Clean Hair Care Expert Samantha Denis on Overcoming Challenges in Business & Motherhood

Sam was a hairstylist and colorist for 18 years, and she was also on the Bumble and Bumble product development team. She started working in the salon industry when she was just 14, so she pretty much grew up in the business.

"I was a stylist and colorist behind the chair for 12 years and then freelanced in NYC for six. I worked at Bumble and Bumble in Product Development for five years and learned a ton about R&D, formula work, conceptualizing new launches, and branding," she tells CafeMom.

After having pretty much every job in the hair category, the idea of having a brand of her own really excited her.

"I saw a major gap in the space — clean brands were not tapping into innovation yet, and creative brands like Bumble were not clean. So I launched Allyoos to be both," says Sam. 

Sam explains that she believed the industry needed a friendly, soulful, clean hair care brand that was expert-led, suitable for everyone, priced well, and got people excited about taking care of their hair again — a brand that gave people what they needed for healthier, stronger hair; a way to incorporate new healthy hair habits.

More from CafeMom: 15 Nontoxic Ways to Get Healthy Hair

Most of us struggle to balance the demands of work and motherhood. We asked Sam for her strategies or systems that have helped her. She explains that knowing that she's building her business with and for her kids puts things into perspective.

"Something I remind myself often is that really, nothing else is worth my time. I love being a mom so much and being with my kids so much, that building a business that they're a part of and for their future, is the only thing I want to work on. This mindset really helps me when things get busy and fast," shares Sam.

She explains that this mindset makes it feel less like a "balance" and more like a "blend." Therapy is also huge for her.

"Me and my therapist meet bi-weekly. Strict schedules and dedicated work days where I'm on Allyoos vs. dedicated days where I'm with my kids more and really sticking to that has also been huge for me," adds Sam.

Sam shared that when the pandemic hit, it was the biggest challenge she had to face regarding motherhood and entrepreneurship. She had just had her first daughter in March 2020 and Allyoos was only entering year two. There was no child care available. 

It was hard for her to accept that her business had to take a backseat so early on. Allyoos was a bootstrap brand. She relied heavily on in-person events and community building. During the pandemic, lead times for components were record-breaking long, and she ended up sold out of inventory for six months. 

"Having both of these life events happen at the same time — new motherhood times your business facing challenges due to a global pandemic — really taught me so much and gave me so much perspective. It made me a stronger business owner and mother for sure, and definitely tested and strengthened my tenacity. In hindsight, it was the best thing for Allyoos and my motherhood journey. Learning how to rise to the occasion is something I had to do, and now we are back and growing faster than ever. And I have two daughters now," shares Sam.

Sam says that her support system is everything. She built it by thinking through two questions: How can I build my family's team? How can I build my Allyoos team?

It took some time for her to hire help for her family and to get comfortable with it.

"It was just us and our babies for so long, so bringing someone else into your circle was a big deal. And I wanted it to look really specific for our family. Every mom knows what their family needs and I think your 'help' can look however you want it to. This approach was huge for me," explains Sam, speaking on the experience of being a pandemic mom.

Then she did the same for her brand. She thought of the "vibe" she wanted for both her family team and Allyoos team. Then she sought to find the humans that fit the bill for both of those vibes. Go back to your roots was her lesson.

"My nanny is not someone new, it's someone who has been in my life for 10 years. My team is not full of strangers — it's me, my sister, friends of friends, and our freelancers, people we all know through each other or our events. All in all, my support for both family and team feels very warm, and that was intentional. My two cents before starting your search for support would be: What do you want the mood and vibe to feel like? Then find those people," advises Sam.

Self-care is often mentioned as crucial for moms and business owners alike. We asked Sam how she prioritizes this and if she has any go-to activities for relaxation and rejuvenation.

"Therapy! Keeping a strict therapy schedule every two weeks is key for me. Sweat! I either sweat in my gym sauna or in my sauna blanket at home two to three times a week. I make sure I'm reading or listening to a productive book every night to wind down. And of course, things pop up — kids are home from school again, your nanny is sick, you have an event — all of that. I just try to stick to my schedule as much as possible because structure makes me feel good," shares Sam.

We asked Sam about her hopes for the future, both for her business and family. She shares a memory that she often goes back to. When she was pregnant with her first daughter, Lolli, she and her husband went on a babymoon. She was getting a massage when she got a vision and feeling. 

"We're all on this ride with Allyoos so let's have FUN with it!! Starting a business is nuts, I really had no clue how hard this would be. I'm glad I was naive. But I am all about the experience and bringing everyone along with me. Allyoos and my babies, my family are all growing together. I feel so freaking lucky to even say that," shares Sam.

She says that she's going to keep it all moving in the most heartfelt, soulful, wholesome, fun way. Both her girls use Allyoos. Lolli has had all of these words — Allyoos, A Quick Clean, Juice Drench, Bun Bar — in her vocabulary for years now.

"Rather than a work-life balance, a work-life blend is exactly what I try to nurture every day. Allyoos will launch more products, and grow in popularity, my kids and family will be right there, a part of all of it. This is the beauty of entrepreneurship and motherhood — and while it's a whole lot, it is, in all honesty, the greatest, coolest gift," says Sam.