Description
In this episode of The Day Makers Podcast, host Larry Foster sits down with Angela Howard, Regional Director of Admissions and Educator Partnerships at Tricoci University, to discuss an exciting new initiative—Tricoci Forward. This groundbreaking high school program is designed to introduce students to the world of beauty and wellness, offering them early exposure to industry skills, mentorship, and career pathways. Angela shares insights into how this program is transforming education, creating opportunities, and preparing the next generation of beauty professionals for success.
Follow Tricoci Forward:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tricociforward/
Show Notes
– Larry Foster welcomes listeners and introduces Angela Howard.
– Overview of the importance of making a difference in students’ lives.
– Angela explains the new high school program.
– The mission behind Tricoci Forward and how it benefits students.
– How the program aligns with industry needs and educational goals.
– How Tricoci Forward provides hands-on learning experiences.
– Student success stories and how early exposure fosters passion.
– The significance of mentorship in shaping career paths.
– Collaboration with high schools to offer beauty education.
– Expanding access to the beauty industry for young learners.
– Future plans for Tricoci Forward and how schools can get involved.
– Angela and Larry discuss the program’s long-term vision.
– Where students, parents, and educators can find more information.
– Closing remarks and a message of inspiration for future beauty professionals.
Links:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/hw9oo3sECZY
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/23Xngk31JcqBrOKJbTthQF?si=gsXIdOPSTy6ZUklVKAzRGQ
Transcript
We are here to make people feel good about themselves.
We really have to feel like we are a day maker for the guest
You’ve made my day.
How great is that when you hear those words from your guest.
Hi, welcome to the Day Makers podcast.
I’m Larry Foster and I’m so excited today
’cause I’m actually here with someone
who truly embodies Oh wow.
Creativity, passion, everything when it comes
to making students successful.
Thank you. Angela Howard, thank you.
Who is our regional director of Admissions
and educator partnerships.
Yes. So I’m really excited
because we’re here to talk about something that’s close
and near and dear to both of our hearts.
Yes. Which is the high school program.
Yes it is. And thank you so much
for having us. Thank you. Thank you.
Oh, thank you. And Angela, tell us what are we currently
doing in the high school markets?
We’re doing some amazing things in the high school market.
If I could share, our most recent is our
articulation agreement.
So we have partnered with several high schools currently
and looking to do it even on a broader scale.
But currently we’ve partnered with two high schools
and it’s a pathway is what I’d like to refer to.
The articulation agreement.
As for the individuals, the high school students,
to be a part of the actual live experience at our campuses
while they’re still in high school.
That way they get exposure to the program as to whether
or not this is something they truly wanna pursue
or do they really truly have a passion, which a lot
of people don’t get that experience from the
high school experience.
So it’s really exciting.
We have a school in our Bloomington area, uh,
the Hoosier Hills and then also normal Illinois area, BACC,
which is Bloomington Area Career Centers.
So it’s a really exciting time for us.
We just started the program
and we’re looking for more and more and more and more.
We wanna expose it as much as we possibly can.
Can you walk us through the details
of the new Tricoci High School program
and what makes that unique?
Well, what makes it unique is that it’s a new brand.
So Tricoci forward,
when you think about moving forward, that’s progression.
So that’s why we rebranded it.
So high school students,
the Tricoci experience will move you forward.
So this program is, well it’s not a program,
it’s a new branding for our high school.
Um, the high school program to show students
that they can really progress in this program.
They have a unique experience,
just like we were talking about initially.
Mm-hmm. With the articulation agreement,
where they’re experiencing all of it right now.
So the exciting part that we have not
yet announced is we do have a next gen beauty camp,
which is going to give them that same exposure.
The student actually will, will, they’ll be selected,
selective, uh,
and they’re going to have an experience for three days
on our site with some prominent figures in the beauty
industry to teach them, train them, coach them.
And so it’s gonna be really exciting.
It’s the first time we’ve ever done it.
So we’re really looking forward to it.
And that’ll begin in April. So
Will that be for high school seniors? Juniors.
Juniors and seniors currently. That’s awesome. Yes.
It is an amazing opportunity for them.
So we’re really excited at the end they’ll have a showcase
and can really start to share
and explore in the industry live.
Like they’re doing it hands on.
Not many people get that experience.
So it’s very similar in some ways to the articulation
because of the fact that they get the exposure.
But it’s really exciting for students
that have never had the exposure.
I love that. Are there, is their
family gonna be a part of that?
Yes. The family will be a part
of the showcase on the back end.
So they get to see it. Maybe they can use models.
Anyone anyone’s interested in being a model. Right.
But it will be an exciting time for them.
No, I think that’s great because I think there’s
so many families out there
that aren’t totally supportive when they hear
that their child wants to go into beauty school.
