Edmund & Tracey Washington
Razored Technologies – MICRO Spring 2024
Published April 9, 2025
As part of our ‘Meet Our Founders’ series today, we introduce Edmund & Tracey Washington, Co-CEOs of Razored Technoliges based in Concord, NC. Razored Technologies delivers a comprehensive POS system for barbershops, nail, and hair salons, featuring appointment management, inventory, reporting, marketing, capacity-building, and undisclosed advanced features.
Q: What problem are you trying to solve and what influenced you to start your company?
A: We are addressing two core problems in the barbershop and grooming industry. First, existing online booking systems often result in poor client-to-service-provider pairing, which harms both customer satisfaction and revenue. Second, many business owners excel at delivering services but lack the education and tools to drive profitability.
My (Edmund) inspiration stemmed from personal experience. My partners and I own 14 barbershops called No Grease Barbershop, and we found existing software solutions inadequate for our critical needs. Since none fully addressed our concerns or truly listened to user feedback, I decided to build our own solution. During the Charlotte Launch program at UNC Charlotte, I interviewed 181 business owners and customers to identify their shared challenges. These discussions revealed a significant market gap and confirmed our commitment to continuous, user-driven innovation, a principle we will uphold as Razored Technologies expands.
Q: What are you most excited about right now? What keeps you up at night?
A: I’m most excited about building a truly diverse team from all backgrounds, particularly creating opportunities for young African American men and women. Attending AfroTech in Houston last year was incredibly inspiring—I saw countless young people eager to learn, armed with their resumes, ready to be interviewed by some of the world’s top tech firms. Witnessing that passion drives me to foster similar growth and development within my own company.
What keeps me up at night is the thrill of bringing ideas to life: starting with a Figma design, jotting down initial notes, and transforming them into a fully-fledged MVP. The excitement can be so intense that I often find myself awake at 3 AM, testing new concepts and refining our processes. It’s an exhilarating feeling—knowing we’re building something meaningful and pushing boundaries every step of the way.
Q: When did you know you wanted to take an entrepreneurial path?
A: I believe my entrepreneurial spirit is rooted in family legacy. Although I never met my great-grandmother, she owned both a farm in Lumberton, NC and a hair salon and restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. My father often shared her story, and as I grew older, the idea of entrepreneurship really resonated with me—especially while studying business at Gardner-Webb University. Ultimately, I fully embraced this path when I opened my first business in 2019.
Q: Who do you look to for advice and mentorship?
A: I believe strongly in the power of mentorship and strive to be a great mentee by truly listening. My wife and co-founder, Tracey, is someone I rely on heavily—her brilliance inspires me every day. I also turn to seasoned professionals like Peter Badger (Head of Program Management at Allspring Global Investments and co-founder of a company later acquired by Citrix), Shawntera Hardy (an entrepreneur who has raised millions in venture capital), and Bryan Scott (former Vice President of Enterprise Environment Health & Safety at Boeing) for their invaluable guidance. Their insights and unwavering support have all been key contributions to my development.
While visiting the Concord area, Edmund & Tracey recommend:
- We love pointing visitors to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture for a fascinating glimpse into the rich heritage of African American art and history. After exploring the museum’s exhibits or attending one of their dynamic events, we recommend heading over to Optimist Hall. It’s a lively food hall with a wide range of local vendors, perfect for sampling the diverse flavors our city has to offer.
Support Razored Technologies and Edmund & Tracey by:
- We have a highly capable team, but as new founders, we’re eager to learn and grow. We currently have one advisory board member and one unofficial mentor who has been invaluable to our development. We would welcome two additional advisory board members who have successfully started and exited their own companies to provide strategic guidance and support.
