Interview No. 6: Katie Soulen, Halcyon Salon
“I know there is no ethical consumption under capitalism,” Soulen says, “but we're trying to do it in a way that facilitates growth for everyone.”
Katie Soulen is a magician. She’s the owner of Pittsburgh’s Halcyon Salon and she’s an amazing stylist and colorist (truly: best haircuts ever). But beyond her talent, she’s one of the most kind and loving people I’ve ever met. You will never be in a bad mood after sitting in her chair, whether you’re chatting about big, philosophical ideas or what show you’re obsessed with right now. She’s made Halcyon—which turned five years old last November—into a haven for her staff and clients.
Soulen’s kindness also takes the form of a deeply rooted commitment to fairness and equality. Halcyon is a Green Circle salon, and Soulen and her team are dedicated to sustainability and protecting the environment. You won’t find shelves of plastic-packaged products for sale or piles of beauty waste (“nothing that you have to think about going into Chesapeake Bay or Trash Island in the ocean,” Soulen says.) The Halcyon crew is also committed to making the salon a safe space for everyone who walks through the doors. After the 2024 election, Soulen took to social media and posted that anyone who voted for DJT—and therefore his harmful policies—was not welcome in her salon. As someone who grew up in a red state where that kind of post could spell suicide for a small business, it felt like a power move—one that reminded me, and hopefully everyone who saw it, how important it is to use our platforms for good.
“I know there is no ethical consumption under capitalism,” Soulen told me when we met for coffee at Ineffable Cà Phê in Lawrenceville a few weeks ago, “but we're trying to do it in a way that facilitates growth for everyone.” Read on for more of her thoughts on owning a business in Pittsburgh, growing a community, and more. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Name:
Katie Soulen
Age:
36
Zodiac sign:
Gemini
How long have you been doing hair?
“I'd been doing hair for about five years when I opened Halcyon [in 2020]. That’s is not a long time for a lot of people. But I felt like I had enough life experience to take the risk to open my own salon.”
What pushed you to do it?
“I wanted to control the music and the air conditioning. [Laughs.] It's really as simple as that. I had been doing hair for enough time that I felt like I could grasp what I needed to do to make my own salon happen. I also had management experience from working in restaurants, and a very supportive community and family. It was a mix of talent and hubris.”
How would you describe the way you do hair?
“Lived in. I love when a haircut looks like it's not cut—that space between done and undone. I'm the type of person who may air dry my hair four days a week, but three days I might do it. So if one of my clients is the same, I think, ‘How can I make that happen? What product can I give them to make it easier?’
“Time is the only resource we can’t get back, so when it comes to cutting or styling or color, I want to factor that in. I want people to have more time with their family, to rest, to read that extra chapter of a book if that’s what they want. If they want high glam, I want them to have that, too. But I think people seek me out for the vibe and for something low maintenance.”
What made you choose to open in Bloomfield-Garfield?
“I live nearby, and all my community was there. I wanted to be near cool businesses. I got hooked up with my landlord through a friend, and he was so kind and helpful that I jumped on the opportunity. It was the first location where I thought, ‘OK, I could definitely do this here.’”
Why did you choose the name Halcyon?
“The word ‘halcyon’ comes from Greek mythology—it's a point in time when everything was really peaceful. The people were happy, the gods were happy. Everything was chill. It basically means peace and tranquility. That's what I wanted. We laugh and we play music and we cause a ruckus, but at the end of the day, you can feel comfortable asking for what you need. We want to protect our community and take care of it.”
The salon has such a great vibe—it’s light-filled and full of plants and everything, including the bathroom, is beautiful. How did you think about the aesthetic when you were setting up?
“I was thinking about how I wanted to work every day. I’d read a book called The Happiness Project, which had helped me decide to do hair in general. Part of the book is about asking yourself what you want to encounter every day. I wanted a place that felt like you were hanging out at your friend's really nice house and getting your hair done.1
“At first the plants were an accent; now they're part of the personality of the salon. My husband does them and has made them bigger and better. They hug you when you walk in. They remind us that we're all part of an ecosystem.
