I want that job! michael francos at d&j ambrose

Michael Francos works at D&J Ambrose. He was a member of the Wella Generation Now team and has been a finalist for Men's Hairdresser of the Year at the British Hairdressing Awards. When did you decide you wanted to be a hairdresser? When I left school. I had intended to stay on at school, but academically I wasn't the best. That summer I started working in a family friend's salon and decided that's where I wanted to be. Where did you train? After deciding it was what I wanted to do, I wanted to make sure I learnt the trade properly. I went where I felt offered the best training at the time, which was an apprenticeship with Toni&Guy in 2001. The creative direction was still led by the great Anthony Mascolo, which had a massive influence on the whole brand. What was your first job like? My first job was a very different environment from when I left school. It was the usual assistant role of shampooing, coffee making and dealing with clients. When did you specialise in men's hair? I wouldn’t say that I specialise in just men’s hair, as I'm also good at dealing with women's hair. I do follow men's fashion very closely, so this probably has an influence when it comes to specialising in an element of hairdressing. Why did you decide to enter the British Hairdressing Awards? I have always followed the British Hairdressing Awards, ever since I was an assistant. The men's category was always the one I had the most interest in so I always aspired to enter it. When I started at D&J Ambrose, we already had a good history in this category with Ross Strong being a finalist the previous three years. I presented some ideas of what I liked, some models and a story for a collection and [salon owners] Darren and Jackie gave me a chance. How important is it for you to work for a salon that understands your work outside of day-to-day clients? It's very important to work in a salon that pushes this, as we all want to progress as stylists. Darren and Jackie are very fair and encourage lots of creative work, which gives the salon a real balance of creative and salon work. Take this week for example: I've worked on a show at London Collections: Men, I'm travelling to Paris for Fashion Week and we're hosting an event for the Fellowship for British Hairdressing. These events benefit the salon through exposure and clients know that the service we're providing them with is on trend and performed to the highest standards. What's been the highlight of your career so far? I’m so fortunate to have had many great highlights throughout my career. Qualifying as a professional stylist and presenting my hair cuts in the Toni & Guy academy, becoming a finalist for my first ever competition (L’Oreal Colour Trophy – Men’s Image), becoming a member of the Wella Professional Generation NOW Team, finalising for a British Hairdressing Award and winning the AIPP’s International Men’s category at the Royal Albert Hall. Despite all these achievements, I honestly hope that my main highlight is still to come as it means that I am progressing. What’s your next career goal? It's so important to set yourself personal goals, as progression is the key to longevity in a career. I like to think I can push my creativity and work on more projects like fashion week and campaigns for designers. Although most of us as hairdressers want to pursue the creative path, I also have a massive interest in the business side of hairdressing so if the D&J brand was to expand, it would be great to be part of that. What piece of advice would you give your student self? Stay focused but don’t over analyse every little thing – sometimes you just need to act! Surround yourself with successful people who have the ambition and drive to progress in the industry. Above all, be yourself. Looking for your next career move? Take a look at HJi Jobs for all of the latest hair and beauty job opportunities!