Empowering the Future of Beauty Professionals Through Education and Leadership
In a world where transformation often begins with a single touch, Francis Tesmer is redefining beauty not through services but by using beauty as a catalyst for social change. An international entrepreneur, philanthropist, and educator, Francis is the visionary founder of the LEAD | ROLFS Global Institute, powered by L’Oréal, a trailblazing academic program meant to uplift the beauty industry and women within it.
“It starts with focusing on the 8 million women,” Francis explains. “Over 90 percent of beauty professionals globally are women. Our focus is to educate them to the next level so they can play an even bigger, more impactful role in the world.”
A collaboration between L’Oréal USA and Arizona State University, this is the beating heart of the LEAD ROLFS Global Institute, taking advanced training into education itself and providing an accredited degree pathway for licensed beauty professionals to complete an associate’s and bachelor’s degree. It’s the first-of-its-kind academic program built to elevate the beauty industry and empower the women within it. At the helm stands Francis Tesmer, who has made tireless changes to the identity of not just an individual, but to everything concerning the industry itself.
“When a beauty professional is highly educated, they can bring a more intelligent, customized, holistic approach to each and every guest,” Francis continues. “Most of us go to a beauty house 48 times more than to a doctor. Imagine what that interaction could do.”
This insight – both brilliant and intuitive – is at the very heart of Tesmer’s work. By making the stylist stand apart from others and carrying their influence far beyond the four walls of the salon, one could say that through education, these people become agents of transformation, confidence, and connection.
The future of the beauty industry, she believes, hinges on wise leadership.
And the leadership begins with investing in hairstylist education, giving them business savvy, emotional intelligence, and good communication skills to be changemakers in every sense of the word.
“Empowering the beautician so they can inspire us, so we can go out into the world and be the best we can be,” she says, with quiet intensity. In her words, you hear the deep pulse of a movement. A strong ripple of empowerment that begins in beauty schools and salons, then extends outward into boardrooms, classrooms, families, and communities. She is truly an innovative soul.
ROLFS Salon is honored to be a large part of this exceptional undertaking – this extraordinary mission. To witness Francis Tesmer lead with such elegance, grace, and certainty is to see the future evolve before us. She is not just advancing the beauty industry; she is recreating it, elevating its potential, enhancing its possibilities, amplifying its purpose, and honoring those women who shape it. It is such a beautiful sight to see.
Through the LEAD degree program, she is laying the foundation for a generation of beauty professionals who will be well educated, confident, and globally responsible. And through her, we are reminded that beauty, when paired with wisdom and intention, has the power to transform the world.
Join us and the powerful leader, Francis Tesmer, in changing the beauty industry one hairstylist at a time.
