TONI&GUY’s website features the statement: “British precision, Italian flair: Italian finishing coupled with English precision cutting and personalization techniques sets TONI&GUY Hair Salons apart from the rest.”

This line, like MODERN's conversation with TONI&GUY's CEO Bruno Mascolo, demonstrates confidence in the brand and proves authenticity by the history it reflects.

Toni and Guy Mascolo opened their first TONI&GUY Hairdressing salon in London in 1963, seven years after their family had emigrated from Italy. The Mascolo brothers were taught the skills of hairdressing by their father Francesco, who was himself a talented hairdresser. Within a few years Toni and Guy had been joined in the business by their younger brother Bruno and over the next fifty years their salons expanded throughout Europe and the USA.

MODERN had the pleasure of speaking with TONI&GUY's CEO Bruno Mascolo about this rich family history and the TONI&GUY salons. He stressed the importance of invention, communication and commitment in the TONI&GUY culture – each principle was born out of his own life experience's.

INVENTION: Bruno described his happy childhood in Italy, which was turned upside down when his family moved to London, a place where he felt he did not fit in. He aimed to be average and blend in with the crowd, and so he did. It was not until he was a little older that he realized he would never be more than average unless he set his sights higher. After making this decision, greater successes followed. “This is true in the salon business, as well,” says Mascolo. “If you believe you are capable of more, than you will achieve more.”

COMMUNICATION: “In all relationships, whether personal or in business, communication is essential to understanding each other and working toward goals together,” he says. He learned this at an early age, when he lost his mother. “For a large Italian family, you’ll understand that our foundation was taken away. It was devastating,” says Bruno, sharing that he felt entirely alone in his grief, until he opened up to his father and brothers about it. As they talked together and shared their identical feelings of heartbreak, he learned that while communication may not make a bad situation go away, it is the first step in moving forward and growing. It brought their family closer together and tightened their family bonds.

COMMITMENT: After years of working with Toni and Guy in their London salons, Bruno saw the opportunity to expand to the U.S. and could not resist making the move. So, with money from his two older brothers, he made the trip to America – only to lose all money in deals that didn’t work out. He returned to London, not yet defeated, and was given more money to try again. And it happened again. With no results and feeling that he had been taken advantage of, Bruno returned to London once more, but this time his brothers felt it was not worth trying again and offered no further funds.

“I wanted to move to America and make it work,” said Bruno. “So I sold my house and car in London and went back. This time knowing that if I failed I would have to return to London and pump gas.”

On this third trip, Bruno succeeded. Today, there are 36 TONI&GUY salons and 24 academies in the U.S. “It speaks to the power of commitment,” says Bruno. “If you make up your mind that you want something and you will settle for nothing less, then it’s within your power to make it happen.”

It was Bruno’s talent for marketing and business acumen that put TONI&GUY at the forefront of the franchising boom and extended the chain’s reputation internationally. He established TONI&GUY's Artistic Team which travels throughout the U.S. and Europe, representing the brand’s talent and innovation. The Artistic Team solidified TONI&GUY’s reputation for outstanding education and was inducted into The British Hairdressing Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2005, Bruno received the prestigious North American Hairstyling Awards Hall of Leaders Award.

For more information about TONI&GUY salons, visit www.toniguy.com.

TONI&GUY is currently looking for like minded individuals who want to become part of their iconic hairdressing family brand and help continue their vision to upgrade the hairdressing industry, one hairdresser at a time. The hairdressing industry is growing rapidly, and now is the time to capitalize on the opportunity. Increase your chances of business success by joining the TONI&GUY family and either converting your existing business or starting your own TONI&GUY salon or Hairdressing Academy.

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