From Zero to Booked-Out: How Equipt helped launch a stand-out salon brand from scratch

No premises. No staff. No clients. Just a clear vision — and the right partner.

When Barry and Jo came to Equipt in early 2023, ME Collective didn’t exist yet. No salon, no team, no clients; just a clear ambition to build something special. They wanted to create a salon that people aspired to visit, and that talented stylists wanted to join. A place with both warmth and edge. Calm and confidence.

They had the spark. We helped shape everything else.

Using our Perspective Analysis: Start-Up framework, we supported every element of the launch from writing the original business plan to defining the name, brand, vision and long-term ambition. We even sent (quite literally) a husband down to help get the doors open.

The challenge

Like many founders, Barry and Jo were full of passion and experience but starting from a blank page. The vision was clear, but they needed a commercial plan that would guide decisions, build investor confidence and help them measure success.

With no salon yet secured and no client base in place, they also needed to do something that crucial: secure full partner funding upfront, before opening.

What we did

We helped turn instinct into action - fast. Starting with Perspective Analysis: Start-Up, we worked through every part of the business together to create a strategic foundation and full commercial playbook.

• Sized the market opportunity - identifying a £4.87m market potential
• Mapped local competitors by location, price and positioning
• Identified clear areas for competitive stand-out and brand voice
• Built a full financial model including service pricing, projected income and investment requirements
• Outlined a 12-month roadmap tied to the founders’ longer-term brand vision
• Named the business, developed the brand proposition, and supported early creative direction
• Provided hands-on mentoring, decision support and operational guidance — right through to opening day

The results

The business plan helped ME Collective secure funding from its primary salon partner before opening, based entirely on the strength and clarity of the plan.

Twelve months on:

• 300+ client visits per month
• Rebooking rate above 62% — higher than industry average
• Average bill value of £91.76 (vs £51.74 industry average)
• No-show rates at half the industry standard
• 70+ five-star Google reviews and a growing loyal client base
• 2 business award wins, with 3 additional finalist spots

All of this from a business that didn’t exist a year before.

Why it worked

Because it wasn’t just a brand job. It was a full-scale business build.

By starting with strategy and digging into every part of the market, we helped ME Collective make decisions with confidence, not guesswork. We partnered with the founders, walked with them through every challenge, and helped bring something exceptional to life. From naming to pricing to fitting out the space, it was built with care, clarity and ambition.

That’s the power of Perspective Analysis — and the impact of having the right partner in your corner from day one.