This is a Test the Waters Campaign
No Grease is considering a crowdfunding campaign; this page is meant to gather feedback before we formally launch the program and no funds can be accepted at this point. Your input is helpful in crafting the formal investment program.
Please click the Share Feedback button once you have read the information below.
Offering Overview
No Grease Barbershop is one of the leading American Barbershops in The United States dedicated to personal grooming services. The company has evolved into a popular, profitable, and talented chain of full-service barbershops. No Grease also operates a barber school that has graduated over 500 students. This overview outlines the strategy for No Grease Barbershop to create a Software-as-a-Service business. The business will focus on delivering subscription base software to help barbershops, nail salons, estheticians, and other service-related companies improve business operations.
The Problem
Competitors, including our existing software provider, leave a significant gap in the software market for the personal grooming industry. Providers are offering standard software features like online booking and basic inventory management but nothing that genuinely drives profitability and improves operations because they failed to understand that running a barbershop or nail salon can be just as complex to run as any other business.
Competition
Several companies offer similar features and functionality, including Squire, Vagaro, Booksy, and Mindbody. We differentiate ourselves by using our industry expertise to build a better product that will dramatically improve the customer experience and streamline operations.
We also have surveyed a selection of personal grooming business owners and received highly positive feedback saying that they explicitly want to try our software when it is launched.
The following issues are impacting our competitors:
Competitors, including our existing software provider, leave a significant gap in the software market for the personal grooming industry. Providers are offering standard software features, and there are comprehensive software offerings, but nothing that genuinely drives profitability and improves operations.
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We will improve the booking experience to ensure new customers are matched with the best service provider, improving customer retention and revenue.
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We will also integrate the software with already proven platforms to improve operational efficiency which include ADP, Homebase, BambooHR, MailChimp, and Shopify, to name a few.
The Opportunity
We will be targeting the following markets:
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Barbershops (107,113)
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Hair Salons (979,236)
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Nail Salons (1,378,467)
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Estheticians (151,193)
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Tattoo Parlors (31,196)
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Massage Therapy (243,068)
Our research suggests that those segments represent a pool of more than 2,890,273 potential customers. When we factor in the lack of industry expertise and credibility from our competitors, we see an excellent opportunity to gain market share from our competitors.
Revenue Opportunity Breakdown:
We are projecting revenue of $316,065 in year one, 3,056,046 in year 2, and 7,483,279 in year 3. Our year one projections are based on our 13 shops migrating from our exising software provider. Each shop will be charged $200.00 a month, and we will earn significant revenue from online booking and PoS fees. Our year two and three projections are based our inside sales team signing up 50 businesses a month once we move to phase 2 of our launch. Our co-founders will draw only minimal salaries so we can reinvest our profits into growing the business. Development costs and staff salaries will be our most significant expenses, followed by smaller allotments for marketing, travel, and supply expenses.
Our plan to gain meaningful market share consists of the following:
Razored Technologies will focus on the Company’s unique value proposition:
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We will build out an inside sales and customer success team to help grow and retain our customer base.
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We will create moderate price point, with a limited free trial
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We will invest in attractive signage, digital advertising, search engine optimization and build a solid social media presence on Instagram and Facebook.
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We will hire proven marketing executives to lead our marketing strategy.
Our Solution
Razored technologies is an all-in-one operations system that will enable business owners to operate their businesses and maximize profitability efficiently. Razored App will include the following modules:
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Point of Sale
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Online Booking
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Enhanced Inventory Management
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Commission and Booth Management
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eCommerce
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Enhanced Reporting & Analytics
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Open API Integrations with leading platforms like Mailchimp, BambooHR, and ADP
Our current revenue model consists of the following:
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Monthly subscription fees
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Online Booking Fees
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Point of Sales Fees
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Booth Rent Collection
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Equipment
Traction Highlights
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Our YTD revenue on the barbershop side of our business through in 2022 is currently standing at 4 million. We expect to hit 5 million in revenue this year which is an increase from 2021.
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Our revenue in 2021 was 4.4 million dollars
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We opened 4 locations in 2021 and will open an additional 2 locations in 2022
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We plan to develop an app that we will transition to a SaaS company.
"What struck me about Damian and Jermaine Johnson was their constant professionalism in the way that they did things. Their business was run as a business. As we started talking, I began to see that they had a vision beyond running just one or two barbershops’ shops".
Bob Johnson, Co-Founder of BET Television and Investor
Hugh L. McColl Jr., the Former Chairman, and CEO of Bank of America, endorsed Knights of the Razor by No Grease! With a visit and a shave. He is considered one of the most important people to help build Charlotte and has been an ally to the Black community socially, politically, and financially. Mr. McColl said, “I’ve pretty much become convinced that the only way out of these problems we have is to create Black capitalism and to create jobs. So, what I’m concentrating on now almost exclusively, I’ll call it Black capitalism.”
Hugh McColl - Former Chairmen and CEO of Bank of America
Press Links
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https://www.wsoctv.com/living/features/black-owned-business-spotlight-no-grease-barbershop/915008464
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https://qcitymetro.com/2022/02/08/the-great-28-damian-johnson/
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https://qcitymetro.com/2017/09/19/20-years-in-no-grease-turns-to-franchising-to-accelerate-growth/
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https://qcitymetro.com/2021/01/12/no-grease-barbershop-expands-into-southpark-mall/
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https://charlotte.axios.com/281973/25-charlotteans-who-inspired-us-in-2021/
Previous Funding
We have self-funded our barbershops.
