of advice from Mark Leeson has stayed with him. "Just be yourself. Don't try to impress anyone. Give everything 110%."
It's advice Danny now passes on whenever he visits colleges across Northern Ireland to encourage young hairdressers to think beyond the salon floor. "If I can do it, anyone can do it," he says. "Be brave, believe in yourself and don't listen to negativity."
Looking ahead, Danny has recently become milk_shake's only ambassador in Ireland, opening another chapter in his hairdressing career. Meanwhile, teaching is firmly on his radar too.
"I'd love to educate the next generation," he tells us. "I've learned so much from people who've inspired me throughout my career, and I'd love to pass that on with my own twist."
For someone once known as the underdog, Danny has proved that sometimes it's not about having the loudest voice in the room – it's having the confidence to put yourself out there!
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