Beauty Academy

What Beauty Academy does

Beauty Academy, operating under the legal entity Ottawa School of Beauty Ltd, is a privately held career college established in 1998 and headquartered in Nepean (Ottawa), Ontario. The institution delivers vocational training across two campuses — Westend Academy in Merivale Mall (West Ottawa) and London Beauty Academy in Westmount Shopping Center (London, Ontario) — through five diploma programs: Professional Hairstyling (1,500 hours, 45 weeks), Professional Barbering, Professional Medical Esthetician (1,400 hours, 46 weeks), Professional Medical SPA Specialty (750 hours, 40 weeks), and Professional Esthetician (1,000 hours, 42 weeks). Programs are supplemented by continuing-education certificate courses ranging from 7 to 80 hours in specialized topics such as microblading, electrolysis, laser hair removal, and advanced color techniques. Training is delivered on industry-standard medical-grade equipment including OxyGeneo 3-in-1 facial systems, IPL devices, and Dermastamp microneedling technology, with hands-on practice reinforced by daily-paying clientele visiting the academy's public salon services.

The business operates two revenue streams: tuition income from diploma and certificate enrollees and ancillary transaction revenue from public salon services (haircuts from $16.50, facials from $55, advanced treatments up to $200). Tuition is not publicly disclosed; financial assistance is facilitated through OSAP eligibility, the Ottawa Community Loan Fund, BetterJobs Ontario, and bank student lines of credit. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, graduate testimonials, campus tours, and the visibility generated by the public salon services channel, supported by a digital presence across website, Facebook, and Instagram. The academy is registered as a Career College under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, with memberships in Career Colleges Ontario, the Ontario Association of Career Colleges, and the National Association of Career Colleges.

Beauty Academy serves two customer segments: aspiring beauty professionals seeking career-entry credentials and working professionals pursuing continuing-education upgrades. The institution is recognized as the #1 Beauty Academy in Ontario by the Canadian Business Awards (2022) and is a 21-time consecutive Consumer's Choice Award winner (most recently 2025 and 2026). Ownership transferred to Phil Weaver and his wife around 2018-2019; no external investment or private-equity backing is indicated.

Name

Beauty Academy

Legal name

Ottawa School of Beauty Ltd

Website

https://beautyacademy.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Beauty Academy is a privately held Ontario career college operating two campuses that deliver diploma and certificate vocational training in hairstyling, barbering, esthetics, and medical aesthetics, serving aspiring and working beauty professionals through hands-on, instructor-led programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Beauty Training

NAICS

Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cosmetology Schools & Programs (HSALANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Barbering Schools & Programs (HSALANAD), Barber Training, Apprenticeship & Education (HSALABAI), Salon Business, Management & Retail Training (HSALANAK), Continuing Education & License Exam Prep (CE/State Board Prep) (HSALANAL)

Keywords

• Beauty training programs
• Vocational beauty education
• Hairstyling diploma courses
• Medical esthetics training
• Career college beauty

Headquarters

HQ city

Nepean

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue - Diploma Programs: Revenue generated from tuition fees for full-time Professional Hairstylist, Professional Esthetician, and Professional Medical Esthetician diploma programs. Programs are approved as Vocational Programs under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, making students eligible for OSAP funding.
2. Tuition Revenue - Certificate Courses: Point-based certificate courses ranging from 7 to 80 hours in length, available based on demand with approximately one month lead time.
3. Salon and Spa Services Revenue: Revenue from salon services provided by students under supervision, including haircuts, coloring, waxing, facials, manicures/pedicures, laser hair removal, and other aesthetic treatments offered to the public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Beauty Academy is a career college providing vocational training in hairstyling, barbering, medical esthetics, and spa services across two Ontario campuses. Programs range from 750 to 1,500 hours and culminate in industry-recognized diplomas, with hands-on practice delivered through on-site public salon services. Continuing education certificate courses (7-80 hours) supplement the diploma offerings.

