Meet the Team
KEMPT was founded on the idea that men deserve a better grooming experience. We knew that there had to be a better option than traditional salons designed for women, barbershops that focus on speed and high volume at the expense of customer service, or undesirable discount chains. But there wasn’t, so we created KEMPT.
RICHARD SPROUT// CO-FOUNDER / CEO
Richard is the co-founder of KEMPT. A native of South Africa, he brings more to the team than just a great head of hair. His ability to analyze, strategize, and execute (skills honed as a veteran firefighter), allow him to facilitate daily operations from behind the scenes, ensuring that KEMPT delivers the simple, but significant experience our clients appreciate.
Hometown: George, South Africa
Age I first cut hair: 18, I cut my friends’ hair, leaving a signature long spot in the crown that they could never see….
Best Dad Joke: What do you call a guy who used to like tractors? An extractor fan!
MELISSA SPROUT// CO-FOUNDER / EDUCATOR
Melissa is the co-founder of KEMPT and a men’s hair enthusiast. After graduating from UC Irvine, she continued on the creative path as a hairstylist. Inspired by her husband and son, Melissa’s interest in men’s hair quickly developed into her passion. She knew that in order to to create the perfect haircut and experience for male clients, something more was needed. This motivated her to create KEMPT.
Location: Irvine/ Costa Mesa at South Coast
Hometown: San Bernardino, CA
Age I first cut hair: 3, it was my own (my sister declined my offer), and my mom cried – not tears of joy.
Best Dad Joke: Why do you never see elephants hiding in trees? They are really good at it.
KATIE // TEAM LEADER / STYLIST
Location: Costa Mesa at South Coast - Mon-Fri
Hometown: Mission Viejo, Ca
Age I First Cut Hair: 10. I tried to cut my own bangs. Needless to say, it didn’t go well.
Best Dad Joke: What’s Forrest Gumps’s password? 1Forrest1
SUE // LEAD STYLIST
Location: Irvine - Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat
Hometown: Baldwin, NY
Age I first cut hair: When I was 8 I gave all of my Barbies haircuts- ruined them all!
Best Dad Joke: Want to hear a joke about paper? Nevermind- it’s tearable.
KAILANA// STYLIST
Location: Irvine – Tues / Costa Mesa at South Coast – Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat
Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA
Age I First Cut Hair: I was around 3 or 4. I had this strange fixation with cutting MY OWN hair. Not just one time, but MANY, MANY times over. Thinking I was “slick” I would hide my curly locks in weird places around the house. You could say my passion and love for cutting hair started pretty early on.
Best Dad Joke: What kind of phones do turtles use? Shell-ular phones.
EMI// TEAM LEADER / STYLIST
Location: Irvine – Thurs, Fri / Costa Mesa at South Coast – Wed, Sat
Hometown: Costa Mesa, California
Age I First Cut Hair: 13. My cousin needed a haircut and asked me to do it. It was not terrible!
Best Dad Joke: What are there pop tarts but no mom tarts? Because of the pastriarchy!
WHITNEY// STYLIST
Location: Irvine – Tues, Wed, Friday / Costa Mesa at South Coast – Thurs
Hometown: Huntington Beach, California
Age I First Cut Hair: 7 years old, cutting my barbie’s hair. Lots of bob cuts 🙂
Best Dad Joke: What do you call a girl in the middle of a tennis court? Annette.
KEN// STYLIST
Location: Irvine – Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat
Hometown: Fountain Valley, California
Age I First Cut Hair: I started to cut my brothers hair when I was 12 years old.
Best Dad Joke: “Dad, did you get a haircut?” “No, I got them all cut!”
TORI // STYLIST
Location: Irvine - Mon, Wed, Thurs / Costa Mesa at South Coast - Fri, Sat
Hometown: Long Beach, California
Age I First Cut Hair: 7 years old. I cut one of my aunt’s doll heads in her salon. Definitely didn’t think haircutting was going to be in the family when I gave the doll a bald spot.
Best Dad Joke: What did the flower say to the little flower? “Hi bud!”
KAREN // STYLIST
Location: Irvine – Mon, Sat / Costa Mesa at South Coast Tuesday and Friday
Hometown: Walnut, CA
Age I First Cut Hair: I was about 4 years old and I was playing hairstylist with my grandma. Somehow I acquired real life scissors and cut the back of her bob off and showed her. I’ve been playing hair stylist ever since.
Best Dad Joke: What did the ocean say to the beach? Nothing! It just waved.
JENNI // STYLIST
Location: Irvine – Wed, Thurs, Fri / Costa Mesa at South Coast – Mon, Sat
Hometown: Sparks, NV
Age I First Cut Hair: When I was about 6, I remember being fascinated by the process of getting my hair cut. I don’t know when I first cut hair, but I remember carefully combing and cutting the fringe off my mom’s decorative towels. She wasn’t thrilled!
Best Dad Joke: Goodbye boiling water, you will be mist.
JAYDE // STYLIST
Location: Irvine – Wed, Thurs / Costa Mesa at South Coast – Mon, Fri, Sat
Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA
Age I First Cut Hair: I started cutting my own hair in high school. I was very picky about my bangs and felt I never could explain it correctly so I started cutting my own bangs. I messed up a lot but always found a way to style it well and work with it. Eventually I learned from my mistakes and now can cut the best bangs around! lol
Best Dad Joke: I don’t trust those trees. They seem kind of shady