HOW TO BUILD A MILLION-DOLLAR SALON SUITE BUSINESS

Summary

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Earn Your Leisure – "How to Build a Million-Dollar Salon Suite Business"

Podcast: Earn Your Leisure | Hosts: Rashad Bilal & Troy Millings (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro) – Entrepreneur, Franchise Owner, Educator
Date: July 9, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode takes an in-depth look at how to launch, grow, and scale a million-dollar salon suite business. Featuring Patrice “Sway the Pro” McKinney—the first Black woman to franchise a salon suite business—the discussion explores Patrice’s entrepreneurial journey, operational strategy, industry challenges, and her mission to educate the next wave of salon suite owners. Listeners receive actionable insights on funding, location, business model choices, and the keys to building generational wealth (not just income) in the beauty industry.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding the Salon Suite Model

[10:15–13:51]

• Definition: Salon suites involve transforming commercial real estate into multiple smaller rooms (suites), rented to independent beauty professionals (stylists, barbers, estheticians, lash techs, etc.).
• Business Structure: The suite owner acts as a landlord—providing rent-based space with minimal involvement in the tenant’s services, marketing, or booking.
• Attractiveness: Allows beauty professionals to be their own boss, customize their suite, and set their own business terms.
• Passive Income Potential: Described as “semi-passive,” with owners mostly collecting rent and managing the facility.

Quote:
"So it's really like real estate in the hair and beauty industry... I'm literally just providing the space, managing the space, and making sure it's great."
— Patrice McKinney (10:19)

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2. Patrice’s Personal Journey & Scaling Approach

[05:09–09:53; 24:45–25:46]

• Background: Came from a family of beauty professionals; originally planned to open a barbershop but pivoted after exposure to the salon suite model.
• Start-Up Challenges: Battles with missing business partners, disreputable contractors, and city bureaucracy; faced high anxiety but persevered.
• Initial Success & Expansion: Started in Atlanta after moving from Michigan. Opened five locations and became a franchisor.
• Scaling and Franchising: Grew to franchising after being prompted by others in her network; sold her first location for ~$500,000, requiring franchisees to build additional units.

Quote:
"The day I was supposed to sign my lease and my business partner... didn't show up... the contractors, paying them in advance... running off with the money... It was so stressful... but it was a lot of learning lessons that helped me today."
— Patrice McKinney (09:09)

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3. Location, Build-Out, and Suite Design

[11:35–12:46; 27:14–28:54; 33:04–34:46]

• Ideal Real Estate: Doctor’s or dental offices are optimal due to existing plumbing, electrical, and room layout.
• Suite Setup: Most suites are rented unfurnished, saving owner expense and allowing tenants to customize.
• Build-Out Costs & Funding: Typical start-up/build-out costs are $80,000–$100,000. Patrice’s team helps students obtain funding (“use OPM—other people’s money”) and negotiate tenant improvement (TI) from landlords.
• Pre-Leasing: Start pre-leasing suites when the build-out is ~85% done.

Quote:
"We like to pre-lease just like an apartment complex. So when we’re about 85% done with the buildout, we like to prelease, get them in early."
— Patrice McKinney (25:46)

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4. Financials, Revenue Streams, & Profitability

[13:51–15:33; 16:07–17:32; 33:04–34:46]

• Typical Rent: $250/week per suite (unfurnished), $325/week (furnished). Suites are ~100 sq. ft.
• Expenses: Major ones are rent to property owner, utilities, CAM (Common Area Maintenance), insurance.
• Revenue Focus: McKinney keeps her business “passive”—main income is rent. Minor add-ons (e.g., vending machines) aren’t worth owner time.
• ROI Timeline: If negotiated well (e.g., with TI and/or free rent), return on investment can be realized in 1–2 years.

Quote:
"I like to say the sweet spot to start is like 80 to 100k... If you get TI, you’re kind of getting your money right back. I like to say you see a return a little quicker, in this industry, I would say on, you know, a year to two years."
— Patrice McKinney (33:04, 46:04)

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5. Tenant (Beauty Pro) Selection & Retention

[22:33–23:19; 28:54–31:52]

• Ideal Tenant: Established, has a client base, professional, good business acumen, positive energy.
• Tenant Autonomy: Each tenant runs their own LLC/business, names/decorates their suite, and is responsible for bringing clients.
• Retention: High retention rates achieved via clear systems, strong tenant screening, regular personalized communication, and prompt issue handling.
• Lessons Learned: Shifted from lease agreements to license agreements to quickly remove problem tenants (“suite squatters”).
• Process Improvements: Implementation of systems (e.g., keyless entry, communication protocols) and hiring family with expertise in systems.

Quote:
"I'm big on energy… if I feel like your energy is off, I don't want you in the space… People who are professional and understand customer service..."
— Patrice McKinney (22:33)

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6. Best Practices & Industry Tips

[40:28–42:00; 50:39–51:33; 58:09–61:19]

• Business Fundamentals: Importance of knowing financials, using one payment system for reporting, tax awareness, and customer service.
• Professional Boundaries: Systems over informal texting/cash collection—use apps for appointments and reminders.
• Avoiding Burnout: Getting out from “behind the chair,” focusing on scalability, and having an exit plan.
• Managing Celebrity Clients: Set boundaries, don’t derail business for celebrity appointments.

Quotes:
"You can't have a high price and think somebody’s going to come and pay, and you're not even on time or cleaning your equipment… you got to justify the price."
— Patrice McKinney (52:01)

"I definitely recommend apps. I used to do texts, and… I can't believe I was doing that. But... we live and learn."
— Patrice McKinney (59:34)

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7. Franchising the Salon Suite Model

[42:55–43:53]

• Cost: Franchise fee is $35,000 plus 5% royalty on gross income.
• Support: Franchise buyers receive branding, marketing rights, operational guidance, and access to her network/support system.
• Why Franchise?: Turn-key systems, brand recognition, fewer costly mistakes vs. going solo.

Quote:
"You get the support… already an established brand. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own."
— Patrice McKinney (43:06)

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8. Education & Mentorship

[62:38–64:56]

• Teaching Approach: Patrice offers courses and “inner circle” mentorship—including credit repair, funding, location/attorney referrals, and business coaching.
• Impact: Over 100,000 trained, with free weekly trainings and resource-rich programs.
• Drive: Motivation comes from wanting to be for others “what I wish I had.”

Quote:
"It's kind of dope to be able to be to other people what I wish I had… if I could have just had one person to call to ask a question, I would have paid anything."
— Patrice McKinney (64:15)

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9. Diversification & Next Steps

[46:53–48:55]

• Exit & Focus Shift: Sold the Encore brand; focus now is on teaching and mentoring.
• New Ventures: Real estate development (with her sister, building/selling houses), hospitality (restaurant in Atlanta), and investing.
• Lesson: Don’t stay in one industry too long; diversify income streams for security.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Difficult Beginnings:
  "I wouldn't even wish that experience on my worst enemy. That's just how tough it was. But it was a lot of learning lessons that helped me today."
  — Patrice McKinney (09:09)

• On Tenant Improvement (TI):
  "TI—tenant improvement—that’s when the landlord gives you money towards the buildout… we’re always shooting for 100% in TI."
  — Patrice McKinney (27:43)

• On Keeping it Passive:
  "I like to really keep it as passive as possible. I try, like the vending machine... found myself going every week… I’m only making $200 a month from this but I’m up here every day putting in Fritos and Doritos."
  — Patrice McKinney (17:32)

• On Customer Service in the Beauty Industry:
  "These stylists are off the chain with their attitudes. It's like they think we need them, when in reality, they need the clients."
  — Patrice McKinney (40:37)

• On Franchising Leap:
  "I wasn't thinking about franchising… [someone said] why don't you franchise? …when I did, they were like, 'yeah, you can franchise!'... My first deal ended up being a three unit deal."
  — Patrice McKinney (23:32)

• On Building Wealth vs. Just Making Money:
  "It's all about doing your research, really. The numbers are going to tell you if it's a good location... you’re able to scale, but only if you get that reporting and those fundamentals right."
  — Patrice McKinney (38:38)

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Important Timestamps

• [05:09] – Patrice shares her background and journey into salon suites
• [09:09] – Patrice recounts early startup challenges
• [10:15, 25:24] – Full explanation of the salon suite model
• [12:46] – Optimal size for a location and suite layout
• [13:51, 17:17] – How suite rent compares to traditional salons/barbershops
• [16:07] – Financial breakdown: rents, expenses, ROI
• [22:33, 28:54] – What makes a good tenant and how to retain them
• [27:43] – Negotiating build-out costs and TI
• [42:55] – Franchising: what it costs and why owners might buy in
• [62:46] – Why Patrice started teaching and mentoring
• [64:15] – The emotional reward of student success
• [68:49] – Multiple streams of income from salon suite ownership

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Additional Insights

• On Market Research & Location Choice

  • Don’t underestimate the importance of parking and traffic, but the “sweet spot” is really in the numbers—project suite rates, occupancy, and competition before leasing.

