Get All Access for $5/mo

How Drybar Founder Alli Webb Turned a Simple Concept into a $100 Million Empire Hint: Focus on one thing and be the best at it.

By Kristen Aldridge

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Ten years ago, stay-at-home mom Alli Webb noticed something missing in the beauty biz: there was nowhere that just focused on blow-drying hair.

"It was in the middle of a recession when I had this idea," says Webb. "So, I went to my brother who's bald and knew nothing about hair, and he was a little like, huh…you don't want to do any cuts and color, just blowouts? And I was like, yeah, that's all I want to do!"

After just a little convincing, Webb enlisted her brother Michael and his wife, Sarah, as well as her husband Cameron in bringing her idea to life. Together, they set out to open their very first store in Brentwood, an affluent district in Los Angeles. "The first day we opened we only had six stylists working because we were scared that nobody was going to come," reminisces Webb.

Fortunately for the family, they were instantly packed. "You could feel it in the air that we were on to something."

Now with more than 80 shops (and counting), an ever-expanding product line, and 3,000 stylists across the country, Drybar's success mirrors Alli's motto: Focus on one thing and be the best at it.

In this episode of Project Luminary with Kristen Aldridge, learn how this beauty boss is turning the art of the blowout into a booming business and a nationwide phenomenon.

Watch more episodes of Project Luminary on its YouTube Channel here.

Kristen Aldridge

Founder of Original Stories Media, Journalist, Producer and Storyteller

Emmy-winning journalist and brand storytelling expert Kristen Aldridge is founder and CEO of Original Stories Media, a production company that specializes in capturing the origin stories behind the world’s most impactful brands. With over two decades of experience in the media industry, she has created content garnering millions of views for hugely successful platforms including Entrepreneur, ESPN, ABC, CBS, Yahoo!, and SHAPE.

Passionate about all things entrepreneurship, Aldridge created the original digital series How Brands Are Born to shine a light on all the remarkable people changing the world one big, bold dream at a time. Her mission is to help leaders reveal their most authentic selves so they can more effectively unleash their vision, inspire their culture, and bring deep value to the marketplace.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

More from Project Luminary

The Powerful Reason You Should Never Give Up

You May Not Be Able to Control Your Negative Thoughts, But You Can Control What Actions You Take

Editor's Pick

Growing a Business

He Immigrated to the U.S. and Got a Job at McDonald's — Then His Aversion to Being 'Too Comfortable' Led to a Fast-Growing Company That's Hard to Miss

Voyo Popovic launched his moving and storage company in 2018 — and he's been innovating in the industry ever since.

Branding

ChatGPT is Becoming More Human-Like. Here's How The Tool is Getting Smarter at Replicating Your Voice, Brand and Personality.

AI can be instrumental in building your brand and boosting awareness, but the right approach is critical. A custom GPT delivers tailored collateral based on your ethos, personality and unique positioning factors.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Is the AI Industry Consolidating? Hugging Face CEO Says More AI Entrepreneurs Are Looking to Be Acquired

Clément Delangue, the CEO of Hugging Face, a $4.5 billion startup, says he gets at least 10 acquisition requests a week and it's "increased quite a lot."

Business News

You Can Now Apply to Renew Your U.S. Passport Online — But There's a Catch

The U.S. State Department officially launched the beta program this week.

Business News

Sony Pictures Entertainment Purchases Struggling, Cult-Favorite Movie Theater Chain

Alamo Drafthouse originally emerged from bankruptcy in June 2021.