SHAG Hair is the latest Newcastle salon to welcome freelancers as it ramps up its online education arm.
Owners Alana Williamson and Grace Kelly say the move to launch Shag Chair - allowing stylists to rent a chair - diversifies their income.
"Co-working is very much the future, there are already some amazing freelance spaces in Newcastle," Ms Williamson said. "The difference with Shag Chair is that freelancers are supported by our brand, the business and team, which is important if you are a sole trader. When they're ready to fly the coop they might open their own salon and we'd be proud of that. Our philosophy is community over competition."
Ms Williamson said the co-work model was championed by salons such as Sydney-based Edwards and Co.
"We are really trying to put Newcastle on the map, we want to show the amazing and dedicated hair stylists in our area," she said.
Shag Hair - founded a decade ago by Ms Kelly before her client and bestie Ms Williamson joined - has also re-launched its training arm, Shag.Ed, at its Merewether base.
In 2018, it began face-to-face training for senior hairdressers, allowing regional stylists to study without travelling to Sydney. It began a regional tour in NSW when COVID-19 hit. It plans to launch tours again in 2022.
Shag.Ed has a suite of online tutorials for stylists.
"We've sold classes Australia wide. We are the only salon in Newcastle that has an online education business like this," Ms Williamson said. "Our tutorials are available for purchase worldwide. We haven't cracked the the global market yet, but that's the plan!"
The tutorials teach techniques that most stylists use daily, helping them to "stay fresh".
"The private education platform has grown exponentially in the past five to 10 years," Ms Williamson said. "Hair dressers used to be so private, they didn't want anyone to know what they were doing, now people are collaborating more."
Shag will soon bring well-known interstate stylists Michael Kelly and Belinda Mills from Pipsqueek in Saigon to Newcastle for collaborations.
"There are so many amazing hairdressers here ... it has given us some credibility with [city] stylists who would never ordinarily come to Newcastle," she said.
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