Today we’d like to introduce you to Goodie Audette and Natalie Hansen.
Goodie and Natalie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hello Hair Collective Salon was realized by myself and co-founder Natalie Hansen. We are two women that are hard-working, open-minded, believe in continual growth, are socially and environmentally conscious, we are ridiculously intentional, and have a passion and compassion for humans.
Natalie and I met through our love of movement and exercise and when we realized that we both worked in the hair industry, we became fast friends. It was actually the shutdown in the pandemic that lit our fire to start dreaming up Hello Hair. It’s amazing what you can get done when you have creative mental space, time, and ZOOM. We both felt passionate about the future of our industry and we believed that we could create a space and environment that was unique. We see the “beauty” industry beyond body size and physicality, one that nurtures the employees’ growth, and a true collective of people that believed in the brand of humans first.
The “beauty” industry is AMAZING but was functioning under antiquated operations that were created to benefit product companies and driven by sales and quotas. We knew that if we opened a salon that focused on our employees’ holistic growth, through coaching, fair pay, healthy products, and freedom to be involved in their own evolution in the industry, it would be a success. Our industry has always focused on the client in our chair! The truth is that to provide the best service and experience that the client deserves you need to focus on the provider first. How can we give our all if we aren’t nurtured as well. Energy trickles down so taking care of our team will foster the best experience for our salon guests.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
GREAT QUESTION!
Of course, there have been struggles. How can we grow and learn without struggles?!?
Partnership.
Natalie and I decided from the beginning to work with industry-specific business coaches to help us learn about ourselves and encourage us to push our own boundaries so we can continue to evolve as business owners and partners. Starting a business is a lot of stress, money, and work! It has taught us that partnership needs continual attention. Becoming a partnership was one of the best choices we ever made but we both work hard to respect each other’s boundaries, give each other ownership in the areas that we shine, and enjoy the amazing ride together. We work really hard at being proactive and not reactive!
Buildout/Design
Building out a salon in the midst of a pandemic was super stressful. We dealt with all the issues, lost products, delayed work, over booked providers, shipping delays, higher costs. We learned a great deal about construction, building design, and letting go. We are grateful for the amazing results that we ended up with.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We wanted to elevate our industry environmentally, socially, and by being workspace conscious, all while providing clients with individualized attention and services that make the experience for the guest and artists more enjoyable and fulfilling.
We showcase our artists’ talents through styling, cutting, and customized coloring our guests’ hair. Our providers specialize in the services they provide so they can offer the best possible experience for our guests.
Natalie and I have firsthand experience in feeling discomfort around size inclusivity in the “beauty” industry. We made intentional choices to outfit our salon with furniture that fit more body sizes. We worked very hard to make sure that all humans felt comfortable in our salon space.
The hair products that we carry and use have been curated with intention. We care about the ingredients in our products and how they impact our bodies and the environment. We only carry products that are scented with essential oils, have sustainable packaging, choose clean ingredients, and are transparent in listing ingredients.
We partner with a company out of Canada that helps us recycle/reuse 95% of our waste. We collect and sort plastics, metals, chemicals, and colors so that they can be more conscious of the waste we produce and make healthier choices around disposal.
We decided to shake it up by eliminating tipping and move to an hourly pay model. This gives us the freedom to base our pay on our skill set, education, experience, and removes the uncertainty that the service industry has been plagued by since tipping was introduced as a systemic way to reduce fair pay to people of color.
We are a technology-focused salon that encourages guests and artists to have direct communication. We have eliminated the front desk and empowered clients to take ownership of booking. Our service providers are then able to help guests individually through the checkout process. This concierge service builds confident relationships with guests and artists.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Some people may not know that Natalie and I both have a business undergraduate degree. We both love nature, hiking, and TRAVEL. Many are also surprised to hear that Natalie and I never worked in a salon together until we opened our doors at Hello Hair Collective.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hellohairmn.com
- Instagram: @hellohair.collective
- Facebook: www.facebook.cpom/hellohairmn
Image Credits
Jenna Penticoff
Spacecrafting
Alexa Gibbs
