Description
In this exciting episode, we sit down with Kim, the Regional Director of Operations at Tricoci University, to get an inside look at what makes Tricoci a leader in beauty education. Kim shares her journey in the industry, how Tricoci is shaping the next generation of beauty professionals, and what students can expect from their experience. From top-tier training to career opportunities, Kim gives us the ultimate behind-the-scenes scoop. If you’re curious about beauty education, this episode is a must-listen!
Show Notes
– Meet Kim – Her journey in the beauty industry and her role at Tricoci University.
– How Tricoci University goes beyond traditional beauty education.
– What students can expect from the curriculum and hands-on training.
– The many opportunities available after graduation.
– How the beauty world is evolving and what future professionals should know.
– Kim’s tips for making the most of beauty school and launching a successful career.
– Kim’s insights on the impact of beauty education and what’s next for Tricoci.
Links
YouTube: https://youtu.be/FBi2nWae1lo
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rHay0oV4iFWCgKwe6OEDP?si=OaluLQdZQEiVntBt3JFwCg
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 today I’m really excited because I have the unicorn herself
Kim Robinson, who is our regional Director of operations, she’s started her journey as an educator
And I, why don’t we start there? Kim, why don’t you talk about your journey with Tricoci to university
So, I started here as an educator and, uh, worked as an educator for about six months with this organization
And I found myself, um, growing with the company after being an educator
I was approached by, uh, upper management to be a trainer
So I would train all of the new hires that were teaching aesthetics
And then from there I became a field support specialist, uh, for education
And, um, with that position, I worked with new students
I worked with, uh, new hires, and we made sure that everyone was on point with the curriculum
So then I became the regional director of education
Um, and in that role, the sole focus was to make sure that we were grooming our educators to be the best that they could possibly be
And six months later I ended up in the role that I’m in currently as the regional director of operations
So now I have a little mix of education and running the business
Yeah, that’s quite the escalated path, and I’m glad that I’ve been a part of that journey because you’re amazing
Thank you so, so much
You know, I started with you being the unicorn because you do sprinkle magic a little bit everywhere you go, which is incredibly important
And you really did help kind of escalate the educational experience for the student, which was huge and so important for us
So I appreciate that
Thank you
So let’s start with kind of where did your passion for the beauty industry begin? So my passion started in high school
Um, I started seeing people who didn’t necessarily look like me, um, and all the different hairstyles and clothing and hair colors
And, uh, found out that I could do high school half a day and go to cosmetology school, the other half
And from there, my career just took off
I mean, I just fell in love with it
It, it, it, this industry speaks life
Mm-hmm
Uh, everyone is welcome in this industry and it’s just what I love so much about it
I love that
And I love the fact that you bring up the diversity aspect because part of what we’ve tried to do at Tricoci is we’ve tried to eliminate, you know, race and gender and everything from our curriculum, you know, because people get so focused on the race aspect
Yeah
But at the same time, we’ve tried to diversify our mannequins and our look and things like that, that so everyone sees themselves
’cause you talked about growing up in a place where you didn’t see people that looked like you
Yeah
So tell me how it’s important when you walk into a classroom and see different skin tones of those mannequins, different genders on those mannequins, different textures
So you can walk in and see a blonde haired, very little texture hairstyle mm-hmm
On a darker toned mannequin
Tell me how that’s important for you
It’s important because, um, when I grew up in Chicago, uh, my parents moved me, uh, with them
Of course, we all moved from, uh, Chicago to the suburbs
And growing up on the west side of Chicago, I saw people that looked like me
But when we moved to the suburbs, that changed
Um, there were people that did not look like me
And so when you’re in an industry like this, where there’s all sorts of people, it makes you feel like you belong
Where I did not feel that before
I felt like the outcast
And so when you’re speaking about an industry like ours, it’s just a place of love and understanding and comfort
And, um, that’s what I love about what we do here
You, you don’t have to worry about finding a place
You’re in the place, you’re in the right place
I love that
That makes me feel really warm, because I think that that’s incredibly important
