Stephanie bruce talks balancing business & creativity

With the British Hairdressing Business Awards taking place this month, we caught up with Head of Fudge Professional, Stephanie Bruce, to discuss sponsorship of the British Hairdressing Business Awards and how business and creativity work together. Why is it important for Fudge to sponsor the Salon Stylist Award?   “We felt it was important to sponsor this award as the Fudge Professional heritage has always had the stylist at heart because of their creativity and unrivalled passion, this twinned with a head for business, and it was the perfect fit.” What makes a great salon stylist? “Individuality, creativity and passion. The industry has so many avenues to pursue but it starts, and has its grass roots, on the salon floor.” How can a stylist balance being creative and business savvy? “This can be balanced and you can be both, but you tend to find successful businesses have a lot of different personalities which bounce off each other, giving them the perfect balance of business acumen vs creativity.” How does Fudge Professional support the business side of its salons? “This comes from knowing your audience and making sure you look at what the hairdresser needs, being immersed in the industry, and providing support to your business partnerships to provide the tools they need to grow their business.” What are you most looking forward to on the night? “The excitement and the buzz from the finalists. After all these years I still get emotional when I see their faces when they are called up onto the stage. The comradery in the room is always amazing, everyone's there to spur their peers on.” What advice would you give to the winner to maximise their win? “Well they're already on the right path as that is why they've won, but it’s also a great marketing and PR tool for any salon and I’d also advise that they always a focus on retail.” The British Hairdressing Business Awards take place this year on Monday 14 September at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel. Want to book your tickets? Find out more here or call 0208 652 8583