Building an Extension Business: Founder Unfiltered with Ty

What does it take to build a salon business around hair extensions? For Ty from Cabal Hair in Adelaide, the answer starts with the people doing the work: a well-trained team, clients who understand their options, and conversations that continue long after the first fitting.

In this episode of Founder Unfiltered, Ty joins Emilly Hadrill and Manuel to talk about the practical side of extensions. They discuss money openly, but spend just as much time on consultations, keeping hair in stock and explaining aftercare properly.

Watch the full conversation with Ty on YouTube, or read the key takeaways below.

Build a team that can look after extension clients

Ty describes training every member of his team in extensions, including junior stylists. Before they work on paying clients, they practise on colleagues or models and demonstrate that they can carry out the service well and within an appropriate appointment time.

That preparation gives clients more flexibility. Ty can handle an initial consultation, colour match and cut, while another trained stylist takes care of a later maintenance appointment. The client still gets continuity, without every visit depending on the salon owner’s diary.

For salon owners, it is a useful question to ask: if your most experienced extension stylist is away, who can confidently look after their clients?

Talk about the business, including the work behind it

One of the episode’s most memorable moments is Ty explaining that extension sales helped him buy his second property. He also talks about the effort involved in finding and retaining clients who are making a significant purchase.

He describes how fitting appointments and subsequent move-ups fit alongside his salon’s colour services. Sometimes those services happen together; sometimes separating them makes more sense for the client and the team.

His experience is a reminder to consider the whole client relationship when planning an extension service: consultation time, fitting, maintenance, team training and support at home. Ty’s financial results are his own experience, rather than a forecast for another salon.

Keep stock that reflects the clients you actually see

Ty was initially reluctant to hold extension stock. It tied up money, and he had concerns about keeping valuable hair in the salon. He started with a small selection of colours he used regularly, rather than trying to carry everything.

Having those shades available changed the conversation. A client could see the hair, ask about extensions and, where the right shade and an appointment were available, book without waiting for a new order. The display also helped people realise that the salon offered extensions at all.

The lesson is to start with your own appointment history. Which shades and methods are requested repeatedly? Which would be useful to show during a consultation?

Choose the method around the person

A consultation at Cabal Hair goes further than colour and length. Ty asks about the products a client already uses, looks at the condition of their own hair and talks through the different extension options.

He shares an example of adapting a client’s original request: using less hair and a shorter length to create fullness, instead of proceeding with the dramatic change they first imagined. It illustrates why the consultation matters so much. The right recommendation depends on the individual, not just a reference photograph.

Our hair extension collection includes different methods, with options such as the Miracle Weft discussed in the episode. A qualified extension stylist can assess which method, weight and length are appropriate for your hair.

Give preparation and colour matching proper attention

Ty and Emilly also discuss preparing extensions before custom colour work, blending them into the client’s hair and knowing when to ask an educator or supplier for help.

Ty values having someone his team can contact when he is away. That support matters when a stylist is dealing with an unfamiliar colour result or planning a particular look. The conversation is a useful starting point for professionals; any colour work should follow the guidance for the specific extensions and colour system being used.

Make aftercare part of the first conversation

One of the clearest points in the episode is that aftercare should be explained before a client leaves with their new hair. Ty asks whether a difficult conversation about dry extensions later would be more uncomfortable than explaining the routine properly at the start.

That means making room to discuss what to use, how to wash the hair and what ongoing maintenance will involve. Clients should understand the care commitment alongside the look they want to achieve.

For an at-home routine, The Trio brings together The Shampoo, The Treatment Mask and The Conditioner in a boxed set. Our guide to the order to use shampoo, mask and conditioner on extensions explains the routine in more detail. Follow your stylist’s advice for your fitting method and individual needs.

Watch the chapters that matter to you

• 02:35 — Building a confident extension team
• 04:57 — Custom colour and preparing extensions
• 08:28 — The business of extensions
• 12:15 — Keeping extensions in stock
• 15:18 — Getting the consultation right
• 19:54 — Why aftercare matters

For salon owners and hair professionals

Ty’s salon is based in Australia, but the questions raised in this conversation will be familiar to stylists elsewhere: how to train a team, choose suitable hair and give clients clear advice.

• Australia: visit Jadore Hair Supplies Trade for professional extensions and trade information.
• UK and international: visit Hadrill Hair Trade for the global professional store and trade enquiries.
• Shopping for yourself: explore Hadrill Hair Care or browse our hair extensions with your stylist.

Watch Founder Unfiltered with Ty for the full conversation.