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Victor Paul – Artist Spotlight

The go-to hair and makeup guy for Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County, Victor Paul, has over two and a half decades of experience making women look beautiful. Now, he’s co-owner of Victor Paul Salon in Costa Mesa, California, where he specializes in hair styling and color for the women (and yes, even the men) of the O.C. Believing hair and makeup to be a highly expressive medium, Victor Paul has a wide spectrum of creative and technical abilities that has afforded him with many exciting and vast opportunities. In addition to working behind the chair at his namesake salon, he is also an accomplished session artist. A two-time nominee for the prestigious North American Hairdresser Awards or N.A.H.A., his work has been featured in countless hair and beauty publications worldwide. Victor Paul has done hair and makeup for numerous advertising campaigns and editorial fashion shoots, with his most recent work being seen for Winston Jewelers. He personally has been written up in Orange Coast, Riviera and ENJOY Life magazines, and has been featured on Good Day L.A. with Jillian Reynolds. With a refreshing down to earth sincerity, Victor Paul is truly one of today’s top talents. His positive and highly energetic attitude is both welcome and infectious. “Hair and makeup touches a familiar cord in all of us,” says Victor Paul. “It is the fusion of art with life, and the medium that blends reality with emotion.” He adds, “My passion with hair is seeing cut, color and style all come together to make everybody feel beautiful. I enjoy the process of figuring out what works on each person. I also believe that education is key and that you can never stop learning or enhancing your craft. I truly love watching new talent come up the ranks as I find the younger generation of hairdressers to be very inspiring.”
Photo: Taggart Winterhalter for Purely Visual
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2014 Write-offs to Benefit Charity (and You)

In need of a few write-offs for the 2014 tax year? Charity organizations could use the help. While closing out your books for the year, consider giving to one (or more) charities of your choice. If you’re in need of a little inspiration, consider one of these worthy causes… The American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/ For over 100 years, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has worked relentlessly to save lives and create a world with less cancer. Together with millions of supporters worldwide, they help people stay well and get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer. Feeding America http://www.feedingamerica.org Their mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. UNICEF https://www.unicefusa.org UNICEF’s vision is a better world for children everywhere. UNICEF does whatever it takes to save and protect the world’s most vulnerable children. Forty years ago, UNICEF figured out that promoting simple, low-cost interventions like hand washing and breastfeeding could save millions of lives. Undaunted by war or geography, UNICEF delivers. Make a Wish http://wish.org Make-A-Wish® grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in the United States and its territories, on average, every 38 minutes. Wishes make life better for kids with life-threatening medical conditions. This simple, but powerful belief drives Make-A-Wish. United Way http://www.unitedway.org United Way envisions a world where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, income stability and healthy lives. United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good. ASPCA https://www.aspca.org/ For over 140 years, the ASPCA has worked tirelessly to put an end to animal abuse and neglect. They are a national leader in the areas of rescue, adoption and welfare. St Jude Children’s Hospital http://www.stjude.org St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children’s catastrophic diseases. Have a favorite cause you’d like to add to the list? Give ’em a shout-out below!
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Toys for Tots Toy Drive

Are you looking for a worthy charity for your salon’s holiday fundraising efforts? This year, consider Toys for Tots. The national Toys for Tots program proudly delivers a message of hope along with a new toy to less fortunate children in the community during the holidays. 

How it Works

Local toy collection campaigns last until mid to late December.  Members of the community drop new, unwrapped toys in collection boxes positioned in local businesses.  Toys for Tots coordinators pick up these toys and store them in central warehouses where the toys are sorted.  At Christmas toys are distributed to the less fortunate children of the community. Over the years Toys for Tots has established close working relationships with social welfare agencies, churches and other local community agencies, which are well qualified to identify the needy children in the community and play important roles in the distribution of the toys.

While Toys for Tots Coordinators organize, coordinate and manage the campaign, the ultimate success depends on the support of the local community including business leaders and the generosity of the people who donate toys.  If you are interested in having your salon become a collection center, or you wish to make a single donation, contact Toys for Tots through their website at http://www.toysfortots.org. Make the difference in the life of a less fortunate child in your area!

