My Journey to Creating a Hair Extension Brand
Jul 17, 2024
Ever dreamed of owning your own brand of hair extensions? It might seem as easy as sourcing materials from Alibaba, right? Well, let me share my experience.
After traveling to various cities in China and visiting several factories, I quickly learned that the hair extension business is full of complexities. With limited access to social media and blogging while overseas, I faced some eye-opening moments about the industry's inner workings. When I discussed the importance of quality and cuticle alignment, many factory representatives were surprised by my knowledge.
My days were packed with factory tours, meetings, and unique lunches. I had two translators with me, visited five factories, and left with a suitcase full of samples that had me buzzing with excitement for my own brand.
At the end of my trip, I realized the challenges of importing raw materials from overseas. The hair I used was Indian, collected, and sanitized before being shipped to China for processing. However, establishing trust and quality control between India and China proved nearly impossible.
Free time was scarce. Third-party representatives somehow knew I was in town and waited for me at my hotel lobby, bombarding me with business cards and promises. I also faced issues with my brand name being stolen and registered under multiple domains in China, which I couldn't prevent since I only owned the trademark in Canada and the US.
As a female business owner in a communist country, I learned a lot. Often, the main factory boss wouldn't make eye contact or speak directly to me, addressing only my translator. This was off-putting, especially considering the wealthiest person in China is a female.
During my factory visits, it was crucial to ensure fair trade practices. What I saw was positive and emotional, witnessing the fascinating artistry involved in hair extension production.
Six months later, I invested $30,000 in my first wholesale order of hair extensions. I created a color ring with ten base colors and offered I-tip, Tape, Fusion, and Machine Weft extensions. Unfortunately, the quality was poor, leading to knots and tangles. My heart broke, and I spent weeks in despair, offering refunds and accepting returns.
After this experience, I chose to work only with select vendors, spending years and tens of thousands of dollars to find reliable companies. Running a business means guaranteeing excellent service and high-quality extensions to my clients.
What happened to the $30k worth of unusable extensions? I didn't get a refund or credit from the factory, but I found a silver lining. I used them in our 2-Day Mastery Class. Surprisingly, a long-time client loves the density and strength of these extensions and still requests them. Who would have thought?
For those dreaming of owning your brand, I'm not here to discourage you. We discuss this in the Mastery Class. I'm just sharing my journey and emphasizing that there are many great companies out there to meet your needs without added stress. Let's work smarter, not harder.
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If you have any stories like this, I would love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]
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Wondering what hair extension companies/brands I recommend? Get your nsider access to the world’s top companies and the most coveted trade names in the hair extensions business, spanning both the United States and international markets.
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