We’re part of, you know, the beauty industry is so accepting, you know, it always has been on that forefront of accepting people for who they are
And I think that it’s really important that we recognize those differences, we celebrate those differences, but we also take the fear and intimidation away from it
You know? And that was part of Yeah
You know, where we talk about texture versus race with hairstyles, because there is such a fear sometimes when you’re working on a hair texture that you’re not used to
Yes
But it’s not as fearful when you’re just looking at the fabric rather than looking at a skin tone
Yeah
Because skin tone really doesn’t have anything to do with that
Right
I agree
You have one of my good friends, you know, he’s half Moroccan and I give him relaxers on his hair, but to look at him, he doesn’t look like he would be anything but like a white kid from Jersey
Sure
You know, so he doesn’t, you know, but you, but when you separate that texture of hair from the skin color, it’s less intimidating for people
And that’s what we want people to get to
You know, I think it’s important that we celebrate those differences, you know, and be able to be aware of mm-hmm
Where we came from to where we are
Yes
That still take that fear away, because I don’t know about you, but you know, I know we both come from the skin background mm-hmm
And we both have our hair license
Yeah
But our first love language is skin, you know? But if we talk about the hair or the skin type, you know, if we don’t feel comfortable working on that client, when they come in the chair, we’re leaving money on the table
Agreed
So we all wanna be able to do exactly that
Right
We wanna be able to service whoever sits down in our chair, because at the end of the day, that’s what matters
Correct
Right
Yeah
So give, tell me what you feel separates Tricoci University from other beauty schools
Uh, one of the biggest things as you spoke to earlier, is the fact that we have mannequins that are diverse
And so that students when they come into one of our classrooms, can identify with, uh, themselves through the mannequins
When I was in school, uh, the mannequins were all one shade
Um, and we know that in our schools, we have students from all walks of life
Many shades of people are here
And so, um, you know, that’s just one of the things I feel that is different, sets us apart from other organizations, is that we aren’t just, you come in, you get a license and then you leave or your certificate to become licensed
But it was, it’s more about inclusion
Yeah
And then what do you feel is a misconception where that teachers have, when they get into our industry Teachers? Um, I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that, uh, this is a nine to five type of a job
It isn’t
It’s about, um, preparing yourself to teach the next group of professionals to become professionals in this industry that we love so much
It’s, it’s taking your teaching to the next level, being excellent at what you do requires time
And so, nine to five, a little bit more than nine to five Sometimes
Kim, what do you think is the most rewarding thing about being a teacher at Tricoci? The most rewarding thing, uh, being an educator, I strongly believe, is changing someone’s life
You are literally standing before these people who are in desperate need of something more in their lives
And I believe that, uh, taking them under your wing, nurturing them, pouring into them, uh, cheering them on from the sideline
I believe all of that makes you a great educator
I love that because I think we do, I think that sometimes we lose sight of that and what a difference it makes in people’s lives, you know, so they go from having a job to having this amazing career that we’ve all been fortunate enough to have a part of and mm-hmm
I think that’s everything
Yeah
So when you think about that, you know, and the path you’ve been on, what are some of the things you find yourself saying to students as part of the advice you would give them? Uh, do not give up
Uh, you came here, uh, for a reason in search of something new, something perhaps better than, uh, you can’t give up
You have to fight for you because I know what this license can do
It can change your entire life just by getting your certificate to become licensed in this Industry
Now, if you hear that students come back and share their stories about where they came from and where they are now in their life, and how this career has helped them
Absolutely
And what I love about it is I have played a part in that
Uh, and what I mean by that is some of the very students that I’ve taught have come back to become educators themselves
And so the cycle just goes on and on and on
And so that’s very rewarding
What do you think that you would tell a student who wants to switch from behind the chair to now going forth and being that teacher, that person who’s gonna motivate and inspire them the way that you motivated and inspire that student? I would tell them that they’re so needed
