Stylie launches first-of-its-kind tool for independent stylists

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 300,000 hairstylists work independently as a freelance or booth-rent stylists nationwide. Indianapolis-based Stylie, a point of sale (POS) mobile application is looking to capture a large slice of that market with it’s latest product Stylie One, a seamless business management solution built exclusively with independent hairstylists in mind.

The first of its kind in the salon industry, Stylie One supports independent stylists by simplifying the software needed to take inventory, schedule appointments, auto-market your services, manage your business, and perform point of sale functions.

“Independent hairstylists typically manage 250 or more loyal clients, leaving limited time for the operational tasks that come with renting a booth or running a salon suite on your own, Michelle G. said. “Until now, the industry has lacked a solution created especially with one hairstylist in mind, but I’m confident Stylie One is a major step in supporting their businesses’ success, allowing them to do more of what they love.”

Stylie One was created with independent stylists in mind, allowing them to focus on serving their customers, while Stylie handles the technology.

Stylie One software incliudes the following six features:

Mobile, on-the-go access: The mobile app allows stylists to access all of their business information, including scheduling and inventory, at their fingertips wherever and whenever.

POS and inventory management: Stylie’s software simplifies sales, bookkeeping, and inventory management by providing automatic updates, filed receipts, purchase and return tracking, and more. It even offers an option for groups such as a wedding party  requesting to pay a single bill instead of individually.

Credit card processing: Fast, easy, and secure payment processing is paired with a competitive 2.75 percent transaction rate and the ability to accept Apple Pay and smart chip cards.

Online scheduling: Stylie creates effortless online scheduling through its Schedule Fresh integration, syncing up online calendars to find the perfect date and time for the stylist and the client, and generating automatic reminders to keep clients alert and on time.

Salon relationship management: Independent stylists know firsthand that good client relationships create loyal clients. Stylie allows stylists to be effortlessly thoughtful, keeping track of client service preferences and technical notes, reminding stylists of products or styles they discussed, as well as sending a note to the client on their birthday, anniversary, or any other special day.

Easy automation: Now stylists are able to leave the automated work behind. Stylie sends receipts, appointment reminders, marketing campaigns, thank you notes, and incentives to clients automatically.

“I consider us very blessed to have so many customers over the past two decades helping us exceed everyone’s expectations in the tanning industry,” Chad Hankinson said. “We’re excited to bring all we’ve learned to another exciting sector of the beauty industry.”

We talked with Chad Hankinson, Vice President of Stylie, about the process of creating Stylie One and to learn more about his vision for the company moving forward.

What pain points are most prevalent for independent stylists today?

Chad: First, most independent stylists are still using manual methods to keep track of their businesses (schedules, client records, etc.).  They need an application to help them manage their clients, inventory, sales, marketing and lives more efficiently.  Second, current software in this industry has not been designed with the independent in mind, so it is either way too expensive, or way too complicated.

Can you outline the experience of developing Stylie One? What was the genesis?

Chad:  Our company Helios has been a market leader in Point of Sale software for the salon industry for over 20 years.  Over the last 5 years, we’ve noticed the shift in the beauty industry away from working in traditional commissioned salons to the independent freelance or booth-rent stylist.  Close to 50% of the industry is now made up of independent stylists and there hasn’t been a solution that specifically caters to them.

How would you describe your growth trajectory in the short-term and long-term?

Chad: The sky’s the limit.  We are just past our launch and beta use period, so we are listening and responding to the needs of our current clients to make Stylie One the market leader in our industry. There are so many other business segments that can utilize this application to help run their business and lives more efficiently.

What are the biggest lessons you have learned through creating and launching your company?

Chad:  Never underestimate the value of a great development team and an excellent customer service team. Quick, nimble responses both in development and service gives the end user peace of mind and a great application to use.

In celebration of its launch, Stylie is offering independent hairstylists a free trial followed by a special rate of $19.99 per month. For more information and to sign up for a free trial, visit www.GoStylie.com.