Alli Webb's Side Hustle to Hair Salon Empire: Drybar

Alli Webb spent her 20s working in hair salons. After moving to Los Angeles and becoming a stay-at-home mom, she started a mobile blowout side hustle, offering blow-dry services for $40 at clients' homes. Webb's initial marketing strategy targeted other moms through a Yahoo group, promoting her services as a convenient way to get ready while the kids were sleeping.

From Mobile Hair Salon to Brick-and-Mortar

The demand for Webb's mobile hair salon services quickly surpassed her capacity. Recognizing the potential, she decided to open a brick-and-mortar location, offering her services in a salon setting. However, her brother, Michael Landau, a former Yahoo marketing director, initially questioned the business idea.

• Landau expressed skepticism about the need for a hair salon solely focused on blowouts, asking "Why can't women blow out their own hair?"
• Webb, having struggled with frizzy hair growing up and a passion for styling, countered his concerns by emphasizing the demand she saw in her mobile hair salon services.

Funding and Launching Drybar

Landau, convinced by Webb's success with her mobile hair salon, invested $250,000 in the venture. Webb and her husband, Cameron Webb, contributed their savings of approximately $50,000, paving the way for the establishment of the first Drybar salon in Brentwood, California in 2010.

The Drybar Business Model: Blowouts Only

Drybar's business model was simple: to offer only blowouts and styling services, excluding haircuts and hair color. Webb's goal was to achieve a high volume of 30-40 blowouts per day to break even.

Exceeding Expectations: High Demand for Drybar Blowouts

The demand for Drybar's blowout services exceeded expectations, reaching 60-80 blowouts per day from the very beginning. The salon's popularity led to a rapid expansion, with over 150 Drybar salons across the United States within a decade.

• Webb attributed Drybar's success to its unique focus on a specific service, creating a niche market and capturing significant demand.
• The salon's success highlighted the growing importance of convenience and specialization in the hair salon industry.

Drybar's Growth and Acquisitions

Drybar's success led to significant growth and acquisitions. The company's product line was sold to Helen of Troy, a leading consumer products company, for $255 million in 2020. WellBiz Brands acquired the franchise rights to Drybar salons in 2021 for an undisclosed amount.

Alli Webb's Legacy: From Side Hustle to Empire

Alli Webb's journey from a mobile hair salon side hustle to the founder of Drybar, a multi-million dollar blowout empire, is a testament to the power of entrepreneurship, marketing, and a clear vision. Her story highlights the potential for success when a business idea is executed with passion, dedication, and a focus on customer needs.

• Webb's entrepreneurial spirit and her ability to identify a market need led to the creation of Drybar, a successful business that disrupted the hair salon industry.
• Her story inspires aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their passions and leverage their unique skills to create businesses that fill a gap in the market.