16 Get On-the-Job Training Right: Four Strategies to Start Using Now
By Kate Zabriskie
Despite our best efforts, it’s not as easy as it looks to get the training equation right. We train too early, we train too much, or we make a host of other errors. While some of us learn from our mistakes, many of us practice a cycle of rinse and repeat as we make the same blunders year after year.
MANUFACTURER PROFILE
50
Luster Products Inc.
66
House of Cheatham
74 READER FEEDBACK
20 Look Both Ways Before Hiring Internal, External and Other Solutions to Staffing Shortages
By Jill J. Johnson, MBA
It’s no secret that the staffing shortages facing most businesses today are extremely challenging. It is also highly unlikely that these challenges are going to resolve in the near term. So, what do you do now when you just cannot find the talent you need?
26 FEATURE Bust Out of Service Fatigue: The What, Where, Why and How Behind a Decline in Customer Service Excellence
80 AD INDEX ON THE COVER
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CEO: Ann Jhin
Editor: Allyson Leak
Art Director: Sam Choi
Advertising Manager: Candace Smith
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Columnists: Lafayette Jones
Contributors: Jill J. Johnson, Kate Zabriskie, Laurie Guest
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Every Little Bit Counts
Life moves like waves. It’s up and then down and back up again. The key is figuring out how to ride the waves and stay mentally balanced when they go low. I always tend to strike up a conversation when I’m out and about, and the more I talk to people, I think many people are facing an unprecedented amount of stress. During this time, there is a need for a morale boost–something to lift the spirits and ignite hope. According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering has a few health benefits. Giving back can increase “positive” feelings, give someone a sense of meaning, and reduce stress levels. If you want to tap into the energy of gratitude and generosity, consider giving back in some way this fall season. You can donate to a local cause that is meaningful to you, volunteer at a non-profit, or even help a friend in need. Remember, it’s the thought that counts.
Allyson Leak EDITOR
Our September issue focuses on The Beauty of Charity. We have several stories highlighting how our vendors and partners give back to their community. Check out “The Lasting Impact of Generosity” on page 10 and our Manufacturer Profiles with Luster Products Inc. (page 50) and House of Cheatham (page 66) to find out about the fantastic projects they have going on. The Jinny Sales event in Chicago was a complete success in the spirit of unity. Check out the details, photos, and fun on page 53.
I hope you make time to be grateful for what you have and are inspired to find a meaningful cause that moves you to action.
I hope you enjoy our September issue.
EXPERT ADVICE
BY ALLYSON LEAK
The Lasting Impact of Generosity:
10 Ways to Give Back to Your Community
Giving back can have a positive impact on your life and your business. Studies have shown that being in service to others can reduce stress, plus it shows your customers you care about the community.
Here are ten ways you can give back:
1. Donate as a Team
Pick a few causes that you feel strongly about. Then make a list of nonprofits and ask your employee’s opinions or take a vote on which charity you will donate to for the year.
2. Offer Your Products
Offering your products or services is a great way to give back to your community. You could contact a local homeless shelter to find out what grooming tools might be helpful and make small individual bags to donate.
3. Meal Donation
Cater lunch or dinner for the staff of a non-profit whose cause is close to your heart.
4. Support Another Small Business
Spend time supporting and buying from other local small businesses.
5. Mentorship
Offer to mentor someone just getting started in the beauty industry.
6. Elderly Community Center
Volunteer by yourself or as a company to help with errands or events.
7. Food Bank
Donate canned goods to your local food bank.
8. Homeless Shelter
Help serve food or offer to help set up events at a local shelter.
9. Meaningful Letter Writing
Write nice letters or donate toys and other needed items to a Children’s hospital.
10. Good Will
Donate beauty products, clothing, and coats.
ESSENTIAL OILS THE OF POWER
Essential oils have been used for healing and beauty purposes since ancient times. When it comes to hair, certain essential oils have been known to have a range of benefits from adding strength, shine, and reducing breakage. Check out eight products that are utilizing the healing benefits of essential oils.
SHEA BUTTER & HIBISCUS
OIL
ANTI-FRIZZ SHAMPOO
Fight the frizz with this smoothing shampoo designed to strengthen damaged hair. Nourishing shea butter blended with hibiscus oil helps hydrate and reduce breakage, leaving hair soft and manageable. Free of: sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten, drying alcohol and artificial colors.
Lavender Aloe Anti-Breakage Deep Conditioner
This natural deep conditioner is a thick, creamy protein-free hair mask designed to help strengthen weak strands susceptible to breakage. Lavender Oil helps to battle hair loss and protect against further damage and enhances the hair’s natural elasticity. Aloe helps to replenish and moisturize dry hair. It’s safe for natural hair, color-treated hair, and chemically-processed hair.
Seaberry Hair Serum
With this ultimate haircare elixir, a little goes a long way. Rebellious and unruly hair feels soothed, nourished, and visibly transformed. Long-lasting frizz protection disciplines and smoothes the most unmanageable curly, wavy, or straight hair.
Seaberry Mask
Inspired by skincare, the Seaberry Mask has the highest concentration of active ingredients to reduce dryness of the scalp, deeply nourish hair follicles, improve hair strength and reduce breakage. It works to visibly transform overall hair health and manageability.
Peppermint Tea Tree Hair Oil
It works miracles to penetrate the hair root and promote new hair growth. On top of that, its unique formula has been proven to help prevent breakage, leaving your hair feeling silky and looking shiny.
Shine Therapy Strong Roots Scalp Serum
Palmer’s Olive Oil Formula Shine Therapy Strong Roots Scalp Serum is a lightweight jelly-serum stimulator that strengthens, protects, nourishes and soothes scalp. It’s perfect for dry, itchy scalp and protective style maintenance and balances pH of scalp to invigorate hair growth and boost circulation to keep hair follicle moisturized and healthy.
Hair Yogurt
Hair Yogurt Intensive Treatment gently detangles and nourishes while rejuvenating the hair. It leaves the hair soft, healthy and strong. The yogurt treatment gently detangles and nourishes hair while hydrating. The apple cider vinegar conditions while it combats itching and enables moisture penetration into hair and scalp. The result is healthier hair with strength and elasticity. Black castor oil improves hair growth and locks in moisture and reduces breakage.
Vitale Moisturizing Cream Coconut & Shea Butter
Vitale Shea Butter Moisturizing Hair Crème with Coconut Oil is formulated to help moisturize and condition the hair and scalp. Enriched with Coconut Oil and Shea Butter to nourish the hair and scalp at the root helping to stimulate and encourage healthy hair growth. Light enough for daily use.
BY KATE ZABRISKIE
GET ON-THE-JOB TRAINING RIGHT:
FOUR STRATEGIES TO START USING NOW
“I learned so much during orientation. It’s too bad I won’t use most of it for six months. I took some notes, but I’m sure I won’t remember half of what they told me to do.”
“I’m overwhelmed. I learned a new piece of equipment today. The person showing me what to do knew everything. The problem I had was the deep dives. He spent so much time on troubleshooting techniques. It was just too much for my first day.”
“I can follow the steps, but I have no idea why I’m doing what I’m doing. I sort of feel like a trained monkey. I hope nothing goes wrong because I will have no clue how to fix it if something does.”
