You Probably Need a Haircut
During the COVID-19 quarantine, Greg Eisenberg encountered a friend—a stylist out of work who couldn't pay rent—facing an impossible situation. Simultaneously, Greg himself needed a haircut. The insight was immediate: people were stuck at home, desperate for grooming services, and stylists were desperate for income. Instead of waiting for salons to reopen, why not connect them virtually?
Greg built an MVP quickly with a simple concept: people could book appointments with virtual stylists who would guide them through cutting their own hair or having a friend do it. The core value proposition was elegantly straightforward—professional guidance without leaving home, and work for stylists who had nothing else.
Greg didn't rely on organic discovery. He strategically seeded the idea with journalists and launched on Product Hunt, a platform known for amplifying early-stage products. The name itself—"You Probably Need a Haircut"—was designed to be memorable and shareable.
The results were staggering. Within the first 24 hours, the site attracted 150,000 unique visitors. The service facilitated over 1,000 haircuts and caught the attention of major media outlets including the Today Show and ABC News. The viral momentum was undeniable, appearing on television and reaching millions. Greg's instinct about the idea going viral proved correct: "I was 100% sure this is gonna go viral," he told his girlfriend before launch.
What made it work was the perfect storm of timing (quarantine), emotional resonance (helping struggling stylists while solving a consumer need), and smart distribution (Product Hunt + media seeding). The service addressed a real, immediate pain point during an unprecedented moment.
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