November 28, 2025 • 12 mins
What if a neighborhood salon could change the way a city feels about itself? We sit down with master stylist and educator Ruby Brown from The Haven Salon and Beauty Bar to explore how craft, mentorship, and community care can live under one roof—and why that mix builds confidence that lasts longer than a haircut.
Ruby shares her path from earning a license right out of high school to becoming an educator and collective leader at Haven Prestige Suites. We talk about the training that shaped her—Wella color mastery, Vidal Sassoon technique—and how deep education translates into healthier hair, stronger careers, and clients who feel seen. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to open a salon, Ruby gets specific about passion, purpose, business acumen, and the unglamorous consistency that carries you through slow weeks and tough calls.
We also take on the biggest myth in beauty: DIY fixes can replace professional care. Ruby explains why “restoring the value of hair care in a world of DIY” matters for your color, texture, and long-term hair health. Beyond the chair, she lets us into the practices that refill her tank—solo travel, food adventures, and time with her four kids—and how that balance fuels a customer experience built on warmth, education, and trust. You’ll leave with practical advice for aspiring salon owners, a fresh view of client service, and a reminder that hair is a crown worth protecting.
If this conversation resonates, follow the journey and help others find it. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves great hair and good community, and leave a review with your favorite takeaway so we can keep spotlighting local stories that make a difference.
Ruby Brown
The Haven Salon and Beauty Bar
info@thehavenbeauty.com
+1 540-993-1111
305 Hanson Avenue, Suite 170, Fredericksburg, VA, United States, Virginia
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker (00:00):
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast, the place where localbusinesses and neighbors come
together.
Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG
Neighbors Podcast, where weshare the stories of our
favorite local brands.
I'm excited to introduce you tomy guest today.
We've got Ruby Brown joiningus, and she is with the Haven
Salon and Beauty Bar.
Ruby, welcome to the podcast.
Hi, Dori.
Good morning.
(00:33):
Thank you so much for havingme.
Sure.
Well, I'm excited to have youand excited to learn more about
you and your business.
So let's start there.
Share with us a little bitabout the Haven Salon.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
So the Haven Salon and Beauty Bar, and also now
incorporated with the HavenPrestige Suites.
We are a local hair salon andsuites where we have a business
collective amongst otherbusiness individuals, and we
like to host cohorts that willhelp and grow each business
individually as well ascollectively as a unit here at
(01:09):
the Prestige Suites.
But Haven Salon and Beauty Baras an individual, we've been in
business for about eight yearsin the local Fredericksburg,
Spotsylvania, and Staffordareas.
And so we provide overall haircare services as well as
mentorship to local highschools.
We usually are partnering withJM, James Monroe High School.
(01:31):
We've partnered with theCosmetology and Career Center
down in Spotsylvania, Virginia.
And we usually just try tooutreach and reach back to the
community as well as obviouslygrowing professionals to help
them understand what businesslooks like, career looks like in
the beauty industry, as well astraining.
(01:52):
It is so important to trainthose that are coming behind us
so that they can make asubstantial and influential
career for themselves.
So that's who the Haven SolanaBeauty Bar is.
Definitely all about communityand providing beautiful hair in
the process.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I love that so much.
And congratulations on eightyears.
That's a big deal.
Not easy to make it eightyears.
So congratulations on that.
Thank you so much.
I just love how much you giveback to the community.
And you know, not only are youcreating your own future
workforce, right?
But uh you're providing so manyopportunities to uh our young
(02:32):
people.
And so congratulations on that.
That's really cool that you dothat.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Thank you.
It's definitely where my heartresides.
So yeah, anything I can dobecause I know that there was a
season and times where I didn'thave that availability or that
those resources provided to me.
So it's super important for meto reach back and give wherever
I can in those areas for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
That's awesome.
Well, let's let's dive deeperinto that.
Tell me more about you and yourbackground and what led you to
starting this business.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
So I've been a professional, licensed
professional uh hairstylist forabout 22 years.
Uh, got licensed directly outof high school, and uh it's
always been literally in myblood.
Like I knew it was my purposeto do hair.
