Building beyond the big cities: what we're learning in Poland's beauty market
by Przemysław Barszcz5 minute read
Przemysław Barszcz, Poland Country Manager
Last year, I took a late train to a small Polish town for a client visit. When I stepped off at the station and walked toward the salon, I spotted something that surprised me - a Booksy sticker on the door. I hadn't expected to find our app here, hours from Warsaw, but there it was.
The salon owner couldn't have been more welcoming. Over coffee, he told me he couldn't imagine running his business without Booksy. That conversation reminded me why our work in Poland matters - we're not just growing in major cities. We're helping beauty professionals build businesses that meet their ambitions, everywhere.
Poland has taught me that mature markets aren't boring markets. They're laboratories.
Poland has taught me that mature markets aren't boring markets. They're laboratories.
When you've already captured the obvious opportunities, you get creative. We've had to dig deeper, look wider, and move faster than markets where growth comes easy. That pressure has made us better.
Take our barber scene. Ten years ago, Polish men went to traditional hairdressers. Today, modern barbershops are everywhere, and they're booking through Booksy. We didn't just ride this trend - we helped accelerate it by making it easier for these new businesses to manage clients and grow.
Our nail sector moves even faster. Polish nail artists have global reputations, and they demand tools that match their ambition. When they push our product team for new features, those improvements benefit nail professionals worldwide.
But the real breakthrough has been physiotherapy.
Healthcare providers need appointment systems just like beauty professionals, but most booking platforms aren't built for medical practices. We saw the opportunity first in Poland, worked through the regulatory requirements, and built something that actually works for physio practices.
Now other markets are watching what we learned here. Ideas that start in Kraków end up helping providers in Chicago. That's the advantage and excitement of being a test market - when you solve problems here, you're often solving them for everyone.
The biggest challenge isn't technical, though. It's geographic.
Poland's major cities are well-served, but there are thousands of smaller towns where beauty professionals are still managing appointments with pen and paper. These aren't early adopters who discover new apps on social media. They need different approaches, more personal conversations, proof that digital tools actually solve their problems.
Our team has gotten good at this. We celebrate small wins - like that salon owner in the small town - because they represent bigger opportunities. Every provider we help in a previously untouched market opens doors for ten more.
The work requires patience, but it's worth it. My team understands that sustainable growth means going where others haven't, helping businesses that others overlook, and proving our value one salon at a time.
Together you can do everything
We have a saying here in Poland, "Razem można wszystko" – "Together you can do everything." It's not corporate motivational BS. It's how we actually work.
When someone has a birthday, we pool money for gifts. When a team member needs help with a difficult client situation, others jump in with ideas. When we're testing a new category like Booksy MED, everyone contributes insights from their market conversations.
This collaborative spirit drives our results, but it also makes the work more human. We're not just hitting metrics – we're building something that improves people's lives, including our own.
Looking ahead, we're focused on reaching those smaller cities and expanding into wellness categories. The beauty core remains strong, but we see bigger opportunities in physiotherapy, massage therapy, and other booking-based services.
