ProDo Blow Dry Bar is a positive, welcoming environment, full of kind-hearted hairstylists and customers. That all stems from the founder and CEO, Jennifer Johnson, who has led with love from the beginning of ProDo’s journey. Jen had been a hairstylist for 15 years, and learned what it took to get a customer back in the door, to get them talking about you. “I really captured what it takes to make a customer happy. Later, with ProDo, I was able to apply that.”
13 years ago, ProDo Draper was Utah’s first blow dry bar, and each location has continued to raise the bar for service, quality, and care. Jen strives to create a space that people leave feeling better than when they walked in and want to come back to, and that begins with the staff. “We hire smiles and train the rest. You can teach skill, but not personality. We want positive people who lift the team. I worked at a salon that was toxic—so much gossip, I’d leave in tears. I'm grateful for that experience because it taught me exactly what I don’t want for my company. ProDo is a place where people feel loved and cared for. It’s not easy in an industry that can be catty. But our environment is positive because we intentionally keep it that way.”
Jen started ProDo soon after going through a divorce. “I was a broke, single mom when I started this business. I had no help with my kids. No money. I maxed out credit cards. I got an SBA loan. I literally bootstrapped the whole thing.” Jen wanted to provide for herself and her sons and not rely on anyone. She felt guilty sometimes for bringing her two little boys with her everywhere when getting ProDo off the ground, and not being able to afford football or be the ‘typical mom’. “But they got to watch their mom build something from nothing.” Her oldest son has been working at ProDo since he was 13, starting with scanning and shredding, then learning QuickBooks and answering phones, and her youngest son has always been an entrepreneur at heart, showing that they both had a valuable experience joining Jen on her business journey.
A client told her about a salon in Arizona where they only wash and style hair, and Jen said she knew it was her calling–“the angels were singing, a beam of light was shining down.” She immediately checked out library books on how to start an LLC, business finance, and how to be a leader. “It wasn’t easy. I fell asleep at my kitchen table more times than I can count. I didn’t pay myself for three years. I did hair on the side just to feed my kids and keep a roof over our heads.”
Lehi is the third ProDo location, located on Traverse Mountain. When asked about the future of ProDo, Jen said “I’ve always been growth-minded, though I’m known for being super secretive until I’m ready to announce something.” ProDo recently launched special occasion hairstyling, and their stylists even go onsite for events. The positive environment of ProDo makes the guests feel like family to the stylists. “Some are like second moms, best friends, or even grandma figures. They come in every week. They bring gifts. They ask about trips. They know each other.” Jen’s inspiring story and intentionality makes ProDo more than just a hair salon–it’s a place you'll leave feeling beautiful and appreciated.
"I fell asleep at my kitchen table more times than I can count. I did hair on the side just to feed my kids."