Um, just not obviously sure howthat would play out throughout
my life or you know what thatwould look like for the future.
(03:24):
And so um I became licensed,and then furthering my community
uh my career, I began to becomea licensed educator as well.
And so that's where it began tounfold for me was was when I
added that extra level and thataspects of aspect of education
in there.
Um, and again, I was as I saidbefore, always wanted to reach
(03:47):
back and provide something thatI never really had access to.
And when you get in theindustry, you realize it's a
doggy dog world out here.
Like you're you're a standaloneguy when you're in the beauty
beauty industry if you're notreaching for that community and
creating your own communityaround you.
So uh so my journey has beenlongstanding and I love it.
(04:10):
I've I've gotten training bysome of the best in the
industry, um becoming a mastercertified colorist with Wella.
Uh, I've been certified throughVidal Sassoon.
And so it was just importantfor me to really hone in on my
skills, my craft.
And again, in order to be ableto relay and pass that down.
(04:32):
Like I think you just have tobe your ultimate best and really
desire to perfect those thingsthat are already living on the
inside of you.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, you've had a very impressive career and it's
a big jump going from being astylist and being an employee to
owning your own business, andthat's a whole new animal there.
And so uh my question to you isif someone came to you and
they're thinking about takingthat leap and starting their own
(05:03):
salon, what advice would yougive them?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I would definitely tell them to make sure that the
passion is there.
As we know, you can easilystart a business, you know, that
takes about five minutesonline.
So I would say the passionnumber one definitely should be
there.
Um, the passion, the purpose.
It will be kind of everchanging and evolve over time
(05:28):
and go into possible differentavenues.
But uh the passion, thepurpose, uh really honing in on
your skills, as I said earlier,like through education, uh,
furthering your skill set,furthering your business acumen
and knowledge and umconsistency.
It may sound very simple, butit can be really hard when
(05:49):
you're in the trenches to stayconsistent.
So, with those other elementscombined, it it helps you, but
staying consistent anddisciplined because when days
are hard, when you knowappointments may not be there,
the money may not be there, thatdiscipline and that love and
that passion should be able todrive you every single day.
(06:12):
So just make sure and reallytake an assessment of yourself
to see do these elements applyto me?
Is this my mindset?
How do I get up every day andsay, I'm choosing this for me
because I love it so much and Ihave a purpose in what I'm
doing?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I love that advice so much, and the purpose helps get
you through those really harddays.
So I appreciate that advice.
Really good.
So let me ask you this do youfind that there are any myths or
misconceptions about theindustry that you're finding?
A lot.
unknown (06:48):
A lot.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I would say a lot, especially when it comes to the
the hair care part of it or evenjust beauty overall, you know.
Um one thing that we say hereat the salon, uh kind of one of
our mantras, is um restoring thevalue of hair care in a world
of DIY, do it yourself.
Uh so that's one of the biggestmisconceptions, like, oh, I can
just do it at home, and that'sso easy, and you know, so easy a
(07:13):
caveman could do it.
Uh, and so I would say one ofour another purpose uh and
mission that we have is toreally educate our clients, not
only provide great styles andyou know, a beautiful end
result, but to educate ourclients through it and to give
them better understanding of whythe DIY doesn't quite work so
well.
(07:33):
You know, your your hair, Ibelieve, is your crown.
It's it's the number one thingthat someone can attribute a lot
to you when it comes to youresteem, when it comes to how you
think and feel about yourselfand the presentation that you
want to give to the world.
So to me, it's like you can doit yourself, but is it
necessary?
(07:53):
You know, there's nothing wrongwith partnering with a stylist
and a professional who you cantrust.
So, yeah, that's the biggestone is DIY.
You can, but just try not to.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
So we don't have to fix it.
Yeah, right, right.
As someone who's made a lot ofDIY mistakes, I trust the
professionals.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Exactly, exactly.
We're here to help.
We're here to help, I promise.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yes, yes, yes.
It's it's worth it in the longrun, right?
Yes.
So clearly you work really hardon your business and you're
doing so much in the communityand you're educating uh so many.
So when you do finally get abreak, tell me what are you
doing for fun?
