The Unexpected Entrepreneur | Alli Webb | TEDxIndianaUniversity

Summary

In this inspiring narrative, the speaker recounts her journey from a lost high school graduate to the founder of Drybar, a company she sold for $255 million. Initially unsure of her path, she found her passion in cosmetology and started a mobile blowout business, which evolved into the successful Drybar brand. Despite feeling like an impostor in various roles, she embraced new challenges, leading to growth and success. The speaker also discusses overcoming personal struggles and shares her story in 'The Messy Truth,' encouraging others to pursue their dreams despite fear and self-doubt.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker sold her company, Drybar, for $255 million, a success she never anticipated when she started at 35 years old.
• 🏫 She felt lost after high school and decided against going to college, as she wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life.
• 💇‍♀️ The speaker had a passion for hair and decided to attend cosmetology school in New York City, which was a pivotal moment in her career.
• 🤱 After becoming a stay-at-home mom, she started a mobile blowout business to maintain flexibility and pursue her passion for hair styling.
• 📈 The mobile business was so successful that she decided to open a brick and mortar store, which led to the creation of Drybar.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 With the support of her brother and ex-husband, she turned her mobile business into a successful chain with 150 locations across the country.
• 💡 The success of Drybar was attributed not just to the blowouts, but also to the happiness and confidence it provided to women.
• 🚀 The company expanded by launching a product line, which was sold exclusively with Sephora and contributed to the company's high valuation.
• 📚 The speaker wrote a book called 'The Messy Truth' to share her personal journey, mistakes, and lessons learned as an entrepreneur.
• 🦈 She appeared as a guest judge on 'Shark Tank', showcasing her growth and experience in the business world.
• 🔄 After selling Drybar, the speaker is now focused on building the next chapter of her life, embracing new challenges and opportunities.

Q & A

At what age did the speaker sell her company for $255 million?

The speaker sold her company when she was 48 years old, 13 years after being 35.

What was the speaker's initial career path after high school?

The speaker did not go to college and was initially lost, not knowing what to do with her life.

What was the speaker's passion that led her to cosmetology school?

The speaker had a lifelong love for doing hair and struggled with her own naturally curly and frizzy hair, which led her to cosmetology school.

Why did the speaker move to New York City?

The speaker moved to New York City to start her career, as she was unsure about her path and wanted to explore different opportunities.

What prompted the speaker to start a mobile blowout business?

After being a stay-at-home mom for five years and wanting to do something for herself without a college degree, she decided to start a mobile blowout business to serve her mommy friends and still be able to pick up her kids from preschool.

What was the initial charge for the speaker's mobile blowout service in LA?

The initial charge for the mobile blowout service was $40.

Who were the speaker's partners in starting the brick and mortar business?

The speaker's brother and ex-husband were her partners in starting the brick and mortar business.

How many dry bars were there across the country when the speaker sold the business?

There were 150 dry bars across the country when the speaker sold the business.

What product line did the speaker's company start three years into the business?

The company started a product line that was launched exclusively with Sephora.

What is the title of the book the speaker wrote after selling her business?

The title of the book is 'The Messy Truth'.

What does the speaker believe about the 'impostor syndrome'?

The speaker believes that feeling like an impostor is not negative, but rather a sign that one is doing something right and stepping into new and exciting roles.

Outlines

00:00

💇‍♀️ From Lost to Entrepreneur: The Drybar Journey

The speaker reflects on her life over the past 13 years, starting at age 35 with no college degree and an uncertain future. Initially lost after high school, she found her passion for hair and moved to New York City to explore various career paths. Eventually, she attended cosmetology school and started a mobile blowout business in LA while being a stay-at-home mom. This venture's success led to the creation of Drybar, which unexpectedly became a global phenomenon. The speaker emphasizes the importance of seeking what excites you and taking risks, as she did when transforming her mobile business into a brick and mortar establishment with the support of her brother and ex-husband.

