Community Health; Revolutionizing Aesthetic Practices with Educator and Small Business Salon Owner Uncle Nat

In today's conversation I finally get to talk to my insta-crush Uncle Nat! Uncle Nat is an educator, innovator, and the founder of Uncle Nat’s, a radically inclusive salon located in Brooklyn. Uncle Nat has reshaped the field of body hair removal with the all-gender Brazilian and created a gender-affirming, fat-glorifying, trauma- and disability-aware, deeply POC-informed salon space that provides mutual care on multiple levels. Uncle Nat is a powerful proponent of the importance of vulnerability in client relationships, the role of community in creating safe spaces, and the problem with cancel culture. The need for emotional maturity and open communication in navigating the complexities of running a small business while maintaining a commitment to accessibility and care is a deep topic for us both and I so appreciated this conversation! Also Uncle Nat is hilarious and we share some good laughs. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! If you enjoy my substack, simply ‘hearting’ it helps to spread my work. If you want to do more, comment, re-stack or share it to someone whom you think will enjoyed it. All of my work exists because of the support of my community. Please consider upgrading to paid to make this a more viable income source for me and my small team. During our conversation Uncle Nat mentioned three people who speak about the problems inherent in cancel culture: Africa Brooke , Clementine Morrigan and Adrianne Maree Brown's book We Will Not Cancel UsFind Uncle Nat on IG Here on TikTok HereMake an appointment to visit their salon or book coaching HERE I’ve written about ‘eating a lot’ here Guacamole Fulfillment And how not all poor mental health is ‘bad’ - enjoy! Curious about exercise? HATE exercise? Please check out my offerings… Every Virtual Run Club series starts with a group coach call and 9 out of 10 participants begin by saying how much they hate running and don’t ever want to. It’s a wonderful group and many have gone on to create non-obsessive, joyful running practices to this day. I also teach beginner strength and stability via Kettlebells and Pilates as well as several restorative classes and workshops including Anti-Anxiety Cardio and Fascia Release™ all of which are designed to gently shift our bodies into balance without the ableist fat shaming ‘sweat is fat crying’ mentality that infects so much of mainstream fitness. I also do virtual one-to-one sessions, just me and you working out, relieving your pain, or talking about your needs and goals. I hope you can find something here that supports you. Chapters 00:00 Understanding Accessibility in Business Models 02:51 Uncle Nat's: A Revolutionary Salon Experience 06:05 Navigating Gender and Hair Removal 09:10 Safety and Intimacy in Aesthetic Spaces 11:52 Debunking Myths in Hair Removal Practices 15:05 Community and Care in Aesthetic Services 18:13 Transformative Justice and Cancel Culture 20:53 Perfectionism and Accessibility in Services 38:28 Navigating Disability and Professionalism 39:25 The Complexity of Accessibility 40:30 Redefining Care in Business 42:51 Balancing Client Expectations and Business Needs 44:45 The Emotional Landscape of Small Business 46:37 Creating a Supportive Work Environment 48:10 The Impact of Virtual Spaces on Accessibility 49:33 Rethinking Tipping and Service Industry Standards 50:48 Valuing Yourself as a Business Owner 52:21 Diversity and Representation in Service 54:40 Education and Accessibility in Business 57:38 The Importance of Open Communication 01:00:01 Understanding Limitations and Expectations 01:02:42 The Dangers of Cancel Culture 01:05:11 The Need for Accessible Spaces 01:08:55 The Role of Service Providers in Community Care 01:11:16 The Complexity of Identity in Service 01:13:34 Being of Service vs. Being Subservient 01:15:51 Navigating Internal Ethics in Business Get full access to After Class with Cadence at cadencedubusbrooklynstrength.substack.com/subscribe