Despite our best efforts, it’s not as easy as it looks to get the training equation right. We train too early, we train too much, or we make a host of other errors. While some of us learn from our mistakes, many of us
practice a cycle of rinse and repeat as we make the same blunders year after year. The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way. With some careful planning and follow through, you can avoid problems many people will encounter again and again.
Strategy One: Keep Training Relevant and Immediately Applicable
Countless onboarding programs attempt to teach everything a person would ever want to know or need to know about a job in the first few hours, days, or weeks. The information is important, but it has no immediate value. Subsequently, learners become overwhelmed in class, and then they don’t have opportunities to apply or reinforce what they’ve learned for months or even years.
Good training designers know the value of careful pacing, and they practice just-in-time training when they can. Ask yourself, what does my learner
need to be successful in the first day, the first week, and the first month? Teach to those needs as much as possible, and save the more in-depth information for a more appropriate time. What do you need to prioritize?
Strategy Two: Connect to Why Again and Again
When people don’t know why they are doing something, they don’t understand the big picture. While they get the process at a surface level, their limited understanding potentially keeps them from following procedures later.
For example, if someone is learning how to use a print/copier/scanner/fax machine and part of the process is putting the guard up on the paper tray with jobs over 100 sheets, without explaining as to why that’s important to do, that learner might take it upon himself to skip that step back on the job. Only when papers are scattered all over the floor and have to be re-collected does the learning know the importance of raising the guard.
do it again, at the same time providing a narration track while the learner takes notes. Next, have the learner read aloud the notes she’s taken. Finally, have the learner demonstrate the procedure.
The multi-channel approach allows learners to see, to hear, to write, to speak, and to do whatever process they are learning. Depending on the learner, some senses may be more powerful than others. And in rare cases where there is no preference, repetition wins the day.
Great trainers make connections. They repeatedly explain why they’re doing what they’re doing, why procedures are written as they are, and so forth. Are you connecting the dots as well as you should, or could you do a better job?
Strategy Three: Use Multiple Channels to Cement Learning
I showed her how to do it, she did it, and now she’s trained. Maybe that’s true for the simple stuff, but for the complex processes and procedures, multi-channel encoding reigns supreme.
For example, show learners in real-time how to complete a process. Then
Meet Kate
What can you do differently to engage more senses?
Strategy Four: Teach with Reference
It’s one thing to conquer a task during class or one-on-one job coaching, but it’s entirely another to reproduce those results on the job.
People who have mastered the training function know to develop and teach reference tools in addition to processes themselves.
Ask yourself what kinds of support you need to develop. Decide where you need to incorporate them in your training plans. Those who learn how to solve problems themselves are worth their weight in gold. In addition to strong productivity, these people are also usually happier and more motivated than those who don’t have the tools to stand on their own feet.
Four strategies and none are hard: make training relevant, connecting to why, repeating information using different channels, and incorporating the tools learners should use to solve problems back on the job. If done deliberately and with routine, you will almost certainly get a good result.
Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team provide onsite, virtual, and online soft-skills training courses and workshops to clients in the United States and internationally. For more information, visit www. businesstrainingworks.com.
BY JILL J. JOHNSON, MBA
LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE HIRING
INTERNAL, EXTERNAL
AND OTHER SOLUTIONS TO STAFFING SHORTAGES
It’s no secret that the staffing shortages facing most businesses today are extremely challenging. It is also highly unlikely that these challenges are going to resolve in the near term. So, what do you do now when you just cannot find the talent you need? It is time to rethink all of your staffing options. The key is to make the most of the staff you have and to augment them with outside resources and technology.
Prioritize Those Who Interface with Your Customer
The foundation of business success is based upon your revenue and the stability of your revenue streams. Customer loyalty and retention depends on their satisfaction. Prospects rely on their ability to access the information they need to make informed decisions and gain a comfort level with their options. Organizations with a history of sales success often rely on operational delivery to keep them going when they are short staffed. Yet it is your customer facing staff who are the most valuable to sustaining enterprise revenue.
Identify staff who interact with your customers along the entire range of their customer journey. Their success in meeting customer needs, satisfaction and prospect demands determine if you can satisfy and keep them. If they have the bandwidth to provide exceptional service, they can keep your customers and expand your prospect pool.
Today’s consumers are looking for faster information. Many prefer to get information via video or audio. Adjust to how they want to consume information. Streamline your team’s workload by creating tools and resources to quickly get them the answers they want and need. Ensure they have the tools and resources they need to be more efficient. Clarify what can help them deliver a better customer experience. Remove the roadblocks to their success.
Outsource When Necessary
The gig economy is here to stay. Leveraging external relationships with outsourced resources can help you flex your staffing and can be a valuable way to get the work done. While not as optimal as building your own team,
the pressure relief you experience when critical work is being completed can give you the breathing room needed to determine if this role really needs a full-time hire or if it can be permanently outsourced.
For small projects, online resources like Fiverr and Upwork provide you with worldwide access to Gig Workers with specific skills that are needed for short duration work. Most of these online sites have filters allowing you to clarify what you service need, information ahead of time on the potential cost, control over where your talent comes from and what languages they speak.
Staffing Agencies can bring in talent to your organization for a project that is going to take a bit longer. While it will be more expensive, keep in mind, you are not paying any benefits and you will not get hit with an unemployment claim when you no longer need them. Agencies vet the staff who work with you and will help you find the right talent you need.
Trusted Outside Vendors can provide key services for you and do bookkeeping, administrative work, sales support, social media, website management, etc. Long-term vendors have deep insight about your history, your team, and your culture. They know your preferred communication methods and how you like to work. Outside vendors are an exceptionally valuable safety valve when you cannot find the right permanent talent.
Do not try to manage too many different outside resources. Focus on the most critical work they can provide for you and engage in short-duration tests to see if you have chemistry and if they provide you with value.
Consider the Potential of Technology
Technology and automation use is exploding as companies are seeking opportunities to invest in devices and software to provide options to leverage the staff they already have and enhance their productivity. Autonomous devices include robots, drones, vehicles, floor cleaners and more. These devices can sense the environment around them and operate without human involvement. Other devices such as exoskeletons are able
to support a worker’s body and provide augmented biological capabilities such as safely lifting heavy objects.
While robotics as a field is advancing, they are not truly autonomous of human interaction. They still need people involved in the process to use them. This includes programming, monitoring them and changing batteries as they perform their service. At best this is now “co-botics” and people will never be fully eliminated from the equation and they will work in tandem. As these options expand, you can take advantage of them too, even if you are a small business.
There is growing interest in how data and analytics can be used to manage staff productivity and service delivery. Most technology devices are already collecting data. When combined in the future with artificial intelligence, the possibilities for data analytics appear to be endless. When the data is combined with AI interpretation, this can provide valuable insight to help streamline your processes and maximize staff efficiency.
Evaluate how you are using the software and technology currently deployed in your business to see how you can maximize their value. The return on the investment (ROI) should be very carefully evaluated to identify any efficiencies achieved or productivity enhancements. Get your team any needed training so they can effectively work with advanced technologies. You might need a different skill set in your workforce to work with the technology and this may expand your workforce to pull from a broader pool of potential talent.
