Respect and trust are the essence of any great collaboration, and in our two interviews with hair color icon Beth Minardi and hair styling star, Sam Brocato, both qualities are evident. When asked the definition of a successful person, Sam’s response might have mirrored the character of Beth, who defines success itself as “learning how to live happily, securely, and healthily and to never stop learning and growing.”
Indeed, when you are artists whose medium (hair) literally never stops growing and your skills bring you into high demand, it is essential to keep growing – to master the ebb and flow of perennially changing styles.
Sam Brocato originally contemplated studying architecture like his father, but found himself not wanting to spend all of those years in school. He soon found his passion in a different field of design: hair. And since following his passion from it’s “Aha!” moment at age 18 to this day, he has excelled both artistically and professionally.
Beth Minardi, who originally had ideas about becoming an actress or training show horses, found a different kind of role by doing what some of the world’s most successful people do: finding a niche and filling it. At age 21, while working on a film and observing the hair and makeup crew, she noticed something: “What I quickly learned (which was verified during my days in beauty school), was that almost NO ONE knew ANYTHING, or very little, about hair color.
These days, Sam and Beth, after fruitful independent careers in beauty industry, are actually bringing to life new partnership: “Studio B” in New York, New York. The salon was envisioned as a kind of breakaway from the current norm, “a very special kind of salon: the kind of salon that seems to be vanishing from the scene. A true ‘salon sanctuary’ where nothing is spared.” In our interview, each speaks of their devotion to work and family and the mutual admiration for each other’s values. What goes unspoken is clear enough between the lines and truly seems to be the guiding force: a devotion to quality.
One would be lucky to have this duo collaborate on one’s hair since both are artists in their own right who look upon hair as a living canvas upon which to apply their mediums: Beth, of whom Sam says that she “lives in color”, dreams in color and knows that the nature of hair “never forgets”, and Sam, a student of life from whom stylists worldwide seek knowledge.
With Studio B, the duo is now set to offer an extensive array of services to a discerning public through their team of stylists and carefully selected staff. As Sam adds, “The people are the secret”.
INTERVIEW WITH BETH MINARDI
YELENA DEYNEKO: Before becoming who you are today, were there any other career paths you were interested in pursuing?
BETH MINARDI: As I finished college, I thought I would become an actor or a teacher of theatrical arts, or that I would train horses (show jumpers) and train people to ride.
YD: Why did you ultimately choose to work with hair? What do you like most about your profession?
BM: As a child, I was extremely interested in COLOR. After working on a film when I was 21, I was very taken with the amazing work done by the hair and makeup crew. What I quickly learned, which was verified during my days in beauty school, was that almost NO ONE knew ANYTHING, or very little about hair color. I had seen gorgeous hair and very hideous, ruined hair, and saw an opportunity, a challenge.
YD: Was it an easy path to success, with steady growth, or were there a lot of challenges to overcome? How did you deal with those challenging times?
BM: Of course there are challenges along the way. Learning hair color and understanding what is missing, what is needed and how to achieve numerous “looks” takes time and patience. I handled this by learning to focus and by attempting to be brave.
YD: What did you learn from this experience about yourself?
BM: I learned that success was up to me, and that nothing replaces hard work, dedication, and discipline.
YD: What does success mean to you?
BM: Success means learning how to live happily, securely and healthily and to never stop learning and growing.
YD: Who do you lean on for support in your personal and professional quests?
BM: I get tremendous support from the 17,000 colorists who communicate with me every day. From my friends and family, from my salon team, from my support management at JOICO hair products…. and from the wonderful man who has come into my life.
YD: In addition to your profession, what else are you passionate about?
BM: I am passionate about living, both successfully and in great health. I adore my amazing daughter and my wonderful friends. I continue to be passionate about books, horses, animals, nature (trees in particular), and about living life with a person I cherish… and understanding how central friendships are. I try every day to let people know how much I appreciate them.
YD: How did you and Sam first meet in person? What was the first impression?
BM: I first met the amazing Sam
Brocato about 28 years ago in Minneapolis, MN. He and I were both judges in a salon hair
contest there. I thought he had great charisma, intelligence and passion. He was a new dad,
just crazy about telling us about the birth of his baby son, Gianni.
YD: How and/or why did you decide to partner up with him? What qualities did you see in each other?
BM: Both Sam and I have strong personalities and long histories in this business. I have always had great respect for him as an artist, a man, and a business person. We have the same passion for the beauty industry, and we both envisioned a very special kind of salon: the kind of salon that seems to be vanishing from the scene. A true “salon sanctuary” where nothing is spared to create the FINEST hair color, haircutting, styling and product availability in a truly unique, oasis type of environment. We both saw that we needed the finest professional talent available, both in their skills and in their love for people, and who had the desire to provide special attention to SOULFUL service.
