“I have been a hairdresser for 60 years,” says Ewald Lanzl proudly. The hairdressing chain Klipp, which he founded, located in Thalheim (Upper Austria), is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. A conversation with the soon-to-be 75-year-old about the advice of a former colleague, which he did not follow, and the desire for flexibility.
For Ewald Lanzl, the summer of 2024 will not be like any other, but full of anniversaries. He is turning 75 – and Klipp’s 35th birthday is also on the agenda. “We are going to celebrate that with all employees,” says the man who founded the brand in June 1989, which means visits to the hairdresser without an appointment.
“When I told a colleague what I was planning to do before I founded the company, he said, ‘That’s not possible, never mind,’” says Lanzl, who learned his lesson from this: “I didn’t talk to anyone about it afterward.” . I just made it.
35 years later, Klipp has grown to almost 1,300 employees, operates 160 salons and has the same number of interns. The increase in student wages by no less than 40%, which Klipp implemented last year, is paying off.
“We have set an example”
“Many people are interested in becoming a hairdresser, but there are often fewer people who choose to train because the salary is not attractive enough. We have set a good example,” says Gottfried Kraft, managing director of the company, based in Thalheim.
The concept of not having to make an appointment in advance has proven successful. “This flexibility is even more important today than it was 35 years ago,” says Lanzl. How often does he go to the hairdresser himself? “About every six weeks,” says the entrepreneur, who visits his own salons: “I go in when there are a lot of customers. I like to sit and wait. I use the time to chat.” When it comes to the atmosphere, more and more screws are being tightened; there is more of a living room feeling to the salons.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
