Tackling Taboos Head-on: How Great Many Is Changing the Hair Loss Conversation

Great Many’s debut NYC clinic is the first of its kind

Self-care is a booming industry. There are nearly 1.5 million hair and nail salons in the United States alone, and that’s not even including the thousands of medspas and other specialized wellness businesses like massage studios. Yet despite the multitude of options available to help people feel better in their own skin, one facet of self-care remains largely unexplored: hair loss. Sure, you can seek treatments at a dermatologist’s office or some medspas, but it’s typically not their area of expertise, and the topic of hair loss remains somewhat taboo.

“Hair loss is still this mystery for folks, and it requires a lot of education and patience,” said self-care entrepreneur Michael Pollak in an interview with Boulevard. “You don’t know what’s a myth and what’s misinformation.” Enter Great Many, a first-of-its-kind hair loss clinic that opened in June 2024 in New York City. Founded by Pollak and his business partner Steve Klebanow, Great Many seeks to demystify hair loss treatment and create comprehensive treatment plans — one follicle at a time.

Exploring the next self-care frontier

Great Many isn’t its founders’ first foray into self-care entrepreneurship. Pollak previously co-founded Heyday, a New York City-based clinic (and Boulevard customer) that quickly gained popularity for its approachable, personalized approach to skin care. “The whole idea was to take the facial out of the luxury spa and into a space that was more affordable and more accessible,” Pollak said. In less than a decade, Heyday has spread to 30 locations throughout the United States — and Pollak wanted to use that same approach and create a “Heyday for hair growth.”

Pollak’s Great Many co-founder Klebanow has an equally impressive resume. He began his career in management consulting, focusing on health and wellness businesses. In 2014, he joined Estée Lauder Companies Inc., where he led global Omnichannel strategy as vice president. Alongside his corporate career, Klebanow also co-founded Haar & Co. Barbershop (also a Boulevard customer) with his longtime friend and barber.

With combined decades of experience and expertise in running self-care businesses, Pollak and Klebanow were ready to bring their vision of “a home for hair growth” to life. Staffed by medical professionals like nurse practitioners, Great Many combines consultations, medication, nonsurgical treatments, and hair care under a single umbrella and treats hair loss from the root.

Getting to the root of the problem

“If you think about growing a plant successfully, you need soil, you need sunlight, you need water, you need pest control,” Klebanow explained. Hair loss is similar, he says — there’s no one-step solution or magic ingredient. But when seeking his own hair loss solution, “what I found is that the companies that exist out there today only really speak to one part of the puzzle. You have telemedicine companies that are just talking about prescriptions. You have nutraceutical companies that are just talking about supplements. You have product brands that are just talking about shampoos and conditioners and serums.”

That’s what differentiates Great Many from other self-care businesses that might dabble in hair loss treatments without specializing in them. Great Many isn’t just the seed; it’s also the soil, the sunlight, and the fertilizer. The clinicians at Great Many create multi-faceted treatment plans that begin with individualized consultations.

“Clients meet with a medical professional, not a salesperson. You get a proper consultation. We've got this great scalp camera that actually gets to the follicle level, and then more importantly, those clinicians build a plan and a roadmap for you that's really tailored to your personal needs,” Klebanow said. These treatment plans typically use a bespoke combination of products and services “to actually get the best outcomes.”

“I think what we offer our clients is a big shift compared to what you kind of get out there if you're just buying something on Instagram on a hope and a prayer,” Pollak added.

“I feel like I finally know what I’m doing”

In the few weeks since Great Many opened its doors, Pollak and Klebanow are already getting promising feedback from clients. “The biggest thing that's resonated with us is people saying, ‘I feel like I finally know what I'm doing,’” Klebanow said.

According to Pollak, “90% of the battle is knowing what to do,” as opposed to the trial-and-error approach of trying different products and services in hopes of finding something that works. When clients seek treatment at Great Many, they’re also getting a roadmap that shows them what to expect in three, six, nine, and 12 months — and what’s required to get the results they want. “You just stop stressing about it because you’ve got a plan in place.”

And make no mistake, hair loss can be a stressful topic. “Hair is a real part of one’s identity,” Pollak said. There’s also a perception that it only affects a certain demographic, but in reality, “It’s something that impacts men, women, all ages, twenties through sixties.” By shining a light on this surprisingly common condition, Pollak and Klebanow are working to address “beauty’s last taboo” and making it easier to seek treatment. To that end, they’ll soon launch a telemedicine business “to provide a home for hair regardless of where you are,” as Klebanow put it.

That’s not the duo’s only plan for the future of Great Many. Later this year, they’ll launch their own Great Many product line that utilizes a “proprietary growth factor complex.” Over the next few years, Pollak and Klebanow want to open more studios in key cities throughout the United States. In the meantime, they’re partnering with local “ambassadors” — barbers, stylists, and colorists — to spread the word.

“We invite them into the studio and they actually get a consultation or a treatment so they really understand the experience,” Klebanow explained. This way, ambassadors can make informed recommendations to clients who inquire about hair loss recommendations. The result is a growing network of hair care specialists who better understand why it’s important to take a holistic approach to hair growth.

Even as Great Many grows, “the lens will always be around hair, hair growth, scalp care,” Pollak said. “I think there’s a lot of success to be had in doing one thing and doing it really well.” Hair loss remains a challenging topic to discuss, even among self-care enthusiasts and professionals. However, if the founders of Great Many have anything to say about it, that taboo’s days are numbered.