YD: Do you guys ever disagree?
BM: Of course we disagree at times. How can any two people who work closely together never disagree?
YD: As an artist, what is your canvas? What are your inspirations and how does that work for your “audience”?
BM: My “canvas” is human hair. My “canvas” has a personality attached to it. It grows, is exposed to the elements, to stress and is attached to a living being until the day it falls away from its carrier. I look at hair as the frame to a picture, and the picture is the human face… a face which has its own color, texture, shape, eye color, and PERSONALITY. Creating the finest hair color in the world must ALWAYS take this, and more. It never “forgets” what has been done with it. So taking special care of it, pampering it, respecting it as I enhance or transform it is at the top of my mind.
YD: How have hair salons in the past changed from hair salons now?
BM: Sadly and understandably, the salon world is changing. Many “single owner” salons where staff members worked as a team have fallen by the wayside. Many salons are corporately owned or sponsored. Many talented salon professionals no longer want to be salaried or work on commission. They want to rent space from a salon landlord and maintain their own private businesses within the space. For some, this works well. For others, the feeling of community has fallen by the wayside. Think of going to a Walmart rather than to a boutique. Both hair professionals and clients can often feel this difference, this loss in a feeling of community and personalized service. Part of this is due to the rising costs of doing business as an owner and also because a number of salon owners have NOT shared by providing ongoing opportunity for growth, education, financial compensation, and letting artistic people know just how valuable they are. So, the change has to come from both sides.
YD: What would you say is the essence of Studio B?
BM: We see Studio B Salon as a completely different direction for the industry… Bringing the “love” back both, to members of the artistic team, AND to our wonderful clients. We are about elevating hair color, hair design and client
care to an ART FORM. To provide a salon sanctuary and oasis, both for our clients and to our extremely talented team.
YD: What is your personal good and bad hair day? What is the best way to always look fabulous?
BM: A bad hair day? There are none! The best thing to do is to plan ahead, have a perfect haircut, resist the urge to follow trends.
YD: What is your first and last thought of a day?
BM: I begin and end every day by thanking the universe.
YD: What is your most important goal for the new year?
BM: I have MANY goals for the new year. They evolve in ways, but remain constant… and for now, they remain with me.
YD: What do you want to wish your loved ones and your clients?
BM: For my loved ones and clients I wish that life continues to offer endless dreams coming true, abundant health, happiness, and success… and great hair that really rocks their look and makes them feel as beautiful as they are.
INTERVIEW WITH SAM BROCATO
YD: Why did you ultimately choose to work with hair?
SB: Hair is an amazing medium in that it is alive throughout the process of styling it. Added benefits are the freedom to live and work where I please and the people I meet each day.
I remember in the beginning having an “Aha!” moment where I knew I had found my love. It occurred when I was 18 years old and fresh out of cosmetology school. It was the first time I had ever gone to a hair show and I witnessed a Canadian hair group do the “shag” haircut: The lights, the music, the interaction of fashion and beauty. I was hooked. I remember feeling glee and excitement that I could do hair too and that this “hair” would be my life’s work.
YD: Before becoming who you are today, were there other career paths you were considering?
SB: I had once considered doing architecture like my father, but disliked the idea of spending so many years in college.
YD: Was it an easy path to success with steady growth, or were there challenges to overcome?
SB: I was working 75 hour weeks, year in and year out. There were many, many setbacks. But for every ten setbacks, one big stride forward would emerge, and kept my love and passion for my work alive.
I always sought out mentors because I believe that someone, somewhere has walked close to the same path as myself – and that is the person I want to talk to when I am discouraged. If they gave up or failed, then I will learn; if they succeeded, I will also learn.
YD: What did you learn from this experience and about yourself? About Industry?
SB: I am a survivor and a fighter. I have some leadership skills, but my greatest asset is that I love life. The beauty industry is massively forgiving. In fact, how could it be anything less if it is about beauty? It is by its very nature inclusive and encouraging, and I love that about the industry.
YD: When you hear word “success”, who comes to mind first and what does success mean to you?
SB: No one single person comes to mind, but more of a type of person: One who is genuinely at peace with
living, is generous and aspires to her best and fondest dreams. One who is encouraging to
others, someone who realizes that we are our legacies; nothing more, nothing less. To me,
that is a successful person.
YD: Who do you lean on for support in your personal and professional quests?