• On Professionalism & App Management

  • Use apps for appointments, deposits, and reports; avoid informal arrangements except for top VIPs and even then, set firm boundaries.

• On Income Streams

  • Product lines, education, events, merchandise, trade school teaching, and even real estate ownership/franchising are paths to wealth beyond being “behind the chair.”

• On Longevity & Retirement

  • Patrice warns against “accidentally” ending up still cutting at 80 because you never set an exit plan: focus on systems and scaling early.

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Conclusion

Patrice McKinney delivers a comprehensive masterclass on the salon suite business, mixing hard truths, practical steps, and genuine personal anecdotes. She underscores that, with discipline, community, and the right systems, salon suite investing can be a lucrative, semi-passive path to wealth—if you treat it like a real business and avoid common pitfalls. Her infectious commitment to teaching and upgrading the business acumen of beauty entrepreneurs shines throughout—making this a must-listen (or read) for anyone seeking financial freedom in the beauty industry.

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Where to Find Patrice

• Instagram: @sway_thepro
• Website/Course: theslimesweetmodel.com
• YouTube: Sway the Pro

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For more actionable business analysis and entrepreneurial stories blending pop culture and finance, subscribe to "Earn Your Leisure."

Transcript

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

This is an Iheart podcast. Guaranteed human earners.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

What's up?

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[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

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[Host 2 (Interviewer)]

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[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

The day I was supposed to sign my lease and my business partner that I had been meeting with for months didn't show up to the architect paying him up front, running off with my money, the contractors paying them in advance, not knowing any better, they running off with the money.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Explain exactly what a salon suite is and why it's becoming so popular.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

It's really like real estate in the hair and beauty industry for somebody that's

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

they realize that they Want to have a salon suite? What's the first thing that they have to do?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

You want to make sure it makes sense, because in this business model, there is a cap. Once our suites are full, they're full. So you want to make sure it makes sense. At 100 capacity, 90, 80. What does it look like if you have five suites empty?

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I'm wondering, what are the expenses? As the person who owns the building, or did you not own the building?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

At first, I'll say it's pros and cons to both. But you hear people say, I would never put money into a building I don't own. But I always look at what you get out of it. So if I put 100k into a building, but I'm making a quarter million and I don't want to own, I'm okay with that.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

How much does it cost for the average builder?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

A sweet spot to start, it's like 80 to 100k.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Beauty professionals make money, but they don't really ever generate, like, real wealth. So what's the mistake?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

These stylists are off the chain with their attitudes. It's like they think we need them, when in reality, they need the clients.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

You give people information, they execute on information. It changes their life. What's that like for you?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

It's kind of dope to be able to be to other people what I wish I had when I was growing up, because, man, if I could have just had one person to come call to ask a question, I would have paid anything.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

All right, guys, welcome back.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yeah.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Special episode.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Yes, yes, yes. We got somebody that's been waking, making a lot of waves. Yeah.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

You know, we've been running into this person a bit in atl.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Yeah.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And finally you're here with us.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Finally. We did it.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Patrice McKinney.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

AKA sway. AKA sway. The Pro.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

That's right.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Don't forget the pro.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Don't forget the bra.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So salon suite extraordinaire owner, the first black person to actually franchise a salon suite business. Yep. And you teach people about salon suites. And I actually know somebody that took your course.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, really?

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Or they went to one of your events.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, okay.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So, yeah, yeah, yeah. So they were like, nah, she's legit.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Definitely legit. We don't play no games.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So the salon suite. The salon suite Conversation is interesting. We've had this conversation before, but it's very interesting. Model.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

It is.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And everybody does it differently. Right. Like, I don't think that there's one just set way, like, few people that we've talked to, and they all have different models. And there's different types of salons, too. There's the women here. There's the barbershop salon. There's the manicure pedicure. There's a combination of all of those, the facial. So this is. This is important conversation that you're going to be at Invest Fest as well. But first and foremost, thank you for joining us.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely. Our pleasure.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I'll say this, every time we hear, like, the stories around these businesses, we always leave the episode like, damn, we should do that.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

I bet.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I bet y' all come across a lot of business.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Oh, my gosh.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Ideas and opportunities.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

This is one of them.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Like I said, the salon suite, especially women. I feel like this is something that's really, really big. A lot of women want to get in for sure. How did you. What's your journey into the salon suite business?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah. So I actually grew up in a family of beauty pros, so my sister and my mom, they actually worked in the sal. So back in the day, actually a hair salon. Hair salon. Traditional hair salon where you're leasing out a chair. My sister was and mother was both, like, top braiders back at home. And so I used to do eyebrows. I'm from Lansing, Michigan.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Okay.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yep.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Lansing, Michigan, which is actually the capital of Michigan. People don't say they think it's the choice.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I was gonna say that's the capital of Michigan.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Respect on L town. And so I used to do eyebrows back in the day in high school. I really loved the environment. I just loved the freedom that beauty pros had. Every time I went in there, I was like, man, this is something I want to do. So at the time, I was a basketball, had the opportunity to go pro, chose not to go pro. I could actually dunk back then as well.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Seriously?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, seriously.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

That's fine.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

School you went to school.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Lancet Everett, Magic Johnson. Yep. We are. Overall record for four years was 104. And three. In college, too, in high school. In college, I went to Eastern Michigan and Michigan State.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Okay.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Oh, okay.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

And then I actually went to go work on this coaching staff at Michigan State as well. Before I moved to Atlanta. Packed up my family, moved to Atlanta. So at that time, I was doing a lot of basketball and music. So me and my twin sister, we had a group called Twin City. So we opened for, like, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross. We were models, we were on the radio, all that big stuff. Moved to Atlanta, kind of focused on the music, but I was still attracted to that barbershop salon. Type of feel. So I went in initially to work at a barbershop. I went and got my license, worked at a barbershop. And I walked into this building and I saw the salon suite concept and I was like, okay, this is different. This is like real estate. I started counting the doors. You know, after I made my couple payments, I said, well, hold on. He. He getting payments from all these doors and he's hands off. So this is a different business structure. I immediately got super excited about it and shifted from wanting to open a barbershop to open a salon suite. And so I initially partnered with somebody. We opened a location in Atlanta that did pretty well. We both had two different visions. So we parted ways and then I started the encore brand in 2017, I believe it was, and opened five locations. First Black owned franchise company or franchise salon suite franchisor. And been in the business ever since. So.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And your salon suites are just here in Georgia? Yeah, here.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, no, no. So hair, I mean, estheticians, so lash techs, pretty much anybody in the hair, beauty, barber, spa industries. Even nowadays we're getting like therapists and people who do Reiki. So we cover everything. So body sculpting, teeth whitening, all of that stuff.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

That is, I mean, just that part is a legendary. Yeah, we gotta acknowledge that.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Thank you.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Appreciate it.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Right.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Like, I mean, you've been able to adapt, be flexible, from athletics to entrepreneurs, entertainment with music, entrepreneurship. But the idea of getting your business off the ground is tough enough.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

How do you decide that this one's done such a great job? Let me now go to the next. Right. Because moving from location to location is not easy.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Not at all.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Some people scale too fast.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

What are like the challenges that you were facing at that time or maybe not the growth that you were seeing that say, okay, I feel comfortable to expand this.

[Additional Guest or Host]

