Episode Description
Adam Garland is back on The Insider Diary for episode 116. He's a UK-based session hairstylist who spent five years as the face of global brand Authentic Beauty Concept. These days he's building his own path: mentoring other artists, shooting his own images, and working with heritage beauty brands he actually believes in. His first episode with us got such a good response we're turning this into a monthly chat.
This episode was sparked by a listener question from Australia about brand loyalty, so we went deep on trust, rejection, and how to stop taking it personally when a client doesn't rebook you.
What we covered:
- A listener's question about brand loyalty: a client took a whole team interstate for a shoot and left the makeup artist behind
- Why a first option is never a confirmed booking, especially during fashion week
- The idea of "reducing uncertainty": clients don't book the best artist, they book the one they know won't cause complications
- Vanessa's own story about brand loyalty, and never getting booked again
- Why rejection in this industry is rarely personal, even when it feels like it
- The Guido example: why a top hairstylist still gets ticked for a job before the shoot even starts
- Working from your own essence instead of chasing what you think will get seen
- Hairstylists and makeup artists building their own image worlds instead of waiting on brands: Mustafa Yanas, Joey George, Benjamin Mueller and Anataka Hashi
- Adam's own move into photography, shooting his own models at Workroom Studios in Limehouse, London, with his mentee Zoran
- Why heritage brands hit different: Isles Formula, Keune and Gisou, and what makes their stories genuine
- Why asking for help is harder than it should be, for both of us