I started Hairbond in 2008 because I was a hairdresser who believed professional hair products could be better.
But I also believed something else.
The people behind the chair deserved more recognition.
Not just another supplier asking them to put products on a shelf. Not another company promising exposure in exchange for free advertising.
I wanted to build a brand that professionals genuinely wanted to be part of.
And for a while, we did something rather special.
We called it Hairbond Educate.
Now, nearly 18 years after Hairbond began, I’m planning to bring it back.
Not bigger for the sake of being bigger.
Not hundreds of ambassadors collecting discount codes.
Just 25 seats at the table.
Twenty-five professionals who believe that great products, good people and genuine relationships still matter.
Before Everybody Became an Ambassador
During the 2010s, the British barbering industry was changing.
Barbershops were finding a new identity. Men’s hairdressing was becoming more creative. Independent professionals were building reputations well beyond their salon doors.
Hairbond was part of that movement.
By 2015, we’d developed a professional network that included an Artistic Team and more than 20 Hairbond Educate Ambassadors.
Our Artistic Team performed at British Master Barbers events, Barber Connect and other industry shows.
We organised professional photoshoots, demonstrated products and worked alongside some exceptionally talented people.
Chris Moon, Gareth Clark, Lynndy Rolfe, CJ Martin, Patrick Forster and others contributed to that chapter of Hairbond’s history.
We also developed international relationships, including with Dutch barber Dieuwertje Prins.
But behind the stage performances was something just as important.
Our ambassadors.
More than 20 working professionals supporting Hairbond, representing the products and developing relationships throughout the industry.
We organised a networking event in Leeds, bringing professionals together to share knowledge, ideas and experiences.
People travelled because they wanted to be involved.
It wasn’t about collecting followers.
It was about building friendships, learning from each other and creating opportunities.
There were no complicated corporate presentations explaining how to be passionate about hair.
Just talented people who cared about their trade.
Looking back, I think we were ahead of our time in some respects.
And I think there’s a very good reason to bring it back.
Hairbond Is More Than a Jar of Hair Product
I’ve spent much of my working life around hairdressers, barbers, salons and the professional hair industry.
And one thing has never changed.
The best professionals care about what they put in their customers’ hair.
They understand the difference between something that looks attractive on a shelf and something that actually performs.
Hairbond was built around that distinction.
We strive for excellence in the products we manufacture, the ingredients and formulations we choose, the experience we deliver and the people we work alongside.
But excellence isn’t simply something you print on packaging.
You have to demonstrate it.
You have to keep improving.
You have to listen when somebody tells you something isn’t right.
And you have to be prepared to put relationships ahead of short-term sales.
Hairbond isn’t just a jar of hair product. It’s a commitment to professional standards and the people who believe in them.
That’s what the new Hairbond Educate will represent.
Twenty-Five Seats. Not Two Hundred and Fifty.
We’re planning to relaunch Hairbond Educate with just 25 carefully selected ambassadors.
Barbers. Hairstylists. Salon owners. Independent professionals.
People with different backgrounds, ages, experiences and creative approaches.
Some may be members of our original network.
Others will be people we’ve never met.
I don’t care whether somebody has 500 followers or 500,000.
I care whether they know their trade.
Whether they treat their customers properly.
Whether they take pride in their work.
And whether they share our ambition to keep improving.
We won’t be rebuilding the old Artistic Team.
The new Hairbond Educate will be one professional network, with every member having the opportunity to contribute.
No unnecessary hierarchy.
No celebrity appointments simply for publicity.
Twenty-five people chosen for what they bring to the profession, not the size of their social media following.
A Partnership That Works Both Ways
Here’s where I want Hairbond Educate to be different.
Every ambassador must be an active Hairbond stockist.
That means purchasing Hairbond products at professional wholesale prices, using them on clients and offering them for retail in their salon or barbershop.
If you represent a professional product, you should believe in it enough to recommend it to your own customers.
But I don’t want Hairbond Educate to become a scheme where professionals buy an expensive opening package just to receive a title.
We intend to make the initial stocking requirements accessible, with final wholesale arrangements confirmed before appointments are offered.
This is about building relationships that last, not collecting one-off orders.
And there’s another important condition.
Every ambassador will have a story to tell.
Hairbond will create a dedicated ambassador profile on Hairbond.com, introducing the professional, their salon, their achievements and what makes them different.
We’ll link to their business and help showcase their work to our audience.
In return, each ambassador will publish their own original story on their salon or barbershop website, explaining their relationship with Hairbond and directing interested customers to their ambassador profile.
Their own words.
Their own experiences.
Their own reasons for choosing our products.
We’re not interested in twenty-five identical press releases or artificial endorsements.
We want authentic stories from professionals who actually use Hairbond.
The links are there to help customers discover the people and businesses involved, not to manufacture search-engine rankings.
We promote their business. They promote ours. We both become stronger.
That’s what a genuine partnership should look like.
