Independent Contractor Agreement

(a) Engagement. The Company hereby engages Contractor, and Contractor accepts such engagement, to provide hair braiding services to clients who book through the Company’s digital platform (the “Platform”).

(b) Scope of Services. Contractor shall provide natural hair braiding services, including but not limited to box braids, knotless braids, cornrows, and related styles (collectively, the “Services”).

(c) Permitted Services Only. Contractor agrees that: (i) only natural hair braiding services are permitted through the Platform; and (ii) Contractor shall not perform any services requiring a cosmetology license for any service booked through the Platform unless Contractor independently holds and complies with such licensing requirements.

(d) Autonomy. Subject to Section 20(c) with respect to Salon Members, Contractor retains full discretion over: (i) whether to accept or decline booking requests; (ii) scheduling and availability; and (iii) the manner, method, and means of performing the Services.

(a) Contractor is an independent contractor and not an employee, partner, or agent of the Company.

(b) Contractor shall not be entitled to: (i) wages or salary; (ii) employee benefits of any kind; or (iii) workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance coverage.

(c) Contractor is solely responsible for: (i) payment of all federal, state, and local taxes; (ii) obtaining and maintaining any insurance; and (iii) compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

(d) Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create an employment relationship.

(a) Contractor agrees to use the Platform in accordance with Company policies and applicable terms.

(b) Contractor shall: (i) maintain accurate and current profile information; (ii) communicate with clients in a professional manner; and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to perform Services in a safe and workmanlike manner consistent with general industry standards for natural hair braiding.

(c) Contractor acknowledges that: (i) the Company may publish general guidelines, ratings systems, or client feedback mechanisms on the Platform; and (ii) such guidelines and feedback are intended to support marketplace quality and user experience, and not to control the manner or means by which Contractor performs the Services.

(d) Contractor remains solely responsible for determining: (i) how to perform the Services; (ii) the tools, techniques, and products used; and (iii) the conditions under which Services are performed, subject to applicable law.

(e) Names and Public Profile. Contractor’s legal first and last name must match the government-issued identification submitted for verification and, once Contractor’s profile has been verified, may only be changed by contacting the Company. Contractor must also maintain a display name, which is the name shown to clients. Contractor’s display name, profile photo, portfolio, services, ratings, and reviews are displayed publicly on the Platform, including to visitors who do not have an account.

(a) Payment Processing; Account Setup. All payments are processed through Stripe or another third-party payment processor. Completion of identity verification and submission of required information through the Platform remains mandatory before Contractor may accept bookings or perform Services. Completion of Stripe (or such other payment processor’s) account setup is not required in order for Contractor to accept bookings, perform Services, or earn compensation; however, amounts earned by Contractor remain Contractor’s property but cannot be transferred to Contractor’s bank account until Contractor has completed such account setup.

(b) Compensation. Contractor shall receive payment for completed Services, less the applicable Platform service fee.

(c) Platform Fee. The Company shall retain a fifteen percent (15%) Platform service fee, which includes payment processing fees. The Platform service fee is calculated on the Contractor Service Base for each booking. “Contractor Service Base” means the amount attributable to Contractor’s Services for a booking, exclusive of taxes and of any separate amounts collected by the Company from the client. Contractor acknowledges that the Contractor Service Base may be less than the total amount charged to the client for a booking. The Company reserves the right to modify the Platform service fee from time to time upon prior notice to Contractor, and Contractor’s continued use of the Platform following such notice shall constitute acceptance of the updated fee.

(d) Adjustments. Payments may be adjusted in connection with: (i) cancellations; (ii) disputes; or (iii) refunds or chargebacks.

(e) Control of Funds. Contractor acknowledges that the Company does not directly hold or control customer funds.

(f) Referral Program. The Company may from time to time offer a referral program under which Contractor may earn additional amounts for referring other braiders to the Platform. Participation is voluntary. The reward amounts, qualifying conditions, payment timing, and eligibility requirements of any such program are determined by the Company, may change or be discontinued at any time in the Company’s sole discretion, and shall be those stated in the Platform at the relevant time. No referral reward is earned or payable until the applicable qualifying conditions have been satisfied.

(a) Standardized Pricing. Contractor acknowledges and agrees that the Platform may establish and display standardized pricing for Services in order to promote consistency, transparency, and marketplace quality standards for users of the Platform.