Yes, absolutely. You know,
they have a whole preconceived notion.
They don’t realize it’s a $500 billion industry. Mm-hmm.
And that the child can be as big as they wanna be
or as little as they wanna be within that industry.
Yes. And you know, I think they should all pursue that
and get their piece of that pie. Yes.
Let me just tell you that perception is so true.
Um, I’m from a traditional environment.
My children attended traditional universities, uh,
with the exception of my son.
Uh, and when I initially started working in the industry,
I had no idea what it really entailed.
I thought, how hard could this be? You’re curling hair.
You know what I mean? Once I got exposure to
what you really do on a daily basis, it really is a career.
And you can do very, very well. Well in the industry.
And what people don’t realize is it’s a
total holistic approach.
Education is not just about skill. Right.
It’s also about learning how to work with people
and how to build a brand and how to build a business.
And we focus specifically on those areas in our curriculum,
which you have done such a great job in adding to it.
But I think that’s very important for people to understand
that this is not small scale.
You can do wonderful things in
this industry. You really, really can.
No, I love that. Yes.
And just so everyone knows, Angela’s like my sister.
Yes. And I love her to death
And back at you. That’s
For sure. And she knows
I have,
my son has been in the in industry for a while.
Yes. He has. And whole thing is, you know, getting
to see him be his version
of success has been incredibly important to me.
Yes. ’cause he has seen me grow
through this industry as well.
Mm-hmm. And this industry is provided for him.
It’s provided for me. It’s allowed me to see the world.
I mean, there’s so much we can do within the industry now.
There really is. My daughter is entering into the industry.
She’s new in our schools. Yes.
And she’s pursuing this now,
so That’s true outta my four children.
So I Awesome. I love it. Yeah.
So, but, but what do you think as we go forward
with the next gen beauty camp?
Yes. You know, what is it that you think
that you need the guidance counselors to understand?
’cause we’ve talked about the parents side of it. Mm-hmm.
But what do the guidance counselors need
to understand in regards to those programs like barbering,
manicure, SD, and cosmetology?
I think it’s a very similar, uh, reality.
Just like we were talking about with the parents.
They need to understand that this education is holistic.
Like oftentimes, like I said,
they think it’s just barber just cutting hair.
Just there is so much that goes into that curriculum
and shout out to you for making it even a little bit more
updated and trendy and people are getting what they need.
But I think counselors need to realize
that everyone’s path is not traditional.
Like a lot of times we think the traditional path is the
right path for everyone, but it’s not.
And I’ve lived it in my own personal life with my son.
My both daughters went traditional. My son, not so much.
It wasn’t his thing. He’s a creative, a creative guy.
He wanted to do something totally different.
I think oftentimes because of our lack of knowledge.
And they don’t realize that we have, there’s all types
of things of how to work with people, how
to build your brand, how
to write a business plan, how to do your resume.
That’s in our curriculum.
So those are key components that I think we miss.
We just think it’s all hands on doing hair, doing, you know,
cuts, color, whatever.
But it’s making the student a holistic individual, which is
what education is all about.
I think that’s great because I think the one things we
see, at least in our industry Yeah.
Is so much of our enrollments come in that January
or February start period.
Yes. Because students tell us all the time
that they were forced to go
that traditional route to That’s right.
That’s right. So they tried it, you know,
and I kind of coerced my daughter into art school mm-hmm.
For her first year. And she gave
it a shot for that first year.
But she decided, you know, this isn’t
for me, my son, same thing.
I’m not the traditional career path. Same.
So what is it as far as the misconceptions related
to beauty school education that you would like
to communicate to those guidance counselors, those parents,
things like that, that will actually help them kind
of steer the child on the path from the beginning? I think
It’s just kind of the same question that we, I mean
that we just discussed a moment ago, is that the,
this is not just beauty school.
This is a university. It’s a holistic approach.
We’re teaching you how to be a very professional,
successful professional in the industry.
So I think if we could just kind of dispel that rumor
that it’s not that big of a deal
and now even more, I mean, you think
of all the trends on TikTok
and all the social media where these young people are like,
how do I do this and make a living and love it.
Right. Give them the opportunity to explore on their own
and let’s stop putting ’em in this cookie cutter box,
which I’ve done so I know what the results could look like.
Yep. And that’s true because we’ve even incorporated a lot
of that social media stuff Yes.
Into our curriculum. Curriculum. Mm-hmm.
Which is incredibly important
because there’s so many people out there that become
YouTube tians.
Yes. Instead of
Yes, absolutely. Instead
of true beautician.
So they’re out there and yes, they’re showing their work
and they’re showing all this creative stuff,
but they really don’t show their fails.
