The Beauty Industry Workforce Is 92% Women—Here's How Francis Tesmer Is Revolutionizing It

"Although appearance and style are to be admired and celebrated, I believe the beauty industry has a responsibility to do so much more than just focus on outward appearance," says Francis Tesmer, a global entrepreneur and the founder of Lead Rolfs Global Institute powered by L'Oréal Professional Products Division. These aren't empty words for Tesmer. As the beauty industry continues to evolve and innovate, Tesmer's passion for women's empowerment is a driving force toward her goal of ushering in a new era in the beauty industry. With this goal in mind, she founded Lead, an accelerated development program and pathway toward higher education for beauty professionals. I had the pleasure of discussing all things Lead, women's empowerment, and revolutionizing the industry with Tesmer. Read on to see what she had to say.

Marie Claire: Lead has been a game changer for aspiring beauty professionals. Can you tell us why you created the program and how it will impact the beauty industry?

Francis Tesmer: Lead Rolfs Global Institute is a global movement designed to unveil the intelligence of beauty and its power—beauty that embraces the connection of science, art, and technology, creating innovation and impact. The truth is that beauty has always been at the center of our lives, our very civilization, playing an essential role in how we connect with ourselves and each other. With this in mind, I believe beauty professionals are the leaders of our overall beauty and well-being, and therefore deserve to be highly educated, respected, and acknowledged. It is time for the world to see beauty for the central role it plays in our lives. Lead is reintroducing beauty as a powerful force for positive change and making the world a better place.

MC: Education is a core pillar of the Lead program. What is the importance of having an education-based program for beauty professionals?

FT: Lead, the first of its kind worldwide, provides accelerated and affordable pathways to higher education for beauty professionals, arming them with the well-rounded skills to meet and exceed the evolving demands of the modern world. This movement will create the beauty workforce of the future, providing them with education to offer modern, impactful, and transformative beauty experiences. Lead, as an innovation in education, offers diversified pathways with customized curriculum, giving beauty professionals total freedom to create their future. To support its global movement and impact, Lead offers a holistic, 360-degree approach to beauty education with the launch of the first-ever world-class apprenticeship program in 2025.

MC: What risks have you taken in your role as the founder of Lead Rolfs Global Institute?

FT: Every time one advocates for change and transformation, adversity and challenges come with the territory. My journey was no different, as I too faced many risks and road bumps along the way. Some of the biggest risks I have taken are my personal investments of time, financial resources, and global reputation.

I believed in this very necessary and important mission, and therefore, I was committed to finding highly talented and driven individuals with unique expertise to see what I see and become passionate about this project. When I first reached out to the academic world, the political world, and even leaders in the beauty industry, the conversation always started with "What are you talking about? For hairdressers? Why do they need higher education?" This further fueled my determination to make a difference in this industry and close the gap, because in these responses alone, I could see a whole workforce consisting of millions of women who were not seen and practically left behind. I did not give up. Instead, I used my global position and influence to advocate for the power of beauty, its workforce, its impact, and its place in the world, inviting these influential individuals to join my mission.

MC: There's a stigma associated with the lack of schooling needed to become a beauty professional. How is Lead breaking this stigma globally?

FT: Lead is the first-ever higher education pathway for beauty professionals to receive a modern, innovative, and customized bachelor's degree. The access to this higher education pathway alone will instill a new confidence in beauty professionals and will, at the same time, change how they are perceived in the world. Like doctors, beauty professionals examine clients, review their history, diagnose conditions, administer treatment, and counsel clients on their outer and inner self-care and well-being. Every year, an individual consults with a beauty professional over 48% more than a physician. Yet the significance of beauty professionals' impact and the prestige of their profession have been undermined. Beauty is at the heart of how we connect with ourselves, each other, and our world, taking an active part in our emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

With Lead, beauty professionals are given the pathway, the support, and the tools to become leaders of their own lives, their communities, the beauty industry, and humanity collectively into the future. I want this industry to be the next possibility that everyone seeks, knowing that this is one of the most impactful careers of our time.