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With a firm focus on developing professional-only products for the multicultural marketplace, Avion Industries president/CEO Dr. AIi N. Syed is intent on helping salon owners take their business to new heights.
How did you get started in the professional beauty business?
I received my master's degree in chemistry in Pakistan and taught college chemistry in Pakistan and East Africa. After coming to the United States in 1972, I decided that I no longer wanted to teach. I was looking for a job as a chemist and, by coincidence, found a job in the cosmetics industry. My first job was making shampoo and conditioners and other haircare products on a plant scale, where I learned about manufacturing. Shortly afterward, I was promoted to laboratory product development chemist. After two years, I was ready to do product specialization. Because not many people were specializing in African-American hair at the time, I decided to make it my focus. In 1974 I joined Johnson Products, where I researched and developed products for excessively curly hair for the next 10 years. Then I went to Soft Sheen Products in 1983, where I developed the Optimum Hair Care line.
How and when did you start Avion Industries Inc.?
In 1984, I decided to start my own company. My vision was to teach hairstylists how to correctly use haircare products and educate them on the chemistry of hair. This included developing the most technologically advanced products and also helping stylists improve their businesses by providing them with salon-quality products they could sell to their clients. With that in mind, Avion Industries Inc. was registered in November 1984. The first product line-Affirm Relaxer System-was introduced in July 1985. Since then, we have introduced three other lines: the Perm Conditioning Curl and Body Perm System, KeraCare Maintenance product line, and the MoisturColor Semi and Permanent Color lines.
What is your role in the company?
As the president/CEO of Avion, I'm involved in all levels of the company. I'm actively involved with the...