Meet the Entrepreneur who Turned Her Side Hustle Into a Hair Styling Empire

Be it the rising cost of living or just the urge to follow a passion while making some extra cash beyond the nine-to-five grind, more working people are taking up side hustles. One of them is Alli Webb, who found herself in need of a side hustle that could accommodate her skills on her own terms. Living in Santa Monica with her husband and two young children, Webb initiated a mobile blowout business called Straight At Home, as part of which she charged a modest $40 for washing, drying, and styling hair. Little did Webb know that this venture would lay the foundation for what would become a hairstyling empire.

Webb quickly gained a dedicated following among the affluent residents of Los Angeles, by offering a service that was both convenient and more affordable than traditional salons. Recognizing the potential to expand, Webb, along with her brother Michael Landau, set up a brick-and-mortar salon where clients would come to them, and that's how the concept of Drybar became a reality.

In 2010, Landau contributed $250,000 while Webb and her husband invested their life savings of around $50,000 to open Drybar's first location, with a focus solely on washing, blowouts, and styling, without haircuts. The unique approach resonated with customers, and Drybar's popularity soared, helping the firm open more than 160 locations across the US.

Reflecting on the early days, Webb acknowledges that she didn't harbor any major fear when launching the first shop, which was because she wasn't thinking big at the time and was fueled by a strong belief that it would work on a small scale. The support of her brother and husband, who recognized the appeal of the service for working women with disposable income, provided the confidence that she needed to take the plunge.

Investing their life savings felt like a risk for the couple, but Webb emphasizes that the biggest fear was the potential loss for her brother, who had provided the majority of the funding. She believed in their collective capabilities and resilience as smart and capable individuals. As an entrepreneur, Webb emphasizes the importance of risk appetite, citing the cliché, "No risk, no reward."

On the first day, after a feature on DailyCandy, Webb and her brother were flooded with appointment notifications, signaling an immediate demand for their services. The rapid expansion that followed was unexpected, with 10 to 15 new stores in the first two years.

Despite the initial excitement, the pace of expansion brought challenges as Webb realized the need for someone with more experience than her brother as CEO. Hence John Heffner was roped in as the chief executive in 2013, bringing stability and a strategic direction to the company. The experience taught them the importance of operational aspects such as training manuals and day-to-day systems to ensure sustained success.

Webb's advice to entrepreneurs is to prove the potential of a concept before moving ahead toward significant growth. She encourages others to do something they love, and to ensure that there's a genuine demand for the product or service. Drawing from her experience, she underscores the importance of starting small, proving the concept, and gradually expanding based on its success.

Webb's journey from a mobile blowout business to the co-founder of Drybar exemplifies the power of seizing opportunities, taking calculated risks, and staying true to a passion.