From rags to riches in style

Rich Tran sported a bowl cut until he was 14 years old and had no intention of becoming a hairdresser.

His R beginnings were humble, and not without challenge, but a positive outlook and more than a little determination have set him on a course to financial and personal success that makes him grateful every day that he chose a different road.

Born to Vietnamese parents who settled in Sydney's west when they moved to Australia, Rich grew up helping his parents with the sewing and handyman jobs they took on to make ends meet. "It was pretty hard for them," he says. "They were in survival mode trying to make enough money to support six kids; they definitely taught me what hard work looks like."

We've arranged to meet at one of two Ultrafade hair salons Rich owns in the western suburbs of Sydney, an hour before the day's first clients arrive to have their hair transformed - a process that can take up to eight hours.

Rich arrives right on time wearing that trademark grin his followers know so well from the videos he posts on social media.

Small in stature but big on personality, Rich radiates energy and positivity. With 15 staff to manage and a fast-growing online presence opening doors to opportunities in Sydney and overseas, his busy life just keeps getting busier.

 

Profile

Rich Tran

Director of Ultrafade hair salons, social media personality masterclass teacher. Age 31; lives in Sydney's west; specialises in turning hair from dark to light in a single session.

Fortunately, he thrives on connecting with people and having fun while he works. It's a lifestyle he has actively tried to recreate since leaving high school at 15 to take on a hairdressing apprenticeship.

He missed the social side of school and hanging out with his friends - after they stopped bullying him, that is.