Swayed- The Multi-Vendor Marketplace for Textured Hair Experts

Connecting Clients with Afro & Textured Hair Specialists Instantly

Startup: Swayed •On-Demand Marketplace Platform

4 Weeks

Timeline

5 Crewmates

Team Size

Bootstrapped

Funding Type

Swayed is a niche service marketplace designed to connect clients with specialized stylists who understand and celebrate Afro, curly, coily, and textured hair.

The platform enables real-time bookings, verified stylists, and mobile-first convenience, empowering clients to discover experts who truly understand their unique hair care needs.

Key Results Achieved

Built for a Niche Market

Empowering textured-hair clients & stylists

120+

Beta Users Within First Month

85%

User Satisfaction on Initial Launch

4 Weeks

MVP Delivered

The Challenge

The beauty service industry is flooded with generic booking apps, yet clients with textured hair remain underserved.

Swayed’s challenge was to create a hyper-specialized, culturally aware marketplace that solved this gap while keeping usability simple and modern.

Business Challenges

Build a culturally inclusive, trusted brand experience

Deliver an on-demand booking system within 30 days

Create dual interfaces for stylists and clients

Enable real-time scheduling and payment automation

Technical Challenges

Manage live stylist availability and same-day booking logic

Integrate geolocation-based stylist discovery

Support multi-vendor payments with automatic commission splits

Optimize mobile performance for instant booking flows

Our Solution

We designed and developed Swayed as a multi-vendor service marketplace, focusing on specialization, accessibility, and automation. The MVP allows clients to instantly book stylists experienced in Afro-textured hair care with tools that empower stylists to manage their own business operations.

Core Features Delivered

On-Demand Booking System

Real-time availability and instant bookings
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Same-day appointments for urgent needs
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Location-based stylist matching
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Stylist Management ToolsC

Flexible scheduling and availability control
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Dynamic service pricing
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Messaging with clients for consultations
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Portfolio management (before/after galleries)

Business Operations Suite

Integrated payment system with automated commission splits
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SMS/email reminders to reduce no-shows
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Revenue tracking dashboard for stylists and admins
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Key Results Achieved

Swayed’s system architecture was built for scalability and speed, supporting two distinct user journeys:

Architecture Overview

Users: Client or Stylist roles with location data

Services: Hair type, pricing, and duration attributes

Bookings: Status tracking (requested → confirmed → completed)

Payments: Automated commission splits and transaction records

Tech Stack

Bubble.io

Stripe Connect (multi-vendor payouts)

Google Maps API

Bubble Cloud Infrastructure

Google Analytics + Hotjar

Key Technical Components

Booking Engine

Real-time availability logic with live updates

Payments

Stripe API integration for multi-vendor transactions

Geolocation

Location-based stylist discovery using Google Maps API

Responsive Design

Optimized layouts for mobile and tablet users

Analytics

Admin dashboards tracking bookings, revenue, and satisfaction

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Implementation Timeline

We followed a 4-week agile sprint model to design, build, and launch the Swayed MVP prioritizing accessibility, cultural nuance, and seamless booking experiences through rapid iteration and continuous client feedback.

Week 1

Discovery & UX Design

Researched user flows for both stylists and clients, focusing on accessibility and cultural inclusion

Deliverables

Sitemap
Wireframes
UI style guide

Week 2

Booking & Profile Logic

Built the real-time booking system, user onboarding, and dual-role dashboards.

Deliverables

Booking engine
Profile Management
Dashboard Setup

Week 3

Payments & Reviews

Integrated Stripe for payments and designed the review and portfolio modules.

Deliverables

Commission logic
Payment testing
Review flow

Week 4

QA & Beta Launch

Conducted final tests, mobile responsiveness checks, and launched closed beta.

Deliverables

Live MVP
Admin Setup
Documentation Handoff

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Results & Impact

Swayed launched its MVP within one month validating a niche market with high engagement and immediate demand from stylists and clients in major U.S. cities.

Early Outcomes

120+ Beta Users within 30 days

85% Satisfaction Rate from initial feedback

Zero Payment Errors post-launch

Mobile-First Experience drove 90% of total traffic

Business Impact

Positioned as the first specialized platform for Afro & textured hair care

Reduced stylist discovery time by over 70%

Enabled scalable marketplace operations for expansion across the U.S.

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Danielle Brooks,

Founder, Swayed

“We wanted a platform that truly understood our community not just another booking site. The team nailed it. Swayed feels personal, professional, and built for our audience. Delivering this in four weeks was unbelievable.”

Key Lessons Learned

Niche Markets Have Huge Potential

By focusing on one underserved community, Swayed gained instant traction and trust.

Cultural Relevance Drives Loyalty

Tailoring UX and messaging to user identity boosted engagement.

Automation Improves Retention

Auto-reminders and commission management reduced drop-offs and admin work.

Mobile-First Is Non-Negotiable

Over 90% of users booked via mobile, emphasizing responsive design importance.

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