Description
In this energizing episode of the DayMakers podcast, host Daved Dolce welcomes Mr. Joseph, a dynamic and passionate educator at Tricoci University. Known for his media appearances and student impact, Mr. Joseph shares his philosophy on teaching beyond textbooks and empowering students with real-world readiness. With a focus on mentorship, industry connections, and student success, he reveals how Tricoci fosters an environment where learners don’t just pass — they thrive. This is a must-listen for aspiring beauty professionals, educators, and anyone passionate about education with purpose.
Show Notes
– Joseph introduces himself as an educator at Tricoci University and reflects on his experience in teaching and industry involvement.
– He discusses the gap between traditional education and real-world expectations, and how Tricoci bridges that divide.
– Joseph emphasizes Tricoci’s innovative approach that gives educators the freedom to teach from experience, not just textbooks.
– He highlights the importance of helping students not only pass tests but build successful, thriving careers in the beauty industry.
– Daved and Mr. Joseph explore the value of Tricoci’s partnerships and how they offer students more than just product training — they open doors to professional networks and career development.
– An engaging conversation about redefining beauty education, inspiring students, and the powerful role educators play in shaping the future of the industry.
Links
YouTube: https://youtu.be/_xOQk9IpRgU
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3viAhv6JeGN6AxbLRPIVZm?si=5hN_CI6hQW–0zzNa0D3Dg
Transcript
We are here to make people
feel good about themselves.
We really have to feel like we
are a day maker for the guest.
You’ve made my day.
How great is that when you hear
those words from your guest.
Hey, friends, this is David Dolce
with the Daymakers podcast.
Today we are interviewing
one of our very own, Mr.
Joseph.
He’s one of our
educator extraordinaires.
Mr.
Joseph, welcome to the program.
Fantastic to be here.
I’m glad to have you here.
You’re just one of the people
that I’ve seen since when
I’ve been here and like, oh,
my God, this guy’s great.
He’s great.
He’s great.
You gotta go here, there.
And so having you be a part of
some of the media stuff we
do, you do the news stations, all
of that stuff for us.
So naturally, you should be
on the podcast.
Well, thank you.
I love being popped
around everywhere.
It’s fun.
It is fun.
Instead of just bragging, talking
to the teachers and students
all the time, it’s nice
to have a bigger selection.
It’s true.
So as far as to coach it goes,
what made you choose to coach?
As an employer, I really wanted
something that stood out in
the industry, that was cutting edge.
I.
I got into teaching because I felt
there was such a huge disconnect
from schooling into the real world.
And I felt Tricoci, and I’ve
worked at other places, but I
felt Tricoci really pushed past
in allowing educators the freedom
to teach from experience and not
just a cookie cutter book to pass
a test.
So, yes, we’re getting people
prepared to test, but with Tricoci,
we’re pushing past that and being.
We want you to thrive when
you get out of here.
Not just have a job,
but we want you to thrive, have
a living, have a career.
And Tricoci steps above that in
what they offer on education
side, but also what they offer
to the students with partnerships.
And not a lot of schools have
partnerships besides just having
basic color lines and basic
products to play with.
And then you get out there and you’re
like, I didn’t learn half of this.
Great.
That’s so true.
But Chikotche, I feel it gives
a better foundation in stepping.
Stepping stone for success.
I agree with you, 100.
That’s why I like working
for them too, as well.
So you have a pretty
extensive career yourself.
You got your hands in everything.
You’re not just working at a salon,
you’re not just working at a spa.
You’re not just educating.
You’re doing everything
cosmetology aesthetics.
Just listening to you earlier
upstairs in the green room,
like, the level of expertise that
you have and you bring to our
students is just phenomenal.
I can’t help it when it
just interjects in.
I mean, you speak with such
form, fluidity, and knowledge.
It’s like you’re just.
I want to listen to you.
Like, I want you to be my educator.
I could just stand there and listen
to you come by the campus anytime.
