In the ever-evolving world of fashion and personal grooming, staying ahead of the curve is essential for hairstylists and barbers. As trends and techniques continue to evolve, professionals in this industry must recognize the significance of continuing education. By investing in ongoing learning opportunities, hair professionals can enhance their skills, expand their knowledge base, and ultimately thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

Mastering New Techniques:

Continuing education equips hairstylists and barbers with the latest techniques and trends in hair cutting, styling, coloring, and grooming. By attending workshops, trade shows, seminars, or pursuing advanced courses, professionals can learn innovative methods, get introduced to new tools and sharpen their skills. These new techniques allow them to offer a wider range of services to their clients, keeping up with the demands of a diverse clientele. Embracing new cutting-edge methods can transform a hairstylist or barber into a trendsetter within their community.

Keeping Pace with Changing Trends:

Fashion and style trends change rapidly, and what is considered "in" today may be outdated tomorrow. By engaging in continuing education, hairstylists and barbers remain current with the latest trends, ensuring their clients receive up-to-the-minute styles. Learning about emerging hairstyles, color palettes, and grooming preferences empowers professionals to provide personalized recommendations and create looks that align with their clients' preferences. Being on top of trends positions hairstylists and barbers as trusted advisors in the realm of style.

Expanding Product Knowledge:

Continuing education also plays a vital role in expanding hair professionals' understanding of the products they use. With the constant introduction of new hair care and styling products, staying informed is crucial. Through continuing education, professionals gain insights into the latest products, their ingredients, and their effects on different hair types. Currently, the biggest trend is non-toxic hair care and environmentally friendly products. By getting informed, professionals can offer healthy hair care as well as help the environment. New tools are also being developed all the time which could help achieve desired results. Armed with this knowledge, hairstylists and barbers can recommend the most suitable products to their clients, ensuring optimal hair health and styling results.

Building Professional Credibility:

Clients today are discerning and well-informed, often seeking services from stylists and barbers who demonstrate expertise and credibility. By investing in continuing education, professionals showcase their commitment to their craft and their dedication to staying at the forefront of the industry. This dedication not only instills confidence in clients but also sets hairstylists and barbers apart from their competitors. Building a reputation as an educated and skilled professional can lead to increased client retention, referrals, and ultimately, business success.

Networking and Collaboration:

Continuing education opportunities often bring together professionals from different backgrounds and experiences. These events provide hairstylists and barbers with invaluable networking opportunities, allowing them to connect with peers, mentors, and industry leaders. Engaging in such collaborations fosters creativity, knowledge-sharing, and personal growth. By forming professional relationships with others in the field, hairstylists and barbers gain access to a broader network of resources, support, and potential career opportunities. In an industry as dynamic as hairstyling and barbering, continuing education is vital for staying relevant, knowledgeable, and successful. By actively seeking opportunities to learn and grow, professionals can master new techniques, keep pace with changing trends, expand product knowledge, and build their professional credibility. Moreover, continuing education fosters networking and collaboration, allowing hairstylists and barbers to form connections and gain inspiration from their peers. By embracing ongoing learning, hairstylists and barbers position themselves at the cutting edge of their craft, ensuring their clients receive top-notch services and unmatched style expertise.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, a time to celebrate and recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions. As a small business started and currently run by Asian Americans, JATAI holds this recognition close to our heart. What started as a small dream by Fred Wada, the founder of JATAI, it has turned into a recognized company in the beauty space primarily known for their haircutting and shaving razors. Not only do Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders start and grow businesses, but they also make waves as a hairstylist or barber. In honor of AAPI Month, we would like to recognize some beauty professionals who have influenced the space and have made positive contributions to the industry.

 

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Sofie Pok If you’re a barber, or heck even a stylist, you probably know who Sofie is. She broke a lot of barriers in the barber industry being both a female and of Asian descent. Being mainly Cambodian and part Chinese and Vietnamese, Sofie quickly rose to the top earning the title of Barber of the Year and Men’s Shot of the Year at Behind the Chair in 2017. Residing in the Los Angeles area, she is easily recognized with her wealth of tattoos and funky hair. She always displays swagger and looks intimidating, but she’s sweet, kind, motivated and driven. She’s a natural born artist who is both a stylist and barber. While her road to success was filled with struggle and uncertainty, she found her niche with short haircuts. While many clients and barbers wouldn’t take her seriously because she was a female, she took to Instagram where she showcased her work and little by little her following grew. Her current ambition is growing STMNT Grooming Goods with fellow barbers Julius Cvesar and Miguel Gutierrez which launched in 2022.

