Expounding on hair, art, music
and the meaning of life.
Frank Michael Shortino
Frank Michael Shortino was born to create extraordinary hair fashions. A third generation hairdresser from York, PA, he began working in his parent’s salon, Shortino’s Salon and Spa, as a teen in the early 90’s.
As his skills and artistic abilities expanded, so did the recognition and accolades from his industry peers. Frank Michael was awarded membership into Intercoiffure, the prestigious international authority of hair fashion, and was one of six to make up the first ever board for Intercoiffure’s Guillaume Foundation North America, an organization whose goal is to assist the youth of the hair profession in moving forward and having opportunities.
In 2001, Frank Michael was also chosen as one of only 20 stylists in the US and Canada to make up Wella International’s “Top Stylist Artistic Team.” This honor bestowed upon him is recognized as the highest level of “Stage Presenter and Guest Artist” for Wella. Not being one to rest on his laurels, Frank Michael continues to grow as a stylist. His work has been seen in Vogue, Harpers, Self, Lucky, and Modern Salon to name a few. His educational classes are highly sought out, as his audiences routinely remark on the level of passion he emits, as well as the approachability he brings as an educator.
In 2003 FM decided to make a leap out of the family business, which is located in a smaller market, and moved to NYC to work in a more challenging and artistically rounded big city. He lived, worked and played in NYC for six years which gave him opportunities for editorial work and an elevation of his over all style and outlook on fashion. Now that he has returned back to his roots in his home town and his family salon, he has gotten the best of two worlds. He now takes his high outlook of fashion and applies his skills to a market of any size. It has proven to be a valuable tool when going into all markets.
Strengths
My strength comes to me by way of my background. Having grown up in this profession, and as I always say, probably being conceived on a hair chair in a hair salon, the advantages given to one in that environment are truly priceless. Having been smothered by amazing hairdressers, and the conversation that inevitable unfolds, cannot be purchased. It’s a gift of being groomed that I never even asked for, but am SO appreciative I have received.
Being from a smaller town has molded me to be very humble and appreciate for what I have had the opportunity to do. I think that has been one of my most valued assets in growth as an educator. I have been told over and over that people appreciate my gentle nature, honest domineer and sincerity as an educator. Staying humble and “ego-less” has without a doubt helped me to sustain and succeed in this venture. Yet having moved and lived in NYC Soho for 6 years, balanced out that big city need and small town reality. I feel it’s a gift to have gotten to live both, and now I realize and understand very well the needs, the perception, the wants of those salons in big cities, and the salons in smaller markets.
I am a cutter and colorist. My strengths live there. I would sum up my strengths this way as an educator; I will challenge one artistically and pull you to an edge. I won’t let you fall, but I’ll make you think about where you are going and to ask “why”. I believe in self-exploration. I believe in being inspired, softly guided, and then being given the opportunity to “be free” a bit, as it can lead to ones self confidence and arrival of growth. I am not a dictator when it comes to education, but a positive leader. I understand the fine line of creativity for the salon world, but I believe most hairdressers want to be inspired, challenged, and pulled out of their box, and that’s what I do, yet always bringing it home to the “real world”. After TEN years as a national educator for the largest and best company in our profession, this is truly what I feel I have learned makes me who I am.
One last note under my personal strengths, I have much photo experience. I have been involved in photo sessions for over a decade. I have even been hired by a salon one hour away from my own, to develop and train a select group of their hairdressers to become an artistic team, and produce successful photo work for their salon needs.
Goals
My goals are changing day to day. I look forward to having a family with my wife Hollie. Who knows what happens then. I have seen many individuals take this step of their life and continue to grow, travel and educate. I hope to do the same.
I am SO inspired by my father and his commitment to education. My goal as an educator is to continue to grow, stay fresh, be challenged, absorb a lot of education, continue educating for the Wella corporation, to be allowed the opportunity to go visit salons, and regurgitate all of that knowledge, and share it. I TRULY feel I have a GIFT as an educator, and that I am doing JUST what I’m supposed to be doing.
My goals are not to be the next Vidal Sassoon. SORRY. Maybe I’m too humble, but I feel like those positions are reserved for only ONE or TWO people IN THE WORLD. I feel very happy myself being within a 1 percentile of the profession as a lead national educator, and that to this day makes me pinch myself. Maybe my humility is a shackle, but like I said before, I believe it makes me who I am and what I have become, successful, continually growing, and very happy and passionate for this profession.
Class’s and Education
I will end on this note. I was trained in London years ago by the Vidal Sassoon schools and academy. Yes, it was years ago, but NOTHING I have ever done has created who I am more then this. And I preach it to young hairdressers everywhere I go. Your foundation is your rock.
I am always continuing my education and learning. Even crossing over and taking class’s with Tony and Guy. Intercoiffure is a wonderful vehicle for my steady education. I attend TWO programs a year, none manufacture driven, and it’s wonderful.
Education is something that I will never stop doing. Minardi Minardi is another regular once a year seminar style program I have attended for years.
Lastly, one thing I have gotten from this job is the opportunity to meet some amazing co-educators, colleagues and friends. I have become close with professional peers from Europe on the Wella team. Our time spent together, “jamming” and speaking about hair has MORE then raised the bar and raised the knowledge level. My spending time passionately talking hair, and working hair with other such passionate people, allows for your own bar to be raised, in a beautiful individualized artistic way. And that’s the ARTIST’S WAY…….