Our Team
Our founder and CEO Edmund Washington is a successful No Grease Barbershop franchisee and Technology Executive at Microsoft. Edmund always wanted to own a business and was inspired by his great-grandmother, who owned a hair salon and restaurant. Edmund decided to use the family savings to open the Washington family's first No Grease Barbershop in 2019. Today, the Washington family owns and operates two locations in Charlotte, NC, with a third location in planning in Houston, Texas. Edmund has several degrees, including an A.A in Human Resource Management from Gaston College and a B.A in Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University. Edmund also has a Master's Degree in Information Technology and Cyber Security from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Our founder and Co-CEO Tracey Greene-Washington is the President of Indigo Innovation Group, a consulting firm dedicated to serving as a strategic thought-partner, advisor, coach and consultant to philanthropic, nonprofit, and private/public organizations committed to accelerating change through system-level approaches, equity, and strategic collaboration. In addition to this role she is the Founder of CoThinkk, a social change philanthropy committed to shifting the economic mobility, health, education, and leadership narrative of communities of color in Western NC through strategic investments, network-building, and civic discourse. Lastly, Tracey Greene-Washington is a social entrepreneur and co-owner of No Grease Northlake and No Grease Premium, franchisees under the umbrella of No Grease Inc. Throughout her twenty + year career she’s led high-level initiatives that address complex issues and gained a reputation as an innovative leader that is committed to partnering with organizations/communities to be more impactful by targeting systemic change, taking risk, and accelerating efforts at the intersection of community economic development, health, education, and leadership development.
Mrs. Greene-Washington most recently served as the Director of Special Initiatives for the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, leading its two long-term place-based initiatives Healthy Places NC-focused on improving the health of 10-12 rural counties and Great Expectations-an early childhood initiative in Forsyth County. Prior to joining the Trust, she served as a Program Officer at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation leading efforts to address the statewide racial and gender wealth gap; Program Officer and Director of Learning & Evaluation for the National Rural Funders Collaborative focused on rural community transformation; and Director of Technical Assistance, Training & Policy with the South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations where she supported 45 community development corporations throughout the state.
Mrs. Greene-Washington completed a Tedx titled Addressing Complex Social Change, What If and currently serves on the board of Education NC and Council for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Forsyth Technical Community College. She is the former Board Chair for the Center for Leadership Innovation, Vice Chair for the Southern Rural Development Initiative, former board member of North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research and Equity Committee Chair for the NC Early Childhood Foundation. Mrs. Greene-Washington released her first book on October 20th, 2020, # 1 International Bestseller and 2021 Nautilus Award-Winner, titled Choosing Purposeful Alignment: The Messy Middle of Transformation. She is the recipient of the 2022 Coach Diversity Impact Award, 2022 Co-Recipient of the Change Agent of the Year Award, 2021 Rosa Parks Award, 2020 Linetta Gilbert Service Award, 2019 Bubbles Griffin Award, and 2019 Best of Women to Know Feature. She is a native of Asheville North Carolina and Certified Coach through Coach Diversity Institute. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina.
A native of Asheville, North Carolina, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina.
Damian Johnson, Jermaine Johnson, and Charlie Petty (Co-Founders)
Buffalo, NY natives Damian and Jermaine Johnson created and launched No Grease, Inc. in June 1997. No Grease, Inc. is a company dedicated to hair and other personal care business. The company's mission is to provide consumers with the opportunity to meet multiple grooming needs in one location with unequaled quality and fast service.
Later, the twin brothers would be joined by Charlie Petty and other like minds in the industry. Together they would grow No Grease, Inc. into one of the leading brands in men, women, and children's hair grooming services in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. The company has evolved into a popular, profitable, and talent-stable chain of full-service barber parlor operations, and it also operates a barber school.
Technical Co-Founder Brooks Troxler started Trox Tech in June 2010. Trox Tech began as a small computer repair business and has blossomed into an exciting venture with new customers representing unique daily challenges. Trox Tech services hundreds of companies n the Charlotte area and beyond. Brooks Troxler is a licensed and insured CompTIA A+ certified IT, technician. In addition to 13+ years of hands-on experience, Brooks has a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology.
Use Of Funds
Minimum Goal
We plan to use the funds and invest in the following areas if we raise the minimum amount
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App Development
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Open one new shop
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Barber Training
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Marketing
Target Goal
We plan to use the funds and invest in the following areas if we raise the target amount
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App Development
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Open five new shops
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Barber Training
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Marketing
Maximum Goal
We plan to use the funds and invest in the following areas if we raise the maximum amount
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App Development
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Open eight new shops
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Barber Training
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Marketing
Break-Even
No Grease Barbershop has already achieved a break-even point and we are profitable on the barbershop side of our business. We are in the pre-development process our app.
Return For Investors
We are currently in the test the waters phase of our fundraise. We will make a final decision on an equity vs debt raise once we go live. Our goal is to provide a return to our investors within 5 years.
Disclosure: this page represents Testing The Waters materials.
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No funds or other consideration is being solicited, and if money is sent, it will not be accepted by the company;
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No sales will be performed or commitments to purchase accepted until the offering statement is qualified; and
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A proposed purchaser’s indication of interest is non-binding.
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