SB: My wife, Holly is my closest confidant. Both of our sons Gianni & Cohlie are becoming more and more important to my personal views and ideas about modern life. The entire Sam Brocato team, which includes both Sam Brocato Salon and Studio B Salon are my eyes and ears to the salon world. The team is smart and alert, talented and diverse. What more could one wish for?
YD: In addition to your profession, what else are you passionate about?
SB: I write. I read. I play music occasionally.
I exercise because I love the feeling of my body in motion.
YD: How did you and Beth first met in person? What was the first impression?
SB: Beth Minardi and I met in Minneapolis. We had both been invited to judge a hairstyling contest. I thought she was a very passionate and very attractive woman who, like myself, was very happy in both marriage and work.
YD: How and/or why did you decide to partner up with her? What qualities did you see in each other?
SB: Beth and I have a huge amount in common, not the least being the same age and sharing similar world views. I believe this makes for a very creative relationship. There are few hair colorists that think and act upon their knowledge as adroitly as Beth does. She lives in color, and she always says she “dreams in color.”
YD: After working together for sometime now, how would you describe each other as human beings?
SB: Beth is compassionate, funny, and deeply loyal, a natural born mother. There is no bullshit when it comes to her world-view. She is smart, tenacious, and not afraid to fight in order to win.
YD: If you could change one thing about your partner, what would it be?
SB: Ask me in one year. It’s too early to field a guess!
YD: Do you guys ever disagree? How do you settle disputes?
SB: Yes, we sometimes disagree. On the surface for now we are giving each other the room to succeed or fail on behalf of Studio B. We have not had outright disputes, just lively discussions. We are fortunate enough to work together at a point in our lives when time is not a luxury, but a fragile asset. Quality of life and work rule. We know the difference in what needs to get done and what is nonsense.
YD: As artists, what is your canvas? What are your inspirations? Who is your audience? Where is your stage? What are your tools?
SB: Well the hair is a fabric. A glorious growing canvas. I am a student of life and for life, so I find inspiration right where it lays, which most often is right in front of me. Both hair stylists and consumers are the audience.
My stage? Well, there are really three stages: one in the space that surrounds the styling chair where I work, the 2nd is the entire salon I work in, and the 3rd stage is in classrooms and venues worldwide where hairdressers come to seek the knowledge that I share.
My tools? A comb to start, a pair of well-designed scissors, a brush, perhaps a dryer and most importantly a pattern in my mind of where and how to cut the hair.
YD: How have hair salons in the past changed from hair salons now? Tell me about the evolution of your work space? Its cultural role? Perception?
SB: The salon is still very much a congregational atmosphere, still a club within a club. However, it is now infused with higher technology. The way I see it, our industry is high-touch and high-tech. We are getting very close to having a truly green environment.
The ergonomics of every human interaction are on the rise. The salon is integral to an ever-evolving mindset about personal care. We continuously raise the bar to continuously top our ability to deliver on the promise of “you are the beauty, not me.” There will always be leaders, followers and those who are really not certain what is going on. So perception is multi-tiered.
YD: What would you say is the essence of Studio B and Sam Brocato Salons?
SB: Studio B is fine French dining, while Sam Brocato Salon is culinary mastery in a more casual environment. The Studio B space itself is crafted to offer a sense of curated beauty. It is palpable. The people are the secret, as they are all talented stylists and colorists. Most importantly, hospitality and kindness are at the heart of who we are and what we do.
YD: What would you say is the perfect client?
SB: The perfect client is someone who is comfortable in
their own skin. A person who is not comfortable with themselves is not allowing themselves
to be comfortable in my chair.
YD: Describe the process of collaboration and of building relationships with your clients.
SB: The client speaks first. We all wish to be heard, not listened to. I work from a very specific book of rules to which I often add new pages. This is client-induced growth.
YD: What makes you happy, both professionally and personally?
SB: I’m a businessman and an artist. I love seeing the people on our team grow along with the business. Personally, my family is my rock.
YD: What is the best way to always look fabulous?
SB: Clean, healthy, shiny lived-in hair almost always looks great. To always look fabulous, go see your hairdresser often!
YD: What is your first/last thoughts of the day?
SB: Where am I? Why am I here? I am alive. I am so happy to be here!!!
YD: What is your most important goal for the new year?
SB: My New Year’s goal is to write the 2nd edition of my book, Beautiful Business, which was published 30 years ago and sold 130k copies. It is time for a digital, modern-world telling of the never-ending story of my/our business’s life in today’s language.
YD: What do you want to wish your loved ones and your clients?
SB: Health, beauty, freedom from fear and terror, and a profound trust in yourself… Live out loud. Be fearless. And, of course, I love you all dearly.
