The Richard Ward Academy

Richard’s team of talented experts educate and lecture both in the UK and internationally, sharing their best practice and expertise with a diverse cross-section of the industry – from apprentices and both young or experienced hairdressers and barbers, to fledgling or established salon and spa managers, owners, franchisees, groups and chains.

Our Academy is based in its natural home environment at the country’s original super salon, situated in the heart of London’s Chelsea. In this outstanding location, the Richard Ward Academy offers its delegates an unrivalled educational experience, as well as a unique opportunity get a glimpse behind the scenes at the largest, busiest and highest-grossing independent salon in the UK. The salon provides not only a perfect training environment but also affords a rare chance to see one of the UK’s most successful hair and beauty brands in action.

Specialists in their field, the RW education team aim to deliver our strapline of ‘exceptional as standard’. Passionate about raising industry standards through delivering simple but effective practical advice, we ensure the training we provide is easy to instigate both on the salon floor and as a take-away strategy to implement in your own businesses. Our educators don’t just talk the talk – they’re part of a dynamic 120-strong team leading the way in hair, colour, barbering, beauty and spa innovations, looking after the salon’s 1100 per week clientele. As such, our now infamous Monday education sessions really do rock! All of our education team are uncommonly home grown talents and leaders in their areas of expertise, exclusively working day to day on the salon floor and fully immersed within salon life, giving them a relatability and unique understanding of how to implement our education programmes in real-time.

Our in-depth coaching focuses on how to grow your business by benchmarking the right key performance indicators designed to increase turnover and customer frequency of visit. We drill down into the core success elements within the financials: growing salon services, upselling and cross-selling, as well as developing salon retail sales. Our education programmes are commercially minded and always have both the salon turnover growth and profitability and the operator’s performance objectives at their core.

Whether a stylist, technician, manager or salon owner, our team’s combined knowledge and insight into the sector is unsurpassed and is not only celebrated nationwide but regularly delivered to a global audience. Each of our sell-out courses are designed to deliver real, tangible results for delegates and offer an unforgettable experience.

Our Educators

Hellen Ward – Co-founder Hellen‘s vast experience in salon marketing and management makes her the definitive hair & beauty salon business guru. Much in demand, her media profile and trademark coaching and education takes her to global forums, sharing her systems and strategies for salons and spas in her seminars, books, columns, public speaking, guest appearances, salon management systems and private consultancy work.

Gavin Hoare – Salon Manager Gavin is renowned for his customer service expertise and understanding of exceptional client care. He lectures and travels all over the world educating other salons on the company’s Ultimate Client Experience, defining and strategising the premium salon UXP and analysing what good really does look like in terms of delivering consistency and over an above on every salon visit.

Mario Charalambous – Technical Director Mario is renowned in the industry for his unrivalled, encyclopedic colour knowledge. His long career and vast experience have led to his reputation as one of the leading colourists of his generation. Mario lectures and educates on an international level and he continues to inspire and educate in how to deliver an unrivalled salon colour experience. Deputy Technical Director Adam Russell works with Mario to deliver our Couture Colour courses.

Nando Lopes – Education Director Nando is quite simply (in Richard’s opinion) one of the most gifted hairdressers of his generation. His role as lead mentor and educator of the RW Apprentice team has led to an unprecedented 75% of the salon’s senior team having been inspired and motivated to learn from his unique skill-set, and his talents have undoubtedly led the salon to be synonymous with the flawless finish of couture hair.

Cristiano Basciu – Artistic Director Crissy is without question the celebrity and fashionista’s go-to stylist of choice. His reputation for cutting edge session work precedes him, and he single-handedly ensures the RW Art Team are always at the forefront of glamorous, catwalk hair, working extensively with the media and a stable of innovative UK fashion houses and designers. Style Director Tommy Cracknell works with Crissy to deliver our Chelsea Blow Dry Workshops.

Fiona Chandler-Day – Salon Director Fiona is renowned as being one of the most experienced and talented hairdressers of her generation when it comes to all things chignon. The Queen of the Up-Do, Fiona’s trademark attention to intricate detail has ensured that her specialist skills in bridal and evening hair continue to be much in demand, as well as inspiring the next generation of hairdressers. Fiona works with Richard himself to deliver our Couture Bride workshops.

Shelley Pedersen – Technical Training Manager Shelley has a wealth of knowledge in all things colour. An ex-educator of the prestigious L’Oreal Colour Degree, Shelley’s creative vision and insightfulness in colour technologies are testament to her vast specialist skills and colour prowess. Shelley manages the RW Academy as well as assisiting Nando, our Education Director, in the training of the RW Apprentice team, as well as looking after her loyal clientele of devotees.

From half day seminars and workshops to courses and bespoke training programmes, the Richard Ward Education Academy embraces a holistic, 360 degree approach to encompass the very best in comprehensive education as well as training and teaching on the latest innovations within the sector.

Courses, Seminars & Workshops

 

The Art of Consultation

1 day: 10am – 4pm – £165

This is the ultimate day of education to perfect the important art of the consultation. In such a competitive marketplace, stylists and colourists need to strive to exceed the client expectation of what a salon visit can be – it becomes more than just about great hair, a great cut, colour or finish. Creatives have act like the experts they are in order to grow their business; whether you’re a new stylist or a seasoned professional, we will give you the tools for a proper, in-depth and artful consultation. Often we have the knowledge, but simply not the language or formula to deliver a cohesive consultation with which to fully engage our customer while with us.

