WellCapped

WellCapped

WellCapped

WellCapped is a rental company for wigs and hair extensions

Atlanta, GA, USA

USA

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

WellCapped addresses the critical intersection of economic opportunity gaps and beauty accessibility for underserved populations. In the United States, 2.6 million African American women spend approximately $1,800 annually on human hair wigs and extensions, yet with average costs of $600 per wig, they're limited to just three styles annually. Simultaneously, cosmetologists in low-income communities—predominantly women—face unstable income and limited career mobility. Our solution tackles both challenges: making quality hair products more affordable through a rental model while creating sustainable economic opportunities for women in underserved communities. Many skilled hairstylists in these areas earn irregular, insufficient income with little opportunity for advancement despite their expertise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hairstylists in the United States earn a median annual wage of only $29,670, with those in low-income communities often earning significantly less. Moreover, 91% of hairstylists are women, and many face barriers to traditional employment including childcare constraints and transportation limitations. By developing a workforce of trained wig manufacturers and stylists from these communities who participate in our revenue-sharing model, WellCapped creates stable, flexible income streams while addressing accessibility issues in the beauty industry—transforming a $3.2 billion market opportunity into direct economic empowerment for disadvantaged women.

WellCapped is transforming economic opportunity through an innovative wig rental subscription platform that incorporates a workforce development program specifically designed for women in low-income communities. Our members pay a monthly subscription fee of $100 to access high-quality wigs that would typically cost $600 each to purchase. Our solution has two key technological innovations: First, we've developed a 9 step sanitization process that allow wigs to be safely shared through our circular economy model. We've systematized these processes into teachable modules that enable women without formal cosmetology training to learn specialized manufacturing skills. Second, we're implementing a predictive modeling technology using K-means cluster modeling on R to personalize style recommendations for members, creating a "Netflix for beauty products" experience that will eventually extend to adjacent product categories. The workforce development component trains women from underserved communities in wig manufacturing, sanitization, and styling. Unlike traditional employment, our revenue-sharing business model provides participants with recurring income from each subscription tied to products they maintain—creating sustainable, location-flexible work opportunities. This approach converts what would traditionally be contract labor into micro-entrepreneurship, where participants earn income proportional to customer retention and satisfaction, while gaining valuable technical skills in a growing industry with minimal barriers to entry.

WellCapped serves two underserved populations simultaneously, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem that addresses both economic and accessibility challenges. First, our solution serves women from low-income communities with cosmetology skills or interest but limited economic opportunity. Many of these women face barriers to traditional employment, including childcare responsibilities, transportation challenges, or lack of formal credentials. Our program provides them with specialized training in wig manufacturing, sanitization, and styling—creating flexible, home-based income opportunities through our revenue-sharing model. Rather than one-time payments for contract work, these women become micro-entrepreneurs earning recurring revenue from each subscription customer their products serve. Second, we serve the 2.6 million African American women currently spending $1,800 annually on hair products with limited style options. By making premium wigs accessible through affordable monthly subscriptions ($100 instead of $600 per style), we democratize access to quality hair products that enhance confidence and self-expression. For our workforce participants, the impact is transformative: stable, flexible income that grows with our business; valuable technical skills in a growing industry; and entrepreneurial experience without capital investment. For example, our local contractors currently earn supplemental income of $30 per wig processed, with our expansion plans creating full-time opportunities for women who previously had only irregular, gig-based styling work.