Final Thoughts
It is clear that the staffing shortages are not going away. We have to find opportunities to gain increased productivity from our existing workforce and alternatives for completing the work we need done. Focusing on the needs of our customer-facing team members, making smart use of outside resources and maximizing technology use provide viable options for addressing the issue. When you expand your potential for getting the job done, you are more likely to find the resources you need.
Meet Jill
Jill J. Johnson, MBA, President and Founder of Johnson Consulting Services, is a management consultant, accomplished speaker, awardwinning author, and Business Hall of Fame inductee. She helps clients make critical business decisions and develop plans for turnarounds or growth. Her consulting work has impacted over $4 billion worth of decisions. She has a proven track record of dealing with complex business issues and getting results. For more information, visit www.jcs-usa.com.
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BY LAURIE GUEST
Bust Out of Service Fatigue:
The What, Where, Why and How Behind a Decline in Customer Service Excellence
Does it feel like no matter how hard you try to please your customer, it isn’t enough? Are you in charge of leading others and the faster you train teams and build energy, the quicker it seems to fade? Are you a business owner feeling hopeless about the never-ending needs of staff AND customers while trying to achieve a profitable bottom line? You’re exhausted, right?
This exhaustion is what’s called service fatigue, defined as that feeling that keeps you from delivering the excellent customer service your staff and patrons have come to expect. Left unchecked, this weariness can impact your business in many negative ways, from short tempers to lost business.
Let’s unpack the what, where, why, and how of service fatigue and get on the path to busting out of it.
What does Service Fatigue look like?
You know what customer service delivery should look like. Attentive. Proactive. Genuine. Service fatigue is “less than,” and it presents in many forms. It’s when your customer experience is less than you—or
they—expect. It’s a lack of energy, elevated stress, constant ambivalence, difficulty concentrating, missed deadlines, frequent mistakes, or safety compliance issues. The trickiest kind of service fatigue to spot is the kind the team thinks they can hide from guests. It’s still there, lurking beneath the surface, threatening to bring everyone down in its undertow.
Where does Service Fatigue come from?
After a stressful few years, various challenges have caused service fatigue levels to skyrocket. But the truth is, service fatigue can strike at any time, and much of it is really nothing new. It’s short-tempered customers who escalate to anger quickly. It’s trying (and usually failing) to juggle multiple priorities at a time. It’s navigating ever-changing business policies. It’s responsibilities that outnumber hours in the day. It’s one bad attitude draining a team’s morale. Service fatigue can come from anywhere and knowing how to identify it is half the battle.
Why does Service Fatigue matter?
The short answer: It matters because it impacts your bottom line.
When service fatigue takes over at your business, everything is at risk. You can play a huge part in lessening that burden for your team and your customers. If it’s possible, make work a welcoming, encouraging environment for your staff so they can give your customers a reason to crow about the great experience they had. By recognizing service fatigue and equipping your team with the tools to bust out of its grip before it’s too late, you’ll ensure that everyone’s experience is that much better.
How do we mitigate the effects of Service Fatigue?
There are countless ways to bust out of service fatigue, and no two businesses will adopt exactly the same solution. Decades of experience in the customer service industry prove that there’s no silver bullet to finally overcoming exhaustion. Instead, it takes a combination of strategy, patience, and commitment to bolster your team and get them back on track to deliver the kind of remarkable customer service you and your customers expect.
To get you started, here are a few ways to start busting out of service fatigue as soon as today:
Build Better Boundaries
can have to get those boundaries—and your energy levels—back on track?
Re-evaluate your boundaries today and find where you can firm them up. You’ll soon see what a difference they make in boosting your energy and positive attitude.
Grant Yourself Rest!
Who doesn’t love rest? While some have mastered the art of taking breaks, Americans tend to do things fast—and often multitasking. We like the concept of rest, but the demands on our time often get in the way of our ability to truly take a break.
There are as many as seven types of rest, from physical and emotional to creative and spiritual. The truth is, they’re all important, and giving ourselves the space to breathe when things get stressful is imperative. Rest can mean putting down your phone an hour early and reading a book instead, or using your shift break to do a brief silent meditation so you’re prepared to head back to work.
When we prioritize rest and start to see it as doing good for ourselves, we are more energized to deliver customer service excellence.
Professional boundaries can be the single best tool to help bust out of service fatigue, whether you need to put them in place with your boss or you need to ensure your team knows that work/life separation is a good thing. Unless it’s imperative to your industry, do you really need to reply to emails at 8 p.m.? Is that gap or hiccup in a process at work really yours to lose sleep over?
We all can and should go above and beyond to deliver customer service excellence. But when you’re doing far more than is expected, you may be bringing service fatigue on yourself. Be honest: Are you guilty of your own boundary breakdowns? Are there honest conversations you
Meet Laurie
Bonus: When do I need to address Service Fatigue?
No surprises here: If you recognize the signs of service fatigue, now is the time to bust out of it! Start by identifying what’s causing the fatigue, then set aside time to plan for change, including both big and small steps to reinvigorate your team and return to delivering customer service excellence. When you commit to the change, the hardest part is already over. All it takes from there is digging in to bust out of service fatigue once and for all!
A Hall of Fame keynote speaker and author, Laurie Guest, CSP, CPAE, is an authority on customer service excellence. Laurie blends real-life examples and proven action steps for improvement. She is the author of two books and is writing a third on the topic of service fatigue. To learn more or connect with Laurie, visit www.LaurieGuest.com
Cantu Beauty keeps consumers first with new rebrand
Cantu has been the go-to brand for curl friends around the world and for good reason. By creating products that embrace all hair textures and collections made specifically for kids, men, and skin, this award-winning brand has built long-standing trust by continuing to keep consumers first. They have done it again with their new rebrand and refresh. Listening to their consumers and collaborating with Cosmetic Chemist & Beauty Industry Expert, Erica Douglas, also known as Sister Scientist, Cantu reformulated their best-selling Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner to add more moisturizing and conditioning products that improve absorption. Consumer feedback also helped to create the modernized, vibrant packaging, color-coded to indicate specific product type. “Our goal is always to evolve our brand just as our consumers evolve but in a way that still remains true to our core identity that our loyal consumer base knows and loves,” says Dametria Kinsley, Vice President of Global Marketing at Cantu. Watch the full As You Are campaign video and Cantu’s celebration of showing up as your authentic self and stay connected with Cantu Beauty on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or visit them at cantubeauty.com.
As You Are
“You inspire the world on your own terms, showing us how you love your hair to your skin, who you are. As your needs evolve we evolve together, from the big chop to the blow-out, we’ve been there. For your curls, coils, your natural, nurturing your journey with care, wearing your heritage, empowering your community. You are bold, you are beautiful as you are.” Cantu
Black leadership always matters
Recognizing industry contributions by companies with leading Black executives, Urban Call is publishing a series about these leaders and their business. We begin with the successful Cantu Beauty business contributions.
Cantu’s diverse leadership team’s “lived experiences” empowers Black and Brown communities with support: a $150,000 UNCF HBCU donation; a Women Empowering Nations partnership; girls of color mentorships in the US, Europe & Africa; and a $250,000 investment supporting training in Girls Leading Our World.
