What does hair dressing mean to you – It does not mean fame or money to me. I would call it my life. I can’t think beyond hair. Hair has taken over my soul, my heart, my mind. I only think hair that means hair business, hair education, hair industry, hair employment, so many things about hair.
What is the role of hair in shaping the personality of a person- It can change the complete personality. We wake up and look into the mirror. The day starts with hair. After the whole day we again go to mirror because we want to dream well. Hair is the complete personality in itself. Early in the morning if we look good it boosts us. Hair plays a very important role as a bad hair can run negative vibrations in us.
The biggest inspiration- Nature is my biggest inspiration. I am a morning person. I wake up early and go for a walk or cycling. I enjoy nature and whatever I see leaves ideas in me. That is what is Jawed Habib today. Jawed Habib is a very natural person, still grounded.
How do you decide on a hair style- I never decide, it just happens. When I start feeling the hair, it starts talking to me. I keep doing what they guide me what is to be done. I never decide a hair style. Walking in the street if someone asks me what hair style, I don’t know. When a person sits on my chair and after I start feeling the hair I do it. For me the feel of hair is very important.
My Guru- I have seen my dad cutting hair so of course it runs in my blood. I don’t know what is guru to me. I think it is all to do with doing different and doing what is in the mind.
Life to me means- For me life is only a day that means only 10-12 hours. In those few hours do your best because there is no yesterday and there will be no tomorrow. So, people who believe in yesterday they keep dreaming about past. People who live for tomorrow they waste time thinking about the day which is yet to come. For me, life is only a day. And that one day is very important to me. If a am a businessman, I want to be the best businessman. If I am a hair dresser, I want to be the best hairdresser.
The most rewarding part of my career- I think it’s hair industry. No one has taken hair industry so seriously. People have been thinking it is ‘Nai ka kaam’ (a barber’s job). People have been thinking only to work with some Bollywood stars or politicians. I think hair dressing is beyond that. It is a fashion. Let me tell you a fact, the first surgery on the earth was done by a nai (barber) because no one knew that time how to use a razor. The first fashion statement on this earth was the hair, not the garments or shoes. For me the most rewarding aspect is that I have become a spokesperson. There is so much depth in my education on hair that I can speak endlessly.
If I was not a hair dresser- No, I can’t think beyond that.
What is the best aspect of being a hair dresser- Making people happy. When they sit in front of the mirror and smile that becomes a reward for me. If someone comes out of a hospital, the first outing is to a salon always. When they feel good after a hair cut it works as a reward to me.
The most challenging hair cut- If you are professional, there is no challenge. There will never be a fussy client because we are deeply involved in our work.
Do you think India needs to go a long way in terms of grooms, hair styling and beauty- India is the market and its young population is it’s asset. Indians are the most fussiest people on this earth. It does not matter whether Indians are in London, Singapore or New York. May be it is all do with the culture, every one wants long hair. Because of long hair we can not experiment a lot so they become fussy.
You have 500+ franchises across the globe, how do you ensure quality service: My system is very solid. I have a franchise in every state, there are academies also. I have one person in every state so all the staff or team learnt at my school. So, when I say ‘my school’, they are carrying my culture. Jawed habib is not cutting hair anymore. Jawed Habib is a culture of 100 years. It started with my grandfather, then my father, me and my both brothers followed it. As people call it a ‘music gharana’ we are a ‘hair gharana’. The first thing is who has talked openly about this profession, they are shy and hide it but I feel proud in saying ‘we are the hair gharana of this country’.
What it takes to be a good hair stylist- Dedication is very important but education is the base. If a father is a good hair dresser then does not mean that the son will also be good, if a mother runs a beauty parlor then it would not really mean that the daughter would be a good beautician. One needs to go to a pathshala to learn basic science about it and I think, it is only that science which helps me speak about it.
What is a good hair style- Easy, manageable, practical and wash-and-go. No one has time today to go to a salon for a blow dry or to do a blow-dry at home.
My favourite travel destination- London because whatever I am today it is because of the city. When I had gone to London I realize that the hair industry was huge. In London, I worked at Mc Donalds for three years. At Mc Donalds I learnt how to make and run a system. That taught me how to run a business without a manager. So, I was doing a paid MBA at Mac Donalds (laughs). My dream is to overtake Mac Donalds in numbers.
My idea of comfort food- Oh, I am not a foody. For me it is dal, sabzi and raita, that’s it. I have a lot of control over my food. I drink a lot of water. Our bodies need 80 per cent of water and 20 per cent of food but in Asia it is other way round.
The lowest point of my life- Never because there was no yesterday in my life.
The highest point of my life- There is no highest point of my life also. I am happy doing what I am doing today.
The easiest way to take care of tresses- Shampoo everyday. Because of lack of education people say ‘issme to chemical hai’ but toothpaste and soap also has chemicals.
My weakness- No weakness but I am a very emotional person and believe in nature.
Jawed Habib wants to be remembered as- Hairstylist.