I have my morning routine down to a science. Typically, it takes me about an hour to get myself looking presentable before heading out the door. Turns out, my schedule is pretty typical. Research states that women in the U.S. spend roughly an hour on their hair and makeup each day, which made sisters Elizabeth Reza and Gabrielle Muzel wonder, what could women accomplish if they were given back that extra hour each day? That thought became the cornerstone for Book a Birdie, a beauty app that allows you to book blowouts and hairstyling services by professionals who can meet you “on the fly” at your home, office, the gym, or anywhere else. Reza calls the app a cross between DryBar and Uber. “It’s so accessible,” she says. “It’s that convenience at your fingertips.”
The sisters officially launched their app in September 2018, but Reza had been brainstorming the idea for a while. “I was trying to get back on schedule after I had my first baby,” says Reza. “Every time I got out of the shower, I thought about how great it would be to have someone come to my house to help me with my hair. Life would be so much less chaotic.”
With her sister by her side, the pair set out to brand the idea. “We landed on ‘bird’ first and then we wanted to see if we could make ‘birdie’ work and brand it throughout,” says Muzel. Naturally, bird puns abound. Hairstyles like the southern-inspired ‘Mockingbird,’ the beachy ‘Flamingo,’ or the Hollywood-esque ‘Starling,’ are among styles you can choose in the app, though every style can be personalized by Book a Birdie stylists, aka “the flock.” Additional Book a Birdie services include bridal hair and makeup, lash application, and updos for kids.
View this post on InstagramGorgeous hair is a MUST, And we can help you with that. 😉 Have you Booked a Birdie yet?
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The sisters aimed to empower their stylists as much as their clients. By allowing stylists to pick their own schedules, Muzel hopes to give them the freedom and platform to succeed. “Our stylists have to be rigorously trained for technical ability,” Muzel said. “We personally interview them and make sure they have the background.”
With Book a Birdie up and running, Reza and Muzel are now looking to inspire beauty beyond Dallas. (Expect to see some Birdies flying around more than 40 additional cities next year, including Austin this August.) Throughout their business journey together, the sisters have learned to play off one another’s strengths. “Sometimes I can take a back seat and let her handle things and she trusts me to do the same. There is a lot of grace,” says Reza. “It has made for a great partnership.”
