Schooling them

I shared a pair of presentations yesterday at the Tricoci University school on the north side of the city.  They were a great audience... asked some great questions and has some fun.  Here we are getting hands-on and up close with a manikin and a trimmer for spool texturizing. Andi below is shear style clippering.  Thank you Michale and all the team at Tricoci for the great visit.  I will be back.

Ivan shares tips on clipper over comb - new video

Ivan Zoot shared a few clipper-over-comb tips with students at Empire beauty School's new location in Stone Park, IL this week.  Remember.... Do NOT cut until the "top of the tips of the teeth are tipped out towards you"... That is what he said!
LINK HERE to the video.

Talent on display at Marianna At AACS

Marianna Schools showed off some of the amazing talent of students at schools we support.  We displayed manikins in our booth offered up by Marianna Schools customers.  The intricate braided design shown here was one of the most popular.  Hundreds of cosmetology school owners and managers attend the AACS show each year.  They all stopped by to visit Marianna and comment on the amazing talent of today's students.
This design was created by Aerielle Santiago from Quest College of beauty in San Antonio, TX.  Her instructor is Charla Speivey.  Thank you to Aeriella for this submission.

Marianna Ultimare Tote vs. United baggage handlers... and the winner is...

The score is Marianna School Ultimate Tote 1, United baggage handlers ZERO.  Marianna Ultimate tote wins!  I checked the tote home to Chicago from the AACS show in Orlando this weekend... likely the single bumpiest flight I have ever flown... Thank you aftermath of hurricane Sandy... and the tote arrived at ORD in brand spanking new condition... see image attached.  Your students might be tough on kit bags... The burly handlers at United ate NOT cosmetologists, they are serious souvenir smashers... But they are no match for the Marianna Ultimate School tote!

Poke me!

The AACS show is this weekend.
Poken is the exciting, easy and fun way to connect in our association.
My Poken profile is here.
Come see me at the Marianna Schools booth.
Poke me!
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Hang your head... with pride

I had never seen this way to store manikins at a barber / cosmetology school.  LIKE.  Pegs like coat hooks on a board on the wall.  High enough to be out of the way.  Made me smile.  Made me get out my camera.  I was told it is not a new idea... Just because I have not seen it... But it is a good idea.

The Breefore and the Breeafter

I paid a visit to my friends at Digrigoli Academy in West Springfield Mass.  Bree was up for a BIG haircut.  See the photos included here.
There is a BREEfore and a BREEafter.
This was a curve comb condensed clipper cut.  I tweaked the base with a razor after the clipper cut and used scissors to layer the top.
Bree was good sport.  She loved her new look.  Her fellow students were amazed.
This was a great opportunity to showcase our three main cutting tools of choice in hair cutting and discuss the differences in use and application.  the differences in texture and effect were clearly shown, too.
Thank you Digrigoli students.

Thank you Bree!

Guard Chart Updated today!

The industry favorite ClipperGuy blade and guard comparison chart has been updated.
This has been a popular and powerful tool for clipper cutters and clipper cutter educators for some time... But it was time to clean it up, freshen it up and generally move it into the next decade.
Here it is.  LINK HERE.  Use it.  Download it.  Share it.  Reproduce it all you want.  it is a great tool... and a better tool when it is shared.

Marianna Core Education 9.30.2012

Marianna Schools staged our first train-the-trainer Core Education event in New Jersey this past weekend.

The event featured four training segments representing up-to-date presentations on nails, skin care and make-up, hair color and men's hair cutting.
Attended experienced 5 solid hours of education and a FREE lunch.
Even the lunches and breaks were educational as cosmetology education professionals used the time for networking and professional development.

Marianna partner brands line Odyssey Nails, Ofra Cosmetics and Ion color provided tons of FREE prizes for raffles and give aways.

Marianna gave back 100% of the ticket price in the form of a coupon to redeem at our back tables where we offered a variety of products at deep discounts.  We did not stage the event to make money.  The event attendees were excited to spend their $20 funny money FULL ticket price bounce back at the tables in the back of the room.  Marianna did not stage this event to make money.  We offered this program as support to the educators that develop the next generation of professionals for our industry.

Marianna schools is stepping out front as the leader in training and education in the cosmetology school industry.  No supplier supports their schools, educators or students like Marianna does.





