CrownFind — the spec

A marketplace that connects people seeking Black hair stylists with local professionals who specialize in textured and natural hair. Consumers browse by location, filter by service type and price, study real portfolio photos, and read verified client reviews before reaching out to a stylist directly. The platform solves the specific trust problem: finding a skilled stylist who knows your hair, in your neighborhood, with transparent pricing and proven results.

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Decisions locked

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The core loop

1. A user opens CrownFind and enters their location (or grants location access) to surface nearby stylists.
2. They apply filters — service type, price range, distance — to narrow results.
3. They tap a stylist profile and scroll through before-and-after portfolio photos, listed services with prices, and the availability calendar.
4. They read client reviews and ratings to assess fit and trust.
5. They send the stylist a direct message to discuss their needs or confirm a slot.
6. The stylist responds and the appointment is arranged off-platform (v1) or on it (v2).

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v1 scope

Location-based stylist search and filtering
Surfaces stylists within a user-defined radius and lets them filter by service type, distance, and price. Lives on the Search/Home screen.

Verified portfolio with before-and-after photos
Stylists upload paired photos tagged to a specific service; the platform marks them as verified once reviewed. Lives on the Stylist Profile screen.

Price transparency per service
Each service the stylist offers (e.g., box braids, silk press, locs retwist) displays a fixed or starting price. Listed within the Stylist Profile under a dedicated Services section.

Stylist availability calendar sync
Stylists connect an external calendar or manually mark open slots; consumers see real availability before reaching out. Lives on the Stylist Profile screen as a read-only calendar view.

Review and rating system by clients
Clients leave a star rating and written review after a service; reviews are tied to verified past interactions. Displayed on the Stylist Profile and factored into search ranking.

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Deliberately later

• In-app messaging with instant response — direct contact works in v1; a full messaging layer with read receipts and push notifications requires reliability infrastructure that should follow proven demand.
• Online booking with cancellation buffer — booking logic, deposit handling, and cancellation policies are high-stakes UX; build them once the core search-and-discover loop is validated.
• Saved favorites and repeat booking — meaningful only after users have completed at least one appointment cycle; retention features earn their complexity in v2.

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Data model sketch

• users — id, name, email, hashed password, role (consumer | stylist), location coordinates, created_at
• stylist_profiles — id, user_id, bio, years_experience, travel_radius, verified (bool), avg_rating
• services — id, stylist_id, name, description, price_min, price_max, duration_minutes
• portfolio_items — id, stylist_id, service_id, before_photo_url, after_photo_url, verified (bool), uploaded_at
• availability_slots — id, stylist_id, date, start_time, end_time, is_booked (bool), source (manual | calendar_sync)
• reviews — id, stylist_id, reviewer_user_id, rating (1–5), body, created_at, verified_appointment (bool)
• messages — id, sender_id, recipient_id, body, sent_at, read_at
• locations — id, user_id, city, state, postcode, lat, lng

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Screens

• Home / Search — entry point; location input, filters, and a ranked list of nearby stylist cards.
• Stylist Profile — full profile: bio, portfolio carousel, services with prices, availability calendar, and reviews.
• Search Results — filtered grid or list of stylists with summary card (photo, distance, rating, starting price).
• Review Submission — form for clients to leave a star rating and written review after a service.
• Stylist Dashboard — stylists manage their profile, upload portfolio photos, set services and prices, and update availability.
• Messages — threaded conversation list between consumer and stylist.
• Account / Settings — profile details, notification preferences, role-specific options.

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How to use this document

• Bring it into Mind Palace, where the guided platform and its AI coach pick up from exactly this document and build the product with you step by step.
• Hand it to a developer as the complete v1 brief — scope, data model, and screens are all defined.
• Keep it as the single source of truth to check every new feature request against before it enters the backlog.