Women in Business: Rachael and Kay Killgore

Kay (left) and Rachael (right) Killgore are the new owners of what used to be North Ogden Family Haircuts.

Rachael Killgore never anticipated her interest in hair would lead her to where she is today. She attended the Paul Mitchel Cosmetology School intending to use the skills she learned there to help pay her way through college. As she pursued her path in college, she realized what she actually wanted was already in front of her.

Rachael had been working at North Ogden Family Haircuts, which was then under the ownership of Brett Hadley and Steve Lin. She loved the atmosphere, the girls she worked with, and how she served the people in the area. As she worked there, she visualized what the place would be if touched by her style and influenced by her ideas. Rachel explained that the two owners had good hearts and had bought the business to help a woman who worked there. A passion for hair was not the motivating factor behind their decision to buy the business. They had thought about selling before, but it never felt right.

Rachael mentioned this to her parents. Her mother Kay called the owners, and in a matter of weeks, Rachel and her parents were the new owners of the salon. The transfer of ownership happened so quickly due to the combination of Rachael, who was fueled by the passion of the business, and her parents, who enjoy the success and experience of running a business they built from nothing. Rachael’s mother, Kay, has been a business owner for most of her life, alongside her entrepreneurial spirited husband.

“I’ve always loved owning a business,” said Kay. She values being in control of her life and destiny. There was a learning curve with learning retail, since their previous business was commercial janitorial supply. They had all the elements of running a business; they just needed to learn how to play a different ball game with their skills. Rachael works in the salon and does the social media and marketing for the business.

Also, the new style and feel of the salon is because of her. Kay does the books for the salon. She and her husband sold their previous business to their two oldest sons, and she also works part time for them doing their books. Sometimes that means staying up until 2 a.m. to get the job done. “I do what I have to do,” she said.

At Honey Comb Hair Studio, their goal is to provide a really nice environment for their clients where they feel pampered. “One of our rules is we don’t let anyone walk out with wet hair unless they absolutely insist,” said Kay. They have done a lot of improvements with their space, and they try to make it a family friendly environment.

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