We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Margot Oosterbosch. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Margot below.

Margot, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

I am seeing more and more hairdressers working independently and share workspaces instead of opening their own place and have a lot of staff.

I am the same, I used to have 18 people working for me. I was very lucky with my team. Said that, it is also a big responsibility and a lot of work to keep your team updated with the all new things happening in the industry. Keep them enthousiast and feeling important in the team and workplace.
So when I made the choice to change my way of being a successful big business owner to be independent and working alone and share a workspace so you still have the fun and inspiration with other creative hairdresser’s. I got soooo much more stress-free time back, that I can now invest in myself, my family and social life without having less income.

So I really see this as a new future!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Margot, born in New-Zealand but raised in the Netherlands. My mother was a hairdresser with her own bussiness so I grew up in the salon. My carreer as hairdresser started at the age of 15, i went 1 day a week to school and worked 4 days a week in the salon. I never worked with my mother or in my mothers salon, i really wanted to create my own way in the hairdressing world. When 21 i opened my first salon together with my business partner and best friend, in a very short time we grew intensly and moved to a bigger location. There we went from 4 chairs to 12 chairs and with more 5 staff members. in another 2 years we grew more and more and opened a second location. in total we had now 18 staffmembers.
These were amazing years, but i was also prisoner of my own succes, working 70+ hours a week.

In the mean time i fell in love with my now Portuguese Husband. We did 3,5 years of long distance relationship until it was time to change. And i was ready to let go of Holland and start a new chapter in Lisbon Portugal.
When you build something up before , you can do it again is my motto!

Now i am living here 6,5 years, i got my freedom back! Expanded my experience by working as freelancer for the amazing international hairdressers brand Kevin.Murphy. In that time KM didn´t exist yet in Portugal, so me as education and my Colleage as sales representive had to put the brand in the market. A complete new world as what i had known, now i was on the otherside of hairdressing. I really enjoyed it and still do, but i also missed doing clients hair. Eventually i am a hairdresser by heart, and working daily with amazing clients who put their trust in my hands gives me the most pleasure.

I am super proud, that i made my first selfish desicion and moved to Portugal to really start creating the life i was dreaming of.
People asked me, why not keeping the salons in the Netherlands and keep recieving the money?
The business we created was my baby, and the team members were my family! I couldn´t just go away, let them play with my name and money and recieve money for what i don´t really work for anymore. I believe that the soul is out of a place if you are not there anymore, quality goes backwards but my name is still associated with it. That just didn´t feel right at all !
And as i said before, being succesfull is something i believe i can be anywhere, i didn´t needed my previous succes as back-up.

If you get in my chair, i love to look at you in every aspect. Our power as hairdressers is that we make our clients authenticly beautiful. And find that look that is soooo you, but then just a little better ;)

Any advice for managing a team?

First make sure that you include your team. Make them importante and give them tasks where they feel part of the bussines. I also believe that if you treat your team well: – fair paycheck
– flexible with holidays/ free days
– Check in regurly how the team dynamic is
– Education, inside the salon but also trips outside the salon
– Show them other inspirational things as cultural agendas, special restaurant dining, concerts, mini trips away. give them more then only work work work

My team came in young, and stayed for years, if they would leave the salon. It was because they started a bussines for themself. We worked hard, very hard. But we had fun while doing it!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I am having 1 big flaw, i really don´t enjoy doing social media or any online presence. Even tho now a days that is how you have to present your business, i am lucky enough that my business grows by my clients. The moment they walk out of my chair, they are my advertisement. That´s why i have all inclusive prices. I don´t believe in asking extra fee for using your shampoo or conditoner. Also for using styling products. I want everyone washed with the products that i choose and believe are the best for your hair and help me get the result i want to get. Also everyone go out the door nicely styled. The moment they leave my vchair , i want them to feel confident and happy and show with proud there new fresh look.

So even thou i am very bad presented on my social channels, my clients are my best source of new clients!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mindsandmore.space
• Instagram: POP.hairbymargot
• Facebook: Margot Oosterbosch