Creating Urban Marketing Solutions is Our Business
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Perry Merrity, Global VP Nikia Bowman, Brand Director
Sandra Miller Jones SMSi Healthy Living Solutions, Inc. Founder & CEO
Lafayette Jones Publisher, Urban Call; SMSi-Urban Call Marketing, Inc. President & CEO
Cantu Brand Global Leadership Team
Cantu’s commitment to community
Cantu Beauty is dedicated to serving Black and Latina communities by inspiring the female leaders of tomorrow. Through the brand’s partnership with Gyrl Wonder, a non-profit organization giving rise to ambitious young women of color, the cohort gains access to resources, events and programming to help foster their ambitions, build self-confidence, and establish mental wellness while transitioning through their personal and professional endeavors. Programming in 2022 commenced with the #GyrlGetHired series that culminate in an in-person, one-day event underpinning that the key to success starts from within. The event equipped this year’s Gyrl Wonder cohort with the resources to not only look their best, but perform their best. Additionally, Gyrl Wonder and Cantu coordinated a dinner to honor 2022 college graduates, host career fairs and headshot pop-ups across the country, as well as several other program under the banner of #GyrlGetHired.
& Braintrust
Through their brand-owned initiative, Cantu Elevate, the brand elevates Black female entrepreneurs by providing education-first programming and best practices for building a successful beauty brand. In its inaugural Elevate program, Cantu partnered with 25 Black Women in Beauty, an organization that offers networking and career placement opportunities to female rising stars. The program consists of virtual workshops that discuss cornerstones of beauty marketing including social media management, public relations and executing digital campaigns to help these up-and-coming brands thrive within a competitive and ever-changing beauty industry. At the conclusion of the workshops, three attendees are chosen to receive a Cantu sponsored marketing campaign.
Cantu hosts workshops and leadership training for young women across the globe
Cantu has joined forces with Women Empowering Nations, a non-profit organization providing mentorship and professional development for girls of color from marginalized communities by hosting career-readiness workshops and leadership training for young women across the globe. Fifty young women ages 17-23 from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, United Kingdom, France and the United States have been selected to partake in the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) Global Cohort, an interactive leadership experience.
The virtual program will feature female executives ranging from various
entrepreneurial and leadership backgrounds who lead workshops exploring career development, public speaking, professional branding and executive leadership. Partnership programming will continue in this summer, with the GLOW Virtual Summit, an event hosting thousands of young women leaders through engaging workshops. From the summit, 10 young women will advance to the Cantu GLOW Global Fellowship, where two participants from each country will intern at Cantu Beauty. The fellowship will conclude with a capstone and group travel seminar in Nigeria this fall with a Cantu executive meet and greet, service projects, and career workshops.
Cantu
Founders Studio Teams award winners of their Pitch Competition during Essence in New Orleans 2022.
Cantu leadership in the community
Perry Merrity
Global Vice President, Sales Strategic Leader
Perry Merrity is a dealmaker, born and raised in Texas and currently living in Los Angeles. He is a strategic leader, sales guru, and an established leader in the textured hair industry in domestic and international markets.
Established in the late ’90s in senior level sales roles, working with well- known brands Dr Pepper, Velcro, Taco Bell, and niche brands Clopay and Boye. He’s most proud of being a man strong in his faith, son to an amazing mother, husband to a beautiful woman who said “yes” twice and a boy dad.
Knowing that “one size doesn’t’ fit all” by helping to make ideas and dreams come to life on shelf is his passion and goal. His focus is to ensure the Cantu brand is available wherever and whenever the customer wants at an affordable price.
Aligning with the “Cantu Cares” goal of giving back to the community, Perry is active contributing and partnering with Habitat for Humanity, Susan G. Komen, Texas Southern University and Unity Unlimited/Opal’s Walk. With over 200 items in the Cantu portfolio, Perry’s favorite is the Coconut Curling Cream. “I love hearing customers, friends and family say how it makes their curls “pop.”
Nikia Bowman Global Brand Director Brand Architect
Nikia Bowman is a product architect, an admitted Army “brat,” living in Connecticut, but calls Atlanta “home.” She built a career that mirrors her personal passions. Having accelerated growth for brands like Philips Sonicare, Cuisinart, and Dr Teal’s.
Currently turning her skills inward as Cantu Beauty’s Brand Director where she is helping to shape the very brand that she grew up using. At every touchpoint, from product ideation to development and retailer promotions, she leads with authenticity. When she isn’t building products for the brand, she spends time with her son, daughter and husband traveling to exotic locations in the Caribbean.
Driving brand availability and product development with a hyper focus on addressing consumer needs, she works to innovate and ensure the textured hair consumer has their needs answered.
“Whether you’re rocking coils, curls, waves, or straight tresses, Cantu designs products specifically with you and your hair’s versatility in mind.”
The NEW Guava & Ginger collection is Nikia’s favorite in the Cantu assortment. As the lead on the collection, she helped design, she loves “…the sensorial feel of the products, the fragrance, and the efficacy of the ingredients.”
Melissa Carnegie Global Head of Communications Community Connector
Melissa Carnegie is a community connector. After founding her lifestyle blog MelissaChanel in 2011, she parlayed a bustling influencer career into a professional brand that connects people to communities and puts products in the hands of those who need it most.
After crafting social media strategies for brands like Rug & Home and Girl Scouts USA. She locked in an influencer partnership, turned ambassadorship with Cantu Beauty that ultimately grew to her career as the Global Head of Community & Communications. Mom to a “bonus” daughter and wife to a future Chiropractor, she enjoys mentoring new influencers, travel and spending time with family and friends in Charlotte, NC.
Focused on cultivating relationships, she knows the community comes first. “We would not be the brand we are without the support of our community.” Her ear is always to the ground listening to what the consumer wants from innovation to accessibility.
With improved formulas, The Cantu For Natural Hair range is Melissa’s favorite collection. It helps achieve everything from cutting-edge looks to classic styles. “I love the classic Cantu scent, moisturizing ingredients, and the variety in the collection from deep conditioning to retwisting, and even roller sets my styles are always covered with this collection.”
Dametria (Mustin) Kinsley is an entrepreneurial visionary. As the longest tenured employee on the brand, she is a maven of the hair industry, international marketing, product development and brand management having launched products and highimpact initiatives that have resulted in increased growth for leading beauty companies.
Family and fellowship are what drive and guide her. As the Senior Marketer for Cantu and head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity for PDC Brands, she understands that representation matters and turns her attention forward as she helps craft the vision for what a brand who authentically shows up for their consumer looks like.
A native of Tennessee, wife, and mother of two toddlers, she currently resides in Atlanta. She knows crafting entrepreneurship initiatives to pay it forward and community partnerships to give back, are necessary. “Cantu has a goal to help create platforms for marginalized communities that allow consumers to see themselves in all of their shapes, sizes, and hair types.”
The Curl Activator Cream has been her favorite Cantu from day 1! “It is not too heavy nor too light - it defines and smooths without weighing my hair down. Perfect to rehydrate my curls on day 2 and 3 as well.”
Dametria (Mustin) Kinsley Global Vice President, Marketing Entrepreneurial Visionary
ApHogee System Intro
ForLonger, Stronger, HealthyHair
SHAMPOO FOR DAMAGED HAIR
• Gently cleanses and helps strengthen hair.
• Restores shine and natural beauty to hair.
• Safe for everyday use.
KERATIN 2 MINUTE RECONSTRUCTOR
• Rinse out reconstructor that repairs and restores softness and elasticity in one quick, effective step.
