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What comes after beauty school? Margaret Francois of SalonCentric joins LuLu Benavidez to discuss how education, community, and social media can help beauty professionals build their careers.

Recorded September 28 in Chicago at Mireya Villarreal’s From Chair to Boss event, this Beauty Industry Voices conversation explores supporting the next generation—from developing business skills to creating a professional online presence.

We discuss:
• Education and resources available to beauty students
• The value of networking and community
• Using social media as a professional portfolio
• Separating personal and business accounts
• AI-generated beauty images and realistic client expectations
• Why showing your real work and progress matters

Thank you, Margaret, for sharing your perspective, and Mireya, for bringing our industry together to learn and grow.

Subscribe to Beauty Industry Voices and share this conversation with a fellow beauty professional. What do you wish you had known when you started your career? Tell us in the comments!

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00:00 — Opening and Meet Margaret Francois
00:38 — Education, Community, and Connection
01:21 — The Growth of From Chair to Boss
02:15 — Supporting Students Beyond Beauty School
03:36 — Building a Brand and Social Media Presence
05:01 — Personal Accounts vs. Professional Portfolios
05:54 — AI Beauty Images and Client Expectations
06:41 — Using AI Thoughtfully and Showing Your Progress
07:34 — Thank You and Closing

Tags:
Margaret Francois, SalonCentric, Beauty Industry Voices, LuLu Benavidez, From Chair to Boss, Mireya Villarreal, beauty school, cosmetology students, beauty career, beauty education, salon business education, social media for hairstylists, hairstylist branding, beauty industry networking, professional portfolio, AI beauty images, client expectations, beauty industry podcast

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In this episode of Beauty Industry Voices, Lulu Benavidez sits down with Hans at the Chair 2 Boss event in Chicago. They discuss the realities of growing a business while staying committed to community impact. Whether you are navigating your own path or looking for inspiration to grow, this conversation offers a roadmap for aligning your professional ambition with your values.

Learn how to prioritize networking as a growth tool and why the beauty industry relies on strong interpersonal ties. Hans shares his perspective on moving from a chair to a boss, emphasizing the importance of staying grounded throughout the process. By focusing on these core principles, you can create a sustainable business model that supports both your goals and those around you.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on meaningful living, and let us know in the comments what role community plays in your professional journey.

#BeautyIndustryVoices #FromChairToBoss #CosmetologyEducation #SalonBusiness #BeautyIndustry

Chapter Time
0:00 Elevating Standards and Giving Back
3:10 Human Connection in a Digital Age
5:12 The Reality of Overnight Success
6:45 Becoming a Solution Provider

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In this episode of Beauty Industry Voices, LuLu Benavidez welcomes Jonathan, Executive Director of Seeing for Ourselves. From his childhood in the Bronx and career with New York City Transit to his work in books and PBS documentaries, Jonathan shares how storytelling became the thread connecting his life’s work.

Discover how participatory photography helps public housing residents, people serving probation, and young immigrants share their experiences beyond stereotypes. Jonathan also discusses My Climate Future, a film bringing young people’s perspectives into the climate conversation, and his commitment to continuing founder George Carrano’s legacy.

We finish with “Voices in Five,” revealing Jonathan’s favorite film, meaningful childhood memories, and reassuring advice to his younger self.

Watch or listen, share this conversation with someone who loves photography and storytelling, and subscribe to Beauty Industry Voices.

Learn more: Seeing for Ourselves

Chapters

These timestamps match your supplied transcript.
00:00 — Opening Preview: Dignity and Hope
00:42 — Meet Jonathan Fisher
02:03 — Welcome to Beauty Industry Voices
02:47 — Growing Up in the Bronx
05:36 — NYC Transit: Maps, MetroCards, and Storytelling
09:16 — Getting Around New York City
10:35 — George Carrano and Seeing for Ourselves
12:52 — What Is Participatory Photography?
15:07 — AI Images and Unrealistic Expectations
15:50 — Project Lives: Public Housing Through Residents’ Eyes
18:25 — Photography, Probation, and Second Chances
20:02 — Young Immigrants Tell Their Stories
22:27 — Community Arts and Opportunities for Youth
24:23 — Continuing George’s Legacy and My Climate Future
28:41 — Supporting the Film’s Impact Campaign
29:32 — Voices in Five: Getting to Know Jonathan
33:26 — Where to Connect and Support the Work
34:20 — Thank You and Closing

Keywords and tags

Jonathan Fisher, Seeing for Ourselves, Beauty Industry Voices, LuLu Benavidez, participatory photography, visual storytelling, community photography, Project Lives, public housing photography, In a Whole New Way, criminal justice rehabilitation, photography and second chances, immigrant stories, Not From These Parts, My Climate Future, youth climate voices, George Carrano, PBS documentaries, photography nonprofit. Know in the comments how you find hope in your own daily experiences.

www.lulubenavidez.com

www.beautyindusrtyvoices.com

@lulubenavidez