Product overview

Beauty Academy is a career college offering beauty and wellness training programs across multiple locations in Ontario. The company provides five main diploma programs: Professional Hairstyling (45 weeks, 1500 hours), Professional Barbering, Professional Medical Esthetician (46 weeks, 1400 hours), Professional Medical SPA Specialty (40 weeks, 750 hours), and Professional Esthetician (42 weeks, 1000 hours). These diploma programs are supplemented by continuing education Certificate Programs ranging from 7 to 80 hours each. Students also gain practical experience through salon services offered at the academy clinics. The institution operates two campuses (West Ottawa and London) and provides Job Connect program for employment assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Hairstyling Diploma Program A 45-week, 1,500-hour diploma program training students in hairstyling techniques including cutting, coloring, styling, perming, and barbering skills, with emphasis on practical application. Designed for individuals seeking careers as professional hairstylists. Approved as a Vocational Program under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, making students eligible for OSAP funding.
• Professional Barbering Program An industry-leading barbering training course covering fundamentals and advanced techniques for haircuts, shaves, and beard styling, available as a bundled course with the Hairstyling Diploma or in a modular format. Designed for individuals pursuing careers in barbering.
• Professional Medical Esthetician Diploma Program A 46-week, 1,400-hour diploma program covering medical esthetics including facials, laser hair removal, IPL treatment, microneedling, electrolysis, chemical peels, and spa therapies. Emphasizes over 400 hours of hands-on practical experience. Not available at the London Campus. Designed for individuals seeking careers in medical aesthetic clinics.
• Professional Medical SPA Specialty Program A 40-week, 750-hour diploma program focused on medical spa treatments including electrolysis, IPL, microneedling, and facial treatments for careers in elite medi spas and cosmetic clinics. Designed for individuals seeking entry into the medical spa industry.
• Professional Esthetician Diploma Program A 42-week, 1,000-hour diploma program preparing students for esthetic industry careers covering manicures, pedicures, waxing, skin physiology, facials, makeup, and advanced treatments. Designed for individuals seeking careers as professional estheticians.
• Certificate Programs (Continuing Education) Point-based continuing education courses ranging from 7 to 80 hours covering specialized topics such as microdermabrasion, electrolysis, laser hair removal, microblading, makeup artistry, barbering techniques, hair coloring, and spa therapies. Available based on demand with approximately one month lead time. Targeted at working beauty professionals seeking to upgrade skills.
• Public Salon and Spa Services Hands-on salon and spa services provided by supervised students including hair cutting, coloring, waxing, facials, manicures, pedicures, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion, OxyGeneo facials, microneedling, IPL treatments, and electrolysis, offered to the public at reduced rates. Functions as both a training channel for students and a revenue source for the academy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates report high employment rates in the beauty industry, with many securing jobs before or shortly after graduation.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Local Salons and SpascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWell-established relationships with local spas and salons that provide mentoring and employment opportunities to academy graduates. Numerous salon and spa owners are continuously recruiting graduates.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• International Beauty Institute: Smaller beauty training provider offering esthetics and makeup programs in Canada. Comparable emerging brand operating in adjacent niches within the same vocational beauty education space.

Direct peers

• National Beauty College: Canadian cosmetology and esthetics diploma school serving similar career-changer and entry-level student segments with comparable program lengths and service-clinic training model.
• Canadian Beauty College: Ontario-based cosmetology and esthetics school offering diploma training in hairstyling and aesthetics. Closest direct competitor within the Ontario vocational beauty training market.
• Salon & Spa Industry Career College: Canadian beauty career college offering vocational training in hairstyling and esthetics with similar classroom-plus-clinic delivery format. Comparable program structure and target student demographic.
• Marvel Beauty & Hair Academy: Toronto-based private career college offering cosmetology, hairstyling, and esthetics diploma programs. Directly comparable Canadian vocational beauty school with similar diploma-level programs and clinic-based training model.
• JCI Institute (John Casablancas): Canadian beauty and fashion school offering diploma and certificate programs in hairstyling, esthetics, and makeup. Comparable career college serving aspiring beauty professionals across Ontario.

Broad incumbents

• Aveda Institute Toronto: Brand-aligned (L'Oréal-owned) cosmetology and esthetics school operating in Toronto as part of Aveda's global network. Larger network with a broader curriculum but comparable diploma programs.
• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture: Established U.S. beauty school chain offering cosmetology, esthetics, and barbering programs. A larger multi-campus player in the same beauty vocational training market.
• Empire Beauty School: Large U.S. cosmetology school network operating hundreds of campuses nationwide. Most relevant U.S. multi-campus comparator for a career college in beauty vocational training.

Regional players

• Pure Beauty Academy: Canadian beauty school offering diploma and certificate programs with similar esthetics and hairstyling curriculum structure. Adjacent regional competitor within the Canadian vocational training market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BeautyAcademyTraining
• Instagraminstagram.com/beautyacademytraining
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beauty-academy-of-pembroke

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Beauty Academy