Ali Carter, founder of CONNEQ, grew up with his father cutting his hair and knew he would eventually learn how to do the same.
After starting at Prestige Barber College earlier this year, Carter realized he could help the hair care industry through his digital business card startup.
Carter originally described the target audience for CONNEQ as businesspeople and creatives to TBJ in September. Now, he's refined his plan and will target barbers and hair stylists.
“After you get past the learning curve of the basics of how to fade and proper sanitation, there is a problem that me, my fellow students and anyone entering the hair care industry is faced with – and that’s building and maintaining a steady clientele,” said Carter, who recently completed Launch Greensboro's LaunchLab Growth accelerator program.
CONNEQ is an app-free digital business card through which people can share their social media profiles and contact information quickly. The digital business card is accessed on CONNEQ’s products with a smartphone, by either tapping the phone on the product using near field communication (NFC) or scanning a QR code.
CONNEQ currently sells three main products: a business card, a phone tag, and a wristband called a “follow band.”
Carter said that majority of clients in the hair care industry come from existing clientele and referrals. In the digital age, potential clients also want to be able to see a barber or hair stylists’ work, which is why many in the hair care industry are working to build a social media presence.
With CONNEQ, it will be easy for barbers and hair stylists to share their social media profiles and for clients to save their contact information directly to their phone.
Carter has integrated CONNEQ’s platform with online booking services so clients can book their hair services through CONNEQ. He is also working on CONNEQ Pro, which will offer exclusive features on CONNEQ’s platform for a small fee each month.
Carter presented his refined target audience in a pitch Monday night as a part of Launch Greensboro’s Demo Day event, which featured the 11 companies that had recently completed the 14-week LaunchLab Growth program.