(b) Acceptance of Pricing Structure. Contractor remains free to decide whether to participate on the Platform and whether to accept or decline booking requests offered through the Platform at the displayed pricing rates, subject to Section 20(c) with respect to Salon Members.

(c) No Guarantee of Bookings. The Company does not guarantee any minimum number of bookings, clients, or earnings to Contractor.

(d) No Control Over Manner of Services. Nothing in this Section, including the use of standardized pricing, shall be interpreted as control by the Company over the manner, means, methods, or techniques by which Contractor performs the Services.

(a) Contractor agrees that, with respect to any client first introduced to Contractor through the Platform, Contractor shall not, without the Company’s prior written consent: (i) solicit such client to book or pay for services outside of the Platform; or (ii) accept payment from such client outside of the Platform for services that are substantially similar to those offered through the Platform.

(b) The restriction set forth in this Section shall apply: (i) during the term of this Agreement; and (ii) for a period of six (6) months following Contractor’s last interaction with such client through the Platform.

(c) This Section is intended to protect the Company’s legitimate business interests in its client relationships and goodwill and shall be interpreted narrowly to apply only to: (i) clients introduced to Contractor through the Platform; and (ii) services that are competitive with or substantially similar to those offered through the Platform.

(d) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit Contractor from: (i) operating an independent business; (ii) providing services to clients not introduced through the Platform; or (iii) engaging in lawful competition generally.

(a) This Agreement shall continue until terminated by either party.

(b) Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time upon written notice.

(c) The Company may suspend or terminate Contractor’s access to the Platform for violation of this Agreement.

(a) Contractor represents and warrants that Contractor: (i) complies with all applicable laws and regulations; (ii) holds any required licenses or certifications; and (iii) will not perform unauthorized or unlicensed services.

(b) The Company does not verify or guarantee Contractor’s compliance.

(a) Contractor is solely responsible for maintaining any applicable insurance, including general liability insurance.

(b) The Company does not provide insurance coverage for Contractor.

(a) Contractor is solely responsible for: (i) sanitation practices; (ii) safe use of tools and products; and (iii) compliance with health regulations.

(b) Contractor shall use reasonable efforts to: (i) identify client sensitivities or allergies; and (ii) provide services in a safe manner.

(a) Contractor acknowledges that Services may be performed at third-party locations, including client residences.

(b) Contractor assumes all risks associated with: (i) travel to and from service locations; and (ii) performing Services in environments not controlled by the Company.

(c) The Company shall not be liable for: (i) personal injury; (ii) property damage; or (iii) accidents occurring during transit or service performance.

(a) Platform Ownership. All intellectual property related to the Platform is owned by the Company.

(b) Contractor Content License. Contractor grants the Company a worldwide, royalty-free license to use any photos, videos, or content uploaded to the Platform for operational and promotional purposes.

(c) Work Product. To the extent Contractor creates any materials specifically for the Company (excluding standard service results such as hairstyles): (i) such materials shall be deemed “work made for hire”; or (ii) if not deemed a work made for hire, Contractor hereby assigns all rights to the Company.

(d) Portfolio. Contractor may upload photos of Contractor’s work to a portfolio displayed publicly on Contractor’s profile, up to the number of photos permitted by the Platform. Contractor represents that each portfolio photo: (i) shows hairstyles performed by Contractor; (ii) is not Media captured through the Platform’s before-and-after feature; and (iii) is shared with the consent of any person who can be identified in it. The Company may remove any portfolio photo that does not comply with this Agreement or with Platform policies.

(a) Contractor may capture before-and-after images in connection with Services.

(b) Contractor agrees to: (i) obtain any required client consent; and (ii) comply with applicable privacy laws and Platform policies.

(c) Contractor shall not use such Media except as permitted by the Company.

(a) Contractor shall not disclose any confidential information relating to the Company or its users.

(b) This obligation shall survive termination of this Agreement.

(a) Contractor shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company from any claims arising out of: (i) Contractor’s performance of Services; (ii) Contractor’s negligence or misconduct; (iii) Contractor’s violation of this Agreement or applicable law.