Yeah.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So like I said, originally my plan was to open a barbershop. And once I was exposed to this industry, I said, okay, let me ship that to salon suites. And I always share the story of that journey because it's quite a story from just even the day I was supposed to sign my lease and my business partner that I had been meeting with for months didn't show up and didn't even partner with me. But the landlord luckily allowed me to sign the lease to the architect, paying him up front, running off with my money. The contractors paying them in advance, not knowing any better, trusting they're going to do good business, they running off with the money. So I always talk about those times and how I just had developed such high anxiety because it was just, like, stressful. I couldn't understand what was going on. I was going back and forth to the city of Atlanta. There was even a moment where I had to go into the seat of Atlanta and literally stand on the table and cry tears, like, what the heck? Because they had been sending me back and forth only to find out I wasn't even the one that was supposed to be doing the Permian. So that's a whole nother story. But they had been sending me back and forth, and I just didn't understand what was going on. There was no consultants. I didn't have any mentors or anything at that time. So it was just so stressful. I'll never forget those days. And that's why I'm so passionate now about teaching other people. You know, I feel like we all out here trying to get a second source or third, another source of income. And I wouldn't even wish that experience on my worst enemy. That's just how tough it was. But it was a lot of learning lessons that helped me today. You know what I'm saying? So it was definitely an experience, but I believed in it so bad. Even our move to Georgia was a crazy experience. I crashed the U Haul truck before we even left. And, you know. But I just believed in it that much, and I really wanted it.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Is it you? Is it you as just you as a solo entity, or is it you, sis mom going into this venture? Right. Because sometimes when you're going through it as an entrepreneur, it's just you, and that burden feels on you, like, 100%. Is there a support system or are they, like, your partners in this? At the time?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Nope. At the time, no partners. Definitely a support system. My sister had moved to Dallas for a second, but she always helped me with everything that I do. But she wasn't officially, like, a part of the team until recently, until a few years ago. But at that time, it was just me. Literally just me just trying to figure it out by myself, jumping off the cliff. And, yeah, it was worth it, though.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So for people that may not be familiar, explain exactly what a salon suite is.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And why it's becoming so popular. That model.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So salon suite is basically when you take a commercial space and you break it into smaller rooms and you lease it to beauty pros. Beauty pros. It's a hairstylist, barber, lash tag, esthetician, like some of the names I listed earlier. So it's really like real estate in the hair and Beauty industry. So me as the owner, I don't have to help them find clients. I don't have to worry about their pricing, their scheduling, products, nothing. I'm literally just providing the space, managing the space and making sure it's great. And so that's pretty much what it is. And the thing that, the reason why it's so common is everybody wants to be their own boss nowadays. So that allows them to be their own boss. They get to come in, customize a suite to reflect their style. They don't work for me compared to a traditional salon and barbershop. I have to help them find clients. They technically do work for me. So this is the complete opposite. And it's not only more lucrative, but it's more semi passive and just less. Well, sometimes it could be stressful, but I think maybe less stressful compared to a traditional salon and barbershop.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

So almost, in a sense, you're like the landlord, correct?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Literally.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Literally the landlord. You're collecting the rent.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

We spoke about, like I said, this industry before. Are you creating the designs in the room or do they have the freedom to create inside the room? Is it. Some of them furnish or like, is there a scale that you have to say, hey, if you want this space and it's furnished, is this. Are there tiers to rent in the space? Or how does that work?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

That's a great question. So primarily, I like to stick with the business model where we do the shared space. So we don't furnish most of the suites, we keep them unfurnished. And the reason being a lot of the beauty pros, they want to bring their own chair. You know, they don't want our standard black chair. They want a purple chair, they want a green chair. And so they really like that business model. So in regards to the tiers. Right. So we have tested furnishing a couple suites. There are some people who want a turnkey salon suite, but for the most part, we do unfurnished. And it saves money not only for the owners, because we don't have to run plumbing through every single suite, but we also don't have to furnish every single suite. And we don't have to inspect the furniture, which is a lot, and so we save a lot of money. And then for the beauty pros, it's a win for them because they don't have to use our furniture. They get to rent for a lower rate. And I just like the camaraderie that it creates. Some salon suites are so private. You don't Even know who you work next to. So with this business model, they get their privacy, but they also get to go to the shared shampoo bowl and dryers and meet other people and become friends. So, for example, my first location, we're going on our sixth year, I want to say 85% of the beauty pros that work there have been there since day one. But they're friends and they don't want to leave each other. So that's the business model that I like to teach. But some of my students, they will do partially furnished, fully furnished. So there's different tiers, but I primarily do the shared space model.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

How many suites in location?

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

One.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Look. 16. That's the first location. 16 suites. Our biggest location in Sandy Springs has 24 suites.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And they, they get to. And is. They get to name their own.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

They do. They name it. They get their own business license, their own llc. Literally. They operate it like it's their own business without all the extra overhead that we, we take on.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So from a financial standpoint, for a regular hair salon or barbershop, you have 2,000 square feet, and then you just put 10 barbers in there.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And they all work for the same barbershop. Right. Like Half Moon Barber. This one is you breaking it into little cubicles.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

With their own door. So from a health standpoint, because that was big during COVID too, it's like, yes, you're separated from a health standpoint.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yep.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Also from an entrepreneurial standpoint, they could have their own trademark, their own business, their own color, literally, as opposed to just being under one umbrella. They might want to be independent financially. How does that work? You charge them more money than it would be in a traditional set for the most part.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I mean, I've been doing my research, and it seems like the traditional rent is kind of going up. But just to give you an example, so the rooms are about 95 to 105 square feet. A single suite. I always say it's like the size of a master bathroom in a residential home. And so that's the, that's the average suite. We do lease them out to different hairstylists, beauty pros and everything like that. 95 to 105 square feet. We charge about 250 a week. That's unfurnished. Now if we furnish it, we're talking more like 325. So 250 a week is every week. Every Friday. They pay rent automatic, just like residential. And so it's pretty lucrative. So I would say a chair is more so like 150, 175. And I always say salon suites really is for the next level beauty pro. It's for the beauty pro that has established clientele because again, we're not really helping them with marketing. So you want to make sure that they're established and they understand that coming in. Because there's a lot of talk about, you know, salon suites have killed the culture. You know, the barbershop talk, the salon talk. And I'm like, you know, well, the beautiful thing is everybody has options. If you want to go to a traditional salon, which I recommend, I recommend coming out of school that you go to a traditional salon or barbershop to build your clientele, I don't recommend you go straight to a salon suite because you're not ready. So, you know, all money isn't good money. When it comes to leasing out the suites. We like to make sure that they are established and that they're just. They understand that they're 100% on their own, and I'm literally just the landlord collecting rent. If it's a plumbing or electrical issue, we assist with that. But they are 100% on their own. So they can. We do have some restrictions when it comes to decorating, but for the most part, they. They are pretty flexible. We do allow them to paint, you know, hang some shelving, some tv, stuff like that. So. And that's what they love because they get to walk in and it's their own salon, their own barbershop. And even if we furnish it, we still allow them to paint, put up wallpaper and stuff like that. But there are some restrictions.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

But for the most part, real estate is tricky.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Say it again.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I said real estate is tricky.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, it is.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And it can be very capital intensive.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And so I'm thinking, right, we got average 350 of room. We got 16 rooms, right. We're almost 8,500 a week, maybe a little give or take. Right? We do that by four weeks. Pretty decent. Right. So I'm wondering, what are the expenses? As the person who owns the building, or did you not own the building at first? Because that, that you got to take that into account. You're leasing and now it's a sublease.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah. Yep. I lease, but I do teach some of my students Dubai, and some do lease. And people always ask me, what's the best route. I say it's pros and cons to both. You know, I always tell people, you hear people say, I would never put money into a building. I Don't own. And I understand it to a certain degree, but I always look at what you get out of it. So if I put 100k into a building, but I'm making a quarter million and I don't want to own, I'm okay with that. You know, you gotta. It's a certain responsibility to own that some people aren't willing to take on right now. So me primarily, I lease. The expenses are pretty standard commercial expenses. You know, you got cam if they're in a plaza. Cam fee. So that's utilities. Cam covers common area maintenance. So that's water and maintaining the building. Let me see. WI fi security insurance. But your top two is gonna be your rent and your electricity.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

So for the most part, insurance for the building. Or does each suite need insurance now?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So that's a good question. I don't require each suite. I do encourage them. I used to require it. It was too much to manage. But I do encourage that they do get insurance. Cause it also protects their equipment and stuff, even if they go do like a house call or something like that. But, yes, I do pay insurance for my portion of the plaza, for my building, for my business.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So you say it's 350 per?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

250 a week. That's the average rate. Because we had different sizes. So we had some that were a thousand a month. Yeah. On average.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Are there other revenue opportunities from it, too? It's like we. We will rent you towels or we'll rent you. Yeah, it's just a 250. Just. That's.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

That's it.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I do. I do provide a washer and dryer. There are some owners that find other ways to make income. I like to really keep it as passive as possible. I try, like the vending machine. And I found myself going every week filling the chips up more than I was actually running a business. And I'm like, I'm only making 200amonth from this. But I'm up here every day putting in Fritos and Doritos.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Stop watching our episode.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, really? Oh, y' all said something like that. So I was like, you know what? Well, what I'll do is I'll rent out this space to another vendor, and they can do the vending machine. Same thing with the atm. Just get a percentage of the atm. So I like to do it that way. But there are beauty pros or salon suite owners that sell products, and they get into it a lot more than I would like to.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So your model is just rent?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Just rent. That's how I like to do it. I don't want to have to worry

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

about nothing being an athlete, and I wonder how a lot of things can correlate to business discipline as an athlete.

