Balloons, disco balls, boxes of cookies and bubbly stylists greeted children for their first haircuts at Sit Still Kids Salon, a new franchise that opened in Madison on March 29. This was going to be, as a sign on the back wall promised, “a good hair day.”
“We had over 200 people show up and an hour before we opened there was already a line of families,” said Megan Squires, owner of this specific Sit Still, which has over two dozen locations across the country.
“We had kids getting face paintings and glitter tattoos and all kinds of fun hair spray colors,” Squires said in late March. “It was an awesome welcome. We’re already booked out a full two weeks.”
Vanessa Ladicicco gives Sophie Davis a temporary glitter tattoo at Sit Still Kids. Sit Still aims to help kids relax and enjoy the haircut process.
Sit Still’s salon space at 601 Junction Road is like the inside of a toddler mom’s essentials bag. There are trucks, plastic animals and Bluey coloring books, stuffed animals, plastic dinosaurs, kids jewelry and hair accessories all for sale.
It’s got everything a parent — or hair stylist — could use to keep kids entertained during their hair cut and keep those little wiggle worms sitting still.
“As a mom of three myself, with a 6-year-old son and 3-year-old twin girls, I had asked the question, ‘Where do you take your kids to get their hair cut?’” Squires said. “It was a patchwork referral system of adult stylists or places that could get kids in and out the door fast.”
Squires liked the idea of Sit Still, a place dedicated to helping kids relax and enjoy the haircut process. She found stylists who have specialized in working with children in their careers, including from salons near Milwaukee.
Vanessa Ladicicco gives Sophie Davis her first haircut at Sit Still Kids. This new franchise is hiring more stylists who enjoy working with children.
“Some are cosmetologists trained to work with children,” Squires said. “Several of our stylists also have experience working with neurodivergent children.
“For all kids, we offer the option to have a low sensory appointment where they come in before our work hours start with less music and less distractions,” she added. “We’re here for whatever they need.”
Nhu Vo started the Sit Still franchise in 2007. With current or coming-soon locations in 16 states across the country, Sit Still focuses on gentle haircuts ($35) and colorful mini-manicures ($20) using products like Eleven Australia for sensitive scalps and alcohol-free nail polish from ella+mila.
Each stylist talks through each step with the child, showing them the tools, all the while teaching parents how to care for different types of hair at various stages of their child’s life. Kids sit in chairs shaped like racecars, watching “Peppa Pig” while getting sparkle strands in their hair and glitter tattoos on their arms.
Vanessa Ladicicco gives Sophie Davis a mini mani at Sit Still, a new salon for kids on Madison’s west side.
Sit Still explores kid-friendly skincare
Before opening Sit Still’s newest and only Wisconsin location, Squires was part of the brand management team for another kids-focused franchise, American Girl. Squires worked at the headquarters in Middleton for over a decade, marketing to kids and their parents.
“Eight-year-old Megan thought 38-year-old Megan had the coolest job ever,” Squires said. “I still have such a passion and respect for the American Girl brand.”
Sophie Davis, 3, watches “Peppa Pig” on an iPad while getting her first haircut at Sit Still Kids.
American Girl closed its Middleton headquarters after nearly four decades, moving to its parent company, Mattel, in El Segundo, California and Squires began searching for what was next. A colleague from Squires’ first job out of college introduced her to Sit Still, and the business model appealed to her.
Squires gathered demographics on families and children in the Madison area by talking to real estate brokers, networking with moms, and going through Census Bureau data. She presented her findings to Sit Still’s corporate team, and the franchise saw Madison as a good fit for expansion.
“Being part of a franchise gives us access to a wider variety of products and ability to offer more services to these kids,” said Squires who, after buying the territory rights for her Sit Still salon, pays a franchising fee as a percentage of revenue that covers support for marketing and operations.
Owner Megan Squires puts together a goodie bag for a customer at Sit Still Kids Salon, a new franchise location in Madison. “As a mom of three myself, with a 6-year-old son and 3-year-old twin girls, I had asked the question, ‘Where do you take your kids to get their hair cut?’” Squires said.
“Most other Sit Still locations are also women-owned,” she added. “I love connecting with my fellow female franchisees on business learnings and market differences, sharing ideas on how we can more positively impact our communities.”
One of those latest ideas is to add a kids’ skincare lesson or class to the list of Sit Still Madison’s services, alongside braiding lessons, color consultations and party packages.
“We decided to offer a skincare line because social media has prompted young kids to want to get into all of this skincare but with brands that aren’t the best for their skin,” said Squires, who hopes to start Sit Still kids skincare classes next month. “It can be pretty damaging for 10-year-olds to use retinol or anti-aging serums. That’s why we carry kid and teen-specific skincare brands like Evereden.”
“We want to get them out of Drunk Elephant and into something that’s actually useful for them,” Squires added. “We want to be a space where parents know that their children are going to be taken care of.”
Vanessa Ladicicco gives Sophie Davis a mini mani at Sit Still Kids. Owner Megan Squires hopes to add a kids’ skincare lesson or class to the list of Sit Still Madison’s services, alongside braiding lessons, color consultations and party packages.
The four questions
What are the most important values driving your work?
First, “service.” I enjoy serving my communities in many ways, as a volunteer, partner and resource. Second, “family.” How something will impact my family is at the heart of all I do. I want to teach my children the value of effort and community. Lastly, “perseverance.” I am a pretty determined leader and I’m committed to seeing things through and overcoming challenges.
Vanessa Ladicicco smiles as she see’s Sophie Davis’s reaction to her hair after her first haircut at Sit Still Kids.
How are you creating the kind of community that you want to live in?
I want to add more options for families in the Madison community. Everyone needs to get haircuts. Now there is a place in our area where all children can be celebrated and taken care of by a team who is genuinely excited to work with kids.
What advice do you have for other would-be entrepreneurs?
Utilize the great resources here in Madison for entrepreneurs. The Wisconsin Small Business Development Center was a wonderful resource in helping shape my business plan and ideas. Also, be prepared to learn new things everyday along the way and prioritize what needs to be done to drive growth.
Are you hiring?
Yes. We are always looking to connect with stylists who enjoy working with children. We plan to expand our presence in the Madison area in the next year and are building a great team to support that growth.
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