SMPCA Academy · In-Person
In-Person Group SMP Training
Train hands-on with master barber Joe V. Nguyen and a small group at our San Lorenzo studio — real technique, live-model practice, certification, and the business systems that actually fill your calendar.
What’s included
- ✓Small-group, hands-on instruction — not a crowded lecture
- ✓Practice on real practice skins + a live-model session (bring your own model, or we'll help you arrange one)
- ✓Personalized hairline mapping & technique coaching from Joe
- ✓Pigment selection, color theory, and needle-depth fundamentals
- ✓The business side: pricing, marketing, lead follow-up & CRM
- ✓Certificate of completion
- ✓Ongoing support in the SMP pro community after you finish
Who it’s for
- →Barbers adding a high-ticket service
- →PMU & tattoo artists expanding into scalp work
- →Beauty professionals entering hair-loss solutions
- →Serious beginners ready to commit to a new career
Private 1-on-1 or group — what’s actually different
Both formats are taught by Joe, in the studio, over three days. Private buys you attention and flexibility. Group buys you peer learning and a lower price. Neither one buys a different standard — and neither one, honestly, buys a guaranteed outcome. What you get out of it is still down to your hands and your practice.
| Private 1-on-1 | Group (2–4) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who's in the room | Just you and Joe | You and up to 3 other students |
| Instructor attention | Continuous, all three days | Shared — Joe rotates between stations |
| Demonstrations | At your station, repeated as often as you need | Once to the room, then everyone drills |
| Pacing | Adapted to you — we can go deeper on what you need | Fixed schedule so the group stays together |
| Scheduling | Flexible — we set dates around you | Published cohort dates |
| Your live model | Your own model, dedicated to you | Your own model — shared only if everyone consents in writing |
| Learning from others | Not part of this format | A real advantage — you learn from everyone's corrections |
| Investment | Higher — you're buying dedicated time | Lower per seat |
Identical in both — no asterisks
- The same 3-day curriculum and 24 hours of instruction
- The same competency standards — you clear the same gates either way
- The same live-model session, with the same written guarantee
- The same paperwork, session logs, and student file
- The same certificate of completion
About your live model: every student does supervised work on a live model. You can bring your own model, or tell us ahead of time and we’ll help arrange one from our studio list. If a model falls through on the day, your training still runs in full and we book your live session in writing before you leave — included, at no extra cost. Live work also depends on clearing a hands-on competency check first; that one is a safety rule, for the sake of the person in the chair.
Reserve your seat
Group cohorts are kept small and run at our San Lorenzo studio, so seats are limited. A deposit secures your spot in the next session — the balance is due before your training date. Dates are announced first to our webinar registrants and waitlist.
Questions before you commit? Book a quick call or text (510) 574-8882.