
Rodrick Samuels on The Silent Work, Modern Beauty Education and Why Empathy Wins
MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.
The most unique location I ever cut/colored/styled hair was: ________. If we picked your answer as one of the best 10, we're going to direct message you on Facebook to get your address to send you a FREE bottle of Biolage ExquisiteOil Replenishing Treatment (check those inboxes)!

To celebrate MODERN's 100,000 Facebook LIKES and to thank our fans for helping us get there, get ready for exciting giveaways!!
Throughout this celebration, we're going to post a fill-in-the-blank question for you to answer once per day. If we choose your answer as one of our favorites, you win that day's giveaway! We're talking free shears, shampoos, stylers, nail polishes and more as we celebrate this huge milestone! Each day brings a new post and a new opportunity to win something cool, so make sure you "LIKE" MODERN's Facebook page!
Thursday, December 6th's question was: The most unique location I ever cut/colored/styled hair was: ________.
If we picked your answer as one of the best 10, we're going to direct message you on Facebook to get your address to send you a FREE bottle of Biolage ExquisiteOil Replenishing Treatment (check those inboxes)!
The ExquisiteOil Replenishing Treatment alone can be used to:
• MASSAGE before shampooing for a smoothing treatment.
• RESTORE dry mid-lengths and ends for immediate luster.
• REPLENISH extra-dry ends by using as an overnight treatment.
• DETANGLE after shampooing for additional manageability.
• PROTECT during blow-drying or prior to flat ironing for softness and shine.
The 10 MODERN Facebook fans who will be receiving the oil are below! Congratulations to the winners—keep an eye on those Facebook inboxes!
The most unique location I ever cut/colored/styled hair was ________
1...at a birthing center, I styled a client 30 minutes before she gave birth. Hey, she wanted beautiful pictures! —Jennifer Rodriguez
2...in the office of a convenience store. The manager had made and canceled appointments for weeks and was so understaffed and kept getting called in so I cut it for her in her office during her break. —Jess Mckinney
3...in a parking lot outside of a diner. I was having breakfast and a couple stopped me on the way to restroom to tell me they liked my hair, I told them 'thank you!' They asked where I got it done, I told them I was a hair stylist, and my coworker cut it. When I was on my way back from restroom the gentleman asked me if I happened to have shears with me and would do a quickie cut in the parking lot! It was a neat experience! —Stephanie Roberts-White
4...at a local country music fest, my "clients" sat on a cooler, one saw I was cutting hair and I had a line form! Thank goodness for generators! —Samantha A. Braun
5...a client was to have her hair styled in the salon for a wedding she was in, but she had a very upset stomach and couldn't leave the toilet. While her neighbor picked up a prescription for her, I went to her home and did her hair while she sat you-know-where doing you-know-what. She was mortified, but once the meds kicked in, she made it to the wedding and I gained some new clients! —Paula Gordon Hamer
6...in the parking lot of a CVS. I was coming home from the salon and had to stop for aspirin or something. A woman was standing in the parking lot with her young daughter who got some kind of glue in her hair that was on her father's workbench in the garage. Luckily I had a lot of various product in my trunk to soften the glue enough to get some of it out. I used Moroccanoil and bottled water so I got the glue out had to cut some of it out, then finished the cut into a little layered bob child's hair cut. I was in the parking lot for an hour! —Myssie Ebright
7...at a punk show at Asbury Lanes bowling ally in Asbury Park, NJ. My friend/client was the tour manager for a band and desperately needed her hair done. We cut and colored her at the merch table and shampooed her in the bathroom sink. All while the bands were playing! —Audrey Traum
8...I walked into a T.J. Maxx and saw an employee with a bad hair cut. I told him I'm a stylist and I gave him my card. Before I left the store, he told me that if I were a true stylist I would do his hair after he got off of work that night. I told him I would. When he was off, I had my clippers with me and I turned on my headlights for light and gave him a fade right there! It was fun and I received 5 new clients from him! —Staci Marie Helmeid
9...my friend and I were in Ocean City Maryland a few years ago. She was complaining that her hair was bugging her. I told her I had my shears so she agrees to a hair cut. So here I am in the McDonalds parking lot giving her a layered cut with bangs. This then caused a few others to get theirs done. I became the new drive thru! —Alicia Miller
10...was at a salon that I didn't work at yet! I was doing a first-time client of mine's hair at home, and I had already applied color and highlights and was letting her process. That's when the major water line on our road busted, and I found out it would be hours before it came back on! When water bottles were not working to rinse the color out, I called the salon I had an interview that evening with, and the owner allowed me to drive there, in my apron, with my client, in cape and towel on head, to shampoo, cut, and style her. She liked that I did what I had to do to take care of my client, and I started there the next day! —Emily Gallo

MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.

"The mistake people make is treating AI like a vending machine instead of a personal assistant." Digital marketing expert Scott Moon shares how beauty professionals can use AI while staying authentic

Real-world advice on creativity, consultations, color, burnout, business, boundaries, inclusivity, client care, and career growth from educators and industry experts.

Today's clients are hearing more about longevity, biohacking, inflammation, and healthy aging than ever before. This article explores the science and language behind the skin longevity movement, and what it could mean for client consultations, treatment recommendations, and professional credibility.

Licensed to Thrive, Anna Manukyan's all-in-one beauty career and financial masterclass, is being gifted to professionals who enroll in L'Oreal LEVEL Rewards for a limited time.

From breaking free of external validation to creating joy-based goals, discover a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.

A full day of education for hairstylists and salon pros focused on pricing, personal branding, client experience, social media, and long-term career growth.

From working backstage at multiple Paris Fashion Week shows to collaborating on four creative collections and expanding her international stage work, Michelle Bowden has had an incredible year of growth. Here, we break down her approach that drove her momentum, offering a framework for stylists looking to elevate their own careers.

This marks Ulta Beauty’s first scholarship partnership with Beauty Changes Lives, building on years of enthusiastic support for the organization and its mission.

Locally owned Great Clips salons offer a wide variety of career opportunities, competitive compensation, supportive salon teams and opportunities to grow your skills, both technically and professionally.
Sponsored by Great Clips

Salon suite consultant Karen Kaminski explains why cheap salon suite rent can destabilize the salon suite business model and why value-based pricing may be a smarter strategy.

These stylists practice hairdresser magic, transforming clients into unicorns, mermaids, rainbows and living works of art.

Keratin Complex is taking education on the road in 2026 with the launch of KC on Tour, a live event series featuring industry icon and salon business coach Tabatha Coffey.

Modern professionalism is evolving beyond hard skills. Technical training is essential but about 85 percent of job success comes from soft skills. In a world where AI and automation are increasing, human connection becomes more valuable, not less.

In his new book "The Creative Mastermind," a writer and creative executive behind brands such as "Top Chef," "Fear Factor," and "Real Housewives," shares his insider knowledge for navigating today's chaotic content landscape.

Personalization is no longer just the cherry on top; it’s the whole sundae. If clients don’t feel like you designed and personalized the experience just for them, they’ll find a salon that does.

Ulta Beauty is always innovating to meet professionals where they are. Amazing transformations happened at The Salon at Ulta Beauty in 2025, and Ulta Beauty artistry and education will be everywhere you want to go in the year ahead. Come see all The Salon at Ulta Beauty has planned for you in 2026!
Sponsored by Ulta Beauty