Leadership ‘I Turned What Was A Real Need For Myself Into A Reality’: Phoebe Simmonds The Blow founder Phoebe Simmonds opens up about her new business, the value of brand and Julia Gillard wandering into her salon. By Emily J. Brooks Leadership The Blow founder Phoebe Simmonds opens up about her new business, the value of brand and Julia Gillard wandering into her salon. By Emily J. Brooks Previous article On Our Radar: Greta Thunberg Next article Just A Thought: When Leaders Use ‘We’, We All Win Phoebe Simmonds was never the woman with perfect hair. Until she landed a top brand management role for LVMH in Sydney, and found herself with impostor syndrome. She was young for the role. Confidence was an issue, so she booked herself a blow dry. Then another. And another.The blow dries were fine, but finding a salon open before her morning meetings was a challenge. The best salon in town also had photos of Korean pop stars stuck to the walls. “I couldn’t believe that in Australia, no one had thought to bring together brand experience but also the convenience of a blow dry which exists in a really successful way in the [United] States,” said Simmonds. “So I turned what was a real need for myself into a reality.” “When you’re establishing a business, you need to be confident you’re filling a need in the market that you believe no-one else can fill,” says Simmonds. “When creating a brand, you need to take the same approach. Be super disciplined in making sure you’re saying something no other brand can.” Here are Simmonds’ three tips to creating a brand that says something: thedebrief Best Of Future Women Diamond Meet the leaders: Erin Vincent By Odessa Blain Diamond Meet the leaders: Malini Raj By Odessa Blain Diamond Meet the leaders: Azmeena Hussain By Odessa Blain Diamond Meet the leaders: Shannan Dodson By Odessa Blain Diamond Meet the leaders: Elly Desmarchelier By Odessa Blain Equity A sneak peek inside the sold-out budget event By Odessa Blain Equity Inside the shared joke between Gallagher and Wong By Odessa Blain Leadership “Let’s lower the bar”: Why this CEO wants women to do a whole lot less By FW Your inbox just got smarter If you’re not a member, sign up to our newsletter to get the best of Future Women in your inbox.