Yes.
So I want to know a little
bit about your journey.
Like, what got you involved
in this industry and how did you get
into education and what’s.
What’s your day to day look like?
Absolutely.
I feel like you don’t
even get days off.
No, I mean, I’ve gotten
to a point where seven days a week.
But I.
I love what I do.
I’m very fortunate.
Starting off.
I started in theater from
performing myself, then kind
of fell into the background
doing hair and makeup.
So before I even got into
the professional world, licensing,
I started off and doing hair
and makeup for musicals
and then going into editorial
for magazines and Runway.
And I never said no.
When I first started, everything
was like, yes, yes, let me do that.
And let me cram as much in.
Because I didn’t know what I wanted
at the beginning.
I didn’t know what avenue
I wanted to go into.
So anytime an opportunity
came up, I was like, yeah,
I can make that work.
Let me just do it,
keep running with it.
And I’ve been fortunate to work in
so many different avenues that
this industry gives us from, like
I said, with everything from going
in musicals and behind the scenes
to TV and film, and then realizing
that I wanted more stability and
went to school to actually gain a
license.
When I learned I could make more
money, that was a great point to
go to, but it really allowed me
to refine the raw skills that I
had, and I was able to find
stability in going into the
salon world.
And I learned what I loved
and didn’t love from working
at a few different places.
I had some incredible bosses, and
I had some really terrible ones,
but some of the worst ones taught
me the most on how to treat
people, how to interact, and what
gives back to a healthy
environment.
So that was part
of going into teaching.
I’m almost in this for 15 years
in the beauty industry.
And I went back to school during
COVID to actually start
teaching because salons were closed
for a while, and I didn’t
know what was going to happen.
So I was like, you know what?
Let me.
Besides just Harping on my
clients and teaching them
and pushing knowledge them.
Let me get back there
and start giving it back
where it really starts.
I’m glad that happened
for you because I love that
you’re part of our team.
You’re relatable, the students love
you, the staff even loves you.
So that real world experience
that you brought into the
classroom, do you think that’s
helped you be a better educator
because you have so much
experience with so many
different things and people?
Absolutely.
I’m very firm believer
in any type of trade school.
And we are a trade school.
We’re hands on.
And I’m a firm believer that
no matter what you’re teaching,
you should be practicing.
So I still work behind the chair
and the salon bed and spa bed.
And I still have my own salon
and spa that I work in.
And being with church allows me
the flexibility to be behind
the chair and also in a classroom
and corporate setting where I can
give it back but stay connected.
Cause I feel once you stop practicing
your craft, we lose our creativity,
we lose that passion.
And by staying, even if it’s just
one day or once every couple
months, you’re doing stuff, doing
a photo shoot, it re sparks it.
And you’re able to show that passion
in the classroom more
than just teaching from a book
or going through the monotony.
That starts to happen.
So I like to keep
the spark and I get bored.
So I have to do everything.
I know, don’t we?
All this creative energy we all have.
But it’s true.
I tell my clients now when I’m
doing my clients, like, oh my
gosh, you’re probably so tired.
You work so much like this though.
This makes me feel
like a human being.
Yes.
Reminds me of who I am.
It brings it back, creativity
to what sparked it, why we
saw the people doing this.
We saw stage shows, we saw when
we were getting our hair done.
And that really sparked
into I want to do that.
I want to have the flexibility.
And I’ve even realized my
clients love hearing about it.
They’re like, so what are
you doing at the school now?
What.
What’s happening with us?
So it crossed in where one
didn’t get affected or
the other and I can teach them.
They’re like, oh, I didn’t even
think that that was a part of it.
And I’m like, yeah, we go through,
through multiple little
courses that are like different
professions all tied into one
that people don’t think about.
Yeah.
Wow.
Like, that’s a good qua.
That’s a good Segue into.
What I want to ask you is, what
do you think there’s some common
misperceptions that people have
of beauty school educators?
