UNITE Educator, Sarah Hesley, personalizes her approach to education, and that’s why we’ve selected her as Premier Beauty’s February Educator of the Month!

How’d you get your start in education?

I’ve always been passionate about learning and growing with education. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time when Premier started looking for Unite educators in my area, so I jumped at the opportunity.

What’s your favorite product from UNITE?

7Seconds Condition Leave-in Detangler is my absolute favorite because it’s so universal. It has heat and UV protectants, controls frizz, and smells awesome. It’s just a great all-in-one product that I can use on everyone.

I’ve also been loving 7Seconds Glossing spray lately. It’s perfect for controlling static and fly-aways during the winter months.

What's the newest, freshest approach you're bringing to education?

I think it’s essential to personalize education as much as possible. Different salons struggle with different things, so I always try to connect with the salon owner beforehand to get an understanding of what their specific challenges are and how I can make the class most valuable for them.

What are the common problems faced by stylists today?

I think social media is something a lot of stylists struggle with on many different levels; it can really work for or against you. So many stylists have a hard time knowing how to use it, especially when it’s always changing and evolving.

It’s so important to get a grasp on social media and figure out what content you should be creating, how you should be tagging it, etc. It’s not optional for today’s stylist; if you want to be successful, you have to stay educated and current on social media, or you’ll hit a ceiling.

What do you want stylists to know about education?

A lot of work goes into truly learning new techniques. Doing something once or twice doesn’t make you an expert. Styling is a skill that you have to work on and continue practicing; it’s not something you just learn overnight. It takes a lot of time and effort.

Any advice for educators?

Know your audience and be yourself. When you’re comfortable with yourself and can really connect with your students on the specific issues they face, that’s when you create a good learning environment.

It’s also crucial to keep yourself as educated as possible so you can be current on the things your students bring you.

What are your educator goals?

I want to continue moving up with UNITE. I love that their classes are challenging, and I feel like I’m constantly learning and pushing myself to a new level.

What new skill would you like to learn? (hair or non-hair!)

I really want to learn how to rock climb. Even though I love what I do, it’s easy to burn out, and I think everyone needs an outlet that just lets them get away and disconnect. Rock climbing really draws me in for that reason.

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