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Cozy Friedman launched the first ever salon for kids in New York City after a friend told her about her nephew’s bad experience at an adult salon. She calls that conversation in 1992 her “lightning bolt” moment. Since then, Cozy has opened the doors to multiple children’s salons. Her latest endeavor is the launch of her professional-grade hair care line that was created just for kids.
We chatted with her about how she discovered there was a huge gap in the market and what she's learned about juggling work, motherhood and everything in between.
Name: Cozy Friedman
Business: SoCozy Professional Hair Care for Children
Started: 2002
What inspired you to open up your first salon?
I heard a story from a friend about her nephew’s horrible experience at an adult salon. It was my lightning bolt moment! I started wondering why there were no salons for kids, so I did some research and was shocked that there really was no such place. This was in the 90s, which was a very different time and landscape for salons. I was working in fashion at the time and didn’t have any children of my own.
I decided to go for it. I quit my job and went to barber school in order to launch my own salon. In starting my business, I realized another need: hair
care products of a professional grade that were appropriate for children. It was then that I found a new calling: launching SoCozy Professional Hair Care for Children.
Who was your very first customer? How did you find them?
Our first customer for the hair care products was Bigelow Apothecaries, a small family-run pharmacy in New York that’s been around for a long time. It’s known as a cool, indie store that finds new brands and puts them on the map. The owner of Bigelow came to me after I started using SoCozy in my salons. I threw some cases of products in my car and drove them over. It wasn’t long before more and more higher-end pharmacies began to want my product.
My first line of SoCozy was launched in 2002. I relaunched the products three years ago after completely overhauling how they’re made. In the time between, I worked to establish myself as an expert on children’s hair. I published a book on children’s hair care in 2010 and did a lot of press.
After the relaunch of the product, we were able to set up a meeting with Target, which was the first major retailer to stock SoCozy products.
When did you know your business was going to work?
The launch of my product really came out of need. I started a business for children’s professional haircuts, but there were no products to use. I literally couldn’t find a hair care product for children that could pass my standards. When I first opened the salon in the 90s, there was Johnson & Johnson, which is for babies. Even then I found it to contain harsh ingredients.
No high-end brands existed then, so I decided to create my own line. I had been closely watching baby lines like Mustela and California Baby, but there was nothing for older children, no next step after baby shampoo.
So, I created SoCozy. I wasn't a chemist, I didn't know how to create a product line. I taught myself along the way.
What has been the biggest surprise so far after starting your own business?
The biggest surprise was that, despite being an extremely hard worker by nature, it's a challenge to work 24/7! It’s a round-the-clock job that never really stops.
How do you price your products?
When it comes to pricing, it’s very important to look at the entirety of the costs — beyond product creation to sourcing, distributing and everything else.
It was important to me that SoCozy used the best ingredients (our products are paraben-free and very gentle), but to also make the product affordable. We backed into it that way: by looking at our costs and what we were able to price. The prices have been about the same since I launched.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I have a very structured day, which I find makes it easiest to manage all the moving pieces in my life. I wake up very early at 5am to meditate and go running. I have to be home by 6:45am to drive my kids to school. I have two offices, one separate from my salon. I typically go to the Midtown (Manhattan) office. I am at the salons a couple days a week to meet with my staff.
I usually eat lunch at my desk unless I have a business meeting. I like to have lunch with a friend when I can. I do a fair amount of press, usually to promote the hair care line, so that factors into my workdays. I go home by about 6 or 6:30pm. I’m a mom, too, so that job starts up again when I get home.
If you could go back in time, what’s the one thing you would do differently when starting your business?
The first time I launched my products, I felt strongly about them being in clear plastic bottles. Many people warned me not to do it, but I did. I personally liked it at the time, but it did make the products hard to photograph. I had to redo the packaging eventually.
I wish I had listened to that advice! I usually go with my gut, but in this case I wasn't right. Luckily, it was reversible.
What would you like to learn today from a community of other small business owners and self-employed professionals?
I find I often can’t get enough detail from other entrepreneurs’ stories. It’s really good to have people to bounce ideas off of, people who have the same issues and problems no matter that we’re all in different industries. I learn so much from people in other industries: from any kind of business network you can find someone who has an issue that relates to you and your business.
Now, we want to hear *your* story.
Cozy created two synergistic businesses by filling in a gap that existed in the salon world.
Was your business a first? Are *you* a pioneer in your entrepreneurial endeavor? Tell us more about your trailblazing business in the comments below!
San Francisco, CA
