How to Become an Educator in the Beauty Industry

You see them at the shows. They’re on stages, cutting hair with swords and using a can of hairspray as a blowtorch. They’re wearing crazy makeup and microphones, shouting instructions over thumping dubstep to the gawking professionals who clog the convention’s carpeted paths. (Or they’re at the head of a dark classroom running a Power Point presentation, dressed like Wednesday Addams moonlighting as a corporate manager, comparing professionals who take walk-ins to brothel prostitutes and those who work by appointment-only to streetwalkers–yes, I do that.)

Whatever. If you’re reading this post, you likely want to be one. (An educator, not a prostitute.)

You have two options here, and both are equally valid ways to become an educator. However, each come with their own pros and cons. The path you choose will depend on your preferences.

The Easy Way: Brand Ambassador

[BIAS WARNING: I’m an independent educator. My experience as a brand educator was not a positive one, and it’s rare that I hear many positive things about the position from current and former brand educators. I routinely research the expectations and requirements various companies have for their educators, and am thoroughly unimpressed with what they have to offer, and how they treat their “educators.” I’m aware that rare exceptions to the Cons listed do exist, and if you’re an educator for one of those exceptional companies, please share your experiences with your preferred company in the comments.]

Product companies are hungry for fresh ambassadors. They call them educators, but since the focus of your role as a “brand educator” is to close as many sales as possible during your demonstrations, I don’t consider the title to be accurate. This position requires educators who are confident public speakers and aggressive salespeople, with acceptable technical skills.

The Pros

  • Becoming a brand ambassador is often relatively easy. You submit an application, attend the company’s training (which you’ll likely be required to pay for), and if you meet their standards (which you likely will), you’ll be added to their list of educators and will be given the opportunity to either teach classes they organize, or organize your own.
  • It will require very little of you in terms of effort. The company will set up most of your events. They will take care of securing the venue, marketing the event, and collecting payment. All you’ll have to do is show up and sell.
  • This path also will give you the ability to travel extensively, if that’s what you’re into.
  • You’ll be part of that brand’s “family.” Corporate cultures in this industry are very fun and can be very appealing.
  • You’ll make valuable connections, and gain experience. This, to me, is the most valuable Pro in this list. You will meet a ton of people, both locally and within the industry. The more people you know, the better off you’ll be. You can never have too many contacts in this business, and working with a brand will give you access to heavy-hitters you’d have a hard time meeting otherwise.
  • Motivated professionals have the opportunity to become headline platform educators and creative directors. We’re talking about the 1% here, so let me make that very clear. If you want to become the next Robert Cromeans or Beth Minardi, you have to be extremely talented, an exceptional presenter, and a hardworking, seriously career-oriented person. It doesn’t happen overnight and it isn’t easy. Those positions are few and the people vying for them are not. Competition is fierce. If you can’t hustle, you’ll be a local (state or regional) educator forever.

The Cons

  • They’ll have a strict list of rules for you to follow, which will include a prohibition against speaking about any competing product lines (even if the line you’re educating for doesn’t carry a similar product).

These restrictions will impair your ability to truly educate.

If you’re interested in being an actual educator (instead of a salesperson who performs live tutorials on how to use a company’s product line while trying to upsell other company products), this route isn’t for you.

  • You won’t be an employee, but you’ll be treated like one. Sure, you’ll be able to accept or decline classes, but you’ll be expected to wear the company’s branding, follow the company’s class protocols, and hand out business cards with the company’s information on it. They won’t be paying your taxes either, but this bleeds into the next con, so let’s go there…
  • The pay sucks. I have a lot of brand ambassador friends. I know what educators are making at virtually every major beauty brand. It varies, but you can expect anywhere from $75-200 for a four hour class. At trade shows, most pay around $125-175 per day.

At a trade show, the first “day” runs 12-15 hours in a hot convention center, unloading and unpacking boxes to set up the booth. The second and third “days” are another 10-12 hours of absolute insanity.

Most companies offer some form of commission bonus also, but these bonuses aren’t impressive enough to make up for the weak compensation. If you’re a successful professional–or, you know, someone with bills who actually pays their employment taxes–this figure won’t be very motivating since you’ll be making 15.3% less than whatever your check comes in at. Established professionals could generate more income in 1-3 hours in most salons, regardless of their local economy.

