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 Published 17 April, 2020 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 Published 17 April, 2020 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: The debrief Best Of Future Women Leadership The four pillars of productive collaboration By Michelle Leonard Leadership Listen and lead: Unlock the power of introversion By Jane Phipps Leadership Four ways to engage ethically with AI By Aubrey Blanche Leadership They “hunt, stalk and draw in” vulnerable girls By Odessa Blain Leadership How to outsmart your brain By Bethan Winn Leadership Conscious unbossing: How to lead beyond the ladder By Cherie Mylordis Leaders How this CEO stamps out passive-aggressive behaviours By FW Leaders The six values guiding this former Premier 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.
