ABOUT PROJECT
Beauty is ever-evolving, and so is the way we learn it. The Hair Index, created by Aryn Detres, appears as the game-changing digital stage where hair maestros and knowledge-hungry stylists create the future of beauty education together. Forget dusty classrooms and outdated tutorials. This is the pulse point where independent brilliance meets professional hunger. This online beauty platform transforms education from a luxury into a currency. It’s where visionary educators break free from institutional constraints, showcase their genius, and monetize their craft directly. No middlemen. No compromises.
For aspiring stylists, it’s the end of fragmented searches and missed opportunities. The Hair Index curates the industry’s most electrifying talents and presents them in a dynamic, searchable marketplace. Yesterday’s impossible-to-find expert is today’s mentor, just a booking away. But the Hair Index isn’t simply connecting dots, it’s igniting a movement. It’s creating a self-sustaining ecosystem where knowledge flows freely, innovation accelerates, and independent artistry becomes the new industry standard.
Key Challenges
The development of the Hair Index marketplace was an exciting and smooth journey for the Roobykon team, thanks to careful planning and clear communication. While the project itself progressed without major obstacles, there was one significant moment that required quick thinking and rapid action to meet a critical deadline.
As the client’s event on March 16, 2025, approached (a key milestone where the beauty booking platform was to be presented) the Roobykon team realized the need to accelerate the development process. To ensure the platform was ready and fully functional for the big day, we made a strategic decision to bring in additional developers to bolster our efforts. By adding these extra hands, we were able to streamline the final stages of development and stay on track to meet the agreed deadlines.
TECHNOLOGY STACK
Solution Highlights
The Hair Index, a platform for hair stylists, stands as a shining example of seamless integration and cutting-edge technology, built on the reliable Sharetribe Web Template. The decision to use Sharetribe as the foundation provided a solid base for developing a platform that could handle the dynamic needs of connecting top hair masters with those eager to learn. At the core of the platform’s functionality is the core API, which ensures smooth communication between the front end and back end. Leveraging NodeJS allowed for a fast, scalable solution, ensuring that the marketplace could handle high traffic loads efficiently. The integration of Redux further optimized the state management, allowing the platform to respond quickly and maintain a smooth user experience.
Our team integrated Stripe Connect to seamlessly manage payments in this dynamic online beauty marketplace, ensuring secure and efficient transactions. In addition, we leveraged Stripe Subscriptions to offer a range of subscription plans for providers. To further elevate the platform, we incorporated the Google Maps API for a powerful search-by-location feature and interactive maps, enabling users to easily find local beauty services. To complement these integrations, we selected GoDaddy for hosting, which provides robust, scalable, and secure hosting solutions that keep this beauty education website running smoothly and reliably. Coupled with React Router, the user navigation was both seamless and efficient, offering an effortless experience from start to finish.
THE PROCESS
01
Kick-off with design foundations: During our very first kick-off call, we presented the first four versions of the homepage layout. We gathered feedback, discussed preferences, and then carefully selected the final version that would set the tone for the rest of the platform’s design. From there, we worked to create the subsequent pages, all while staying true to the chosen style. It was important that each page felt cohesive, intuitive, and aligned with the client’s vision.
02
Client feedback: Once the designs were ready, we didn’t rush into development. Instead, we took the time to ensure everything was perfect. We sent the designs to the client for approval, and after receiving their confirmation, we moved forward with development. The back-and-forth communication with the client was always smooth and effective, mainly through Slack, where the client was always available and responsive, providing us with the necessary answers and clarifications whenever needed.
03
Weekly calls: We held weekly calls to go over everything. Whether it was discussing design feedback, resolving any questions or concerns, or confirming estimates for development time, these calls kept the project on track and allowed us to maintain a strong collaborative relationship with the client.
04
Development begins: When it came time to begin development, we jumped in with the selected design and translated it into a fully functional platform. We carefully integrated all the features, ensuring that the marketplace met both the user experience and technical requirements. The timeline was tight, but thanks to our efficient communication and the client’s constant availability for input, we managed to stay on course.
05
Launch day: From the beginning of the project on December 4, 2024, we adopted a flexible approach where each page design immediately went into development as soon as it was ready. Finally, after weeks of hard work, testing, and refining, we were ready to launch. March 7, 2025, was the big day. The platform went live, and we all celebrated the successful launch of a marketplace that perfectly captured the client’s vision, bringing together top hair masters and eager learners.
Main Features
Dual search options
We created two distinct search options, one for providers and one for listings. This allows users to search for specific providers offering services or search directly for listings of classes and events. If a provider has an active subscription to the marketplace, their listings will appear in the listings search. If not, users can still search for the provider’s profile through the provider search and view their available listings.
Stripe subscriptions
To support the marketplace’s revenue model and provide seamless access for providers, we integrated Stripe subscriptions. Providers can purchase subscriptions to gain access to various features, such as appearing in the listings search, offering their services, and managing their profiles. The integration ensures smooth payment processing and recurring billing.
Provider profiles and listings based on subscription
Providers with an annual subscription gain maximum visibility, as their listings appear in the listings search. Additionally, their profile pages showcase reviews of their listings, enhancing credibility and attracting more learners. For those without a subscription, users can still find them through the provider search and explore their listings, but without the added advantage of listing reviews, making the platform flexible for both free and premium providers.
Global availability
In the default Sharetribe functionality, each listing can have its own availability settings. However, we needed to make this more efficient for providers who may have multiple listings for the same service. With global availability, if one listing is booked for a certain time, all of that provider’s listings for that time will automatically be unavailable for booking, preventing double-booking and ensuring a smooth scheduling process.
Cancellation policy
We implemented a standardized cancellation policy set by the marketplace itself. The marketplace establishes clear and consistent rules that apply to all providers and learners. It guarantees transparency, prevents misunderstandings, and creates a fair system where everyone operates under the same expectations.
RESULTS
Building Hair Index was an exciting journey with an incredible client who made the entire process seamless and enjoyable. Right from the start, communication was effortless. For us, this project was a chance to perfect something we’d tackled before: Global Availability. In a previous project, it had been a tricky challenge, requiring multiple iterations. This time? We nailed it on the first try. Lessons learned, experience applied, and the result was a seamless booking system that works exactly as intended.
Now, the Hair Index is live and gaining momentum. Sure, there are still a couple of tweaks left, but the platform is fully functional, growing, and already connecting top hair masters with eager learners. Watching it come to life, knowing that every feature, every detail, and every lesson from past projects came together perfectly, makes this collaboration one we’re truly proud of. A great client, a great experience, and a marketplace built for success.
Lessons from Hair Index
Every project brings new insights, and Hair Index was no exception. While the development process was smooth, there were still valuable takeaways that will shape how we approach future marketplace builds. We learned that experience pays off. Global Availability, which had been a challenge in a past project, was implemented flawlessly on the first try this time. The key is taking past roadblocks as learning opportunities and applying those insights proactively. It reminded us that each project refines our expertise, making us faster and more effective in future implementations, whether we build a hair stylist marketplace or innovative platforms for indie artists.
Another important takeaway was the client’s hands-on approach to SEO. It showed us that, given the right tools and autonomy, even non-technical clients can successfully handle certain aspects of a project themselves. Moving forward, we’ll continue to empower clients with the knowledge and resources they need to take ownership of their platforms where possible.
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