DETROIT, MI – A Michigan woman hopes to make history as the first black woman in the United States to walk through a hair salon business.
Dana White, owner of Detroit-based Paralee Boyd salon, said that in the fall her salon will offer franchises in multiple locations across the United States, according to a press release from the company.
White plans to have 20 sites within two years and 100 sites within five years, the statement said.
White’s franchising efforts are supported by the Rocket Mortgage Detroit Demo Day 2020.
Paralee Boyd, a salon for women of color with thick, curly hair, won first prize in the annual pitch competition that invests over $ 1 million in Detroit-based start-ups with ambition to develop, according to the statement. .
The Paralee Boyd Concept is based on the teachings of White’s grandmother, such as “treat people as you would like to be treated”. These values, along with White’s automotive-inspired lean manufacturing process, created the perfect formula for franchising the company, the statement said.
“We’re changing the way women with thick, curly hair see their time, their dollar and themselves,†White said. “All of our future franchise stores will use our unique approach to data collection to streamline the salon process, just as manufacturing companies do. “
White’s efforts to revolutionize hair care for women of color were highlighted in a recent CNN article.
“If you notice, all of the blow-dry bars, Great Clips, Supercuts, etc. are marketing and have built their business model towards those with finer hair texture,†White said in the CNN article. “These companies do not offer products or tools and do not offer styles suitable for women with thick, curly hair. Unfortunately, hair salons are very segregated by race.
A native of Kalamazoo who attended Western Michigan University, White opened the first lounge in the Detroit subway in 2012. Named after his grandmother Paralee Boyd, the lounge opened a second location in Midtown Detroit in 2017, according to the press release.
By this fall, the show plans to offer the company’s franchises in Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and more.
White is a graduate of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Business Program and is part of the inaugural Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Access Network cohort, the statement said.
“Dana’s vision and passion is second to none, and she innovates for black women in the beauty industry,†said Asahi Pompey, Chairman of the Goldman Sachs Foundation. “As a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program, we are very proud of Paralee Boyd’s incredible growth. “
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