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Children With Hair Loss

“Covering Young Heads To Heal Young Hearts”™

Written by: Doug Smith Photo’s: Courtesy of Children With Hair Loss

CWHL (Children With Hair Loss) opened their doors September, 2000 after Founder and CEO Regina Villemure witnessed firsthand the devastating effects hair loss has on young children. Her niece, Sarah, diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at age three, underwent five years of chemo therapy and Regina immediately identified an opportunity to provide human hair replacements for so many children in need.  Mom, Grandma, Hairdresser, Instructor, Hair Replacement Specialist and former Salon Owner, Regina was inspired to use her power to give children the confidence and security that comes along with a full head of hair.

CWHL is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization with the mission of improving the lives of children suffering from hair loss by providing human hair replacements and care kits at NO COST to them or their families. CWHL doesn’t stop there! They also provide support and education about hair replacements to those very children, as well as the many volunteer hairdressers and barbers who donate their time and hearts to this noble cause. CWHL also provides all of their products and services to their recipients on an annual basis FREE OF CHARGE until they reach age 21. Originally CWHL focused on helping children fighting cancer. Through the years, however, the organization came to realize there are “a lot of other reasons why children lose hair including Alopecia, burns, Trichotillomania and other rare diseases and disorders.”  Over the 13 year history of CWHL, the organization has helped thousands of children (at no cost). Currently CWHL helps an average of 300 children annually.

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 HAIRDRESSERPOWER.COM invites all subscribers to consider getting involved with CWHL. Here are some ways you can help.
  • Volunteer as a cosmetologist or barber providing free styling and care for a child’s hair replacement
  • Follow CWHL on Twitter and TWEET and/or LIKE their Facebook page. SHARE with your friends and post photos and comments of hair donors on their wall using the hashtag #CutPassLove
  • Host a Cut-a-Thon or Hair Raiser event at your salon or barber shop. CWHL can help with a packet of posters, brochures, balloons, stickers and hair donation forms for donors
To learn more about Children With Hair Loss, get involved or simply make a donation, visit http://www.childrenwithhairloss.us/  
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Building Our Future

Beauty Changes Lives Foundation LIVE in Chicago!

Written by: Doug Smith Photo’s: Courtesy of the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation

I was thrilled to attend the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation event at the America’s Beauty Show in Chicago last month. The goal of the event was to provide a glimpse of what the future could hold for the attending students. As expected, Beauty Changes Lives over delivered on their promise and did more than support future industry stars, they reminded us all how beauty has changed lives on a global level.

Here are a few “stand out” moments from the show The event opened with a short video featuring Johnny Wright – Michelle Obama’s hairdresser. His message was brief, but powerful:

Johnny Wright“We have the power of yes! Be open to growth, stay focused and learn your craft. Find the best mentor you can and you’ll succeed.”

– Johnny Wright

As I watched the video, I was reminded how important it is to never forget to learn, grow and find our power of yes. I was instantly transported back to a comment made to me early in my career. A mentor stated that beauty is journey without an ending. If you feel like you’ve achieved everything you can, then take a class! Those were powerful words of wisdom that I’ve never forgotten. Next, industry veterans including Kim Vo and Charles Marcus shared their life stories and how beauty changed their lives. 

Kim Vo“I was a refugee and came to America with very little money or promise for the future – then I entered this wonderful profession and Beauty Changed My Life!”

– Kim Vo 

Charles Marcus“I grew up in England with a debilitating speech impediment and was teased and treated as an outcast by the other children in my class. Then I discovered beauty, and the community welcomed me with open arms – I was in heaven! After school, I was lucky enough to get a job as an assistant at Vidal Sassoon. Shortly after I started, Vidal himself came to the salon for a visit. As he greeted the other assistants and asked them about their inspiration I was terrified! I knew I would embarrass myself with my terrible stutter. When he came to me, I couldn’t get my name out and hung my head in shame. Mr. Sassoon then took my hand, held his mouth very close to my ear and gently said – “don’t worry, I have all day.”

 It was at that moment I realized that life is not about the number of breaths you take, its’ about the moments that take your breath away! I am a hairdresser and Beauty Changed My Life!” 

– Charles Marcus 

Peter Coppola also shared words of encouragement. 

Peter Coppola“You have the power to change someone’s life. When a client sits in your chair and asks you to “Make Them Feel Beautiful,” you touch them in a much deeper way than simply styling their hair.” 

– Peter Coppola 

 Fabio SementilliFabio Sementilli, VP of Education at Wella, shared a powerful quote form Martin Luther King Jr. 