“I didn't have a lot of money to work with, so anything that's in the salon structurally is my own blood, sweat and tears—or that of my landlord, my dad or my husband.”
Five years into owning and operating Halcyon, how are you feeling about it?
“I feel like a bad bitch. I went through a lot of crazy stuff: I opened in November 2019 and then the pandemic happened. I’ve come out the other side feeling so strong. I’m so laser focused now. I can utilize my strengths better.
“I'm also a highly anxious person, and I think highly anxious people are so productive when it comes to working under stress. Every challenge that came up, I was like, ‘OK, let's take care of it.’ That’s always been my nature—I've learned to roll with the punches, because that’s life. Who’s to say what will happen?”
Are you starting to see all the physical and emotional labor you and your family and community put in to Halcyon pay off?
“Five years is a magic number for a business, so I have started to see all of the time and investment and saving and trying to build an infrastructure of support come to fruition. We basically have full benefits now. We do healthcare stipends, and the next thing I’d like to do is add a health insurance plan.
“It’s important to me to legitimize our careers, because people don't understand how much money it costs to run a business and to offer those benefits. I knew it was possible, and I did it through trimming costs so that I could offset [the price of benefits] or invest the money I saved back into my staff. I don't like being a salesperson. I'm not in charge of your budget. I'm going to give you a service and tell you everything I need you to know, and then you can apply that knowledge to your daily life—or I'm happy to order a product for you.
“We've tried to cater our services toward [client] education instead of trying to sell product and engage in capitalism in that way.”
Talk more about that.
“Well, of course we're participating in capitalism. We all have bills to pay. But we're trying to do it in a way that facilitates growth for everyone. We want staff and clients to feel involved in how the space runs, especially in uncertain times.”
That also translates to your pricing. You’ve eliminated tipping—you charge a flat hourly rate instead.
“Tips were created to ensure proper service. That is what they stand for. But this is my job, and I wanted to value myself. It can be a little dehumanizing to get tips, in my opinion—like, ‘Did I do a good enough job to pay my bills?’ And why is someone who’s standing on their feet all day not valued as much as someone who gets to sit all day? Mechanics don’t have to deal with it, doctors don’t, project managers don’t.
“People sometimes take issue with the price of things going up on the Internet. Sometimes it’s about inflation, but sometimes the fact is that a service or product has been undervalued from the beginning. And no one enjoys tip culture. It’s uncomfortable for everyone.”
Was it scary transitioning to that business model?
“I was really afraid of rejection and of people having sticker shock, because the prices went up significantly. But our services are basically the same price as before, they just include the gratuity. And our clients—a lot of whom are progressive, forward thinkers—love it.
“We also offer pay-what-you-can services, and we do a lot of model calls for free services. We want to walk the line between taking care of ourselves while also acknowledging we want everyone to feel comfortable walking through the door. Anyone can get service here.
“I'm so grateful for the clients who pay full price, because that facilitates the pay-what-you-can services.”
After the election, you did not hesitate to speak out—you told people who voted for our current president not to come into the salon. I admire that so much.
“Well, I touch people for a living. I don’t want to touch anyone who voted against the rights of myself and my friends and our ability to have a better future. I don’t think speaking out is weird; I think it’s weird if people think it’s weird.”
I wish more businesses, in general, would do that.
“Part of me thinks, ‘Maybe I can be a part of these people's lives to show them the other side and help them understand other people.’ That’s a basic part of empathy. But in my business, I don't care about that at all. My No. 1 priority is keeping Halcyon a safe space for folks. A lot of my clients are federal workers or folks in education or folks in the queer community who I want to protect. Those people are more important to me than new business. Instead of always thinking, ‘More, more, more,’ I want to think, ‘Better, better, better.’ I don't want bigots to feel welcome in my space.”
What other business-slash-life lessons have you learned along the way?
