After 3 frustrating years with Mindbody, switching to RoundBrush was the best business decision I've made since opening Sky Parlor Salon.

When I first opened my salon in Raleigh, I chose Mindbody because it seemed like the 'industry standard.' But as we grew and I took on more responsibilities as an educator, the platform's limitations became increasingly apparent. The interface felt dated, my team wasted hours navigating the system, and my clients complained about the booking experience. The final straw came when they increased my monthly rate for the third time while adding features that didn't serve our specific salon needs.

What initially drew me to RoundBrush was the pricing transparency – $99/month flat rate for everything we actually needed. But what made me stay goes far beyond cost savings.

First, the booking experience is dramatically improved. Our clients rave about how intuitive it is – they can easily select services based on their needs, choose stylists based on their specialties and actual portfolio work, and manage their appointments without calling the salon. As someone who splits time between client work and education, I particularly appreciate the ability to block off teaching days months in advance with recurring settings.

The marketing tools have transformed our client retention. With Mindbody, I was paying extra for a separate email marketing platform. RoundBrush includes targeted marketing that actually understands what we do. Their automated rebooking campaigns have increased our retention rate by 22% in just three months. The system intelligently identifies when clients are due for their maintenance appointments and sends perfectly timed messages that reflect our salon's voice.

What truly sets RoundBrush apart is that it was clearly built by people who understand the hands-on nature of our industry. The before/after photo management system has become central to our business – we can categorize by technique, color formula, and style, creating a searchable portfolio that serves both as a sales tool and education resource for my junior stylists.

Implementation was surprisingly painless. RoundBrush imported all our client data, appointment history, and even formula notes from Mindbody in less than 48 hours. The interface is so intuitive that my entire team mastered it after one training session.

The ROI was immediate and measurable. Between the reduced monthly subscription cost, eliminated need for separate marketing tools, improved booking rates, and enhanced client retention, I estimate RoundBrush has added approximately $2,800 in monthly revenue to Sky Parlor.

As both a salon owner and educator, I need systems that support both aspects of my career. RoundBrush has eliminated the daily frustrations that came with Mindbody while adding features specifically designed for salons like mine. My only regret is not switching sooner.