Beauty Business Lab Cohort
- Time: Mondays, May 11 – July 6, 2026 (no session on Memorial Day) | 6-8 p.m.
- Location: The Hayes Institute, 1620 Michigan Ave Suite 124, Detroit, MI 48216
Turn your skills into a structured, scalable business
You’ve built something real, but you know there’s more potential. Maybe your pricing isn’t quite right.
Maybe your systems are patchwork. Maybe you’re busy, but not consistently profitable. Or maybe you’re just getting started and want to build it right from day one.
MWF’s Beauty Business Lab is a multi-week business-building cohort designed to help you turn your skills into a structured, scalable business — one that can grow with confidence and qualify for funding.
Sponsored by the Kresge Foundation and led by industry expert Jessie Hayes of The Hayes Institute, this cohort blends real-world beauty industry insight with practical business strategy.
Program Details
Dates: Mondays, May 11 – July 6, 2026 (no session on Memorial Day)
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Location: In-person (Michigan Avenue, Detroit)
Format: Weekly sessions + hands-on assignments
Cohort Size: Limited to 10–20 participants
What to Expect
Each session builds on the last—moving you from idea or instability to clarity and structure.
Topics include:
- Defining your niche and ideal client
- Refining your services or product line
- Pricing for profit
- Building systems that support growth
- Understanding cash flow and projections
- Hiring and team structure
- Branding and positioning yourself as an expert
- Preparing your business for funding
What You’ll Walk Away With
This isn’t just a workshop. It’s a working session for your business. By the end of the program, you’ll have:
- A refined menu of services or product offering aligned with your target market
- Clear, confident pricing that supports profitability
- A defined ideal client and brand positioning
- Streamlined systems and tools (including POS and operations)
- A realistic 3-year financial projection
- A strategy for hiring and scaling your team
- VIP loan readiness status with MWF, one of Michigan’s premier small business loan CDFIs.
Eligibility
This cohort is open to beauty and wellness entrepreneurs whose businesses are located in or primarily serve the Liv6 or Jefferson Chalmers neighborhoods of Detroit.
Applicants outside of these areas are not eligible for this cohort.
Who Should Apply
This cohort is designed for beauty and wellness entrepreneurs who are serious about building a sustainable business.
You may be:
- An esthetician, cosmetologist, hairstylist, or barber
- A makeup artist, lash artist, or permanent makeup professional
- A nail technician or massage therapist
- A wellness business owner (spa, studio, etc.)
- Building or growing a beauty or skincare product line
You don’t need to have everything figured out, but you should be ready to do the work. This program is a strong fit if you:
- Are in the early or growth stage of your business
- Want to improve profitability and structure
- Are interested in accessing capital to grow
- Are open to feedback and ready to take action
Application Process
This is an application-based cohort designed to bring together a focused group of entrepreneurs who are ready to do the work.
Applications are limited and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Priority Deadline: April 24
Final Deadline: May 1
Interviews Begin: Week of April 20
Final Decisions Sent By: May 4
Step 1: Submit your application
Step 2: Participate in a brief virtual interview (30 minutes)
Step 3: Receive your admission decision
Spots are limited! Once the Beauty Business Growth Lab is full, applications will close. Click below to fill out the short application form.
Sponsored By
About the Instructor
Jessie Hayes
CEO, The Hayes Institute | Co-Founder, Wealth InvestHer Network
Jessie Hayes is a Detroit-based entrepreneur and leader in the beauty industry. She is the founder of Skinphorea, Metro Detroit’s first facial bar and acne clinic, which grew into a multi-location business serving thousands of clients.
As CEO of The Hayes Institute, Jessie equips beauty professionals with the skills to launch and scale profitable businesses through advanced esthetics training and real-world business education. Her work has helped entrepreneurs build sustainable companies and create new opportunities across the region.
A Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alumna and award-winning business leader, Jessie is passionate about helping women and underrepresented founders build wealth through entrepreneurship.