🇺🇸 FROM CHICAGO TO GHENT — TWO WOMEN, ONE PASSION FOR THE CRAFT
Alissa Whiston & Maira Soto — Scapicchio Academy Level 2
There's something extraordinary about people who are willing to cross an ocean to learn something they could easily convince themselves they already know.
Especially when they're already good at what they do.
Experience, recognition, a reputation in the industry. All the things that might make someone comfortable enough to stop asking questions.
But comfort has never been particularly useful when it comes to mastering a craft.
And neither has the belief that you've already learned everything.
This time, two women travelled from Chicago, United States, to Ghent, Belgium.
Alissa Whiston and Maiera Soto.
Two professional barbers. Two strong personalities. Two women with experience, ambition and a genuine interest in understanding traditional barbering beyond the techniques they already knew.
They weren't coming to collect another certificate.
They came for something much more valuable.
Knowledge.
And I have enormous respect for that.
The Journey Continues — From Bovino to Ghent
Their journey with the Scapicchio Academy had already begun in Bovino, a small town in southern Italy where the Scapicchio family's traditional barbering heritage continues to be preserved and taught.
Both Alissa and Maiera had successfully completed Level 1.
But rather than considering that the end of their education, they decided to continue.
The next destination?
Ghent.
More specifically, ROMAIN Coupure, our historic barbershop where we host Scapicchio Academy Level 2.
There's something quite remarkable about that.
Two American barbers travelling across the Atlantic to continue studying a profession they already practise professionally.
Not because they have to.
But because they want to.
And that distinction matters.
Two Women Who Know Their Profession
From the beginning, it was clear that neither Alissa nor Maiera was new to barbering.
Both arrived with experience, professionalism and their own understanding of the craft.
Alissa, in particular, is already familiar with the international barbering scene.
She's no stranger to the stage, demonstrations or sharing her work with a wider audience.
And that makes teaching particularly interesting.
Because when someone already has considerable experience, the objective isn't simply to show them another technique.
It's to challenge their understanding of the techniques they already use.
Why do we prepare the skin in a particular way?
Why does one razor behave differently from another?
What happens to the cutting edge when we change the sharpening angle?
And perhaps the most important question of all.
Why are we doing what we're doing?
That question forms the foundation of everything I teach.
Day One — The Beauty of an Aha Moment
Our first day was intense.
Very intense.
Hours of theory, discussions, demonstrations and practical sharpening.
Skin anatomy.
Pathology.
Razor geometry.
Metallurgy.
Traditional shaving preparations.
The relationship between products, skin and steel.
And, naturally, the philosophy behind our protocols.
We worked through the principles described in my book, Protocols — A Barber Manual, connecting theoretical knowledge with the practical reality of working behind the barber's chair.
But what I remember most clearly were the reactions.
Those little moments when something suddenly makes sense.
An explanation about the skin.
A different perspective on blade geometry.
A connection between two techniques that had previously seemed unrelated.
The kind of moment when someone looks at you and says:
"Ah. Now I understand."
There were quite a few of those moments.
For both women.
And particularly for Alissa.
That's one of the things I enjoy most about teaching experienced professionals.
You're not necessarily introducing them to something completely unfamiliar.
Sometimes, you're simply providing the missing explanation behind something they've been doing for years.
And suddenly, the pieces begin to fit together.
Experience becomes structured knowledge.
And structured knowledge creates confidence.
Steel, Stones and Understanding the Edge
After the theory, we moved towards sharpening.
A fundamental part of our Level 2 programme.
Because a traditional straight razor is only as good as the edge you understand how to create and maintain.
We worked with the ROMAIN All-in-One Honing Kit, following its seven-step sharpening process.
From understanding the bevel to refining and finishing the cutting edge.
But this wasn't simply about following seven instructions.
It was about understanding what happens during each stage.
Why we use different abrasives.
How pressure influences the result.
Why blade geometry matters.
And why sharpening a straight razor requires far more than simply moving steel across a stone.
We explored hollow-ground razors and the principles of freehand honing, connecting the practical movements to the theory discussed earlier.
It's a demanding process.
One that requires patience, concentration and a willingness to repeat the same movement until you truly understand it.
But that's the beauty of this profession.
The smallest details often make the greatest difference.
And watching Alissa and Maiera absorb that information was a genuine pleasure.
Day Two — Back Behind the Chair
The second day was dedicated to practical shaving.
And there was plenty of it.
Real models.
Different skin types.
Different challenges.
Head shaving.
Traditional facial shaving.
Beard protocols.
Preparation, hygiene, product application and the correct positioning of the straight razor.
Everything connected to the principles we had discussed during the first day.
Because theory means very little if you cannot translate it into practice.
A perfectly sharpened razor is useless without the knowledge to handle it correctly.
And an excellent shaving technique becomes questionable if you don't understand the skin you're working on.
That's why our Academy places so much emphasis on the relationship between the two.
Knowledge and execution.
Understanding and movement.
Theory and practice.