“I want to suggest some of the things that should begin your life’s blueprint. Number one should be a deep belief in your own dignity, your worth and your own somebodiness. Secondly, you must have as a basic principle the determination to achieve excellence in your endeavor. You’re going to be deciding what your life’s work will be. Set out to do it well.”

– Martin Luther King Jr.* 

Jan Arnold, Co-Founder and Style Director of CND, eloquently spoke of global beauty and excellent customer care. 

Jan Arnold“As cosmetologists, you can do it all! Total beauty! A hair, skin and nail color consultation for a client is the ultimate service!”

– Jan Arnold 

There were many more amazing moments of inspiration designed to encourage and acknowledge the students in attendance. What most impressed me is the necessity of every working beauty professional to remain humble and reflective of our journey and how beauty has truly changed our lives. That said, the most important gift we can give is to serve as a mentor to the many new professionals in our industry. Be a part of Changing Their Life. Give back the Beauty That Has Changed Your Life and keep our profession unified in growth and support. That is where HAIRDRESSERPOWER comes from, and that is what will keep us all moving forward.   To learn more about the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation and to get involved, visit http://www.beautychangeslives.org/  *To read the entire Martin Luther King Jr.  “What Is Your Life’s Blueprint?” speech, go to: http://mhvpus.weebly.com/3/post/2010/01/martin-luther-king-jr-what-is-your-lifes-blueprint.html 
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Now That’s HAIRDRESSERPOWER!

We found this video online recently and wanted to share it with our HAIRDRESSERPOWER.COM family! It’s an amazing “mash-up” featuring the best pop music of 2013. We think you’ll LOVE the whole thing! While watching (and probably dancing in your seat), remember that none of the stars in the featured videos would look that great without YOU. Every red-carpet, award show, television appearance, magazine cover, personal appearance, family portrait, class reunion, wedding and personal “look” is influenced by us, the beauty professional! We have the POWER! Let’s CELEBRATE!!! Thanks Robin Skouteris for a great retrospective of the best music of 2013! Be sure to check out her work on YouTube at http://youtu.be/s82ALeqqeCw, and visit her Facebook page/website at http://www.facebook.com/robinskouterispage
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MARVELOUS MOVEMBER

As Hairdressers, we have the power to influence awareness in our community and potentially save lives. Bouncing between therapist, social advisor and style maker with our clients, we often influence thought and create social movement with the simplest conversations. For the past few years I’ve noticed a growing number of men sporting a mustache during the month of November. When I would ask, I was told it was for Movember – an official global charity whose vision is to have an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health. The idea is that men, referred to as Mo Bro’s (Mo being short for mustache) register at the official Movember website – grow a mustache during the month of November, and raise funds and awareness for testicular and prostate cancer, as well as men’s mental health. The moustache serves as a visual conversation starter to bring much needed awareness to those men’s health challenges. Women can become Mo Sistas by registering, raising funds and starting conversations with friends (and clients) about men’s health. Basically Mo Sistas do everything that Mo Bros do…without the Mo. At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate the success of their efforts by hosting their own Movember event, or attending one of the many official “Gala Parties” held around the world. Globally, the funds raised by Mo Bros and Mo Sistas support men’s health programs that focus on awareness and education, living with and beyond cancer, staying mentally healthy, living with and beyond mental illness and research to achieve an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health. To learn more about Movember and register as a participant, visit http://us.movember.com The site is well organized and packed with tons of information regarding men’s health awareness, early cancer detection and treatment, and support for mental health challenges. So come on fellow HAIRDRESSERPOWER members, let’s proudly grow our Mo’s to help build awareness and make a difference!
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LEGENDS, BEAUTY AND AWARDS – OH WHAT A NIGHT!

I was thrilled to be a guest of Beauty Changes Lives Foundation’s (BCL) 2nd annual Legacy of Style Awards. Hosted September 23, 2013 at the prestigious Beverly Hills Peninsula Hotel, the evening was dedicated to honoring industry leaders whose vision and commitment have elevated the beauty and wellness industry. Vidal Sassoon was the first inaugural recipient, though he passed before claiming the award. His daughter, Eden Sassoon graciously accepted the award in his place.

