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The Colour Bar’s Protégé Program is More Than Just Another Hair Assistant Job: Exciting Graduation Announcement – April 2024
Apr
At The Colour Bar, we take the responsibility of guiding newly graduated hairstylists through the growth needed to be confident behind the chair very seriously. We take a lot of pride in our Protégé Program and know that our stylists graduate ready to conquer their dreams.
What Makes The Colour Bar’s Hair Assistant Program Different?
First, we prefer to call our new colleagues “protégés” instead of “assistants”. You can clearly see why just by looking up the definitions of these two words.
When we refer to a “hair assistant”, it can often come along with a negative connotation. As seen in the definition, it focuses more on the rank of the individual rather than the true role of what they are supposed to be doing.
On the flip side, when you look at the definition of “protégé”, it highlights the importance of learning and growing through their role. This is further emphasized when you look at the differences between the synonyms listed under each word. The Colour Bar’s protégé program closely aligns with words like student, apprentice, and discovery and rejects words such as subordinate.
The Colour Bar’s Protégé Program is more than just an hair assistant training program. Our protégés split their time between classroom work with salon owner, Lorena Martinez, hands on practice with models, and shadowing time with our most experienced stylists allowing a real life look at what it means to be a successful hairstylist.
While our program is rooted in technical knowledge, as a protégé you will learn a lot about yourself along the way. A well rounded training program will always address not just the hard skills, but the soft skills as well.
Congratulations to Our Newest Graduates!
We recently had 4 of our protégés graduate from our program leaving the hair assistant title behind. We thought it was important to give them a proper introduction as they enter as full time stylists. We asked them to take sometime reflecting on their experience as well as what they want to tell their future clients by answering some questions or writing a short introduction.
Here is what they wanted to share:
1. Erica Tillman
The Colour Bar: What do you want your clients to know about you?
Erica Tillman: I’m here to create a safe place for my clients where you can be transparent and have a good time. Whatever that looks like for my clients if it’s a silent relaxing appointment or if it’s laughing and enjoying a glass of wine.
TCB: What do you want your clients to know about you?
ET: I’m here to create a safe place for my clients where you can be transparent and have a good time. Whatever that looks like for my clients if it’s a silent relaxing appointment or if it’s laughing and enjoying a glass of wine.
TCB: What was the most impactful lesson you learned during the protege program?
ET: The most impactful lesson that I’ve learned from the protege program is that it is okay to be a beginner and sometimes you are going to have adjustments. It’s just apart the process give yourself grace and allow yourself the time needed to progress on your hair journey.
TCB: What are some of your career goals looking forward?
ET: My career goals are to focus on more continued education so I can provide the ultimate experience for my clients.
2. Janessa Garcia
IG: @j_garciahair
“I’d like to consider myself as the living proof of “it’s never too late to go for your dreams.” My story began in 2016, hair had always been a hobby and creative outlet for me but it wasn’t until I started at Federico’s Beauty Institute that I really became immersed in the idea of being a Creative Artist through hair. Although I graduated the following year, it took months that turned to years before I took my State Board Exam and I thought, ‘It’s probably too late for me to take my exam; I probably don’t remember anything I learned in school’.
In August of 2023 while planning my wedding; I finally passed the exam and proved to myself that I can truly accomplish anything I set my heart and mind to. At the ripe age of 35, I am now starting a new career and new found confidence in life. I truly love what I do, and connecting with people through the value of their hair.
My motto is “ Come as you are” and I truly feel that way. I love enhancing or creating the hair you’ve always wanted. I really love playing with color and shaping cuts into fun styles. Your time spent with me will feel like spending the afternoon with a close friend.
What I would like students or people considering joining the protege program to know, is to try and soak up as much knowledge as the Master Stylist has to offer. As a person who has worked in salons for the last 13 years, this is the best chance you’ll have to learn a great deal from salon professionals.”
3. Samantha Vimbela
IG: @hairbysamijoe
The Colour Bar: What was the most impactful lesson you learned during the protege program?
Samantha Vimbela: Growing through the protege program has been one of the most rewarding programs I’ve experienced. The protege program helped me learn to “keep your heart as a protege.” I realized there’s always room to grow as a stylist in this industry. No matter how many years into it you’re in, every professional can strive for more education.
TCB: What is your advice for new cosmetology school graduates?
SV: Although graduating from Cosmetology school is the most exciting (which side note, congratulations, new graduates!) from my experience, it can also be the most intimating point of your career; diving into new waters could be overwhelming and even scary, but remembering that the beginning of any point in life is the most challenging point you have to face is what helped me jump start my career. Any anxiety or stress you may feel initially is normal, and we hear you! You’re not alone; no matter what happens, you will kill it! Most of the time, everything is in your head, and you’re doing better than you think.
TCB: What are your favorite services to provide?
SV: My favorite service to provide is for dimensional natural highlighting services. I’ve noticed I enjoy introducing people into the highlighting world. I love creating looks that compliment the person!
TCB: What do you want your clients to know about you?
SV: I hope every client knows I approach every appointment positively; your hair will be 100% guaranteed to be treated with love and care. I love making you feel welcome and excited to be in my chair. I get excited talking about a whole broad of topics; I partially get excited talking about Disney, Anime, kpop, new trends, and anything girly. Overall, I like to have fun with everything I do!
TCB: What are some of your career goals looking forward?
SV: I’m looking forward to growing and glowing! My goal overall is to be confident but not comfortable. I strive to be a stylist with lots of knowledge about different products, hair types, styles, you name it! I will keep approaching every learning lesson with a smile.
4. Quinn Mattingly
IG: @quinn_does_hair
The Colour Bar: What was the most impactful lesson you learned during the protege program?
Quinn Mattingly: To trust myself more! And to get curious. The Protege Program taught me so much about the technical aspect of hair, but I also learned a lot about myself on the journey.
Oh! And our mantra here “our intentions cannot change the chemical process”. Meaning, for example, even if my intention is to have a client be as light and bright as possible, I cannot will the lightener to work harder than it’s designed to. Super valuable lesson for hairstylists!
TCB: What is your advice for new cosmetology school graduates?
QM: Find a mentor. It will rapidly increase your growth and knowledge and it’s so incredible to learn from someone who is already successful in this space. There are no shortcuts to growth but finding a successful mentor (or a few!) puts you in the fast lane.
TCB: What are your favorite services to provide?
QM: I really do love it all! Something that has surprised me is that I’ve found I really enjoy hair cutting, it’s so fun to make an instant impact through a haircut.
TCB: What do you want your clients’ to know about you?
QM: I want them to know that I take their hair health, hair goals, and our relationship seriously, but I don’t take myself too seriously! I love for my clients to find solace, fun, and relaxation in their hair appointments. I made a career change to be in this industry to bring joy to others, that is my #1 goal when you see me! (The joy includes leaving with bomb hair!)
TCB: What are some of your career goals looking forward?
QM: I would love to grow into a cutting specialist, I really think that a great haircut can change everything and even enhance color. I would also love to create content for clients to learn how to style their hair outside of the salon so they can always feel as fabulous as they do when they leave their appointment.
Congratulations friends! We are all so proud of your hard work over the past few months and cannot wait to continue to see you shine!
Until Next Time,
Josie 🙂 hair assistant hair assistant hair assistant hair assistant hair assistant
