Dave Salvant, born in Rockland, New York, United States, is the current co-founder of Squire, a company that operates as an integrated business management system for barbershops. In 2016, he made a sharp career shift when he and Songe LaRon left the corporate world to enter the technology sector through an entrepreneurial venture.
The story of Squire marked one of the most significant personal changes for the New Yorker, who moved away from a long path in finance and banking to bet on an app built for barbers. Alongside his co-founder, he became part of a successful entrepreneurial duo that built a high-value business.
Both Salvant and LaRon invested a large portion of their savings to launch the application, with support from a colleague who contributed to the app’s software. Beyond the technology side, they also invested additional capital to open a barbershop and understand, firsthand, the daily operational frictions faced by the community.
After working through early obstacles and identifying the sector’s recurring pain points, Salvant and LaRon consolidated their product and introduced an integrated system for barbers that includes bookings, point-of-sale tools, services management, marketing activities, and more. The app’s software is designed to simplify barbers’ work, particularly in areas shaped by physical shop rent, tipping, and other practical variables.
A radical shift: Salvant’s move from the corporate world to a tech app
Dave Salvant followed an extensive academic track. He first studied Political Science, later completed an MBA in Business Administration, and finished his university stage with a Master’s degree in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking. For several years, he held different roles at major companies such as JP Morgan and AXA US.
When Salvant and LaRon decided to step away from the corporate sector, they understood that building an accessible and simpler application for barbers would require significant investment. Squire’s model is structured around a technology app that functions as an all-in-one management system where barbers upload their information and manage schedules, clients, point of sale, tips, and related tasks.
Salvant and LaRon handle the business and the application’s service layer, with the limitation that they do not hold a license to cut hair. When they opened their own barbershop, they hired barbers and hairdressers while they focused on running the business.
The story of Squire, founded by Dave Salvant
Salvant combined the barbershop environment with an integrated software system delivered through an application that supports smoother client communication and multiple payment alternatives. According to some articles referenced in this account, the app connected with more than 3,000 barbershops in the United States and later expanded into Canada and the United Kingdom.
Why did Salvant move into the barbershop space? Rockland County, where he grew up, is linked to the African American community, and that community has a strong cultural connection to barbershops. In a period shaped by the rise of apps across multiple industries, Salvant identified an opportunity to build a similar platform for a major segment of men’s services.
Barbershops typically operate through a monthly subscription that ranges between 100 and 250 dollars. Pricing varies based on customer preferences and selections, and on the software’s evolution through usability improvements. The business is described as profitable and supported by more than 20 investors who have allocated funds to drive the project’s growth.
What venture capital means, according to Squire’s founder
The investors involved in Squire—reported here as more than 20—are described as having provided stable and scalable growth. In an interview referenced in this account, Salvant presented external investment as necessary given the limits of self-financing. He framed the objective as building a large-scale business.
He also treated fundraising as a sustained mechanism to support profitability and operational stability over time. The company’s fundraising brought in significant sums to keep the project moving forward. In the same context, he argued that investor confidence increases when founders demonstrate full-time commitment to the business rather than treating a startup as a side project.
Salvant also noted that African American founders often face weaker access to early investment or direct financing, and that his connection to the African American community created entry points across different communities where the barbershop–app relationship could scale. In that sense, he is associated with the Black Excellence series.
