Neff opened the first location of Urban Betty, named after her grandmother, in 2005. Now she has locations on 38th Street and South Congress in Austin and a new Round Rock location. Urban Betty offers hair and skin care services including haircuts, hair coloring, hair extensions, blowouts, facials, eyelash and eyebrow enhancements and more.
Neff said what makes Urban Betty unique is her and her team’s ability to connect with clients on a deeper level.
“You can be friends with your clients and connect to people on a human level where it's not just about the hair,” Neff said. “If you can connect to a person like that, the service is going to be even better because you can intuitively know and feel what they like and who they are.”
Neff said she uses Urban Betty’s Instagram page to showcase the positive culture she has created at her salons because individuals in younger generations pay more attention to a business’ values.
“They want to see we can do good hair, but they also want to know who we are and what we're doing,” Neff said. “[They’re asking], ‘How are you giving back? Who are you and what makes this a place I should come to?’ That’s what we try to portray.”
Urban Betty has a leadership team of 12 people whose roles focus on philanthropy, sustainability and education. The salon is currently partnering with the Austin Humane Society selling pet bandanas, and Neff said she is also getting ready for the salon’s annual clothing swap in October.
“Everyone can come who is female or female-identifying...you bring any clothes you’re ready to get rid of and we put it all in piles,” Neff said. “We section it off [into] shirts, dresses and pants, and you can take whatever you like. Whatever's left over we donate to Austin Safe Place. We usually have 200 plus people show up.”
This year’s clothing swap will be at Urban Betty’s new Round Rock location at 3001 Joe Dimaggio Blvd., Ste. 1350.
Urban Betty is also a Green Circle Salon, meaning Neff recycles all the leftover hair, hair color and foil.
This culture of giving back and valuing human connection extends to the staff at Urban Betty as well. Neff said when a stylist was undergoing chemotherapy, she came to the salon and her coworkers helped her shave her head.
“I think it spoke volumes to who we are and how we supported each other in that moment,” Neff said. “She felt so safe and comfortable to be able to go through that and still come back to work here. Everyone was so genuine and so caring with her.”
Neff said she loves the femininity of doing hair and is proud Urban Betty is a place where women can feel safe.
To schedule an appointment at one of Urban Betty’s three locations, visit the salon’s website.
The above story was produced by Multi-platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
