November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and this month’s classic MASTERS Podcast features Angus Mitchell, co-owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems and son of the late, legendary hair industry icon Paul Mitchell.
Angus’ unique upbringing in the hair industry exposed him to the same passion that inspired his father, leading him to eventually fulfill his destiny in the first family of hair. Educated at Vidal Sassoon, Angus combined their legendary precision technique with the free creative expression encouraged by John Paul Mitchell Systems to craft his own signature style. Angus demonstrated with style and grace what it takes to be a true leader in the beauty industry.
The loss of his father inspired Angus’ philanthropic work with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), an organization dedicated to fighting the world’s toughest cancer through research, clinical initiatives, patient services, and advocacy. Angus was also an advocate for human rights, ecological preservation, and environmental research. He generously donated historic coastal properties in Hawaii to the Nature Conservancy and the Edith K. Kanaka’ole Foundation. He hoped Hawaiians would see the land as a place of serenity, where they can walk hand in hand with their children and loved ones, honoring the history for generations to come.
In this heartfelt and humorous interview with Winn Claybaugh in 2009, Angus shared some of the struggles and victories of his life and offered a loving tribute to his father, on the 20-year anniversary of Paul’s death from pancreatic cancer. By the time of his own death in 2024, Angus had mastered his craft and learned to love and be proud of himself as a father, husband, friend, and artist. He was most proud of how he always kept an open heart and forgave easily. He was passionate about cars, architecture, and most important, human beings. Angus loved all humans, broken and whole, and he loved the peaks and valleys of life. Winn says, “Angus was beautiful inside and out, and I am so grateful for his vulnerability in allowing me to share his journey.”