In a nearly unheard of industry accomplishment, Tim “Bo” Mack, owner of So Addictive Hair Studio won the 2017 Artistic Educator of the Year award by PRAVANA. The award was presented at the company’s annual Summit, held recently in Los Angeles.
Says Tim, “I was there to work and do my best; I didn’t even know the award was being given out. When they said my name, I was in shock. I cried like a baby.”
The award meant all the more, he adds, because the votes came from both corporate employees and other educators—his respected and admired peers. Known for his hard work, in-depth knowledge, affability and can-do attitude, Tim says he was told the winner had to “get along with everyone.” And, that any time he taught somewhere, the company got positive emails about how others enjoyed having him teach. So, why was winning such a surprise? Because less than two years ago, when Tim was working in a salon, the owner had told him he wasn’t good enough.
In Photo: Tim Bo Mack and PRAVANA General Manager, Michelle Chandler
Steps to Success
After making the move to a salon suite at Salons by JC – Corpus Christi, Tim initially lacked the confidence to take a PRAVANA sales manager up on an offer to facilitate an introduction as a potential, part-time educator. After about a year, he decided he was ready. The audition process included a resume, references, before-and- after photos from his portfolio and a 10-minute video of him demonstrating a technique, using PRAVANA hair color. When he finally got the call to go to Los Angeles for training, he says, he paid the air fare; the company paid for the hotel and the education.
“You take about three Los Angeles training sessions; then you can shadow a coach or if you are ready, get out on your own, starting with in-store education,” explains Tim. “Salon owners who see you will invite you in their salons to teach their staff. Hair color laws never change, but every artist has his or her own flair. I gave 200%, and as a people person, I always got requests.”
Moving up to teaching at shows and doing platform work, Tim saw an opportunity to become a regional educator when two artists had to leave. He went through the entire audition process again, and got the promotion not long before winning his new award.
In Photo: Tim Bo Mack acceptance speech at PRAVANA Summit
So You Want to Be an Educator
Traveling four weekends a month can be difficult, but Tim usually takes his family along and says his daughter thinks it’s fun. His wife is a teacher with a flexible schedule but there is always Skype and FaceTime when she stays home. “At the Premiere Orlando show, I ended up being featured in Modern Salon magazine, and once, a magazine ran a photo of me doing my daughter’s hair, which she really loved,” says Tim. “There are cons, such as the time and energy it requires, but there are so many pros, too. The pay is great, and not only do you set yourself apart from other stylists, you become special among your peers because they trust your judgment. Once, I even got to work on stage with my idol Sam Villa, during a cut-and- styling class that promoted his tools.”
In Photo: Tim Bo Mack and his fans
What’s Next
When Tim isn’t busy working in his suite or traveling, he turns to social media, sharing his travel adventures with his clients and using it to network with other pros. His responsiveness to Facebook posts was another thing the PRAVANA voters said they liked. His engagement on his Facebook and Instagram, easily made him a stand out for voters. Up next for Tim is the expansion of his salon suite to include a second station for an assistant, which will allow him to double book. Of course, he queried his clients first to see how they felt about it.
Going from leaving a salon without even a client list to becoming PRAVANA’s 2017 Artistic Educator of the Year in less than two years has been a whirlwind of an adventure that Tim says he wouldn’t have missed for the world.
“If you are thinking of going into business for yourself, just take a deep breath and jump in,” he says. “Renting a suite was scary for me and now, between working in my suite and educating, it’s a Cinderella story.” One that doesn’t end when the clock strikes midnight.
Follow Tim Bo Mack on Social Media:
Facebook @soaddictivehairstudio
Instagram: @timboplease
About Salons by JC: In 1997, Jack Griffey and Cecil Miller began their journey to transform the beauty industry one salon suite at a time. Like most young entrepreneurs, they started out with a big idea but had to learn how to start and run a business from scratch. After much perseverance and hard work, one year later, they opened Salons by JC in Dallas, TX in 1998, welcoming beauty and wellness specialists who were ready to break free from the traditional salon model. The company has since moved its headquarters from Dallas to San Antonio, where it continues to grow through franchising. Today, Salons by JC has over 87 locations in 24 states and Canada. For more information, visit salonsbyjc.com or salonsbyjc.com/franchise
