Equipped with their clippers, clips, shears, razors and wide tooth combs, approximately 60 stylists and salon owners gathered together to expand their skills at Mizani's 2010 Business Academy: Indigenous Texture event yesterday.

On the 17th floor of Trump Towers in Chicago, stylists shuffled from classroom to classroom learning
how to self-market, creative cut for the textured client, and how to be a business savvy professional.
When I arrived at the event around 11 a.m., Stephan Thompson, owner of BIZLink Management
Systems, was educating stylists on how they can better serve themselves and their clients through
BIZLink software. According to Thompson, the software has a customer long-term scheduling capability,
an advanced scheduling limitation, an advanced search of clients and appointments, client notification
of appointments, customer reports and more. Your clients can even choose multiple services with you,
and add comments/feedback.

Stephan Thompson, owner of BIZLink Management Systems, educated stylists during the event's business seminar
During the seminar, stylists were allowed to ask questions about the software system.

Mizani Educator, Nia Yates, also presented to the stylists on how they can better market themselves. She talked about how to properly display retail products, along with how advanced education can lead to personal growth in one's career.

After the business presentation, there was a brief raffle where a pair of shears, a blow dryer and flat iron were awarded to a few select stylists! Everyone was so excited!

Mizani Educator, Nia Yates
And the winner is...

Then there was a delicious complimentary lunch offered to everyone who attended the seminar.

Roasted vegetables, steak tips, eggplant parmesan, and cold ice tea were served to attendees.

After everyone filled themselves up with eggplant parmesan, steak tips, and bon bons galore, we all headed to the cutting and styling classrooms! The classroom I attended was called, "Clip That Curl: Creative Cutting for the Textured Client." The class started off with brief introductions. Surprisingly, most of the attendees had at least 15-20 years experience in the beauty industry! The class also consisted of Mizani educators: Evie Johnson, Geno Evans, Virgil M. Daniels, Angela Hernandes and Latham Alexander.

The class taught the stylists how to recognize the elements of hair sculpting as they relate to shapes, proportions, angles and visual relationship to the individual client. Stylists learned how to use the Mizani Natural Curl Key, a tool that helps identify and determine which curl type a client has.

Geno Evans and Latham Alexander educate stylists about Mizani Moisturefuse.

Stylists learned about the Mizani Moisturefuse collection, which consists of various products that help replenish and restore hair's fibers. "As stylists you cannot style, cut, relax anything until the hair is balanced," said Evie Johnson. "Hair bonds need to be restored on the inside in order to be nice on the outside."Virgil M. Daniels educates the class about the different curl patterns using the Mizani Natural Curl Key.

Before cutting, stylists also learned about the eight haircutting principles and how creating a "roadmap" or a "plan of action" is a crucial step in creating a successful hair cut. The eight steps consisted of: consulting; planning your design; being mindful of your body, finger and hand positions; having nice crisp partings, elevation, incorporating some kind of texturizing technique (point cutting, notching, slithering etc.;) and last but not least, cross checking to make sure everything is precise!

After the lecture, everyone got down to business and styled away!

Evie Johnson teaches stylists how to panel out the hair cut.
The Pequot consists of seven panels.

The lesson of the day was the Pequot, inspired by the daring cut for the women in the Native American Pequot tribe (looks like a long Mohawk). Stylists learned how to construct the cut within eight steps.

Deanna Robin, stylist for 22 years
Jennifer Maynerd, stylist for 20 years. She came all the way from Trinidad for this class!

Overall, it was a GREAT time, and everyone I talked to had a blast! If you would like to learn more about Mizani visit their website at Mizani-usa.com.

Stylists crowd around to get a better glimpse of how to do the Pequot.