Refinery Hair Co. | Salon Spotlight

Refine your hair, refine your style, refine your business. Dan, owner and stylist from Refinery

Hair Co. in Flint, Michigan, had a goal of creating a space that was different and unique with a

strong focus on people, including the stylists behind the chair and the people who sit in the

chair.

Dan bounced through a few jobs before finding his career path in the hair industry. His favorite

part of being a stylist is using his creative ability and connecting with people. Dan has been

around the industry block in the last 13 years, from being an hourly stylist, a commission-based

stylist, to being an independent stylist, he then opened Refinery Hair Co., a 6,000 square foot

salon in downtown Flint. Dan took his time when looking for his space. He wanted a place that

was different and unique, something that was going to set his salon and brand apart.

Refinery has a strong team focus, despite being a hybrid salon with many independent stylists.

All stylists understand that working together to be successful as a whole is key to individual

success. The Refinery team consists of 21 stylists with nearly no turnover in the last four years.

Dan believes in investing in his stylists’ commission or not and creating a happy environment

which has played a huge role in building his team. The Refinery team is not solely made up of

stylists. Manager, Kayla, does a lot of the day-to-day role so that Dan can continue working

behind the chair 30-35 hours a week and occasionally multi-tasking when needed by his team.

Co-owner, David, who is also Dan's husband, plays a large role in behind-the-scenes work like

branding, marketing, and other odd jobs! It truly does take a village. It was clear during my short

time there that they work as a team and work towards a common goal of an amazing top notch

guest experience.

Refinery Hair Co. carries several brands to offer different price points for their clients. Their main

brand is Davines. Salon exclusivity, sustainability, and brand culture were just a few things that

Dan searched for and Davines delivered. ManocoBlue has provided Refinery Hair Co. with their

product since opening in March 2019. Salon support and education are key to their salon

success and Lori, their sales rep with ManocoBlue, has been absolutely essential to keeping

education in the salon allowing them to be a retail powerhouse. Dan spoke highly of Lori and

her constant knowledge of launches, deals, and what's coming up in the industry.

Advice for stylists: Figure out what your brand is and what sets you apart. Work/Life balance is

key. Don't forget to take time for yourself after putting in your time at work.