iversify and control sums up the business Bart Michaels, Rejuvenol,

The Beauty Industry Report Visit bironline.com
Rejuvenol offers something for everyone
D
and 24 Hour to 3% in the Boosted. The local
BIR: How did you get to where you are
iversify and control sums up the business
health and safety regulations in different states
today?
philosophy of Bart Michaels, the founder
and countries determine if and how much
BM: After graduating from Island Technical
and president of Rejuvenol, where every step
formaldehyde is allowed in a product. When
Institute for Architecture in 1969, I married my
of production for his many professional and
products are used as directed and with proper
high school girlfriend, Barbara Blake, who had
salon retail lines is managed in house. His
handling—just like with most hair treatments,
just graduated beauty school. It wasn't
40,000-square-foot company features
processes, bleaches, colors and serums—they
long before I built a salon for
an R&D lab, manufacturers all of its
are safe. We have always promoted safety, and
Barbara. That was the
products and even
beginning; I fell in love we offer training classes on using our products
produces the blow
safely. We also offer a zero formaldehyde
with the beauty
molds and prints its
alternative treatment called Glycoliss.
industry from there!
bottles. Beauty
In addition, our product line features a more
I began renovating
Industry Report
consumer friendly Future Hair Care line, which
beauty salons; it
(BIR) recently spoke
is a luxurious collection of products for
wasn't long before I
with Bart to learn
everyone. We also have Argania hair care and
was a Belvedere
how it works.
skin care, featuring argan oil. We even offer a
furniture distributor.
BIR: Bart, would you
pet care line of grooming products.
My company was
be offended if I
Finally, we are launching our long-awaited
SECO, Salon
referred to you as a
The Argania line features argan-oil based products Equipment Co. I did
Rejuvenol Complex system to offer fullness
control freak?
for the hair.
so well that I thought for fine and thinning hair, as well as a cosmetics
Bart Michaels
line. We have something for everyone.
I could "retire." Well, I was only in my mid ’30s
(BM): No, not at all. That’s part of our longBIR: What is your signature product?
and hanging out in Boca Raton, FL, completely
term, strategic pursuit of excellence. We invest
BM: Our smoothing systems, the
bored, when I realized I had
heavily in our infrastructure, constantly
Brazilian Keratin Treatments, are the
to get back to what I
improving our technology, our machinery and
best. We have been honest since the
loved—the beauty industry!
our techniques to provide salons with the best
beginning, while everyone
That is when I started
possible products and services. We are on top
else had anything from 6%
Rejuvenol with just two
of production from product development all
to 14% and were lying to the
products. It’s been 19 years
the way through to completion and beyond.
consumer saying they had
and a difficult journey. I was
We have our own laboratories, we create the
0%. We believe that this is
the sole employee. I sold
products here, we manufacture the products
why we are in such high
the product. I made the
here, we blow the bottles here, we print the
demand—we have always
product. I bottled the
bottles here and we even assist our customers
product and I delivered the The Pure Collagen Collection delivers been truthful. We believe
by creating marketing materials.
protein to the hair.
that our products, when
product. It was NOT an
It is also about manufacturing EVERYTHING
used properly, are safe. We have advocated
overnight success!
in house, without outsourcing to China. I am a
stylists wearing gloves and masks while
BIR: Please give BIR’s readers a brief
big supporter of rebuilding this
performing the services, and testing air quality
overview of your brands.
country back to a great
in the salon. Responsible salon owners and
BM: Our most recognized
industrial nation. It's very
operators should be doing that—the staff and
products are the Rejuvenol
hard for small businesses
clients are entitled to know they are in a safe
Keratin Smoothing
and entrepreneurs to excel
environment. We have always promoted safety
Treatments. We offer 11
in today's economy, with all
and use of the testing kits. We are OSHA
different treatments, each for
the government regulations
compliant and proud of being truthful.
a specific hair type, desired
and taxes. However, we
BIR: What is your operating philosophy and
effect, application time and
continue to grow, creating
how do you approach each day?
technique. Our competitors
jobs and opportunities for
BM: Every morning, I do a walk-through of
don't have as many options,
American families. What’s
the plant and offices. I try to create excitement
so this definitely sets us
important is not the
and passion and encourage my people. It’s that
control, but rather our
The Rejuvenol Complex System offers apart. Our most popular
anti-aging, anti-thinning benefits.
passion we share that makes a big difference in
treatments are the Original,
ability to give back to the
our production, our philosophies and our
Boosted and 24 Hour. They vary in
community while building a company of
development.
formaldehyde content from 1.8% in the original
excellence.
