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Phoebe Simmonds

Phoebe Simmonds

1 episodeApr 2020

About Phoebe

Phoebe Simmonds - Founder of The Blow & Co-founder of The Memo

Phoebe founded The Blow to empower women with beautiful hair, through events that bring people together socially and professionally.

Wanting to build more than just a business, The Blow gives $1 from every Blow Dry to Share The Dignity, to help them end period poverty and fight for the safety and support of domestic violence victims.

Phoebe also co-founded The Memo, the essential baby and maternity edit of the most loved baby brands on the planet.

Phoebe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoebeactually

The Blow: https://theblow.com.au/

The Memo: https://thememo.com.au/

In Phoebe’s words

Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.

“I'm a very instinctive person, so I always go with my gut.”
Ep 697▶ 10:44
“PR for me, I mean PR is everything, I think.”
Ep 697▶ 16:12
“I don't think there's instinct without confidence.”
Ep 697▶ 27:23
“I'd much rather live a fucked up, up and down emotional roller coaster of a life than just live one that just, you know, stays inside of the, you know, of the lines.”
Ep 697▶ 31:38
“because only boring people get bored.”
Ep 697▶ 40:09

Phoebe’s advice on the show

How should you price and cost a service-based business like a salon?

Build a 'productivity matrix': calculate hourly wage and payroll costs (including super and payroll tax) per staff member, add rent apportioned per hour, and work out how many services a staff member must complete in a day at the given price point to generate a return.

How do you choose a location for a retail/service business targeting professionals?

Prioritise proximity to your actual customer base's daily routine (commute, office, home) over simply picking a high-traffic or cheaper suburban spot; ensure minimum required floor space and factor in extended trading hours (e.g. 7am-7pm) to match customer availability.

How should a brand approach content creation and social media?

Content must stay relevant and meaningful to the brand's core DNA and mission rather than chasing generic trends or memes; every post should reflect the brand's positioning and tone of voice consistently.

How do you make confident decisions when you're uncertain?

Ask yourself what's the worst that could happen, then go with your gut rather than sitting on a decision for weeks; if it turns out wrong you can own and correct it, but prolonged indecision helps no one.

How do you stay present and avoid getting overwhelmed by a busy schedule?

Use journaling at the start of the day to check in on how you're feeling, and set personal yearly 'theme words' (like fun, creativity, presence) to return to whenever you feel off-balance.

Stories Phoebe told

Opening The Blow in 11 months

Ep 697▶ 7:19

Phoebe explains the timeline from idea to opening day, prioritising the lease negotiation and getting brand/marketing work done early so that operational pressures like build, recruitment, training and council permits didn't collide with launch marketing.

International Women's Day free blow-dry fundraiser

Ep 697▶ 16:12

Six months after opening, The Blow gave free blow-dries for a day and asked guests to donate to charity partner Share the Dignity instead, raising almost $6,000 and over 100 blow-dries, generating major press coverage and a momentum shift for the business.

From Mecca to LVMH to Singapore: Phoebe's cosmetics career

Ep 697▶ 23:25

Phoebe describes working at Mecca during university, moving to London to work for a skincare company owned by Bono and his wife, being acquired by LVMH and learning luxury branding between London and Paris, then moving to Singapore to run Benefit Cosmetics' Southeast Asia Sephora expansion across India, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

Closing The Blow early at the start of COVID-19

Ep 697▶ 33:49

Phoebe describes deciding to close The Blow on March 17th, ahead of formal government restrictions, after the Grand Prix was cancelled, prioritising staff and community safety and alignment with brand values over short-term sales loss.

Turning 30 and rebuilding through self-work

Ep 697▶ 36:02

Phoebe recounts losing her sense of self when she turned 30 and having to deliberately work on herself through kinesiology, Reiki, journaling and yoga, crediting that period with helping her clarify her values heading into her 30s.

Questions these interviews answer

Drawn from the episode transcripts.

What is a blow dry bar and why do people pay for blow dries?

According to Phoebe Simmonds, a blow dry involves a wash, blow dry and style using tongs, taking about 45 minutes. Many professional women get them weekly or twice-weekly, often at 7am before work, to feel more polished, powerful and confident without doing their own hair.

From episode 697→
How did Phoebe Simmonds decide on The Blow's Little Collins Street location?

She says location was everything and the space felt instinctively right once she saw it. She needed a minimum 50 square metres and wanted the 'Paris end' of town for its premium feel, tourist foot traffic, and proximity to public transport and offices for the Monday-to-Friday 7am-7pm corporate crowd, rather than a suburban location.

From episode 697→
How does Phoebe Simmonds make confident, quick business decisions?

She says instinct isn't possible without confidence, which for her comes from accumulated experience. Her approach is to ask 'what's the worst that could happen', go with her gut, and avoid prolonged indecision, noting that even a wrong gut call can be owned and corrected, whereas not acting at all does nobody any favours.

From episode 697→

Episodes with Phoebe

Every episode featuring Phoebe Simmonds on The Daily Talk Show.