Marianna schools will be offering similar Core Education events in cities around the USA in 2013.  Check with your Marianna schools representative for a date in your area.

If it can meke it there...

...It can make it anywhere! The Marianna Ultimate Tote student kit tote takes on the Big Apple.  Watch the video and learn about Marianna Ultimate School Tote. LINK TO VIDEO  See theMarianna Ultimate Tote take on the sights and sounds of NYC.

Sam Says... Nike says... I agree.

Cutting OFF long hair and creating great short haircuts is one of my passions.
Short hair is one of the secrets to big-time success behind the chair.
Cut hair off.  Like Nike says... Just do it.
Short hair comes back faster.
Short hair takes less time in the chair.
Short hair uses more styling products.
Short hair buys more chemical services (you keep cutting off the perm/highlight, etc.)
Short hair gets noticed.
Short hair sends more referrals.
There is a LOT to love about taking clients short.
I found this video in my inbox this a.m. from Sam Villa... He offers a great tip when taking a client from long to short.
LINK HERE to his video tip.
I would add the additional suggestion of being keenly aware of the position of the pony when you go for this so as to see to it that you do not take too much... I did that once... the chop gave me too much graduation and I was not able to bob the cut at the level I had hoped.  The cut had tolook like the one the post with higher graduation at the back and I had intended for the bob line to be more classically horizontal.  OOPS.  Watch the elevation.  If you are going to pixieish as sam references... no worries then.

use your mirror

Another Ivan Zoot Marianna schools how to video, use your mirror to cut better hair. LINK HERE.  Please share and LIKE and enjoy.

Taming the electric spaghetti

Ivan Zoot shares a simple barber shop secret for untangling all those cutting tool electrical cords at your statop in the shop.  have a look at this how-to video.
LINK HERE.

Get a haircut at a school - Why

This is a recent Ivan Zoot blog post at the Empire Beauty School chain site.  I have posted on both WHY you should patronize a student clinic at a school... and I have posted HOW you should go about it for maximum satisfaction for you and the student.  Here is a link to the WHY post. LINK HERE... next I will post a link to the HOW post.  This is not to be seen as an endorsement of the EMPIRE clinics... it is a general article on patronizing ANY student clinic, just so happens I had written the original post for them. It is worth sharing for all.

Good haircut - Good lighting

Ivan Zoot shares the info you need to know on the importance of good lighting in a haircutting environment.  You can not cut what you can not see...
LINK HERE to video.  Please LIKE and share.

More great video is to come form Marianna Schools... suggest a topic if I/we can help.  We will create special content for you.

Use your hair chair

I have posted a new Ivan Zoot Marianna Schools video to youtube on tips and tricks for using your hair cutting chair to make your life easier, your work better and your career longer.  Put the miles on the chair not on the hair cutter (you).
LINK HERE for the video.

The Miley Cyrus haircut - a how-to video

Miley Cyrus' hair cut is no longer new... But plenty of clients are asking for it... and plenty of students need to know the how-to of how it was cut.  Ivan Zoot shares the simple steps to creating this web sensation style.  The undercut is the key.  The top is simple to cut.  The shape offers many stying options.  Short hair is fun and easy to wear and fun and easy to cut.  Inspiring students to be willing to make the big cut is what it is all about.  A celebrity like Miley, especially a younger celebrity in the age of long and messy Kardashian hair, is a great inspiration to student stylists.
LINK HERE to the video.

Salon Disinfection, How and Why

Leslie Roste, director of education for Barbicide and I were presenters at the Ohio Cosmetology Educators 33rd annual educational event this past weekend.  She spoke about salon disinfection and I did my men's hair program.

I was able to corner Leslie at a break and get her in front of my camera for a few sound bites on salon disinfection.  Here are links to the two videos we shot.  This video is on WHY salon disinfection is important.  This video is about HOW to do it.  The videos do not cover the amazing depth of the content of her program, but they do give the top three pitch points in each category.  Sort of a Twitter post of how and why salon disinfection is important.

Thank you Leslie for a thorough, informative and important presentation.

Thank you Ohio for inviting Marianna to present and share the programs.

