No Easy Feat: The Woman who Makes both Parents and Children Happy

Entrepreneur: Andrea Ridgell

 

 

Glop and Glam "About Us"

Meet Glop & Glam, the parent-approved, natural and organic hair care collection that deliciously combines style and functionality for infants, toddlers and tweens.

The beloved brainchild of rockin’ hair stylist momma Andrea Ridgell, Glop & Glam is popular among both parents and kids for offering honest, pure and fashionably fun hair care. Involved in the beauty industry since the early age of 16, Andrea knows more than just a thing or two about healthy hair care. After seeing a void in the market, Andrea, along with her husband Nathan, decided to develop a hair care collection that was both health conscious and kid-friendly -- Glop & Glam. Devoted to keeping kids safe, they uncovered replacements for every harmful ingredient inside the bottle while maintaining a sugar high of youthful energy. 

Why Andrea?

I chose Andrea Ridgell for my Entrepreneur interview because she embodies what every savvy businesswoman should adhere to: strength, intelligence, charisma, and drive. She takes calculated risks, with abundant payoffs. In addition, she runs a successful salon in Santa Barbara, and maintains a happy and healthy marriage to her High School sweetheart Nathan Ridgell, with two rambunctious boys ruling the roost.

1.  Why did you choose to start this business?

There was a void in the market I felt I could fill! Glop and Glam is a product that kids WANT to use. It makes bath-time fun, and getting ready a treat.

2. What keeps you engaged in its success?

Watching it grow and proving this undeserved market has a place in the industry. I think the amazing people that are high-up in the industry that I have had as mentors since I started, have let me know how rare it is to have a young woman and a hair stylist be the owner of a hair product company! And that the big companies are watching me to see if we can be the first to pull it off! That gives me purpose to make this be a success!

Mariska Hartigay, Oscar De La Renta and Andrea Ridgell. Glop and Glam styled hair for Oscar De La Renta's children's line runway show

3. How do you juggle the priorities in your life; your family, your salon, and your hair-care line Glop and Glam?

My family has to come first. No business will ever be put before them because at the end of the day they are my driving force. It is always hard and is something I don't have down perfect as an entrepreneur and ultimately it comes down to me sacrificing time for myself.

 

 Husband Nathan Ridgell, boys Kaden and Kashton, Andrea Ridgell

4. Who is someone what you admire/aspire to be? What characteristics do they inhabit to which you admire?

As far as hair, definitely Vidal Sassoon he was a pioneer in the industry and forever changed how people looked at hair stylist. I remember reading an article he wrote when I was sitting on a train when I was sixteen it talked about how far passion can take a person. He also said, “If you are a hairstylist you are a true artist.” I had tears running down my face because that was the first time I had heard someone say that my true passion was art. Plus it came from someone I truly admire and whose career I aspire to have!

5. What qualities do you feel a good entrepreneur should have?

First and foremost you need passion and then secondly, an extremely strong work ethic.

6. Do you view obstacles as an opportunity or a barrier? Why?

It depends on the obstacle, but usually it is way for you to learn and then grow your business for the next obstacle…because believe me there will be a next one.

7. What is your favorite quote? Why?

"Entrepreneurship is like jumping off a cliff with a parachute with holes in it and trying to patch each hole in midair before you hit the ground." That is what it feels like at times.

8. What tips, advice would you give someone who is considering starting their own business/innovative idea?

Stay focused and realize it docent come easy but will be rewarding after you have put the hard work in.

9. What are your future plans for Glop and Glam?

Continue to grow the brand, and then sell the company!

1        10. What do you do outside of Glop and Glam that makes you happy and content?

I love spending time with my family/ kids and working on my house. I love renovating “fixer-uppers” and restoring them into their original beauty. I guess that’s the artist in me.

