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Memo Exclusive: An Interview with Beauty Industry Group's Brandon Hutchins
Founded in 2004, Beauty Industry Group (BIG) is an industry leader for professional hair extensions and related beauty products in North America.
January 27, 2017
Brandon Hutchins
3 min to read
Founded in 2004, Beauty Industry Group (BIG) is an industry leader for professional hair extensions and related beauty products in North America, with a network of over 40 independent distributors throughout the continent as well as a large direct to consumer presence.
Brands underneath the BIG umbrella include Babe Hair Extensions, Donna Bella Hair, Twisted Fringe, Sono, Babe Lash, and Beauty Depot.
BIG is overseen by CEO Derrick Porter and BIG executives including Darin Jacobs, vice president of finance, Fred Wasden, vice president of operation, and Brandon Hutchins, vice president of marketing.
Hutchins shared a closer look at BIG, which was named one of Utah’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies in 2016, and answered questions about their Babe brand.
MS: Are your brands developed in-house or all the brands acquired?
BH: All of our existing brands were developed in-house. We haven’t acquired any brands within the beauty industry, although BIG is very actively looking to acquire and grow additional brands within the beauty industry. We are looking at partnering with their existing teams to enhance their expertise and skill sets with financial and human capital, and then, unlike most investment companies, to hold those companies for decades.
MS: Do you have your eye on any other acquisitions?
BH: Yes, but we’re under lock and key and aren’t talking about it, yet, but we hope to have some exciting news to share over the next several months.
MS: Where is Babe currently distributed?
BH: Babe is distributed throughout all 50 US states, Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, Australia, Dubai, and several countries in Europe.
MS: What kind of training and certification is offered with Babe?
BH: Babe offers a variety of training and educational options so stylists can choose what is best and most convenient for them. Babe offers an extensive education training program through each of the independent dealers. On average, classes are being held one-to-two times per month with each distributor.
In addition to education being offered through our dealer network, Babe also educates at all of the main industry trade shows in the US and Canada. Babe also has an online education portal, where stylists can learn and become certified online, which is great for those that live in remote areas and have a hard time getting to the in-person classes.
MS: How does a stylist learn about Babe?
BH: Through Babe’s distributor network there are over 400 distributor sales consultants who hit the street every week to talk about the Babe brand, both to existing Babe users as well as those that aren’t currently familiar with the brand. Babe is also carried in over 100 stores nationwide through the dealer network where stylists can learn more about the extensions, feel the quality, and purchase hair for their clients.
Babe also maintains their own sales force, consisting of business development managers who work closely with distributors and top stylists from all around the United States. Tom Volk, vice president of sales and education for Babe, leads this team and works tirelessly to educate stylists and salon owners about the Babe brand.
Information can also be found online or by visiting any of Babe’s social platforms.
MS: Will Babe be at any of the industry trade shows in 2017?
BH: Yes, Babe will be at all major industry shows including: ISSE, ABS, IBS, Premiere, and ABA Toronto.
http://beautyindustrygroup.com/
**img-jpeg-Brandon Hutchins
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