Throughout the day, we worked through the shaving and beard protocols described in Protocols — A Barber Manual.
Not as rigid instructions that should be followed without thinking.
But as a structured foundation that allows a barber to understand, adapt and improve.
Both women approached the practical sessions with professionalism and dedication.
They listened.
They questioned.
They practised.
And they demonstrated why experience, combined with genuine curiosity, can be such a powerful combination.
The Value of Learning Without Chasing a Title
There's something about Alissa and Maiera's visit that I particularly appreciated.
Their motivation.
Within the Scapicchio Academy, we have a structured educational journey.
Level 1.
Level 2.
And, for those who wish to continue towards greater responsibilities within the Academy, Level 3 and the possibility of becoming an Ambassador.
But not everyone who enters our Academy is looking for a title.
And that's perfectly fine.
In fact, I find it rather refreshing.
Alissa and Maiera came primarily for the knowledge.
To understand the techniques.
To improve their own professional practice.
To take what they had learned in Bovino and Ghent and bring it back to their barbershops in Chicago.
They weren't there to prove anything to anyone.
They were there to learn.
And perhaps that's one of the purest motivations a professional can have.
Knowledge should never be something we collect simply to impress others. It should be something we use to become better at what we do.
Whether they eventually decide to continue their journey within the Academy is entirely up to them.
There's no pressure.
No obligation.
The important thing is that the knowledge continues to travel.
Two Women, Thousands of Miles, One Shared Passion
Over the years, I've had the opportunity to teach barbers from different countries, cultures and professional backgrounds.
And the more people I meet, the more I realise how similar our ambitions often are.
We want to become better.
We want to understand our tools.
We want to offer our clients something meaningful.
And we want to feel proud of the work we do.
Alissa and Maiera reminded me of that.
Two friendly, professional and highly motivated women who made the effort to travel thousands of miles to continue their education.
From Chicago to Bovino.
From Bovino to Ghent.
Different cities.
Different cultures.
The same craft.
And the same willingness to keep learning.
There's something beautiful about that international connection.
The Scapicchio Academy isn't simply a place where traditional barbering techniques are taught.
It's becoming a meeting point for people who share a genuine respect for craftsmanship.
People who might never have met otherwise.
People who speak different languages, work in different environments and have developed their own approaches to the profession.
Yet somehow, they find themselves gathered around the same barber's chair.
Discussing the same blade.
Asking the same questions.
And trying to understand the same details.
That's what makes this international family so valuable.
Knowledge Has No Borders
I often think about how remarkable it is that traditional barbering continues to bring people together in this way.
A craft with centuries of history.
Techniques passed down through generations.
Razors, stones and methods that existed long before any of us were born.
And yet, here we are in 2026.
Two women from Chicago sitting in a historic barbershop in Ghent, discussing razor geometry, skin anatomy and sharpening techniques with a Belgian Master Barber.
All connected through an educational journey that began in southern Italy.
You couldn't invent a better example of how knowledge travels.
And that's precisely why I believe so strongly in sharing it.
Because every person who leaves our Academy with a better understanding of the craft becomes another opportunity for that knowledge to survive.
Not necessarily as an instructor.
Not necessarily as an Ambassador.
But simply as a better barber.
Someone who understands their tools.
Someone who questions their methods.
Someone who can explain why they do things a particular way.
And perhaps, one day, someone who passes that knowledge on to another person.
That's how traditions remain alive.
Not by locking them away.
But by allowing them to travel.
Until We Meet Again
Alissa and Maiera, thank you.
Thank you for making the journey from Chicago to Ghent.
Thank you for your curiosity, professionalism and dedication throughout those two intensive days.
And thank you for reminding me that even experienced professionals can approach education with an open mind.
I genuinely enjoyed our time together.
The conversations.
The questions.
The sharpening.
The shaving.
And, of course, those wonderful moments when a difficult piece of theory suddenly became clear.
I hope the knowledge you've gained will serve you well back home in Chicago.
That you'll continue questioning your techniques, refining your skills and discovering new details in a profession that never stops teaching us something.
And who knows?
Perhaps our paths will cross again.
In Ghent.
In Bovino.
Or somewhere on the other side of the Atlantic.
You'll always be welcome.
Because once you've shared knowledge, time and a genuine passion for the craft, the distance between two countries suddenly feels a little smaller.
Two women. One journey. A shared respect for the craft.
And another beautiful chapter in our international Scapicchio family.
That's the Protocol.
Want to join the Scapicchio Academy at ROMAIN in Ghent, belgium?
Get in touch to plan your 1-on-1 training with Master barber Stijn De Sutter and take your straight razor, honing and shaving services to the next level. Send us a Email
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If you want more than just a good story and you’re ready to sharpen your craft (or your own look), you know where to find us.
From straight razor training and honing on natural stone to classic shaves and serious beard work in the chair, ROMAIN Barbershop & Academy in Ghent is where it actually happens—no noise, no shortcuts.
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Website ROMAIN: http://www.romainghent.be
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