Inspiring Conversations with Lauren Mitchell and Shante Frazier of WellCapped

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Mitchell and Shante Frazier.

Lauren and Shante, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
SF: Our story is a little different. Lauren and I are cousins who happened to be consultants for two different Big Four firms prior to forming WellCapped. In 2021, our aunt gave us the idea to create a company that enabled women to rent hair extensions and wigs instead of spending hundreds of dollars on something that they would only wear for a few weeks before it ended up in the back of their closet.

At first, I was not a fan of the idea but then I realized that my aunt saw something that I missed. The world was changing. People were no longer sticking with the same hairstyles for years at a time. The girls are switching it up and I am here for it! No one wants to be boring but exploring new styles, textures, lengths, and colors costs a lot of money.

There is a need for a company that allows the girls to try different styles without breaking the bank. WellCapped is filling that need. At WellCapped, we believe that women shouldn’t have to settle for a wiggy Amazon or Shein wig just because the good ones cost hundreds of dollars. Everyone deserves access to luxury.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
LM: Shante and I are creating a new category, the Hair Rental category. Prior to WellCapped people had never heard of renting hair extensions which meant we had to spend time and capital on educating our market.

This took a lot of creativity and scrappy marketing but we were able to convince people this was the solution they needed, the same way Uber had to convince us to get in a stranger’s car or how AirBnB convinced us to stay in a stranger’s home. We have also learned that as black women it’s very hard to find access to capital, especially since we are building in a market most investors don’t understand.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
LM: WellCapped is the first venture capital-backed rental platform for wigs and hair extensions! This means that we have the support of investors helping us build this company the right way. Our business model is simple – our members pay a monthly fee to choose a style from our shared inventory of high-quality wigs and when they’re done with it, they return it using our pre-paid mailers and select their next style.

All of our wigs are glueless and pre-styled – meaning they arrive at your door pre-cut, pre-bleached, pre-EVERYTHING, and ready to wear! Once the wig is returned to us, we work with local stylists to handle the deep cleaning, sanitization, and restyling of the wig to make it new for the next customer.

Listen, Shante and I get the struggle! We are all out here trying to practice self-care while also adulting, trying to have a social life, and staying healthy. That’s why we created WellCapped.

It’s for the girls who love to look and feel their best but don’t want to break the bank or spend hours in the salon. We recently sold out of inventory in February but are so excited to announce we are back and better than ever! If you’re reading this, use code Voyage40 for 40% off your first order with us.

What do you think about happiness?
SF: I get so excited when our members send us an email or a text sharing photos of them in their new look. The aunt who gave us the idea for WellCapped used to be a cosmetologist in my hometown of Canton, OH. I remember watching the woman leave her basement salon feeling confident and powerful.

I want all women to have that fresh out of the salon feeling, all the time. There is something about some laid-down edges that makes you feel unstoppable. That confidence that comes along with a great hair day makes you feel like you could take over the world.

Pricing:

• $120/month to get a different style each month
• $75 for two-week event rentals (coming soon!)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wellcapped.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellcapped/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WellCapped/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/75450566/admin/feed/posts/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GetWellCapped
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellcapped

Image Credits
Orlando Evans of BowTie Photos, Veteran Shark Tank, and Ida John Photo