Naz Him envisioned a different kind of hair salon when he started work on his business plan. While most salons draw revenue from a range of services and retail products, Naz envisioned more: his value proposition was not just to deliver a service but to bring a unique experience to Drumheller.

 

The Royal Den of Hair Connoisseurs opened in November 2018, and employs three people: Naz, who specializes in barbering (including hot shaves), and stylists Randi and Deanna. Naz, who turned 26 this year, is hands-on: he was as involved with the construction phase of the salon as he is in the day-to-day operations of the salon. Being involved with everything has its complications, he admits – there have been times when he could have made more money keeping his focus on hair cutting.

 

In addition to a three chair salon, The Royal Den has a liquor license and a food-handling permit, allowing it to serve customers food and beverages. Phase two of their building renovation features facilities for expanded spa and esthetic services, and a larger concession – part of the value proposition he envisioned: more than just a haircut.

 

Approaching the end of his first year, Naz now sees the path to fulfilling his value proposition as a series of stages – step one was to get the basic shop fully operational. Step two – build the complementary parts of the business. Step three is in the works.