Sunita is an Executive Coach, Trainer and Consultant. She is of Indian origin and was born in London before moving to Geneva in 1992. She has a Psychology background (specialising in Occupational Psychology) and a Post Graduate in the Development and Training of Adults. She also completed a Masters in Ressources Humaines, Coaching et Gestion des Carrières at the University of Geneva.
During her 25 years experience Sunita's drive has always been to help people to do their best and hence led her to create Walk The Talk.
In her free time Sunita is a Mentor for the Branson Center of Entrepreneurship and a proud member of the School in The Cloud Team.
By Sunita Sehmi, Walk The Talk
YIELD is the Youth Institute for Excellence in Leadership Development that focuses on young people in the age-range of 18 to 24 years young. It was founded in 2015 in loving memory of Lauren Anne Roe (1979-1997) as a not-for-profit association aspiring to make the world a better place by accelerating the leadership development of young people. Our vision is to contribute to a significant increase in the number of leaders who are driven by purpose, meaning and vision. In 2016 YIELD aims to run a one month-long youth leadership development program each in Geneva, Switzerland and Cape Town, South Africa.
I sat down with Willem Jan to find out more about this exciting project. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!
Sunita Sehmi: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Willem Jan Hofmans: First and foremost I’m a husband, father and grandfather. Having grown up in the Netherlands I met my wife, Hilary, in South Africa. Funnily enough, her mother and I had started with HP on exactly the same day in 1982 except that she began in South Africa and I in California. As a family we moved around a lot as a result of my international corporate career. We first arrived in Geneva at the end of 1986 and came back for the third time in 2002. Our son, Paul, and his family as well as our youngest daughter, Emma, live in Cape Town, whereas our daughter, Jessica, and her husband live in Geneva. After 25 years in the corporate world I have successfully run my own business for the past 9 years. In my work I focus on leadership either through coaching or running development programs.
©René Martin
By Sunita Sehmi, Walk The Talk
Byron Katie has been bringing The Work to millions of people for more than twenty-five years. Her six books include the bestselling Loving What Is, I Need Your Love—Is That True? and A Thousand Names for Joy. The Work of Byron Katie is a way of identifying and questioning the thoughts that cause all the fear and suffering in the world. In this one-day workshop, Katie’s hope is that you experience the happiness of undoing those thoughts through inquiry and allow your mind to return to its awakened, peaceful, creative nature. The Work consists of four questions and the turnarounds, which are a way of experiencing the opposite of what you believe. When you question a thought, you see around it to the choices beyond suffering.
“Katie’s events are riveting,” says The Times of London. Her laser-like tough love burns away all illusions.” Eckhart Tolle says, “Byron Katie's Work is a great blessing for our planet.” Time magazine calls Katie “a spiritual innovator for the new millennium.”
Enjoy!
©René Martin
By Sunita Sehmi, Walk The Talk
Pioneering, passionate and incredibly close to perfection – for more than 50 years, TONI&GUY has been renowned as the innovator within the hair industry, having grown from a single salon in Clapham, London, to a multi-national company. With more than 475 salons across 48 countries, CEO, OBE and co-founder Toni Mascolo and his brother Guy started TONI&GUY back in 1963. Furthermore, TONI&GUY is Official Sponsor to London Fashion Week.
Olga Tetard, Managing Director, and the Salon Manager, Sheffield (born Richard Long), manage the TONI&GUY Geneva branch. I sat down with them both at their trendy hair salon.
I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!
Sunita Sehmi: Tell us a bit about yourselves.
Richard: I’ve worked within the T&G family for 20 years now; I started in Manchester then returned to my hometown of Sheffield. I’ve also worked in Marbella, London and previous to Geneva, I worked in Jersey. I first met Olga when I arrived in Geneva, she was a client and we hit it off immediately! We have remained firm friends ever since. I have been in Geneva for ten years now; I came here to set up Toni & Guy in Switzerland and it feels like home, I love it here.
Olga: I was born in Geneva. I worked for multinationals and accounting and audit firms in the finance department for over 20 years. When I had my daughter I decided to take a break. At this time, Richard was running the former salon in Rive Gauche (Geneva) with his partner. Unfortunately, they had to close this shop and at this time Richard asked me to come to help him with the financials. After the closing, I thought there was an opportunity to continue running the brand in Geneva and with the great support of the head office in London, we created a new entity and opened this new salon in Rue des Alpes, owned by new shareholders and new management. I’m completely dedicated to make this salon work through good management and business development, plus undertaking the financial and admin responsibilities. Together with Richard and his Stylists Team, his 20 years experience within T&G, the creative work, education and the quality of services provided to the clients, we compliment each other.
©René Martin
Sunita: What drew you to hairdressing?
Richard: You have to use your brain, and problem solve and it’s all about making people feel good about themselves. I think making people happy is a big part of it for me. People want to feel that they are in capable hands, this is the key to success and that is why I never want to stop learning. That’s why at Toni & Guy we are passionate about education and self-development for all our staff. In order for individuals to grow and improve their skill sets we believe education should be a continuous journey. We actively look to grow, develop and innovate.
Olga: Yes it’s all about the client. We focus on them and spend a lot of time in the consultation phase. We want to give consistently good service, so that is why we also require all our staff to attend regular training programs to keep up to date with the trends. For more than 50 years, Toni and Guy’s success and philosophy has been rooted firmly in education, sharing our unique experience, to create innovative and globally renowned hairdressing training.
