Meet Bryan Reed, September Educator of the Month

Bryan Reed was born to be a Brazilian Professionals Educator, which is why Premier Beauty has selected him as the September Educator of the Month! Below, he dishes on his start in the business, what he’s learned as an educator and his favorite trends:

Why did you become an educator?

In hair school, I always told my instructors I wanted to be a platform artist. Throughout my career in cosmetology, I was always fascinated with going to different classes and gaining as much knowledge of the business as I could. This sparked my interest in becoming an educator.

The best educators displayed a strong passion for the product they were demonstrating and the knowledge they were passing along. I asked myself what product line I was most passionate about and that brought me to Brazilian Professionals. The interest I had in learning about new products and services is infused in the educator role. We get to experience new products and services firsthand, so it was a win-win for me. In the hair industry, knowledge is power and being an educator helps me to spread that message.

Out of all the brands, why did you want to educator for Brazilian Professionals?

You can use this product line on so many different hair textures. I’m bi-racial and the Brazilian Professionals product line has worked wonders on my hair as well as my clients’ hair.

Brazilian Professionals also has so many facets to their business and really cares about stylists. The quickly growing brand launches products that are customizable, innovative and trendy.

I love my clients’ reaction as they touch and feel their hair after a Brazilian Blowout. I quickly saw the benefit to carrying this product line not only for the overall satisfaction of our clients but also the health of our business. Brazilian Professionals continues to launch new products to complement each client.     

What has educating taught you?

Educating has taught me to always keep an open mind. There are so many stylists in the world with a passion for what they do. When educating, you work one-on-one with some stylists who have been in the field for many years and are accustomed to a certain product line. This has taught me patience and understanding from the other side of the spectrum—the student’s side. I always encourage questions and feedback to ensure the students have a full understanding of the Brazilian Professionals product line.  

How has becoming an educator influenced your life in the salon?

Being an educator has influenced my salon life in more ways than I can imagine. The biggest impact is on my ability to create professional relationships with stylists, educators and salon owners all over the U.S. I receive emails, phone calls and text messages daily from different fellow stylists I’ve met throughout my travels. This shows me that the education is beneficial and they are always willing to learn.

I am viewed as the go-to person in my salon for all questions related to the product line, which helps drive profitability and client satisfaction. Having the business relationships with multiple distributors also helps me widen my perspective on many new products and services as they hit the market. Keeping up with the latest products and trends helps me to stay up-to-date with my work in the salon.

How do you successfully use b3 at the color bar?

I am in LOVE with b3 Brazilian Bond Builder and how it’s been a total game changer in the hair world. We are able to be even more creative by breaking boundaries and not bonds! I don’t color, highlight, balayage, babylight, or ombre without it.

Besides making myself and the salon more money, it also keeps repeat clientele by providing healthy results. Clients are more trusting when they walk out of the salon with color they were looking for, without the cost of damaging their hair.

Where do you draw inspiration from to use behind the chair?

In this era, social media has become not only a tool for marketing but also a tool for learning different techniques, trends and styles. I also make it a point to attend as many classes as possible, ranging from haircutting techniques to different hair extension brands. Knowledge is power and it’s vital in order to stay relevant in this business.

In the Brazilian Professionals world, there are many different educators that are inspiring, but I’ve always appreciated our head of education, Alfredo Lewis. He has always pushed us as educators to always be on our A game and not wait for information to pass us by. It’s always a learning game.

What makes Brazilian different than other smoothing lines?

The best part about Brazilian Blowout is that it’s completely customizable. If your hair is wavy, curly, straight, frizzy or dry, the Brazilian Blowout helps your hair appear natural, frizz-free and, most importantly, healthy. It uses a super nutrient complex to make your hair healthier and stronger.

Unlike other treatments, the Brazilian Blowout uses amino acids and different temperature levels to achieve maximum results that are catered to the client’s wants or needs. Personally, my favorite part about Brazilian Blowout is that it’s virtually rule-free other than ensuring you color your hair first. Other than that, you can leave the salon and virtually not change anything about your daily routine. Clients leave without any solution in their hair.

What’s your advice for someone who wants to boost their smoothing business?

Every client that sits in your chair is a good candidate for the service. You just need to make sure you cater to their needs. Put yourself out there advertise the services you offer and make your service stand out from everyone else’s.

Best educator moment?

When your class thanks you for the best class they’ve been to in years—that’s a good feeling. Another moment is when you know your class understands and are confident in performing all of the treatments Brazilian Professionals has to offer.

Favorite trend?

I don’t like to follow trends. I like to be the trendsetter!

What’s your favorite product and why?

I LOVE the Split End Solution because I love telling my client about how the system works. It’s PERFECT for prolonging the shape of your precision cut!!