Datin Winnie Loo
Director of a A-Cut Above Salon and Academy
“It’s ironic, but I’ve always had this urge to know and learn more. You can never stop learning and to stay competitive and successful, you have to keep learning.”
To remain a cut above the rest, it’s a continuous journey to keep learning, unlearning and relearning. Success is easily achieved but it sure won’t last forever if you become complacent.
This philosophy applies to almost everything in life, especially in business and it’s something that Datin Winnie Loo practices to be and remain the successful business woman that she is today.
For someone who is known locally and internationally for A Cut Above – her chain of high-end salons and impressive repertoire of global hair and fashion shows, the learning never stops.
“I’m going back to my studies, more specifically to do my MBA in the Asian Metropolitan University and my dream will be to graduate in 2020. My business celebrates its 40th anniversary next year and it has achieved many milestones, but finishing my studies has also been on my bucket list for some time,” says Winnie, who was to begin a tertiary course in chartered secretarial studies some 40 over years ago, but she deferred it to study at Morris Masterclass, a Vidal Sassoon school of hairdressing, in London. From there she studied under Vidal Sassoon and in 1979, started A Cut Above in Malaysia.
Loo’s own A Cut Above Academy is a five star government rated and international institution that prides itself by giving students the knowledge and practical skills to become hairstylists, beauty therapists, make-up and special effects artists of the future.
So, resuming her studies means that she will be the student, and no more the teacher. “It’s ironic, but I’ve always had this urge to know and learn more. You can never stop learning and to stay competitive and successful, you have to keep learning.”
“Every challenge is a lesson for you to become better, to find yourself and to find success. I feel that the current trend of doing business such as crypto currency, online investments and online fame is somewhat easier and fast paced – if done well, the rewards are almost instant. When in my time, I had to go through the grind of investing in my first physical shop where the returns only came much later,” she explains.
Aside from continually learning and then training the next generation about exceptional styling and hair-dressing, Loo also wants the 40th anniversary of her business to leave a legacy.
“It won’t be a one day event because it’s been four decades, so it’s going to be a big bash over a whole year. We’re talking about throwing staff parties, galas and even awards for loyal clients, long time associates and suppliers. It’s mainly like a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who’s been with us through the years as we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for them,” explains Loo.
“每一次挑战都是锻炼，让你变得更好，找到自己和成功。”
一个人想保持领先地位，其实是不断学习、忘却和重新学习的循环过程。实现成功不难，但如果变得自满，肯定无法永远持续。
这一理念几乎适用于生活中的每件事物，尤其是在商业领域。这也是马来西亚美发造型界领军人物拿汀卢妙卿（Datin Winnie Loo）所努力追寻，维持今日成功商业女性面貌的原因。
她一手创办在本土和国际上有口皆碑的 A Cut Above 高端沙龙连锁店，令人叹为观止的全球杰出发型设计和精彩时装秀，都诠释了学无止境的真谛。
而她宣告即将再重返校园，更具体地说，是在亚洲城市大学 (Asian Metropolitan University) 攻读 MBA 学位，并期望在 2020年毕业。明年她所打造的事业将迈入40周年,纵然取得许多关键里程碑，但是完成学习研究也在她的心愿清单里搁置了一段时间。这一切都是从 40 年前开始，卢妙卿本来应该就读特许秘书课程，但却推迟上述课程，而选择在伦敦的维达沙宣（Vidal Sassoon）美发学院进修 Morris Masterclass。之后她在维达沙宣手下学习，并于 1979 年在马来西亚创立了 A Cut Above。
A Cut Above Academy 是一家获得政府评鉴资质的五星级国际机构，给与学生们相关知识和实践技能，让他们成为未来出色的发型师、美容师、化妆师还有特效师。
因此，恢复学习意味着她将成为学生，而不再是老师。“这有点讽刺，但我一直都有这样的冲动，想深入了解和获得更多。同时为了保持竞争力和成就，你永远不能停止学习。”
“每一次挑战都是锻炼，让你变得更好，找到自己和成功点。我觉得目前的商业趋势就像数字货币，在线投资或传播，非常容易掌控和快节奏-而且如果做得好，可以立即获得回报。在我创业的时代，我必须经历投资第一家实体店的重重难关，那时的回报也相对缓慢。”
除了不断学习和培训下一代针对美发专业和美妆造型创新开拓之外，卢妙卿还期望企业40周年纪念能够留下难忘的馈赠。估计这不仅是一天的活动，因为已经走过 40年，所以这将是一整年的盛会。他们正在讨论举办员工聚会、联欢会，甚至奖励忠诚客户、长期合作伙伴和供应商。
“主要是对每一位和我们并肩走过这些年的人们由衷的说一声“谢谢”，因为如果没有他们，我们就不会有今天。”
By Karina Foo
EZ MALAYSIA.NEWS 