ShearShare: Taking Black Haircare Into The Digital Age

Innovation within the health and beauty sector has always had an undeniable link to the culture. From the icons like Mdm. CJ Walker and Garrette Morgan to the lesser known Christina Jenkins or Comer Cottrell, we have always found ways to not only improve upon our beauty techniques while also keeping them uniquely our own.

Now a new digital influence is hitting the barber and beauty salon industry. A Husband and Wife duo are the co-founders of ShearShare, a fast-growing app that allows independent stylists and barbers to rent space from brick and mortar salons and barber shops on an as-needed basis. The app also provides time-limited insurance options for professionals may need as well.

We were able to sit down recently with Courtney and Dr. Tye Caldwell to discuss the journey they have traveled to this point in meeting a need in the health and beauty industry. And they will tell you that was the starting point. Tye Caldwell says they didn't start out looking to be a “disruptor” of the industry. They saw a need and are trying to fill it. As salon owners themselves, they were initially looking for a way to fill their own empty seats and in turn built a solution that is helping thousands of small business owners. “We are listening to this rising generation of cosmetologists and licensed barbers who are saying ‘I don't want ownership, I just want the access’...No one was listening to them, but we did…” says Courtney.

They started the venture in 2016, and like any startup, they experienced their share of hard times. They recount having over 100 investor meetings before getting to their first deal. Through that process, they learned that they had to rethink their pitching strategy. It wasn't enough to come up with hard facts about the size of the beauty industry and the longevity of these businesses. They learned they had to shift the conversation with investors from ShearShare being in the beauty tech space but position it within the commercial real estate space. Courtney says we grew to understand that we couldn’t just talk about the underutilization rates in salons and barbershops, but instead highlighted the commercial real estate aspect- which is the second largest asset class in the world. That is what began peaking interest. “We help them understand that this is an industry that affects everyone…. from the President to the pauper.”

The universal nature of the beauty industry is another powerful aspect that they were able to leverage, especially within the Black Community. Dr. Tye will tell you that in every community around the world, you will find barbershops and salons to service the community. And even though this app is moving some parts of the transactions into a digital space, the community aspect is still there, it’s intrinsic to the DNA of the industry. And that is what they strove to build around. They like to use the hashtag #communityovercompetition. The pair are both equally invested in helping to further develop that community. They encourage professionals to focus on their strengths rather than trying to build up weaknesses. Reminding those they speak to and encounter that people come to you because of your skill and expertise, not because you are a well-rounded individual. They help professionals overcome the fear of thinking that they can not make a living from their God-given gifts.

Looking back over the journey thus far, there are two important lessons Dr. Tye would like to impart on his younger self. First is learning to trust the process. “Failure is just an opportunity to pivot….Think about failure as a strategy, not an end-all.” Second, pick your team wisely. “Whether you ascend or whether you descend, it’s all because of the people you have with you.” Courtney echoes that lesson when describing the hurdles of growing ShearShare. The challenge of finding talented individuals to fill in the gaps in what they were already good at and brought to the venture from their own unique experiences. They wanted to find people that not only loved it as much as they did but could also look to the future of where it could go. Courtney says “This is the legacy we chose to live. It's the legacy that we know we're meant to leave behind. And it's only here to elevate an industry that we love so dearly.” To check out the opportunities ShearShare is offering in your local area click here.