Hairdressers from all over the world gathered at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico, this weekend to attend Farouk Systems’ 2013 Conference where education took center stage and teams from 13 of the 123 countries in Farouk’s “global empire” took part in a presentation aptly called The World of Hairdressing. Educators were honored at a gala on opening night where cosmetology students, mentored by world-renowned Farouk Systems educator George Cooper, put on a show that brought down the house. [pagebreak]
ight=430,width=321]]Celebrity Apprentice Season 1 winner and motivational speaker Bill Rancic, who was introduced by his wife, television personality Giuliana Rancic, delivered an inspiring keynote address about what it takes to be successful. “Having the ability to recognize opportunity but also being able to seize the opportunity is the secret of a successful businessman,” Rancic said. So what stops most people in their tracks? In a word, fear. “Fear of falling and fear of loud noises are the only two fears we’re born with,” Rancic said. “Everything else is learned.”
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ight=430,width=323]]CEO Basim Shami announced that Farouk Systems will be a sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City this fall, a first for the company. Later he was joined onstage by Farouk Shami to present a check for $25,000 to Bright Pink, a non-profit organization that focuses on risk reduction and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer that CHI will be working with. [pagebreak]
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New this year was the Learning Center, which offered a multi-sensory exploration of CHI and BioSilk products as well as look-and-learn classes. VP of Marketing Mary Wilson also offered a peek at the company’s marketing objectives for the rest of this year, including the repackaging and updating of the BioSilk line and the launch of Color Therapy. [pagebreak]
Education, of course, has always been paramount at Farouk Systems, and VP of Shows and Education Lisa Maris Garcia announced that the company partnered with Lone Star College in Houston, Texas, recently, donating $5 million to build the CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology, which opened this spring and offers students the opportunity of actually earning an Associate’s Degree in Cosmetology, a first in our industry.
After the General Session, which kicked off the conference, attendees waited in a line that snaked out the door to the Learning Center to get a signed copy of Farouk Shami’s new book, American by Choice, which details his rags-to-riches story from coming to this country as a Palestinian immigrant with $71 in his pocket to becoming the owner of a global beauty empire. It’s a compelling read that offers rare insight into the life of a man who refused to give up even in the face of enormous obstacles. Trust us, it’s a real page-turner. -Marianne Doughtery, Editor at Large
