A day in the life: paul falltrick, matrix ambassador

"As a Global Design Team Member for Matrix, I'm often travelling all over the world to present shows and seminars for the brand live on stage. That means a lot of early mornings, taxis and planes - I've been to Taiwan four times in the last couple of years, as well as Italy, Slovenia and Turkey to name but a few.

"Mornings abroad begin early - if it's a show day I'll get up around 5am and head down to the site for 6am to get started. I'll usually have done a lot of research on the marketplace before I get there so that when I arrive at the preparation area I can just get all my paperwork out and pin each look to the wall.

"As there's normally a language barrier, I have to be really careful that everyone understands, so we'll have a big team meeting explaining the concept of the show or seminar. I'll also assign a model to each hairdresser (we use letters instead of names to get around the language barrier) and ensure everything is perfect before we head to the stage.

"The international shows usually take place in the afternoon so we'll be battling the elements in the morning, dealing with air conditioning and changes in temperature during prep, and then I'll go on stage and start presenting the latest trends and techniques. The best part of my job is representing a fantastic brand in front of a lot of enthusiastic and inspiring people.

"In the evenings, I'll either be prepping for the next show (which can keep my up until 1 or 2am), or at corporate dinners with the marketing directors, who will quiz me on what's going on in the marketplace. I'm still developing ideas well into the evening!

"Aside from my work with Matrix, I own my own salon and academy in Essex. I'm lucky enough to have a very talented team who I can entrust with the daily running of the salon, some when I'm away I know it is in safe hands. I opened the salon back in 2002, after starting my career in top London salon John Frieda, where I worked as an assistant to Nicky Clarke. I've worked with Matrix for over 10 years.

"The only negative of my job is the travelling - the jet lag normally hits me two days into the trip. However, I love working in the hair industry, as it's an endless goldmine of creativity. Literally every single hour is different! My advice for anyone who wants to succeed? Drop the ego and concentrate on being the best at what you do."