072 The Journey of Growing a Tech Company in The Salon Space.

What this episode covers

We are not sponsored as a podcast, so everyone I interview I do so because of what I feel they can add to the knowledge pool for the benefit of hairdressers, salon owners, and the salon industry at large.  One of my favourite things is success stories. I love talking to someone who has an idea and then moved heaven and earth to make it happen despite all the naysayers and challenges that are inevitably going to happen.  In 2019 I interviewed a Canadian hairdresser by the name of Alicia Soulier about what was then her new start-up technology company SalonScale.com.  Salon scale is a blue tooth hair colour app that, amongst other things, ensures that you know the exact cost of a product in every colour service leaving the salon - Which means that you can therefore price your colour services accordingly.  A year and a bit later, I wanted to catch up again with Alicia to see how this gutsy former salon owner turned tech entrepreneur was growing her business.  Amongst other things, we discuss The problems that SalonScale solves for you, the salon owner. The salon industry's uptake on new technology!  Her entrepreneurial journey And… Knowing what she knows now, what would she change if she was still running her own salon?   And lots more…   In This Episode: [02:06] Welcome back to the show, Alicia! [03:25] Alicia shares her background and what she does. [04:47] Alicia speaks about the growth her company has had in the last year or so. [05:26] Alicia discusses how COVID has been an enormous boost for her company. [08:20] Antony shares how color services were not being priced properly, which is what Alicia's app is all about. [09:40] Alicia details what her app does and why salons and stylists need it. [12:00] Everyone has a different density of hair and a different length, so color needs to be priced per customer. [14:40] Alicia talks about the new features the app now has. [16:25] Alicia speaks about Just In Time. [18:26] Is the reception of the product based primarily on the generation of the stylists? [21:05] Alicia believes you have to focus on the upside of the app when talking to stylists. [22:33] Alicia speaks to the security of a client's details with the app. [25:06] What is the biggest fear a salon owner has around the SalonScale app? [27:37] With SalonScale, there will be a higher cost to clients for the color used. [29:40] Alicia shares some advice for anyone with an idea that they want to explore. [35:05] Listen as Alicia speaks about where she got financing and how she went about it. [38:00] Alicia says that this journey has had some of the most empowering moments of her life. [40:28] How much involvement do you want a partner to have or an investor to have? [43:06] Alicia discusses the biggest thing she has learned over the last few years. [44:09] How would you run your salon differently if you knew then what you know now? [47:20] Alicia talks about the tech opportunities she is seeing in the industry today. [49:57] Alicia shares some final thoughts. [50:31] Thank you for being on the show!   Links and Resources Grow My Salon Business    Find Alicia: SalonScale Instagram | Twitter | Facebook