The Hair Room is a Jersey City salon built around community, creativity, and making clients feel at home. Founded nearly 10 years ago by Anatalie David, the business started without investors or outside funding. Built with savings earned from bartending and side jobs, it eventually grew from a single location into multiple salons and more than 30 employees at its peak.
“Relay term loans have been a huge opportunity for my team and my business. The easy access to funds has opened new doors and lifted a weight off my shoulders.”
—Anatalie David, Owner, The Hair Room JC
Relay Capital funding is provided by Fundbox, an external third-party provider, or its bank partner, Lead Bank.
Company Outcomes
Created additional cash flow flexibility to support payroll and day-to-day operations
Supported community initiatives, salon upgrades, and future hiring plans
Created financial breathing room without lengthy applications or disconnected systems
Before Relay term loans: Rapid growth created financial pressure
For nearly a decade, growth came quickly. The Hair Room JC expanded from a single salon into multiple locations. At one point, the business had grown to more than 30 employees and was preparing for even more expansion.
Then a series of challenges hit at once. The pandemic disrupted expansion plans just as new locations and larger spaces were already underway. Later, several team departures dramatically reduced cash flow while many of the business costs still reflected a much larger operation.
“We grew so exponentially in those years after COVID. And then when it dropped, it went from way up here to way down there,” says Anatalie.
Eventually the business consolidated back to one location and a smaller team. But many of the financial pressures from those years remained.
Cash flow became unpredictable and payroll became stressful. Instead of focusing on future growth, Anatalie found herself focused on getting through each month.
“There was a point where payroll days were the worst days of my life,” she says.
The solution: A prequalified offer already inside Relay
Anatalie had already moved to Relay after becoming frustrated with her previous banking experience. As cash flow tightened, overdraft fees started piling up. In one month alone, fees reached nearly $2,000.
“I was barely hanging on. That $2,000 could have paid my rent,” she says.
Looking for something simpler, Anatalie switched to Relay. When a term loan offer surfaced directly inside her account, the process immediately felt different.
There was no paperwork to fill out, no documents to gather, and no separate system to navigate.
“Having the ability to go through that entire process and not have one single conversation was amazing,” says Anatalie.
Because The Hair Room JC already managed its money through Relay, funding fit naturally into the way Anatalie already ran the business.
The impact: Stability today and flexibility for what’s next
A payroll cushion and less day-to-day stress
Today, the loan helps support payroll and provides flexibility across the business.
After years of operating under constant financial pressure, that breathing room created a noticeable shift.
“I’m not digging myself out of a hole anymore,” says Anatalie.
More room to support the team and community
Recently, The Hair Room JC sent stylists to volunteer at a local Pride event providing free haircuts to HIV patients.
The additional flexibility meant Anatalie could support the event while still paying team members for their time.
“It’s really helped me do things I wasn’t able to do in the last couple years. Really support my team,” she says.
Building the next chapter more intentionally
The additional flexibility created room for more than day-to-day stability. It also reopened possibilities that had been put on hold.
Anatalie is planning long-awaited salon renovations designed to create more room for community gatherings and events, expects to bring on another stylist, and is investing more deeply in the community that’s always been central to The Hair Room.
“I’ve been able to send my stylists to do hair at local community events, I can afford a long-awaited renovation to the salon, and I’m even expecting to add a new team member. It’s just the cash boost we needed to start off our next chapter,” she says.
Relay Term Loans: Funding that creates room to move
The Hair Room JC didn’t need funding to chase aggressive expansion. It needed flexibility, breathing room, and a way to stabilize cash flow without adding friction.
Because the loan lived alongside the business finances Anatalie already managed inside Relay, getting access to capital felt simple.
For small businesses navigating financial pressure while planning for what comes next, connected access to funding can make the difference between staying stuck and moving forward.
Relay Capital funding is provided by Fundbox, an external third-party provider, or its bank partner, Lead Bank.
