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.

Wavy Line
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.

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

'Catastrophic': Here's What You Should Know About the Debt Ceiling Crisis — And How a Default Could Impact Your Business
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Money & Finance

3 Ways to Create Multiple (Big) Streams of Income

Here are three ways to create multiple streams of income. These strategies require effort and resources but offer significant financial potential.

Science & Technology

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.

Angelina Tsuboi, a full-stack mobile and web developer who also happens to be a pilot, has always been solution-oriented.

Leadership

The Real Reason Why The Return to Office Movement is Failing is Revealed in New Study

There is a vivid sign of the disconnect between employees and their workplace, a glaring indication that companies need to revise their scripts to improve their hybrid and remote work policies.

Business News

7 of the 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live in the U.S. Are in One State

A new report by U.S. News found that San Diego is the most expensive city to live in for 2023-2024, followed by Los Angeles. New York City didn't even rank in the top 10.

Business News

Diddy Is Suing His Ciroc, DeLeon Spirits Business Partner

In the lawsuit, Diddy alleges spirits giant Diageo North America did not market his brands as promised due to being "Black brands."