Hailing from a family of celebrity hair stylists, Jawed Habib was the first one in his family to conceive of an academy before setting up his own chain of salons. By establishing 850 salon outlets and 41 academies, Habib has set a precedent of sorts in the largely unorganised beauty sector. He was in the city to expand his franchise. In a tête-à-tête with Chaitali Shome, he talks about his endeavours and brand name. Excerpts:
Tell us about your initial days in the grooming business.
My people used to tease me by calling me a ‘Nai who is going nowhere’. However, it’s my in-depth education and 100 odd seminars conducted allover India which has caught people’s fascination. In fact, Nais (hair cutters) are the forefather of surgeons who used to cut the umbical cords of babies. My family has worked in the field for over 100 years. I am from the third generation of this legacy. My grandfather Nazir Ahmed used to cut the hair of Lord Mountbatten,Pt. Jawhar Lal Nehru and created a new era of fashion. However, my father refused this job at Rastrpati Bhawan and opened his own salon. After him I along with my two brothers ventured into the field. I did my course from London’s Morris School of Hair Design. It was there that I realised that hairdressing was about glamour.
What’s your signature style?
I believe that a small hair cut is my signature style. My scissors talk lyrically to every hair. My work is marked by patience and love in attending to my client’s hair. This is what sets me apart. I am not obsessed with styling hairs of Hindi film celebrities. They are not icons for me. In fact, 130 crores of Indians are my style icons.
What is preferred regime for quality hair care?
Every individual is special and his/her hair is unique. The basic rule for good hair is clean hair. Just apply your favorite hair oil before a shampoo and clean your hair with a good shampoo. Laugh a lot and your hair will laugh with you.
Tell us about your expansion plans.
I have 850 salon outlets allover India. However, I need to expand more as I want to reach to every individual. Odisha has really surprised me with its style and glamour quotient and it’s a happening state. The crowd of Bhubaneswar in particular is very stylish. I am here to set up some new salons. I also intend to educate my clients about hair care. Javed Habib is no more a hair styling outlet. We are growing as a brand where I am doing salon treatments too. The capital expenditure to start a Jawed Habib salon ranges from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 45 lakh, space requirement between 200-1,200 carpet sq ft with a RoI (return on investment) of 20 months.
What sets you apart in hair styling?
I educate and inspire people to look good. I don’t believe in selling products as beauty is skin deep. If one is not happy from within it won’t show in his hair or on his face. I want to expand my business on the lines of Macdonald food chains.
What is the secret of your success?
Eat less, work more and explore new avenues for people’s benefit. Don’t do business only for profit’s sake. Add a dash of human emotion and it all will come back as a blessing to you.