We got our three founders together in the same (virtual) room for a candid conversation about entrepreneurship, parenthood and real-life hair routines! Cozy up and read through their chat on self-care, sharing and making lazy hair look really good.
Describe your individual roles at Odele as co-foundersāwho does what?
Britta: Shannon runs operationsāsheās the one who makes things happen. I cover more of the business management: strategy, financials and such. Lindsay oversees all things brand, creative and sales. Weāre actually still in the process of figuring out what our exact roles are, because we all do a bit of all the things!
Tell us about the origins of Odele. Why did you decide to start the company?
Britta: There were a lot of reasons. For me, after having my second child and taking 10 months off work, I knew I couldnāt go back to working for someone else. I remember sitting at Lindsayās house and being like, āWe need to do something that weāre really passionate about!ā
Shannon: At the time, I had just been laid off from my job [in the hair care industry]. I loved working in hair care, I knew the industry well, and I knew I didnāt want to go into something elseābut I also wanted more control over my own time, and to have more say in whatās best for the business and my family.
Lindsay: We were all kind of in that similar placeāall of us were ready to make big moves. We saw a need in the beauty space that we knew we could fill, and we were all in a place where we could take a risk and do something about it.
S: It wasāand still is!āa lot of work, but itās a different kind of trade-off. If Iām going to put my blood, sweat and tears into something, Iām going to do it in a way that benefits me and my family, and for a product I believe in.
L: Right. When you have children, you become so acutely aware of what your time away is costing you. Running your own company is higher stakes and youāre never off, but, especially looking back at this past year, to be able to say, āYou know what? Today I have to help my kids with distance learning,ā and having the flexibility to do it is so worth it. With our partnership, we support each other and help each other out.

How have your experiences with motherhood shaped Odeleāthe products, the mission, etc.?
L: As a mother, I can barely list anything thatās just mineāso it was really important for us to create something enabled for sharing. Before we started Odele, I was buying my own $40 shampoo. And then I had a moment where I was like, WHY? Well, because someone had told me to buy it a while ago, and I just stuck with it because it was fine, but it was so expensive and the ingredient list wasnāt even clean. We all kind of bonded over that and our frustration with constant bathroom clutter, and got really excited about coming up with a better solutionāsomething designed for real life that makes life a little bit easier, too. The beauty industry has historically led us to believe that certain products are specific to certain ages, genders, etc. In reality, we donāt always need his/hers/theirsāwe can share.
B: Inclusivity was also a big priority. As a white mother with a brown daughter, itās so important for my little girl to see her hair type and skin tone celebrated. The industry has come a long way in terms of promoting inclusion and showcasing more diverse images of beauty, but thereās still a long way to go, and we want to be part of helping to push that forward.
S: Parenthood has definitely had a huge influence on our stylers, too. We put a lot of thought into the products that we bring to the market, because as moms, we know how it feels to have such limited time to get ready. Our Air Dry Styler is efficient for me to just shower, work in and goāand I know that my hair isnāt going to be a frizzy poof. Or the Dry Shampoo, because letās be real, I donāt wash my hair every dayāonce a week is what Iām working with these days. And instead of using a bunch of separate products, I can throw the Detangling Tonic in my hair (and use it in my kidās hair) and get the works with just one product.
B: At the end of the day, we wanted one less thing to have to think about. I donāt have time for a massive routine, and I donāt have time to do a ton of research. I just want something really good thatās not crazy-expensive.
L: And while weāre solving one problem, we want to make sure we arenāt adding to another. My daughter just did her Earth Day project at school, and it was on all the plastic in the ocean. When we were researching her five facts, we learned thereās more plastic in the ocean than fish. Itās so important to us to be aware of our environmental impact, to stay ahead of the curve and deliver our products in a way that respects our planet. Minimizing our footprint, making sure our bottles are recyclable, using PCR... doing the most we can and continuing to improve.
B: Yeah, I mean, when it comes to making those decisions and how we show up as a brand, Iāve never felt more accountable to any boss than I do to my children. When your kids are watching you build something, thatās accountability. My five-year-old son always talks about us as the āboss ladies.ā At the same time heās like, ādo you have to work right now?ā

