O&M’s second wellness retreat this year took an increasingly conscious minded cohort to Gwinganna to prioritise their individual health well before the demands of life and business, writes Cameron Pine.

A success story of consistency and resilience, O&M founder Jose Bryce Smith has always wanted hairdressers to live healthier lives, and it’s only now many are starting to realise the health choice of hair colour stems way beyond just product. Topping off the first wellness retreat in numbers and offering, the 2024 wellness instalment is just one of the many ways O&M continues to invest in the industry’s people.

The second instalment hosted a larger group than 2023 at EDEN and discussed as much about industry mindset and motivation as concepts such as nutrition. Most of all, the value is in an environment for connection, character building and an overall sense of calm free of our industry that’s often swathed with chaos.

“My mission has always been to help hairdressers to live healthier lives and this retreat is about enjoying time your own way and taking some time to be with yourselves. I’ve done a lot of retreats, even when I had no time and no money, and they were the times that I really got to know myself – what I liked, needed and wanted in business and in life. Not only this, but who I wanted to be in the world,” Jose said.

“I really hope the next four days while you are here you find out some really amazing things about yourself. I just want you to enjoy the days – we have incorporated three O&M panel sessions to choose as you wish. Everything is optional if you don’t want to just think about hair, it’s all up to you,” she said.

This year’s backdrop for a program of reinvention was high above the Tallebudgera Valley and set on Gwinganna’s steep 500 acres of sprawling grass, with an infinity lap pool and unique collection of accommodation options.  Gwinganna’s prerogative is simple – to reset and curb many old lifestyle habits that all of us as professionals and business owners easily fall into. A rotating name tag for a different table to sit at each night aided a sense of connection.

From organic food tailored specifically for a healthy gut microbiome, to daily wellness practices, guests were able to truly engage and inspire each other through both personal and panel discussions, one on ones and throughout the sprawling venue that O&M invested in. There was plenty of time for elective activities from dawn to dusk, intermixed with three separate ambassador panels and presentations across brand, business challenges and social media strategies to get your work seen, build your personal brand and manage negative feedback online.

O&M’s Global Head of Marketing, Skye Burkin, unleashed a range of tools, fast facts and resources that O&M have in place to help better define your brand, reach and footprint while Sarah Di Iorio spoke of her journey and the importance of brand vision in her large salons in Melbourne’s Elwood and Carlton. Joined by none other than O&M’s International Ambassador, Jaye Edwards, Jaye also spoke of how he built his brand, how it’s changed and to the importance of creating your own trends, ditching the rule book and the need to be authentically you to build your following. He posed the question, ‘is a following going to make you more money?’ and encouraged everyone to ask themselves this question before setting out on their salon and personal brand journey.  From the integrity of the brands you work with to knowing your value and ditching that ‘me too’ mentality, Jaye’s insights were raw, honest and open hearted.

“In my ten years as a salon owner and ambassador, it’s so nice to work with a brand that cares about its people and we are all so grateful for the connection, the quality time together and allowing us to take time to ask questions, so thank you to Jose and the O&M team for making it happen,” Jaye said.

Carefully picked by O&M, each ambassador brings a different energy from location, to specialisation, salon numbers or following and, in an environment ripe for connection, the lessons where significant.

The speakers shared their personal journeys of how they overcame obstacles, specialised, set new goals and trusted their gut. This included Kirsty Anne’s goal of reaching 100,000 followers by the end of the year last year, which seemed unrealistic at the time but is testament to the very fact that setting a higher goal than what many would deem reachable can actually be the difference between success and failure. As Jose says, we all have different brands and have something to learn from each other if we are in a supportive environment.

“It’s been amazing the community build that’s happened in the last 12 months for O&M and our retreat is just one part of it coming together, tailoring a schedule to fit in with busy hairdressers and what they want to learn,” Jose said.

“There’s so much goodwill built with the community, and we are always welcoming to everyone. We’ve had people that are not O&M salons come along and it’s great to get to know everyone. While we will always build I think next year we will do something slightly different because we want to mix it up and our customers to feel like they are on a growth journey,” she added.

Attendees heard from ambassadors about what they’re going through in business and what it takes to be an ambassador, as well as topics of social media and staff discussions.

It wasn’t all just hair, in fact you could choose your own path, but diet and nutrition segments came to the fore throughout the four days, especially the ever-important gut microbiome conversation and how stress and mindset can affect us in more ways than we realise. The golden was rule was that, in terms of balance, as long as you are doing right 80 per cent of the time, the 20 per cent should be manageable.  It’s more than just a protein and plant rich diet, it’s about understanding ingredients better, managing our cravings and understanding how the decisions on what we choose each day to eat can really change the trajectory of our lives.

With plenty of time to ask questions around the room, the sentiment was set to real connection, rather than the common platform to drive excessive amounts of information or motivational material into the brain. Gwinganna is a place that’s unique to each choice you make, whether it be to reset, move past trauma, instil healthier habits or just have some time out. O&M proved that wellness and success go hand in hand.

A Genuinely heartfelt and grateful disposition was felt by all. A resounding ‘I just feel lucky to be here,’ was smattered throughout the days. The real thanks should be directed to O&M’s ongoing commitment to providing such a valuable opportunity for salon owners and stylists to really top themselves up in an environment of wellness. Sometimes you need to step away from the workplace toxicity to really see how to better manage or go back and make a noticeable difference.

“My mission was always to help hairdressers lead healthier lives and a retreat is a personal experience. We don’t want our clients to feel pressure, some come here to learn and some come to go off the grid. It gives time to connect with people not on the phone but in person, boundaries they want to set in their life and the opportunity to become more aware of their sense of self. Just a break away from the family or salon just for four days is priceless,” Jose confirmed.

As one of the breathwork facilitators, Ryan Poulter confirmed, whether we are into spirituality or not, it’s scientifically proven that our heart energy has an aura that can be felt and seen and O&M has enabled each guest to take the same idea and apply it to themselves before their team to better resolve problems.

“Many salon owners haven’t had four days just for themselves. I love having all the spiritual therapies. I believe we are all a spirit in a body, whether spirituality is something we think about or not,” Jose said.

Beyond spending time together It’s a place like Gwinganna that helps every individual  find a better balance, especially as  hairdressers who give so much emotionally and physically.

“If you don’t put back in you can’t put back that energy into others, and I think a lot of hairdressers do put themselves last and their health and wellness in their daily practice,” Jose said.

Adding time without rushing to massage, breathwork, pilates, meditation, yoga, silent walks, challenging walks, sunrise Qi Jong, swimming, Sauna, an award-winning spa and ice baths to the mix, the realm for self- discovery was infinite. Jose swiftly added the ice bath specifically for the retreat and invited Jake Putan in for some breathwork as just one of the many ways to make the retreat even more special than the usual experience.

“Wellness and success are linked. You don’t have to be extreme but if you are well and look after yourself you are going to be more successful,” she said.

Success is something we all want, whether it’s over four days or all year through the ways we can be kinder to each other and the planet. O&M have created a place where creativity, motivation, wellness and business strategies sit hand in hand, where it’s not about the over sensationalised trends but understanding your own path.  Overall it’s really quite as simple as prioritising wellness can improve mental and physical health, leading to greater professional success for yourself and others and, as such, elevate the salon environment!

Thank you O&M!

For more information visit www.originalmineral.com.au