Meet Tosi Ufodike of HairYum Haircare

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tosi Ufodike.

Tosi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
HairYum Haircare was started out of frustration, due to the lack of vegan, organic, hair products on the market for multi-cultural hair types. I am a Mom and was very frustrated with hair products that did not suit my hair needs or that of my two daughters.

After a supposedly “natural brand” left my youngest daughter with a horrible allergic reaction, HairYum was born. I wanted to create a natural hair product, without harsh chemicals and toxins. I am married to a Pharmacist so I asked him tons of questions and reviewed different ingredients to create our initial line of products.

HairYum products nourish the hair because of the good, clean ingredients we use. My goal has always been for customers to enjoy their haircare experience. HairYum products are cruelty-free made with naturally derived ingredients that make hair feel soft and manageable. HairYum is so Yummy for the hair.

HairYum is sold online and in select beauty stores across the United States, as well as Internationally in Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, & the Philippines.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
HairYum has grown tremendously with word of mouth and Instagram marketing. As with every business, there are ups and downs associated with rapid growth. Being able to control the pace and movement of our products has its challenges. Marketing dollars are limited, so we rely heavily on organic growth. We focus our marketing efforts on social media, over 75% of customers come from Instagram.

Understanding the right mix of marketing and pricing were some of our initial challenges. Currently, our customers; fondly known as Yum Nation — dictate what new products we bring to market and what price works for them. We are constantly listening to our customers; their feedback has been invaluable.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about HairYum Haircare – what should we know?
I am the founder of HairYum. I oversee operations and marketing. I am very hands on, I love researching ingredients and creating different formulas for HairYum. I care about what goes into each of our products. I care about our customers and their hair needs. HairYum is brand that makes you feel good about washing and styling your hair because our products smell so Yummy and they work!. I am proud of our message of self-love and hair love. We emphasize the fact that all hair grows and natural hair is beautiful. We want girls & women to love their hair; whether kinky, coily, curly, or straight. HairYum is an inclusive brand, focused on healthy hair growth with good smelling products that work.

Mainstream media did not focus on natural hair care. Just 5-10 years ago, the natural hair market was ignored and underserved. HairYum is a pioneer in vegan, organic natural hair products and I am very proud of that. We put forth a lot of effort to showcase all types of hair and all shades of women of color.

I know the value of owning a business. I thrive on helping other women start and or grow a small business with my annual conference, Dare 2 Aspire Conference. The next conference is in Atlanta on Saturday, June 15th, www.d2aspire.com.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Persistence and Confidence are two qualities that I attribute to my success. I rarely take no for an answer. If you tell me no, then I keep moving till I get a yes. I am confident in my brand and my work ethic. I am confident in HairYum. I don’t compare myself or my business to others. Of course, I review competitor data but I don’t let it move me to make a decision in haste. I am focused on my purpose and how HairYum products can meet the needs of our customers with excellent customer service.

Pricing:

• HairYum Collection includes shampoo, protein conditioner, deep conditioner, & leave in conditioner: $49.95
• HairYum Edge Control : $12.99
• HairYum Vegan Vitamins for hair, skin, and nails: $29.99
• HairYum HairGrowth Oil: $19.99
• HairYum Moisture Hydrating Mist: $9.99
• HairYum Detangling Mist $9.99

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hairyum.com
• Phone: 1-866-950-2495
• Email: info@hairyum.com

Image Credit:
HairYum Marketing

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