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Hair Stylist, educator and bleach expert Sarah Louise Keane has launched SLK's Staff Room – a membership club giving independent hairdressers a team behind them
SLK’s Staff Room gives independent stylists access to the kind of business support and brand opportunities usually reserved for those working in bigger salon groups.
This isn’t Sarah’s first business; Sarah is also co-founder of Host Manchester, a co-working salon space where freelance stylists work side by side. The idea for SLK's Staff Room came from the conversations she has seen and had countless times with Host's members: the same questions about money, clients and running a business alone came up again and again.
Working for yourself means being the stylist, the accountant and the marketing team all at once. SLK's Staff Room brings practical business tools, peer support and brand partnerships together in one place, so independent hairdressers no longer have to figure it all out on their own.
At the heart of the membership is a library of lessons focused on the areas independent stylists most often struggle with: money, tax and legal, setting boundaries, avoiding burnout, building better client relationships and finding working patterns that last. Members also get access to Maddi Cook's pricing calculator, which helps stylists work out what their services should really cost, as well as a private community where they can swap advice and share wins with other independent stylists.
Staff Room also features Popz, an AI-powered chat feature modelled on Sarah's own dad, the person she has always gone to for an honest answer. Popz has been trained on the advice he has given her over the years, and offers members the same down-to-earth guidance on business, tax, clients and self-employment.
Brand partners are offering members preferential terms and opportunities rarely open to independent stylists. For example, ghd is offering discounted professional tools and a dedicated account representative, while K18 brings gifting, education and invite-only industry events. Wella Professionals is giving members access to its Stylist Network, exclusive purchasing terms and brand experiences, including a bespoke Wella Professionals x Staff Room event in New York. Further partners include Glowwa, the FHA, Foil Fox to name just a few.
Sarah says: "The reason I've built this is because of all the discussions I've seen and had countless times inside our own staff room at Host. Working for yourself can be incredible, but it can also feel like every decision and every problem lands on your shoulders. Independent hairdressers deserve the support and perks that usually come with being part of a bigger team or a bigger name. This is their team now.
“And what a team it is; with over 160 sign ups on the first day alone, this is going to be one heck of a Staffroom! The membership also includes monthly member prizes and lottery-style entry for brand trips, so opportunities go to members regardless of their following or profile.”
Membership for SLK's Staff room is open the first week of every month.
