Kiwi entrepreneur Lynden Mason, co-founder and a minority shareholder of New Zealand’s largest hairdressing group, has sold his stake in the company to focus on philanthropic and consulting interests.

The Vivo group, which Mason, as a minority shareholder, co-founded with managing director and majority owner James Carlisle, boasts annual revenues exceeding $50 million and employs more than 600 staff across 83 studios.

Known for its rapid expansion, Vivo grew by up to 27 branches annually, making it the largest hairdressing group in the Southern Hemisphere.

In 2020, Mason sold half of his minority shareholding in Vivo to a local private equity fund, and he has now sold his remaining share for an undisclosed sum, completing his exit from the business.

Mason attributes the company's success to a mix of greenfields and acquisition-led growth, which saw double-digit expansion nearly every year.

“We had developed an internationally scalable model that was built on rewarding our stylists, and we were looking at export opportunities for the business. However, with the arrival of Covid, this was delayed, and we focused on growing locally,” Mason said.

A registered optometrist, Mason previously launched New Zealand’s first online retailer of contact lenses and a chain of optometry clinics.

He is now turning his attention to a charitable health care and education initiative aimed at identifying and treating vision conditions among vulnerable children.

“Growing up in South Auckland, I want to give back to that community by improving access to healthcare services,” Mason said.

“Vision conditions in young people are often undiagnosed. When students can't see reading material, they can become frustrated and are mislabelled as disruptive, unnecessarily putting them on a path towards poor educational and life outcomes.”

Mason believes early intervention can remove learning barriers for up to 30% of intermediate-aged students. “I believe these types of initiatives have the potential to make a real difference in the lives of hundreds of children, and I am looking forward to supporting them as a clinician where I can,” he said.

Mason credits his wife, Tereze Taber, the company’s brand developer, for her role in Vivo’s growth.

Both have left the firm and are exploring new business ventures, including forming a consulting firm for retail and other industries.

“When I started out in business, it meant focusing on the numbers and data to direct employees and their efforts. When Tereze joined Vivo six years ago, I completely pivoted my leadership approach based on her observations and input,” Mason said.

Mason explained that understanding data as a reflection of people’s experiences and behaviours leads to natural growth when employees feel part of something bigger and can contribute meaningfully.

“The work I am most proud of at Vivo is having been an actual 'in the trenches' owner with people as the main focus—working with individuals and teams across NZ, developing strategy, and implementing tactics that address challenges and cultivate opportunity.”

Mason and Taber are now considering a range of new ventures, including startups and acquisitions across various industries.

“Having successfully launched, developed, and exited two mature retail businesses, we are now exploring new opportunities to share our learnings with other business owners under a mentoring framework,” Mason said.

With a legacy of successful business ventures behind him, Mason is eager to leverage his experience to benefit both his community and the broader business landscape.

Vivo operate two salons on the Hibiscus Coast. In Silverdale and Orewa.