BCL Award 2

Jan Arnold, Tippi Hedren, Lynelle Lynch
This years’ Legacy of Style Award was presented to accomplished actress, former model and humanitarian Tippi Hedren. Presenters Lynelle Lynch; President of BCL and Bellus Academy, and Jan Arnold; Co-Founder of CND and BCL Director introduced the evening’s wonderful initiatives. INITIATIVE ONE: Through her dedication, humanitarian efforts, and numerous contributions, Tippi Hedren has greatly influenced the professional nail industry. In the early 1970’s, while traveling with the USO to Vietnam, Ms. Hedren “fell in love with the people.” After Saigon fell to the People’s Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front in April 1975, many distraught citizens of Vietnam migrated to the US as refugees seeking a new life. Famed Vietnamese actress Kieu-Chinh, came to California refugee sanctuary, Hope Village, and reached out to the Hollywood community for support. Ms. Hedren immediately launched into action and began visiting Kieu-Chinh, offering to help in any way she could. During her visits to Hope Village, Ms. Hedren met other refugees of the war and was intrigued by the women’s fascination with her nails. Instantly an idea sprang to mind that changed the future of the industry. Ms. Hedren began bringing her Nail Professional along for her weekly visits to Hope Village, with the intention of teaching a small group of 20 women skills in manicuring and pedicuring nails. Simply teaching a new skill wasn’t enough for Ms. Hedren. She tirelessly campaigned with local officials to ensure each woman obtained the necessary government paperwork and made it to Sacramento, CA to take the state Manicuring Licensure Exam. Those efforts provided access to a career that changed these women’s lives and helped them build financial security in their new country. “The Vietnamese people came to America to seek a better life and to contribute back, in thanks, as hard working and entrepreneurial, productive members of the American Society,” stated Ms. Hedren. ”They never wanted to be a burden on the USA – their goal was to become successful American citizens,” she added. Ms. Hedren could not have foreseen that her thoughtfulness and tenacity would continue to provide new opportunity and inspiration to beauty professionals today. Being present at the award ceremony opened my eyes to how the kindness of one person can change the face of an industry. It’s humbling to think of how we can all make a difference once we’ve set our minds and hearts on a mission. INITIATIVE TWO: Jan Arnold announced the BCL CND Tippi Hedren Nail Scholarship Fund, which will commence in 2014. This CND and Beauty Changes Lives collaboration will “elevate, educate and expose the nail profession as a rich and rewarding career.”  CND, on behalf of the company and its Vietnamese partner distributors, presented a generous donation of $184,000 to the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation scholarship fund. Their donation will provide numerous scholarships to qualifying individuals, who will be enrolling in nail programs with American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) member schools. As Jan Arnold told the story of Ms. Hedren, I was inspired by her passion for the industry and how CND supports their vision to advance the state of the industry through education. Her infectious admiration of the beauty industry was best presented in the statement, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” CND and Beauty Changes Lives are both clearly blessed with knowledge – but also show through example that we can all give back to an industry that has given us so much joy, success and power. Thank you CND and Beauty Changes Lives for an unforgettable experience. It was an honor and inspiration to spend an evening with legends, beauty and awards!
CND and Beauty Changes Lives Honor American Actress & Philanthropist Tippi Hedren with the Legacy Of Style Award
The Beauty Changes Lives Foundation (BCL) is a non-profit organization created by the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) to build awareness of the industry and the amazing opportunities we all have because of beauty. The foundation tirelessly promotes careers in beauty and wellness, and awards scholarships to qualified new talent. BCL also provides continuing education scholarships to existing professionals seeking new knowledge and skill enhancement. To learn more about the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation and get involved, visit beautychangeslives.org CND is deeply committed to advancing the nail care industry and has devoted significant time and resources to product research and development, education, and customer support. CND is an industry-leading advocate for the role of nail care in personal beauty and fashion. To learn more about CND and find a class near you, visit cnd.com  
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BEAUTY CHANGES LIVES… PAY IT FORWARD!

