Toni Mascolo

Being a former employee and looking at possibly having a future with this company, I cannot help but to have developed strong opinions through my own experiences. I am an American hairdresser. A hairdresser who was drawn to the craft firstly, by his grandmother, and secondly, having grown up in Dallas, the edgy, powerful, imagery of the European company Toni & Guy who had put their first American salon right there in my home town. Toni & Guy seemed to embody everything “cool”. The fashion, the rebellion. It was punk rock and it was edgy. For me, it was perfect. As a young creative guy, I wanted to do something where I could express my creativity and not from behind the desk. I wanted to talk, and I wanted to interact with my clients. I wanted relationships. And growing up with Toni & Guy, it seemed like it was the perfect place for me. It was no fairy tale from that point. I left and came back not once, but two times. Flakiness seems to be a hairdressers right of passage. I never really had a problem with the company. Maybe at times it did not meet my expectations and I am sure that their were times that I did not meet theirs. I really don’t think I knew what I wanted. The last time I returned to Toni & Guy, I came back with the intent to do something bigger. It just seemed like the more serious I got, the less that feeling was reciprocated by the company I worked for. I came to the company rather late in the game though. By the time I started, the company had already split into two companies. Toni & Guy International and Toni & Guy USA. Like many of my coworkers, I didn’t really know much about the de-merger. It almost seemed as if our European counterpart was vilified in a way. Toni & Guy Europe did not have the same standards, or Toni didn’t like the direction the company was going so he split. It was all complete speculation, but you never really heard that side of the story, and there really was no reason to ask at the time. Make no mistake, nobody specifically badmouthed Europe or Toni, and why would they, they were family. I always just figured that the Toni & Guy boat set sail for new horizons. Eager to escape the clutches of the oppressing Toni Mascolo, so they could be free and interpret hair anyway they pleased. Maybe I was wrong. I felt that Toni & Guy USA somehow disconnected from their staff. Maybe it was because all the attention was being focused on TIGI and pushing us to sell products, rather than pushing us to be passionate and love what we do? I have heard Bruno speak many times. I think I have even shook his hand a few times. He is a brilliant man, and has accomplished more than I could dream of, but I never felt a connection with him, as if, aside from all of his success, he is still a hairdresser just like us. I had the honor of meeting and speaking with the late Guy Mascolo on a few occasions. I could feel a certain sense of passion and humility from him, as well as pride in what he and his family had created. His name was on the door. I always loved when he would visit, as rare as it was. You got the sense that he loved his work and his life. It’s 2am, and I am again scouring the internet for the coolest things in hair that I can find, and I truly hope I am not letting you down. I found this interview with Toni Mascolo that really made me look at him in a completely different light. I like that he is not hiding behind sunglasses, I like that he smiles when he talks about something that moves him. It makes me think that maybe I had things backwards. He talks about embracing his team, and how passion for what you do is key. If you encourage your staff to be passionate, and to see your vision, your business will grow. This inspires me as a hairdresser and as a businessman, as much as it inspires me watching a great hairdresser work his craft. Please take some time to watch this interview. I think you will really enjoy what he has to say. -Clint Mattoni