SISTER ACT

SISTERS EMMA AND SIOBHAN MORIARTY-RICHARDSON SAT DOWN TO CHAT TO SIAN JONES ABOUT COMING UP IN THE INDUSTRY TOGETHER

HOW DID YOU BOTH END UP IN THE INDUSTRY?

Emma: It was a tale of co-dependency really. She started and I was like, well, I’ll do it.

Siobhan: We’re both single mums, and we thought “What are we going to do with our lives? We’ll become hairdressers.” We went to college and Emma was a complete natural. I enjoyed hair, but I didn’t enjoy the ladies side. When we were on that course, our mum passed away and I tailed off a bit but Emma carried on. We went to Salon International that year and I saw the barbering section and thought - that’s my people. So, I went to a local place every day for two weeks until the owner said come in, but there won’t be a job for you at the end of it.

Emma: She kept telling me barbering was better and that I could earn more money so I went to work with her.

TELL ME ABOUT OPENING YOUR OWN SHOP…

Siobhan: I’d been barbering for about a year and a half and had ten grand saved up when I saw the shop and thought “That’s my barbers”. At first our haircuts were bad, but we met Lawrence Fo at a Barber Bash who said “I’ll help you. I’ll be there Monday morning.” From then on we learned to cut hair properly.

Emma: We had no idea about business - we just knew we wanted to work together.

WHERE DOES THAT DETERMINATION COME FROM?

Siobhan: I’m impulsive.

Emma: She’s very impulsive. She just backs herself, and then she drags me along.

Siobhan: Emma teaches me a lot. She has a natural understanding of hair, I still have quite an old school mentality.

IN WHAT WAY?

Siobhan: I like being sleek. I learnt from an old school Italian barber. In my head I want a neat silhouette, and Emma is a lot more experimental. Emma: I’ve always been creative, but learning to cut women’s hair has definitely helped me.

HOW DID YOU BUILD YOUR CLIENTELE?

Siobhan: When we opened I didn’t know anything about business… I had 50p in my account. I didn’t even know what a business plan was. All I knew was that we would be able to get clients. We have clients that came on the first day that are still with us nearly 10 years on.

WHO’S YOUR TYPICAL CLIENT?

Siobhan: We have different clients. She’ll get the “cool guys” in their late twenties, and I’ll get the older gentlemen. Our shop has such a wide demographic, we also work with a homeless charity and give vouchers to a night shelter - we want it to be inclusive.

IS IT EASIER HAVING EACH OTHER IN THE INDUSTRY?

Emma: In the shop it makes it a lot easier – especially when you’re starting out. But within the industry, there’s not a lot of female representation on stage. Sometimes there’s nothing.

Siobhan: When we started out 12 years ago there were less women. I’d say the split is more 60/40 now however the representation still isn’t there. Some of the women are better than the men. I can’t wrap my head around it.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?

Siobhan: I love the intimate conversations where people really open up and you can be part of the process in helping them. Coming back from working in the prison service, you have a whole new appreciation for it.

Emma: I’ve built friendships with most of my clients. When I go to work, it doesn’t feel like a job. It feels like I’m hanging out with my friends and my sister. You see people going to work and hating their jobs. And I don’t have that.