@cmartin1
Have you tried using the salon finder? That's how I found my salon and I'm really happy with it.
Curly Hair Salons & Stylists in
When you cut your hair, your curls won't be weighed down as much so you shouldn't have any problems. I say go for it!
@Greencurls
IMO, cutting your own hair in the back is too hard. Unless you're a straight across cut like in the videos, I think it would be almost impossible to do it well.
When I did the ponytail method, most of my layers were on the top and front. The back of my head was just one layer and it was pretty straight.