 

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Julius Cvesar Also a barber, Julius grew up in the SF Bay area. He is of Filipino descent and a well-known barber in the industry. Also, covered in tattoos, Julius now resides in the Los Angeles area where he has built his platform in barbering. An artist at heart, he ventures into fashion, painting and runs a creative hub and gallery space. In barbering, his crisp design lines, color combinations and placement are creative and innovative. He takes appointments at All Hail Barbershop. Popular on Instagram he has also been on stage for Wahl and Layrite as he was a part of the Wahl Education and Artistic Team. There he specialized in clipper over comb, point cutting and heavy textures. His current project is working with fellow barbers Sofie Pok and Miguel Gutierrez on the STMNT Grooming Goods brands.

 

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Emily Chen Moving over to the hairstylist world, Emily Chen takes a spotlight. She is the owner of Brooks and Harlow Salon and teaches salon education…and she teaches a lot of it. Currently, she tours within her own salon but also across the country on a variety of different topics from color to haircutting. Based out of New York, Emily also cuts hair at her salon. She has built her following on Insta to 150k and almost 20k on TikTok. She is also present on YouTube and Twitter. Needless to say, she is everywhere teaching tips and tricks. She even won Color Video of the Year through the Hairbrained Video Awards with her 7-Hour Blonding Breakdown video. Wow…that must have been a lot of work!

 

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12Pell While not an individual person, 12Pell is a lifestyle brand run by Asian Americans. Dedicated to personal care and style, they cover all things grooming. Their goal is to build a community of like-minded people who are passionate about art and entrepreneurship. However, they have a huge focus on barbering and men’s haircuts. With a whooping 285k followers on IG and 1.8M followers on TikTok, they know how to generate social media attention. Their content focuses on a lot on hair education from the consultation to hair inspiration to styling tips. They’ve been recognized by ABC7, BBC, CBS, Yahoo, Business Insider and more. It would be safe to say that 12Pell has created the community they sought to build and then some.

 

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Angela Kim A special mention goes out to Angela Kim, a Los Angeles hairstylist who focuses on clean beauty and eco-conscious hairstyling. A second generation Korean American, Angela has been working in the industry for over 13 years. While she might not have a huge following on social media, her work is beautiful and she’s one to watch out for. A Feather Razor user, Angela is up and coming. She can do long or short hair and color. Her dedication to eco-friendly non-toxic hair services shows she’s dedicated to health and healthy beauty, something everyone can appreciate.

 

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Kaz Shimada Last but not least, Kaz Shimada is a Japanese American hairstylist. She is a proficient razor cutter, primarily using the Feather Plier Razor. So, she is definitely talented! Based out of Pasadena, CA, she co-owns MANE+CROWN salon. She’s a true artist with a beautiful portfolio. She has done commercial and red carpet work. Her work is gorgeous and she knows how to work the razor and her various tools to get fantastic looks.   There are many more AAAPI’s that were not mentioned here, but we wanted to highlight a few that have stood out to us. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have come a long way. While they still don’t represent a huge percentage of hairstylists and barbers, the ones that have stuck around have done well for themselves and have broken barriers. Their contributions to the beauty industry are valuable and appreciated. We continue to encourage more AAPI’s to bring their creative talents to the hair world. Show us what you’ve got!

It’s Women’s History Month and what better way to celebrate than to appreciate the gains of women in the hair industry. There have been so many accomplishments pioneered by women over the years that today we take for granted. There are many more, but let’s look at 5 women who influenced the hair industry forever.  

Martha Matilda

Martha was the first female to develop an international franchise system called the Harper System. She patented her own line of hair care products and developed a unique system for washing and styling hair that became the foundation for her franchise business which ultimately became known as the salon. A Canadian, Martha immigrated to the United States at a young age but when she around 30 years old, she opened her first salon in 1888 and in time she would go on to open over 500 franchise locations. The innovation of the salon has had a resounding and lasting effect on the hair industry. Many of her innovations within the salon are still being used to this day as well. She invented reclining shampoo chairs, salon scalp massages and even offered childcare. The salons were open in the evenings and gave haircuts to both men and women. Martha also developed a hair tonic because she thought the current hair products on the market were doing more harm than good.  She used her own hair to advertise her product as her hair was so long it reached the floor. It was thick and healthy which was the greatest advertisement she could have. Her first franchisee started in Buffalo, NY and then later expanded to Chicago. Each salon was owned by a woman. Moreover, the first 100 shops went to poor women. Martha would go to each location and train the franchisees, inspect the salons and make sure that quality was up to par. Although most people have never heard of her, she is one of the most influential women in hair history.  