Established in 2012, the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation is a testimony to the POWER of every beauty professional. This non-profit organization was initiated by the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) with a vision to “build awareness and support of beauty as a premiere career of choice.” According to Lynelle Lynch, President of the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation; “We understand that every magazine cover, fashion show, celebrity red carpet moment and TV appearance are shining examples of each beauty professionals’ talent and how we change lives” As hairdressers, we bring that talent to our local level every time we perform a service on a guest in our salons and spa’s. Think about it – how many times have you shared tears of joy with your client simply because you were able to change their perspective and make them feel beautiful?   The Beauty Changes Lives Foundation brings a two pronged approach to their cause. 1. Building Our Community The foundation tirelessly promotes beauty as a premiere professional choice for consumers. Through industry endorsements from celebrity stylists such as Ted Gibson (who served as the foundations first spokesperson), the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation is determined to change lives through recruitment to an industry staged for growth percentages that will out-pace average U.S. employment in the next several years. The Legacy of Style Event, sponsored annually by the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation, celebrates the elite professionals in the industry who have elevated the perception of the career through their work. These accomplished leaders make a profound impact on the community through their craft and generosity. Their passion for the industry and their role as a mentor to others is celebrated through the annual award presented at the event. Beauty and consumer press attend the event to ensure that the word is spread to potential new beauty professionals. 2. Paying It Forward The Beauty Changes Lives Foundation is a 501c3 (non-profit organization) that provides scholarships in cosmetology, esthetics, nail programs, barbering and massage therapy for prospective and current students. There are also scholarships available to licensed beauty professionals designed to further develop talent and support growth within our community. As a Global Community, it’s time for all of us here at HAIRDRESSERPOWER.COM to get involved. Each of us can “pay it forward” in our own way. Here are some of the partnership opportunities for you to make a difference. Scholarship Funding & Donations: Support Beauty Changes Lives by funding a scholarship through their Named Scholarship Program. Become a Mentor: Apply to the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation to share your wealth of experience in the industry by becoming a Celebrity Mentor for a beauty school student. Become an Industry Judge: Qualifying beauty professionals are invited to electronically judge video and essay entries of scholarship applicants. The time commitment is minimal but the rewards are huge. Share Your Story: How did beauty change your life? Share with the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation how this industry has changed your life and how you change the lives of others in your profession. Email your story to info@beautychangeslives.org Create a Fundraising Event: Create fundraising opportunities in your business or school to support the Beauty Changes Lives General Scholarship Fund. Consider hosting an event where the proceeds are divided between a local charity of your choice and the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation. It’s a great opportunity to get involved in your local community and support a national cause! To learn more about the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation and how to get involved, visit www.beautychangeslives.com. Help build our community and ensure a bright future for existing talent. Your involvement can be the perfect change for someone’s life near you.  
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Locks of Love – Ponying Up

Based in Woodbury, Minnesota, just outside of Saint Paul, Sassy Di’s is a salon that caters to families and an upscale clientele. Owners Rusty and Wendy Rollings named their relatively new 18-station salon after Dianne Heins, a good friend who lost her battle with cancer in 2008. To pay homage to their friend and to help others stricken with this terrible disease, the crew at Sassy Di’s donates 3% of their sales to cancer research and hosts in-salon programs committed to bettering the lives of those affected by cancer. “We open up our salon on various Mondays to cater strictly to local cancer patients,” states Rusty. “We donate wigs and the time to cut, style and maintain them. Making it a special venue is purely for the comfort of our clients as it can be a very emotional time for them. It’s a difficult thing to remove your wig in front of others, even for maintenance, so things have to be handled carefully and privately. We’re so glad that we can be of service in a time of need and are dedicated to keep the program going for as long as needed.”
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A Salon With A Cause

