Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Wortman.
Hi Candice, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started cosmetology school in August of 2001, the year I graduated high school. It took me about 9 months to complete Missouri’s mandatory 1500 hrs. When I graduated, because of my grades, I was offered a scholarship to become an instructor at the school I attended (Paris 2 now closed). I was a good student, but I was also only 19 and didn’t really know much about hair. Yeah, you read that right, I had great grades in school but didn’t know much outside of cutting hair, which I excelled at. I thought I needed a lot more experience/knowledge before I could start teaching. Beauty schools were and still are NOTORIOUS for teaching the very BASICS to pass State Board testing. It was and still is a part of hair culture- you graduate beauty school and then the salon/salons you work at teach you all the other important things, which back then meant foil highlights, color theory, best business practices, etc.
Back then cosmetology school was looked down upon, and to a degree still is. People mistakingly thought doing hair meant that you were not very smart, and college was pushed so hard down our parents’ throats. They truly believed (and some still do) that to be successful meant college where you got a degree and not a trade school where you got, you know, a SKILL. So instead of going straight to work full-time I enrolled in college, and I had myself a TIME. I graduated from the University of Missouri in 2007 with a BA in English Literature and a minor in art with an emphasis in creative writing. I know, that’s a mouthful but if I was going to college I was going to study what I wanted. Plus, everyone knows that English degrees are the most useful. (audible laugh)
While getting my degree I did hair. Mostly in different salons and the occasional dorm bathroom. It was one of the best times of my life. I loved Columbia, and wouldn’t you know it was filled with some of the most talented hair stylists I had ever met. My passion for hair didn’t dwindle while there it grew… immensely. There was one summer though, right before my senior year that I did take a brief break from working behind the chair. I got a job as a delivery driver for one of the professional beauty supply stores in town, one of my good friends at the time was the manager. I got to drive around town and deliver product to all the cool little salons. It was actually a lot of fun. Right before the start of first semester that year I was offered a job in their marketing department after graduation, but the thought of not actually doing hair was too much and I ended up quitting. Probably for the best considering they closed down not long after that.
The last year of college I spent at a beautiful salon and spa that really showed me how to elevate myself and the guest experience. I only left because I ended up moving back to KC after graduation and getting married. I could go through all of that but just know that the following years were filled with working behind the chair and being a part-time SAHM. Being able to have a super flexible schedule, where I always had a little bit of cash for fun, was exactly what my little family needed. The BEST time of my life was raising my son. I wouldn’t trade that time for anything.
Once my son started elementary school I started working more and ended up opening a suite (like booth rental but a private room) that I shared with another stylist. When we both became busier that evolved into me having my own private suite. Everything was going great then BAM, COVID. Lucky for me I have an extremely handy and patient, husband who was able to turn a space in my home to a licensed salon. The next 5 years I worked from home. I did hair, took copious amounts of continuing education, and was always there when my son came home from school. It was perfect, for that time in my life. Now that my son is almost in high school I needed something else but I wasn’t sure what. Enter Z Hair Academy.
Last November I retired from behind the chair, but not from hair. Turns out the direction my life would take me was into education, specifically cosmetology. Aside from that my time in cosmo school when I was offered a scholarship, I hadn’t given becoming an instructor a second thought. Until I did. I started working part time at Z Hair Academy in November of 2025, slowly transitioning away from the chair, and in December of that year I went full time at the school. By January of 2026 I was a licensed educator for the state of Missouri and it felt like I had done it forever. This July I even received Z’s “Rising Star” award. So, yeah, I’m doing pretty good.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Becoming an instructor was easy for me, meaning it felt natural not that I’m perfect. Over the last 20+ years my special interest has been hair- how to color it, how to style it, how to cut it, how to photograph it, etc. Then I go a step further and learn about the history of those things. Not everyone wants to hear the manufacturing methods for hair extensions or how they get “temple hair” but these students DO. They’re a captive audience, they HAVE TO listen to me. It works out quite well, which is great because I can also warn them about a few other things I’m passionate about : predatory brands and predatory education.