Madam C.J. Walker

Also an entrepreneur, Walker was an African American civil rights activist in the late 19^th and early 20^th century who developed a hair care line specifically for African American women. She saw a need for affordable and effective hair care solutions. She went door to door, conducted classes and training for African American women and became a successful business owner selling her product. Her philanthropy was also well-known. She supported education and developed the Madam C.J. Walker College for Hair Culture in Indianapolis to raise the standards of hair care, teaching how to care for hair and how to become a successful entrepreneur themselves. She became a highly successful woman of color against all odds and persevered to become one of the first female self-made millionaires in America. She made huge strides in the hair industry which only opened the doors for more women and women of color to join the beauty world.   [caption id="attachment_34789" align="alignright" width="400"] Bob Hairstyle[/caption]

Irene Castle

While not a businesswoman, Irene simply started the bob hairstyle. She was a famous ballroom dancer and actress and in 1915 she decided to cut her hair prior to a surgery. At the time it was not common for women to have their hair short so while she was recovering, she wore her hair in a turban. But her friend convinced her to wear it short in public. This short haircut was eventually named the ‘Castle Bob.’ The look was short hair with curls at the bottom. Because she was already famous, the hairstyle spread, and soon other celebrities and women wore their hair short too. While the bob hairstyle during this time was considered undesirable, it became a symbol of the women’s suffrage movement. Women wore shorter hair because it was more convenient, easier to manage when they were becoming more active and athletic. More women were rejecting common practices and politics. Instead, they were actively campaigning for their right to vote pushing for more rights and freedoms. So the bob became popular on accident. But it was bound to happen, and it couldn’t have happened at a more appropriate time.  

Audrey Hepburn and Jean Seberg

In the 1950’s, after the bob had been around for 35 years, famous celebrities like Audrey Hepburn and Jean Seberg popularized the pixie. Even shorter than the bob, it meant freedom, gender fluidity and nonconformity. It became completely accepted after the move Roman Holiday where Audrey Hepburn cuts off her own hair to symbolize new beginnings. Over time, the pixie has evolved to become even shorter and styled a variety of ways.   [caption id="attachment_34790" align="alignleft" width="300"] Hair weave[/caption]

Christina Jenkins

An African American woman named Christina Jenkins was the first to develop a hair weaving technique. This invention became so popular that she was invited to other countries to teach her technique. Prior to Christina’s method, hair was clipped onto the scalp, but they didn’t securely stay on the hair. Christina’s method involved an interweaving process that took hours to do but could be left for a few weeks. It worked by interlocking strands of real hair with supplemental hair which was tied together by a cord-like material. This method paved the way for new innovations in the weaving process. Today, there are not only sewn-in weaves but also clip-ins and tape-in weaves. The hair industry is filled with many inspiring, successful women. From centuries ago through today, we have seen the hair industry grow and evolve. New inventions, techniques, products and styles are constantly being developed. But today’s accomplishments and ideas could not have come without those prior. In honor of Women’s History Month, we hope you take the time to honor the women who have paved the way.

Not all hair professionals are equal. Some are all about the trendiest styles, some only do color, some focus on short haircuts while others specialize in updos. There are a variety of hairstylists and barbers that provide unique and fun experiences and then others that do your basic run of the mill styles. Whatever the case may be, there are certain characteristics that make clients fall in love with their hair professional that they come back repeatedly. What is this secret sauce? It’s not a secret at all but people often forget to pay attention to certain qualities that can make them go from good to great. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are 7 reasons clients fall in love with their stylist or barber.

1) TECHNICAL ABILITY

The first and most obvious quality of a great hair professional is their technical ability. They have a thorough understanding of haircutting techniques, the tools of the trade and the science behind haircare. A great stylist or barber can cut hair with precision, symmetry and consistency producing a hairstyle that is both stylish and functional. They should also be proficient in a variety of cutting techniques using scissors, razors and clippers in order to cater to a wide range of clients. They should know how to use color properly and haircare product to achieve the best styling results. Technical ability can be seen through photos and video. Having great technical ability can be seen in the shape of the hair, the clean lines (or no lines), the symmetry of the haircut, the precision of the cutting and color of the hair (if color is involved).

