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September 5, 2024 • 30min
Drybar founder Alli Webb’s messy truths
Masters of Scale
Alli Webb is the co-founder of Drybar, a hair salon chain focused exclusively on blowouts that grew from a single location to over 150 stores nationwide. In this episode, Alli shares her journey of scaling Drybar from a mobile blowout service to a major national brand, including expanding into product lines and franchising. She also discusses selling the business, her personal challenges along the way, and her new massage business venture called Squeeze.
Drybar founder Alli Webb’s messy truths
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Key Takeaways
- Focus on doing one thing exceptionally well - Alli Webb built Drybar by focusing solely on blowouts, resisting pressure to expand into other services
- Educate customers on your unique value proposition - Drybar had to explain the concept of blowouts to many potential customers initially
- Consider franchising carefully - Franchising allowed Drybar to scale quickly but created challenges in maintaining consistency
- Product lines can be a powerful extension - Drybar's product line became a major revenue source, selling for $255 million
- Be open about personal struggles - Alli found sharing her personal challenges resonated with many and provided support
- Work-life balance is "bullshit" - Alli advocates for an integrated approach to work and life rather than strict separation
- Set clear boundaries - Alli respects her employees' needs for work-life boundaries while still getting things done
- Look for gaps in the market - Alli's new venture Squeeze aims to provide affordable but high-quality massages, filling a market need
- Technology can enhance service businesses - Squeeze uses a proprietary app to improve the customer experience
- Daily gratitude and mindfulness practices are valuable - Alli uses meditation apps daily to center herself
Introduction
Alli Webb is the co-founder of Drybar, a hair salon chain focused exclusively on blowouts that grew from a single location to over 150 stores nationwide. In this episode, Alli shares her journey of scaling Drybar from a mobile blowout service to a major national brand, including expanding into product lines and franchising. She also discusses selling the business, her personal challenges along the way, and her new massage business venture called Squeeze.
Topics Discussed
Origins of Drybar (2:49)
Alli Webb started Drybar as a mobile blowout service, advertising on a mommy group on Yahoo. The demand quickly outpaced what she could handle alone, leading her to consider opening a brick-and-mortar location. Her brother Michael Landau offered to invest and help with the business side.
"I was having so much success charging $40 in this mobile business, and I can't keep up with the demand, so I feel like maybe I should start a brick and mortar instead of them. Me going to them."
- Drybar focused solely on blowouts - no cuts or color
- The concept was to create an uplifting, confidence-boosting experience
- Initial goal was 30-40 blowouts per day to break even
- Actual demand reached 60-80 blowouts per day very quickly
Scaling the Business (6:42)
Drybar grew rapidly from one location to over 40 within a few years. This rapid expansion required bringing in outside expertise and capital.
- Took angel investment from friends, family and customers initially
- Raised $26 million from Castanea Partners to fund expansion and product line
- Reached about 10-11 stores through bootstrapping before major investment
Franchising Strategy (9:19)
Alli and her brother debated whether to franchise Drybar. They ultimately pursued a hybrid model of both company-owned and franchise locations.
"Michael wanted to franchise right away, and I was very anti franchise because of this was my baby. It felt like a third child to me. And I was like, I don't want to put this in other people's hands."
- Franchising allowed faster expansion but created consistency challenges
- Required running two separate operations - franchise and company-owned
- In hindsight, full franchising may have been easier to manage
- Applied learnings to new Squeeze business by making it fully franchised
Product Line Development (13:01)
Alli saw the need for hair products specifically designed for blowouts. The product line became a major part of the business.
- Initially allocated $1 million to develop product line
- Focused on products that supported long-lasting blowouts
- Expanded distribution to Sephora and QVC
- Product division eventually sold for $255 million
Selling the Business (16:19)
Drybar's hybrid model of salons and products made it challenging to sell as one entity. They ultimately split the business to sell.
- Sold product division to Helen of Troy for $255 million in early 2020
- COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans to sell salon business in pieces
- Ended up essentially giving away salon business due to pandemic impact
Personal Challenges and Openness (20:21)
While Drybar was thriving publicly, Alli faced significant personal challenges, including divorce and her son's struggles with addiction. She chose to be open about these difficulties.
"I didn't want to be inauthentic with what I was publicly doing because, mind you, while that was happening, Drybar was, like, on fire. Like, we were expanding. We were in all these things."
- Found sharing personal struggles resonated with many followers
- Received support and inspired others going through similar challenges
- Felt compelled to continue being open as it helped people
Work-Life Integration (23:31)
Alli rejects the notion of work-life balance, instead advocating for an integrated approach to work and personal life.
- Works from home office but stays flexible
- More intentional about how she spends time and what she takes on
- Encourages employees to structure their days flexibly
- Respects employee boundaries while ensuring work gets done
New Venture: Squeeze (26:51)
Alli and her brother Michael have launched a new massage business called Squeeze, applying lessons from Drybar.
- Aims to provide affordable but high-quality massages
- Uses proprietary app for bookings, reviews, and payments
- Fully franchised model based on Drybar learnings
- Goal to expand to 500 locations across the country
Personal Habits and Practices (29:23)
Alli shared some of her personal habits that help her stay centered:
- Uses Insight Timer meditation app daily
- Starts day with 1-minute gratitude mantra
- Ends day with meditation
- Regularly visits stretch lab for physical wellbeing
Conclusion
Alli Webb's journey with Drybar demonstrates the power of focusing on doing one thing exceptionally well and filling a gap in the market. Her willingness to be open about personal struggles while building a successful business resonated with many and provided support to others facing challenges. The lessons learned from scaling Drybar, including the pros and cons of franchising and developing product lines, are now being applied to her new venture, Squeeze.
Alli's emphasis on work-life integration rather than strict balance, and her focus on setting clear boundaries while remaining flexible, offer valuable insights for other entrepreneurs. Her success also highlights the importance of continual learning and adaptation, as seen in how she's applying Drybar lessons to Squeeze's fully franchised model and app-based system.
Overall, Alli Webb's story is one of resilience, innovation, and the power of authenticity in business and life. Her experiences provide a roadmap for entrepreneurs looking to scale a service-based business while maintaining quality and brand consistency.
