Who’s Behind the Chair? Q & A with Rebecca Adams
The Chapel News
Main Image Credit:
Adam Harvey
Knowledge is power which is why education is so important to colour specialist Rebecca Adams. Continually evolving her colouring skills and being honest to her guests about meeting expectations and suitability of colour are practices that Rebecca holds highly. However, she always ensures that her guests understand the “WHY?” behind her words. Rebecca is passionate about empowering the next generation and giving them the opportunity to become the hairdressers they believe they can be. Rebecca has been a crucial member of The Chapel since 2007 and has her own unique story. We were lucky enough to have a conversation with Rebecca in our Tunbridge Wells salon to get to know more about her journey.
How did you get started in hairdressing?
I started out hairdressing when I was thirteen as a Saturday girl at Clipso. I then went on to an apprenticeship with Toni and Guy. After this, I knew I wanted to specialise in colour. I set out to complete two colour degrees from Redken and Wella. This taught me to really focus on my skill alongside my guest’s skin tone and hair and eye colour, working out what colours would make each individual look and feel incredible - and that would suit them down to the ground.
How did you end up at The Chapel?
I was drawn in by the concept. Around thirteen years ago, I read an article about Amanda and The Chapel in the Hairdressing Journal and loved the values of the business and I came in for a chat and the rest is history!
Tell us more about your role with The Chapel!
I feel very privileged to be in my role at The Chapel where I am responsible, alongside my partner in crime Sally. We look after the next generation of The Chapel’s stylists and travel from salon to salon. We are focused on the education and developing our skill set as a brand on a whole. We tailor our education to the individual and grow our teams together.
What do you believe is special about The Chapel?
Our ethos and values are special and they have not changed since I’ve been here. I feel like I have worked here so long that the values are embedded within me. There really is nowhere else like it. We have so much space to move freely, work on guests and relax. We could fit hundreds of more chairs in the salon but it is not about that. Our environment is so important and this helps us create amazing experiences, we want women to accept who they are and we ensure each of our guests leave feeling amazing. We encourage women to set their own trend -- having the time to do this is what makes the salon so great.
What does charging by time mean for you?
As there are no time constraints, I like to show new stylists how this can benefit their individual skills. During introductions with new starters, I always ask ‘what is half a head of highlights?’ and each stylist has a different answer and approaches it in their own way. This shows that not everything should come at a set price and a set time as it is unnatural. Charging by time allows every individual to be the hairdresser they want to be by exploring the best ways to approach problems.
Also, visiting the salon should not be about a one-stop shop. The conversation is where we can really get to know our guests, it’s a really exciting time and when the guests leave it’s about where their hair journey will take them next. Always leave them wanting more.
We’ve had a lovely time getting to know Rebecca at Tunbridge Wells. If you are interested in developing your hairdressing skills or want to take your hair on an incredible journey, come and visit the original Chapel at Tunbridge Wells. To follow Rebecca’s creative journey, follow her Instagram here.