There are two people making major money in brand education: platform artists and the CEO.

  • You may have to pay for the training and the travel, even if you’re not chosen to be a brand ambassador. I always laugh when someone tells me they were “accepted” to attend training to become an “educator” for a brand. I do know of a few companies who will cover travel and hotel for their educator trainings, but they’re very few and come with contingencies (for example, you’ll have to actually meet their expectations during training and sign a contract to become an educator for their company).

Before getting excited, ask the company if they’re covering the cost of travel and training, and if your kit is included. If they’re expecting you to pay them for the PRIVILEGE of selling their crap, you didn’t get “accepted,” you’re getting solicited.

  • You’ll be expected to pay for everything out of your own pocket. You have a class four counties away that requires an overnight at a hotel? You’re putting up that money. The company isn’t paying you for your travel time. They’re not paying you a per diem for meals. You’re an “independent contractor,” after all. You’re being paid for the class. That’s it.
  • Payment can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks. Yeah. You read that right. Many companies don’t pay out for an event for months afterwards. If you’re in a financially shaky situation, the money you spent on travel, hotel, and anything else for the event will be gone, and you won’t see a penny in compensation until the company’s accountants get around to sending out your check.

These companies will expect you to submit your travel and hotel costs for reimbursement, but their contracts will contain very broad clauses that will allow them to refuse to reimburse them, for whatever reason. You’ll also be expected to pay to restock your kit if the company has a threshold on what they’ll restock for you (and most do).

  • Classes are not guaranteed. Taken from my brief, real life experience as a brand ambassador: Two classes are scheduled in Jacksonville, five hours from my house. I’m expected to drive there and get a hotel overnight. My pay is $150 per day. Because I have a friend who lives in Jacksonville and haven’t taken anything resembling a vacation since 2006, I decide to take it since it’ll give me an opportunity to hang out with her. I book the hotel and move my salon appointments to free up the class days.

The day before the class, the company calls to inform me the class didn’t meet attendance thresholds, and is being cancelled.

Now, I’m stuck with two empty days and a hellish workweek to make up for the time I took off for this stupid class, plus I have to spend more of my precious time arranging for a refund from the hotel.

If you don’t have time for this bullshit–I certainly didn’t–thoroughly investigate the company’s policy for class cancellations. If those policies put you at a disadvantage, do not go this route.

  • Some companies do not organize events for you. I couldn’t even believe this was happening, but it is. Companies are expecting people to fly out to their training, pay for everything required (including the training), purchase a ton of product, and then go to work soliciting salon owners, store owners, and schools to host their classes. These brand ambassadors are then expected to bring the inventory (or an order form) and sell the product to the class. The company pays them a commission on the sales. It’s like a tacky MLM scheme, and in case you didn’t know, I despise MLMs.
  • Educators are often treated as “replaceable.” This is the most frequent complaint I hear from my friends in brand education. It’s hard to find a company that truly values their educators, and with so many people falling at their feet to become one of their salesbots despite receiving virtually nothing in return, it’s easy to see why.

The Hard Way: Independent Education

[BIAS WARNING: As an independent educator, I’m heavily in favor of independence. However, I have nothing to gain by your choice. Unlike a corporate brand, I won’t be paying you pennies to go out and sell my products. I won’t be taking your money for “kits” or “training.” You won’t be wearing my branding and passing out my company’s cards at your events. Keep that in mind. I recommend independence because I truly believe it is the best way to work.]

If you consider yourself ambitious enough to become one of the 1% who stand on stages, preaching to the masses, you’re ambitious enough to build your own success without another person’s logo emblazoned all over you. I consider it best for any aspiring educator to spend a year or so teaching at a cosmetology academy (at least on a guest basis) to get a feel for what’s involved and to gain experience before going out into the world as an independent educator.

The Pros

  • You answer to no one. That means nobody is telling you what you can and can’t say, or what you can and can’t do. Nobody’s going to email you to condemn you for a tweet you made, or for “liking” another brand’s status on Facebook. Nobody’s going to expect you to hit sales quotas and sanction you if you fail to meet them.
  • You can maintain your credibility. No product line is perfect, and brand ambassadors who claim their company’s entire line is perfect are liars, or painfully inexperienced with competing products. Even my favorite lines have produced some real garbage products from time to time.

