Candy Shaw
Justin Emanuel and Caitlyn Duffy of Bad Taste Hair Co. recently attended a Club Intrigue event where we begged them to stalk the lovely Candy Shaw.
We had the chance to catch a quick interview with one of the strongest leaders in our industry, Candy Shaw. Owner of Jamison Shaw Hairdressers in Buckhead. She is also the creator of Sunlights Balayage Lightener and a chair member of Intercoffiure. She is such an inspiration to so many hairdressers, her vast techniques have set her apart in the community and with her strong business sense, she has created an empire of dedicated and driven hairstylists.
Bad Taste: We are here at Club Intrigue with Candy Shaw. Candy can you tell us a little bit about how you participated in putting this Club Intrigue event together?
Candy Shaw: Well it was actually a huge collaboration with Intercoffiure. We were raising money to send our artistic team from Intercoffiure to Shanghai. We had an auction package, believe it or not. We sold as an Atlanta package to come here for the next three days and spend time with some various salon owners in Atlanta. Last night we started out with John and Carol Siggers home. Today we spent the morning with the Van Michael group in Atlanta, talking about benchmarks and things like that. This afternoon we were in my academy in Atlanta, tonight was Club Intrigue, and tomorrow night we will be back at my salon balayaging. So, it was really more than just tonight at Club Intrigue with Jeff; but really a collaboration with salon owners in Atlanta. I like to call Atlanta the “hair mafia” and none-the-less we all came together to donate our time, energy and our talents to people across the country. The residual effect of that was that we won over some various salon owners from across the country to come and talk as a panel tonight on running cultures and businesses.
BT: Atlanta has just started booming with this strong sense of community, like you said the “hair mafia”. We really have a strong culture, it really doesn’t matter where you work or what lines you carry. How do you feel like Atlanta is different than other cities in the hairdressing community.
CS: I am SO glad you asked me this, because I really get this question all the time. I feel like Atlanta has set a standard for salon owners across the country; and so many come to me and they say, “I cannot believe that you are friends with your competitors.” I say to them one word, and that is family. We all have so much to offer at so many different levels, to your point. It doesn’t matter what you carry, what you sell, it doesn’t really matter who you are. It just matters that we are all in this thing together and I think as salon owners now especially with the influx of independent contractors, we are coming together as a collective group stronger than ever before. I think really if I am being honest, is that these friendships have been forged over 30+ years and I think that my advice to any “hair nerd” or anybody that is out there is that it is really up to us to get together as a community and truly try to focus on the dynamic of who we are and celebrate that as individuals.
BT: Who is one of your biggest inspirations and why?
CS: Wow! I love that because my father is a 60 year hairdresser. He just retired this year after 60 years and is 80 years old and I have to say that my dad literally was still doing 23 people a day behind the chair even in his golden age. I am always inspired by the youngest person that is in this industry. I know that might sound cliche, but I am only as good as the youngest person I can inspire to be better. So what inspires me is the youngest kid that is looking for the answers. If I can answer one question to that person, than I feel like I have done my part as a salon owner, as a stylist, and as an educator.
BT: That’s wonderful! We have one last question for you. What is one quote that you live by day in and day out?
CS: Oh my gosh, I have so many! I call them the “Jamison Shaw-isms” of the world. “He who trains best wins.” I think that is one of the things that I have always lived by. You know Jamison Shaw’s philosophy is “Show up, on time, ready to work.” and that is another quote I certainly live by. I think the biggest quote that I live by, I finish every class and every show that I ever do and that is something my father taught me along the way. “Life is short and soon to pass and only the things done with love will last.” That is something I really believe, when you’re passionate, when you love your craft, when you are out there doing it for the right reasons, and if you are a good person along the way, you will just be a better person. So working with love is probably my favorite!
BT: Candy Shaw thank you so much for taking the time to let us ask you a few questions. Where can everyone follow you on social media? If they aren’t following you already then they should be!
CS: You can find me on social media as Candy Shaw-Codner. Codner is my married name so I had to make sure I put that in there! You can also find me on our website for Sunlights Balayage, Jamison Shaw Academy, and of course you can always find me on Facebook! But really, follow me in the classroom that’s where you will find me and that is where my heart is at.
@CaitySkywalker
@atribecalledgen1us