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

(a) Binding Arbitration. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Platform, or the relationship between the parties shall be resolved exclusively through final and binding arbitration administered by a recognized arbitration provider (such as the American Arbitration Association) in accordance with its applicable rules. The arbitration shall take place in New York, New York, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

(b) Waiver of Jury Trial. Contractor knowingly and voluntarily waives any right to a trial by jury in any proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

(c) Class Action Waiver. Contractor agrees that: (i) any disputes shall be brought solely in Contractor’s individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative proceeding; and (ii) Contractor waives any right to participate in any class action, collective action, or similar proceeding.

(d) Limited Court Relief. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may seek injunctive or equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property, confidential information, or other proprietary rights.

(a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

(a) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties.

(b) Severability. If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in effect.

(c) Assignment. (i) Contractor may not assign this Agreement without prior written consent; and (ii) the Company may freely assign this Agreement.

(d) Amendments. This Agreement may be modified by the Company upon notice through the Platform.

(a) Definitions. A “Salon” is a Contractor that registers on the Platform as a salon account and offers Services through a team of individual braiders. A “Salon Member” is an individual braider who has asked to join a Salon’s team through the Platform and whose request the Salon has approved. A “Salon Booking” is a booking made with a Salon through the Platform, including a booking that the Salon assigns to a Salon Member.

(b) Application of this Agreement. The Salon and each Salon Member are each a party to this Agreement as a Contractor. Each Salon Member must complete identity verification in accordance with Section 4(a) and is individually bound by the provisions of this Agreement that govern the performance of Services, including Sections 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 20, references in this Agreement to “Contractor” include both the Salon and each Salon Member.

(c) Assignment of Salon Bookings. A Salon may assign a Salon Booking to any of its Salon Members who is marked as available on the Platform and does not have a booking in progress. By joining a Salon, each Salon Member authorizes the Salon to accept Salon Bookings on the Salon Member’s behalf, and a Salon Booking assigned in this way is accepted for the Salon Member automatically. A Salon Member controls whether Salon Bookings may be assigned to them by setting their availability on the Platform, and may withdraw this authorization at any time by leaving the Salon in accordance with Section 20(h). Sections 1(d)(i) and 5(b) apply to Salon Members subject to this Section 20(c).

(d) Payments for Salon Bookings. All amounts payable for Salon Bookings, including tips, are paid to the Salon’s connected payment account, less the Platform service fee under Section 4(c), and not to the Salon Member who performed the Services. A Salon Member is not required to maintain a connected payment account while a member of a Salon. If the Salon’s payment account is not able to receive payments, such amounts may be held in accordance with Platform policies until it is able to do so. Payment to the Salon fully discharges the Company’s payment obligations for a Salon Booking, and the Company has no obligation to pay any amount to a Salon Member for Salon Bookings.

(e) Relationship Between a Salon and its Salon Members. The relationship between a Salon and its Salon Members, including compensation and the division of any amounts paid to the Salon, is solely between them. The Salon is solely responsible for: (i) compensating its Salon Members; (ii) determining and complying with the legal status of its Salon Members under applicable law, including any wage and hour, tax withholding, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance requirements; (iii) any tax reporting relating to amounts it pays to Salon Members; and (iv) ensuring that its Salon Members hold any licenses and insurance required for the Services. Nothing in this Agreement creates an employment, agency, or joint-employer relationship between the Company and any Salon Member, and the Company does not direct, supervise, or control the work of Salon Members. Any term used on the Platform to describe Salon Members, such as “team member” or “employee,” is descriptive only and does not reflect a determination by the Company of any Salon Member’s legal status.

(f) Salon Responsibility. The Salon is responsible to the Company for Salon Bookings, including any cancellations, refunds, chargebacks, and adjustments under Section 4(d), and the Salon’s indemnification obligations under Section 15 extend to claims arising out of Services performed by its Salon Members, in addition to each Salon Member’s own obligations.

(g) Non-Circumvention. For purposes of Section 6, a client of a Salon Booking is deemed to have been introduced through the Platform to both the Salon and the Salon Member who performed the Services.

(h) Leaving a Salon. A Salon may remove a Salon Member, and a Salon Member may leave a Salon, at any time, except while the Salon Member has a booking in progress. After leaving a Salon, the individual may continue to use the Platform as an independent Contractor once they have completed the requirements of Section 4(a), including connecting their own payment account. Amounts for Salon Bookings completed before the individual left the Salon remain payable to the Salon.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.