Redken Education At Work in Cromwell

Hairdressing is a very social industry so you might think anyone who wants to hugely broaden his community links needs to seriously look at his time management plan. But you wouldn’t have met Tim Riwhi.

He has simply the best time management plan. And it starts at 4.15am every day. This human dynamo is up at that time training for triathlons. Then it’s hours in the salon. And for four months of the year, working with the Redken Education programme.

Tim owns Tu Meke Salon in Cromwell. But he doesn’t let his distance from the brighter lights dim his enthusiasm for helping others – and bringing back to his domain the things he learns and the experience he gains.

Tim’s a huge advocate of the Redken programme – not only for his own benefit but also for how it works within his own salon and among the stylists he meets on the road.

"OK, you get to travel, meet new people and get training on how to facilitate. But with doing that, you can also have an impact on someone’s life and career.

"Plus, you get to work with a strong network of likeminded people in the other artists. And this means that you can have conversations about life, business, facilitating and share goals, challenges and rewards with people who care, and people who ‘know what you mean’.

"Too often we wouldn’t communicate with the salon down the road because they are our competition. But being in this network enables an openness that would otherwise not exist. Everyone wins.”

Tim has been a member of the Redken Education Team for six years and says it has helped him focus on training and development in his business as well as upping his own game.

"With the training, I get to take it all back to the salon. My team are always giving me grief about my attitude after I come back from being away, because I get a fire in my belly and I’m ready to take on the world and share every bit of fun with anyone that will have it.

"It’s also helped me in life. I put this down to why I have such a good following of people who are willing to get out of bed at 4.15 to go for a run with me - because I think it would be cool,” Tim says.

"On the client service side, it helps you up your game and always to be striving to give more.

It also helps you to question why you are doing things rather than simply sitting back and just keep doing what you always do.”

Tim says people who want more out of their careers and life in general should join the Redken Education programme. But you need to be committed and be prepared for the work - but it’s worth it

During his stints on the programme Tim spends on average eight days facilitating with between another eight and 16 in preparation and organising.

"There are major rewards. The communities within the industry and outside of the industry want to know about you and your experiences, so you also have to be willing to share and be open. It has given credibility to me, my team, our salon, and better yet, our profession.

"But the big thing is – and it may sound corny - the look in someone’s eye when they really get what you are facilitating, and knowing that you have helped empower that person and that life will not be the same for them.”

Tu Meke hairdressing has been going for nearly 10 years – and with this dynamo at the helm, it seems there is only one way it’s heading…and that’s onwards and upwards.