 

Ashley Greene and Andrea Ridgell

Andrea Ridgell, Pamela Anderson and Glop and Glam CMO Allison Lee

Find Out What Drives Entrepreneur Lawrence Lee

Master Chef Lawrence Lee

Lawrence Lee brings 15 years of industry experience in many areas of hospitality including restaurants, nightlife, culinary arts, and mixology.  He also attended the California Culinary Academy and is a native of San Francisco.  He has worked as a Chef/Bartender in many San Francisco hot spots such as Hukilau Bar & Grill and Lava Ultra Lounge, along with over 10 years of nightlife promotions under his belt.
I admire my good friend for his drive, motivation, charm, and passion, so I felt he's the perfect person to find out what it takes to start a successful business.  He has owned a few businesses here in San Francisco including Mercury Lounge, JumpinDumplin, HayaHon and now his new venture called Street Food Dojo.  

Aimee: What drove you to become an entrepreneur?

Lawrence: I have always been driven to run my own business.  I have always left companies at the highest position available due to the fact that I could no longer learn anything new.

Essentially, I realized that I was successful at making other people money, and wanted to try it out on myself.

Lawrence's first business Mercury Lounge

Aimee: How long have you had this dream before starting your own business?

Lawrence: Since, my sophomore year in high school, as soon as I got my work permit, even though minimum wage during that time was $2.75. I enjoyed the fact that I had a grasp of the economic cycle.  Also, I was able to provide things for myself that a lot of kids were not able to do at that time. 

Aimee: What are some elements and inspirations of your creative thought process in creating a business?

Lawrence: Here are a couple of cheesy mottos that one of my mentors growing up gave me.  These have stuck with me to this day and I tend to apply it to all aspects of my decision making regarding my businesses and still continues to work.

·    #1-“You can’t make Dollars if it doesn’t make sense (cents)”: Meaning it’s the little details (coins) that you must pay attention to in order for the big picture to become clearer. A lot of people tend to open businesses without a game plan or even a plan B. If you cover all your bases then the BIG picture (dollars) will follow.

·    #2-“Stop worrying about if you CAN accomplish something, and worry more about whether or not you SHOULD.” A lot of people nowadays tend to just follow others.  They see a business that is HOT that everyone else is getting into, frantically try to get involved, and do the same thing without thinking it all the way through.  Plus, they don’t take the time to research all the mistakes others are doing to possibly learn from them, which in turn causes them to make the same mistakes as they did.  

     "When it comes to running a business, you need to make TIME your friend and not your enemy."

Aimee: Were you always a risk taker?

Lawrence: I used to be, but I adapted the mottos above, used time and knowledge to my advantage, and learned to make small risks to yield big rewards.

http://www.jumpindumplin.com/

Aimee: What are the top three things you think about when you get out of bed?

Lawrence:

#1 REFLECT on what I learned the day before.

#2 MOTIVATE myself on the day ahead of me.

#3 REMIND myself that a lot of other people rely on me to be on my "A" game and get motivated.

Aimee: When do you feel most passionate about your work?

Lawrence: The fact that it is something that I created and nurtured from concept to creation, and that no matter what it is, the public has decided that it is of some use to society and has accepted it as a part of their lives.

Aimee: Describe if there was a time when you felt like you were on the wrong path.

Lawrence: Honestly I feel this way every day, which is why the 3 things I do every morning (above) are so important to keep me motivated. I am lucky to be a single healthy man that can afford to take the risks that I do, day in and day out.  I do not have children or major expenses to worry about.

Aimee: What personality characteristic enables you to become a successful entrepreneur?

Lawrence: I make it a point to listen and understand the needs of my customers/clients... not everyone has the same needs so you can't treat them the same. Everyone deserves a careful and conscious customer experience with you because at the end of the day, there is always someone else to do your job BETTER, FASTER, and CHEAPER.

Aimee: Where do seek motivation from friends, family, or a higher power? And how does it motivate you?

Lawrence: My mother raised me and my 5 brothers and sisters essentially alone, not speaking the language and working 3-4 odd jobs on a daily basis.  She never complained and always taught me to work hard at my job, but at the same time learn the person’s job next to me as well.  This way I am never behind and ready to take the job of the person above me.

Aimee: What tactics do you use in order to market your business?

Lawrence: Always find your target market and where you think they will be in 3-5 months and make sure you are there. A lot of businesses tend to find what’s HOT at the moment and immediately place all their focus on it.  They are unaware that trends change so often that what they found to be the HOT thing, most likely is on its way out. You always have to make room for the next big thing. For Example, fashion and technology is always evolving. They both take a lot risk, but if you just keep copying what somebody else already did you will never be the next big thing and you will be the thing that already was. 

