Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shaye McCane. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shaye, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I created Forage Hair Co because there was no salon similar to opening Forage; it was important for me to create a safer space, eco-conscious, and low-toxic salon. Those are some practices that I carry within my own life, and there were just no other salons like that in Tucson. I first came up with the idea because I was working on a booth rental salon, and everyone had different ideas of how they needed to run their own business, which was very different from mine. It was a common occurrence for my clients to get misgendered or overhear inappropriate conversations about not understanding someone’s gender. At that time, I was also growing my business and felt very limited on feeling like I could because of those situations. That was when I first thought of opening a safer space salon.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Forage Hair Co is a salon that values sustainability, inclusivity, and community. We get to recycle up to 95% of our salon waste through Green Circle Salons. This company recycles salon waste, including hair foil, color tubes, and leftover color, which gets turned into green energy, water filtration, and even bicycles made from aluminum. In addition, we use low-toxic and non-toxic products with no artificial fragrances. The color line we use is Original Mineral which is one of the lowest toxic color lines on the market, being ammonia-free, PPD-free, and resorcinol free. We also carry Hairstory, Innersense, and Reverie, product lines sourced sustainably and use post-consumer waste product packaging. As a safer space salon, we are a member of the Dress Code project and offer gender-free pricing and restrooms. We also have an annual free haircut day for LGBTQ+ youth. We are proud to be a community-focused salon and a part of the movement to change the hair industry.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In my career, I’ve had to unlearn and relearn my beliefs surrounding hustle culture and leadership. When I first started in my career, I was told that the only path to success as a hairdresser was to earn a six-figure income by spending endless hours behind the chair. I didn’t know it at the time, but this idea of success left me burned out and overwhelmed, working 60-hour weeks.

I was also taught that micromanagement was the sole method of leadership. Constantly judging others and feeling judged for not being a better leader, despite the fact that I was barely keeping it together myself. It took me years to realize that these ideas needed to be unlearned and replaced.

I hired a business coach in 2021 that helped me address some of my previous (little T) traumas within the salon industry. Being able to not associate myself with those ideas of has given me a sense of freedom and take control over my business behind the chair, and now as a salon own. It has allowed me to establish a healthier work-life balance, where I now choose to work only three days a week. Additionally, it has given me the freedom to be a compassionate leader, acknowledging my own humanity and embracing the ability to make mistakes.

We are all on a journey of growth, learning, and change. The concept of success differs for each individual; even my own perception of success has dramatically shifted over the past five years. Embracing this evolution has paved the way for a more fulfilling and authentic version of success in my life today.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Signing up for business coaching a year and a half ago was a pivotal part of my career. When I signed up for the coaching program, Destroy The Hairdresser it was a big jump into the unknown. Their goal as a coaching program is to revolutionize the salon industry. Through personalized one-on-one coaching, this program has empowered me to break through personal obstacles and understand emotional intelligence to overcome reactivity that had previously held me back in my career.

In addition to my coaching journey, I find a lot of inspiration in the world of podcasts. Almost 30 has been one of my favorite podcasts for extensive range of topics, from health and wellness to spirituality, business ownership, and navigating life transitions.

Coaching and Almost 30 have been apart of the foundation of my growth journey. Although I still feel like I’m doing the work and every day realize how much more I have to learn about myself. I definitely feel a lot more on my path and excited to see how everything grows.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @shaye.hair @foragehair.co