What Does a Hairbond Educate Ambassador Receive?
I don’t believe being an ambassador should mean getting a certificate, taking a photograph and never hearing from the company again.
Membership should have genuine value.
Every selected Hairbond Educate Ambassador will receive professional recognition and access to opportunities designed specifically for our network.
First Access to New Hairbond Launches
Our ambassadors will be among the first professionals to receive new Hairbond launches.
Before products become widely available, we want our ambassadors to understand them, use them and prepare to introduce them to their customers.
They should be ahead of the market, not finding out about a new product from an advertisement.
Samples of Products in Development
We’ll also provide samples of upcoming formulations and products for professional evaluation, where available.
And we want honest feedback.
If a product performs brilliantly, tell us.
If it doesn’t, tell us that too.
A professional who identifies a weakness before a product reaches the market is doing Hairbond a greater service than somebody who praises everything we manufacture.
I want Hairbond Educate to help improve our products, not simply advertise them.
A Hairbond Educate Ambassador Trophy
Every appointed ambassador will receive an official Hairbond Educate Ambassador Trophy to display in their salon or barbershop.
Something permanent.
Something professional.
Something that represents their selection as one of 25 members of the network.
Not another disposable sticker for the window.
A physical recognition of their commitment to professional standards and their relationship with Hairbond.
I want customers walking into their salon to see that they’re part of something.
And I want the ambassador to feel proud to display it.
A Professional Profile and Greater Exposure
Every ambassador will have their own profile on Hairbond.com.
We’ll celebrate their business, share their professional achievements and look for opportunities to feature their work through Hairbond Journal and our other channels.
We’ll also explore collaborative education, interviews, product demonstrations and introductions to other professional partners.
And, of course, every ambassador will have the opportunity to be involved in our planned annual fashion show.
The relationship should give them something worthwhile throughout the year, not just on the day they join.
The Annual Gathering Will Be a Fashion Show
Here’s the part I’m particularly excited about.
Rather than organise another conference or rebuild an expensive Artistic Team, we’re planning something different.
An independently branded annual fashion show, supported by Hairbond Educate and other creative businesses.
Our target is late 2027.
The event will have its own name and identity.
It won’t simply be a Hairbond product demonstration with a few models walking around.
I want something bigger.
Something that celebrates contemporary men’s fashion, professional hairstyling, creativity and the people behind it.
And the format is wonderfully simple.
Every ambassador brings their own model.
They choose their model.
They develop the hairstyle.
They create their own look.
And they present their work on a professional runway, using Hairbond products.
Twenty-five ambassadors.
Twenty-five models.
Twenty-five different interpretations of contemporary style.
One stage.
We want the ambassadors to have genuine creative freedom while working within the overall presentation standards of the event.
Different hairstyles. Different influences. Different personalities.
No requirement for everybody to look the same.
The diversity of professional talent is the attraction.
The fashion show will also become our annual Hairbond Educate gathering.
Our AGM, if you like.
An opportunity to reconnect, discuss products, celebrate the network, welcome new members and showcase what everyone has created.
No separate conference.
No unnecessary committees.
No sitting in a hotel meeting room for six hours listening to somebody explain a sales spreadsheet.
Just professionals doing what they do best, surrounded by people who appreciate it.
And hopefully a very good evening afterwards.
Bigger Than Hairbond
There’s another reason the fashion show will have its own identity.
We want other brands involved.
Menswear designers.
Fashion labels.
Footwear companies.
Professional equipment manufacturers.
Photographers, filmmakers, musicians and other creative businesses.
Hairbond Educate will provide the hairstyling network.
Fashion partners can supply clothing for the runway.
Footwear companies can complete the looks.
Equipment partners can support the professionals backstage.
Creative partners can help produce an experience worth watching.
In return, we want participating businesses to benefit from genuine collaboration, shared promotional opportunities, professional content and the audiences that each partner brings.
The precise commercial arrangements and content rights will be agreed with participating brands.
We’re not interested in creating an exhibition hall full of advertising banners.
We want brands working together to produce something they couldn’t achieve as effectively on their own.
Hairbond doesn’t need to be the biggest logo in the room.
Sometimes helping create a bigger platform is more valuable than keeping the spotlight to yourself.
Why Build Our Own Event?
I’ve attended enough industry trade shows over the years to understand how they work.
You pay for the stand.
You pay for the display.
You pay for the electricity.
You demonstrate your products while people walk past carrying bags full of samples.
And on Monday morning, everybody goes back to work.
There’s nothing wrong with that model.
But I don’t want to spend money simply renting somebody else’s audience if we can build something meaningful ourselves.
I’d rather bring together twenty-five excellent professionals and create an event they genuinely want to participate in.
A fashion show that gives ambassadors a platform.
A gathering that creates friendships and business opportunities.
An event that introduces Hairbond to new professional audiences.
And something we can build on year after year.
Not bigger every year simply for the sake of it.