©René Martin
Sunita: Tell us a little bit about your clientele.
Richard: It really varies; it ranges from professionals to busy mums – people are from all over Geneva. Between us we speak seven languages. Whoever they are and wherever they are from our mission is to give our best service to the client. My mission as a leader is to cultivate the best, most profitable hairdressing company on the planet where people love to work and clients love to be.
Olga: Yes, our core values include being customer-focused and team players! We believe in quality; and we are passionate and self-motivated!
Sunita: Any advice to people trying to fit into Swiss life?
Olga: Learn French!
Sunita: What’s the next challenge for us? What's next for you?
Richard: Keep doing great work; keep our customers happy - that makes me happy. Our success is built on education, motivation and fashion – people are the cornerstones of our business. In addition to continuing to provide great hair care services at TONI&GUY Geneva we have a great professional beautician, Geeta. She is a highly qualified beautician with over 20 years of experience from leading beauty institutes in Paris, London and New Delhi & Zurich. Geeta provides a large variety of beauty services from head to toe, with very high standards. Over the years at TONI&GUY Geeta has built a loyal clientele following through her expertise, dedication and exceptional quality service. She always goes the extra mile to make sure her clients leave our salon looking and feeling their best. Geeta is also a qualified practitioner of the Swiss luxury beauty brand Bellefontaine products and techniques. The crowned Queen of eyebrows threading in Geneva, feel free to contact her on the number below.
©René Martin
Contact Richard or Geeta at Toni & Guy
Toni & Guy Geneva
Rue Des Alpes 9
1201 Genève
022 738 85 86
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://toniandguy.com/salon/geneva
Stop Press!
Please note there is a special offer by Toni & Guy Geneva: anyone who likes this interview on Toni & Guy Geneva's Facebook page will receive a 15% discount for one visit. Like them on https://www.facebook.com/toniandguygeneva/.
Job vacancy
Toni & Guy is currently looking for a stylist, who can speak English and French, (spoken), for their busy TONI&GUY salon in Geneva.
Responsibilities will include: Full consultation with clients, building new clientele, referring clients for colour, recommending products throughout the ranges and increasing client product knowledge and product sales. Experience within a busy salon is essential. A candidate who has achieved the TONI&GUY varderers certificate is preferred but not essential. As a TONI&GUY Stylist, you will play a key part in representing and promoting the TONI&GUY brand and Superband status at all times. In return we offer the opportunity to be a part of a global brand that believes in the perfect salon where people love to work and clients love to be! If this is you apply NOW!
Please send your application to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sunita's Bio
Sunita is an Executive Coach, Trainer and Consultant. She is of Indian origin and was born in London before moving to Geneva in 1992. She has a Psychology background (specialising in Occupational Psychology) and a Post Graduate in the Development and Training of Adults. She also completed a Masters in Ressources Humaines, Coaching et Gestion des Carrières at the University of Geneva.
During her 25 years experience Sunita's drive has always been to help people to do their best and hence led her to create Walk The Talk.
In her free time Sunita is a Mentor for the Branson Center of Entrepreneurship and a proud member of the School in The Cloud Team.
By Sunita Sehmi, Walk The Talk
The GCSP-CCL* Leadership Alliance is run by Co Directors Peter Cunningham and Dr Patrick Sweet. It was formed in response to a growing demand to bring leadership development into the Peace and Security space and advance the effectiveness of leaders in public, private, transnational, intergovernmental organizations, and civil society.
The Leadership Alliance combines expertise in leadership development for large, multi-level organizations with in-depth knowledge of peace and security issues and policy. Through courses, dialogue, special events, applied policy analysis and thought leadership, the Leadership Alliance identifies advances and scales leadership best practices, at each level of impact: individual, team, organizational and societal. They are reaching a global audience, many of whom are active in some of the most challenging environments, working on some of the world’s most complex issues.
I was lucky enough to interview them and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
By Sunita Sehmi, Walk The Talk
Philippe Chevrier has become synonymous with great restaurants, good food and excellence! He was an apprentice at the restaurant « Le Chat Botté » in the Hôtel Beau Rivage in Geneva. Once his studies were completed, he worked for two years as a commis chef (at « L'Oasis » restaurant in La Napoule and at « Le Gentilhomme » in the Hôtel Richemond) before undertaking two one-year training periods in bakery and confectionery. In 1984, he spent the year as a chef with Frédy Girardet in Crissier before joining « Le Patio » restaurant where he was sous-chef de cuisine from 1985 to 1986. He was later employed as chef de cuisine at Domaine de Châteauvieux in Satigny, of which he became proprietor in 1989. Philippe obtained his first Michelin star in 1991, and his second in 1994. He was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole in 1996 and thereafter opened the Café de Peney, also in Satigny. More accalades followed and in 2002, he was scored 19/20 in Gault Millau and voted Chef of the Year.
He is the owner of the Vallon in Conches, in the outskirts of Geneva, and opened the Epicerie de Châteauvieux in Satigny. His recent opening of a New York style bistro, “Chez Phillip”, has become one of Geneva’s cool restaurants and of course the food is fabulous! I was lucky enough to interview him about his latest venture, which is open 7 days a week and this place is never empty! The formula of an authentic grill house has clicked with customers and Philippe’s business model has proved to work time and time again.
