Avant’s Roy Fredricks – Revealed

Photo by: Todd V Wolfson

When you envision a hair salon, you may think of those typical cookie-cutter places with an assembly line of stylists servicing customers. Well, there is nothing typical about Avant Salons and Spas — representing the ultimate in salon and day spa experience in four locations: Downtown Austin, Gateway, Southpark Meadows, and Quarry Village in San Antonio.

More than Avant’s successful salon and spa platform (voted twelve times “Best Salon in Austin”), Avant is an innovative facility of education, training hair and beauty professionals invaluable skills within their industry with international educators; an unmatched commitment to education. As a crown jewel of Austin, Avant spreads their philosophy of success by giving back through community service: The Miracle Foundation, Breast Cancer Fund, Locks of Love, Capital Area Food Bank, Earth Month and many more.

I took a moment to interview one of Avant’s phenomenal founders, Roy Fredricks…

Where are you from?
ROY: I moved in 1981 to Austin from Detroit. Austin is such a beautiful city, great music scene happening…I love being around the musicians and other artists. There are other places I thought of moving to, but I was much more attracted to Austin, one of the greatest cities in the world…filled with great spiritual, smart, and creative people. When I first arrived, I used to have the road warrior “Mad Max” look, I soon found out that Austin was on the brink of “keeping Austin weird,” so I fit right in.

What was your first Hair Styling job?
ROY: 1974, Michigan with John Bells

When were you first bitten by the hair styling bug?
ROY: I was always the smart kid in my family to go to college. I graduated in 19 72, loved photography and I loved creative people. I got the styling bug from my Mom, she did hair in retirement homes until someone complained. She loved doing hair and making their day. Seeing the “Shampoo” movie sealed it for me and beautiful women! Just like my Mom, I like making people feel special. Avant does a lot of community service. It is important for us to give back along with teaching our staff to be successful, training, helping people to grow; more important than teaching people to cut hair. Our salon is about making sure people leave feeling great; being “day makers.”

Did you receive training for your styling talent?
ROY: I went to beauty school and studied for 2 years in a Sassoon based program. I opened Avant in 1983, with innovative training.

Managing a salon can be an overwhelming venture, when did you know you could do it?
ROY: I can only be a good as the people around me. In the beginning, I did everything! I did the payroll, photography…etc. I found out a long time ago I couldn’t do it all, then developed and mapped a success plan on paper and surrounded myself with the right people who could do it. I created systems, branded and marketed…we’ve grown to 75 employees and I continue to have fun with everything that goes into it…all out of love.

Why is Avant important to the Austin scene?
ROY: We are the first salon that has done innovative, strong hair for 25 years with an incredible education program…a resource for artists. We have been defining the faces in Austin and adding value everyday by teaching young people to be successful and giving back to the community “part of the fiber and DNA of the city.”

Who are your mentors?
ROY: Sassoon, Erving Rusk, Tim Sanders (author of “Love Is the Killer App”), Robert Kiyosaki (author of “Rich Dad Poor Dad”); I search outside of the salon business to gain knowledge. I also learned from my Mother and Father. My Father taught me rules I live life by: love everyone, judge no one, do what you love, save 10% of gross income, party all you want, give people what they want and give it on time, giving starts with giving, do unto other “as they would do” unto “themselves” and find out what someone else wants.

What has Avant taught you?
ROY: Avant has taught me to be patient, every day is an opportunity to touch someone, take nothing for granted, let go of trying to control, create systems, have a clear strategy, create a vision and get out of the way. Cutting hair introduced me to so many people.

www.avantsalon.com

Photo by: Todd V Wolfson

Posted by Michelle Washington

Michelle Washington has published 7 posts.

Michelle is "the" Fashion Stylist with distinct skills and knowledge - a creative fashion force and a true Fashionista who has fun styling for magazine fashion shoots and editorials. A born Austinite, clever, resourceful, creative, and seeking out the hottest styles...Michelle has vast fashion knowledge from her continued international globe trotting; catering to fashion industry clients and styling assignments needing an amazing vision and personalization that creates a unique look.