Because I know when I’d say I’m
an educator and I’ve had people
tell me, oh, what do you teach?
And I’m like, oh, beauty school.
Oh, like, wait, what do you mean?
Like, it’s very detailed,
like it’s valid.
I was like, I actually
teach real stuff.
I get it all the time and I still do.
And I actually love it.
Now, before I kind of got offended,
I’m like, what do you mean?
Like, oh, cosmetology?
I’m like, no, I teach aesthetics
and cosmetology and I
love it and I kind of throw
it back as a challenge.
I’m like, well, yeah.
I’m like, we just went over to them.
They’re like, wait, you have
to learn engineering
and biology and chemistry.
I’m like, there’s a lot of
mathematics and science, but we deep
dive into chemical formulation.
What we’re doing in clients.
I mean, color theory, things that
take people years to master.
We’re cramming into like a year
long, maybe two year long program.
I was like, you’re doing a mini
medical biology course.
You’re doing a engineering
and electrical course, everything.
So it’s not just, yeah, we get
to play with hair and people’s
skin and socialize, but there’s
a psychology aspect in it.
It’s so much deeper,
handling so much emotion, being
so intimate with people.
And I.
That’s a whole thing in itself.
Learn secrets that I’m like, oh,
probably shouldn’t know that
about your family, but great.
I’m like, can’t remember that
you part your hair on that side
for 10 years of seeing you.
But I know everything about your
whole family that’s so relatable,
like, what side you part on, right?
Like, oh my God, I’ve been
doing your hair 10 years.
Put that one note in.
But everything else I know, oh,
your grandchildren, everything.
I’m like, remember their names.
But I’m like, what’s your name again?
Well, they saw you for 10 years.
When I always bring up to people
that question, like, oh, educate.
I’m like, don’t you want the person
that’s doing your hair, working
on your skin to be able
to identify different conditions
or diseases that you may have?
I’m like, we need to know all
the differences between ringworm.
Ringworm looks like psoriasis.
Yes, but we need to know
the difference between these.
Absolutely.
We’re Going to professionals
for doctors and we go to the dentist
and we go, we hire a plumber
because we can’t do it.
But we have to learn all
those things as well in that.
I mean, even just like when I talk
about, oh, you do an engineering
course, I’m like, well, yeah,
we are working with machinery.
We know the voltage and how many
outlets we have to have things.
So we don’t blow up our salon.
Yeah, we don’t blow up our
hairdryer and start your head
on fire with hairspray.
I was like, there’s so many
little things that go into it.
And so I kind of wear it as a hat
of like, yeah, we’re kind
of like a master of nothing.
But we were a jack of every like
career pulled together in one.
I love.
You get to brag about.
And it makes it great for social
interaction at parties because you
have someone who’s a psychologist.
I’m like, oh yeah, to talk
about a study or something.
And they’re like, I thought
you just played with hair.
Like haha jokes on you.
I know you wish, but that’s
the fun part of it too.
Hearing people’s stories, that’s what
makes you relatable to students.
All the things that you hear.
What advice do you catch yourself
giving to your students
more so than maybe something else?
Do everything.
Don’t say no.
Take the opportunity, Jump
around, move around.
I was fortunate enough
to do it, but I went out
and sought after things.
I also was fortunate where because
of people I met, I was recommended
for things and things that I
never even thought I would do.
Like when I got into doing film and
television, I met somebody on set
five years prior, worked with them
for like two minutes, sprucing
their hair up for them to put a
helmet on.
They referred me to a producer
and they called me and said,
can you come do a pilot?
And that spurred doing
a TV series for a year.
And I’m like, you never
know who you’re meeting.
So.
So do everything.
Go to every social
event, do every mixer.
You’ve worked a 10 hour day
in school.
And I say work because it is work.
It’s not.
You’re, you’re sitting in class doing
reading, you’re, you’re working.
I’m like, go to that mixer
on a Saturday or Friday night.
Go and network, socialize.