2) CREATIVITY

While technical ability is more of a systematic skill, creativity is a human imagination skill. This is unique to every individual which makes creativity so fun and interpretive. It’s important for a stylist or barber to have creativity in this profession because they need to have an eye for style and the ability to translate the customer’s vision into a practical and stylish haircut. They should be able to draw inspiration from current fashion trends, classic hairstyles and their own imagination to create unique and personalized haircuts for each customer. This creative flair sets a great haircutter from a merely competent one, as it allows them to create haircuts that are not only functional but also stylish and memorable. Creativity is one of the most attractive qualities that initially captures a client. It’s what they see on Instagram or TikTok. It’s the way the images were captured that leave potential clients wanting it themselves. The way the hair is styled, the lighting and angles all express creativity and it makes the haircut more attractive.

3) COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Being able to communicate is underrated. Communication is the cornerstone of any human transaction. In this case, a barber or stylist should be able to listen and understand the needs and desires of their clients. The consultation, which is the initial conversation between the professional and the client to determine what is to be done, is crucial to the overall success of the cut. They should be able to ask the right questions, offer advice and recommendations. Ultimately, the haircutter should be able to repeat back to the client exactly what they want and have a clear idea of what is expected. They should also be personable and be able to ease their clients and make them feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. Having good communication skills takes practice but it’s essential to all aspects of the experience with each client. Good communication skills also extend to the way hair professionals communicate with their colleagues (other barbers and stylists) as well as management. They should be able to work as part of a team if necessary. Communication also translates into social media, appointment apps and other forms of technology. Providing clear information on websites, appointment apps about services, location, pricing and other relevant info is all part of the communication process.

4) PROFESSIONALISM

Being professional is a desirable quality of anyone. This means wearing clean and professional attire and maintaining a well-groomed appearance. However, some hair professionals tend to just wear whatever they want and can get away with it because of their status in the industry. Perhaps part of their popularity is due to their appearance and how they put themselves together. But many places of work have an expectation that you dress a certain way in their facility. Also, maintaining a professional attitude, treating customers with respect and courtesy, providing a welcoming and relaxing environment are all important. Using sanitary tools, keeping the chair and the space around it clean, adhering to health and safety regulations are all areas that clients pay attention to. Professionalism also revolves around being punctual with your appointments and not making the next client wait too long.

5) ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Anyone that truly cares about their work will care about the details. When it comes to hair, details are very important. Is the haircut finished to the highest standards? Are the tiniest details addressed? Did they shave the neck on a short haircut? Small details can make a big difference in the quality of the overall haircut. If the hair is styled or cut in a way that complements their facial features and the hairs are all in place, this is a good sign. Paying attention to the details mean there is true love for the work and the desire to do their best.

6) ADAPTABILITY

Many people don’t really think about adaptability, but it is an important quality that hairstylists and barbers should have to stay relevant. Being able to work with a variety of hair types and textures is a skill. And being able to adapt to the changing needs and preferences of their clients while trying new techniques and styles to stay current are all a part of being adaptable. Without growth, there is only stagnation so getting advanced education and constantly learning in the profession of hair is critical to ongoing success.

7) CUSTOMER SERVICE

To fall in love with a hairstylist or barber is to fall in love with their customer service. This goes hand in hand with communication skills. Customer service makes the client feel valued, appreciated and comfortable. Clients want to feel good about getting a service and a lot of that has to do with customer service. Being considerate of people’s time, giving them a refreshment while they wait and treating then with respect are all ways to provide customer service and comradery with clients. During the booking process is it easy and seamless? If making an appointment is difficult, it already puts a bad taste in the client’s mouth. Think about the customer journey and where clients can be made to feel heard and respected. Technical ability, creativity, communication skills, professionalism, attention to detail, adaptability and customer service are key areas that any hairstylist or barber should work on throughout their career to be their best. When hair pros encompass these qualities, clients are likely to stay, return and fall in love.  

