3 days ago
Melbourne's Shirley's Secret hair mist sees huge demand after $100k launch
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When Catie O'Neill was in the midst of a turbulent hair journey, she came up with a more than $100,000 business idea to solve it.
The 31-year-old Melbourne local is the founder of My Glow 2, a body exfoliator brand that has garnered a cult following and is now a seven-figure business.
However, while growing the business, she found herself stuck in a frustrating hair cycle.
'It would go thick and beautiful and then it would start snapping,' she told
Catie O'Neill spent two years working on the product before launch. Picture: TikTok/catie_oneill
She wanted to create sunscreen but for your hair. Picture: Supplied
Ms O'Neill couldn't work out why her hair was so unstable, she believed she was doing all the right things.
Eventually she saw a dermatologist, who told her sun damage was messing up her locks and that was the moment she realised there was a gap in the market for hair protection.
This is when the 31-year-old came up with her second big business idea, Shirley's Secret, a hair mist that protects against UV damage.
'I spent two years creating a formula that focuses on scalp care and length protection, shielding hair from UV, pollution, and daily stress,' she said.
'It's like a sunscreen for your hair, but designed to be worn every day.'
She spent two years on the idea that launched in May. Picture: TikTok/catie_oneill
She said the product is designed to be worn everyday. Picture: TikTok/catie_oneill
The 31-year-old founder said that, while there are so many products on the market that aim to fix damaged hair, there aren't that many around to prevent it.
The business launched in May this year and to great success, with the brand selling over 1000 units in 72 hours.
'We were completely blown away,' she said.
The $49 product didn't sellout but that was because she had worked hard to prepare for launch with the right stock levels.
'I didn't want to be a sellout brand,' she said.
The fact the brand hasn't sold-out, though, doesn't mean it hasn't been a roaring success. In fact, Ms O'Neill revealed the brand is on 'track to be a six-figure business' within 12 months.
She said there was a gap in the market for hair protection. Picture: TikTok/catie_oneill
The brand did really well in the first 72 hours. Picture: Supplied
The brand founder is stoked because she had to invest over $100,000 to launch the business and has decided to put-off things like becoming a homeowner to bet on her idea.
'You've got to make the decision. Do I take a gamble on myself? Or take the safer option, which is investing into real estate,' she said.
For Ms O'Neill, it was a no-brainer because she's 'highly confident' in her own abilities, the brand, and the product, and the response so far has just confirmed it.
Coming up with her hair protection idea was a 'light-bulb' moment and all the feedback she was receiving prior to the launch was positive.
'When I speak to people, they're like, 'wow! Why didn't I think of that?'' she said.
The young Aussie argued that getting a response like that is as good as formal 'market research' because you immediately know your idea is hitting a nerve.
She's much better these days at dealing with difficult business conversations. Picture: TikTok/catie_oneill
It has also helped that this isn't her first rodeo.
She launched her first business when she was 23 and, when she was younger, she found it difficult when people wouldn't take her 'seriously', but now she is far more confident.
'This time around I can navigate more difficult conversations with a lot more confidence and it is like water off a duck's back,' she said.
She's also aware of what not to do. In the past she has fallen into the trap of 'chasing the shiny object' but this time she's reinvesting everything back into her one idea.
Originally published as 'Blown away': $49 item making 31yo more than $100,000
