Technology is a wonderful way to deliver even the simplest of services because it brings about convenience and comfort. Agnes Brenda Tugume is a tech-entrepreneur and founder of Esoptron Salon and is passionate about how technology transforms lives. With her footprint in the tech world, she is easing salon appointments while also bridging the gap between clients and service providers.

Esoptron Salon is tech start-up that was birthed in 2019 and came into operation in 2020 with a vision to empower women across Uganda and deliver the highest quality salon-like services at home with a mark of excellence.

Tugume’s story started when a friend who had studied hair dressing could not get a salon to work in and at the same time had no capital to start up her own salon, ending up unemployed. “She had got an opportunity to participate in the presidential initiative program for skilling the girl child and her vision was to own a salon. However, she was stranded as the skill was not yielding much,” she says.

The second part of the story comes from a client to whom she was making a delivery. “Then, I sold products online and on this day, I was delivering products to one of my customers. She then shared how she had gone for a hair appointment in Kampala City near a police station. Unfortunately, by the time she was done and got to her car, her side mirror was missing,” Tugume says.

The client went on to say, “Imagine having a platform where I can contract services of a hairdresser to have my hair fixed from my home. There is a lot to save such as time spent in traffic, parking fee plus comfort-ability,” she said. It was then that Tugume recalled that even her mother gets her hair done from the comfort of her home.

It was from these experiences that Tugume realized that there is a real opportunity to use digital technology to revolutionise access to decent and reliable work for young skilled workers in hair dressing, manicure, and pedicure services with the aim to;

• Provide employment opportunities to the women offering salon services.
• Help the women to develop a saving culture since they receive monthly instead of daily payment.
• Ease salon service access to customers in the comfort of their homes.

With 10 hair stylists currently, they offer salon services to their clients in the comfort of their homes. The services range from pedicure/manicure, make-up, any hair styles such as braids, weaves, and dreadlocs.

“We also offer bridal services and all the services are pocket-friendly, convenient and professional. Services are booked online via www.esoptronsalon.com or +25675 7612154,” she says.

The stylists’ livelihood is changing for the better because the company gets a commission from the client and rest of the money goes to the stylist on a monthly or biweekly basis, depending on the contract they signed.

“All our services are currently offered in or around Kampala City, and we plan to expand since the hair stylists always offer the service,” Tugume says.