Johnny Andrean creates jobs whith the right cut

Johnny Andrean creates jobs whith the right cut

By I. Christianto

JAKARTA (JP): Despite his packed schedule, leading beauty
consultant Johnny Andrean found time for an interview recently at
his new training center at Pluit Megamal, North Jakarta.

Johnny, 37, runs 65 beauty salons, including three training
centers and four bridal studios, employing around 1,000 staff. He
began from a small house in Pademangan, North Jakarta, probably
never dreaming he would one day charge Rp 200,000 for a haircut
and Rp 3 million for bridal makeup.

On an average day, 100 customers visit each of his salons.

The following are excerpts from the interview with the
hairstylist and beautician:

Q: Why did you choose this profession?

A: It's kind of hereditary. My mother worked in this field.
Besides, I like aesthetic qualities and beauty, how to make
people more handsome or more beautiful.

Q: How did you start out? What were the obstacles?

A: I started in 1978 by cutting the hair of my relatives.

I became convinced that this was my calling. My father
initially wanted me to follow in his footsteps as an
entrepreneur. He didn't like my choice, but my mother accepted
it. My father eventually came around. I worked hard to prove
that as long as we are serious, we will get the same results and
satisfaction working in any field.

Q: What is your philosophy?

A: It is simple: The customer is the boss. This is what I teach
all my staff. The office boys, hairstylists and everybody working
with me have to understand that we are working for the "bosses".
We have to take care of them and pay attention to their
interests.

Q: How do you manage your staff?

A: Give them trust in accordance with their skills. We also
delegate responsibilities and set targets. The other day, when
this newest training center opened, I could not attend because I
was holding a show at another place. So I just delegated the
duties to my staff.

Q: Career highlights?

A: I won the men's haircut, women's haircut and the hairstyling
categories at a Southeast Asian hair contest in Yogyakarta in
1984.

Q: Any bitter memories?

A: Once I really trusted one of my staff. I taught this person
everything I know. But the person betrayed me by opening a salon
next to mine and poaching my staff.

Q: Did you have any formal beauty studies?

A: In 1978, I noticed how my mother was doing makeup for other
people. On her advice, I took courses at some beauty training
centers in Jakarta. Then I went to study hairstyling at Vidal
Sassoon and Tony & Guy in London. I learned a lot there. I also
studied makeup in London and Paris. I learned the tricks on how
to make people more attractive.

Q: How did you expand and manage your salons?

A: I returned to Jakarta to run my first salon. Then it became
two, and with the assistance of relatives, I continued to expand.
I also joined forces with my wife, Tina, whom I married in 1985,
by opening a bridal center. Tina is a designer.

I tell my staff that we have to serve customers in their spare
time. That means we have to work seven days a week, from 10 a.m.
to 9 p.m. This is nothing compared with other services which open
24 hours. Customers now need treatment at odd hours because they
are becoming busier and working later.

Q: Further ambitions?

A: The bridal studio I run with my wife is now the leading bridal
service in the country. I think I would like to open more
training centers. By having my own training centers, I can supply
and manage human resources. I'm also glad that I can create more
jobs as I open more salons.

Q: What is the hairstyling profession like?

A: It can take up to one year for someone to master haircutting.
A hairstylist can make a fair income. A beginner can handle eight
customers a day, and he or she can earn up to Rp 1 million daily,
inclusive of tips. A hairstylist has to know how to approach
customers. Working at beauty salons offers other benefits, as we
get to know many people.

Q: More men are entering the profession...

A: I don't believe there are such things as male or female jobs.
In my opinion, men are the most appropriate judges of women's
beauty. They understand and know what most men want to see in
women.

(The latest training center at Pluit Megamal is also a beauty
salon which offers rates, ranging from Rp 3,000 for a hair cut to
Rp 14,000 for a package of coloring, cut and blow. Many high
school students and company employees visit the salon. Johnny
plans to enlarge the center into a 500-square-meter studio.
combining a cafe, salon and a training center).

Q: Are you satisfied with what you have achieved?

A: Now I run 65 salons, some of them under joint operation
schemes. I don't think I need to create a particular corporation,
like a holding company, for this kind of business. I am satisfied
with this. It would be complicated if I had many firms. Since
1993, I have produced ProSport men's cosmetics. But I am a bit
dissatisfied with the results.

Q: What about family life?

A: I am a happy father of four children. My eldest is 12 years
while the youngest is one-and-a-half years. My wife and I are
hard workers; I work about 10 hours a day. We try to make a good
team of parents. After all, what does career success mean if we
fail in raising a family? We are committed to our children. We
spend our leisure time together. I like fishing and I'm fond of
tropical fish.

(Due to high demand, customers seeking Johnny's personal touch
must make appointments in advance. But he admits he always tries
to fit in actors Paramita Rusady, Ira Wibowo, singer Katon and
several ministers' wives who have became his close friends.)

Q: What are the hairstyle trends for 1998?

A: Women's hair will be longer than 1997. There will be layers,
but set lower, not full layers, to make the hair more voluminous.
Women will continue to dye their hair, but with stronger colors,
like bright red or brown. Crewcut will still dominate men's
style. Men will also seek Tin-Tin, or square styles.

Q: Why do Indonesians always lag behind Singaporeans or Hong
Kongers in adopting new hairstyles?

A: Singapore is the window of Southeast Asia, so people there
adapt to new trends faster. The same goes for Hong Kong. But in
expertise, Indonesian beauticians and hairstylists are just as
competitive. Indonesians are not blind trend followers. We select
what is appropriate for us.

I remember in the 1980s, when the gaudy punk-rock style went
global, Indonesians adopted soft punk -- they did trim their hair
in the punk-rock style, but without the various accessories.
Their appearance was much more "polite".