I work at Salon Gianna in Bakersfield, CA and the following is my story of inspiration. We started our unique salon concept with a small staff of myself, the owner, a manager and an esthetician. Through determination, hard work and word of mouth we have grown into a family that celebrates creativity doing what we love (hair) while giving back to an important cause. How do we give back? All proceeds from the retail sales at our salon go directly to Gianna’s Research. Read on to hear our wonderful story. To us it’s inspirational and… SO COOL!!! Gianna’s Story Gianna was born a beautiful healthy baby girl. At 6 months, however, she started having seizures and was diagnosed with a very severe form of epilepsy. She suffered from several hundred seizures every day – making it impossible for her to eat or drink by mouth. Other symptoms included aspiration issues, hypertonia (low muscle tone), and severe developmental delays. Doctors had little hope for Gianna, and many did not think she would live past age 5. We were told by specialists that “whatever is wrong with Gianna is so rare that at this point it is most likely undiscovered.” We were then encouraged by those same “specialists” to give up and focus on having other children. As loving parents we refused to give up, and continued to search for a diagnosis. Finally, at age 2 she was diagnosed with CDG (Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation). Formerly called carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome, CDG is a group of inherited disorders that affect a process called glycosylation. One of the main results of CDG is the disruption of normal growth and function of all tissues and organs in the body. Since her diagnosis, Gianna has, and continues to surpass Doctors expectations. Her inspiring determination and incredible hard work with so many different therapies (hyperbaric oxygen, feeding therapy, intensive suit therapy, CME therapy, acupuncture and much, much more) has helped with her progress. Gianna still has intractable seizures daily, but can now eat and drink without the aid of a feeding tube. She plays with toys, and is a constant reminder that anything is possible – and to never give up!!! Salon Gianna’s Mission Salon Gianna was created to raise ongoing research funds to help find a cure, and raise awareness of CDG. All proceeds from Salon Gianna retail sales go to The Rocket Fund at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. Research programs for rare and neglected disease(s) is tragically under-funded. The lack of understanding of these types of disease is extremely heartbreaking when children are suffering. Support of The Rocket Fund will enable further cutting-edge investigation of rare and neglected childhood disease, including research into other causes and efforts to devise new medicines for possible treatment. Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation (CDG) Children born with CDG have inherited mutations in genes that directs Glycosylation. Glycosylation is the process by which cells coat proteins with sugars. Lack of sugars disrupts cell growth, differentiation and communication. CDG is actually a group of many diseases, each characterized by a mutation in a different gene. In the past decade, mutations in 38 different genes have been identified as causes of CDG, and new genes are still being discovered. Symptoms of CDG vary widely. Some examples include developmental delays, digestive problems, seizures and low blood sugar. New diagnoses are increasing every year as doctors become more aware of this family of diseases, and scientists identify more genes involved in glycosylation. The Rocket Fund will be used to advance pioneering research projects on a wide range of children’s diseases at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. If you would like to make a Tax deductible donation to “The Rocket Fund for CDG Research”, please visit their website at: www.sanfordburnham.org Name: Sheila Marie Rodowicz Salon: Salon Gianna City: Bakersfield  
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Power Play

Patrick Dockry, president and cofounder of Enjoy Haircare, lives by—and spreads—a creed of self-empowerment. Patrick Dockry’s passion for hair got an unlikely start when, at 16 years old, he worked with then-upstart company Creative Nail Design, mixing nail polish in the founder’s garage and attending beauty shows to hawk the hues. After leaving cosmetology school as an aspiring hairdresser, Dockry worked as a sales rep and educator for various distributors and owned several salons and beauty supply stores. That is, until he officially pinned down his calling when he cofounded ENJOY Professional Hair Care in 2001. “At the time, no one cared about product pH stability—which is a contributing factor to how well hair color holds—so that was definitely a challenge,” he recalls from his Oceanside, California, headquarters. “But our motto has always been ‘hairdresser power’ – empowering the hairdresser with easy-to-use products that guarantee color and do what they promise.” The company, which started with five formulas, now boasts 34 hair care and styling products, a full permanent crème hair color line, a semi-permanent hair color line, skin care (Skinjoy) and a nontoxic smoothing system. Dockry also recently entered the publishing and media production game with Health Beauty Life Magazine , distributed to 80,000 salons, cosmetic surgeons and dentists for clients to peruse while they wait – AND – Patrick Dockry’s Health Beauty Life television show airing Saturday Mornings July 6th through September 28th, 2013 on WETv, 9:30am PST/EST / 8:30am CST. “Placing ads in consumer magazines was cost-prohibitive, so I thought, ‘What can I do with my budget?” Dockry relates. He admits he’s the type to do things himself rather than depend on outsiders – evident in his decision to take his company from a distribution model to direct sales, the biggest challenge of his career. In accordance with his message of self-empowerment, he also holds regular “hairdresser power seminars” around the world, educating on topics from cutting techniques to better time management. This year, he expects to expand the brand to all 50 U.S. states and go worldwide. Luckily for Dockry, his breakneck schedule remains one of his greatest pleasures. “My job is my hobby; I combined all the things I like and made them my work,” he laughs. “I can’t relax—that’s not me. I work hard, but I don’t consider it work.” Credits: Launch Pad – By Tracy Morin