Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Evans & Haylee Van Aken.
Madison & Haylee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Madison, a Traverse City native, attended Traverse City Beauty College in 2022. Haylee, who was born and raised in Pellston, decided in 2021 to travel to Traverse City to pursue her passion for cosmetology. It was there that the two first met and quickly formed a strong connection. After graduating in 2022, Haylee began her career in Harbor Springs, while Madison, graduating soon after, also moved to Harbor Springs to start her new life with her now husband. By coincidence—and a bit of fate—the two became coworkers at a local salon, where their shared vision and creativity quickly bonded them even more. Just six months into working together, they realized it was time to take the next step. With courage, determination, and a shared dream, Haylee and Madison took the leap and opened H&M Hair Studio, turning their passion into a thriving partnership.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been an easy journey; there were plenty of obstacles along the way. Our individual paths were different at first, but once we reconnected, they began to align. We worked at the same salon, faced similar challenges, and shared the same dream of owning our own business. Breaking into the beauty industry isn’t easy to begin with. We had some difficulty reconnecting with our clients after the move due to our previous employer publicly directing them to other salons, which created confusion and made the transition harder than expected. Since then, we’ve focused on clear, consistent communication to ensure our guests know exactly where we are and feel confident returning to us. Another challenge we faced was working with team members whose approaches and styles were very different from our own. The synergy wasn’t always perfect, but those experiences taught us a lot about the kind of collaboration that truly works for us.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about H&M Hair Studio?
Our business is a hair salon founded by Haylee and Madison in July 2025. We currently operate out of a salon suite, but our long-term goal is to open a full salon that offers services beyond hair. As licensed cosmetologists, we specialize in all things hair and also offer facial waxing. We never limit ourselves we’re committed to bringing the very best to our clients. Being young and immersed in the industry, we stay up-to-date with the latest trends and prioritize continuing education.
Both of us grew up in poverty, so we understand what it feels like to work just to get by. Now that we’re in a position to give back, we’re proud to support our community. One way we do this is through Haircuts for the Holidays, an event where we donate our time and dedicate one Saturday in December to provide free haircuts for those who don’t have access to professional services.
Since we’re newly established in our salon suite, we’ve set affordable prices to help grow our clientele. We also offer complimentary soft drinks and snacks to make every visit more enjoyable. In addition, we’re hosting a basket giveaway in March to show our appreciation for the people who support us.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We’ve created a website—hmhairstudio.org—to showcase our services, pricing, and social media, making it easy to stay connected and up-to-date with us. Late December we will be offering retail products in our salon suite so clients can access high-quality salon essentials.
Because we prioritize healthy hair and consistent results, we exclusively use Davines hair color. Davines, made in Italy under stricter ingredient guidelines, is vegan, cruelty-free, and ammonia-free aligning perfectly with the clean, high-standard experience we strive to provide.
Pricing:
- Full Foil – $210
- Base Color -$80
- Long Haircut – $55
- Short Haircut – $40
- Brow wax – $20
Contact Info:
- Website: HMhairstudio.org
- Instagram: H4irbymk
- Facebook: H&M Hair Studio
- Twitter: Gmail- [email protected]
- Other: Haylees.Hair_designs