• Use after every shampoo.
KERATIN & GREEN TEA RESTRUCTURIZER
• Leave in spray that strengthens and adds body instantly.
• Helps repair breakage and protect color.
• Helps protect fine hair from heat damage.
Quality Matters
Quality is what matters when your customers are making hair and beauty decisions. Check out the Top 5 products that customers are loving right now.
1.
SHINE ‘N JAM CONDITIONING GEL | EXTRA HOLD
AM41103
The Shine ’n Jam Extra Hold gel is free of alcohol, parabens, wax, petrolatum and silicones. This moisturizing, non-flaking gel has a firm, nongreasy hold. It is enhanced with honey extract to help strengthen the hair and is great for soft waves, braids, locks, or twists.
2.
göt2b Glued Blasting Freeze Spray
AA91201
Your customers can freeze that style into place with göt2b glued blasting freeze spray. It can be sprayed through the hair to hold body waves in place or used for braids, twists, a bun, or a variety of other looks.
3.
Clairol Professional BW2 Hair Powder Lightener
CL3422
Clairol Professional BW2 Powder Lightener is balanced lightening with predictable and quick results. Let your customers know that it can be used for foiling, balayage and all off scalp applications.
5.
4.
EcoStyle Gel with Olive Oil
NEI905A
The Eco Style Gel with Olive Oil is made with 100% pure olive oil. Olive oil helps the scalp naturally regulate its own moisturizing system and helps lock in moisture.. Like all Ecoco styling gels, it is weightless and will leave the hair with a healthy shine and has a superior hold.
Bronner Brothers Pump It Up Spritz BB1634
This is the perfect[product to leave in the beauty drawer or take on the go. It dries quickly, leaves no buildup, and rinses out easily. The extra silk protein and Vitamin B help strengthen and moisturize the hair. For styling tips, tell your customers to hold the bottle 8 to 12 inches from their hair and spray evenly over the desired style.
OTC BOOK CLUB
The 10¢ Decision: How Small Change Pays Off Big
By Laurie Guest
What Laurie Guest knows to be true about customer service is that many organizations think proper treatment of clients is common sense and that training isn’t an issue. Unfortunately, leaders often believe that if they hire good people, their employees will know how to treat customers.
WRONG. The basics must be taught, enforced, and reinforced to create the ultimate customer experience.
In this short, easy-to-read book, Guest shares the insights she gained in each phase of her working life. During every endeavor, she remained committed to providing great service to every customer/patient/guest she encountered. She has also collected quite a few examples through the years that prove each of her points in a relatable fashion. “The 10¢ Decision: How Small Change Pays Off Big” shares 11 guiding principles of customer service, as well as techniques to attract and keep new customers in a way that doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
JBS Beauty Club has all your accessory needs with necklaces, earrings, scarves, sunglasses, etc. Stock your store with only the best from JBS. As part of the largest beauty supply distributor, you can always buy items by the piece and at great prices. For more information, call 800-361-0786 or visit them at 4300 Northeast Expressway, Doraville, GA.
Sponsored by Andis Co.
CLIPPER TIPS
Achieve a New Level of Versatility with Detachable Blades
By Andis Company
Detachable blade clippers are popular among barbers for their heavy-duty haircutting capability and the additional versatility they deliver over attachment combs. With a wide range of detachable blade types available, professionals should select blades based on their clientele and the styles they create most often. Below are some Andis® detachable blade options that every pro should consider to boost productivity:
T-84 Blade- The T-84 leaves hair behind the same length as a number 1 blade set yet is wider to cut more hair evenly. If the Flat Top style is popular at a shop, such as those located near a military facility, this blade is a must have.
Outliner Blade – The Outliner clipper blade replicates the performance of the T-Outliner Trimmer in a larger format and is a valuable asset for any barber who says they cut bald fades. This should be discussed with every barber that walks into your retail store.
Skip Tooth Blades – The 3 3/4 Skip Tooth blade is perfect for laying down thin hair with a loose S wave pattern. When the hair is thin and has a loose wave, it is easy to clip too much hair in a small section and it will appear as if there is a bald spot. The alternating sizes of blade teeth on the lower blade of the Skip Tooth reduces the amount of hair that is lifted up and then cut. Simply said, select a Skip Tooth blade for barbers cutting large amounts of curly hair clients, especially older men with thinning hair.
5/8 and ¾” HT Blades - These are the largest/longest cutting of the detachable blades Andis produces and are most valuable for the clipper cutter who needs to move fast and doesn’t have time for scissor-over-comb technique in the crown area.
For more information about detachable blades visit andis.com today.
Isoplus Products Partners With Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority in Operation BigBookBag
On August 27th, Isoplus Products partnered with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and donated $500 to Operation BigBookBag. The event, held at Beauty Master in Morrow, Ga. allowed people to come together in the spirit of unity, empowerment, and philanthropy.
Deborah Brannon, Director of Global Sales and Merchandising at Isoplus Products, presented Tanya Blackshear, Basileus of Lambda Sigma Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority a check for $500.
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, the Beauty Master team, and GM Lucian happily donated backpacks, sample packets of Caffeinated curl, and branded satin caps at this well-attended event. Isoplus Products raffled off Isoplus gift boxes, and attendees enjoyed educational and hairstyling tips from Master stylist Keiana Lowman.
OperationBigBookBag is a program designed to address the needs, challenges and issues that face school-aged children who are educationally at-risk, in local homeless shelters and extended-care hospitals and facilities. Through this program, chapters and members collect and donate educational materials, equipment and school supplies.
The goal is to:
Provide quick and easy access to reference materials and other studying aids and tools that will help students with educational endeavors.
Equip students with the means of completing their homework assignments in effort to keep them current and up to date.
Assist shelters, youth centers, schools and hospitals in their efforts to meet some of the educational needs of children and young adults housed at their facilities.
OperationBigBookBag was established in 1996 by the late Dr. LaRona J. Morris, 18th International Grand Basileus. It was established in partnership with the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order, Nobles Mystic Shrine, Inc. (Shriners). The program has expanded in recent years to focus on exposing students to STEM curriculum and careers, and a refocus on tutoring support and mentoring programs. Programs can be held by chapters all year long with the back to school supply give-away held every August and January of the school year.
Keiana Lowman and Deborah Brannon
Frank Conwell and Raffle Winner
Lambda Sigma Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
Beauty Master and Isoplus Sales Team
Deborah Brannon and Tanya Blackshear, Basileus and President of Lambda Sigma Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho
NEW Alaffia Authentic African Facial Skincare Collection
Alaffia, the cause marketing organization and award-winning leader in clean and fair trade beauty announces the introduction of facial skincare to its cult-favorite Authentic African Black Soap collection. The new, unscented skincare collection is comprised of four products formulated with indigenous and efficacious plantbased ingredients to deeply nourish and gently detoxify skin.
Suitable for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin, products harness the curative powers of restorative African Black Soap and nutrient-rich Shea Butter to gently cleanse without removing natural oils, and rehydrate and replenish, leaving skin radiant and glowing.
“As pioneers of African Black Soap innovation, we’re excited to expand our ever-popular Authentic African Black Soap collection into the facial skincare category with a highly effective assortment of products,” said Lanaia Edwards, VP of Global Marketing. The collection utilizes the potent properties of African Black Soap for the face to help naturally reduce breakouts, gently exfoliate, clarify, soften and revitalize.”
