It’s all about the hair

Next time you screenshot a do for your salon visit, kindly acknowlege your hairstylist. Trichologist and Afro Hair Awards, Kenya founder, Muli Musyoka, introduces us thus. “The hair industry is dispirited. I felt a personal responsibility. I had to do something.”

Set over two days, October 21-22, with pre-judging and a gala night punctuated with a panel of hair industry veterans presiding, AHA 2016 reflected the need to keep up with what is happening globally — from understanding natural hair, to the local hair industry and celebrating highlights.

The Afro Hair Awards began in 2015. “The awards is what I feel will be my legacy. Hair Hub, The Trichology Centre, or being the first registered trichologist in East and Central Africa is more of a personal achievement.  AHA gives every hairdresser an opportunity, a platform.”

For Muli, organising the award ceremony is no mean feat.

“There is the mental exhaustion from thinking, will AHA succeed or take off? The last two months meeting sponsors, is really exhausting.”

But despite all the hard work, he is happy with the end product even if it does not necessarily mean more money in his pocket.

“Events don’t make money. If I make some money at some point I will be happy. Right now it’s enough to see people appreciate hairdressers and for hairdressers to appreciate themselves. I choose to look at it this way. It may have cost me short-term but long-term, I have faith.”

It almost sounds too altruistic. Why would a sponsor say yes? Because aside from Muli’s very impressive resume and status as Key Opinion Leader (KOL), timing counts. The dearth of events linking products and equipment manufacturers with industry players makes AHA a viable option.

SCHOOLED IN RESILIENCE

The Sh500 cover charge, officially the lowest ever heard of in an industry associated with glam, was strategic. It probably kept away a few faces who prefer bloated charges. “Hairdressers never paid for events before. Even free ones with a chance to learn. Last year AHA was free. This year, the Sh500 was meant to shift the mindset that good things are free. It was an amount that could accommodate everyone including the Kenyatta Market lady earning Sh15,000 per month.”

He has, not surprisingly, got schooled on resilience, faith and humility. The latter, I have to ask, is it by practise or innate?

“That is very difficult to answer.  I think my father was the wisest man who ever lived, and he was very humble.” Still, one must acknowledge achievements when they come to pass. “I’m very poor at doing that.

In as much as he is thrilled contestants came from Mazeras, Eldoret, Siaya and Mombasa, including one overwhelmed, teary Charles Wamae, from Thika, who won Afro Stylist of the Year award.

“There is a thought Nairobi has all these demigods of hair. I am inspired by entrants across Kenya. I think we can improve the process of nomination, starting earlier, giving contestants more time to prepare. We need to improve our communication. Every hairdresser should know there is such a thing as AHA.”

The rest of the year, Muli notes, “We train, hold conferences on personal branding and business acumen open to all hairdressers, mainly starting with the winners.”

An introvert, Muli reads substantively and widely, watching documentaries, researching, cruising scientific platforms.

“I am lucky I have a mind that sees opportunities. I am a victim of my own ambition. I try to manage it so it does not burn me out because where I want to go is pretty far out. Five years ago I told my brother I want to travel the world giving lectures on hair. I do that on a small scale. I want to do more, bring sanity, personality, integrity and charisma to the hair industry.”

 Next week: You left your hair in the salon sink. Now what?