Over the years there have been quite a few things that happened within the hair industry that actually broke my heart. For example, professional brands who are supposed to support hairstylists have been using them for years to create content and consumers only to turn around and sell on Amazon bypassing the stylists ,who helped build that brand up, completely. The money goes straight to the brand with little to no compensation to the stylist. They went from “only buy from professionals” to “here’s our ‘professional’ store front on Amazon”. Apparently the only way to ensure professional products didn’t go through the wrong channels was to sell directly to the consumer…from Amazon. This took away a decent amount of side revenue for many stylists and salons. If you’re reading this and you have a stylist you love buy from them next time. I promise it makes a difference.
Then at one point in my career I joined an extension academy that ended up turning into a predatory nightmare. I won’t go into too many details just know it has now become my personal mission to educate students on predatory branding and education at the most basic level: cosmetology school.
All of these experiences coupled with my love of hair, the industry, and continuing education make teaching feel like second nature. I may have finished my chapter behind the chair, but this book has a lot more left to read.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Since “retiring” I went from being behind one chair everyday to being behind about 40. Shockingly, it’s a lot easier than one would think. 9-5pm Tuesday-Saturday, I teach new cosmetology students the art and love of hair. From basic haircuts to extensions these students are getting the best knowledge that I’ve garnered over the last 25 years, and I have no plans on halting my education. What I learn they learn, and I love learning. Teaching someone how to do hair vs. actually doing hair feels different. As much as I loved my clients (and still miss them) nothing in this business has made me feel more fulfilled than watching a student light up because they did something that made someone else light up.
My area of interest when it comes to hair is CHANGE. I love how the right color or cut can change your whole appearance. Take me for example, I love doing different styles and color with my hair and I can’t tell you how often I hear “I didn’t even recognize you, your hair is different!” It happened a few times at school this week, and it will probably always be like that. Once I learn how to lay a wig watch out!
A close second to change is extensions, but I wouldn’t call myself an expert. There are numerous methods and I only know 5, but I do specialize in learning. My real dream is to offer an all encompassing extension course that focuses on multiple methods and all hair types WITHOUT the branding and ridiculous price tag FOR STUDENTS. The price of cosmetology school has nearly tripled since I attended and I guess I feel like there’s no excuse for students to be coming out of school ONLY knowing how to pass their State Board exam.
I think what sets me apart from instructors of the past is that I genuinely want to be here. I genuinely want our students to be better stylists than I am. I was lucky to find a school near me that has a lot of the same ideas as me when it comes to educating future stylists. Z Hair Academy is actually training their students for success once they leave here. From business to balayage they don’t just teach how to pass the state board exam they are preparing our students for successful careers in the beauty industry.
There are 5 Z Hair Academy locations: Lawrence (the OG), Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Warrensburg, and Kansas City. You can find me at the Barry Road campus in KC, but all of our locations are excellent.
Along with teaching students how to do hair we also offer discounted services to the public. If you don’t mind spending a little, or a lot of time here, we are a great alternative to a traditional salon. Students are monitored by instructors during each service. Let me just tell you our students are incredible, light years ahead of where I was when starting out. You should come see for yourself.
Since “retiring” I went from being behind one chair everyday to being behind about 40. Shockingly, it’s a lot easier than one would think. 9-5pm Tuesday-Saturday, I teach new cosmetology students the art and love of hair. From basic haircuts to extensions these students are getting the best knowledge that I’ve garnered over the last 25 years, and I have no plans on halting my education. What I learn they learn, and I love learning. Teaching someone how to do hair vs. actually doing hair feels different. As much as I loved my clients (and still miss them) nothing in this business has made me feel more fulfilled than watching a student light up because they did something that made someone else light up.
My area of interest when it comes to hair is CHANGE. I love how the right color or cut can change your whole appearance. Take me for example, I love doing different styles and color with my hair and I can’t tell you how often I hear “I didn’t even recognize you, your hair is different!” It happened a few times at school this week, and it will probably always be like that. Once I learn how to lay a wig watch out!
A close second to change is extensions, but I wouldn’t call myself an expert. There are numerous methods and I only know 5, but I do specialize in learning. My real dream is to offer an all encompassing extension course that focuses on multiple methods and hair types WITHOUT the branding and ridiculous price tag FOR STUDENTS. The price of cosmetology school has nearly tripled since I attended and I guess I feel like there’s no excuse for students to be coming out of school ONLY knowing how to pass their State Board exam.
I think what sets me apart from instructors of the past is that I genuinely want to be here. I genuinely want our students to be better stylists than I am. I was lucky to find a school near me that has a lot of the same ideas as me when it comes to educating future stylists. Z Hair Academy is actually training their students for success once they leave here. From business to balayage they don’t just teach how to pass the state board exam they are preparing our students for successful careers in the beauty industry.