Educators: Hellen Ward, Co-Founder & Shelley Pedersen, RW Academy Manager / Premier Colour Technician

Student profile: Any hair stylist new to the floor or seasoned professional, salon educators or senior apprentices.

This 1 day course includes theory and practical role play. Light lunch included.

 

Couture Service

1 Day: 10am – 2pm – £150

The RW philosophy is all about creating an exceptional client experience as standard. As salon manager, Gavin has led the way in creating consistency in the level of customer service we offer; he regularly lectures all over the world sharing his insight on the subject – which is often hard to evaluate and difficult to educate, but costs us nothing to deliver. Increasingly, Gavin believes it has to be about more than just a great cut, colour or finish as our client sensibilities change in an ever-competitive marketplace. Gavin’s ethos is that your entire team needs to understand the role they play in salon life; they need to understand and grasp the full impact that a positive or negative client experience has on the footfall of your business, if a salon wishes to maximise on each client’s visit. A must for any salon owner or manager wishing to hone their own User Experience and take a blueprint for excellence back to their teams.

Educators: Gavin Hoare, Salon Manager 

Student profile: Any salon owner, soon-to-be salon owner, franchisee, decision-making manager, customer service manager or educator.

Theory & delegate participation

 

The Chelsea Blow Dry Workshop

1 day: 10am – 4pm – £165

The art of dressing hair and creating a beautiful finish thorough skilful blow-drying has become the signature RW look, with the company’s Chelsea Blow Dry now famous all over the world. Sharing their unique methodologies, the team demonstrate and teach just how to create beautiful, couture hair. Renowned for their trademark classic styling, the team share their tips and tricks for delivering the ultimate salon finish, from product knowledge to educating on the tools needed to achieve the signature RW look and the techniques for creating the perfect blow dry.

Educators: Cristiano Basciu, Artistic Director & Tommy Cracknell, Creative Director

Student profile: Any hairdresser with a desire to up-skill their round brush blow-drying technique

This 1 day seminar includes:

Morning – theory & demonstration

• Defining The Chelsea Blow Dry
• Which tools deliver which results
• Sectioning correctly
• Creating volume
• Creating sleekness

Light lunch included

Afternoon – practical (models are provided)

• Hands-on tuition
• Techniques for volume and sleekness
• Product application
• Proper use of tools
• Creating different looks
• Getting the perfect finish

 

Troubleshooting Workshops with Hellen Ward

Sometimes running a salon isn’t all plain sailing. But where do you go for advice on key issues that are hard to share with people who don’t understand the industry? Hellen’s Troubleshooting Workshops offer the solution. New for 2020, each one-day seminar is held at the salon and gives you the chance to not only peek behind the scenes of the largest and most successful independent salon in the UK, but offers a unique opportunity to network with other salon owners.

Each seminar is interactive and gives the delegate a chance to get specialist, confidential advice on their own specific issues, whether HR related or financial.

​Student Profile
Any salon owner, soon-to-be salon owner, franchisee or decision-making manager.

 

Team Troubleshooting

1 day: 10am – 4pm – £195

Most salon owners don’t have specific HR expertise, so when it comes to dealing with internal staff performance issues it can be a real headache. In such a labour-intensive sector, making sure we maximise our team performance is crucial, and while proper legal advice is essential for Disciplinary Procedure, how to deliver it is often lacking. Hellen takes delegates through her tried and tested methods to successfully confront staff problems and improve all elements of performance to benefit the employee and the salon owner.

Morning

Hellen tackles 6 key HR aspects in bullet point format:

• Performance related issues
• Attitude problems
• Staff saboteurs – dealing with the bad apples who sabotage the team
• How to conduct difficult meetings
• Systems and procedures to follow
• Ongoing issue management

Afternoon

Using their own HR situations, Hellen and the delegates discuss solutions and use role play to discover the best methods of tackling difficult, specific performance problems.

Price includes light lunch and refreshments.

Money Troubleshooting

1 day: 10am – 4pm – £195

Morning

Hellen tackles 6 key financial issues in bullet point format:

• Challenging client visit frequency decline
• Dealing with increased costs
• Improving dwindling income streams
• Honing profitability & margins
• Industry specific challenges
• External economic factors

Afternoon

Using the delegates’ specific issues, Hellen chairs a round-table format to share best practice on tackling turnover related concerns, using her results-driven systems and procedures to tackle difficult financial problems.

Price includes light lunch and refreshments.

Focusing on all things financial, Hellen gets to the root of how to increase profitability and takes participants through her 6 point plan to cover the biggest problems salon owners traditionally face in the sector, all delivered in her trademark, non-nonsense ‘hairdresser speak’ style.

To book any of our education packages, please email [email protected]

For private bookings or to enquire about booking education within your own salon / working space, please email [email protected].

Terms & Conditions:

• For bookings of 6 or more, receive 2 complimentary places on the same course and date.
• The full balance is payable upon booking. Your booking is not complete or confirmed without payment.
• No refunds will be issued for any cancellations made within 7 days of the course date.
• Depending on the course you are booking, a light lunch will be provided on the day – please provide any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
• Please arrive 15 minutes before your course start time for registration.