Starting in 2010 with a business plan no longer than a paragraph, Kitsch now offers a comprehensive range of beauty products available in over 27,000 retail locations worldwide. In 2024, Kitsch was honored as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies,” and Cassandra was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
That we tell our stories of how someone else will come in one day and fix, save, or be the one who takes your business to the next level but in reality that person can and most likely will be you.
The most substantial thing we’ve done is eliminate the plastic bottle from being produced from the start. As an industry, we don’t have to have a bottle to make high-quality haircare and we’ve proven this. One bar of shampoo or conditioner is the equivalent to two plastic bottles and when you’re selling a bar every 5 seconds that’s a lot of bottles we’re saving from being produced! We took it a step further and partnered with 4Ocean to remove the equivalent of an additional plastic bottle for every bar we’ve sold. When things would get stressful I used to make jokes about “Kitsch is just a haircare brand. It’s not like we’re saving the world,” but with our bottle-free beauty we literally are saving our waterways from unnecessary plastic. When I think about how much plastic we’ve saved it really does feel like we are saving the world which is a great feeling.
I guess it’s how you define success. I think community and success are one and the same. I talk a lot about getting clear on what success means to each person. To me, success is a happy community, so I don’t think I’ve had to make any compromises there.
As a founder & CEO when you start a business or when you’re running a business at scale, I think one of the most important things you can do is make a lifestyle plan first and then create your business plan. If you know what you want your lifestyle to be it helps to understand who you need to hire (or not!) and you’re not just working toward financial success but lifestyle success. You can have KPIs for both!
Choosing just one woman I admire is incredibly challenging because I'm surrounded by so many inspiring women. I belong to a small group of female CEOs who amaze me daily, ranging from startup founders to those who've achieved massive exits. If I have to choose one, it would be Amy Griffin, the founder of G9 Ventures. Amy is truly remarkable. She's not only intelligent and cultured but also a champion for other female founders across various sectors. Her generosity and supportiveness make her one of the most incredible women I've ever had the privilege to meet.
My morning walks with my husband. We walk to work together every day and it’s our version of a date night. We love that consistent quality time together and I feel so lucky to have it. If I had to pick a “thing,” I would say our Kitsch Castor Oil Shampoo & Conditioner. It’s the only combo that tames my frizzy, fine hair.
Sustainability - I’m hearing a lot of brands are testing solid (bottle free) versions of their products and that makes me very excited. People ask me all the time if I’m nervous about competitors in the space, but I genuinely feel there is enough business for everyone to be successful. If we can influence more people to go bottle-free then I can’t help but be excited.
