Editorial Team
3 min read
There are few better ways to give back to the community than education. Through The Cosmetology Institute Lauren Lewis is able to do that—and more.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Lewis opened up her salon and began teaching cosmetology refresher courses through various programs. Although a small-scale operation, her experiences helped Lewis discover her true calling–teaching to provide opportunity to those in her community.
As a licensed cosmetologist herself, Lewis understood that limited access and program costs often keep budding professionals from achieving their dreams of taking their career to the next level.
Seeing the need for affordable cosmetology education in her community, Lewis opened The Cosmetology Institute in New Orleans in August of 2020. Opening at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lewis knew that her programs must be priced affordably for those in the New Orleans area to help her students avoid incurring high-dollar debt while learning new skills.
“Cosmetology schools can be extremely expensive, and we provide quality training along with it being affordable for individuals. So when they finish, they’re able to graduate with a piece of mind, they’re not in debt, and they can actually start their career–start the journey towards creating the career they want for themselves, to create the freedom and flexibility that they say that they desire.”
Since opening, The Cosmetology Institute has taught certification classes in areas such as hair, nails, skin, and other beauty care services. The business has also employed a wide array of teachers who specialize in key areas, further enhancing students’ educational experiences. The breadth of services, though, demands precise bookkeeping, invoicing, and financial reporting.
At the suggestion of her bank, Lewis signed up for Clover. Using Clover’s online invoicing, The Cosmetology Institute is able to routinely bill students with visibility to its finances and access to reports––anywhere, anytime.
“It’s honestly helped streamline processing payments for my students,” says Lewis.
The improved visibility to invoice status helps keep students from getting behind on payments and, in turn, keeps them on-track with their education.
Further, with its ability to collect and process large payments securely, like tuition bills, Clover means more peace of mind for Lewis.
“I just felt a little bit more secure with [Clover doing] my invoices and my tuition payments. Tuition down payments can be around $1,000, and monthly payments are anywhere from $300 to $900. So it’s just a little bit more security for me to process the higher dollar tickets through Clover.”
Through The Cosmetology Institute, Lewis is having a significant impact on her community by helping her students achieve new goals and certifications. Additionally, offering tuition that’s 75% lower than direct competitors opens up more opportunities to those who may not otherwise have access to the education or resources they need to flourish.
Offering cuts, curls, facials, manis, pedis, and more, The Cosmetology Institute is giving a way for its community to support the education of local students. That kind of giving back is good–no matter how you cut it.
Learn more about how Clover merchants are using their businesses to give back to their communities in our Meet the Merchant.
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