Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea McCoy.
Chelsea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I opened RHM Hair Co in March of this year, but I think it’s important to know that I NEVER wanted to be a salon owner.
In 2023, I found myself getting extremely burnt out in my career. I can’t tell you how many times I Googled “jobs you can have with an Associate’s in Applied Science.” I was genuinely questioning if I wanted to stay in the beauty industry.
Then I came across an extension certification program through Harper Ellis and thought, what could it hurt?
I left that class feeling inspired for the first time in a long time. I realized I didn’t necessarily need a new career. I needed to change the way I was building the one I already had.
That experience eventually led me back to school to earn my cosmetology instructor license. I spent a year teaching part-time at a cosmetology school, primarily working with senior students who were just months away from graduating and getting behind the chair.
It didn’t take long for me to recognize the gap between cosmetology school and the real world. These students had so much potential, but there was still so much they needed to learn to build successful careers. And the reality is, there simply isn’t enough time within the required school hours to teach it all.
That’s really where the idea for RHM Hair Co was born.
Through my involvement with Harper Ellis, I was also introduced to Strata Salon Systems and a salon maturity model that completely changed the way I looked at developing stylists and building a salon. Today, I’m fortunate enough to be an educator with Harper Ellis, and I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned through both companies, combine it with my own 17 years of industry experience, and build something I wish more new stylists had access to.
At RHM Hair Co, we’ve created a clear growth path for new stylists through an intentional, hands-on assistant program. My goal is to close that crucial gap between graduating cosmetology school and building a confident, successful career behind the chair.
I may have never wanted to own a salon, but I knew I wanted to be part of changing the way we develop stylists in this industry.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Never. In fact, I fought the idea pretty hard.
I’m a girl mom of three and a wife to my husband, Colby. We’re constantly dividing and conquering sports schedules while also trying to build and grow our own careers. So the thought of adding salon ownership to the mix wasn’t exactly something I was jumping at.
In September 2024, I left a salon owners workshop with the confidence to finally make this dream a reality. I was ready. I was going to call the bank, call our realtor, and start making things happen. Four days later, Hurricane Helene hit Asheville.
We woke up without power, cell service, or water, only to eventually learn that we were among the lucky ones compared to the devastation in surrounding communities.
I knew immediately that opening a salon was going to have to wait. And for a while, I pushed the idea to the back of my mind. But I also knew I couldn’t shake it. So instead of rushing the process, I used that time to get really clear on what I wanted to build. I took the business plan I had scribbled out on paper and started putting real words behind it. What is RHM Hair Co? What do we stand for? Where are we going, and how are we going to get there?
Looking back, that season of waiting gave me the time to build the foundation for what RHM Hair Co would eventually become.
As you know, we’re big fans of RHM Hair Co. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
RHM is a hair extension bar and luxury color salon. But what I’m most proud of is the opportunities we’ve built for stylist. There’s no ceiling here on what a stylist can do within his or her career. We’re big on growth, education and building an actual career, not a hobby, not a job. My biggest mission in opening a salon has been fixing what’s wrong in our industry and making what’s right… even better. We’re building so much more than hair.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I shared this recently with my team. If you’re ever feeling you’re doing all the right things but you still feel stuck… Terra Harvell (CEO of Harper Ellis and Strata Salon Systems) once told me “you gotta crawl before your ball” and that is something I repeat at least weekly. Do the work, put in the reps, it’s okay to take 2 steps back before you go forward. It all pays off!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.rhmhairco.com
- Instagram: @chelsea_allthehair @rhm_hairco
