BEN BARKWORTH
Owner + Creative Director, JUSTB Salon | Founder, FASTFOILS | Toronto, Canada
EPISODES
How I Started My Salon and Launched A Tool Company:
Watch or Listen
What is FASTFOILS & How I Built it!:
Watch or Listen
JUSTB Salon, Toronto:
VISIT JUSTB SALON WEBSITE
FOLLOW JUSTB ON INSTAGRAM
FASTFOILS:
VISIT FASTFOILS WEBSITE
FOLLOW FASTFOILS ON INSTAGRAM
EPISODES
How I Started My Salon and Launched A Tool Company
Tune in to hear Ben share how he started JUSTB Salon and launched a tool company!
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.
He eventually went back to chair rental as he built his clientele.
Became an educator w/ Scrupples after they reached out and asked him to audition.
Got recognized and then recruited back to his old salon.
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 lockdowns!
Barely made it out COVID before pulling the plug!
What is FASTFOILS & How I Built it!
Want to learn how to create your own tools? Listen to Ben tell you about his company and how he started FASTFOILS.
Key Takeaways
FASTFOILS is a Foil that will speed up your processing time by 25% to get a higher lift in a shorter amount of time while protecting the integrity of the hair.
Developing a Business Plan and Model to perpetuate the vision of innovation, education, investment, and efficiency sets you up for success.
1st Step: Write down your ideas and start research and development.
Does your idea exist, can you improve it, and can you make it?
Does someone else have a patent on your idea?
2nd Step: Find out how to make/produce it and start the process of vetting manufacturers for samples.
Test your product (we had to do thermal testing in a lab)
3rd Step: Get your patents and protect your intellectual property...#lawyers
This will not be cheap; you will need to invest in this startup cost
FASTFOILS was self-financed!
Find manufacturers and brokers at trade shows for your research!
Building a Brand and Marketing: Be consistent, Be Clear, Don’t Be Confusing, & Solidify Your 3 Talking Points.
You have to truly believe in what you are doing to be successful.
Anyone can have an idea, but you have to follow through.
The best money was spent on a PR firm to grow the idea.
Watch your expenses. Do you really need to go to that show or class or stay in that hotel? Think about it!
