When I first had the idea of opening up my own hair salon in 2020, I had already been working in the field for over ten years. Hoping to gain independence in my craft and give back to my community at the same time, I planned to open a salon where I could empower customers to express themselves and feel gorgeous.
I finally found a space months later, located in a Morningside Heights co-op building where I felt a spirit of supportiveness and genuine care. It was undoubtedly the perfect building to open my salon, “Wilde & Co. Salon and Barbers.”
I immediately began searching for the last thing I needed to make my dream a reality: funding.
I learned about the Hebrew Free Loan Society’s Small Business Loan Program from a friend, and current borrower. I couldn’t believe there was a zero interest loan program out there that could provide me with the capital I needed, without the burden of debt.
After I reached out, I quickly realized that HFLS was there to help, and that I could actually open my own salon. My loan was quickly approved in May, and I was able to sign the lease for the new space in June of 2022, and now, construction is underway.
The operations won’t be a one person effort. I plan to support other hairdressers by employing marginalized people, providing a safe salon to help them feel safe and valued.
I am so excited for what the future holds, and thanks to the Hebrew Free Loan Society, this is just the beginning!
“Thanks to HFLS, I was able to open my own hair salon!”