The Clipper Tips sheet

Just released... the World Famous Ivan Zoot ClipperGuy Clipper Tips sheet for educator use for classroom training and information.  Use it as an efile... or print it on your own paper (I am trying to be nicer to trees) :) Here is the video that tells about it.  LINK TO VIDEO. and Here is the link ot the download of the sheet as described in the video.  LINK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.  Use it.  have fun.  Change the look of the clipper cut world, today!

Getting hands-on

Sometimes the best way to learn is to roll up our sleeves and do.  At a recent student presentation at a school we needed to do just that.

A student asked a question about a cutting technique.  I could show her, I could tell her, or I could watch her.

Watching is easier for me and better for her.  She jumped at the chance to take an idea into action and test the technique for herself.

One of the additional benefits of doing this in a class presentation is that it reinforces the idea that ALL members of the class can do it.  They know I can do it, they saw me do it.  When a peer gets up there they can relate to her skill level and easily imagine that they can do it, too.

Engaging a student in this way has worked well for me.  What do you do in classroom demo presentations to occasionally get a student more involved?

Who is your "Buddy"?

Styling Buddy is a manikin clamp that fits the back of your styling chair, any styling chair.  This is a neat-O, practical solution to a real day-to-day challenge in creating training reality.  Styling Buddy creates a natural head positioning and real range of motion.  LINK HERE to a demo video.  Check it out.  Get connected with your Marianna Schools rep to order these for your school today.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

This election season we keep hearing that it is all about the jobs.

Isn't it ALWAYS all about the jobs?

I was at a school this week to present a program on men's haircutting and opportunities in our industry for men's haircutters.

I made my typical trip around the school reading the things posted on the walls. I stopped to review the jobs board. Every school has one and they are always interesting.

The job listings were on small tickets, different colors for different job classifications.

Take a look at the picture of the jobs board that I snapped.

The different colors of the job tickets made the point all the more profound.

1 job listing in esthetics

12 jobs in nails

8 job listings in hairstyling

23 jobs in barbering / Men's haircutting

Where is the demand? Where is the opportunity? Where can graduates find an abundance of job prospects?

Men's hair cutting continues to dominate the beauty industry for opportunity, growth and income potential for recent graduates.

Developing men's haircutting skills and confidence has never been more important for early and sustained career success than it is RIGHT NOW!

Manikin Model Call

Marianna is staging a manikin model call. We are seeking Marianna manikins with awesome hair color and styles to display in our booth at the Fall 2012 American Association of Cosmetology Schools annual convention.

Our booth display will be bigger and better than ever this year.  We are the world leader in educational hair cutting and styling manikins, as such we are seeking to display our wares with pride and style.

If you are a cosmetology or barber school student, or if you know one, get their creativity fired up and get a Marianna manikin in their hands.

We are seeking Marianna manikins with amazing hair color.  We are seeking Marianna manikins with stunning styles.  We are seeking Marianna manikins with cutting edge haircuts.

Get a Marianna manikin and get busy.  Park on your manikin an attention grabbing, world class, amazing showcase of your hair skill and talent.

Capture a picture or two of your manikin style and shoot it to me in an email. izoot@mariannaind.com is my email.

I will reach out to winners to arrange to have your manikin displayed in our booth at the show.  If your manikin is selected for display you will receive a very nice Marianna gift as a thank you.  Plus you will recieve all the adulation, praise and recognition that comes with rocking a masterful manikin style at a major beauty school industry event with us!

Entries must be in to me no later than October 10th, 2012.  Manikins selected for display will NOT be returned.  If you enter a submission and your manikin is NOT picked you will still get a nice Marianna gift as a thank you for submitting.

Core Education 9.30.12

Marianna is excited to be hosting our 1st Core Education, Train-the-trainer event in New Brunswick, NJ right outside of NYC.  Barber and Cosmetology school educators are invited to attend this full day of solid education. $ great presenters.  Tons of great information.  Funny money to spend.  Deals to save on.  FREE lunch included.  Call Marianna today to register.  Space is limited.
LINK HERE for full details on the event!

