There are many ways one can define success. Carolyn Aronson, CEO and founder of the world-renowned “It’s A 10” haircare brand, says, “Success is being able to do what I love every day.” From her humble beginnings as a hairdresser to salon owner and now beauty boss with a multi-million dollar empire, she attributes much of her trials and triumphs to the notion that there is no right, wrong, or one way to achieve your dreams.
“I’m 38 years into this industry. I didn’t start off thinking I was going to be a hair product manufacturer, but it was my river of success. The current took me, swayed, and moved me, and I went with it,” the mompreneur exclusively told NEW YOU. “Not everything is always so distinct. Being able to adapt to change and still embrace it is the key to success,” she further stated.
Breaking barriers and making history is the name of the game for the 56-year-old. In 2017, she ran a Super Bowl ad that made her company the first independently owned haircare product brand to achieve this feat. Most recently, in partnership with rap superstar Fat Joe, Aronson launched “Rewind It Ten,” a professional-grade men’s hair color line. When most are thinking of retirement or slowing down, the industry leader, alongside her husband, are continually building their brand, expanding their investment portfolio, and creating long-lasting partnerships.
NEW YOU sat with Aronson to learn more about the beauty mogul’s leadership style, when she realized her first big win, learning from failures, and advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs.
NEW YOU: How did your upbringing shape your approach to entrepreneurship?
Carolyn Aronson: That’s a great question because I had very educated parents. When I announced I wanted to go to [beauty] school, they encouraged it. However, go to college at night and educate yourself in business. If you do end up owning a salon, you have some business background when you own it. It wasn’t that they discouraged me; they encouraged me, but they encouraged me to be the best hairdresser I could be.
NY: You created your first haircare company in 2002 and lost over half a million dollars. How did you scale your business and grow after such a loss?
CA: That’s another great question! In 2002, I started a hair product company that failed, and I lost everything and had to start completely over. My partner and I, at that time, each had $40,000. We took $80,000, bought one closeout bottle, and created the Miracle Leave-In product. We could only afford to make one product, and that bottle sells over 10 million bottles a year today. It’s just about taking another gamble.
NY: What inspired you to establish “It’s A 10” and create your own formulas?
CA: I was a hairdresser and stood behind the chair for over 18 years. Having touched thousands of heads and used thousands of different products, I got a good feel of the 10,000-hour rule, where I know what it takes to create a good formula or what needs to be included in a good formula.
I work with chemists all over the United States to create the products. Unless the products are a 10, I return them to a chemist and say, ‘It’s only a six. We need to do this. We need to do that, add this, change that.’ That’s how my formulas are created.
NY: Initially, when you came up with the marketing behind “It’s A 10.” You made sure the bottles were colorful while they were on the shelves. Why was that such a powerful tool?
CA: When I was working on designing the packaging for “It’s a 10” haircare, I really wanted to make sure that it popped off the shelf at that time. In 2002, many product lines were white, beige, or earthy tones, and I knew I only had about two seconds to capture somebody’s eye. It was really important to create something that popped. I’m Latina, so I do everything with just a bit of spice, color, and a little flair (laughs).
NY: What role do you believe “It’s A 10” has played in changing the narrative about representation in the beauty industry?
CA: I think the role that “It’s A 10” has played over the years is that we were for all hair types from the very beginning because I worked on all hair types behind the chair. We have always been inclusive. That’s important because we all need to embrace our own natural beauty.
NY: Do you think that was your unique advantage in coming to the market because you didn’t identify with necessarily one hair type, texture, or culture but were more multicultural?
CA: I think the fact that we were unique not only on the shelf but also in what we had in the bottle. We were very multicultural from day one; we had people speak out; everyone from Gabrielle Union to Christina Applegate embraced our products. We’re a very acceptable brand. We are the people’s products. It’s been passed around by word of mouth. It was really for the love of the product we built because we didn’t have much money or a big marketing budget when we started.
NY: Can you talk more about your latest business venture, “Rewind It Ten?”
CA: One of the great things we recently launched is “Rewind It Ten,” a professional-grade men’s hair color line that we’ve partnered with Fat Joe, the rapper, and we’re excited about it. We created a men’s hair and beard color line that is not your grandpa’s or your father’s hair color line. We’re bringing newness and freshness to a category needed in our industry.
NY: Have you endured any challenges in building up your social network or authentically connecting with your audience on social media?
CA: It’s a huge undertaking. Sometimes, it can be expensive. Sometimes, the content isn’t exactly how you’re foreseeing it. But it’s still the best way to directly engage with live consumers. It’s some of those leaps you have to take. It’s an investment, and you have to realize it’s worth it. Spend the extra money. You will get the return.
NY: A lot of people underestimate the power of e-commerce and social media.
CA: I agree 1,000%. People underestimate how that can be so synergistic, and e-commerce platforms, as well as the social media that helps feed into that e-commerce platform; it is crucial that you have the two going hand in hand and you actively manage them. Every time you do some activation, they feed each other. You have to make sure that you really embrace that.
NY: For other women who are fearful of getting into debt to start their company, what would you say to them?
CA: My advice for people who want to start a company is to realize that your money management style has to be in your personal life and then transfer it into your business life. As my father told me, pay yourself first, save that money, put it away, and once you build the money, figure out how to turn it into more money. You do that by investing in yourself. The best thing I’ve done is invest in myself, which can compound and grow.
There have been times I didn’t pay myself, but that’s okay because I don’t have debt. I don’t necessarily need the money or maybe as much of it. I’ll invest that money back into my company rather than buy a pair of shoes. It’s self-discipline, and you have to understand financial literacy personally to apply it to your business life.
NY: How does it feel to be one of the only Latina-owned haircare brands?
CA: To be one of the only female-owned Latina brands in the world feels absolutely incredible because I think it inspires others and helps them realize that they, too, can fulfill their dreams, especially women, especially Hispanic women or minority women. We, too, can break those barriers and become CEOs of worldwide companies.
NY: Where does your confidence come from to tear down the boys clubs?
CA: A lot of it is my perspective of things. I don’t let fear hinder me. I actually use it to motivate me. When I have those moments when I may run into a roadblock or maybe something that could be a problem, I use that energy to get creative and kind of zig when they zag. I don’t let it give me anxiety. I allow it to motivate me, and maybe the fact I grew up with three older brothers (laughs). I had to join them because if you can’t beat them, join them, and that’s what I’ve done.
By: Dontaira Terrell
