We recently connected with Drew Calloway and have shared our conversation below.

Drew, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I ofter get the question, why name your salon “Beauty Shop”? It seems dated or “old fashioned”. And that was honestly the point. *gear up, long story
Growing up in rural North Carolina, my dear friend’s mother owned a salon, attached to the gas station beside her house. Her customers LOVED her, and were life time guests of the shop. Some ladies were there once a week, every week, until the day they died. And sometimes, even then, she would do it one more time.
The salon, called Barbara’s Beauty Shop, shared a land line phone number with my friends house, and when someone called the house, my friends father would answer..quite simply…”Beauty Shop!”
This sense of hospitality and care in the beauty industry resonated with me at an early age.
So, Beauty Shop Miami is a nod to my southern roots, and the family style feeling we want to create with every guest, every time.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I was intrigued by the hair industry as a teenager, mainly because I thought the salon smelled good and I could wear jeans to work! After attending my first hair show at age 18, I quickly realized it was soooo much more. I was lucky enough to land my first job at a new trendy salon, where education and growth was a focus. I simultaneously began teaching advanced education for Paul Mitchell..and my career took off!
At 25 I packed it all, and started fresh in NYC, where I worked in various salons while teaching advanced color education for Wella.
In 2013, I took another leap of faith in my career and accepted a job at Marie Robinson Salon in NYC as an assistant. There I REALLY LEARNED how to color hair…it was the best decision I ever made. I grew as a colorist, and followed that salon to their second location here in Miami 4 years ago.
On 2/22/22, I alongside my partner Martin Ducasse, opened the doors of Beauty Shop Miami!

At Beauty Shop Miami, we believe hair is as much a “feeling” as it is an end result. We treat our guests like family, while striving to create the perfect look for their lifestyle. Simply put, WE CARE…a lot!
We use only high quality products, that are earth and animal friendly while partnering with Green Circle Salons. Green Circle is a third party company, that takes about 95% of our day to day waste and recycles it appropriately…down to the hair off the floor!

There is no bigger compliment to me, than when a guest of the salon says they dont want to leave after their service, because they feel at home in the salon.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think the pandemic was a giant pivot, for everyone, business owner or not. The salon where I worked, was of course closed, which drove hair coloring to a hot commadity…and the mortgage was still due!
We (my partner is also a stylist) saw it coming, and hurried to the beauty supply store and stock piled the essentials, as well as a plastic mobile shampoo bowl from amazon. (think, shampoo bowl on a stick with wheels and a 4ft long drain pipe lol)
We made DIY hair color kits and shipped them to clients or dropped them on door steps.
I simeltaniously grew a network of at home clients, coloring hair in back yards (masked) in the hot Miami summer. Rinsing with the water hose slung over my shoulder. The work was hard, but worth it.
In December 2020, I lost my job and we turned our home into a hair salon for 13 months while Beauty Shop Miami was being built. THIS WAS WILD! 3 employees, one shampoo bowl in a walk in shower, and a house full of clients…for 13 months.
The systems and structure of those back yard sessions, helped pave the way and build the confidence to take that leap of faith and open a hair salon.

Any advice for managing a team?

Full disclosure, I’m new at business ownership so there is for sure a learning curve here. But, I’m not new at having leadership roles in the salon. The pandemic has created a shift in what people value. More specifically a life/work balance. Time at home, time with family, vacations or long weekends, etc seems to have priority in decision making. I try to respect that.
Also, I think the “top, down” managerial style is a bit suffocating. Employees want to be valued for what they can bring to the table, and feel like they are an equal part of the team as a whole.
I believe it’s important to sit and laugh with my crew, randomly buy them lunch and eat it with them.
Praise their accomplishments, redirect the shortcomings, and set clear goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.BeautyShopMiami.com
• Instagram: @BeautyShopMiami
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautyshopmiami2022
• Other: Email [email protected] Phone 305.603.7253

Image Credits
David Iglesias