Episode 100

How I Started My Salon and Launched A Tool Company | Ben Barkworth | Owner, Creative Director, JUSTB Salon | Founder, FASTFOILS | Toronto

Tune in to hear Ben share how he started JUSTB Salon and launched a tool company!

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

-- He went to school during the day, worked at a restaurant all night, & apprenticed at a salon on Saturday. No days off except Sunday!

-- He went straight to chair rental after school.

-- After one year, he realized he was doing basic beauty school haircuts and was missing things in his education, so he went back to a salon to assist and train.

-- Toxic colleagues made him realize it wasn't the team for him, so he left and started his own salon JustB Salon, a safe space for all to "Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Beautiful!"

-- Started the Salon with only his husband. Then built a team!

-- Ben was working backstage for London fashion week as a volunteer when he came up with the idea for  @FASTFOILS 

-- After tons of Research & Development, Chemical & Thermal testing, he began selling foils just in time for COVID lockdown

MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

-- Follow Ben on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_barkworth/

-- Follow FAST FOILS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastfoils/

-- Follow JUSTB Salon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justbsalon/


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Robert Hughes

“I THINK HAIRSTYLISTS ARE THE COOLEST, NICEST, AND MOST FUN GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE PLANET! I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT USHERING IN AN EMPOWERED-STYLIST FUTURE, AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE GETTING STYLISTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TOGETHER IN A NON-COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN LEARN, LAUGH, AND GROW TOGETHER.”
-Said by ME!
Robert started his hair journey as a kid in rural America offering haircuts on the street to kids in the neighborhood, not realizing, one day, he would find himself working the front desk at a hair salon while in high school. From there, his experience from salon-to-salon has included the front of the house, back of the house, stylist, educator, and consultant. It was during this movement through various salons he developed a passion to empower stylists and educate owners on how to raise the industry standard of excellence, mutual respect, and professionalism amongst stylists, managers, owners, and clients. Robert currently is the General Manager and a Master Stylist at Violet Salon in Georgetown, DC.