When Quality Hair meets Exceptional Prices: The Hairlocs Story with CEO Chris Volek
Chris Volek, the CEO of Hairlocs, is passionate about providing stylists the highest quality hair to take their individual businesses to new heights. His background in hair has taken him all over the world in the pursuit of the finest products, which laid the groundwork for his booming business, Hairlocs. Learn more about where Hairlocs started, our history, and all the innovative ways we are continuing to push this industry forward.
Can you give us a brief introduction to yourself and the Hairlocs brand?
Chris Volek (CV): I arrived in the US from South Africa and having been involved in the hair extension world, I was keen to get started on my arrival. My prior experience had been in shows and exhibitions where I ran one of the largest direct-to-consumer companies attending shows across Europe in places like Germany, Switzerland, Holland, etc. It was natural that I attended the Long Beach Hair Show in 2007 where I came across Hairlocs exhibiting at the show with a very big and impressive booth.
CV: This was the first time I had been to a trade show in the US and I was blown away by the number of stylists in attendance and could not believe how many of these stylists were surrounding the Hairlocs booth.
Over the next couple of years, Chris was able to build a relationship with Hairlocs by attending trade shows in cities like New York, Orlando, Chicago, Las Vegas and more. Over time, he built partnerships with the company owners and eventually took ownership.
What is most unique about Hairlocs and how has the brand continued to evolve over time?
CV: When I first took over ownership, Hairlocs, like most extension companies at the time, required that stylists take a costly class in order to purchase the hair. I saw a real opportunity at this time because many stylists already knew how to do the various hair extension systems and were frustrated by the fact that they had to take more classes.
At this juncture, I completely changed the direction of Hairlocs and started to provide access to stylists who just wanted to purchase hair. In addition, the company began posting educational videos on the installation process for every type of install offered, made available to stylists for free. This innovative approach to the hair extensions industry set Hairlocs apart from brands in a way that made their accessibility on par with their emphasis on quality.
What sets you apart from other brands in the industry?
CV: Over the course of my career, I have established partnerships with some of the largest hair collection companies in the industry. Because of these partnerships, Hairlocs has access to top-graded hair at a lesser cost. This has allowed us to reduce expensive overheads. This resulted in Hairlocs being in a position to offer this premium quality hair (full cuticle Remy hair with a luxurious shine and luster not found very commonly in the industry) at a discounted price. Not only making it more affordable for stylists to purchase but also giving stylists the opportunity to increase their profitability.
Hairlocs hair quality is graded in the A category and none of our competitors get to this grade, they fall short and at best are a B+. So our philosophy in this industry is “Growth Not Greed.” We see this philosophy come to life every day as more and more stylists change their supplier to Hairlocs. For anyone dubious about our quality because of our low prices, all they need to do is experience the Hairlocs quality just once, and we can assure them they will not be disappointed.
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What’s an exciting new product or service coming out at Hairlocs?
CV: Hairlocs is truly experiencing so many exciting additions over the next several months. We currently offer mainly I-tip & Tape extensions, however, in the near future, we will be introducing both K-tip & Wefting - always at our unbeatable prices. We are also introducing a clip-in system with so many perks like a complimentary brush, sectioning clips, and a handy travel bag with each Hairlocs purchase. We are also excited to share that Hairlocs will be introducing an app to color-match hair. We believe this will transform the ease and accuracy when purchasing hair for clients or as gifts for loved ones near and far. It will take online shopping to new heights all the while enhancing the natural beauty and confidence of the person on the receiving end.
“The road to date with Hairlocs has been a very exciting path and the future is very bright, with our focus on creating the awareness to stylists that in the hair extension industry, quality is its most redeeming factor.” - Chris Volek, CEO
CV: We can confidently say that we offer the best product in these two systems currently available on the market. We will be adopting the same principles to K-tip & Wefting when we launch in the near future. This gives the regular stylist the knowledge that they can shop with the confidence of knowing that they are acquiring not only the best quality but also the best prices available. Hence our slogan: Quality Hair at Discounted Prices.
What are you most excited about in regards to Hairlocs over the next year?
CV: We are thrilled to be collaborating with some of the most creative influencers in the industry showcasing our amazing product line. Over the next year, we are thrilled to offer more extension colors, a stylist “Starter Kit” with all the tools you need for various installation purposes and so much more. At the foundation of the Hairlocs brand, it is truly our belief that the sky is the limit and we are passionate about continuing to be innovators within this industry.
To stay up to date on all things Hairlocs and learn more about our brand story, follow us on Instagram and check out our blog! Shop high quality hair extensions by visiting our website today.