Van Council

Van Council is a four-time NAHA winner and co-owner with his brother, Michael Council, of Van Michael Salons in Miami and Atlanta. A trendsetter and style maker, Council has also devised an intensive training program that ensures the technical and creative talents of each staff member.

Why He's Influential: Council has always promoted the synergy between hair and fashion and consistently releases style collections based on the transformational power of his makeovers. Council is also a leader in the business of salon ownership by creating salons designed to offer both exceptional service to clients and a complete range of opportunities and benefits to employees and staff.

Who Influences Him: Council's inspiration comes from the clients who sit in his chair and his ability to transform lives through his hairdressing skills. One tearful client, who told him she never knew she could look and feel so beautiful, serves as a reminder of why he is a hairdresser. "As beauty professionals, we have the power, through the use of our hands, personality and intuition, to change people's perspectives of themselves. We do not just cut hair, we help to deliver self confidence every day," he says.