"Doing what you like is freedom,liking what you do is happiness".
Anonymous
Bella & Contagiosa is a training academy dedicated to helping salon owners and managers maximise the potential of their staff and business. It is made up of a team of highly respected professionals from the beauty, life style and fashion industries, led by internationally-renowned June A. Graham. Each of us shares an absolute passion for what we do and we consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be involved in an industry which is all about making people feel good about themselves. We want to share the benefit of our combined years of experience because we genuinely believe that
When you love what you do it shows in every aspect of your business and the inevitable result is a happy and loyal clientele. That’s not so difficult when you’re the owner, but how do you transmit that passion and quest for excellence to your team so that they also contribute to the continuing success of your salon? At Bella & Contagiosa we want to ensure your staff are all infected by what we call the
As an owner, you have your particular systems and ways of doing things and your own vision for the experience your salon offers its clients. But although you know all these inside out, it can be hard to articulate them in a way that makes it easy for your staff to replicate them. What we do is start with the experience and knowledge you have built up over the years and then we work with you to fine tune it. Drawing on the know-how of the industry’s leading companies, along with our combined expertise, together we help you create a 360-degree training model with foolproof procedures that anyone can follow without complicated instructions. It is a simple but rigorous and highly practical process that will maximise the potential of your salon.
"At a certain point you can't come back. This is the point where you have to arrive".
Franz Kafka
With more than 25 years in education and product development, June is known as the leading name in the sector. Thanks to not only her work itself, but also the passion that characterises everything she does, her influence has been felt in all parts of the globe.
To create a fun and stimulating environment where everyone, students and teachers alike, feels relaxed and secure enough to express their true creativity and potential.
To create a group of teachers and educators from every aspect of the industry who bring not only professional excellence, but also diversity in terms of background, culture and individual personality.
Roberto has almost two decades experience in the industry having started as a stylist before becoming one of Italy’s foremost trainers as well as running one of Umbria’s most prestigious salons.
Studying the world of communication and honing my own techniques within that world so that I can give my utmost to my students, guiding and inspiring them.
I love that instant when I see the light suddenly go on in a student’s eyes which tells me they have “got” the idea. Guiding students to this moment of illumination or “click” is what I strive for in every training session.
Anna has amassed more than 20 years in this sector. Starting her career in Sardinia, she later moved to Umbria, where she is currently the owner of her own salon and has built a tight team of highly regarded professionals.
These days so many people and companies sell words and ideas but very few actually back that up with action or concrete results. I’m a practical person and I love finding solutions. Give me a challenge or a problem and I’m happy! My passion is doing it what it takes to deliver a positive outcome that makes a difference.
Never give up until I’ve found a solution or a better way to do something, and then share what I’ve learnt so that others benefit from my experience.
With more than 25 years working in the hairdressing industry, Cyril has amassed a wealth of experience and professional accolades. Working between the United Kingdom, Ireland, Dubai and Italy, his activities range from salon management to contributing to leading international publications.
I relish finding myself in a challenging or new situation and being able to draw on my experience to come up with a creative solution to deal with it.
Preparation and knowledge are the foundations of success and I try always to follow this simple but key philosophy.
Cinzia has over 25 years of experience as a hairstylist and makeup artist. She now works as an independent consultant to the beauty industry, in addition to running her own prestigious salon in Umbria.
I adore creating, whether it’s an image, a haircut or a look. And, as part of that, I love research, looking for the right idea or inspiration and then bringing it to life.
To share my techniques, ideas and experience in a way that is as simple as possible but makes a difference to my colleagues, peers and students!
"The city teaches the person".
Simonides of Ceos
Just as when you look good, you feel good, we believe that when you are surrounded by beauty, you respond to that and not only feel better inside, but also study or work better. It’s the simple philosophy of everyday aesthetics. So, when it came to choosing our location we wanted somewhere that felt like a good fit with what Bella & Contagiosa is all about. Pietrasanta, with its artistic heritage and international community, was the perfect solution. Not only does its culture and creativity complement our sector, but its natural beauty is a continuous source of inspiration. And, on the more pragmatic front, its strategic position means it is easily accessible for Rome, Milan, Florence and the gateway to Central Italy, Pisa Airport.
"In a humble state, you learn better".
Anonymous
Our bespoke courses are designed to provide you with tailor made solutions which you can implement immediately in your own salon, enhancing your existing systems with our tried and tested methods.Our inspirational team will share their insights to help fast track your business and unlock its full potential. Applying our unique "zone concept" will transform your salon, maximising productivity and team work in real time.
"People can doubt what you say but they believe what you do".
Lewis Cass
Working in developing education, the goal is to make it informative, interesting, relevant, useful and easy to put into practice. When working in your mother tongue this simplifies things a little, but when you have to teach students who don’t speak your language, well, that’s another story. And in fact, that’s where this story began as I started to look closely at the way we communicate, searching for ways to simplify it and avoid misunderstanding. Communication without words. How can you do this? The solution I came upon was infographics and it’s what I have used for this book. Today we are all just so much more visual in the way we process and take on board information, even subconsciously.
I wanted to reframe topics that may seem banal because we think we know them inside out and stimulate curiosity and maybe encourage a fresh look at the way we do things. I also wanted to simplify complex subjects and condense the information as much as possible. All this, though, without diminishing its importance or devaluing its context and value. And, in a visual creative and fun way.
The book is a practical and user-friendly guide for a modern salon. It also has a more holistic purpose, however, in that it looks at how we can broaden our horizons and nurture our intellect and wellbeing so that we flourish professionally and personally at the same time.
It is structured in a modular fashion which allows you to navigate the information and topics that interest you:
Personal development: looking at areas such as communication skills, books and publications that will give us a more rounded perspective and simple ways to look at world.
Wider industry knowledge: sharing information about types of style, key figures in hairdressing, emerging trends and influencers to follow.
Health and wellbeing: beauty is not just cosmetic, but is the result of a 360-degree approach so we gather together information on food, diet and ways to improve general wellbeing.
Ethical responsibility: we look at how we can minimise the impact our industry has on the environment both by following simple steps in salons, and at a wider industry level, using the Davines approach as a case study.
Technical knowledge:we cover areas such as colour theory and psychology and a few scientific aspects of our industry, breaking it down so it is easily understandable and digestible.
The Bella & Contagiosa Method: practical guides and tools developed and practiced by my team and I over many years to help you run an efficient and successful salon.
This book is not your conventional “How To” guide, but is made up of a mix of soft and hard skills together with smatterings of trivia and fun facts which I hope will not only entertain but also of course inform.
Love what you do!