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[Host 2 (Interviewer)]

Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, Think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ad supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, iHeart's twice as large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only iHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business? Think iHeart streaming radio and podcasting. Let us show [e-mail] that's iheartadvertising.com Also, discipline with money.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Because now, I mean, you're making the money.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Were you always. Did you have to become disciplined? Like, how did you.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I did have to become disciplined. I did learn a lot. There were some mistakes that I made that I'm glad that I made them early, to be honest with you. So, yeah, but I do think sports help, for sure. I always say that sports help with discipline. I encourage everybody, even if you don't plan to go pro, just play some type of sports, because I definitely think it helps just overall. So I'm grateful for that. But yeah, I definitely learned some financial lessons.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

We bought some things that.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

We bought some things we weren't as organized, not having good accounting, you know what I mean? So. But like I said, I'm glad I learned that early on.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Who would you rather have in your salon suites or who makes the best clients? Is it barbers? Is it hair salon people? Is it eyebrow people?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Like I say, primarily as cosmetologists, but really it's more so the person that's just established, honestly. So even if it's a barber, if it's an esthetician, lash tech makeup artist, whoever is established, whoever looks established online, because for the most part all I can do is look online, look at their social media, check their booking site, make sure they're legit. Um, so that's, that's a good tenant, somebody who's established. You don't have to worry about if they're gonna pay rent, because you can see that they have clientele, they're gonna make money. And also somebody that has good energy. I'm. I'm big on energy. I don't care how popular you are. If I feel like your energy is off, I don't want you in the space. So. And people who are professional understand customer service. Cause there's a lot of beauty pros that just don't have that business acumen. They don't understand basic business fundamentals. And so that causes some issues sometimes. So I try to just look at those things when choosing who. Who to lease to.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

How did we get from location 1 to location 2? Was it by demand, or did you just see that, hey, we've made this here. Let's try to do this in another location and see if we can replicate it.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah. So actually, I wasn't even looking for a second location, but a gentleman had called me and said, hey, Sway, I know you do salon suites. We have this hair store that's kind of built out like salon suites. You want to come take a look at it? And it was perfect. So my first two locations were pretty much like. My first location was a doctor's office. So I always say, look for a doctor or a dental office. Typically they already have good sized rooms, already have plumbing and electrical. You know, they do everything A1. And so that's basically what we look for. The second location, we had to build out, like, maybe three suites. So it wasn't planned. It was an opportunity that came to me. But it was perfect timing because I had learned a lot throughout that first location. So we were able to, you know, do the second location. It was a lot easier in regards to the other locations and franchising. And so this is why I always say exposure is so important. And you have the, you know, proximity, and you have the right people around you. Because I wasn't thinking about franchising. I think it may have crossed my. But I was thinking that it just had more requirements than I needed. I was just thinking, maybe it's too big, and that's why you never want to limit yourself. But I had this gentleman, and he was like, sway, why don't you franchise? And I was like, man, I don't think I can franchise. And he was like, how do you even know? You haven't even called and asked and inquired about it. And so when I did, they were like, yeah, you can franchise. It's just, you know, you got to pay. And that's it so, you know, we was more to it. You got to create the FDD and the hundred page document and all of that. But anyways, we did that. My first deal ended up being a three unit deal. So what we did was our model was we would sell a turnkey ready salon suite to a franchise. So then we franchise it. We still get the franchise fee, we still get the royalties. But within that three unit deal, they had to build two more units. In order to get a turnkey location, you have to agree to open two more locations. And so that's how we kind of started out with that three unit deal.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Give them three and then they gotta build two.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Give them one, they gotta build two.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Give them 1, they gotta build 2.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Yep.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So and so that's what we did. I actually sold that first location, it was 16 suites for around like half a million dollars. Still was able to get royalties from it. And then again they had build two more locations, which they did.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So for somebody, we'll talk about the franchise model for sure. But for somebody, that's okay. They realize that they want to have a salon suite. What's the first thing that they have to do? Obviously, you know, you gotta find a location for sure, build it out. Do you recommend that they try to get people that's going to work in there before? Like what's the, what's the steps?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, the steps. First, of course, you got to, you know, make sure you have the funny before you even look for a location. So that's a big thing. A lot of people out here just dreaming, looking for locations and I'm like, landlord is not even going to entertain you because you don't have the money to pull the trigger. But it's going to be finding the location, which can be difficult sometimes because you want to make sure you have ample parking. You want to make sure it makes sense because in this business model there is a cap. I know we don't really like investments where there's a cap, but once our suites are full, they're full. So you want to make sure it makes sense. At 100% capacity, I teach my students to run the numbers at 90%, 80%. What does it look like if you have five suites empty and you want to know those numbers before you sign a lease? And that's just so important because people are so excited to sign a lease just to say they own a business. And I always say it's a lot of broke business owners out there and it's a right and a wrong way to do everything. So I'm really big on making sure they do it so that it's actually profitable. But anyways, we're gonna find a location, Then we're gonna hire an architect that's gonna come in and make sure we maximize the space, get as many suites as possible. Then we're gonna be in the contractor in who's gonna build out the plan that the architect created. During that time, we go through permitting. I'm sure y' all familiar with the permitting process. It could be 30 days to three years. No, tell us about it. So, you know, we're having patience during that timeframe, building up the salon suite. And then we like to pre lease just like a apartment complex. So when we're about 85 done with the build out, we like to pre lease, get them in early. And then of course, you have to do your final inspection, get your co. Do you officially open? So those are pretty much just in a summary.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

What type of buildings do you look for? Because it's like each suite you got to have like air conditioning or is it central air conditioner for the whole thing?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Nope, you do have to have. Unless it's like a building that's grandfathered in and it's old, but for the most part, yes. You need a sprinkler, you need a H vac and everything.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

Each.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

In each one in each suite. So if that's not there, you got to put that in each.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct. You do have to put that in each one. Which.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

That's. Yeah, that's like. Why, like the dentist office.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Exactly.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Or the doctor's office.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Exactly.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Makes a lot of sense.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Exactly. Now, sometimes the rooms can be too big, but a lot of times they are the perfect size for suite.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And a lot of them have sinks.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

A lot of them have sinks, plumbing and electrical.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So that's so.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So what type of real estate are you looking for specifically?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes, that primarily that's what I'm looking for first is a dental or a doctor's office. You know, maybe sometimes office suites, but a lot of times they don't have the plumbing and the electrical. But it's all good because one thing I also teach is TI tenant improvement. That's when the land landlord gives you money towards the build out. I mean, I've had students get 200,000, 170,000. I mean the landlord paying for their full build out. So that's one thing. You know, we go in there, talk about that. Yep. So ti and people, people are like, why would the landlord, you know, people be under my comments like she's capped. The landlord wouldn't pay it. I'm like, y' all just, you don't know what you don't know. That landlord absolutely will. And the reason they do that is because they want you to be a long term tenant. They also see it as an investment. They know that you're about to pay them for the next seven, 10 years. So they're gonna get that money back on the back end. But you want to go in there, I like to say, take a GC in there, even sign the agreement because they can spot out things that we can't spot out. You know what I'm saying? And so we go in there, we see what's right, what's wrong, and we use that to leverage our negotiating when it comes to the TI. So we're always shooting for 100% in TI. Of course, that's if you're leasing. You know, if you're buying, you're not getting any TI. But sometimes we get 50% towards the build out, 40%. But we try to get something in TI from the landlord which goes to, towards the build out and you don't have to pay that back.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

How's the retention with the people that you're leasing? I know sometimes people can start out in a room and maybe we need a bigger suite and then the clientele becomes so big that hey, maybe I gotta go somewhere else. How does that work for you?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, I don't think that's really the problem. Cause most people who work in a salon suite work off appointments only. So they usually only servicing one client at a time. Unless somebody's trying to run a whole salon or something like that. But the retention I think is 100% up to the owner. Even though we teach for it to be semi passive, I think it's important that your presence is still felt. So even though I'm not there every week and every month I still send out email automations, you know, h, happy holidays. And I just stay in the loop, ask them, is there anything we could do better? So I think that's important also goes back to just, you know, who you lease to. You know, like I said, all money isn't good money. So you want to make sure that these people are established because if not, they're going to be looking to leave soon. So I think it's just about, you know, if there's an issue, you, you know, communicating that and taking care of a plumbing or electrical issue, those things really help with retention. And so I was really big on that. And so I was able, like I said, my first location, 85% of the people are still there from day one. That's incredible. But it can, I mean just like real estate, you know, you got sweet squatters too. That's what we call them. That's a real thing. Somebody who will not pay but stays there. And they treat it just like an apartment complex if you go. That actually happened to me one time. I had to call the police. This lady wouldn't leave and he was like, there's nothing we could do. And it was the worst feeling walking through my salon suites, looking at this person do hair and not paying me. And it was nothing I could do but wait for a court date. So that lesson, what I learned with that, I met an attorney. He said, well you know, like we works in these office spaces, they use a license agreement. He said with the license agreement you don't gotta deal with squatters. You can get them right outta there cause you're not leasing the space to them. So once we made that change, which is major, there's a lot of sign suite owners to this day that don't even know that. So now we don't deal with suite squatters. We got something.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

It makes me think of like the systems that you didn't have in location one.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

That you implemented in location two. And like is that. Are there a bunch of those?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

That there is. And each location we learned something and we just got better.