Aimee: What helps you stay focused when you are dealing with constant stream of employees, clients, emails, and phone calls?

Lawrence: I remind myself that the barrage is due to the fact that there is a demand to what I am offering, that what I’m doing may be the NEXT BIG THING, and do whatever it takes to stay driven and focused.

http://hayahon.com/pop-up-info/

Aimee: What tools do you use in order to keep you on top of things and stay organized?

Lawrence: I hate technology as much as I know that it is essential nowadays, but I’m old school and tend to hand write everything and manually keep files. This allows me to retain this information in my brain knowing that I wrote it, read it, filed it, and dealt with it myself.  It’s not rocket science, but it works for me.

Aimee: What types of contacts are most important when starting a new business?

Lawrence: Your vendor/employee relationships.  These people are essential to running and maintaining your business.  They are the life blood of your product and an important support system for when things are going tough.

Aimee: Whom do you go to when you want to, or are starting, a new business?

Lawrence: The city, permits, licenses, taxes, etc. This is the part of the starting a new business that you don't want to cut corners because it will bite you later.  Always do good by the city and the city will be your best friend. 

Aimee: Who helped you establish your business?

Lawrence: My partners, I am blessed to work with a group of guys that have the same passion that I do and look forward to growing our business together. It’s always important to have this support group.

Aimee: Who is your support network?

Lawrence: My partners, and friends and family of course. These are the ones that were with you in the beginning and have supported you through thick and thin. It’s only natural to gravitate towards them in your time of need.

Lawrence's newest venture-Street Food Dojo
 He's still deciding which logo to go with, which one do you like?

A Serial Entrepreneur: Craig Parks

I decided to interview my friend Craig Parks for my entrepreneurship class. He is what they call a "serial entrepreneur" who has his hands in many businesses. He is a driven individual who enjoys when a business works. Here are some questions I asked him..

What are your businesses you have started?

Commercial Audio Visual Company (California)

Wedding/Event rentals (Maui)

Used car business (Maui)

Food distribution (Australia)

Camping equipment manufacturer (Australia)

Motorcycle rental (Maui)

What is your current role in each business?

US companies: Founder and advisor for 15+ years

Australian companies: Mentor

Maui companies: More involved than others, but still just a mentor.

Have you always been passionate about your business?

I am not passionate about any particular business, but I'm passionate about business in general. I am passionate about making something work.

How many hours a week would you work regularly?

I would work anywhere from 70-100+ hours a week. Every living moment you are working on it or talking about it. You don't look at it like a normal job.

What are your core values in running your business?

#1 Looking after employees

#2 Having a good product or service

#3 Making the customer happy

#4 Punctuality

Do you have a support network? If so, who?

No, I am the support network.

Was there a time when you felt like you were on the wrong path? Describe.

I once had a telemarketing company and car alarm business. The products weren't good so I wasn't satisfied in selling them. It wasn’t an interesting job and the clientele was much different than say the audio visual business.

What are the most effective emotions when dealing with problems?

The least amount of emotion the better, only solving the problem in front of you and finding the solution for it.

What are some moral values you consider important as an entrepreneur?

Respecting people, doing a good job, and picking the right people for the job or task.

Have you taken risks with a new product or business idea?

All the time. I enjoy the rush. I once expanded a business too quickly and went broke. I learned from it though to help me be successful in my future businesses.

Are you competitive by nature?

Yes, in some things. I was once more competitive than I am now, but have calmed down a bit. I avoid competitive arguments with people.

How prepared are you to fail?

I'm fine with it because I am now better at avoiding failure. I also haven't invested in too many businesses recently because it is just too much work. 

Tell me about a situation where you failed in one of your businesses.

Audio business in New Zealand grew too fast therefore it failed. We didn't understand that cash flow is different than profitability. I have also failed with a model agency, real estate business, and gym. We failed because the wrong people were hired for the positions and they didn't attack with the same vigor I did.

By: Jessica Williams