NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Uber, Grubhub, and same-day Amazon have dramatically transformed Americans’ expectations for receiving products and services in an instant. And now, a native Philadelphian plans to revolutionize how local consumers get their hair cut in a call, come, and cut business model that has barbers and hairstylists coming to your home or place of business.
This month, Will Newton and his partner John Meurer are launching Shortcut – the Uber of haircutting and barbering – here in the greater Philadelphia area. A graduate of Germantown Academy who grew up in Chestnut Hill, Newton developed Shortcut after facing his own challenges in getting the kind of high quality, on-trend haircut that Millennials prize.
“I was working in New York City for 12 hours a day, six days a week and realized that getting a haircut on a consistent basis proved to be one of the biggest challenges in my personal life,” says Newton, COO and co-founder of Shortcut. “I knew there had to be a better way, so we launched Shortcut to solve this age-old problem, which allows people to get the best haircut of their life anytime, anywhere. Since launching in 2016, I’m proud to say we’ve delivered over 20,000 haircuts to homes and offices around the country.”
Shortcut now does some 1,000 haircuts a month in New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles. Philadelphia serves as the first domino in a national rollout designed to bring the convenience of Uber to anyone seeking a world-class haircut.
“The real magic in our concept is our technology, which allows consumers to choose from a portfolio of Shortcut Hair Pros in Philadelphia,” explains Newton. Unlike most counterparts in the on-demand space where you don’t know who will be delivering your services, Shortcut is all about the Hair Pros you get to choose from while browsing the Shortcut app.
“The hair business is built around relationships and loyalty,” says Newton. “We recognized the importance of trust, transparency, and quality when it comes to getting a haircut – especially when it takes place in your home – and developed our mobile experience to make it simple for consumers to book the same Hair Pro again and again.”
At the same time, the software developed by Meurer provides Shortcut Hair Pros an ingenious platform for tapping the gig economy and creating their own side hustles.
“Our goal is to help the best barbers and stylists in every city of America see more revenue by building their own online reputations and businesses where they can showcase their talents, connect with customers, manage their schedules, and automate payments all with the swipe of their finger,” says Meurer, CEO and co-founder of Shortcut. “In return, the app’s trusted reviews allow Shortcut customers to make informed decisions when choosing a local Hair Pro that is right for them.”
Here in Philadelphia, Shortcut premieres with a portfolio of more than 10 Hair Pros. They’re people like Faheem Alexander, a South Philadelphia native who has built his business and brand beyond the City of Brotherly Love and is now recognized as the official barber for The Roots. Despite his success owning a line of custom branded shears and beard moisturizing oils, Alexander prides himself on giving back to the city’s youth – offering them the opportunity to work alongside him at his Philadelphia barber shop Faheem’s Hands of Precision.
And while Shortcut Hair Pros will come to your home, the company is particularly focused on businesses that want to provide a work-life balance to their employees. “The labor market is red-hot,” says Newton. “Progressive employers are searching for benefits and perks which give the greatest value to their employees. Among the most prized benefits of all are ways employees can leverage their personal time.”
Shortcut works with more than 200 employers throughout the country to set up pop-up haircutting studios in offices where employees can take 30 minutes out of their day to have their hair cut at work without taking time away from family and friends.
“We create a vibe where employees can relax and decompress while listening to a curated playlist and being enveloped with our signature lemongrass essential oils while our stylists go to work,” says Meurer. “It’s an experience employees value and love.” In fact, it’s proving so popular that some employers are picking up the tab while others subsidize the cost of a cut. WeWork, for instance, makes the benefit available to its members in 42 locations nationwide.
Shortcut is an easy-to-use hair care marketplace app that connects people and businesses to the best Hair Pros in their city with the swipe of a finger – anytime, anywhere. For more on Shortcut, visit: www.getshortcut.co.
About Shortcut
Shortcut revolutionizes the way consumers get their hair cut through their simple, on-demand business model that connects people and businesses to the best Hair Pros in their city – anytime, anywhere. To download the app, browse barbers and stylists, and receive Shortcut’s in-home service from a five-star professional, visit: www.getshortcut.co.