[Host 2 (Interviewer)]

Yeah.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

What are some of those things? That's a good one.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, for sure. Like even when we go back. So when I take my students, I like to take them to the first location and the last location because the first location is hard for me to even walk through. I'm like, dang, why do I got regular doorknobs? Like only I got keys, like you know what I'm saying? So stuff like that, you know, keyless entry, just having true systems in place, the email automations, like I said, just making my presence be felt, trying to think what else. Payment structure, the late fee structure, just learning that. And I think that was pretty much off the top of my head what I can think of as far as you know, I'm sure there's other lessons and just how to deal with people again, how to filter out the bad tenants and good tenants. So lots of little lessons like that that we just continuously kept learning. And so I brought my sister on board, I want to say a couple years ago. So she worked for Samsung, she was like in charge of approving like all the New devices and stuff. So she was real big on systems. So she came in, implemented a lot of systems that really, really helped the scale, for sure.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Are there property managers at each location or is it, is it you and your like the family that going around making sure that you're seen?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yep. So at first it was me, which was another big lesson that I learned because I gave everybody my phone number and that was the worst decision ever because when there's a leak, all 20 people calling me and I'm like, I just need to hear it from one person. So what I like to do is appoint one person from each location as like the liaison. So they're like the salon manager. And that's the only person that has my number. So if there's any issues that go on, they understand to let the salon manager know. She's the one that contacts me, I'll contact the team. And that's when I was more involved. Now I'm not that involved at all. And then to compensate her, I just discount her like two, like $50 a week. So about $200 a month. And they appreciate that. And so there's some weeks we talk, there's some weeks we don't talk. But just having that liaison is extremely helpful. The rest of the tenants can only contact me by email. And that's a big lesson that I learned because that would drive you crazy. I remember just feeling overly super overwhelmed with everybody having my number. It was a point of time where I hated my ringtone. It just gave me instant anxiety, like, now what? You know what I'm saying? So a lot of hard lessons, but you know, I don't regret any of them. They were lessons.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So how much does it cost for the average build out?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So it really depends on the scope of work. If you find a dental office, your build out course isn't going to cost as much as a building that's empty. But again, that's when we're going to negotiate more ti because we got to put in more work. I like to say the sweet spot to start is like 80 to 100k. And then once you find your location and then you get your quote, you'll know if it's more or less. And I always tell people, they say, well, what if I don't have enough money? I later determine I need more money for the build out. But we have a funding team in place. So our, our program, we do everything from credit repair to funding to helping you find a location. We bring in realtors, we bring in a trademark, attorneys, Therapists.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

How's funding? How does that work?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Funding, funding. So we have a amazing funding team. We have a credit team and a funding team that works together. We encourage people to use opm, other people's money. And so when they get into our mastermind, we actually go and use our resources to help them get the funding, which is very helpful because a lot of people don't know. They just go to their bank and they just think that's the only place they can get funding. So that's a big help. But the thing is, if you get the funding, you find a location and then you later determine, okay, I need an extra 60k. Well, then we'll go and do a second round of funding while we're waiting for those permits. We don't really have much to do anyway, so while we're waiting for those permits, we can put our first payment down. We can pay the architect to design it. Then we're going to get a second round of funding. So we support them in every single way when they tap in and like I said, just throw it in there. We even have a therapist come in because I always tell my students, I want y' all to become successful. I want you guys to be salon suite owners. But at the end of the day, the ultimate success in life, in my opinion, is peace and happiness. So it's a lot of miserable business owners. So I like to just have that balance in my teachings with just making sure you have the right mindset to maneuver through this peacefully and still have your sanity. Because you're dealing with a lot of people that are their own boss too. So you know how that goes.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

We talk a lot about ownership, and one of the most important assets you can own is your digital real estate. Too many entrepreneurs rely on social media platforms they don't control. Your website should be the center of your business. Framer helps you build a professional website without all the friction. It's more than a website builder. It's a complete website platform. Your entire team can collaborate in real time, make changes instantly, and publish updates in minutes instead of days. Framer's AI agents work alongside your team to create content, refine pages, manage your cms, and optimize your SEO all in one place. And because everything stays editable on the same canvas, you maintain complete control over what goes live. That's why everyone from startups to Fortune 500 companies and brands like Perplexity and Miro trust Framer to power their website. Learn how you can get more out of your site from Framer specialists or get started building for [e-mail] earn for 30% off a Framer Pro annual plan. That's Framer.com earn for 30 percent off Framer.com earn rules and restrictions may apply when traveling for events or festivals throughout the country. Every dollar matters. We compare flights, prices, hotel rates and restaurant options. So why wouldn't we compare rides? Personally, I always check Lyft before booking a ride. Prices can change throughout the day depending on traffic, weather, and what's happening in the city. If you're headed to a concert, out to dinner, or catching up with your friends on a Friday night, taking a few seconds to check Lyft could leave you with more money to enjoy the experience. Save money.

[Host 2 (Interviewer)]

Check Lyft Run a business and not thinking about podcasting? Think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ad supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, iHeart's twice as large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only iHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business? Think iHeart streaming radio and podcasting. Let us show [e-mail] that's iheartadvertising.com what's up, fam?

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Hey, what's up, y'?

[Host 2 (Interviewer)]

All?

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

It's your girl, Sam J.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

And we're the hosts of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together and I Heart Women's sports because, let's

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

be real, women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

timeline, and the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

We'll give you our takes, our debates, and probably a few disagreements.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

We'll talk to athletes, celebrate big moments, and get into what's happening on and off the field, court, track and beyond.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Because we're not just interested in what happened, we're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. So if you're already a fan or

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

you're just getting into the game, there's

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

a seat for you right here.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Listen to Everyone Watches Women's Sports on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

You told us the type of locations you're looking for. Doctor's offices, dental Offices is. What about from a geographical location? Right. Like are there certain things that, you know, need to be in place, Whether it be like eateries or, you know, office buildings. Right. People like to go to get these things done on their lunch break. Like are those things going into your decision making when you're talking about location?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, but not like necessarily a deal breaker for not. Of course we want to go where there's high traffic. Just like any business, we want to go where it's high traffic. The biggest thing is having ample parks, parking. You know, unless you're in a city like New York where just parking is

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

just not gonna happen.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Struggle anyway, but we do make sure we have ample parking. But for the most part, because salon suites, you know, like I said, they're already established, they bring their own clientele. We don't necessarily have to be on a main corner like a traditional salon or barbershop where they're trying to get walk ins. You know, we're not really focused on walk ins, so we don't have to. But it's always a bonus if you can be next to a Starbucks or a shopping center or something like that. So we do aim for that. But we've had, we have locations that aren't necessarily in high demand areas. But for the most part though, people always ask me, you know, when, what, what's a good location? It's all about doing your research, really. You know, the numbers are going to tell you if it's a good location. So doing your research on your area, because every market area is different. A suite in Atlanta is not going to cost the same as a suite in New York. So understanding what the average suite goes for in your area. And then when you have a location, we have an equation where we can kind of run the numbers and project the income before we even sign the lease. Okay. The average suite in New York is 275. We have 3,000 square feet. We can get about. We run the number that at 100% capacity, at 80% capacity. And so that's the main thing is just making sure the numbers make sense. The way I coach, I make sure it's semi passive because there are some salon suite owners that work it like it's a full time job. It blows my mind. So I'm big on just making sure that they don't have to be there every day. So it doesn't have to be around a quarter from your house. It could be 30 miles out and you can still manage it pretty good.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yeah, I'm thinking You already got the one stop shop. They're gonna get their hair, eyebrows, eyelash lashes, nails, all done in the same place.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

All done.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Only thing missing is food.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, that's a good joint right next door. No, literally it is, it is helpful. Now the thing with salon, you know, the salon industry, you got a lot of food, people who pull up on you, so you know, they come sell you detergent, socks, food, all kind of stuff. So that, that's helpful. Even the beauty supply, that nowadays they have like the mobile supplies, they're the bands. Yeah, you walk in the band, it's like a full supply store. But yeah, it is always nice to be next to full. For sure. Everybody gotta eat.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So what do you think the mistakes? A lot of beauty salon or beauty professionals make money, but they don't really ever generate like real wealth. So what's the, what's the mistakes that.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, man, I think it's like I said, those basic business fundamentals, first of all, they don't even really have a clear understanding as to how much they make. And I'm like, how can you set a goal when you don't even know where you're actually at? You know, I think reporting is really important when it comes to money because like I said, you got those vendors that come in, you spending all kind of money. You don't know where the money is going in and out. A lot of people are taking cash. It should be one form of payment so that you have clear reporting so that you really understand your numbers, so that you can set a goal. You know what I mean? But I think also customer service is the biggest thing right now. These stylists are off the chain with their attitudes. And it's like they think we need them, when in reality they need the clients. But that's big. Like their attitude is terrible. It's some very talented people out there that just don't understand the basic business fundamentals. Like be on time like you think. Cause you the stylist, you can be 45 minutes long late, but if the client is late, you want to enforce a late fee. But you can be 45 minutes late and you don't even give them a discount or anything like that. So I think that their, their attitude about it is, is, is wrong. And I think that's why a lot of people aren't growing, because they look at it like, well, it's okay, I'll get a new client. And my thing is to grow. You want to retain those clients so that you can create that demand and Then where you're overly packed and booked out, that's when you can increase your price. That's when you can scale. You know what I'm saying? But they don't care about that when you leave. They just feel like, hey, as long as somebody is in my chair, hair. So that's. That's really big in the hair and beauty industry. The customer service is rough out there. I ain't gonna lie.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yeah, I've watched my wife have some bad experiences. I know exactly what you're talking about.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