During my stint as a brand ambassador, it physically pained me to have to tout the benefits of a product that didn’t perform well whatsoever. As an independent educator, you’ll be able to recommend products that do the job best, regardless of what brand created them.

  • You set your rates. As a brand ambassador, you have little room to negotiate your fees, if any. That is not the case when you’re an independent educator.
  • You will never be guilty by association. You know how brands who tout themselves as being “pro-only” sometimes sell out to major retail corporations and end up on Walmart’s shelves? Any time you associate with a brand, you’re putting your professional reputation in their hands. So, when it turns out that company is using dangerous ingredients, making piss-poor marketing decisions, or committing other acts of idiocy–your name is tied to theirs. As an independent educator, the only person who can ruin your reputation is you.
  • You determine your terms. For me, this means that the person requesting the class must either a.) provide or secure the venue and pay for any associated expenses, or b.) have me present them with venue options and a breakdown of how that will effect ticket prices. My travel costs, accommodations, and class fees must be covered in full at the time of booking. I require a secured class minimum of six attendees before I’ll send them an event contract, but beyond that it’s their responsibility to fill the seats and manage ticket sales. There are no refunds. Once an event is booked, it’s booked, so none of my classes will be “cancelled due to low attendance.”

If you’re considering becoming an independent educator, put serious consideration into your terms and policies.

Cons

  • You’re self-employed. Oh hey, look at that! This was one of the cons of being a brand ambassador too. But at least now you have all those awesome freedoms that come with that higher tax rate.
  • You’re responsible for your own marketing. This means having an active, credible blog (or vlog) and a strong social media presence. This means participating in beauty forums and Facebook groups and commenting on other blogs. This means picking up the phone and making connections with salon owners, beauty schools, and beauty supply stores to let them know you exist and that you’re available for hire. This means having a website that details the classes you have available and maybe offering a webinar every so often.

This means working your ass off.

  • When it comes to shows, unless you’re specifically requested by an organizer, you’re a vendor–and being a vendor is CRAZY EXPENSIVE. Even small shows can be cost-prohibitive for an independent educator who lacks a product line. If you have a product/service to sell, then absolutely go for it. However, if you don’t have either (or the potential income won’t justify the investment for a substantial amount of time), don’t sign a vendor agreement just so you can have classroom space at a major show.

Instead, wait until you’re a big enough deal to be invited, or ask the organizers about their policies for unaffiliated educators. Depending on your notoriety, they may allow you to teach a class or two at their event for free, without a vendor commitment, but those concessions are only made for people whose names can attract attendees–and if you’re not one of those people, you likely won’t qualify until you are.

So, those are the options available to you. If you want to read more what it takes to be an educator, you can read this article I wrote with Jaime Schrabeck on our blog Nail Tech Reality Check, where you can also find a few more posts that address various aspects of the topic.

Are you an aspiring educator or current educator? What have your experiences been? Did I miss any pros or cons? Let me know in the comments!

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Tina Alberino
Tina Alberinohttps://thisuglybeautybusiness.com
Beauty industry survivalist, salon crisis interventionist, tactical verb-weapon specialist, and the leader of at least a hundred workplace revolutions, Tina Alberino is known as much for her extensive knowledge as for her sarcastic wit and mercilessly straightforward style. She’s the author of The Beauty Industry Survival Guide and Salon Ownership and Management: A Definitive Guide to the Professional Beauty Business. When she’s not writing, educating, or consulting, she can be found overthinking everything, identifying problems people didn’t know existed, and stubbornly working to change the things she cannot accept.

21 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you for this article, Tina. I am in the process of becoming a brand ambassador and I’m going to ask many questions before I go through the training.