Better every year.
That’s a very different ambition.
The Road to Late 2027
We’re announcing the ambition now because I want to start conversations with the right people.
Nothing has been rushed into production.
There’s no confirmed venue or final date yet.
The current plan is to begin reconnecting with former Hairbond Educate members and identifying prospective ambassadors.
During the first half of 2027, we want to establish the founding network and open discussions with suitable fashion and creative partners.
By the third quarter, the objective is to have the main event partnerships, venue and production arrangements in place.
Then we’ll move into styling concepts, models, clothing collaborations and preparation for the show.
Our ambition is to stage the first event towards the end of 2027.
But it has to be commercially sensible.
It needs the right venue, the right partners and a production budget we can justify.
I have no interest in spending a fortune on an impressive evening that delivers nothing for the businesses involved.
The ambassador network must be valuable throughout the year.
The annual fashion show should bring that work together and celebrate it.
That’s the principle.
Excellence in Products. Excellence in People.
Over the years, Hairbond has worked with some exceptional professionals.
People who helped build the brand when we were still finding our feet.
People who gave their time, shared their knowledge and introduced our products to customers who might otherwise never have discovered us.
Those relationships mattered.
They still matter.
And I don’t want to forget the people who helped establish Hairbond’s professional reputation.
But this isn’t about recreating the past.
It’s about taking what worked and building something better.
More focused.
More collaborative.
More commercially useful.
And more meaningful for everybody involved.
I want Hairbond Educate to stand for something.
When somebody sees that trophy in a salon, I want them to know the professional behind it has earned their place in a carefully selected network.
When somebody reads an ambassador’s story, I want them to understand why that professional chooses to work with Hairbond.
And when our twenty-five ambassadors walk onto the runway alongside their models, I want them to feel they’re part of something bigger than a product launch.
Because that’s what we’re trying to build.
Hairbond isn’t just about what goes into the jar. It’s about the standards we refuse to compromise, the relationships we choose to build and the people who help us become better.
There Are 25 Seats at the Table
We’re inviting expressions of interest from experienced barbers, hairstylists and salon owners who would like to be considered for Hairbond Educate.
We’re particularly interested in hearing from former members of the original network.
Every selected ambassador will be expected to actively use and stock Hairbond, tell their own authentic story, contribute to the professional community and uphold the standards the brand represents.
In return, we’ll provide early access to new launches, samples for professional evaluation, an official Hairbond Educate Ambassador Trophy, a dedicated professional profile and opportunities to grow together.
We’re also inviting conversations with fashion, footwear, equipment and creative brands interested in supporting the proposed annual show.
The event is being planned for late 2027, subject to securing the right partners and arrangements.
There will be just twenty-five ambassador places in the initial network.
Not because scarcity is a fashionable marketing trick.
Because I would rather have twenty-five genuine working relationships than hundreds of names on a database.
Twenty-five seats. Twenty-five professional partnerships. Twenty-five models. One annual show.
We’ve done something special before.
Now I want to see what we can build together.
Interested in Hairbond Educate 2027?
Professional ambassadors: We’re looking for experienced barbers, hairstylists and salon owners who actively work with clients and want to become professional Hairbond stockists and partners.
Former Hairbond Educate members: We’d particularly welcome the opportunity to reconnect.
Fashion show partners: We’re inviting enquiries from fashion labels, footwear businesses, professional equipment suppliers and creative organisations interested in collaborating on the planned late-2027 event.
To express your interest:
Email: business@hairbond.com
Subject: Hairbond Educate 2027
Website:
https://hairbond.com
Hairbond Journal:
Your Seat at the Table Starts Here
Twenty-five professionals. One shared ambition.
Hairbond Educate is about more than representing a brand. It’s about building something together.
Every ambassador will stock Hairbond at professional wholesale prices, use our products and recommend them with confidence.
Your support helps us reinvest in the people behind the chair, from professional education and exposure to our ambition of staging an independent annual fashion show in late 2027.
In return, you’ll receive early access to new launches, product development samples, your own ambassador profile on Hairbond.com and an official Hairbond Educate Ambassador Trophy to display proudly in your salon.
We’ll tell your story. You’ll tell ours. We’ll help each other grow.
Because Hairbond isn’t just a jar of hair product. It’s a commitment to excellence in our products, our people and our partnerships.
Apply for One of the 25 Seats
We’re inviting experienced barbers, hairstylists and salon owners to join us. Former Hairbond Educate ambassadors are especially welcome.
Email business@hairbond.com with your name, salon, location, website and a little about why you’d like to be involved.
We’re also welcoming enquiries from fashion, footwear and creative brands interested in supporting our planned annual show.
Twenty-five seats. Twenty-five partnerships. One stage.
Excellence in products. Excellence in people. Stronger together.
Scott Michaels
Founder, Hairbond
Hairbond Educate. Excellence in products. Excellence in people. Stronger together.