It's bad.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I've heard this common theme that I don't do that anymore, or it's not me that does that anymore. And it's just, you know, the. The idea of your business and business functioning without you is when you have a real business for sure, because you have systems. When did you get to that point, man?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I want to say maybe about four years ago. Yeah, about four years ago when I realized, okay, I can't, and then I started scaling. So I franchised. We had two corporate locations, three franchise locations. And then I want to do other things like get into real estate and stuff like that. So I want to say about four years ago, but it took me a little longer than it should have. I definitely should have got out, out of my own way and replaced myself a lot sooner. But that's, like you said, very important in order to continue to grow. And that's something I'm still working on a little bit now. It's just, you know, hey, Sway, you shouldn't be doing it like, delegate, delegate, delegate. So, yeah, yeah, very important.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So the franchise model, Right? How much is it to buy your franchise? And what's the advantage of buying a franchise? Like buying somebody buying into your franchise as opposed to just starting their own salon suite.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yep. Because you get that support. Right. So we're already established brand. We're already trademarked. They get the rights to use all of our marketing, our name and everything like that, plus they get the support. So we typically meet with our franchisees, like, everybody month, just to make sure that they have everything that they need. They contribute to the marketing fund. So the advantage is that it's already an established brand. You don't have to really figure everything out on your own. You have some guidance, as opposed to you going and doing it by yourself. Of course, you can still tap in with me and I'll teach you how to start your own brand. But you're starting a new brand, so, you know, some people just don't want to reinvent the wheel, they just, you know, they say, hey, if it's already an established brand, let me just buy into your brand. So our franchise fee is 35,000, and then it's 5% of royalty off of your gross income. So that's pretty much how it goes.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Are people that are leasing from you, obviously they can look to you as the example of what success can look like. Is there the education process as they come into the suites and starting to see the evolution of what you're doing? And are they trying to model what you're doing or. Most people just focus on, hey, this is my client. Let me just focus here. And missing the business of what you're actually building.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, I think something. Some people get it and some people do miss it. Because there are some people like sweat. I mean, I've had actually students. One of my students was. She actually leased the suite, and she was super, super shy. And she's one of the people that we got 200,000 in TI. So some people see it. They see the bigger picture. They're like, sway, eventually I want to get from behind the chair. Because I always say this industry is amazing, but you can get stuck in this industry. When people say, I've been cutting for 40 years, I'm like, that's not a flex. You know, you need to figure something out. You know what I'm saying? Because you can't only. It's so much wear and tear on your body. So some students get in, and there's some students that.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Or.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Or should I say tenants. Tenants that don't get it. And I mean, it just is what it is. But to the ones that get it, anytime they ask me, I'm not one of those people where I'm take it personal. If you go start your own brand, I'm gonna actually help you.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Right.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Especially if you're a good tenant. So.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Because it feels like some people will see it as a path to, I guess, quote, unquote, freedom. You are entrepreneurs.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

But it could be a path to financial freedom if structured the right way.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

If structured the right way.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I like that you said that. Having one form of payment system. Right. Zelle. Having all that, and then the other part is we're getting the money, but are we understanding of taxes.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Exactly.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And overhead, like, all the things. Right.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Like, are you.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Are you seeing that as we. You started in 2000. Are you seeing that more of the tenants are becoming more financially literate about that or like, from your. From your perspective A little bit?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I would like to see more. I Still think it's too many people that's tapped out of that and don't understand the importance of that. But I do think more people are trying to take a little bit serious because they understand that's the only way to get from behind the chair to in front of the chair is what I like to call it. So, yeah, it's a slight increase, but it would not. It would be nice if more people really just understood the importance of that.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So from a real estate standpoint, if you're, if you're renting right, how long do you think it'll take before you get your money back? Because you got to pay for the, the upfront, you know, the build out, all of that stuff.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So, yeah, and like I said, it depends on so many different factors. You know, if you get ti, then you kind of getting your money right back. But I like to say you see a return on your investment a little quicker. In this industry, I would say on, you know, a year to two years.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yep.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Just again, depending on how much you actually put into the build out. So like with me, I was able to see my return within that first year, but I had 12 months free rent. I didn't get any ti that first location. And that's another thing. If they don't give you ti. Cause sometimes you can run into that. The landlord's like, look, I don't give out money. So that's when you want to negotiate more free rent. So in that case, I said, okay, well, you can't give me TI towards the build out will give me a year of free rent. And he actually did that. And that was actually pretty dope because our build out to took I think maybe like four months. So the rest of the year we were able to not have to pay any rent.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Is the focus now on more franchises or creating more locations for yourself?

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

Yeah.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So I actually sold the Encore brand about three years ago, and I still work with them and help them franchise, which I love that because it was kind of a conflict of interest with me pushing the franchising and trying to promote my students because my franchisees were like, why are you pushing their brand? So I love that because this is really. And it was always my plan. So I always had an exit plan to exit started correct. Now it was 10 locations, even though we only made it to five. But that was always my plan was. Was to pivot. So now I get to just focus more on my students and my mentees. So for me, I'm not opening any more locations. I don't think so. I don't see myself doing that, especially with me just diversifying my portfolio now. Now I'm really into real estate. I own a restaurant in midtown called and Cheese. So not for me, but still here to always help my students grow and expand.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So what made you.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So like I said, it was always my, my plan and I just kind of reached a. A point, I want to say like the pinnacle. But I started to just feel very overwhelmed and I was like, okay, I'm kind of just ready to get into something else because I'm one of the people who actually worked in this industry. So I didn't just start with salon suites. I worked in the industry and I just felt like it was perfect timing to kind of get out when things were going good, you know. And so it worked out perfectly though.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

All right, so we got athletics.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Uh huh.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Entertainment. Yep. Hair and beauty.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And now we got hospitality.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes. And real estate. Well, yeah, we developed real estate. Okay.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Hospitality. You want to talk about a business

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

that's stressful now, see, I'm still new to it, you know, we, I got in, I want to say maybe like three months ago, so. And it was an established brand already, so they did pretty good. They're just looking for, they just needed that growth partner, somebody who understood how to really scale, how to franchise, how to have systems in place and stuff like that. So. So I'm still getting my feet wet. It's a small establishment, so nothing too crazy. So yeah, I'm still learning, but I know that it's. Listen, I'm in Atlanta, so I see them flip restaurants every year. They change the name and their clothes. And so I understand it's a challenging industry, but I think my partner is pretty knowledgeable. And like I said, we're starting out small, so I'm still learning.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

What does diversification look like? You said it's real estate, but what type of real estate? Like how did you come to that point where. Okay, yes, I sold. Obviously you've done it in a sort of a way.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Right.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Like you're the landlord.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And so what, what has fueled the passion now?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, so again, just understanding that I needed to diversify. So there was a few years ago I lost a lot of money and I felt like if I would have diversified, maybe it wouldn't have been such a hard hit. And so now I'm just trying to find other investments, silent investments, you, you know, safe hedge funds and stuff like that. And with real estate, my sister is a realtor. And so when I Was actually going to look for my own personal home. She would always say, you know, why don't you build? Why don't you build? And at first I was just like, no, I don't feel like going through all of that. And so she always wanted to be a developer. And so we got into it together, hired a mentor and we're still going through that process. We've built two so far. We have two that are still being built. So I actually really, really like that. So I'm going to start putting a lot of focus into that. But our whole business model is for the most part is we're going to build them up and then we, we're able to sell them right before we really, before we even finish, they go into contract.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yeah. You didn't even know you're talking to two developers right now.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

No, I did know that. I didn't know. I see. I'm seeing what y' all doing for sure.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So going back to salon for a minute, if from a worker standpoint, if somebody does nails or they cut hair or eyebrows, whatever, what would you say to them if they're deciding whether they should do it in a traditional suite, a salon, if they should do a salon suite or if they should just work out of their house or their living room?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, I've never encouraged people to work out of their house because I think it's just, it's unprofessional. You know, if you want that high level clientele that's going to come and pay you a high price and tip, you don't really want them coming to your house. But I think like I mentioned earlier, clear, if you don't have clientele, go into a traditional salon and barbershop. You can also learn from your peers. You can build your clientele up. Once you're established, you have consistent clientele, your books are pretty much 75% full, then I would consider a salon suite. So I want to be very clear with that because a lot of people just jump into it because it's the popular thing and then they're like, oh, shoot, I can't keep up with this rent and I don't really have too much help. Now I will say though, I also, I do, even though I'm not obligated to give them help, I still try to bring again, wealth advisors, marketing agencies to come and speak to the tenants. And they appreciate that. Just to show that I do care about their business. I do want them to be successful. But for the most part, like I said, it's Gonna be just. If you're established, if you know how to really be on your own and run your business, then you can go into a slump.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

What's the most profitable one? Like, obviously, haircuts is probably the lowest on Atlanta. They charge a lot of money, but man, what. Cause then also the women here, braiders, they make money, but it takes a long time.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

It does.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So from a time standpoint, out of nails, eyebrows, barber braiders, traditional women's hair, which one is the most profitable?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I would say a cosmetologist, a hairstylist.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

I think a woman's hairstyle.