05:01

🚀 Scaling Success: The Magic of Drybar and Beyond

The speaker delves into the success of Drybar, highlighting that it's not just about selling blowouts but also about providing happiness and confidence to women. She credits the unique combination of her brother's business acumen, her ex-husband's creative direction, and her own expertise in hair for the company's rapid growth. Despite the challenges of not having a formal business education, she learned on the job and successfully expanded the business to 150 locations. The speaker also discusses the launch of a product line in partnership with Sephora, which played a significant role in the company's eventual $255 million sale. After selling Drybar, she embarked on writing a book, 'The Messy Truth,' sharing her personal journey, challenges, and lessons learned. She encourages embracing the 'impostor syndrome' as a sign of stepping into new roles and taking on exciting challenges without fear.

Keywords

💡Dry Bar

Dry Bar is a global phenomenon that started as a mobile blowout business and evolved into a chain of salons specializing in blowouts. In the script, the founder describes how she unexpectedly sold her company for $255 million, highlighting the success and growth of Dry Bar from a small idea to a large-scale business.

💡Seeker

A 'Seeker' in the context of the video refers to someone who is always in pursuit of passion and excitement in life. The speaker identifies herself as a seeker, emphasizing her journey of self-discovery and the drive that led her to establish Dry Bar, which was rooted in her love for hair and desire to find her path in life.

💡Cosmetology School

Cosmetology School is where professionals are trained in beauty treatments such as hair styling, makeup, and skin care. The speaker mentions attending cosmetology school after trying various career paths, which was a pivotal decision that eventually led to her expertise in hair and the creation of Dry Bar.

💡Mobile Business

A mobile business refers to a service that is provided on-site at the customer's location rather than at a fixed business location. The speaker started a mobile blowout business, which was the precursor to Dry Bar, allowing her to provide services to her friends while maintaining flexibility to care for her children.

💡Brick and Mortar

Brick and mortar refers to a traditional business with a physical store or location. The speaker decided to transition her successful mobile blowout business into a brick and mortar establishment, which is a significant step in the growth of Dry Bar and its expansion into multiple locations.

💡Impostor Syndrome

Impostor Syndrome is the feeling of inadequacy and fear of being exposed as a 'fraud' despite evidence of success. The speaker discusses her experience with impostor syndrome, indicating that it was a driving force for her to take on new challenges and grow, rather than a barrier.

💡Product Line

A product line refers to a range of products that are related and sold under the same brand. The speaker mentions launching a product line with Sephora, which allowed customers without a Dry Bar nearby to recreate the salon experience at home, contributing to the company's valuation and eventual sale.

💡Sweat Equity

Sweat equity is the value of the labor and effort an individual contributes to a project or business in lieu of financial investment. The speaker's brother invested money into the business in exchange for her 50% sweat equity, signifying her significant role in the business's success through her work and expertise.

💡Stay-at-Home Mom

A stay-at-home mom is a mother who does not work outside the home and focuses on raising her children. The speaker was a stay-at-home mom for five years before starting her business, illustrating the transition from domestic life to entrepreneurship.

💡Self-Discovery

Self-discovery is the process of learning about oneself, one's interests, and one's path in life. The speaker's journey of self-discovery is central to the video's narrative, as it led her to find her passion for hair and ultimately establish Dry Bar.

💡Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is the process of designing, launching, and running a new business, which typically involves risk and innovation. The speaker's story is a testament to entrepreneurship, as she turned her passion for hair into a successful business and later sold it for a significant amount.

Highlights

The founder of Drybar reflects on her unexpected journey from a lost direction post-high school to selling her company for $255 million.

She reveals her initial reluctance to follow the traditional college path, instead choosing to pursue her passion for hair.

The speaker's move to New York City and her decision to attend beauty school marked the beginning of her career in cosmetology.

Her experience as a stay-at-home mom led to the idea of starting a mobile blowout business to maintain flexibility and still be present for her children.

The low pricing strategy of $40 for a home visit in LA demonstrated the potential demand for her services.

