Why I’m writing this
I’ve been doing hair for over 20 years. I’ve run two studios. I’ve rented in between. I’ve used commission salons, Vagaro, Square, Somatic — you name it. And the one thing I hear from every stylist who’s thinking about going independent is the same:
“I want to, but I’m scared.”
That fear is real. Commission salons feel safe. You show up, clients are on your book, you get a cut of what you do. But they also cap you. Your income is tied to someone else’s pricing. Your schedule isn’t really yours. And if you’ve been doing this long enough, you start feeling it — the ceiling.
This is the story of how I broke through that ceiling, and why I built the Clubhouse to make it easier for the next stylist.
The jump nobody prepares you for
When I left my first studio after five years, I spent a year renting at another space. That’s where I saw the model that clicked for me: independent stylists renting chairs in a well-run, intentional space. Not a corporate suite farm. A real shop with personality.
The onboarding was a mess — emails, phone calls, forms that didn’t work, information scattered everywhere. But the concept was right. I just knew there had to be a cleaner way.
What I’d tell my younger self
1. Your license and insurance come first. Don’t wait until you’ve already committed. Get your New York State license current, sort your liability insurance, and have your Square account set up before you tour a single space.
2. Know your number. If you’re currently charging $90–$100 per cut, you’re in the range where going independent makes financial sense. Below that, the math gets tight. The Clubhouse is built for stylists who are already at a premium service level.
3. Don’t do it alone. The biggest mistake I see is stylists going independent and isolating. No community, no one to bounce ideas off, no referral network. You need a shop — not just a chair.
4. Onboarding shouldn’t take weeks. License, insurance, deposit, calendar. That’s it. If a space makes you jump through 15 hoops and three platforms, that’s what running your business there will feel like too.
Why the Clubhouse exists
I built the Clubhouse because I lived this. I know what it’s like to want independence but not know where to start. I know what bad onboarding feels like. And I know that the right space — one with personality, a beer in the fridge, and other stylists who get it — can be the difference between thriving and just surviving.
The Clubhouse is small and intentional. I’m not trying to fill 50 chairs. I’m looking for a handful of stylists who are ready to level up and want a buffer — not a boss — to help them get there.
Apply for a Clubhouse tour and let’s talk about whether it’s right for you.