[Additional Guest or Host]

Yeah.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

And I mean in Atlanta, it's a lot of males that do women hair too, so. And they killing it. But I would say I think hairstylists. Cause yes, it does take longer, but they're charging sometimes 5, 6, $700, depending on how good they are. And typically the style lasts a long time. So I would think a stylist. But barbers can make pretty good money. I made pretty good money when I was behind the. I was one of those that, you know, I consider myself a groomer. I think there's a difference. And I had high pricing, but I gave them a true VIP service because I think you have to justify the price. In Atlanta, a lot of people just jacking up these prices just because everybody else is doing it. And it's like you can't have a high price and think somebody's going to come and pay, and you're not even on time or you're. You're not even cleaning your. Your equipment and stuff like that. So you got to justify the price.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Shampoo service, hot towel.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, my goodness. What's the exact.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

The hair. Right. Because there's even different. There's the wigs.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Extensions.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yep.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Host 2 (Interviewer)]

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[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Hey, what's up, y'?

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

All?

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

It's your girl, Samga.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

And we're the host of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together and I heart women's sports because, let's

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

be real, women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

timeline, and the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

All week.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

We'll give you our takes, our debates, and probably a few disagreements.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

We'll talk to athletes, celebrate big moments, and get into what's happening on and off the field, court, track and beyond.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Because we're not just interested in what happened, we're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. So if you're already a fan or

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

you're just getting into the game, there's

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

a seat for you right here.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Listen to Everyone Watches Women's Sports on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

for the audience. Explain the price points for like the different tiers of women's hair.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, so to be honest with you, I don't know that I know the up to date price. You know, to be honest with you, I'll tell you. But yeah, you tell me. You're paying for it.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

It's filthy.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

It's filthy.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Couple hundred for sure.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Easily. We changed hairstyles, so I have a wife and a daughter.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Okay.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

She had her hairstyle last year and she, she was the person charged her 200. She wanted to redo it this year and they charging her 600. Same hairstyle.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Ooh, she went up 400.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I'm just trying to figure out like what's going on. So like, I mean, it becomes tricky, right? Braids, obviously, a lot of times black women, summertime, if they're going away, vacations, beaches, pools, usually they're going with braids. So that's. I mean, as a dad, I'm like, damn, I got the kids for the next 12 hours. You know what I mean? So that call, you know, whether it's sew, ins, ladies, friends, there's just so much that goes into it, which is why I think that that would probably be the profession or that's gonna have the largest.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

When he said Atlanta and Tay is the best, he's talking. That guy does wigs, right? Yes, I understand that he specializes in wigs. I think he lives in New York now.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So that's a whole specialty within itself, like just wigs.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Correct. And all about how you lay it and make it not look like a wig. That's the key.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

You know, some people you got, if they don't get that makeup, they don't

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

get the makeup you like. Hold on now.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

They look like they don't get that middle part.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

So, yeah, it has to reposition real nicely. So that's the difference right there. If you know how to put that lace front on, it doesn't. It looks like your natural hair.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

That blend.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

That blend. You know what I mean? Then you can charge those pricing. But a lot of people aren't so good at that.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

So this is, I mean, I'm seeing a lot of people going to the space, whether it's nail techs. We just came from a school where a young girl created her own nail tech business.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, really?

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

15 years old.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, nice.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Which is incredible. But it speaks to me of competitiveness, competition. How or what are you seeing that separates people to grab more attention? Because there's a Lot of people, estheticians, like hair, nail tech.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

That's why I'm so excited to be at Invest Fest. Cause I'm like this is a really big industry. You got, I mean millions of people that's in this industry. But I think that, that I would say, I always say if you can just simply be on time. I think that set you apart right there.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Really.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I'm just being honest. In Atlanta, just as a barber. As a barber too. You don't even have to be the greatest if you have good customer service.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Damn.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

That sets you apart right there. I mean they don't they. It's terrible out here on time to

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

come into work or on time as far as you running over with your

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

appointments on time for your appointment. So if you have a 8 o', clock, a 8am appointment, be there at 7:50 and be ready to start.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

I'm saying like because that's another thing too though. Barbara could set a time at 1 o'. Clock. He's already there. But his client comes 15 late minutes

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

late and then I would.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And then he. So now that one o' clock turned to a 1:45.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Right. And now everybody else after that is late. Exactly. So that's why I, I would say I think it was like a 10 minutes and then after that I just can't do you because of that. Everybody else now has to be late because you were late.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And do you have to best practices you prepay?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes. So I try the app on the app.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

What's the app? The cut. That's the cut.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I was using style seat at the time. So they took a deposit at first and then Squire is, you know.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Squire.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, I'm familiar with Squire.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

That's a thing.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah. I would take the deposit at first and then the balance would be charged but if it was a no show I charged the full price.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

So.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

But when you just that good on their credit card.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

On their credit card and you only.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Do you only take appointments through the app?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Somebody can't just text you and like.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I started out like that but again I. It's, it's not, it's not professional. It's more professional. Should I say to actually use the app because the app is going to help you with the reporting the apps. Most apps nowadays they send reminders. You know I think a follow up is so important to really retain clients too. It's like after they leave you should be already trying to book their next appointment. And then with these apps you can set up a reminder and say, hey, hey, Troy, you haven't been in a barbershop in a few weeks. You want to book an appointment. So it's a lot of benefits to using the app. And then, like I said, you got the payments going through One Avenue, so you can see your clear report. But I definitely recommend apps. I used to do texts, and I. I can't believe I was doing that. But, you know, we live and learn, so.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

But what if you got a good client and they like, I'm not. Do you ever make exceptions?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Not really. Well, T. Pain, I did just. Cause he kind of called me randomly and. And. And it was just. If I was available, I still set that tone that, like, I'm not just up jumping for you. You still have to respect my time. Because there was a point in time where I would go to him and he would have me waiting, like, 45 minutes to an hour.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Yeah, what about that? That's big, too.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah. So the first two times, I was like, okay, hold on. Like, I'm not. I could have been doing something el. And what I love about him, what I respect about him, is once I communicated that to him and said, look, T Pain, when I come in, we already only doing the sides anyway. He had dreads. So I'm like, when I come in, I need us just to get straight to it. I have other things going on. And he respected that. So going forward, mind you, his stylist, she was like, this is what he does. I've been with him for years. He's always late. I said, oh, well, I can't do this. You know what I'm saying? So he respected that, and he was on time. But when it comes to celebrity clientele, I think that's the thing is setting the tone, letting them know that your time is just as valuable. You know, I'm not about to come sit on set for six hours and you still paying me for this one service where I could have been with my consistent, loyal clients, but people would jump for celebrities and abandon their clients. And I don't think that that's a good decision at all. So you got to be real mindful.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Is it overrated working with celebrities?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I think sometimes I think it can be. You know, it looks cool. I guess it's cool to say I cut T. Pain's hair. Am I going to get a ton of clients from it? I don't think so. It more so just looks cool. But I think it just has to make sense, and I think you should prioritize your consistent clientele. 100%, because they're the ones that's coming to you every single week and just paying consistently. So there's pros and cons to it.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

