Kim McIntosh
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Kim McIntosh Xenon International Academy Six campuses: Wichita and Olathe, KS; Aurora, CO; St. Louis, MO; and Grand Island and Omaha, NE
Ask Kim McIntosh to pick a quote that sums up her attitude and educational philosophy and she will immediately respond: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose” from Oh! The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. “There is no other business I would rather be in than the professional beauty industry,” says McIntosh, President and Partner of Xenon International Academy. A member of the fifth graduating class of Xenon International Academy in Wichita, KS, McIntosh worked in a salon before returning to the school, this time as an instructor. Today, 20 years later, she is Executive Director of the six Midwestern Xenon Academies and a partner in three of them. “Searching for a successful and fulfilling career can be hard work,” says McIntosh. “But, the good news is that the professional hair and beauty industry continues to be a dynamic place to start a career. The cosmetology industry continues to flourish. Our growth rate is one reason why we need more new professionals.” Xenon International Academy has graduated more than 7,000 students from its six Pivot Point Member Schools. McIntosh works out of the Wichita campus, a 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility with six facial treatment areas, two waxing rooms, four spa pedicure thrones, four classrooms and a large student salon area. “Trends project the future movement of our industry,” says McIntosh. “We are seeing medical spas opening and expanding into better-rounded experience for exercise and fitness. The primary goal is to pamper clients and allow them to escape from the daily grind. The manicure and pedicure business is projected to be one of the fastest growing segments in the beauty industry with a 22 percent growth rate until 2012. And the cosmetologist? Wow! He or she will continue to have a big impact as to how an individual looks and feels with evolving trends in hair, skin and nails. “At Xenon, we believe the student’s career starts the very first day at our academies. Once you walk through the door you can see and feel the difference,” continues McIntosh. This includes the Pivot Point Difference. “We have really evolved through our Pivot Point partnership. Students leave with an understanding of the life skills, business skills and technical skills needed to be successful in this industry…Our graduates seem to be light years ahead of other graduates. They join a huge network of thousands of other Pivot Point graduates whose reputations precede them,” McIntosh holds cosmetology, esthetics and instructor licenses in Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. Currently, she is a board member and secretary of the AACS (National Cosmetology Association of America) and is chairwoman of the CEA (Cosmetology Educators of America) convention. She also sits on Pivot Point’s Owner’s Advisory Board. She walks the talk—“steering herself” in whatever direction she chooses.
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David Yocum
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David Yocum, President American Academy of Cosmetology, Inc. American Academy of Massage Therapy, Inc. Manhattan, KS
Originally from St. Marys, KS, David Yocum started out in the field of Safety, Health and Environmental for Goodyear Corporation. Trained in business management, (Emporia State University) and human resource management (Friends University) he soon found his calling for education when he became a professional trainer for safety and health team leaders in the 1990s. “I found a great satisfaction in teaching others and this passion grew into a bigger life when I found the beauty industry,” he says. Yocum started his beauty career as a manager of a small cosmetology college. In 2005, he opened his own school in Manhattan, KS, after renovating an abandoned, six-bay movie theater into a modern college. He then expanded his massage therapy college, the American Academy of Massage Therapy (originally in Topeka, KS), and added the massage program to his Manhattan campus. Since 2005, the two schools have graduated more than 450 students. In addition to managing day-to-day operations, Yocum acts as team leader, mentor and coach to his educational staff. He provides professional development and goal-achievement workshops for his students. “I have a belief that men and women should look and feel beautiful and healthy at any age. It only made sense to me to be a part of this industry by providing education to those that share that same belief. I can’t imagine a more satisfying and rewarding career.” To stay current and on top of trends, Yocum says, “we are networked with other top Pivot Point schools through relationships I have built over the last several years. I have phone conferences with those schools and we also communicate by email. We rely on Pivot Point to provide us with new trends in education. We participate in the Pivot Point conference calls and remain active with our school representatives.” Ever mindful of the tuned-in generation, Yocum recently launched a school page on myspace.com (www.myspace.com/american_academy) in order for graduates to stay in touch and to link enrolled and future students as well. “Our myspace page is a great way for our college staff to stay in touch with all of our students. I have been amazed at how many of our students have moved out of state and keep in touch on this new site.” Yocum also introduced his new academy Web site americanacademy.edu as a Pivot Point Approved Member School test site. Designed and developed by Eckzuste LLC. and approved by the Pivot Point Marketing Department, the new site offers Yocum the abilty to easily update or change a wide range of content, has increased Web hits and enrollment leads, and offers students and clients easy access to information. Yocum’s latest venture is integrating marketing and business into all modules of training. “If our students are going to be successful today we need to provide them with the latest tools to accomplish this task. Business training goes hand-in-hand with their success in the salon world. Our new curriculum includes Pivot Point’s Salon Success along with the student Success Planner. Our training is truly beyond beauty school as we now step to the next level of professional development in all of our programs.”
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Meet an Owner - Jill Kohler
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Pivot Point Advisory Board Member Jill Kohler has made her mark on both the educational and commercial sides of the beauty industry by interacting with every layer of school and salon life—from products to people to processes. 
workshops and a strong connection with the Phoenix Art Museum. 
Says Kohler: “My involvement with Pivot Point has enhanced my school’s success through the relationships I have built and the challenges I have faced. Pivot Point created opportunities for me—Mindful Teaching® resonates in my school, Leo Passage has enlightened my school, Robert and Corinne (Passage) have provided guidance, the course books are undeniably effective with my students, the Snap Cap™ system is environmentally correct and the Pivot Point system sets my school apart.” Meet an Owner - Cyndi Becher
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Becher got a license in cosmetology in order to work her way through four years of college. But fate intervened when she was asked to manage the cosmetology school where she was employed. Only 19 at the time, she jumped at the opportunity. Today, as owner of La’James International College with seven campuses in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska, Becher and her staff serve 700 students at a time. A recognized leader in the industry, Becher was instrumental in the conception and development of the CEA (Cosmetology Educators of America) and currently serves on several industry-related boards and/or committees, including the advisory board for Pivot Point International, Inc. In 2007, she was awarded an Educational Service Award for Outstanding Services to Business and Education from the Iowa Business and Education Association. Innovative and enthusiastic, she is and always has been committed to excellence. As a company motto, she likes to remind her staff: “My name begins with ‘c’ and change begins with ‘c’ so buckle in for the ride!”
In 2007, Becher launched the exclusive La’James International Health and Beauty Management associate degree program, which provides classes in such subjects as entrepreneurship, math, business management and marketing in addition to cosmetology. The college’s Trend Vision—an all-day, exhilarating event made up of training, competition, fashion and fun—is recognized industry wide for its ability to excite and motivate both staff and students. To successfully manage multiple schools, Becher relies on a “strong, consistent infrastructure” highlighted by a dedicated staff.
“It’s the network, having fun and the pace of the company that attracts and keeps employees,” says Becher. “They contribute, they are a part of it—and they know it.”
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With 40 years of experience in cosmetology education and owner of one of the larger networks of beauty schools in the Midwest, you might assume that Cynthia Becher always knew what career path she would follow. Quite the contrary; it happened by chance.
For this Member School owner, the most rewarding aspect of the business has and will always be “the student. I’m always thinking about how to improve our education to make it better than the year before—through networking, domestic and international trips and bringing in various people under which they can train.”
“Young people are much more mobile than they used to be. We try to provide the kind of benefits, corporate training (for everyone at least twice a year) and events that will want to make them stay a long time. For the stability of the company, we are very fortunate that we have several people with 20 or more years of experience.