The IATSE Local 706, also referred to as the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild, is the official labor union for make-up artists and hair stylists in film, television, stage, and digital media for Los Angeles. These artistic professionals have created the iconic looks for Hollywood’s most memorable characters and stars, as well as influenced major trends in the consumer industry. Currently Local 706 members work in all aspects of film, Television, commercials, music videos, live theatre, and the Disneyland theme park.  Members make up the hair and makeup teams on everything from major studio movies such as Marvel classics to the majority of the awards shows such as Academy Awards and Billboard, including many top network and streaming shows such as  American Horror Story, Star Trek Picard, Dancing with the Stars, and many others. Their vast reach includes live theater which have shows such as Hamilton and Harry Potter and members who are employed at Disneyland who do character hair and makeup.  Roster members work encompasses, film, television, and commercials while non-roster members work is primarily  live theater, Disneyland, and network television such as on soap operas and news programs.  For hairstylists in particular, the job opportunities include working on many period projects, styling wigs for theatre and theme parks and grooming for actors on set to maintain continuity. Each year the Local 706 honors members and other non-union hair stylists and make-up artists with its Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards. The MUAHS (as its affectionately called) honor the best of the best in make-up artists and hair stylists working in the trade in a variety of categories. Examples of this are Best Contemporary Hair Styling, Best Period Hair Styling and/or Character Hair Styling, and Best Special Make-Up Effects. You can see more about this on the front page of the Local 706 website and submissions are open to all including non-members.  In addition to various categories, each year the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild’s give the honors of Lifetime Achievement Awards and Distinguished Artisan Awards. These awards celebrate the spectacular careers of some of our members and the collaboration with artists, producers and directors who support them.   Last year marked the inaugural Vanguard Awards honoring Bernadine Anderson and Richard Battle.  Anderson is the first woman and woman of color to become a member of the Guild and breaking the barrier landing a spot at Warner Bros.  Her projects include being the head of the makeup for Coming to America and working with 2020 Distinguished Artisan honoree Eddie Murphy for eight years.  Battle who was one of the first men to be admitted as a roster hair stylist was on the ground level of theatrical productions being broadcast on PBS in the Wig and Makeup Department.  He was nominated for an Emmy for his work at the San Francisco Ballet where he had worked for over 40 years before retirement. Guild members also have access to The Artisan, the official quarterly publication of the Makeup Artists & Hair Stylists Guild, IATSE Local 706. This exclusive craft publication is not available on newsstands and is not for the general public. 2,500 copies are printed each quarter and are mailed directly to every single guild member, with bonus distribution to various entertainment and beauty industry personnel.  The recipients of The Artisan represent the working union Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists in film, television, commercials, theater, videotape and digital media. These creative artists determine what makeup and hair products and services will be used on a production for all actors, actresses and special effect characters, and in turn, influence millions of consumers with their choices. While the places to work and other events hosted by the Union are fun and exciting, the Local 706’s goal is to protect its members in the workplace.  When hair and makeup artists work under contract, the Union ensures they receive all the benefits promised including making sure they are being paid the rate offered and getting the hours promised, plus receiving meal breaks, rest periods and more.  If for any reason Members are not receiving the pay or treatment outlined in the project contract, they have a team of business representatives to turn to for assistance.  Beyond these protections, additional benefits of being a member include health benefits, pension, craft educational classes and roster members receive contract services classes on a variety of topics including skills classes for artists in their classification and safety training, New members and seasoned members can benefit from outreach and committees such as the Young workers/mentors and the Diversity/inclusivity/equity committee that has offered townhalls and discussions.  There are 706 classes (live or zoom) which offer a variety of educational opportunities from set etiquette to  barbering and tips on how to run a department. During the Covid-19 shutdowns in 2020, the IATSE  tasked some of the Business Representatives to put together a safety task force. Local 706 under the guidance of the Business Representative and in conjunction with other Locals and IATSE continued protecting members by developing safety program guidelines provided to Producers to support members returning to set, as well as ensuring those members received testing, ventilation, PPE and more once they returned to work. Additionally, through provided support to its out-of-work members including roundtables discussing the logistics of going back to work when the time came.  There was also aid from other members on committees such as the Welfare Committee where for example each and every member within Local 706 was called to check and make sure they were okay and resource lists were provided as to where to get help for everything from food to mental care. Membership in the Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild is attained through hard work, perseverance, and passion. There are no shortcuts, the same set of rules apply to each and every person who applies.  There are no actual apprenticeship programs or internships before you join but many opportunities to learn by working towards membership.  The competition can be stiff, but membership is a goal worth achieving. Hair stylists and make-up artists can become a Union member through a variety of ways including working on a non-Union film or television project for 60 days out of the year for three consecutive years; working 30 days on a non-Union project that turns Union, through a special request from an actor, or a special skills waiver. Hairstylists must have a valid cosmetology license from any state; solely having a barber license is not currently valid for membership.  The specifics for becoming a member are updated frequently so visit the Union website to review the specific and up to date on how to join. I encourage you to visit the IATSE Local 706 official website to learn more about the Union, benefits of being a member and how to join.

