Hair and Beauty Quality Advisers CIC

The Hair and Beauty Quality Advisers (HBQA) CIC was created out of a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives — not just for learners, but for the educators and academy owners who shape them. Across the hair, beauty, and aesthetics industries, we see countless skilled, passionate professionals working independently or leading small academies with incredible drive — yet often without access to the same support, resources, or representation as larger institutions.

We exist because those educators matter.
Because they raise the next generation of stylists, therapists, and practitioners — not just with skills, but with pride, professionalism, and purpose.

In today’s fast-changing landscape, small and micro-education businesses are doing big things, but they are rarely supported in ways that reflect their unique needs. Many are navigating compliance, funding, and quality assurance alone — while still delivering training that meets (or exceeds) national standards. Our CIC was created to stand with them, to provide a network that understands their challenges and champions their excellence.

We believe that great educators deserve great support. And when they get it, the impact is exponential: learners thrive, businesses grow, and communities benefit from confident, well-trained professionals who love what they do. Being an educator is not always a high paid job, particularly when you consider planning and marking time and for most academies, an aftercare service for the learners. This, for many, adds time and cost to core CPD which is just not possible. Technical CPD is prioritised as it is understandably, an important requirement in policy from the AOs, meaning education pedagogy is not addressed. We are also in a situation where our creative, passionate and skilled colleagues and team members are not confident with technology, computers, administration, or even reading and writing at levels above their learners! This is because they came for the skill, not for the admin... But, we can't lose these people. They are our drive for the next generation. We offer support that bridges that gap.

That’s why our work goes beyond generic business advice or box-ticking CPD. We offer tailored, meaningful support through our model — from launching, through to growing, but most importantly, sustaining high-quality academies. We embed mentorship, regulatory guidance, and practical tools to help educators focus on what they do best: changing lives through learning.

As a Community Interest Company, we’re not here to sell — we’re here to serve.
Profit from our memberships is reinvested directly into our members. We aim to secure funding through partnerships and grants, so that more educators — including those who couldn’t afford it otherwise — can access the support they deserve.

This is about raising standards, not gatekeeping them.
It’s about putting power and pride back into the hands of those delivering education at the grassroots — and showing that excellence isn’t reserved for big names or big budgets.

If you believe in education as a force for good — and you're ready to be part of a community that lives that value — then this is your place.