Lana Boone saw a void in the market of clip-on hair extensions for afro-textured hair market. There weren’t many. And not only that, the companies that did produce them didn’t make longer ones or have a variety of options for that hair texture.
Boone jumped into business to launch a startup that would service that part of the billion dollar US hair care business. Kurly Klips was born in 2013.
In an article about Kurly Klips over at Shopify.com’s blog, Lane explains that having a business plan gave her the leverage she needed to focus and study not just her niche area but the entire hair extension industry
Kurly Klips founder Lana Boone wearing her signature product.
The marketing aspect of my business plan was simple to formulate for one reason: I am serial hair extension user. I knew the words I typed into Google to find products similar to mine. I knew the language I liked to read on websites. I knew the value of clear pictures, reviews, and social media influencers. As a discerning consumer, I instinctively knew how to make the sale. I also developed a unique way to organize my product. Traditionally, hair extensions sell at two-inch length increments. By only selling three lengths and giving each length a brand name, the cost of my initial inventory was significantly lower than had I sold my product in the traditional manner.
Lastly, and most importantly, my business plan helped me stick to my budget. I had a set amount of my savings I wanted to invest, and because I wasn’t willing to take out a loan, it was important I stuck with that figure. I wanted my business to be self-sustaining within the first three months, and creating competitive price points helped me achieve that goal. And whatever I could get done for free, I got done for free. My home page was largely edited on PowerPoint. My boyfriend designed my logo and also helps with my photography. I use myself as a model. Does my site look super sleek and fancy? No. But it’s clean and there’s an aesthetic made popular by Urban Outfitters and Etsy that I tried to capitalize on. As I grow, I hope to chic it out.
Very insightful for any startup owner. Read the entire piece at Shopify. We also love the review of the product on Un-Ruly. That’s where the image for this post cover comes from. Head over to Un-Ruly read that fun review! The product starts at $159 which is priced right for the market and a good price point to help Kurly Klips stay profitable. There is no shop, just an online storefront and distributor. That’s what we call a lean start up.