Mm-hmm. And they kind of edit it and then they have this,
and that’s what’s I, beautiful thing afterwards.
Important. That’s what’s important. Right.
Because there’s a differentiator
between great, good and great.
And I think what we teach in our
curriculum gets you to great.
If you want to be great. Right. And you’re not.
And I tell all of our students when we’re in different
settings, you know, it’s very important
that you brand yourself.
Don’t try to be like anyone else.
Chart your own path. That’s
Right. Yeah. Build your own brand.
Absolutely.
Don’t build anyone else’s. Yes. Don’t fall
In their footstep. It’ll fail. Build
you. It’ll fail because it’s not yours.
Exactly. Yes. So tell us what you feel like
separates Croci from the other beauty schools out there.
I think our curriculum, and shout out to you, I have so
much respect for what you’ve done.
Thank you. Uh, even in a short period of time,
I think our curriculum, we stay abreast of the trends,
the changes, everything can’t be trendy.
We can’t teach everything that’s trendy,
but there are some things that are selective
that we know will be long, you know,
that’ll be a benefit for the student.
So I know that is, I think our high school program
is very unique in itself.
What, what it brings to the table as far
as students really getting the real world experience
and the, I don’t know about other schools,
so I can only speak well, I do know about some,
but I can only speak to what we bring to the table,
which is the hands-on experience.
You can learn all of this in theory,
but if you’ve never apply it mm-hmm.
It doesn’t equate to a whole lot.
So the fact that students get an opportunity
to not only hear the theoretical aspect of it,
but also practical, I think that’s what puts us on the,
on the map as being one of the most successful.
Oh, thanks. Yes. That’s great information.
So we like to end the podcast with a series
of standard questions that we ask everyone.
Sure. Okay. So my first is,
have you had a moment when you realized
that you were a day maker for someone else?
Absolutely. I would say almost daily.
Whether it’s one of my employees
or if it’s a student that I’m in communication with,
because there are many people, employees included,
and students that you’ll speak with.
And you know,
it doesn’t look like it looks for everyone else.
There are times when people have no confidence,
they have no vision.
And when I get the opportunity to empower students
and let them know and exude that confidence so
that they can be drawn to it
and show them that you can actually make a difference in
this world, that makes my day selfishly.
It really, really does. I love talking to students.
I love to hear their stories.
Some of their stories are phenomenal.
And I am a product of low income family growing up,
you know, didn’t have a big vision,
but I had a couple of people in my life and that helped me
and said, you can do this.
I think that’s what we should do every day.
And that’s what I do every opportunity I get.
So to answer your question, whether you know me,
I get excited about that.
Yes. Yes. I get an opportunity often to be a day maker.
I think that’s great. And I do see you
being a day maker every day.
I’m there with you love. And I get to see it. Yes.
I love students and I get to see how you
bring your energy to the school.
And I love every part of that.
It’s why I do what I do. I would,
I could find another career, but I love making a difference.
When you make that difference, how do you feel like it
extends beyond the chair, beyond the classroom
and into that person’s life?
Because they, that that’s planted with them
and now they share that with someone else
and it just becomes a roller ball.
I mean, a rolling roller coaster, right? Mm-hmm.
You go up, you go down, you go up, you go down.
You’re gonna have those moments.
But when you can empower people
and impart like, excitement into their lives, excite,
I mean in, in, in sight, uh, confidence, they share that
because someone helped them like me, right?
That’s my story. That’s my life.
Someone helped me, someone believed in me,
someone showed me, and then I started to do it
for other people because it’s what I love.
And then how do you think
that helps them build their business?
Because that’s what we’re in it for, right? Yes.
Is to help the student build their business. There
You go. We’re back
into the rollercoaster effect, right? Right.
So now you’re showing pe
and they are, our students are psychiatrists,
they’re coaches, they’re mothers, sometimes they’re fathers.
When it comes to clients, they’re walking people through.
Do you know the impact they could have in their messaging if
they could exude in that same professionalism?
All of that energy, all of that confidence
that someone has done for them,
they get to pour it into a client.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked outta my stylist
chair and she made me feel good.
Not only beautiful in look and you know, in the appearance,
but she made me feel good by something she said.
Or I heard it in the salon chair from someone else.
That makes a difference. And it’s all
transferrable. It really, really is.
I love that. ’cause you know,
our friend Elizabeth Faye says, hair change,
hairdressers change the world.
They literally do. And I really do think all
of us in the beauty industry have that ability Yes.
To be able to make someone’s day. Absolutely.
And I want to thank you because again, thank you much.
You know how much I adore you.
I love you so much so, and I’m
so excited you’re here today. Thank you. A great
Example of what this industry can bring.
Thank you, Larry. I appreciate it.