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Oh my gosh.
Uh, anybody that knows me knowsI'm a traveler.
Like a traveler and a foodie.
I will literally travel justfor the food.
Like I like to consider myselflike the Anthony Bourdain of
hair.
I love it.
I love it.
Um, but no, I love to travel umand just finding stillness and
peace.
So when I do travel, I'm a solotraveler as well.
(08:59):
So a lot of that time is spentjust like rejuvenating,
restoration, uh, exploring newthings, um, new cultures, new
places, again, new foods.
So that's that's number onewhere my heart is.
But also, um, I have fourchildren, I'm a mother of four.
So taking time with mychildren, um, introducing them
(09:19):
as well to a travel lifestyle,um, and just having fun, as much
fun as I can with them, becauseyou know, some of these times
they're of the essence, and um,they're not gonna be young
forever.
So it's important for me tohave a really good relationship
with my children and spend a lotas much time as I can with them
outside of business and umsince it's so demanding.
(09:40):
So yeah, my children, they'remy best friends for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I love that.
I love that.
So, what is something that youwish the listeners knew about
the Haven Salon?
Speaker 1 (09:54):
If I could say anything, I would say it is our
love for community.
If you even just Google us andtake a look at our reviews, and
a common theme that you'll hearis the level of customer service
that we provide and how we makepeople feel special, we make
(10:16):
them feel seen.
So it's not just yourrun-of-the-mill everyday hair
salon or a service that you'llbe getting and you know, fly by
night.
We really do take the time toget to know our clients as best
we can and build those realsincere relationships with them.
And we have a huge list oflongstanding clients because of
that reason.
And even if you never comeback, at least you we were able
(10:39):
to provide you with love,attention, care, concern, um,
and just a genuine feel when youcome into our salon.
So it's definitely about familyand community here with us for
sure.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
I love that.
That's why you've been inbusiness for eight years.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yes, you treat your your your clients right so they
keep coming back, you'recreating loyal fans.
Yes.
I love it.
I love it.
Well, thank you so much, Ruby,for joining me on the podcast
today.
If the listeners want to reachout, if they want to come visit
you, if they want to learn morefrom you, where can they find
you?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Yes, we are on Instagram at the Haven Salon.
Very simply, no hashtags, noasterisk, no nothing.
The Haven Salon on Instagram,as well as our direct website is
www.thehavenbeauty.com.
And our telephone number, ifyou have any questions, if you
(11:36):
want to speak to me personally,I'm the lead and master stylist
here.
It's 540-993-1111.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Amazing, amazing.
Ruby, thank you so much forjoining me on the podcast and
sharing the Haven with us.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Thank you so much, Dori.
It was such a pleasure andthank you for the invitation.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
You're welcome.
Speaker (11:55):
Thank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to FXBGNeighborsPodcast.com.
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast, the place where localbusinesses and neighbors come
together.
Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG
Neighbors Podcast, where weshare the stories of our
favorite local brands.
I'm excited to introduce you tomy guest today.
We've got Ruby Brown joiningus, and she is with the Haven
Salon and Beauty Bar.
Ruby, welcome to the podcast.
Hi, Dori.
Good morning.
(00:33):
Thank you so much for havingme.
Sure.
Well, I'm excited to have youand excited to learn more about
you and your business.
So let's start there.
Share with us a little bitabout the Haven Salon.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
So the Haven Salon and Beauty Bar, and also now
incorporated with the HavenPrestige Suites.
We are a local hair salon andsuites where we have a business
collective amongst otherbusiness individuals, and we
like to host cohorts that willhelp and grow each business
individually as well ascollectively as a unit here at
(01:09):
the Prestige Suites.
But Haven Salon and Beauty Baras an individual, we've been in
business for about eight yearsin the local Fredericksburg,
Spotsylvania, and Staffordareas.
And so we provide overall haircare services as well as
mentorship to local highschools.
We usually are partnering withJM, James Monroe High School.
(01:31):
We've partnered with theCosmetology and Career Center
down in Spotsylvania, Virginia.