“Running a business is a challenge, and I love it—leading education, deciding where to invest funds, figuring out benefits. I think, ‘Someone else did this, why can’t I? Let me figure it out.’ I’ll also shamelessly ask people for their advice. I think that's really valuable. And I love when people ask me questions, because I want to share any resource I have.
“I’ve also learned that if you play your cards right, you can hire someone who knows more than you. Knowing your limitations is helpful. I hate numbers, so I just hired an accountant that I really trust. It makes being in business less scary when you can reach out to someone for help.”
Tell me more about how you think about community.
“Part of community engagement is being present in your community. I wanted to do all kinds of hair, offer neighborhood discounts and get connected to other business owners.
“Jack from Bantha Tea has been an incredible support. Two Frays is also a leading member of the community. People’s Indian is incredible; they fed people during the pandemic. Jerry Kraynick from Kraynick’s Bike Shop is a legend—it's a sure sign of spring when Kraynick’s is busy. There's nothing better than doing my job, looking out the window and seeing cute kids happily biking up and down Penn Avenue in the summer. I'm inspired by my neighborhood.”
What’s the best part of doing business in Pittsburgh?
“There are unlimited resources. I got my funding through the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which is important to shout out. URA has an incredibly low interest rate. I was able to make my business plan and all the help I got was free.
“Everyone I met [when I was getting ready to open] was eager to help. That’s not to say that that doesn't exist in other communities, but it’s what jumps out to me the most about Pittsburgh. It's the reason that my husband and I stayed after he finished grad school here.”
How about the worst part?
“The construction. Permitting. Bureaucracy.”
You’ve put together a really great team. Do you love working together every day?
“I can confidently, honestly say that everyone on my team loves and cares about their job. I feel like I have the A-team. We support each other. We encourage each other to rest when we need it. We work together. We ask each other questions because we know that we don’t know everything, but collectively we know a lot.
“I hope other businesses in Pittsburgh feel that way about their teams, too.”
Who inspires you?
“My parents and my Grandma Betty. My parents are the best people I’ve ever met. They really care about people, and they raised me to do the same—to do no harm.
My Grandma Betty is the spirit of Halcyon. She fought for Planned Parenthood and volunteered for 18 years. She brought wellness to everything she did.”
What are you looking forward to this year?
“I’m taking Fridays off, because being on your feet for 10 hours a day, five days a week, is not sustainable. So I changed my schedule so that I can focus on creative efforts on Fridayas. I'm so lucky to have a consistent book—but because I'm so consistently booked, there’s a give and take. I think most creative enterprises that include clientele don't allow people to get outside their boxes very often.
“I’ve never had time in my career where I can just be creative and take on projects that I want to. That’s a problem I can now solve. I’ll be doing admin work, education, creative projects, engaging in community. I'd love to take on models. When I see really cool, weird haircuts, I want to bring people into the salon and do them for free. I want to find college kids or people who have a freaky idea and run with it. I feel like I know the rules—now I’m learning how to break them. I want to bring the element of play back to my job.
“I’m having a creative revival right now, and my business has facilitated that.”
Katie Soulen shares her advice for fellow business owners in 2025.
Failure is just information.
“Remove the shame aspect from failure and put more emphasis on discovery. You can take one step back, two steps forward. Look at Doechii. Five years ago, she got fired from her job. She won a Grammy this year.”
Hope is powerful
“I want to see more women-owned businesses, and I hope that we can facilitate safety and hope. Also, hope is a luxury for some people. Those of us who have hope need to make sure that we channel it in a way that serves those who don't.
“Also, if we’ve learned anything from Kendrick Lamar, sometimes hope looks like getting revenge.”
Ditch imposter syndrome.
“If you look at the president of the United States, imposter syndrome should be dead. I don’t want to see anyone second-guessing themselves.”
Re: Halcyon’s bathroom: IYKYK. It’s one of the prettiest bathrooms I’ve ever been in and I make it a point to use it every time I visit.