Everyone needs a reason

The new Marianna is working hard to earn your business and live up to the expectations of a market leader.  We hope we are doing it every day.
Here is a great way to check our progress.  We developed the list at the LINK HERE of the reasons to do business with us.  Our salespeople and our management team considers this our daily to-do list.  These are the standards we look to live up to every day.
Have a look at the list.
Please let us know how we are doing.
Over the next few weeks in blog postings here I will be exploring each point on the list to share with you what we are doing t live up to these expectations every day.  We hope you will agree with these reasons to do business with us.  If you agree, please tell your friends.  If you do not agree, please tell us so we can work in that direction.

From the management...

Marianna Executive Vice President Quintin Schonewise has offered up the following welcome to our readers...

“I would like to officially welcome you to the new Marianna.  A company focused on being a complete resource to support the  Cosmetology, Esthetician, and Massage Schools of North America and beyond. Our unique position as comprehensive manufactures of beauty products allows us to serve your dispensaries, class rooms and kit needs. Our philosophy is simple. Quality, Innovation and Making it Easier.  Please call on our teams to assist you in reaching your goals and objectives.”

Quintin Schonewise

Executive Vice President

Marianna Industries

Marianna Core Education is on the way

The date is set.
The location has been secured.
The presenters have been lined up.
All is running smoothly in the planning and staging of the 1st Marianna Schools Core Education event.
Core Education is Marianna Schools new train-the-trainer educational initiative for cosmetology and barber school instructors.
Marianna has long been the leader in school kits and supplies. Now it is time for Marianna to flex that market muscle and give back some support in the area of educator training.
I joined the Marianna team on June 1st of 2012. A large part of my mission on the team is to develop and execute this Core Education initiative,
Marianna is seeking to carve out a unique position as the leading source of quality education and information for cosmetology and barber school instructors in America.
We plan to do this with a number of programs and offerings.
These 1 day Core Education events are the first of these plans.
This blog is a part of the program. So is our Twitter account @mariannaschools.
A youtube account will follow shortly.
If you are a cosmetology or barber school instructor in the NY, NJ, PA, DE area this first event is for you. have a look at the attached flyer. LINK HERE.
A next generation flyer is on the way as well with more detailed information.
The event is September 30th, 2012 in New Brunswick, NJ.
Call Marianna at 800.228.9060 for more details or to register. Registration is required. Lunch is included.
Stay tuned for more information.

Mannequins - 10 great reasons to love and embrace them.

Mannequins are the lead characters of a good cosmetology education. Mannequins are a key to long term success as a hair professional. Get to know your mannequin(s). Mannequins have names. Introduce yourself. Never let your relationship with your favorite mannequin get old, distant or stale. I have spent a lot of time with mannequins. I have gotten to know them well.

Here is my list of my top 10 reasons why mannequins can rock your haircutting education. The stronger your relationship with your mannequin(s) the stronger your skills and the bigger your success in the hair business will be.

#1 - Mannequins are always up for "it"... whatever "it" is. Today a cut. Tomorrow a color, Too much color. Too short a cut. It does not matter. Your mannequin is ready, willing and able to go for it. Tomorrow they will go for it or some other "it" again. With enthusiasm.

#2 - Mannequins do not post negative reviews on YELP! No luck. No problem. If and when things do not go too well... and that will happen, your mannequin is O.K. with it. Not complaints. No criminal charges to be pressed. No need to apologize. Mannequins know you are trying new things and breaking new ground. They understand their role in the equation.

#3 - Mannequins can have multiple haircuts, same day. If you still have the energy and the creativity mannequin is game. If that bob is crooked, cut it again. Just a bit shorter the next time. See if you can get it even. See how short it gets before you finally do get it even.

#4 - Mannequins will wait quietly as long as necessary. A waiting room full of mannequins is quiet and serene. If you run behind because you are slow at this stage of your career, it is O.K. Mannequin will wait, quietly, patiently. Mannequins will not talk smack about that last cut you gave them while waiting in the waiting room with other mannequins. They will just smile like the Mona Lisa and wait their turn.

#5 - Mannequins are clones - Mannequins are the ultimate referral senders. Every mannequin has a mom, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a gramma and all of them are genetically identical. In theory if you do the same haircut on the next mannequin it will look exactly the same. This consistency is great for learning, great for measuring progress and great for identifying challenges. The first thing you do when you finish off a mannequin is grab another. I have never seen the same mannequin look any different when they came out of the box. I have never seen two mannequins look the same once cut. We keep trying.