  2. Many years ago, I was excited by the allure of being an educator for a major brand, so I invested in the cost of the kit and attended the very informational and valuable skill building training. After I returned home, I did the math, and it did not make financial sense to take away from my very successful mobile/freelance beauty buisness to sell their products in trade schools in my area, but I continued to maintain my status with them.
    A few months later, my mentor Elle provided me an opportunity for New York Fashion Week to lead my own nail team with a brand of my choice. Since the brand I was an “educator” for was still my favorite at the time, I used their products which resulted in an exorbitant amount of positive press for both the brand and myself. The brand even featured one of the articles (with my photo) on their website (without my knowledge). I wrote multiple emails to the “important people” at the company about my desire to do similar events in the future without any response….or even acknowledgment of the success at NYFW.
    The next NYFW season came around and the brand expressed interest in me using their products again, but refused to pay me (or my team)! Instead, they went behind my back to connect with my NYFW production company and together they staffed the shows that were supposed to be mine with their other educators that were unfamiliar with the dynamics of NYFW and how leads and teams should be compensated. That company and some of those educators have become familiar faces backstage at NYFW….but as far as I know, they still are not getting compensated appropriately. I cut my ties with this company after their deceitful and backstabbing behavior.
    That brings me to experience number two. After that successful press of NYFW, I was featured on the cover of Nailpro Essentials magazine. They did a feature on my recent success and my vision and aspiration for the nail industry. It was such an honor! Well,the owner of another nail company must’ve been impressed by the article, because he began to call me on a regular basis offering me a position with his company to help him build his brand on the American market. He woo’d me with a nice salary package and commission with full autonomy to develop an education program from scratch to implement for his company. It wasn’t hard to turn down becaus his product was one that I found myself reaching for more often. The longevity outperformed other brands on the market and the price point was almost half than what everyone was paying at that time for competitive brands. I accepted the position and within one year I developed an education program curriculum, recrutied, hired, and managed an entire team of educators, and together we increased sales 300% year over year at those grueling trade shows!!!!! It was my passion. I lived, breathed, and educated day and night…via phone, text, & online, around the world. Then one day, that same owner that was so impressed by me and needed me so bad for his brand, had felt he reached a level of success he was comfortable with, and had the office manager fire me without any kind of warning or even an explanation. I never received my most recent commission pay nor the remainder of the contract we agreed to. Instead, when I filed a labor dispute against him, he disputed 99% of the contract, even though I had proof of everything. He mine as well have said he didn’t know who I was. I contacted multiple attorneys who would’ve willingly taken on the case for a $5k retainer I just did not have.
    The point of all of this is to say…. you are only valuable to a brand for as long as they believe that you have something to offer them. Many (there are a few exceptions) will exploit your passion, creativity, network of peers and industry connections, to build their business without a care in the world about your sacrifices, values, or aspirations.
    If choosing the education route, do your own homework. Learn as much as you can about the brand, those who own it, operate it, those that are no longer with them, and what their plans on you for and your role in their company! 🙂

  3. I couldn’t be in more agreement with you Tina. I personaly grateful for this article because I’m based in South Africa and had this nagging insecurity that educators were treated so badly because the brands were taking advantage that the African Afro Industry isn’t as developed. I now know that we are getting paid the same and treated the same. .it’s still not good enough.
    I definitely will be reading more about it…and I totally appreciate your share. I haven’t met Jaime in person but she has been such a blessing because I’ve learned so much from her from so far away. Thank you Ladies

  4. Good article, this is why I never became an educator for a “brand”… Plus they didn’t want me, until I entered NTNA, then suddenly they all wanted me. It was kind of fun to say no – not gonna lie. lol. Being independent (with a few products) is HARD work, you become a graphic designer, video editor, shipping manager, junk delegator, customer service manager, decision maker, travel agent, show booth coordinator, class organizer, kit building fool. I stay up until all hours of the night going back and forth with manufactures and clients over-seas. BUT, I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. And I think it’s also fun to partner with different brands on MY terms. I have great relationships with many brands and companies, and I have educators from ALL the brands come to my classes, and THAT is super cool! <3 What changed my heart about my desire to become an educator was listening to Heidi Bender Milliner on NTR talking about her experience as an educator for Young Nails. Listening to someone talk about what it was "really like" in the day of the life of an educator was eye-opening, and I realized it was not what I wanted.

  5. Years ago I worked for Schwarzkopf as an educator and my experience with them was great! They supplied me with all my products, paid all travel expenses and I wasn’t expected to sell….I worked in tandem with a sales rep; I’d teach the class and then she would take care of the sales. It’s disappointing to hear that this is not how it works with most companies. I’m now an independent educator and I love the fact I don’t have to claim loyalty to one particular brand and I can set up my own classes and focus on what I want to teach. I also teach at a cosmetology school, and that experience has really taught me how to teach. I do suggest anyone who wants to be an independent educator get some instructor training in adult education. The program I did helped me a LOT as far as lesson planning and understanding how adults learn

  6. Hi Tina

    It looks like I am the rare one here. I had an exceptional experience as a brand ambassador.