The realization that customers should come to her instead of her going to them led to the concept of a brick and mortar business.

The support from her brother and ex-husband, despite their lack of expertise in the beauty industry, was crucial in the establishment of Drybar.

The opening of the first Drybar location in Brentwood and the immediate success that followed indicated a captured market opportunity.

The speaker emphasizes that Drybar was selling not just blowouts, but happiness and confidence to women.

The strategic partnership of the speaker's brother's business acumen, her ex-husband's creative direction, and her hair expertise created a successful business model.

The growth of Drybar to 150 locations across the country within 13 years is a testament to the business's scalability and appeal.

The decision to sell the business three years prior to the talk, coinciding with the onset of the global crisis in 2020, marked a significant life transition for the speaker.

The launch of a product line in collaboration with Sephora, which was a key factor in the company's $255 million valuation.

The speaker's experience as a guest judge on Shark Tank and the impact it had on her personal brand and business.

The release of her book, 'The Messy Truth,' which encapsulates her life's journey, mistakes, and lessons learned.

The concept of 'imposs syndrome' is introduced and reframed as a positive indicator of stepping into new and exciting roles.

A quote by Zig Ziggler is shared to inspire overcoming fear and embracing new challenges.

Transcripts

I'm just G to give you a snapshot of my

life and what it's looked like for the

last 13 years this girl was it was I was

35 years old 13 years ago and if you had

told me back then that I would sell my

company for $255 million I would have

laughed in your face we never expected

dry bar to turn into the global

phenomenon that it did but before I get

into that I'm going to take you down a

walk down memory lane so this was me in

high school and you know I was really

lost uh After High School and when all

my friends were deciding to go to

college I I didn't know what to do I

didn't I didn't want to go to college no

offense I just it

wasn't sorry um I know where I am but

College just wasn't for me and I didn't

mostly because I didn't know what I

wanted to do with my life my whole life

I had loved doing hair I grew up in

South Florida so my naturally curly hair

was big and Frizzy and I never felt very

confident in myself because of my hair

and you know I wouldn't pay attention to

this for many years to come but as my

you know as my friends were all going to

college and I was lost I decided to move

to New York City I moved to New York

City and started my career kind of

jumping around and trying thing after

thing and you know I didn't decide to

actually take the plunge and go to

beauty school until you know all the

other things I was doing just weren't

working out you know I consider myself a

Seeker I'm always seeking the thing that

lights me up the thing that makes me

really excited and I was doing that when

I was in my early 20s which I urge all

of you to do as well and that's really

how I ended up in cosmetology school you

know my my parents weren't super excited

about that but I also grew up in a

generation where you know my my parents

were like we hope she married well which

I didn't by the way um but that's

another Ted Talk

um I um but you know but I I was like

the Lost Girl trying to figure out what

to do with her life and this is a shot

of my mom who was not hair a hair

stylist blow drying my hair so it's

always been a thing for me so anyways

fast forward I'm living in New York City

I meet my first ex-husband there we

that's not meant to be the theme of my

talk um but we we I want and I wanted to

have babies we moved to LA and I had two

sons who are now 16 and 18 and one is

actually in college so I'm very proud

but you know that after being a

stay-at-home mom for five years I just

got the itch to do something for myself

but what was I going to do I didn't have

a college degree and I didn't ID worked

in hair salons for years so I decided to

start a mobile blowout business because

that way I could blow out you know all

my mommy friends hair and then still

pick up my kids kids from preschool and

it felt like a really great thing to do

at the time and what was shocking about

that is it would ultimately lead to to

dry bar but you know I didn't I didn't

it was more of like again the seeking

and trying to figure out what made me

happy and as much as I love my children

to get away from my children for a

couple hours every day and talk to

adults was really awesome so I start

this mobile business it's going so well

and I'm so busy and that's you know when

I realized that like maybe I was on to

something I was only charging $40 to go

to women's home so I live in LA in La

that's very unheard of and most parts of

the country to get someone to go to your

