Australian Hairdressing Council

Welcome to our AHC member spotlight... Beyond the Chair.

Who: Larissa Macleman
Where: Salon Owners Collective | Aus + NZ

🌟 What inspired you to pursue a career in the hair industry?
I was sitting at traffic lights in Wellington, spotted a vacant corner and decided to open a salon. Six weeks later, I was open. Over the years, I went from juggling two salons and feeling overwhelmed to building a multi-million-dollar business that I eventually sold while working just 15 hours a week. That journey taught me so much about business, leadership and what it really means to create a life you love. 💡

🌟 One piece of advice for someone starting out in hairdressing?
Get good behind the chair. Then get just as good at business. Nobody tells you the haircut isn't the hard part. Running the thing is! I learned that at 20, just six weeks after opening my first salon. Wish someone had told me on day one. ✅

🌟 What’s your go-to song or playlist that gets you in the zone while working in the business?
Top of the World, Brandy. 🎶

🌟 Fun fact people might not know?
I sing and have recorded a song. 🎤

🌟 Top tip to stay motivated during busy or tough times?
Motivation isn't a feeling you wait for. It's a decision about what matters most. When things got hard, I focused on what I was building rather than how I felt. Busy season doesn't ask if you're inspired. So don't wait to be! 💯

🌟 If you could style any celebrity’s hair for a day, who would it be and why?
Olivia Dean has amazing hair, and I've always loved styling long hair. ✨

🌟 What do you know now that you wish you had known earlier in your career?
Your business doesn't need more of you standing in it. It needs more of you built into it – your team, systems and standards. It's about extending yourself, not stepping back or grinding harder. Took me two decades to learn that! 😎

🌟 What key lesson have you learnt that transformed your business or mindset?
Different growth stages need different strategies. What got me from solo stylist to five staff wasn't what got me to $2 million and 30 staff. I had to evolve too – from stylist to manager, leader and eventually CEO, learning to trust my team and let go. That changed everything. 💯

🌟 What do you love about being part of AHC?
When I opened my first salon, I had nobody in my corner beyond my dad. No guidance, industry representation or resources. That's what I value about the AHC – a voice to government, legal support and a community that understands salon ownership. I didn't have that support when I needed it. Every salon owner in Australia has access to it now. 🙌

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❤️✂️ HAIRDRESSERS, GET READY! LOVE YOUR HAIRDRESSER WEEK IS COMING!

📅 9–15 November 2026 – SAVE THE DATE!

It’s almost time to celebrate YOU and the incredible industry we’re all so proud to be part of!

Because we all know it’s never just about hair. It’s about the connections, the conversations, the confidence, the creativity and the difference you make in people’s lives every single day. ❤️

This Love Your Hairdresser Week, we want to see our socials flooded with love for our amazing industry – and we need YOU to help make it happen!

📱 Get your socials ready! Start planning your posts, reels and stories.

❤️ Share the love! Celebrate your team, your colleagues, your mentors or the hairdressers who’ve made a difference to you.

✂️ Get your clients involved! Encourage them to share what their hairdresser means to them.

📣 Make some noise! Tag Australian Hairdressing Council and use and so we can share the love far and wide!

Let’s fill our feeds with the faces, stories and moments that make our industry so special.

One industry. One big week of love. Let’s make some noise! ❤️✂️

🏆✨WHAT A NIGHT! AHIA BUSINESS AWARDS 2026!

What an incredible celebration of our industry’s talent, passion and business excellence at Sunday nights AHIA Business Awards, held at the Star Brisbane! 🥂

A huge congratulations to all the winners and finalists! The calibre of talent, innovation and dedication across our industry is something to be incredibly proud of, and it was wonderful to see so many AHC members in the room, celebrating each others achievements. ❤️

🌟 A very special congratulations to industry powerhouse Helen Owens and the Tiger Lamb Salon team, who took home the night’s ultimate honour - AHIA Buisness Australian Salon of the Year! What a fantastic achievement and so well deserved!

A big thank you to Linda Woodhead Jarred Stedman and the entire Mocha Hair for another spectacular event. The energy, entertainment and sense of community were a wonderful reminder of what makes our industry so special.

Congratulations again to everyone recognised! Here’s to continuing to raise the bar, celebrate excellence and champion the incredible businesses and people who make our industry shine! 👏🏻

See the full list of winners: https://mailchi.mp/mochagroup/mocha-mail-ahia-business-winners

🎉 BIG NEWS FOR THE AHC AND OUR INDUSTRY!

