A Journey into Entrepreneurship in the Salon Industry by Rebecca Taft
- Owl's Brew
- Mar 28, 2024
- 3 min read
Even as a kid I had always been interested in cutting hair. Yep, I was that girl that cut my
Barbie dolls’ hair. (No regrets, my Malibu Barbie rocked the Dorothy Hamill haircut I gave her
with my mom’s cuticle scissors!) I’ve been working in the salon industry for over 25 years and
after finishing my MBA I finally opened a salon of my own, in 2021. During a
pandemic…because why not?!
To say it’s been hard is an understatement, but to say it’s been a huge, fun, learning experience is the truth. I rented space at a salon prior to opening my own, so I’d already been working for myself, essentially, for 15 years. When I lie awake at night wondering if I’m marketing correctly, if my Google ads are optimized efficiently, how I’m going to pay my rent AND make a profit, it’s stressful. But it’s like taking care of a baby: if I’m going to worry about anybody’s baby, it’s going to be MY baby!
Most of my career has been spent working around women, and just a few men (both gay and
straight). It’s interesting when I talk to female clients who are engineers or work in a typically
male dominated workplace, because their experience is so different from mine. I sometimes
wish I had more male colleagues, but typically that’s not what the salon industry looks like.
Since I’m currently working solo and looking to attract renters to my salon (as many salons are)
I get a lot of stress relief and camaraderie from my friends at the gym. We see each other
multiple times throughout the week and occasionally socialize together. I also still have some
close friends from business school but none of them are entrepreneurs. It’s hard for them to
relate to what my life looks like: I’m not getting a paycheck every two weeks, I don’t get paid
vacations (aside: I’ve NEVER had paid vacations) and that sometimes I have way too much free
time on my hands when I’m not with a client (which also means I’m not generating revenue). It’s very stressful, but I love it.
I’m connected with some of the business programs at local colleges and universities, and I’m often invited to volunteer as a judge at their business competitions. Some of these students
have such great ideas and I’m so inspired by them! I wish I’d been half as creative as they are
and embraced twice the amount of risk I did at age 20, like they do. You have to be a certain
kind of person to be an entrepreneur; as one of my friends describes it: a fearless idiot.
I’m a little fried at the end of the week but I can’t imagine a better way to unwind than with some Owl’s Brew Blackberry Half & Half. The sun setting after a hot summer afternoon, some friends on my patio, and the chance to SIT after standing in the salon would be an excellent way to end my day.
-Rebecca Taft has been in the salon industry for over two decades. She received her MBA from
SUNY Albany in 2020 and after a brief career change away from salon life, she quickly realized
she missed being behind the chair. In 2021 she opened her own salon, Modern Hair, located at
116 Wolf Road in Albany, NY.
Rebecca Taft’s entrepreneurial journey in the salon industry is truly inspiring and relatable for anyone building a business from passion and dedication. Her honesty about the challenges of running a salon, balancing creativity with business responsibilities, and staying motivated makes this story both authentic and motivating. The article also reflects the same confidence and personal style that modern fashion brands like Movie Jacket USA represent—where individuality, creativity, and self-expression stand out. Great read for aspiring entrepreneurs and business-minded creatives!
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Really inspiring journey into entrepreneurship in the salon industry! Stories like Rebecca Taft’s highlight how passion, resilience, and a clear vision can turn challenges into successful business opportunities. Building a brand in a competitive space like the salon and beauty industry requires not just creativity, but also strong business strategy, customer experience focus, and consistent innovation.
Really enjoyed this look into Rebecca Taft’s journey it’s inspiring to see her passion and drive shine through in the salon industry. The way she blends creativity and business smarts gives off such a confident, cool energy like a BTS Arirang World Tour Grey Hoodie moment.