Whatās been the most challenging part of entrepreneurship? Whatās been the most rewarding part?
B: Being an entrepreneur and being a business partner, it is impossible to not grow. Itās impossible to not constantly be learning and questioning yourself. Am I showing up the way I want to show up for my partners? Itās just a relentless pursuit of growth in every way, shape and form... growing the company, growing yourself, growing your tolerance for risk, growing your tolerance for anxiety. Learning to let go.
L: I think one of the biggest challenges is just the fact that we havenāt been able to be together this last year (thatās almost the whole time our products have been out there!). Weāre still this small team wearing multiple hats (on top of the ones we wear at home), so every time we physically sit down together it feels so much better. Now that weāre all vaccinated, though, we're going to start to get together once a week and I CANāT WAIT.
S: For me, one of the most challenging parts has been overcoming self-doubt. Even when you feel like you're making the right choice, and you believe in yourself, you have these moments where youāre questioning yourself, questioning your decisions, questioning if youāre doing the right thing for the business. Itās a constant cycle of questioning, then reassuring yourself youāve got this and regaining your confidence to go for it.
L: Yeah! Itās like having another child that you release out into the world, and you hope that they are treated with kindness and acceptance and that people love them and are enthusiastic about them and want to see them succeed. Thereās only so much you can do before you put your baby out into the world, and it can be scary. But weāve been so thrilled to see how much people are loving the products and connecting with our mission.

Tell us about your real-life hair routines. Which products have been the biggest saviors for you and your families? Any usage tips or tricks to share?
B: [laughs] I mean, look at me. I donāt have a routine. I do wash my hair every day. And when I get ready, I use all of our products. My favorite right now is the Leave-in Detangling Tonic because my daughter has really long, thick hair, and without that, I donāt think I would ever get her hair brushed.
L: Any time weāre asked to give a hair tutorial, Iām like, ummm, I have two steps⦠[laughs] But thatās what I love about our brandāitās all about keeping things simple, embracing that āundoneā look and enhancing what youāve got naturally. We make function-first products. They donāt make you feel as if youāre failing in terms of some how-toāyou just apply them and go. I especially love the Air Dry Styler. I have a hard time coaxing out texture, particularly in the Minnesota winter months, and it helps me get a nice wave. For my kids, I love the Leave-in Conditioner. I think thatās one of our most versatile products. They have super fine hair with some curls, and just a little tiny bit goes a long way.
S: One of my favorite products is the Texturizing Sea Salt Spray. I take things to the limit, okay? I wonāt wash my hair for a week, Iāll look like a swamp creature, but Iāll just let it down, wet it a bit, spray in the sea salt spray and I can get some nice waves. I get compliments all the time on my hair when I haven't even washed it in seven days.
B: I actually just had to leave for a second because I forgot to put on deodorant today. [laughs]
Best self-care tip for real life?
B: Go to a therapist. Whether or not you struggle with mental health, itās a really good investment in yourself.
L: Protect time for yourself. My only me-time comes after the kids are in bed. After Iāve made the lunches and switched out the laundry, Iāll stay up reading a book or scrolling. And maybe that lack of sleep isnāt the best idea, but having that time for yourself is important, even if youāre doing nothing.
S: Iām still working on self-care, so I guess Iāll let you know when I find out. But you know, I try. Iāll be like, oh, I have to drink more water. Well, okay, that lasts for a few days. Then itās like, I gotta meditate. Okay, I need to do that. I need to sleep better, I need to exercise⦠You try to do all the right things all the time, but itās hard.
L: When all else fails, book a facial or massage appointment that you have to show up for.
The Drop
Thanks for coming to our TED talk. Share your own stories, styling tips and shower thoughts with us at @odelebeautyāwe love connecting with you + your people! Questions for us? Email hello@odelebeauty.com anytime.