Top Tips on Opening Your Salon From Rodney Cutler and Jenny Balding

What was supposed to be a five-minute meeting turned into a life-long professional relationship between Jenny Balding and Rodney Cutler. “We just got on like a house on fire” said Balding. She moved from Scotland to New York and began working with him and last year she became a partner for the first time with a plan to open her first salon. Cutler x Arlo SoHo opened at the end of November and it’s in the heart of a very cool NYC scene.

Entry way to the Arlo SoHo

Cutler has some experience in opening new salons and together they know this salon will be able to evolve with its blossoming neighborhood. I got to chat with Balding and Cutler on site and they had great advice about the importance of community, aesthetics and budgeting when opening the salon.

Pops of green provide a natural warmth to the space. 

They plan to thrive with community relationships. Surrounded by Dogpound, a top-model filled gym, Cryofuel, an icy wellness facility, and connected to the Arlo SoHo Hotel, the salon fits seamlessly into the trendy community anchoring the areas beauty influence. They have experiential activations planned with the local wellness businesses and are planning even more with beauty entities. Their staff is part of the community, as well, so they were attentive to candidates with top talent first and foremost – but also their personalities, attitude and drive.

They take the community relationship down to their aesthetics. The Arlo SoHo is, “very forward thinking and creative” and “If you go into it, you’ll see a lot of wood paneling and white walls. Our salon kind of marries that.” They’ve also brought in beautiful modern lighting, metal accents, and a “super duper comfy shampoo area” which Balding was especially excited about. They were so attentive to the details that even the electrical outlets were strategically placed in accessible but not overly visible areas.

The paneling in the Arlo SoHo is reflected in the salon.​​​​

“Always think about how much you can actually spend” says Cutler who said it looks expensive but it’s not over the top. They considered plumbing, lighting, and client experience to be necessities but some of the luxury items are on hold. This coincides with their plan to “evolve” the salon over time. For instance, they really loved the idea of making a skylight in the salon but decided they could reward themselves with that addition at a later date.

In the future you may see a skylight in this space. 

The duo was refreshingly candid about the fact that salon openings are not perfect. There are delays, things aren’t exactly right all the time and you will lose sleep. They were prepared and had a positive attitude about hiccups – overall just seeming grateful for the opportunity.

Balding says, clients can expect to, “have a very relaxing, chilled out experience.” They can come in, get a haircut or color, go next door and grab a great coffee, and then handle work in an incredibly comfortable chic environment. Cutler reiterated the community aspect for a final note, “We’re not doing it alone. We’re doing it with the Arlo which is a healthier journey.”

You can find the Cutler x Arlo SoHo at 229 Hudson St. in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City.