10 MARCH 2013
BM: We have a new 42-seat
I give them the latitude to make
theater. Our new training center
decisions. We brainstorm, discuss,
gives us the ability to do live
change and contribute to each
meetings, demonstrations and
other constantly. Our culture is very
classes worldwide through Skype.
similar to a Silicone Valley
We also have two signature salons—
operation, just shy of the
The Rejuvenol Color Enhancer collection features shampoos and
one in Amityville, NY, is open to the
skateboarding down the halls. We
treatments that protect and enhance hair color.
public, while one is private, here in
allow our personnel to cross over
our worldwide headquarters in Copiague, NY.
have a distributor in an area, we will sell
and contribute to all areas of our production.
BIR: What is the salon industry’s biggest
directly to a salon. We are also stretching into
BIR: What is your vision for your company?
challenge? How can we solve that challenge?
international markets. We have great
BM: We have doubled in size every year for
BM: One of the biggest challenges is
distribution in the Middle East, Hong Kong,
the past four years. My vision is to continue
consolidation by large corporations; so many
Malaysia, Asia and South America. Export will
that healthy growth. We don't take every
independents are being
be a big part of our
customer. I want to do business with people
swallowed up. Everything
business going forward.
we have fun with and can grow with. We want
goes full circle. I believe
BIR: What are the key
to maintain a sound profit structure and have
boutique distributors and
success factors you look
the best company for our employees.
brands will come on
for in selecting a
BIR: What is your company’s mission?
strong again.
distributor partner?
BM: Create quality products, bring industry
BIR: What industry
BM: I can answer that
back to America and have fun doing it.
trends excite you?
with one word—passion.
BIR: Who are the key members of your
BM: Simply the fact
I don't care if it’s one
management team?
that the industry is
person or the largest
BM: Julio Bastardo, senior chemist of R&D,
always reinventing itself.
company—they must
is an associate and a close friend. Jose
The For My Companion line features
grooming products for pets.
Change is exciting. We
have passion to be
Bermudes, plant supervisor, helps to keep my
love the challenge of developing products,
successful. I have a distributor in South
headaches to a minimum in the day-to-day
leading with our dedication to quality and
America with so much passion, you would
operations. Maggie Leontakianakos,
customer service and helping enhance our
think he was the president of Rejuvenol. He
marketing, and Cynthia Abreu, graphic
customers’ creativity.
eats, sleeps and thinks Rejuvenol. His team
designer, manage in marketing and design.
BIR: What would BIR's readers be surprised
produces tremendous shows in South America.
Working in sales and customer service are
to learn about you and your company?
He is becoming a
Nancy Lopez,
BM: I think they would be surprised by
major player for
lead customer
how we have emerged from such a small
Rejuvenol. Passion
service
company and become one of the bigger
makes it successful
rep/product
players. Our ability to spin on a dime is
for us both.
training
impressive. We are the masters of "fire,
BIR: How do you
specialist, and
ready, aim." We can get a product out in
address
my sister, Maria
three weeks because we handle all of the
distributors’ two
Genna, customer
production right here.
major
service
BIR: Have you had any mentors?
considerations
manager/sales. In
BM: I have had many mentors, in the
when evaluating a
addition, I am
motivational industry—Zig Zigler, Dr. Robert
line: What’s in it for
fortunate this
Schuler, Sr.—and in our industry, men like
me and why do I
year to be joined
John Paul DeJoria and Farouk Shami, who
need it?
by two family
ran for governor of Texas. We need smart
BM: Distributors
members—my
Rejuvenol also offers an Argania skin care collection.
business folks in our government.
are looking for
sister and my
BIR: Any final comments?
aggressive lines with loyalty. We protect our
daughter, Cheryl Tarulli, office and accounts
BM: Do what you love, love
manager, whom I am grooming to take on more distributors and work as their partner. Many
what you do.
companies are larger than we are, so we have
and more responsibility.
To learn more about
to work hard and excel at what we do to
BIR: How is your sales team structured?
Rejuvenol, reach Bart Michaels
ensure that our distributors have constant new
BM: We don't have a lot of customers—we
at 631-789-1309, ext. 12, or
revenue streams.
have about 20 distributors—and they and our
shampoobart@aol.com. Visit
BIR: Please tell us about your education
master distributors are very large and form our
Bart
program and current initiatives.
sales force in the field. However, if we don't
Michaels rejuvenol.com.
MARCH 2013 11