Because you never know who’s going
to call you five years later.
You never know what that’s going
to line up that you didn’t
think you want to go into platform
work and working on stage.
But, hey, the beauty show is coming
up and somebody needs someone
to hand out flyers at their booth.
And just by handing out flyers,
they love your personality
and that you educated yourself
on their brand without needing to.
And they’re going to call you
to come and do traveling shows.
It’s just there’s so many avenues
that this brings into you.
So I say take everything
and every opportunity you can.
I love it.
You decide what you want later.
Yeah.
You don’t want somebody to go
into somebody else’s chair because
you don’t know how to do it exactly
right then and there.
Well, and that’s great, too,
because I love the education
aspect because I’ll talk an ear off,
but I like educating clients.
And I always say, whether you
come back to me or you don’t,
I want you educated on your
own body and hair so you can
make an educated decision.
Like, if you’re in that situation
where you do go somewhere else,
because we jump around, we try
different places, but you at least
know what’s happening to you.
You know when something
is right or wrong.
So now you have the education backed
up, and they usually come back
and they’re like, can you fix it?
I’m sorry.
Like, I went somewhere else.
I’m like, that’s fine.
Let’s fix that.
I’m going to charge you more
money, but we’re going to fix it.
But I like that education behind it.
I like using education as a weapon,
and I know that seems very
taboo, but it’s your best defense
when you’re underestimated.
But it’s also your biggest
piece you can put forward.
We.
And it’s not showboating,
it’s not this.
But you’re.
You’re factually backing up what
you’re working on and doing
to show that you have the skill
and knowledge to move forward.
Huge.
What example do you have
when you look back?
Like, I have a million of them,
but some do stick out of a certain
student that came into your life
probably for a reason.
And you can look back and be
like, you know what?
Like, I made this person’s day with.
This person really
got a lot out of me.
And I really do feel like I affected
their life in a positive manner.
One that sticks out for you.
I had a student at a prior school
that we butted heads.
We’re always.
There’s only going to be that
one educator, and I had one
myself, but we butted heads so much
on trying to get.
They had such great skill,
raw skill, but they already
felt they knew everything.
And I was like, I challenged them
and challenged and they hated me.
But I’m not here
to be your best friend.
I’m here to make sure that you
have the education and you
can go out there confidently.
So I’m like, that’s fine, throw it
at me if you don’t like me now.
But they reached out to me five
years after they graduated and they
sent me on social media like
a five paragraph, like, thank you.
They’re like, I was a pain
in the ass to you and I’m so sorry.
But thank you for pushing and
making me so angry to the point
where I ditched school for two
hours and you had to go walk
around the promenade to find me
and then found me in a grocery
store and yelled at me to get
back to school.
They were like, thank you.
Because it instilled in me
such a work confidence.
And you were the first person
to actually believe
in what I was doing.
They came from a background
and family that really wasn’t there.
I learned more and it’s
very deep and it gets raw.
But there are so many people going
through so many different
challenges, whether it’s family
related, work related,
homelessness, and with this
particular student, they had no
family, they had nothing.
And they were always told,
you’re going to be average,
you just need to get a job
where it’s going to pay you.
You’re not going to be
a shining star, you’re not going
to stand out, don’t try.
You’re not competent enough.
And having someone behind
you that sees that little bit
to push I think is huge.
And whether I do it or not,
I try and do that with everybody
because I don’t know who
it’s going to stick with.
And I can’t really be a person
to say, yeah, I’ve made
an impact on someone’s life.
I think that’s going towards
the person that you talked with.
So it’s kind of like you kind
of have to do a review on all
the teachers and students I worked
with and see who got something.
But I just try and put it out there.
And when you see that raw
talent, you push and drive people
because sometimes they don’t
have that support at home.
They don’t have someone that’s in
their corner rooting and being
like, yes, you did something so
small and in the hindsight it’s so
minuscule, but right now it means
so much that gives that spark for
them to keep going and have a
confidence.
