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Hair Model

About
Worth Up Alliance

#WORTHUP is a Movement

Who does Worth Up Alliance Serve?

The Worth Up Alliance serves beauty entrepreneurs ready to take the next step in their career. The alliance supports successful hairdressers, barbers, make-up artists, estheticians, massage therapists and nail professionals who aspire to open a salon, formulate a product line, expand their business, make the leap from behind the chair to behind the scenes as an editorial stylist, or other notable career advance.
 
In addition, a Worth Up Alliance cohort will be selected each year to work one-on-one with an industry elite mentor. Cohort members will be selected in an application process. And at the third and highest level, cohort members will be selected to pitch their concepts to a panel of judges to receive a $10,000 Worth Up Alliance grant.
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Why Worth Up?

Experience is a great teacher – even for experienced legends in the Industry. Founders Ted Gibson and Jason Backe were inspired to establish Worth Up Alliance based on their own careers as beauty entrepreneurs. Through trial and error, laughter and tears , Ted and Jason have navigated a career course that has included salon ownership, a network television series, a product line, spokesperson roles, and print, broadcast and digital media exposure. When the global pandemic struck in Q1 2020, Ted and Jason saw how lockdowns affected beauty professionals across the nation. 
 
They received calls from friends looking for advice, inspiration and the wisdom gleaned from experience. And they elected to pay their own wisdom and insights borne of experience forward. For such a time as this, Ted and Jason have committed to giving back to beauty entrepreneurs. Through the power of community, Worth Up Alliance is identifying, investing in, nurturing and inspiring emerging entrepreneurs. Worth Up Alliance is delivering the professional and financial support to help turn entrepreneurs’ dreams into reality and launch the careers of next-gen beauty entrepreneurs.
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Worth Up Alliance
Founders

Jason Backe
&
Ted Gibson

The Beauty Opportunity!

  • Almost 800,000 Americans work in hair care and cosmetology, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the overwhelming majority are women.
  • Sixty percent of salons are owned by women, according to the Professional Beauty Association.
  • Small Businesses Create Jobs, Build Communities, and Support Local Economies.
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