Career Academy of Hair Design graduates business savvy designers, entrepreneurs

Jim Butenschoen makes no bones about it. He’s not a cosmetologist, he’s a businessman.

That may be a surprise to some. After all, you might think the owner of the successful Career Academy of Hair Design would need to know his way around a pixie cut, ombre’ or French tips. Not the case.

“I retired from sales and marketing in the information technology business after about 25 years,” he said. “I always wanted my own business and in 2006 I found this opportunity. The more I looked at it, the more I liked it.”

Flash forward a dozen years and Jim has grown the business from a single school to include five locations in Springdale, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Fayetteville and Fort Smith. Jim is proud of the business he has built and reputation Career Academy of Hair Design has attained.

“Our five schools average between 4,000 and 5,000 services a month,” he explained. “That includes hair cuts, perms, color, manicures and the whole gamut of services. That’s a lot.”

Jim is fast to point out… being nominated repeatedly for Best of Northwest Arkansas accolades isn’t only his doing, it’s due in great part to his quality staff of instructors, employees and graduates.

“It is humbling and it makes you proud,” he said of his 2018 nomination for The Best of Northwest Arkansas. “But, I have to give credit where it is due. I give all the credit to the staff. They deserve the credit for our success.”

The five schools enroll around 300 inspired and talented students each year. Everyone who graduates, Jim assured, is “very, very well trained.”

The high quality of Academy’s instructors sets Career Academy apart from others in the industry.

“A lot of schools will take someone right out of cosmetology school and put them into an instructor course,” he explained. “We require our instructors to have years of experience in the real world before they become an instructor. Then, they can impart to the student the keys to being successful.”

Jim said a new class starts about every six weeks and he always explains an important concept to the aspiring students.

“I let them know I’m not a cosmetologist,” he said. “My focus and the Academy is based on my background in business. It’s not just about getting a license. It’s all about their ability and their desire to succeed financially when they graduate. I want them to make a lot of money. That requires efforts and commitment. We teach business and how to run a salon, how to minimize taxes and maximize profit. If they can do that, they can do very well.”

This article was presented and sponsored by Career Academy of Hair Design. For more information, go to BeautyNWA.com.