    In the late 90’s, I was introduced to G M Collin. In 2000, I joined a team of amazing industry professionals, that allowed me to not only grow as an educator but also enjoy travel, attend celebrity functions as well as develope relationships that are still going strong, 19 yrs later !

    This company took me under their wing, gave me all the tools for success and paid me very well to have a great time introducing their products to other professionals.

    I stayed with them for over 10 yrs and still have the utmost respect for the company and those people I know still working there.

    Not all brand ambassadors will have this chance but it is possible

  7. This subject has come up before, and it made me realise that I am fortunate to be a brand ambassador in the uk for an amazing distributor of a brand that I believe in and have used for 25 years myself anyway.
    My colleagues and I seem to have the best of both worlds in your comparisons between being independent and being a brand ambassador.
    My students pay for their kits and all products directly to the distributor, I’m not expected to sell anything at all.
    My job is to educate and educate well.
    The selection process for our distributor sweet squared (who are the exclusive distributors of CND in the uk) is tough, all of my training and updates are paid for by them, I only pay for my travel and accommodation when we receive our training.
    If we work a trade show all travel and accommodation are paid for and we get a good day rate.
    The stand is already set up, we are only expected to connect and educate as they took the very brave but amazing decision last year to not sell product on the stand, we only educate and perform demos for the customers, so we don’t even have to sell then!

    I am paid directly by the student for my classes.
    We set our own classes as often as we want to run them, but ssq take all bookings, do all admin and produce certificates.
    I have the right to cancel a class if there isn’t enough students booked on.
    We each have our own areas, and most of us have own own academies and students come to us.
    The education is written and constantly updated by the education team.
    In the uk we can teach beginners, and we have the pleasure of taking them through to masters level so the education and mentoring side is really valued by our distributor.

    I must admit, the thought of being an independent educator has crossed my mind, but I am known for being out spoken, and if I feel that something needs to be said, I will say it.
    My salon is my main focus right now, i want it to be my legacy, but educating and mentoring comes naturally to me, I feel blessed to be in the position of being part of a passionate team that supports me as an educator and puts me in a position of advanced knowledge.
    And after reading your post and lots of the comments, I realise that outside of the uk in particular, things are very different

    • That’s entirely true. In speaking with UK technicians in particular (where the laws regarding worker classification and labor exploitation are extremely strict in comparison to those in the US), I’ve noticed their situation is far better than what US techs are likely to experience.

  8. I am working on becoming an independent educator. I’ve been teaching at a beauty school for almost a year and I’ve learned so much, it’s great to know that I’m some what on the right path. This article was great thanks so much!

  9. This info I am hearing from you all is to be expected in the beauty Industry. Some people are honest and do appreciate your work, others do not . I worked for a salon owner that used to steal my. Commission slips and my products I used on my clients when I was not there. Another Salon owner failed to give me all my vacation pay when I decided to quit . I did go to the Labour board and got my money. I was an educator for a color company ,however, I was treated well. They provided everything hotels , booked classes all the products , New kit, food, That was 20 years ago. Has things changed it is it just the people ? They were great and would work there again, but I think they were bought out from another company.

    • When we say things like, “these things are to be expected from the industry,” we’re making excuses for inexcusable practices. Exploitation of any kind should not “be expected” anywhere. That said, based on how you spelled “labor” (With a “u”), I’m guessing you’re outside the US, where treatment of educators and workers in general tends to be better. So, I wouldn’t say that things have changed (since laws outside the US and the treatment of industry workers, especially by corporate employers, has always been better than it has here), I would say that your experience likely isn’t comparable to what US educators are accustomed to.

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A Brush with the Law: The Debate Over Cosmetology Licensing

Uncover how targeted certifications can break barriers for aspiring salon professionals, streamlining their path to entrepreneurship without the need for extensive, irrelevant training. This article sheds light on the impact of these licenses on the beauty sector, offering key insights for those aspiring to join the professional beauty industry.

Do booth or suite renters have to accept the salon owner’s gift certificates?

Is your salon landlord being a Grinch this holiday season?

Help! My booth renters aren’t paying their rent!

What can you do when your booth renters are behind on payments and you don't have a written lease?
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