Made from a centuries-old recipe of handcrafted shea butter and Orangutang-safe West African Palm Oil, Alaffia’s African Black Soap is produced by women-led cooperatives in Togo, West Africa through a natural process in which saponification is reached by adding potash to the hot oils, then cooking it for six hours. The last step is curing the soap in the sun for three weeks. African Black Soap is then shipped to Alaffia’s U.S. headquarters where it is used in the manufacturing of its collection. Alaffia then takes then funnels proceeds from the purchases of its products to its Empowerment Projects in West Africa, including Maternal Care, Education, Reforestation and Regenerative Agriculture.
Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap Facial Skincare Collection:
Facial Cleanser ($7.99) – Suitable for daily use, this cleanser is designed to detoxify, remove impurities, and leave all skin types feeling clean and refreshed without stripping natural oils.
Exfoliating Face Scrub ($7.99) – Blended with natural exfoliants, this scrub gently polishes skin, revealing new radiance.
Facial Serum ($9.99) – This milky, hydrating, and weightless serum is fast-absorbing and made for daily use to soften and smooth skin.
Whipped Shea Moisturizer ($9.99) – Crafted with luxuriously whipped shea butter to hydrate and soothe skin’s natural moisture barrier, this lightweight formula restores skin with every use, leaving it soft, smooth, and radiant. The cruelty-free products do not contain sulfates, parabens, phthalates, silicones, mineral oil, artificial color or synthetic fragrance. Availability: Alaffia Authentic African Facial Skincare Collection is available in select Walmart stores and online on Walmart.com and Alaffia.com.
ABOUT ALAFFIA
Togolese native Olowo-n’djo Tchala founded Alaffia in 2004 with Prairie Rose Hyde, a Peace Corp worker, after he experienced many injustices including witnessing the unfair systems that the women around him faced when trading valuable natural resources. Preserving cultural traditions and knowledge, Alaffia handcrafts its award-winning clean and plant-based collections with unrefined shea butter, African black soap, coconut oil, neem extract and baobab and moringa oils from the women-led Alaffia Village Co-op. Alaffia’s Empowerment Projects are its mission in action, funded by the sale of its products. The projects provide immediate and sustainable support for maternal health care, job creation, education, reforestation and regenerative agriculture. This allows West African communities to provide their skills and knowledge to the rest of the world and rise out of poverty.
PRODUCT TO STOCK
BY ALLYSON LEAK
Whether your customers want to brighten their complexion or boost their mood, a hydrating facial mist is a perfect solution. Consumer's desires and focus have changed over the past two years. Customers care about products that not only make them look good but also feel good, too. The Cococare facial mists can be used every day to refresh the skin and to get a sprinkle of aroma from the natural extracts.
Hydrate & Refresh
A facial mist can give the skin a boost in minutes. It gently moisturizes the skin and can be applied before or after a makeup application.
Self-Care
A facial mist is like a little touch of self-care in a bottle. The light mist can feel refreshing, which is great for the mind and body. Some plant extracts have been known to help enhance mood.
Cucumber Hydrating Facial Mist: The Refresher
Rose Water Hydrating Facial Mist-Roses in a Bottle
Cococare’s Cucumber Hydrating Facial Mist features natural cucumber extract, green tea, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid to refresh and hydrate skin with every spray. The refreshing sensation of cucumber cools and soothes skin upon contact while green tea rejuvenates skin leaving it with a gorgeous glow. Cucumber Hydrating Facial Mist is alcohol-free and paraben-free.
Lavender Hydrating Facial Mist-Tranquility in a Bottle
Lavender Hydrating Facial Mist features a soothing blend of natural lavender water, aloe vera and moisture retaining hyaluronic acid. The calming properties of lavender make this facial mist ideal to use before bed or when feeling stressed. Plus, the heavenly smell will help ease your mind aromatherapy-style, so you can leave the day behind and drift off to a peaceful dreamland. Natural Lavender Extract’s anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anti-bacterial properties calm and clear skin. Lavender Hydrating Facial Mist is alcohol-free and paraben-free.
Rose Water Hydrating Facial mist unleashes the powerful hydration properties of wild rose, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid, and it smells simply amazing. Plus, there’s nothing like a little spritz anytime you’re feeling tired or tense. Pass on the perfume and spritz this hydrating mist on your neck and wrists, you can enjoy the fragrance of rose all day long! Rose Water Hydrating Facial Mist is color-free, alcohol-free, and paraben-free.
Tea Tree Hydrating Facial Toner: Clearer Skin in a Spritz
Cococare’s Tea Tree Hydrating Facial Toner is made with natural tea tree oil, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid – a perfect combination for refreshing, cleansing, and quenching dry skin. Tea tree oil is known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties that purify and revitalize your skin, so this toner is ideal for fighting acne. Every ingredient intentionally comes together to invigorate your skin and your senses. Natural Tea Tree Oil’s antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties help heal skin. Tea Tree Oil Hydrating Facial Toner is color-free, alcoholfree, and paraben-free.
Get MISTified!
Refresher
Hydrating
All mists are paraben free and alcohol free.
Cococare Products, Inc.
85 Franklin Road Dover, NJ 07801
Tel. 973-989-8880
Email: info@cococare.com
The mist can be used for:
• Any time you want to refresh
• Before applying make-up
• As a make-up setting spray
• Before bed to hold in moisture
• All-day Hydration
The
Cucumber
Facial Mist
Tranquility in a Bottle Lavender Hydrating Facial Mist
Roses in a Bottle Rose Water Hydrating Facial Mist
Clearer Skin in a Spritz Tea Tree Hydrating Facial Toner
MANUFACTURER PROFILE
Luster Products Inc. A Beauty Industry Icon
Customer loyalty, global recognition, resilience, and quality products are just a few reasons why Luster Products Inc. is an iconic brand. Great products and excellent service has made Luster’s the world’s leading African-American-owned manufacturer of premium personal care products. We got a chance to chat with the Brand Manager at Large, Resa B. Luster-Mac to find out about the brilliance behind the brand.
OTC: What is the mission of Luster Products Inc.?
Resa B. Luster-Mac (RLM): At Luster Products, it is our mission to super serve and effectively satisfy the special needs of the African American and multicultural consumer.
OTC: If you had to pick a phrase or word to represent your brand, what would it be?
RLM: “It works every time.” - This is what we hope our customers say about our products each time they use them.
OTC: How did the company get its start?
RLM: My grandfather, the late Fred Luster, Sr., while working as a successful barber in Chicago, Illinois, was motivated to personally develop hair care products for the health and maintenance of clients’ hair. At the outset, the formulas were sold exclusively in his barbershop. As word spread about his products’ effectiveness, demand increased. He then began selling the products to other barbers and hairstylists. Propelled by early success, my grandfather established Luster Products Inc. in 1957. With family support and inspiration, he led the company from a modest storefront operation to an international multimillion-dollar enterprise. Due to his vision, business savvy and commitment, Luster Products flourished and has remained an industry leader for the last 65 years.
