Image credit: Drybar
Tucked into a corner of Vancouver’s Nordstrom is a sanctuary for busy women looking for a 30 minute solution to a bad hair day. With a motto of ‘No Cuts. No Colour. Just Blowouts.’, Drybar has been a resounding success and it is not a mystery why. The pairing with Nordstrom is a great fit. According to John Heffner, CEO of Drybar, “Nordstrom is known as the destination that offers a really rewarding shopping experience and Drybar is all about customer experience.”
Image credit: Drybar
Drybar and its signature cruelty-free product line is the current passion for founder and entrepreneur Alli Webb. Alli started with a career in public relations working with clients such as Faith Hill, Paul McCartney and Keith Urban. She then became a professional hair stylist, trained by Toni & Guy and in 2008 she began a side business called Straight-at-Home, which provided in home blow-outs, strictly on a referral basis in Los Angeles. Her business and popularity quickly outgrew her one-woman show, so she decided to expand and start Drybar.
Unbelievably, in 2013 her 2,000 employees were completing 100,000 blow-out’s per month.
Image credit: Drybar
Drybar founder Alli Webb was in Vancouver this week and who surprised me with a personal Drybar experience as part of our interview. This in itself is quite humorous as I have a very short men’s haircut but I was game. During the Drybar process (except the glorious 10 minute Floater head massage), Alli and I spoke about the future of Drybar in Canada. Originally it was thought that Drybar would enter into Sephora stores across Canada but the Nordstrom experience, and the response from the public, makes Alli believe that rolling out Drybar as stand alone salons is the way to proceed.
In Manhattan, Drybar clients are able to use an app called Dry-on-the-Fly business, which brings one of its trained stylists right to the client’s door for $75, is on track to hit its projected revenue goals. This service is not available in Vancouver yet but do not count out Alli. She has a broad vision for Drybar and giving clients what they need is always on the menu.
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