I hear the discipline. Yeah. I hear the structure. I hear the system. We have this conversation all the time as entrepreneur, as men, balance. What does that even mean for you in this space, man?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Just living life, you know, sometimes we get caught up in just working so much and it's like, you know, you want to actually enjoy the fruits of your labor. So I think that that's important to have balance. So with me, I had to learn that I needed more help, and I'm still learning that right now. Me and Twin are actually trying to hire somebody else right now because we just continues to keep growing. But I think it's so important to. To live life, you know, I mean, whatever that looks like for you. If that's going on vacation, if that's spending time with your family, if that's just you sitting at home watching tv, finding that balance. So I try to really work off of a schedule that's really helpful for me. Like this is what time I'm going to work at this time. I'm going to turn my brain off and relax. So I think just, you know, like I said, having a schedule really helps with that, with that balance, for sure, because you can get caught up working too much.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So how'd you get into teaching about this and explain that side of what you're doing now as far as like educating people?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely. So a couple people would ask me to help them. So I did a little consulting before I actually had my program, and I said, okay. That was kind of the era of everybody was kind of dropping courses. So I said, well, let me go ahead and drop my course as well. And that was a whole process in itself. But we were able to do that. We started out pretty slow. Once I understood good, like ads, paying for ads and stuff, we were able to scale pretty quickly with that. And I really enjoy that. I really enjoy that because for one, we get real results. So I'm not one of them courses that's just talking and you don't see real results. I mean, my testimonials are crazy. I can't even post them all online. But we get real results. I'm really big on my reputation. I'm really big on over delivering and making sure you get what you pay for and some. So with our mentorship, you know, we have our course where it's more do it yourself. So if you want to just get the information, do it yourself. But then we have a higher tier, which is the inner circle where, like I said, we do everything for you. So from credit repair to funding, to having a realtor come online, helping you pick a location, like I said, trademark attorney, we have a wealth advisor come in. So just a full package and it's a year program. And like I said, we can pretty much help anybody in any situation. So I really, really enjoy it. We have, I've trained over a hundred thousand people and we do free weekly trainings every single week for people that want to get into the nft. But it's going great so far. I really, really enjoy it.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

What's that feeling like we've been on the other side of that, where you give people information, they execute on information. It changes their life, right, which changes their community's life, changes their family life. What's that like for you?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Man, it's really amazing because I remember what I went through and so it's kind of dope to be able to be to other people what I wish I had when I was growing up. Cause, man, if I could have just had one person to call to ask a question, I would have paid anything. That's how bad it was for me. So when I see my students actually cut that red, it really genuinely makes me proud, you know, because we're all out here trying to just create more sources of income and reach that financial freedom. So I love it. I love the students that actually come in and want it. You know, there's a lot of people who tap in who just don't have the work ethic. They don't understand what it takes. But I love when I get those people that come in, they're serious, they're coachable, they listen and they execute. So I love it. I really, really do.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

So talk about Invest Fest. What do you have planned for Invest Fest?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, Invest Fest. I'm bringing some heavy hitters. Like I said. I'm really excited that we get to bring this industry, you know, and, and to invest best, because there's a lot of people that attend that, you know, we didn't necessarily, from what, what I recall, have anything specifically targeting this industry. So I'm bringing in B.B. judy. You know, she owns Kaleidoscope, which is a very big hair product. Sierra Glam shop. She also was an esthetician turned salon owner and now she does a bunch of other things as well. And then Portia Williams also owns a hair brand, Go Naked. She's grossed over 10 million with her hair brand. So just trying to show people how to pivot, you know, how to get from. A lot of us started actually in the same position that most of them, behind the chair. But how do you pivot? Because again, you can get stuck in there. You know, there's this 80 year old barber in Atlanta that still cuts hair and I'm like, God dang, I can't imagine, you know, having to be 80 and still having a cut. And maybe he does it because he just loves it. I hope that that's the case. But I just think it's so important that you have a plan on how to get from behind that chair. Because like I said, it's a lot of wear and tear. I mean, people don't even understand the importance of a mat. They think a mat is just for looks. And it's like, no, that's to help with your back. You know, your posture needs to be good because people get all kind of cramps in their hands. Arthritis, arthritis, all kind of stuff you can get. So I excited to bring people to Invest Fest that started where a lot of the beauty pros are now and are going to teach them and just show them and, and show them that it's possible to, to create another source of income, whether it's in this industry or not, whether it's a hair brand, a product, a salon, a salon suite. But you got to have some type of plan for that next level. I'm so, I'm super excited.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Big business. It's big business. I'm happy that, that, that you're going to be there. I'm actually bringing that. And the community's going to be there, excited for it. I'll be there in the front row watching.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Oh, yeah, I'm excited. And I got the workshop as well. So that'll be more focused on salon. But the panel is just overall hair and beauty.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yeah. I've been trying to get so the same woman that does my son's hair, his braids, does my daughter's hair.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Okay.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

And my wife always talks about how when they get their hair done there, she must be using a product. But I'm like, yo, you gotta create a product that scales. I need you. The same thing that you're saying is what I'm saying. You gotta figure out the plan to not be behind that chair anymore 100%. And that product might be the thing.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, it might be the thing.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yep.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

You just gotta do it the right way and do your research and just be willing to put in the work. You know, they See all this stuff, they think it's over. Overnight success. They don't understand it takes a lot to really set it up so that you can actually retire. So that's the thing too, is understanding. Look, it's going to require some work. It may, may be some long days. You may have to come home from doing six heads and then have to tap into something. But it's just, it's just what it takes. You gotta, you know, like ET Says, I always say, you gotta want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe. And I tell people, when you put in that work, you know, it's. It pays off. You put in the work either way you put it in. You know, for people that work a 9 to 5, you're putting in the work for somebody that did believe. So you might not as well put in that same work over here. And eventually it'll pay off and you will have more control and just more financial stability, which is what we're all, you know.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

She will be at Invest Fest.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Okay, cool beans.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Maya, I'm talking to you.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes. Maya, come check it out.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

We're gonna make sure that you right there listening to this. Yeah.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Because there's a lot of opportunities where you can even white label products.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Exactly.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

You can white label. A lot of people actually do that. They don't know, but it's a lot of opportunities within the industry as well. You know, people always talk about all these sources of income you need, but I think you should always squeeze as much out the lemon first. A lot of times you can create a second and third. Third source within that same industry. If you understand and if you're, you know, if you're, if you know, a lot of people don't know stuff, you know, as y' all know, you don't know what you don't know. You also can't do what you don't know. So that's why it's so important, you know, proximity is so important. Coming to Invest Fest, I've been there every single year from the very beginning. And every time we were there, me and my twin would walk through and say, now why we didn't get a. A bender? Why didn't we. We. We always walk through and we like, man, we should have really been a part of this. So I'm just super excited. We're doing it real big, bringing a lot of heavy hitters, and I'm just excited to just impact the people in this industry specifically so.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

And talk about like, different income streams that people can make from like, you Said, I guess you can have a product.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yep. Product.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

You can teach a course.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yep.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

You can, you know, sell merch for a barber or a hair salon, salon person. What? How can they make different streams of income for themselves?

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yeah, like you said, a product. It could be merch, like you said. It could be trainings, teaching other people how to do what you're doing. It can be a salon, a barbershop, a salon suite that you eventually own. It can be events that you do.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

That's teaching in trade school.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yes. Yep. Teaching in trade school. I think that's for the most. Unless I'm missing something, you know, a beauty supply store. I think for the most part, that's pretty much it. Yeah, I think that's pretty much it.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Yeah.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

I could be missing a couple, but.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Yeah, but the product thing is so wide range.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

It is.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

It could be the shampoo, it could be a conditioner, it could be a comb. There's so many different things.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

It could be Beijing, it could be all kinds of different stuff. So the key with that as any business is just marketing. You know what I mean? Cause anybody, I think it's pretty easy to white label something, but people think, oh, I have a product now, it's just gonna sell. And it's like it's a whole nother ball game. You gotta really understand that marketing and investing in that marketing. Because people don't like to spend money, but got to spend it to make it for sure.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

All right, guys, there you have it. Before we leave.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

Okay.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

Tell the people how to follow you.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

On social media website, anything like that.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Yep. Also social media platform Sway underscore the pro. The website for my free life training is the slimesweetmodel.com that's where you can see my course, my trainings, my inner circle. And then YouTube is going to be Sway the pro as well.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

So it's a pleasure having you.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Absolutely. Thanks for having me.

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

Thanks for joining us.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

Thank you.

[Host 1 (Interviewer)]

See you guys next week.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

It's sports journalist Ari Chambers.

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

Hey, what's up y'?

[Host 3 (Interviewer)]

All?

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

It's your girl, Sam J.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

And we're the hosts of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

we're breaking down the biggest headlines, the viral moments and the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports.

[Ari Chambers (Sports Journalist)]

From game changing performances to culture shifting conversations. We'll give you our takes, our debates, and a few laughs along the way

[Sam J (Co-host with Ari Chambers)]

because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to Everyone watches women's sports from the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Additional Guest or Host]

We've all been there. We've had seasons that have shaken every the question is, what remains when the shaking stops? Hi, I'm Gary Valenciano and on my podcast Unshaken with Gary Vee, I sit down with amazing personalities and we talk about the seasons that nearly broke them, the lows that carried them to their highs. Listen to Unshaken with Gary Vee on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Patrice McKinney (Sway the Pro)]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.