house to blow up for $40 is unheard of

and that but that was when I realized

that maybe instead of me going to them

they should come to me and so I went to

my brother and said you know I want to I

want to turn my brick and mortar into my

mobile business into a brick and mortar

uh and he kind of looked at me like I

was crazy he also has no hair and he so

has no business in this it's my favorite

joke um but I you know I went to my

brother and said hey I'm having a lot of

success in my mobile business I think we

should turn it into a brick and mortar

and he you know reluctantly said yes he

also was quite willing to put up all of

the money and give me 50% Sweat Equity

which I didn't know even what that term

meant back then I didn't go to college

and I don't have a business degree but

lo and behold he supported me and and

this is my ex-husband also bald and had

no it's just not lost on me that we're

these these guys were my my partners in

this blowout Empire so you know none of

us saw the success of JY bar coming

truly you know we opened the first

location in Brentwood 13 years ago this

month and you know I thought it'd be my

business I'd pick up my kids from school

and that would be my life and my

livelihood and it could not have gone

more differently I mean we got we were

so busy so fast out of the that we knew

we had captured lightning in a bottle

and really the magic of dry bar is what

I very quickly realized is like we're

not just selling blowouts we're selling

the happiness and confidence that we

give to women and that was really the

secret sauce plus you know we have my

brother who's a world-class business

brain my ex-husband who's uh is an

advertising guy who's a creative

director so he was really cam was in

charge of branding my brother was

business and I was the hair so we were

just this perfect storm you know which I

don't believe in accidents and I think

we were all meant to come together at

this point in our lives to start this

business and run this business and you

know we didn't pay ourselves for so many

years and we were in the trenches but we

realized that you know we were really on

to something and and so we started

opening more and more stores today

there's 150 dry bars across the country

I've now sold the the business um three

years ago right before the world fell

apart in 2020 and my life has changed uh

quite a bit these are just some shots

from you know the the amazing staff I

mean we employ over 5,000 people at any

given time with 150 shops so it was it

was quite the Endeavor and I feel like I

got a business degree on the job

learning how to how to run this company

but now what so what's next for me um oh

before I get into that I should tell you

guys that we started a product line

about three years into starting the

company which we launched exclusively

with Sephora and

that is really what we ended up selling

for 255 million this is a very ominous

shot of me at Shark Tank when I was a

guest judge I'm just threw in there um

but the product line was you know was

was so successful because if you didn't

have a dry bar near you and most women

didn't they could buy our products and

use them and get the dry bar experience

and that's really what we were selling

so we sold that and then now what you

know um this was three years ago and my

life significantly changed and I started

to realize that I needed to kind of

build out the next chapter of my life so

I wrote a book as people often do called

the messy truth which is you know my

very my very messy truth I mentioned

some divorces there was rehab depression

you name it and this book is the

encapsulation of

my my whole life my journey my you know

all the mistakes all the things I did

wrong wrong and there were so many of

them as we were building this company

and not to mention you know the mistakes

I made with my kids and obviously my

husbands and all of that so the book

really encapsulates all of that and it's

been such a labor of love for me to not

only tell my story on a bigger scale but

also to help Inspire other entrepreneurs

that you know I'm just a mom I was just

a mom who had a great idea and built it

and it brings me to my next point which

is imposs syndrome you know it's it's a

term that gets thrown around quite a bit

as a negative and you know I'm here to

tell you it's not so if you feel like an

impostor you're doing something right I

was certainly an impostor I didn't know

how to run a business I didn't know how

to write a book I didn't know how to be

a guest shark on Shark Tank I didn't

know how to do any of it but I stepped

into those roles because they were new

and exciting and I'm always seeking new

and exciting and you know not letting

fear stop me there's a great quote by a

guy named Zig Ziggler that's that's an

acronym for

fear see if I know don't mess this up um

the first part is oh my gosh forget

everything and run or face everything

and Rise the choice is yours thank you

[Applause]