I mean, we have, uh, being an educator, i, I, it’s life, it being an educator is you’re a nurturer, you’re a coach
Uh, you’re someone that, uh, uh, sees people in need of, and, and, and through what we teach and how we do this, you’re able to take care of ’em
Um, I, I believe that everyone should be an educator, uh, because it’s just a way of giving back
Right
You know, it’s just, it’s a beautiful place to be
And then even as they grow in their career, like you have, right
They, we al we’re still educators
Yes
Our student just kind of changes, you know, I think that’s what makes a great leader, is that we can still continue to educate
We still have that passion
We still wanna improve people’s lives
You know, I think as leaders, we do help people grow
They become our students
So now, as your coaching teachers, because you spend a lot of your time coaching teachers to be better and to improve our student experience, because we are striving to always be that educator of choice mm-hmm
As well as that employer of choice, you know? So what do you find yourself communicating to those teachers to make them stronger? What is the advice for them? One of the things is that when you are an educator, this isn’t a job
It is not a job
You, you, when you become an educator, you have to understand that you are, uh, you have someone’s life in your hands
Really, it is that when you’re an educator, you are that coach
You are, uh, the very, you could be the very person that this student does not have at home
Uh, their coach, their cheerleader, that I believe in you, that smile in the morning, that the, the open arms, the, you know, I’m here for you
And it, you know, being an educator is not something I take lightly
I, I really understand the task at hand when you become an educator
So it’s helping those educators find that passion, remember that passion, um, and, and to see these students as individuals and work them through the process, you know, it’s not easy for ’em
You’re exactly right
I know
I’m big on passion
You’re big on passion
We talk about it from the student’s perspective mm-hmm
On making sure they hang onto their why throughout their program
Yeah
So they complete and, you know, are able to build a life, being a part of this industry, you know
But I think it’s also important for the educators to realize that not everyone came, comes from that same background
So we do need to be there for them
You know, a lot of times a lot of the students that come to us have never completed anything in their lives
Mm-hmm
You know, they didn’t complete high school, so they went their GED, they, they just, it’s so easy for them to give up because they don’t have that person in their corner saying, you can do it
You’ve got this, I’m right here
Tell me what you need
And I think that’s one things that our educational team thinks to you, has been able to do
As we conclude with the Day Maker’s podcast, we, we always ask a very similar question
So I want to ask you, have you had a moment when you’ve actually been a day maker and changed someone’s life that you can give me an example of? Yes
Uh, have one of our educators, um, currently who, uh, according to her, she just watched me as I taught our class
Uh, we laughed all day long
We made it light, we made it fun
They were educated
They were educated well
Uh, and based on her watching my movements within the classroom, decided that this was a career that she wanted to seek out
And she’s now one of our educators
I love that story
’cause it kind of creates that legacy
Who is that mentor for you? Uh, her name is Ms
Chris
She was a peer of mind, uh, once I started teaching
Uh, she was someone there for me who told me, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel
You just go in and you teach
And I believe that, I believe that teachers that are busy teaching students will be busy learning
And that’s what we do
I, I couldn’t agree more
So, with your student that you mentored into being a teacher, how do you think that those moments then translated to her life outside of the school walls? Uh, her words, it’s made her a better mom
She’s a single parent, but she uses some of those same skills and things that we taught in class because we do teach about life skills in class
Uh, one of my favorite things, and she’s used some of the ways that I’ve worked with the students, because you have to, uh, pause sometimes and take a moment to just hear the students out and then, you know, make decisions based on, you know, what’s gonna be best for them
That’s awesome to hear
Now, I know that here’s the big thing with you, Kim
You are very motivational, you’re very inspiring, you’re dynamic in the classroom
So I’d just just like you to end with, you know, three words of advice for our students
Um, one is, you’re in the right place
You belong here
Uh, and do not give up
Don’t stop
You have to finish what you started
Uh, this license will take you places you never dreamed of before and keep moving forward
I love that
Well, thank you for being here with us today
Thank you
And thank you for everything you do at.