The new app "ReadyHubb" helps bridge the gap between stylists and clients, created by the founder.
Chidi Ashley, founder of ReadyHubb. Erika Franklin-Edmond, a freelance hairstylist from usa/illinois/cikago/">Chicago, began receiving a large number of client requests during the quarantine when people did not feel safe to visit salons in person. She uses a booking app, but some potential clients message her, DM her on Instagram, and call with questions that already have clear answers in her profile. Because of this, she says she feels overwhelmed.
"Being a traveling freelancer can sometimes be challenging because clients can become too comfortable with me," she says to Forbes. "Communication isn't always smooth. I prefer clients to reach out within the times specified in my business details, but that doesn't always happen. I send mass text messages through my booking app with updates on availability and other policy changes, but some clients ignore them."
It was precisely these issues that Chidi Ashley worked tirelessly for over two years to fix. He is the founder of ReadyHubb - a new booking platform and mobile app aimed at addressing the communication problems between independent beauty professionals, freelancers, and their clients.
The idea arose during the pandemic when Chidi Ashley watched a YouTube video in which a woman shared her negative experience booking a hairdresser and how unprofessional the entire experience was. "The woman said she was told to contact the hairdresser via direct messages on social media for booking," explains Ashley, adding that "even with other booking sites, there are sometimes no convenient communication options, and the policies of hairdressers can be a bit tricky to find and follow. So as a client, you end up sending a message like 'Hi, dear' the day before your visit to check if everything is still on track," she says. Chidi Ashley, being an active traveler, mentions that no matter where she went or who she spoke to, beauty service enthusiasts almost always had the same experience, especially if they were Black.
After discussing this issue with her business partner, with whom she works at her other company Luxe Tribes, focused on luxury travel, they decided that ReadyHubb would be their next venture.
Ashley used funds from her real estate investments (including a luxury villa in Bali) and income from her Dubai-based agency/">agency for startup costs.
“Dubai is completely free from personal income tax,” she says. “As a founder who is fully self-funded, this has incredible advantages. And, of course, in terms of talent, there are truly amazing world-class and diverse people here, but at half the cost of hiring employees, say, in the US. So, if I were to hire a developer/">developer from the US, I would be paying at least $150,000 a year, whereas in Dubai it costs half that.”
The app not only promises to be profitable, as beauty technology is a billion-dollar industry, but it is also culturally necessary.
“This is definitely interesting because one of the things we've been exploring over time is the growing divide between Black beauty professionals and their clients,” says Ashley Forbes. “And you see this very clearly—I often notice it on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. There are also questions about how Black beauty professionals charge compared to the standard of services provided. You don’t see this as often among white professionals. Most of them use apps like Vagaro or primarily work out of salons, unlike Black beauty professionals. While we also work in salons, many Black beauty professionals are independent, so they don’t have the same infrastructure as a typical salon that provides support in payment, customer service, and all the great things that come with a normal small business.”
She says that one of her main focuses when creating the platform was to implement a system that can truly be used as a resource for beauty professionals.
ReadyHubb officially launched in the spring and has already become a home for 2,000 professionals.
Ashley says that there was a huge response without any marketing.
“I think the news spread orally because it is so necessary,” she tells Forbes.
Unlike similar booking platforms like Acuity or StyleSeat, which typically charge a monthly subscription fee and additional charges for adding staff to accounts, ReadyHubb is free to join.
“Clients haven’t been paying from the very beginning,” explains Ashley. “We want to create a completely free experience for the client upon registration.”
She also points out that there is a monthly fee of $26 for access to the professional features offered by the app. One of ReadyHubb's main goals is to be a reliable ally for service providers facing the challenges of managing a fast-paced business, Ashley claims.
“We want to help beauty professionals elevate their skills in the beauty industry, provide better service, grow their business, and view their work as a business rather than just an extension of themselves.”
The interview was shortened for brevity and clarity.
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