As you all know, June is dedicated to the men in the industry and we promised to bring you guys exclusive industry interviews from the best in the business. As Editor-in-Chief of CocoaCos Connection, it was essential for me to utilize my professional relationships with some of the top executives at the beauty companies that I have worked for. While working at L'Oreal/SoftSheen-Carson in 2010, and I was privileged to work with such an Iconic Educator of the cosmetology industry. This person has inspired me to pursue my career in the beauty industry; especially in education. He was my manager, he is my mentor and my friend and I am extremely excited to introduce Shannon King to our readers!
Today as head of education for the largest ethnic hair company in the world, King leads a very talented team of salon professionals and session artists to deliver world class education to salon professionals and consumers alike. At Softsheen-Carson Shannon has begun leaving his legacy with the addition of state of the art video trainings, photo shoots, and trend releases. In between all the travel, training, and performing, Shannon always goes back to the salon. “I love being behind the chair. That’s where it all starts, and that’s where it all comes together.”
He served as an ambassador for Redken on stages across the country and around the world. These experiences make Shannon’s ability to inspire fellow stylists to explore their creativity and build on their technical skills to selecting and developing strong international artistic teams that’s work has said to “Rival the Alternative Hair Show”, said Modern Salon. King began his educational career working with such manufacturers like Paul Mitchell, American Crew, Mizani, Aro-Sci, and Clairol.
His talents have allowed him to do training’s and stage shows in countries like England, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Korea, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Jamaica, Mexico, Australia, and Singapore. In addition, Shannon has represented Redken on the platform at trade shows, including the New York International Beauty Show, ISSE, Premier Orlando, and Chicago’s Midwest Beauty Show. He also has had the honor of working on photo shoots for various trade publications including Modern Salon, American Salon, Salon news, Launch pad, international publications, and Hair Sophisticate. Recently he worked on the Oprah show doing make-overs.
In addition to his international travels, Shannon travels nationally coaching educators and performing at hair shows. Shannon’s energy and passion for learning makes his programs effective. He says, “People learn better when we’re having fun.”
When he’s not teaching, Shannon consults on video and photo shoots; he serves as a company spokesman for education, trends and techniques Shannon demonstrates his special gifts in classes as small as 15 and trade shows drawing over 3,000. He also enjoyed facilitating at the Redken Exchange in New York City and the Redken Symposium in Las Vegas where over 10,000 international salon professionals
It seems that Shannon King was predestined to be a hair stylist. Born in Baltimore to parents who were both stylists, King grew up in the salon industry and, eager to follow in his parent’s footsteps, began working in Baltimore straight out of beauty school while attending Towson University for business. Early in his career, Shannon became an educator, inspiring fellow Stylists to explore their creativity and build on their technical skills. Company leaders quickly recognized his talents as a trainer and also his knack for performing, and made Shannon a National Educator in 1998. Then, as International Artistic Leader, it was his job to help develop curriculum for classes in the US and Europe while training the more than 100 educators who deliver the curriculum.
Check out some of CocoaCos' Custom Questions for Shannon below:
| Who was (were) your favorite beauty icon(s)? |
| My parents 1st. Vidal Sassoon, Anthony Mascolo, Chris Baran, Floyd Kenyatta, Robert Labetta, and Sam Villa. I’ve had the honor of working closely with 3 of them; Chris, Sam, and Anthony and met all of them except Vidal. |
| Can you recite any brand slogan that will never leave your memory bank? |
| Redken-“Be apart of it,” Softsheen-Carson “Inspiring beauty through innovation for people of color.” |
| Do you believe that there are enough ethnic targeted products out there? |
| Yes, there are tons! But so many of them have not really made it big. I feel very fortunate to be Director education for Softsheen-Carson, the #1 ethnic Haircare brand in the world. |
| Where do you see the industry in 5 -10years; and how will it affect the ethnic market? |
| There will be more blurring of ethnic backgrounds in the industry where general market and ethnic will show many of the same trends and share many ideas. It won’t dilute the ethnic market, yet it will broaden the ethnic market and expand a growing multi-cultural market. |
| Do you believe that you are making a difference with diversity within your organization and in the marketplace? |
| Yes or I wouldn’t do it. My role is to bring educational highlights to the professional and consumer alike at Softsheen- Carson. |
| If you can change anything in the industry to enhance it – what would it be? |
| Mandate more educational resources and information around tricology. The study of hair and scalp. So many stylists miss problems related to the hair and scalp, because they aren’t aware. Many consumers need that same education to make smarter decisions about what chemicals and products are placed on the hair and scalp so not to damage it. |
| What beauty products do you remember you or your parents using when you were a child? |
| Softsheen-Carson’s Wave Nouveau and Care free Curl! Everybody had one of the two back then. Now I work for them. Funny huh…..? |
| What products are you currently using hair, skin, and/or nails? |
| A bunch I like to try different ones. Clarins Men’s facial moisturizer, Redken’s hardwear gel, Redken’s Real Control line is an all time favorite, Softsheen-Carson’s Magic shave bump rescue is incredible, and SSC Roots of nature reconstructing deep treatment |
| If you can create any special product for man/woman of color what would it be? |
WOW that’s a great question. I would create a lotion that grows your hair thick, full, and long as if you were 18yrs old. It would grow your hair long and luxurious in 1 week! No more male pattern baldness, or balding from medical conditions. Think about how a chemotherapy patient would feel knowing they would get their hair back in 1 week! Think of all the risks people would take with their hair and their overall look. |
| If you can rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest rank) – on how you look (attractive, sexy, youthful, handsome, full of swag, chic – you name it-own it! Etc) – what would it be and why? |
| You’d have to ask my wife…..Hahaha. |
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