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Neil Moody - Moody Hair Surry Hills NSW
By Rob Kotevski April 1 2009
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As air travel continues to become cheaper, faster and easier, seeing the sights of the world has increasingly become a rite of passage for many young people.
There’s something incredibly liberating about leaving behind everything you’ve ever known, stepping foot on that plane and beginning a journey in a new place, a new country and - sometimes - a whole new hemisphere.
Of course, there’s something to be said for the sheer terror at the thought of starting a new life in a completely different place to the one you grew up in. But, as the old saying goes, no risk, no glory. If those who decide to embark on such a life-changing odyssey decide to return home, they rarely come back remaining the same individuals that began the trip.
What if you could combine the incredible life-skills gained from a round-the-world trip with invaluable professional experience that holds you in good stead for the rest of your working life?
That was the fortunate situation Neil Moody, head of Moody Hair, found himself in when he decided to reminisce over the years working in his professional career prior to opening up his own salon in 2004.
A jaunt in Paris doesn’t need a hard sell to anyone to convince them to spend some time there. The gods certainly must have been smiling when Neil managed to be taught by one of the world’s best while spending a little time in the City of Light.
One of the world’s leading colour experts, Carole Montgomery, educated Neil during his stay in France’s capital.
“She had a profound effect on my career,” Neil tells myhairdressersearch. “I think she first inspired me to become a colour technician with her immense technical knowledge and inspiration.”
Soon after, Neil’s dedication and knowledge gained saw him pass on the experience he had to hairdressing rookies when he worked as a technical educator in the US for L’Oreal Professionnel. He travelled Stateside, educating other stylists and colourists at various trade shows.
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"I
loved the vibe of the place, it was so much fun and I thought, hey,
this doesn’t feel like hard work at all! This is where I want to be!”
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Not long after his arrival in Australia in 1991, Neil worked at some of
the country’s finest salons, including Jacques Dessange and A Cut
Above, where he became partner. The learning didn’t end there when Neil
joined the team at Toni&Guy which was “the biggest learning curve
of my career” and he worked his way up to head technician.
During his time at Toni&Guy, he received two major awards: Newcomer of the Year and Best Technician in Australia.
“I
was most fortunate to work alongside and learn from some of our
industry leaders, educators and innovators such as Dennis Langford,
Maria Kovacs, Carmody Homan and Jane Stacey,” he recalls.
“I
used to wing it a lot in my earlier days. Dennis Langford once said to
me, ‘If you fail to prepare, then you must prepare to fail.’
“My
passion lies in education. I’m really looking forward to sharing my
experiences and expertise in hair colour as an ambassador for Goldwell
in not-so-distant future.”
Perhaps not even Neil would have
predicted the amazing success he achieved when he began his career as
an apprentice all those years ago.
“I used to help out in my
friend’s father’s salon, sweeping floors and shampooing on Saturdays. I
loved the vibe of the place, it was so much fun and I thought, hey,
this doesn’t feel like hard work at all! This is where I want to be!”
The self-confessed “colour tech geek” constantly strives for technical perfection.
“I
think my technical expertise together with my practical and visual
approach gives me the ability to create outstanding colour. I can
honestly say that I truly love my work!”
Read about some other Colourists of the Month.
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