
ASCP, ISPA and PBA Receive 2026 Power of Associations Award for Esthetics Licensure Compact
This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.
Reportedly the most followed barber on social media, @arod23pr has found his niche by combining art with entertainment. Here he shares his tips on building a successful career - great tips for everyone in any beauty community.









@Arod23pr - the most followed barber on Instagram
Reportedly the most followed barber on social media, @arod23pr has found his niche by combining art with entertainment. At close to two million followers, the self-described “artist” offers more than 5,500 posts that are chock full of selfies, humorous videos, makeovers, classic barber cuts, art cuts, family shots and more. “Barbering Is Life” is his motto on his Facebook profile and he shares his mission, which is “To grow the barber community to the next level by posting daily videos that facilitate the education for upcoming barbers or barbers that just want to take their career to the next level.”

@Arod23pr - the most followed barber on Instagram
The social media superstar has learned the secret to building a following by cross promoting on all platforms. For example, his “Flat Top Hip-Hop Freestyle” You Tube video has more than 40,000,000 views – and he makes sure his Instagram followers know it! He shares a link from one platform to the other to build his own following. It works.
According to one follower, Arod’s success is not just about his talent (and he IS talented) but it’s also about his strategy – beyond cross promoting. “He’s consistent – posting regularly and predictably in a good way. He networks beautifully and has worked very hard to grow his presence,” says the fan who prefers to remain anonymous “His short videos are really skits. They are hysterical and worth watching over and over.” It turns out, that for Arod, it really is the perfect formula.
MODERN caught up with the artist at the most recent Matrix Destination in Orlando, Florida. Arod was a guest of the brand, meeting fans, the press and his community. We asked for his top five tips for the barber community on how to be successful. The video is short and fun, but in a nutshell:
Just get active. Offer free cuts for friends, family, etc. Get your name out there. Grow your own community.
Treat everyone you meet as if he or she is already an existing client.
Use quality products. Invest in yourself and use the right stuff.
Use social media to grow your clientele. Make sure to hashtag your location!!
Get as much education as possible. Hairdressers should go to barbering events and barbers should go to hairdressing events “Like Matrix Destination,” Arod says.
Check out this short video (#worthit) and let @Arod23pr answer in his own style. Make sure to WATCH TO THE END!!!:
Originally posted on Modern Salon

This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.

In Dubai, a salon visit isn’t an appointment. It’s a weekly routine, and clients can spend $800 to $1,400 a month on it, according to Gaurav Tripathi of MADI International. On October 6-8, 2026, the market behind those numbers opens its doors as Beautyworld Dubai marks its 30th edition at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together distributors, brands, stylists and salon owners from all over the world.

In October, volunteers plan to walk and take the plunge during at the annual event, HairToStay Does the Bay. Find out how you can participate and support the organization that grants subsidies to cancer patients so they can receive cold cap treatments to save their hair during chemotherapy.
At Premiere Orlando 2026, SALON TODAY catches up with Easihair Pro's Angela Gilmore, who talks about why stylists lose clients who are suffering from thinning hair and hair loss, and how their new Hairlosophy line can help.

Illuminated Paths is a boxed set of 52 cards, a guidebook, and an Oracolor Wheel, a visual framework that helps readers reconnect with the qualities they want to bring into everyday life.

In this rare essay, the president of a haircare brand takes us behind-the-scenes into a world we never see when we pick up a product off the shelves--the arduous, thought-probing, second-guessing journey of rebranding a legacy product line. Not only is her reflection fascinating, but it is also incredibly useful for any salon owner or manufacturer contemplating their own brand.

Twenty lucky winners will be selected July 30th, and each will be able to choose from three different service tray models.

Motivated by loved ones who have battled cancer, Phorest's Barry Quinn and two friends will embark on a three-day trek to the summit of the highest peak in North Africa in September, raising money for HairToStay. Find out how you can help them.

The company's Back to Business Sweepstakes is a direct investment in the stylists and salon owners who are building something that lasts.

Owners start to worry when a month's sales come up short compared to the same period last year, but that may have more to do with the days in the month than with an actual decline. The KIM Report's Alain Audet points to May 2026 as a prime example.