Stephen Adams

Stephen Adams is a highly respected hair educator, business strategist, and creative leader with over 30 years of experience in the beauty and cosmetology industry. As the co-owner of Moxie Hair Salon, founder of Beauty Certified Education Association, and principal educator at Axcelr8Academy.

• Stephen has built a reputation for elevating industry standards through innovative education, strategic business development, and creative brand management. His expertise spans hair cutting, coloring, and salon operations, making him a trusted mentor to stylists and salon professionals nationwide.

• Stephen’s career is defined by his commitment to education. He has worked as a national and international educator, collaborating with top brands such as Aveda, Paul Mitchell, and Arrojo to train stylists at all levels. As Coach, Creative and Education Director Stephen has helped to restructure many education programs for salons, helped recruit and train new stylists, led creative marketing campaigns, and partnered with national educators to deliver cutting-edge training.

• Stephen’s dedication to inspiring creativity and growth in the beauty industry makes him a sought-after educator and leader, helping professionals hone their craft, grow their businesses, and achieve lasting success.

• Stephen has and remains in all aspects of this industry including salon owner, educator, and artistic leader at Moxie Hair Salon. Stephen founded Moxie Hair Salon in Minneapolis in 1999 with a few goals in mind.  He wanted to create an employee based salon that would be able to push the stylist to the highest quality with top education, but yet offer them full benefits such as PTO, health and dental insurance, and an IRA or retirement plan.  After 6 great years of success in one location he opened a second location in St. Paul in 2005. This Brand has grown and have developed a reputation as one of the most popular high ­end salons in the Twin Cities. In 2016 Stephen started a new venture in the salon owner world and created a new concept, ShaireSpace, a place and home for independent stylists.

• In 2014 Stephen co founded the Beauty Certified Education Association, a not for profit education association for the beauty industry in the state of Minnesota that offers Continuing education to help the licensed stylist so they can renew their license. In 2016 Stephen was asked by the Governor of MN to join the Board of Cosmetology where he sits and tries to help the licensed stylist through government and law.  

• “Take Risks” has been Stephen’s motto for most of his life and he truly believes that to be successful at whatever we do, we all must have some “Moxie” and do what no one else has done.  Push yourself to be the best.