And that’s us, like in this industry.
As educators, like college educators,
really don’t know their students
on that personal level.
They’re a number in a giant showroom.
Yep.
And it’s almost required
of us get to know them.
I wouldn’t be here if I
didn’t have somebody that did
that extra focus on me.
I was a school student.
I was nuts.
I’d hide in cabinets, be sleeping,
like, just the whole thing.
I was all over the place.
And I have.
I have Miss Annie and Miss Annie.
I had a Miss Annie during the day
and a Miss Annie at night.
And they were two of the biggest
driving factors that pushed me
to do things outside of my comfort.
And I was like, thank you.
I hated them at first.
I said that to them when I graduated.
I’m like, I’m sorry.
I was a horrible student
to you, but thank you.
And they, like, gave me
the smile and hug, and I’m
like, that stuck with me.
Then they know.
And that is how you know
you did a good job.
Like a couple of my graduates
I’ve interviewed, and for them
to just tell me, like,
you made an impact on my life.
Oh, my God.
I’m doing what I’m supposed to do.
I still get it where they get.
I get texts now because
I’m like, listen to that.
You graduate, you can bombard me
on social media and add me.
And I get texts like, I just
interviewed for this and I got it.
Or they’re like, I interviewed
at six places.
But I’m really.
I’m like, that’s fantastic.
At least you put yourself out there.
And they still check in.
Or I stalk them on social media
and I check in and see what
I’m like, look at what you’re
doing and accomplishing.
We just had a student come
back, and they’re a brand ambassador
for Keratin now.
They reach out because of their
social media push, and they’re
doing all this color stuff.
They’re reaching out and making
their own extensions,
brand and working on cost.
And I’m like, it’s amazing.
And they turned to me after
they were just high,
and they’re like, thank you.
I was a pain in the ass, but thank
you for being on my back in school.
And I’m like, you had this skill,
but you were putting yourself
in a grouping at school.
Because we get clicks and you
have to separate yourself.
This is what you’re
getting out of it.
Don’t let someone else hinder that.
And they’re thriving.
I think they’re one
of the biggest success stories
coming out of Tricoci.
At least that I personally
got a small piece in.
That’s fantastic.
As an educator, that’s cool.
What’s been your most rewarding part
of, like, being a part of Tricoci?
I think the new friendships
and grouping that
I’ve gotten out of it.
And not just with educators, but also
students that I now call colleagues.
With Tricoci, you get a whole
new walk of life with everybody.
Sometimes you get into a job
and you find it because
they’re the same people.
You kind of melt because,
like, oh, we have the same.
But it’s so diverse.
And sometimes it’s confrontational,
but in a good way.
Where you build.
And Chikochi really
has become a family.
I’ve worked at a lot of places
and spas and salons and everything.
And you have the camaraderie when
you’re there, but not on the outside
where we can message each
other and check in or do stuff.
And it’s nice having that family unit
with your Kochi and being
able to contribute into it.
So I think that’s the most rewarding
part is that it’s so accepting,
so diverse, and it’s challenging.
So it just.
You keep moving up and going
and going and going.
And Tricoci will allow you to go
as far as you want to, or they’ll
be happy and just let you sit
comfortably where you’re at
and sit and be like, okay, cool.
You’re right there.
You want to say,
we’ll keep you there.
Otherwise they’re going to push you
and be like, no, you can do more.
They’ll throw something.
Oh, you do that.
Oh, come and do this.
That’s how I got put into doing
the television, everything.
They’re like, oh, you
did good on that.
Let’s start you here.
And I’m like, oh, okay.
They give you more challenges.
I’m like, okay, cool.
Let’s see where that takes us.
Yep, we’re watching.
Yeah.
When people, how do I get your job?
How do I get your job?
I’m like, just keep being
you and they’ll find you.
Oh, yeah.
Like, I’ve never asked
for any of my promotions.
They’ve asked me if I’d be
interested in doing them.