And we usually just try tooutreach and reach back to the
community as well as obviouslygrowing professionals to help
them understand what businesslooks like, career looks like in
the beauty industry, as well astraining.
(01:52):
It is so important to trainthose that are coming behind us
so that they can make asubstantial and influential
career for themselves.
So that's who the Haven SolanaBeauty Bar is.
Definitely all about communityand providing beautiful hair in
the process.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I love that so much.
And congratulations on eightyears.
That's a big deal.
Not easy to make it eightyears.
So congratulations on that.
Thank you so much.
I just love how much you giveback to the community.
And you know, not only are youcreating your own future
workforce, right?
But uh you're providing so manyopportunities to uh our young
(02:32):
people.
And so congratulations on that.
That's really cool that you dothat.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Thank you.
It's definitely where my heartresides.
So yeah, anything I can dobecause I know that there was a
season and times where I didn'thave that availability or that
those resources provided to me.
So it's super important for meto reach back and give wherever
I can in those areas for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
That's awesome.
Well, let's let's dive deeperinto that.
Tell me more about you and yourbackground and what led you to
starting this business.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
So I've been a professional, licensed
professional uh hairstylist forabout 22 years.
Uh, got licensed directly outof high school, and uh it's
always been literally in myblood.
Like I knew it was my purposeto do hair.
Um, just not obviously sure howthat would play out throughout
my life or you know what thatwould look like for the future.
(03:24):
And so um I became licensed,and then furthering my community
uh my career, I began to becomea licensed educator as well.
And so that's where it began tounfold for me was was when I
added that extra level and thataspects of aspect of education
in there.
Um, and again, I was as I saidbefore, always wanted to reach
(03:47):
back and provide something thatI never really had access to.
And when you get in theindustry, you realize it's a
doggy dog world out here.
Like you're you're a standaloneguy when you're in the beauty
beauty industry if you're notreaching for that community and
creating your own communityaround you.
So uh so my journey has beenlongstanding and I love it.
(04:10):
I've I've gotten training bysome of the best in the
industry, um becoming a mastercertified colorist with Wella.
Uh, I've been certified throughVidal Sassoon.
And so it was just importantfor me to really hone in on my
skills, my craft.
And again, in order to be ableto relay and pass that down.
(04:32):
Like I think you just have tobe your ultimate best and really
desire to perfect those thingsthat are already living on the
inside of you.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, you've had a very impressive career and it's
a big jump going from being astylist and being an employee to
owning your own business, andthat's a whole new animal there.
And so uh my question to you isif someone came to you and
they're thinking about takingthat leap and starting their own
(05:03):
salon, what advice would yougive them?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I would definitely tell them to make sure that the
passion is there.
As we know, you can easilystart a business, you know, that
takes about five minutesonline.
So I would say the passionnumber one definitely should be
there.
Um, the passion, the purpose.
It will be kind of everchanging and evolve over time
(05:28):
and go into possible differentavenues.
But uh the passion, thepurpose, uh really honing in on
your skills, as I said earlier,like through education, uh,
furthering your skill set,furthering your business acumen
and knowledge and umconsistency.
It may sound very simple, butit can be really hard when
(05:49):
you're in the trenches to stayconsistent.
So, with those other elementscombined, it it helps you, but
staying consistent anddisciplined because when days
are hard, when you knowappointments may not be there,
the money may not be there, thatdiscipline and that love and
that passion should be able todrive you every single day.
(06:12):
So just make sure and reallytake an assessment of yourself
to see do these elements applyto me?
Is this my mindset?
How do I get up every day andsay, I'm choosing this for me
because I love it so much and Ihave a purpose in what I'm
doing?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I love that advice so much, and the purpose helps get
you through those really harddays.
So I appreciate that advice.
Really good.
So let me ask you this do youfind that there are any myths or
misconceptions about theindustry that you're finding?
A lot.
unknown (06:48):
A lot.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I would say a lot, especially when it comes to the
the hair care part of it or evenjust beauty overall, you know.
Um one thing that we say hereat the salon, uh kind of one of
our mantras, is um restoring thevalue of hair care in a world
of DIY, do it yourself.