OTC: What brands fall under the Luster umbrella?
we’ve never abandoned and that we attribute to our longevity and success. When options were few, Luster Products’ was there for them and even with more options in the market, we’ve established a deeply rooted connection with this community so they trust us.
OTC: I know you launched a new look for your Classic Pink Lotion. How have customers responded?
RLM: So far our consumers have been loving the new look of our Pink Lotion and Glosser. They love the metallic effect when you move the bottle in your hands and they also love that the updates are subtle enough that they can still recognize and find two of their favorite products when shopping at shelf.
RLM: We have Luster’s Pink, Luster’s Pink Kids, S Curl, Smooth Touch, PCF, Renutrients and Shortlooks.
OTC: What sets your brands apart from the rest of the industry?
RLM: From the very beginning of our business, our founder Fred Luster, Sr. chose to super serve the multicultural customer and that is a legacy that
OTC: What are some of the key ingredients in your Natural Oil blends collection and how is the feedback from your customers?
RLM: Some of the key ingredients across our Natural Oil Blends collection are Castor, Tea Tree,Clary Sage, Rosemary, Coconut and Lavender oils and Aloe Vera. However, the full formulation blends differ across products based on the results we are looking to achieve. For instance, our new Comfort Oil scalp serum has peppermint oil in it which provides the soothing tingly sensation.
OTC: What trends do you feel are most prevalent in the multicultural beauty industry right now? Is there anything that you would like to see change/ shift?
RLM: Right now, what’s interesting is that the trend we are seeing is that consumers aren’t following the path of ‘trends’ anymore so much as they’re all about finding the right product routines and rituals that work best for them. Trial and error is still important, but once they find something that works, they are typically sticking with that product longer instead of looking for the next best thing.
OTC: How do you share product knowledge with your customers and retailers?
RLM: We are wherever our consumers are, so we’re sharing info with them online via social media, at shelf, through our customer service team and we reach more than 50,000 consumers via our newsletter. We rely heavily on our merchandisers in key markets to disseminate information sheets provided by our marketing team. If there are opportunities to meet inperson or via zoom with the retailer store personnel, we take full advantage to share the consumer and market research that supports the product(s) we are launching.
OTC: Can you tell us about The Luster Foundation and your most recent initiative?
RLM: Luster Products has a long legacy of community giving support through our Luster Foundation. It is one of my grandfather Fred Luster Sr.’s original requirements for the company “that we support and give back to the community that has so graciously supported us.” The primary focus of our support has been to organizations that benefit African American youth; however, here are some of the organizations that we have supported over the years: The Joseph Assignment (building fresh water drinking wells in Ghana), Mam/ Wow youth guidance organizations, American Cancer Society, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, The Faith Community of Saint
Sabina, Jackie Robinson West Scholarship Foundation, just to name a few.
OTC: What have you found is the best way to connect with the Luster customer?
RLM: The best way to connect with our customer is to truly meet them where they are. That could be online on social media, walking the aisles of an OTC store, out and about in the community or even at the local hair salon or barber shop.
OTC: How can OTC stores benefit from having your product lines in their stores?
RLM: We believe that OTC stores typically have the best product assortments and are where hair care or ingredient trends can really originate and where a lot of consumer education can happen at shelf. So having Luster Products’ brands in OTC stores allows us as a brand and our OTC partners to be part of that trendsetting and educational conversation.
OTC: What suggestions do you have about store placement of your items and also talking points for OTC store employees?
RLM: Having been in business for 65 years our product portfolio is very large covering the entire gamut of consumers’ hair care needs. We have collections for women, men and children. We prefer for our items to be placed by brand, to create a brand block, within the appropriate category. Also, we absolutely love an opportunity for dual placement, especially for our faster moving items like Pink Glosser and Lush Growth Oil. Oftentimes we will request placement within our brand block and also in the usage category, ie Pink Lush Growth Oil with the Pink brand products as well as with the competing oils set. Luster Products touts that we are the “original” moisturizing company with our iconic Pink Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion. We would love for OTC store employees to reiterate that fact and also publicize that we have been in business for 65 years, still family owned and operated. We want to relay to consumers that we are experts of the industry with products that are still relevant to date, while also offering items that are relevant to today’s hair care needs with natural based formulas good for the entire family.
OTC: Do you have any upcoming shows or events?
RLM: Our next event will be participating in the annual SistaStrut Walk in Chicago in October for Breast Cancer Awareness month.
OTC: Are there any new projects or products you’re working on?
RLM: Under our Luster’s Pink brand we recently launched our 100% natural Comfort Oil scalp serum and updated the packaging for our classic Oil Moisturizer Lotion and Glosser. So our main focus right now is getting the word out to consumers about these changes and gearing up for the holiday season.
Resa B. Luster-Mac Brand Manager at Large at Luster Products Inc.
Celebrating Partnership in Action
By Allyson Leak
The 2022 Jinny Sales event was an opportunity for the world’s largest multicultural and ethnic beauty supply distributor to meet with key vendors for a weekend of business, empowerment, and fun. From August 5th to 7th in the heart of Chicago, the Jinny executive, purchasing, and sales teams met with over 48 vendor partners for a weekend of strategy, opportunity, relationship, and recreation at the fabulous Sable Hotel at Navy Pier. Crowned one of Chicago’s signature destinations, the Sable Hotel was the perfect destination because of its lush accommodations, unique dining experiences, and rooftop bar. The meeting with Jinny’s vendors was to build and strengthen programs, conduct presentations, and outline major initiatives for the remainder of 2022.
The weekend kicked off with a welcome reception and the following morning, vendors had an opportunity to engage and update the Jinny Sales team on their latest products and developments. The evening was filled with an unforgettable boat tour on Lake Michi gan with fireworks, dinner, and dancing on the Spirit of Chicago cruise. The weekend wrapped up with more sales initiatives, presentations, and a delicious lunch in the hotel’s Lirica dining area, all in the spirit of fun, networking, training, and partnership.
2022 JINNY SALES MEETING
Eddie Jhin President at Jinny Corporation
“After analyzing this year’s Chicago Sales Meeting, I thought the new format of our Jinny sales people going to each vendor was a much better format than the previous Jinny Sales Meetings, but I still think we can find ways to improve. We need to accomplish two things for one another, first, to spend a little more time engaging with each vendor and salesman. Secondly, to be able to bring back home what you have learned from one another so that we can teach others who have not gone to the event and also for the vendors to bring back new information to their own companies. So, this is something we will try to do in 2023”.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Assistant Director of Retail Sales, Luster
“What a great meeting! Jinny has one of the best sales teams that I’ve ever seen. Our quick meetings were very engaging. Everyone was very attentive and knowledgeable, and suggested ideas on how we can grow the business together.”
Randy Lee
Products Inc.
SATURDAY
Art Emm, Director of Purchasing, Jinny Beauty Supply
“This was the most productive and interactive sales meeting I have ever been involved with. Our vendor partners and our sales teams were engaged in all aspects of the event; In the meeting rooms, on the boat, and at the Friday reception hosted by The Wella Company.
The sharing of information and industry knowledge was flowing the entire weekend. We received great feedback from our vendor partners as well as the Jinny team about this event, especially the boat cruise and fireworks. Looking forward to our extended version next year in Colorado to allow more time for sharing and networking.”
