NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BARBER BOARDS OF AMERICA

What NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BARBER BOARDS OF AMERICA does

The National Association of Barber Boards of America (NABBA) is a Florida-incorporated nonprofit professional association founded in 1926 to maintain professional standards and policies in the U.S. barbering industry. Headquartered in Jacksonville, FL with a staff of approximately 5, NABBA serves as the sole national coordinating body for state barber licensing boards across all 50 U.S. states and territories, and operates three membership tiers: State Board Membership (annual dues of $300 by check or $309.27 by credit card), the Barber School Association (BSA), and the Barbershop Association (BA). Its core offerings include a 5-day Annual Conference held each September (99th edition scheduled for Charlotte, NC in September 2026), a 3-day Mid-Year Conference in February, and the NABBA LAB hands-on education program with paid workshops for school owners, instructors, and students.

NABBA's revenue is generated through a mix of recurring membership dues, one-time conference and LAB registration fees, and ancillary sources such as banquet ticket add-ons ($72.40 each) and competition entry fees ($25 for the Student/Apprentice Barber Battle). The organization monetizes its membership ecosystem through a curated stack of more than a dozen industry partner discounts (Wahl Clipper, Milady, Pivot Point, Squire, Reuzel, BeautyCast Network, Blacksmith Blades, H-42, Marianna Beauty, Shark Fin Shears, The Sensory Safe Salon, and Beauty as a Business), which are accessible only to BSA and BA members. Supporting services include the Annual State Report Program, which aggregates licensing data from member states, and the Barber School Survey for industry research. The organization does not operate a technology platform beyond a basic WordPress-based website used for member communications, event registration, and membership management.

The organization is governed by an elected executive board with Mark Wills serving as President and Maura Scali-Sheahan as primary contact. NABBA is operationally independent, with no parent company, no private equity or venture capital backing, and no disclosed external investment. It maintains cultural affiliations including the Barbering Hall of Fame (established 1965, formally dedicated 1968) housed at the National Barber Museum in Canal Winchester, Ohio, and a charitable partnership with Children with Hair Loss.

Name

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BARBER BOARDS OF AMERICA

Legal name

National Association of Barber Boards of America

Website

https://nationalbarberboards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NABBA is a 99-year-old nonprofit professional association, founded in 1926, that coordinates the approximately 50 U.S. state barber licensing boards through membership dues, annual and mid-year conferences, and the NABBA LAB education program for barber schools and shops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSALABAI

Barber Training, Apprenticeship & Education

Home & Personal Services/Personal Care & Beauty Services/Barber Shops

Keywords

• Barber board association
• Professional licensing standards
• Barber industry regulation
• Barber education programs
• Industry membership dues

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Board Membership Dues: Annual membership dues for state barber boards, billed per organization per calendar year. Dues are $300.00 by check or $309.27 by credit card (including processing fee). Membership renewal forms are sent out by January 31st and dues are due by June 30th.
2. Annual Conference Registration: Registration fees for the annual 5-day conference held in September, with pricing at $250 by mail/check or $257.78 by credit card online (including processing fee). Includes banquet ticket add-ons at $72.40 each.
3. LAB Registration Fees: Education and workshop fees for NABBA LAB events. School owners and instructors pay $125 per day or $225 for a 2-day special. Students and apprentices pay $100 per day. Student/Apprentice Barber Battle participation is $25.00.
4. Barber School Association (BSA) Membership: Annual membership dues for barber schools, providing access to industry partner benefits, webinars, and educational resources.
5. Barbershop Association (BA) Membership: Annual membership dues for barbershops, providing access to industry partner benefits, software tools, and educational resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NABBA is a membership-based professional association that coordinates state barber boards across the United States to maintain professional standards in the barbering industry. It offers tiered memberships (State Board, Barber School Association, and Barbershop Association), annual and mid-year conferences, and hands-on education through NABBA LAB events. The organization also runs an Annual State Report Program and a Barber School Survey to collect and disseminate industry data.