Uh so that's one of the biggestmisconceptions, like, oh, I can
just do it at home, and that'sso easy, and you know, so easy a
(07:13):
caveman could do it.
Uh, and so I would say one ofour another purpose uh and
mission that we have is toreally educate our clients, not
only provide great styles andyou know, a beautiful end
result, but to educate ourclients through it and to give
them better understanding of whythe DIY doesn't quite work so
well.
(07:33):
You know, your your hair, Ibelieve, is your crown.
It's it's the number one thingthat someone can attribute a lot
to you when it comes to youresteem, when it comes to how you
think and feel about yourselfand the presentation that you
want to give to the world.
So to me, it's like you can doit yourself, but is it
necessary?
(07:53):
You know, there's nothing wrongwith partnering with a stylist
and a professional who you cantrust.
So, yeah, that's the biggestone is DIY.
You can, but just try not to.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
So we don't have to fix it.
Yeah, right, right.
As someone who's made a lot ofDIY mistakes, I trust the
professionals.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Exactly, exactly.
We're here to help.
We're here to help, I promise.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yes, yes, yes.
It's it's worth it in the longrun, right?
Yes.
So clearly you work really hardon your business and you're
doing so much in the communityand you're educating uh so many.
So when you do finally get abreak, tell me what are you
doing for fun?
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Oh my gosh.
Uh, anybody that knows me knowsI'm a traveler.
Like a traveler and a foodie.
I will literally travel justfor the food.
Like I like to consider myselflike the Anthony Bourdain of
hair.
I love it.
I love it.
Um, but no, I love to travel umand just finding stillness and
peace.
So when I do travel, I'm a solotraveler as well.
(08:59):
So a lot of that time is spentjust like rejuvenating,
restoration, uh, exploring newthings, um, new cultures, new
places, again, new foods.
So that's that's number onewhere my heart is.
But also, um, I have fourchildren, I'm a mother of four.
So taking time with mychildren, um, introducing them
(09:19):
as well to a travel lifestyle,um, and just having fun, as much
fun as I can with them, becauseyou know, some of these times
they're of the essence, and um,they're not gonna be young
forever.
So it's important for me tohave a really good relationship
with my children and spend a lotas much time as I can with them
outside of business and umsince it's so demanding.
(09:40):
So yeah, my children, they'remy best friends for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I love that.
I love that.
So, what is something that youwish the listeners knew about
the Haven Salon?
Speaker 1 (09:54):
If I could say anything, I would say it is our
love for community.
If you even just Google us andtake a look at our reviews, and
a common theme that you'll hearis the level of customer service
that we provide and how we makepeople feel special, we make
(10:16):
them feel seen.
So it's not just yourrun-of-the-mill everyday hair
salon or a service that you'llbe getting and you know, fly by
night.
We really do take the time toget to know our clients as best
we can and build those realsincere relationships with them.
And we have a huge list oflongstanding clients because of
that reason.
And even if you never comeback, at least you we were able
(10:39):
to provide you with love,attention, care, concern, um,
and just a genuine feel when youcome into our salon.
So it's definitely about familyand community here with us for
sure.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
I love that.
That's why you've been inbusiness for eight years.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yes, you treat your your your clients right so they
keep coming back, you'recreating loyal fans.
Yes.
I love it.
I love it.
Well, thank you so much, Ruby,for joining me on the podcast
today.
If the listeners want to reachout, if they want to come visit
you, if they want to learn morefrom you, where can they find
you?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Yes, we are on Instagram at the Haven Salon.
Very simply, no hashtags, noasterisk, no nothing.
The Haven Salon on Instagram,as well as our direct website is
www.thehavenbeauty.com.
And our telephone number, ifyou have any questions, if you
(11:36):
want to speak to me personally,I'm the lead and master stylist
here.
It's 540-993-1111.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Amazing, amazing.
Ruby, thank you so much forjoining me on the podcast and
sharing the Haven with us.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Thank you so much, Dori.
It was such a pleasure andthank you for the invitation.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
You're welcome.
Speaker (11:55):
Thank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to FXBGNeighborsPodcast.com.
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