#6 - Mannequins have no prior bad experiences to color their receptiveness to your creative inspiration. They are always O.K. with road testing the next big fashion trend. They have no flashbacks of bad hair style decisions from their past. They have no memory of colors that did not work. Their prom up-do did not fall before the end of the first slow dance.

#7 - Mannequins do not have to sign the liability release. Do not ask. Do not reach for the pen. Reach for a hot iron, reach for a sharp scissors. Reach for some improperly mixed lightener. Have at it. No worries. If things go well. Great. Take a few notes and move on. If things go badly, try something else. No apologies needed. As long as you are learning, so it goes.

#8 - Mannequins will stop by your moms house so you can show off your work. If and when you create a masterpiece, and you will, eventually, you will want to show it off. Put your thumb in the hole at the base. Raise it high above your head and wave it around for everyone to see. Yes. You will do that, and you should. Prop mannequin up in your car and drive her over to mom's house. No, you can not use the HOV lane just because mannequin is along for the ride. Mom will be impressed. Yous little sister will be jealous. Aunt sally will be eager to queue up to be the next head you get your hands on. Show them off. Parade them around. Let them have their day to be the celebrity. There is no telling how things will go tomorrow. Tomorrow you might want to hide her.

#9 - Mannequins will sit still for as long as it takes. How long did it take you to wrap that perm? How long did it take you to put in that entire head of foils? How many times did mannequin need to get up to go to the bathroom? Nice. Mannequins will endure the agony of your slowness early on. They will be happy to stop and rinse ans start over from the beginning when things go awry. patience is in short supply on the stylist side of the cosmetology school equation at times. Never an issue for mannequin.

#10 - Mannequins do not grow out. Mannequins play for keeps. Your masterpiece can live on forever. If you nail that cut or slam dunk that color you can keep it forever as a testament to how far you have come and how talented you now are. A bedroom shelf of mannequin masterpieces can be a strong testament to a worthwhile cosmetology school experience, investment and endeavor. Keep the great ones. Keep the crummy ones, too. Later on you will look back and appreciate your educational journey and the powerful role mannequins have played in your early experiences and later success.

Grab a mannequin. What are you waiting for?

Happy hair-doing.
Ivan

Get your school noticed!

Modern Salon Media has a great opportunity for schools.  This is a great way to get your school noticed.  Have a look at the web page here for the Excellence in Education program.  This program identifies schools who are having an impact on students, the industry and their community.  LINK HERE for the Modern Salon media info page for the program.  There are different categories in which you can enter your school in the program.  Entry deadline is the end of the month... so get buys.
Additionally Modern will build a database of all the great things going on in schools, nationwide.  This info provides strong support for a strong and vibrant industry.  This competition helps you and your school and helps you and your school help all schools nationwide.
I like the program.  You should look into it.

Teacher time... Thank you!

This weekend is the CEA (cosmetology educators of America) show in Orlando.  Marianna will be there to spend some time thanking the cosmetology educators who do the hard work every day of creating professional cosmetologists.
We will have an abundance of FREE prizes to give away supplied by many of out top notch vendors and manufacturer partners.
If you are an educator who will be at the event please stop by the booth and say hello.  Play our "Can you identify the princess by her hairstyle game", too.
We will have a lot of new items to share and information about all Marianna has to offer.
This weekend it is all about the educators and mostly all about acknowledging the hard work they do and saying a big Thank you!
See you at Disney at the Dolphin resort.

Welcome to Marianna Schools

My name is Ivan Zoot.  I am the director of education and sales for the schools division of Marianna Industries.  This is our new blog space where we hope to build community, share information and support the cosmetology and barber school industry.

I will be posting in this space as well as sharing posts form other members of the Marianna team.  We also welcome guest postings from other passionate and involved members of the cosmetology and barber school community.  If you have an idea, an innovation or a way to raise the bar for all of us we welcome you and invite you to contribute.  You can comment here in the blog or reach out to me via email izoot@mariannaind.com.

The Cosmetology Educators of America (CEA) event is coming up later this month.  You can look forward to blog postings, pictures and maybe even the first of the NEW Marianna Youtube videos to be shared in this blog space during and following that event.  If you are to attend CEA in Orlando please stop by and say hello.
The Marianna school sales team is looking forward to meeting you.