We're incredibly proud to announce that AHC CEO Fiona Beamish has been elected to the Board of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA)! 👏

This is not only a wonderful recognition of Fiona's leadership and commitment to our industry, but also a significant opportunity to strengthen the voice of Australian hairdressing and barbering businesses at a national level.

As Australia's peak small business representative body, COSBOA plays an important role in influencing government policy and advocating on the issues that matter most to small businesses.

So what does this mean for our industry?

It means an even stronger voice in the conversations that shape our future – from rising business costs and workplace relations to skills shortages, apprenticeships, training and the ongoing challenges of running a small business.

With Fiona at the COSBOA Board table, the experiences and perspectives of salon and barbershop owners can help inform broader national small business advocacy and policy discussions.

At the AHC, we've always believed our industry deserves to be heard, represented and taken seriously. This appointment provides another valuable opportunity to ensure that happens.

A huge congratulations to Fiona on this well-deserved appointment! ❤️

We're excited about what this means for our members, our industry and the important work ahead.

Read COSBOA's official announcement: https://cosboa.org.au/post/cosboa-welcomes-new-board-and-recognises-outgoing-chair-matthew-addison/

🇦🇺 Three big days in Canberra!

It's been a busy and incredibly productive few days in our nation's capital, representing the Australian hairdressing and barbering industry and ensuring the challenges facing our small businesses are part of the national conversation.

From attending the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia AGM and the Energy Consumers Australia Summit, to meetings at Parliament House with Minister for Small Business Anne Aly, Shadow Minister for Small Business Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, and Queensland Small Business Commissioner Nicole Kelly, there's been plenty of opportunity for important conversations about the future of small business.

I also had the opportunity to be interviewed by Energy Consumers Australia about the very real energy challenges facing salon and barbershop owners, particularly as rising operating costs continue to put pressure on profitability.

One of the highlights was being able to invite some of our wonderful Canberra-based AHC members to join me at Parliament House for several events. A huge thank you to Blair Lewis and Trudy Solway (Pura Holistic Hair Studio), Sandia Monteiro Rodrigues (Holistic Hair by Sandia) and Darren Jones (Jones & Me) for being part of these important conversations. Having salon owners there to share their perspectives makes our advocacy even more meaningful. ❤️

It's been a fantastic few days of connection, collaboration and ensuring our industry's voice is heard where decisions are made.

And there's a little more exciting news to come from Canberra... stay tuned! 👀

OH. I DIDN’T KNOW THE AHC DID THAT. 👀

You know the AHC exists. But do you know what we actually do?

We’re kicking things off with one of the biggest parts of running a salon: HR.

From changing employee hours and employment arrangements to those tricky “what am I actually supposed to do here?” moments, HR questions can get complicated quickly.

The good news? You don’t have to figure it all out yourself.

Something’s confusing → ask the AHC.
Something’s changing → ask the AHC.
Something’s gone wrong → ask the AHC.

Want to know more about the HR support available to AHC Salon Select members? Find out more about membership via the link in our bio. 🔗

This World Mental Health Day, let’s check in, listen and look out for one another. 🤍

Through an AHC Salon Select membership, members can access mental health resources to support both themselves and their teams, including:

🦋 NewAccess – free mental health coaching for small business owners through Beyond Blue.
🦋 Before Blue – an exclusive Beyond Blue platform included in AHC Salon Select membership that helps salon owners support their team’s mental health and wellbeing via a series of one-on one sessions with a mental health practitioner, free of charge.

Because supporting our industry starts with supporting its people.

We thought we’d answer a few questions we hear about the AHC… because apparently we need to clear a few things up 😂👇

🧐 “Is the AHC the Government or the Tax Office?”
Neither! 😂 The AHC is an independent not-for-profit association representing the Australian hairdressing and barber sector. We advocate for our industry and provide support, resources and a collective voice for our members.

🤔 “What even is an Association?”
It’s not a secret club… and there’s no secret handshake. 😂 An association brings people and businesses together to support their industry, share knowledge, access information, and have a stronger voice.

👀 “What does the AHC actually do?”
Quite a lot, actually. From industry advocacy and representation to HR and business resources, education, events, media opportunities and member support — we’re here to help our members navigate the industry and grow stronger businesses.

Still got questions? Keep them coming. We’ll clear those up too.