There are 5 Z Hair Academy locations: Lawrence (the OG), Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Warrensburg, and Kansas City. You can find me at the Barry Road campus in KC, but all of our locations are excellent. Along with teaching students how to do hair we also offer discounted services to the public. If you don’t mind spending a little, or a lot of time here, we are a great alternative to a traditional salon. Students are monitored by instructors during each service. Let me just tell you our students are incredible, light years ahead of where I was when starting out. You should come see for yourself.
Since “retiring” I went from being behind one chair everyday to being behind about 40. Shockingly, it’s a lot easier than one would think. 9-5pm Tuesday-Saturday, I teach new cosmetology students the art and love of hair. From basic haircuts to extensions these students are getting the best knowledge that I’ve garnered over the last 25 years, and I have no plans on halting my education. What I learn they learn, and I love learning. Teaching someone how to do hair vs. actually doing hair feels different. As much as I loved my clients (and still miss them) nothing in this business has made me feel more fulfilled than watching a student light up because they did something that made someone else light up.
My area of interest when it comes to hair is CHANGE. I love how the right color or cut can change your whole appearance. Take me for example, I love doing different styles and color with my hair and I can’t tell you how often I hear “I didn’t even recognize you, your hair is different!” It happened a few times at school this week, and it will probably always be like that. Once I learn how to lay a wig watch out!
A close second to change is extensions, but I wouldn’t call myself an expert. There are numerous methods and I only know 5, but I do specialize in learning. My real dream is to offer an all encompassing extension course that focuses on multiple methods and hair types WITHOUT the branding and ridiculous price tag FOR STUDENTS. The price of cosmetology school has nearly tripled since I attended and I guess I feel like there’s no excuse for students to be coming out of school ONLY knowing how to pass their State Board exam.
I think what sets me apart from instructors of the past is that I genuinely want to be here. I genuinely want our students to be better stylists than I am. I was lucky to find a school near me that has a lot of the same ideas as me when it comes to educating future stylists. Z Hair Academy is actually training their students for success once they leave here. From business to balayage they don’t just teach how to pass the state board exam they are preparing our students for successful careers in the beauty industry.
There are 5 Z Hair Academy locations: Lawrence (the OG), Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Warrensburg, and Kansas City. You can find me at the Barry Road campus in KC, but all of our locations are excellent. Along with teaching students how to do hair we also offer discounted services to the public. If you don’t mind spending a little, or a lot of time here, we are a great alternative to a traditional salon. Students are monitored by instructors during each service. We also sell hair products. I can promise you won’t find a better deal anywhere else, not even Amazon. Buying products from the students also helps them learn about “leveling up”, which is basically how stylists make their money and earn raises. Stylists who work for commission salons usually have certain criteria set up for them by their employers that lets them know what they need to do to reach each level. I worked for a company that had Staff Stylists up to Master Stylists (that’s me) , whatever it’s called it’s how stylists grow their business and increase their profits. The Z level system is designed to teach them how to do just that. We’ve had 3 level 4 students since I’ve been here and currently have 10 level 2s!. It’s definitely not all because of me, my team is amazing and we have a great leader. Shout out to the baddieZ.
Our students are incredible. Light years ahead of where I was when starting out. You should come see for your self.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I think the best advice I have for finding a mentor is: just ask them. A few years ago when I was working in a my own suite I had a student who was getting ready to graduate send me a message and ask if I was looking for an assistant. I wasn’t but I knew another stylist who might so I passed along the info. I believe they did end up assisting that stylist for a while. Now that student has become a very successful stylist. The same goes for stylists who graduate and go straight to a salon floor- look for the stylists you admire and watch them, hang out with them, ask them questions. The best way to become better is to surround yourself with people you’d like to be like. I always say I don’t ever want to be the best anywhere, I want to be among the best. That’s how we learn. That’s how we grow.
Being friendly and kind also helps. No one wants to help a jerk.
Pricing:
- Haircuts $14-17, add a blow dry for $6
- Perms starting at $43+
- Color starting at $39+
- Foils starting at $49+
- K-18 Treatment $25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zhairacademy3.phorest.me/book/
- Instagram: @thebeautyinstructor
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_beauty_instructor
