A year after the pandemic lockdown, salons are now busier than ever. In fact, they’re so busy, some owners are having trouble keeping up with demand. Hiring qualified stylists—already a challenge before the pandemic—has become more difficult than ever.

From a distributor standpoint, Neill saw its salons losing staff at a high rate, and recognized the challenges in hiring. The demand for services has been outweighing the supply of staff, and salons need experienced hairdressers.

“However, due to Covid, graduates coming out of school don’t have as much hands-on work as they normally would,” Tatum Neill says.

And for salons without a training program, this is a challenge.

Finding a Solution

When there’s a need in the salon industry, Neill prides itself on identifying it and creating a solution. In this case, salons needed competent stylists ready to hit the floor to meet demand.

To fulfill this need, Jump Start by Neill, an intensive two-week program for recent beauty school grads or new stylists, launched in June. It’s not advanced education or an inspiration course—Jump Start is for fine tuning and polishing the skills a stylist has already learned.

Creating a Curriculum

To create Jump Start’s curriculum, Tatum pulled together a dream team: Wayne Woodruff, director at Aveda Arts and Sciences Institute NYC; Colton Jones, creative director at Aveda Arts and Sciences Institute NYC, Katie McClusky, color director at Aveda Arts NYC and hair color specialist at Sam Brocato Salon; and Renée Gadar, Aveda global artistic director for texture and executive director of technical education at Aveda Arts NYC.

“Our main priority in developing the curriculum was to get stylists prepared to perform core techniques on real clients,” Woodruff says. “So for cuts, we teach them to execute a nice, clean bob, a long layer cut, and a pixie cut.”

For color, Jump Start attendees learn balayage, all over color and highlighting.

“We’re taking these bread-and-butter techniques and teaching stylists to adapt them to the clients in their chairs,” Woodruff says.

The Jump Start curriculum also covers blow-drying and other finishing techniques.

“With each cut we do, there’s a styling/finishing technique associated with it,” he says.

The Pilot Program

In June, the first Jump Start pilot program debuted in New Orleans with 15 stylists, and in Austin with 10 stylists. 

Brandie Devillier, educator at Aveda Arts and Sciences Institute in New Orleans, led the New Orleans Jump Start. 

“Jump Start takes all those techniques stylists learned in school, refreshes their skills and teaches them how to combine those skills,” Devillier says. “Salons were having a hard time with new artists who were Zoom trained and didn’t have the time or capability to train them.”

After going through Jump Start, these stylists were able to confidently hit the floor with not just technical expertise, but also confidence in consulting with guests.

Ginia Cates of  Kosmos Salon in Ridgeland, Mississippi, was one of the participants.

“I am better able to understand why I’m using the techniques/methods I’ve been told to use,” she says. “I also have a better understanding of how a haircut is structured/executed by looking at a picture, and how to achieve certain forms using specific cutting methods.”

In addition to education, Jump Start also provided immediate career opportunities for some of the participants.

“We had three spaces available in the Neill salon network for stylists who completed this first Jump Start,” Devillier says. “The rest of the participants were new artists already working in a salon.”

The Jump Start Breakdown

Here’s how Jump Start breaks down, no matter the location:

Structure: Two-week intensive course (five days each week) with a max of 14 students per session (may vary if more staff is added). The first week is color and the second is cut, with consultation and soft skills taught throughout. Students test out on a live model at the end of the two weeks. 

Staff: Jump Start is taught by educators from Aveda Institutes who have gone through the Jump Start training, and salon partner educators.

“The beauty of this program is the partnership between the salon and school network,” says Walley. “In addition to Jump Start trainers, we ask our partner salons to designate members of their teams to become Jump Start faculty.”

These educators from salons teach a few days during each session, so the commitment is manageable with their salon schedule. 

Tuition & Scholarships: $3,000 for the whole session and a $250 kit fee (mannequin heads, etc). Neill is offering Aveda salons a scholarship to extend to a staff member or grad looking for placement in the Aveda network. Stylists are eligible if they’ve been in the industry less than one year. Merit-based scholarships from Aveda Institutes may also be awarded to alumni.

Benefit to the owner:  “The owner gains a more confident student who has a small repertoire of techniques including real-world people and consultation skills,” Woodruff says. “It’s the perfect course for someone who has been in the culture of the salon for a bit, but needs to go to the next level. Jump Start will get them straight on the floor.”

Owners also have the opportunity to grow current stylists into education roles as Jump Start educators.

Benefit to the stylist: After completing Jump Start, stylists no longer need a teacher standing behind them telling them how to execute the client’s desired style.

“They feel more confident,” Devillier says. “They also feel more comfortable generalizing instead of specializing.”

Babbe Rodgers, stylist at Studio G Salon in Flowood, Mississippi, participated in the pilot program and says, “Jump Start changed the way I will approach and consult with clients, and gave me a better understanding of different color lines.” 

Aveda Strong: Salons who send stylists to train as Jump Start trainers help strengthen the Aveda salon network as a whole as they recruit new stylists and bring Jump Start education into their own salons.  

“Jump Start is a great way to keep our chairs full and grow stronger stylists out of the Institutes,” Devillier says.

Woodruff adds, “We want to strengthen the Aveda salon network, and the better students we have, the better services we provide. And strengthening their technical abilities betters the entire industry.”

Interested in Participating?

Jump Start is running classes quarterly, starting in these locations in September: Nashville, Houston, Birmingham, Dallas, New Orleans, and Austin. Email jumpstart@neill.com to enroll or get on the waitlist.