Product overview

The National Association of Barber Boards of America (NABBA) operates as a professional membership and regulatory support organization rather than a software product company. Its core offerings include three membership tiers (State Board Membership, Barber School Association Membership, and Barbershop Association Membership), two annual conferences (a 5-day Annual Conference in September and a 3-day Mid-Year Conference in February), and NABBA LAB hands-on educational workshops. Supporting services include the Annual State Report Program for collecting licensing data across member states and a Barber School Survey for industry research. The organization focuses on maintaining professional standards, facilitating regulatory information exchange, and providing continuing education for the barbering profession.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Coordinates regulatory standards across all 50 U.S. states and territories for the barbering profession.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• BeautyCast NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeautyCast Network provides waived $199 annual subscription fee for BSA members, access to webinars, newsletters, job placement tracking system, hiring/employee assessment tools, and student employer platform access. Includes 10 employer coupons for job postings.
• Beauty as a Business (BAAB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBAAB provides the Complete Social Media Marketing Curriculum at 35% discount per student (regularly $32), with complimentary instructor/admin access, onboarding, and ongoing support for BSA members.
• Blacksmith BladesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlacksmith Blades offers 25% off Student Barber Tool Kit ($90) including cutting shears, thinning shear, haircutting razor, and shear wallet for BSA members.
• H-42 Cleaning and Disinfection ProductsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerH-42 provides 10% off cleaning and disinfection products for BSA members.
• MiladyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMilady provides free RISE certification for schools and shops, educator training, certifications, CIMA training and implementation, and access to milady.com for BSA members.
• Pivot PointminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPivot Point provides educator training focused on barbering educators at 20% discount at pivotpointshop.com, with premium pricing for Pivot Point Fundamentals Barbering and LAB for BSA members.
• Wahl ClipperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWahl Clipper provides education and prize drawings at NABBA-BSA conferences, and 25% off regular retail price on tools, blades, and accessories for BSA members.
• SquireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSquire provides free access to premium barber software for schools and students, employment support after graduation, pathway to SQUIRE Ambassador Program, and increased lead generation for academies for BSA members.
• The Sensory Safe SalonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSensory Safe Salon provides education for supporting guests with autism or sensory differences, including 2-hour certification training (free for students), discounted instructor training at $79 for BSA members.
• ReuzelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReuzel is the largest international men's grooming product line, providing education at LAB education events for BSA members.
• Shark Fin ShearsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShark Fin Shears offers new schools 20% discount off first order or 10% off first 2 orders for BSA members.
• Marianna BeautyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarianna offers BSA members $200 in free backbar with their first kit order.
• BeautyCast Network (Barbershop)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeautyCast Network provides waived $199 annual subscription fee for BA members, job placement tracking, hiring/employee assessment tools, and 10 employer coupons for job postings.
• Beauty as a Business (BAAB) (Barbershop)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBAAB provides social media marketing curriculum at 35% discount per student, with complimentary instructor/admin access and ongoing support for BA members.
• Wahl Clipper (Barbershop)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWahl Clipper provides education and prize drawings at NABBA-BA conferences, and 25% off regular retail price on tools, blades, and accessories for BA members.
• Squire (Barbershop)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSquire provides free access to premium barber software for barbershops, employment support, pathway to SQUIRE Ambassador Program, and lead generation for BA members.
• The Sensory Safe Salon (Barbershop)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSensory Safe Salon provides certification training for barbershop staff to support guests with autism or sensory differences, free for students, discounted for instructors at $79 for BA members.
• Reuzel (Barbershop)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerReuzel provides men's grooming products and education at LAB education events for BA members.
• Children with Hair Loss (CWHL)minorOthersCharitable partner organization. CWHL provides hair solutions for children. NABBA website displays CWHL logo indicating partnership support.
• National Barber Museum and Hall of FameminorOthersHistorical affiliate partner. The Barbering Hall of Fame began in March 1965 and was formally dedicated August 9, 1968. Located at the National Barber Museum, 135 Franklin Street, Canal Winchester, Ohio. Honors individuals making outstanding contributions to the barbering profession.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Professional Beauty Association (PBA): PBA is a broader trade association serving the professional beauty industry (salons, spas, distributors, manufacturers), overlapping NABBA's industry but at a wider scope; comparable as a membership/advocacy organization in personal care services.
• Intercoiffure America / Intercoiffure Mondial: An international association of high-end barbering and hairdressing salon owners—comparable as a membership organization serving barber/salon professionals, though positioned at the premium end of the market rather than regulatory.

Emerging players

• Squire: Squire provides barbershop management software and academy tools, currently a NABBA-BA partner; comparable as a technology-enabled platform serving the same barbershop customer base NABBA's BA tier addresses.

Direct peers

• American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS): AACS is a membership association for cosmetology schools, directly analogous to NABBA's BSA tier for barber schools—serving the educational arm of the personal-care regulatory ecosystem with similar conferences and partner benefits.
• National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC): NIC is the closest direct peer: a membership-based national council that coordinates state cosmetology and barbering licensing boards, develops examinations, and sets professional standards—just as NABBA does specifically for barber boards.

Others

• National Barber Museum and Hall of Fame: A historical and cultural affiliate of NABBA housing the Barbering Hall of Fame; comparable as a heritage/recognition organization serving the same barber professional community.
• Pivot Point International: Pivot Point provides barbering and cosmetology educator training and curriculum (LAB), currently a NABBA partner; comparable as an educational vendor competing for the same barber-school training budget.
• Milady (a Cengage brand): Milady is a leading provider of barbering and cosmetology curricula, certifications (RISE), and educational resources—a current NABBA partner and a comparable education-standards player in the same barber training ecosystem.
• Wahl Clipper Corporation: Wahl is a leading manufacturer of barbering tools and a NABBA partner that participates in LAB education; comparable as a major industry vendor operating in the same barber professional ecosystem.
• BeautyCast Network: BeautyCast Network is a job-placement and hiring platform serving cosmetology/barber schools and shops; a NABBA partner offering membership benefits, and a comparable provider of workforce tools to the same school/shop segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-association-of-barber-boards-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BARBER BOARDS OF AMERICA