Beyond Technical Skills: What Today's Hairstylists Need To Build a Lasting Career
By Steph Bong·July 27, 2026
Technical skills will always be the foundation of a hairstylist's career, but they're no longer the only skills that matter. In Part 2 of BTC's exclusive conversation with KEVIN.MURPHY, Editorial Director Steph Bong sat down with Rocky Rumpel (@rockyrumpel), General Manager of North America, and Sarah Lund (@sarah.lovekm), Director of Education, to discuss how education is evolving, why communication has become an essential career skill and how KEVIN.MURPHY is creating more opportunities for hairstylists through expanded education, partnerships and community.
Rocky and Sarah believe education should extend far beyond cutting, coloring and styling. One example is Session Salon, KEVIN.MURPHY's four-part communication course. While the program has been around for 18 years, Sarah explained that it has continually evolved to reflect what's happening in salons today.
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At its core, Session Salon is designed to help hairstylists become better communicators by strengthening consultation, communication and relationship-building skills. For Rocky and Sarah, that's what modern education looks like: developing well-rounded professionals with both technical expertise and the confidence to connect with clients, build trust and grow their businesses.
For KEVIN.MURPHY, accessibility is about more than making products available. It's about creating more opportunities for hairstylists to learn, grow and connect with the brand. Rocky described KEVIN.MURPHY as "the industry's best-kept secret" and shared that the goal is to introduce more professionals to the brand through expanded education, partnerships and learning experiences. By making those opportunities more accessible, KEVIN.MURPHY hopes to help more hairstylists develop their skills, grow their careers and become part of its professional community.
Rocky and Sarah shared several ways KEVIN.MURPHY is investing in its professional community:
Expanded education opportunities across North America.
Session Salon communication training that strengthens consultations, client relationships and communication skills.
Business education alongside technical training to help stylists build sustainable careers.
Live education and industry partnerships that connect hairstylists with educators and peers.
A stronger professional community through in-person collaboration and networking.
Greater access to career development for hairstylists at every stage of their careers.
Why Community Still Matters
While online education has made learning more accessible, Sarah emphasized the value of bringing hairstylists together in person. Whether through education, industry events or brand partnerships, those shared experiences create opportunities to learn from one another, exchange ideas and build lasting professional relationships. For KEVIN.MURPHY, education isn't just about teaching techniques. It's about creating a community where hairstylists can continue growing together.
