Martino Cartier is a celebrity stylist and international platform artist for Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy. His award-winning Martino Cartier Salon reached the height of popularity and gathered millions of fans after appearing on Bravo TV.
Since then, Martino and his salon have been featured in Modern Salon, Seventeen, Salon Today, and the 2010 Golden Globe awards. Martino and his team have appeared at major hair shows throughout North America, including Intercoiffure New York and Intercoiffure Miami Beach. Martino was a featured presenter, along with Tabatha Coffey, Kim Vo, Ken Paves, John Frieda, and many more, at the 2014 Stylist Choice Awards.
Inspired by a friend’s brave battle and triumph over cancer, Martino founded Friends Are By Your Side, a nonprofit network of salon owners, stylists, and industry experts united in their mission to restore dignity to women who have lost their hair to chemotherapy and to grant wishes to children. Martino’s desire took on a new light when he met Kiki, a beautiful girl who had battled cancer since she was eight years old. After a number of foundations rejected Kiki’s requests for a wig, Martino made her a wig and their friendship began.
Seven months later, Martino and Friends Are By Your Side granted Kiki’s wish to meet Justin Bieber. She arrived in a hot pink stretch limo, enjoyed a meet-and-greet before the show, and sat on Martino’s shoulders in the front row during the entire concert. One week later, Kiki lost her battle to childhood cancer, leaving Martino with a broken heart but a validation that the mission of Friends Are by Your Side was truly his life’s purpose. Since then, hundreds of wigs have been given, dozens of wishes have been granted, and hundreds of network salons have made dreams come true.
Interviewed by Winn Claybaugh, Martino shares many inspiring messages, including “Don’t be ordinary, be EXTRAordinary” and how to use your setbacks as a driving force in your life. Check it out here!
For more information, visit www.FriendsAreByYourSide.com