Penny Ainsley
Supreme Award Hairdresser of the Year, 2003
What salon do you work for?
My own salon, Ainsleys Hair Design. When I won the award I was working for Bettjemans.
What did winning the award mean for your career?
Career-wise it opened up huge opportunities to work with L’Oréal. I’m currently on the L’Oréal Professional Creative Team, which is a group of stylists selected from salons across New Zealand to help put together the latest looks and trends in hairdressing. The award also enabled me to set up my own salon.
What is the best thing about the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards?
Probably that everybody knows you overnight! The connections made simply by winning this award are phenomenal.
What do you love about hairdressing?
To be in the industry you have to be passionate. For me, it’s about people and about making them look beautiful inside and out. I love that aspect of hairdressing.
Terry Whaitiri
Young Colourist of the Year, 2003
What salon do you work for?
Servilles Mission Bay.
What did winning the award mean for your career?
Winning the award gave me recognition from my peers and within the industry.
It was also a really good boost to my self-esteem and confidence.
What is the best thing about the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards?
L’Oréal is one of the bigger, more prestigious competitions, so if you win, your name is really put out there.
What do you love about hairdressing?
I love the creative side of hairdressing; the ability to have a lot of fun with it and to make people feel and look amazing.
Grant Bettjeman
Supreme Award Hairdresser of the Year Runner-Up, 2004
What salon do you work for?
My own salon, Bettjemans.
What did winning the award mean for your career?
Being awarded runner-up was just like winning, really – my speech sounded as if I had anyway! Career-wise it’s great for your own profile and it’s a wonderful industry award.
What is the best thing about the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards?
Having your name in the press and being able to use the win as a branding exercise is fantastic. And when you’re putting clients’ hair in your hands, it’s important that they know you’re up there with the best. I also like the way it makes you be creative and current.
What do you love about hairdressing?
For me, the reason I’ve been in the industry for 30-plus years is I love being creative. But also for me, a big part of it is making people feel good. I love finding out what people are doing, what they think and what their dreams and aspirations are.
Jan Waite
Team Award, 2005
What salon do you work for?
My own salon, Jan Waite Hairdressing.
What did winning the award mean for your career?
It was a fantastic award for the salon to win. I used it as a marketing tool for my business, as the awards are advertised in a lot of publications and industry magazines, so our name was heavily publicised. Being part of a winning team also helped encourage the young ones in my salon to understand the formula that it is needed to create a Colour Trophy look.
I guess you can say it raised the standards.
What is the best thing about the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards?
In my mind, the L’Oréal Colour Trophy is the most prestigious award in the industry, so to win is just fantastic.
What do you love about hairdressing?
I love people and I love to make people feel amazing.
Jayne Thomas
Supreme Award Hairdresser of the Year, 2006
What salon do you work for?
Servilles Newmarket.
What did winning the award mean for your career?
I’ve been in the industry for more than 30 years and, for me, winning was the pinnacle of my career, and still is.
What is the best thing about the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards?
The awards are without doubt the best in our industry. I think L’Oréal is such a professional brand and the company presents the competition so well.
What do you love about hairdressing?
Hairdressing is my passion. My philosophy about hairdressing is I don’t feel as if it’s work and I feel very blessed for that. It’s a job that makes others feel good and the fact that I contribute to that is a big deal for me.