To see Part #1 of this article, click here. If you are looking to find your own voice to speak up on issues that matter, our industry associations offer many ways to help you get involved … to weigh in as an advocate on local, regional, and national levels. Although there are many respected role models who collectively carve a path for our professional advancement, it’s now your turn to affect positive change among you and your peers. The experienced advocates will tell you that when you wake up in the morning, take a look in the mirror and say … ‘It’s Up to Me!”  (not the other guy … you!) Start now to find your voice and encourage others to do the same. There is nothing more satisfying than to feel you have made a real contribution to the well-being and advancement of your proud profession. And, hey … speaking up and speaking out is ultimately good for business! How YOU can speak up starts with researching the following professional industry organizations and learning how you can get involved on some meaningful level. The Professional Beauty Industry (PBA) (national) Join your beauty colleagues to help inform consumers and legislators on how technical trained and professional our industry is by downloading their Beauty Advocate Toolkit. It helps you to communicate on bills that could deregulate the industry. You can also sign up to receive text alerts so you can get involved and influence legislation at the state and federal levels.       The American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) (national) Open to all privately owned schools of cosmetology, the AACS created ‘Don’t Cut Us Out’, an initiative in which they asked beauty school students to speak up and bring their voice to decision-makers, and to share why their educational choice matters. Also, why federal funding and financial aid is so important to realize their dreams. Using the hashtag #DontCutUsOut, students taped themselves telling stories about what the beauty and wellness industry means to them. They found their voice … and now we can continue to support their passion and help them bring it to life by uplifting the industry, always.       The Professional Beauty Federation of California (PBFC) (state) PBFC is the united voice for California’s beauty and barbering industry. Their mission is to raise the professionalism and public image of those making an honorable living in such a vibrant profession. Headquartered in Sacramento, their primary purpose is to influence public policy, regulations, and to promote positive public perceptions of this industry. PBFC supports professionals in the pursuit of their shared industry goals; this includes the independent salon owner, multi-salon owner, salon manager, hairstylist/colorist, nail artist, esthetician, electrologist, barber or school owner, instructor or student. Contact Anne Moratto at anne.moratto@bobit.com

With our beauty community dealing with the pains of a pandemic, certain industry leaders chose to step up and speak up with the legislators and media influencing our business. We are grateful to them for taking their time, taking a stand for their peers, and making a true difference in the well-being of all beauty professionals. They have become your role models when speaking to critical issues, and will hopefully inspire you to also lead the way to proudly support your peers and profession. The bottom line, these advocates encourage so many of us to advocate and activate on behalf of our industry. Their common theme is to focus on the greater good -- not just on their own struggling business but on all of them as one. Collectively, they have kept us strong, motivated, and surviving. Are you an advocate yet? It’s not hard … just listen to the leaders who share your professional pride and passion to speak up, be heard, and climb out of the pandemic crush … together! As a media brand, our mission is to focus the spotlight on others. We cover the professional beauty industry by tapping into the wisdom and expertise of industry leaders who are our guiding lights. As an editor, I have lived through the many issues that the beauty community has been dealing with … like undergoing self-examination around issues of racial equality, inclusivity, representation, and diversity. I turned to these folks more than ever for their input, understanding, and sympathy.  Bottom line, we look to the pro-active leaders who inspire us to give so freely of ourselves …  to help us all to survive and succeed in good times and bad. “We are not in the haircutting business; we are in the people business. It is essential for our future barber and beauty professionals to learn to get along with and understand people from all walks of life."

--Rodrick Samuels

Lauren Moser and Rodrick Samuels are the power duo who own Hair Lab Detroit Barber School. These two beauty professionals are educators, motivators, award-winners and salon and school owners. Partners in both life and work, they have a respected pro-active history of stepping up and giving back. As an interracial couple, they have a valuable perspective. And, as artists, they see how our industry can improve…they work to create meaningful change at every level. See more from Rodrick and Lauren here. “My career and struggles do not qualify me to write, speak or teach you -- my solutions do.” --Carlos Valenzuela   This is one of my favorite quotes Carlos Valenzuela, a stylist, author, and educator. He is another great industry advocate and role model who has inspired many of his peers over the years to step up and make a difference in their industry, as well as their own business and careers. A mentor of mine for years (whether he knew it or not), Carlos is the ultimate champion and cheerleader for hairdressers. His 45 years of industry expertise and wealth of life experience means that he can speak on everything from money management to personal fulfillment. Learn more about Carlos here.   Contact Anne Moratto at anne.moratto@bobit.com. Watch for next week’s Part 2 of this series on Industry Advocacy: Be an Industry Advocate: How YOU Can Speak Up!