So some people have the wrong
mentality going in that.
And you’re right.
That’s another opportunity of just.
You don’t say no.
Yes, absolutely.
Doing those things that
make you nervous.
But no.
Yes, I’m going to do it.
I’m going to do it.
And then you show up.
I want to congratulate you.
Also, you were recently promoted,
now that we’re talking about it,
to a student success advisor.
Thank you so much.
And we did.
We’ve been talking
about being a day maker.
You’ve answered questions
about how you’ve helped shape
people and change them and carrying
that into their life.
Like, do you realize like the impact
you’ve had on like their future
and their future mentoring and when
they talk to other people, they’re
always going to remember you.
They’re always going to remember Mr.
Joseph and what you did for that.
It’s something you realize after
the fact you’re in it and you’re
really not thinking
about what am I doing for them.
You’re obviously doing everything
for that student.
It’s like, I’ve done this, I’ve
done what I wanted and gotten out
of it and I’m still doing.
But you kind of pull yourself out
of it because we all like
accolades and we like to be
congratulated, but you don’t really
matter in that moment.
It’s all focused on that
student because you don’t want
them to be as good as you
want them better than you.
If they get there faster,
they learn the mistakes you
made and get their past.
So I do realize down the line and
looking back at everything how much
I’ve contributed and achieved, but I
don’t feel it matters in that moment
because you kind of have to remove
yourself because you remove your
pride and you remove your ambition
because your ambition in that moment
is to push them to get their all out
of it.
It’s true.
So you can be skilled
and talented, but it’s not your
time to shine in that.
It’s not.
No, it’s theirs.
Some people are the opposite way.
How do you think all of this
helped you create these
long lasting relationships?
Oh, wow.
Honestly, just being able
to just keep doing what I love.
I think I know the day to pack
up and stop is when I wake
up and I’m like, I don’t
want to do this anymore.
I wake up loving what I do.
I talk my partner’s ear off.
He’s like, leave work at work.
I’m like, I can’t.
I’m like, I eat, sleep,
breathe this industry.
I’ve done every aspect of it.
I’m like, I’ll still answer a call or
email from people because I love it.
And I think that what keeps
me tied in it, wanting
to still help, wanting to push.
And I’m the type of person,
I’m never really satisfied when
I get something because I
want challenge I want to grow.
I want to keep moving.
And I feel when you’re
green, you grow.
When you’re not, you rot.
So I like to be comfortable.
I get to a point.
So, like, this promotion, fantastic.
I’m going to sit in it,
I’m going to enjoy it.
I’m going to appreciate
the accomplishment I’ve achieved.
But down the line, maybe
in a year from now, I’m gonna be
like, I’m too comfortable.
I need a challenge.
I need to shake it up.
Maybe I need to do something
new or refreshing, and I need
to be more challenged.
So I’ll be messaging, be like,
hey, is there more I can do?
Is there another challenge
you can throw my way?
Cause my plate’s not
full enough as is.
No, we love it.
We love those questions.
I like that.
I just like being able
to be in it and keep going.
And I know the day when I
wake up and I’m like, I
don’t wanna do anymore.
I’m happy with just I’m sitting
complaints, and I’m like, okay, your
passion’s a little bit done.
Maybe it’s time to move over
and let someone else that’s
younger and has another view
on life and they can take the
reins from there and continue
pushing and driving the next
generation.
We have a lot of passion, so
you’ll be around for a while, Mr.
Joseph.
I’m probably gonna die doing
what I do to the moment.
But again, thank you so much
for being part of this.
Thank you.
And congratulations
on that promotion.
I look forward to many years working
with you and just seeing
what the future brings for you.
It’s bright.
Thank you.
It means a lot.
You’re very welcome.
Thank you.
This has been fantastic.
I’ll come back anytime.
All right.
You’re welcome anytime.
Thank you.
Have a good rest of your day.
You too.
Thank you.
Thank you.