The Importance of Embracing a Non-Linear Path to Success with Sahar Saidi
Sahar Saidi is the Founder and CEO of LUS Brands, a direct-to-consumer premium hair care brand for curly hair. Sahar completed her MBA at the University of Toronto and upon graduation applied for several corporate executive jobs, but had no success. Driven by motivation and a personal challenge, she decided to embark on a different path, one that would lead her to become the CEO of her own company.
The problem Sahar set out to fix was truly personal. “Growing up, I used to hate my curly hair. I would always beg my mom to straighten it. I finally started to embrace my hair’s natural texture when I was around 15 years old. Fast forward 20 years and having tried virtually every product on the market, I still had not found anything that actually worked,” she explains, on the why behind starting LUS. “I used to spend hours every single day doing my hair, and needed multiple products. I was tired of it and wanted to create a true ‘All-in-One’ product that simplified my hair care routine.”
Sahar wanted to prove to other entrepreneurs that you can start from nothing and bootstrap your way to a hyper-growth, profitable business. “It took blood, sweat and many tears (literally) to get the company to where it is today,” says Sahar, “but it’s definitely the accomplishment that I’m most proud of, so far in my life.”
Based in Toronto, LUS Brands launched in January 2017 offering a 3-step system product line, customized for different curl types. The brand has since added 3 new products to its line. LUS (which stands for ‘Love Ur Self’) encourages women of all ages and ethnicities to embrace their own natural and unique features, instead of altering or masking them.
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