New Haircut, New Outlook for Our CEO, Sarah LaFleur

March 19, 2014

It’s Wednesday, which means just one thing—it’s Business Time! Below, Sarah LaFleur, CEO of MM.LaFleur, shares what’s on her mind this week after her new haircut.

I recently decided to cut my hair. Or more accurately, our Creative Director Miyako walked into our office one morning, took one look at our disheveled staff, and staged a style intervention.

She called in Taman (pronounced tah-mun), a Japanese makeup artist and hair stylist who works with the Gisele’s of the world, and gave him explicit directions: “Sarah needs to look like our CEO.” (No offense taken, Miyako!) And off we went, Taman cutting with the speed and ease of Edward Scissorhands. No shampoo. No blow-out. Just a quick in-office haircut during my lunch break.

I love my new bob for many reasons, one of which is that it now takes me five minutes to blow out my hair.  Sweetness.

I used to equate blow-drying with watching the latest season of New Girl: 20 minutes of my life I would never get back. Now, I actually kind of enjoy it. It’s almost as fun as picking out which M.M. dress to wear to work in the morning. (Shameless plug!)

Acclaimed journalist Lucy Kellaway from the Financial Times agrees on the importance of a great cut, writing that good hair for businesswomen is a “damned good investment.” She points out that the world’s most successful businesswomen “don’t have problem hair. Or, if they do, they have found a solution to it.” Case in point: Mary Barra (such shiny locks you have!), Sheryl Sandberg (not my style, but definitely has the executive-chic thing going), and Samantha Power (ah, to have beautiful red hair like a flower child of the ‘70s!).

Ever since I got this haircut, things have kind of been going my way. I feel the respect of my colleagues. I notice potential business partners nodding eagerly when I speak. Now, it seems obvious: The lightness of my hair has added gravitas to my overall presence.

I feel like I’ve unlocked the secret to professional success. It’s not mentorship. It’s not time management. It’s definitely good hair.

– Sarah