SATURDAY NIGHT CRUISE
Austin Russo Co-Founder StyeCraft & Gamma+ North America
“We are beyond proud and excited to be a part of Jinny group and it was an honor to participate in this year’s event in Chicago. The professionalism of the group was outstanding, only to be surpassed by the terrific time everyone had. The weekend was the perfect blend of fun and productivity. The meetings were exceptional as the Jinny team was engaged and asked thought-provoking questions. The views of Chicago on the evening cruise were breathtaking and the fireworks show was spectacular. We could not be more excited for the future of Jinny and StyleCraft and are blessed to work with such an incredible organization and family!”
Photo Credit: Ed Murawski @creativemedianaples
Photo Credit: Ed Murawski @creativemedianaples
Photo Credit: Ed Murawski @creativemedianaples
Photo Credit: Ed Murawski @creativemedianaples
SUNDAY MORNING
MANUFACTURER PROFILE
A brand builds a legacy by listening to its customers, showing respect and appreciation for its employees and partners, and providing the best quality products. We spoke with Camille Wright, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management from House of Cheatham, about the importance of giving back and what makes HOC a renowned brand.
OTC: How did the company get its start?
CW: House of Cheatham was founded in 1924.
OTC:When did you join the company and can you tell us about your role?
CW: I joined in March 2022 when Hollywood Beauty and House of Cheatham merged. I am the SVP of Marketing and Brand Management –representing the Hollywood Beauty and Kuza brands.
OTC: What products fall under the House of Cheatham umbrella?
CW: HOC has a very extensive catalog – Africa’s Best, Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils, Hollywood Beauty, Kuza, Originals by Africa’s Best, Texture My Way. We also offer kids collections – Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils and Kids Originals by Africa’s Best
OTC: Who is your main audience and what sets your brands apart from the rest of the industry?
CW: With this merger, House of Cheatham now offers solutions for a vast and wide population. However our consumers wish to wear his/her/their hair – natural, relaxed, textured, straight, or chemically treated – we have an answer. We also offer solutions and treatments for smooth skin and any other types of skin concerns.
OTC: Can you tell us about your work with HOC Cares? What was your most recent initiative and how can people support your endeavors?
CW: House of Cheatham is a very generous organization. Most recently, the company made a multi-million dollar donation to Clark Atlanta University and more donations to HBCUs are planned for the very near future, stay tuned.
CAMILLE WRIGHT, Sr. Vice President of Marketing & Brand Management
OTC: What trends do you feel are most prevalent in the multicultural beauty industry right now?
CW: I’ve been in this industry for a while now and the trend that I love the most is the season that we are currently in. I love that everyone is embracing themselves and working to present their best self to those who matter to them. Individuality, and respect for it – instead of being led by others, consumers are choosing what works best for their own lifestyle and I love it.
OTC: How do you share product knowledge with your customers and retailers?
CW: Customers and retailers can learn more about our products via our company and individual brand websites, our best-in-class product pages, and our various social media platforms where we partner with influencers to help engage our customers.
OTC: How has your experience been with social media marketing?
CW: I love social media marketing, but not just in a way to deliver messages, but receive them back from our consumers. We love to engage and learn from those who love our products. That relationship is extremely important to me and social media is a great way to connect.
OTC: How can OTC stores benefit from having your product lines in their stores?
What suggestions do you have about store placement of your items?
CW: Our brands are extremely popular. Having them in store and in highly visible places on shelf helps the consumer feel “at-home” and know that they are shopping in the right place. We move units. Consumers are in touch with our offerings. They love our solutions for hair and skin – so it’s a great benefit to the stores to have our brands available.
OTC: What does the future hold for House of Cheatham? Are there any new projects or products you’re working on?
CW: These are exciting times. We have an amazing team who is concerned with meeting the needs of our consumers while giving them the best experience with our brands. I think our new products will excite and unite. I can’t wait to see what our partners think of them.
OTC: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our OTC readers?
CW: Thank you. Gratitude is the key to happiness and the mother of all virtues. At House of Cheatham, we are thankful to your readers for keeping us top of mind with our consumers and being great partners in this great industry.
I am especially grateful that all of us are able to come together to expand opportunity and growth for all people around the world. Our approach is that no matter the direction of political winds, Alaffia’s core beliefs around beauty, equality and empowerment remain steadfast.
Olowo-n’djo
Tchala
Alaffia Founder & CEO
SHOW CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2022
WHEN WHAT WHERE CONTACT
SEPTEMBER
September 3-5 International Hair Fair Guangzhou, China www.internationalhairfair.com
September 25 Barbercon Dallas, TX www. Barbercon.com
September 29 Hair Love Retreat Zion, UT www. Hairloveretreat.com
September 10 - 12 MCB by Beauté Sélection, Wasquehal, France www.mcbbybeauteselection.com
September 17 - 18 Beauty Live & Hair Factory Germany www.beautylive.eu
September 15 - 17 COSMOPROF CBE ASEAN Bangkok, Thailand www.cosmoprofcbeasean.com
OCTOBER
October 2 - 3 Premiere Columbus Columbus, OH www.premierecolumbusshow.biz
October 9-10 International Esthetics, Cosmetic & Spa Conference West Palm Beach, FL www.iecscflorida.com
October 13 - 14 BeautyIstanbul Istanbul, Turkey www.beauty-istanbul.com
October 23 - 24 Image Expo Houston, TX www.theimageexpo.com
October 23 - 24 Premiere Birmingham Birmingham, AL www.premierebirminghamshow.biz
I. Purchase the
2.
3.
4.
5.
I. Purchase the required amount of the vendor’s products.
2.
3.
4. You’ll receive a credit from your Jinny Beauty
5. NO RETURNS will be accepted on coupon purchases.
I. Purchase the required amount of the vendor’s products. Coupon good for ONE TIME PURCHASE ONLY.
2. Fill out the coupon, supplying all necessary information.
3. Return the refund coupon* along with a copy of your original Jinny invoice** per
4. You’ll receive a credit from your Jinny Beauty Supply Accounting Department to be
5. NO
I.
2.
3. Return the refund coupon* along with a
READER FEEDBACK
Let your voice be heard!
In this segment, OTC Beauty Magazine wants to find out what is important to you, our loyal readers. Posing a handful of questions each month, our goal is to learn through feedback how to better serve you. We ask that you take a few minutes to share your thoughts; write responses on this sheet and mail it back to us, or send it via email.
여러분의 목소리를 내세요!
여러분의 목소리를 내세요! OTC 뷰티 매거진은 소중한 여러분의 의견을 수렴하려고 합니다. 매달 몇 가지의 질문을 통해 여러분의 의견을 듣고, 좀더 발전된 잡지를 만들고자 합니다. 약간의 시간을 내 주시어 여러분의 생각들을 전달해 주세요. 질문지에 답변을 하여 저희 사무실로 보내주시거나 이메일을 보내 주시면 됩니다. (연락처는 이 페이지 맨 밑에 있습니다)
How do you give back to your local community?
Have you donated to any community charities?
Would you like more ideas on how you can give back?
When we receive your feedback we will choose a few answers to feature in the next month’s issue. You could be famous just by answering a few questions – simple as that! We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for supporting this publication. 보내주신 답변 중 몇몇을 뽑아 다음달에 기재하도록 하겠습니다.
Name (성함)
Store Name (상호명) __________________________________
