Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Fox
Hi Sarah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was working at a SCUBA shop in Guam and having a real problem with my hair. I was in the water multiple times a week and spending hours in the shower with a bottle of conditioner and a brush, just trying to get the sea snarls out. I thought, there has to be a better way! I started playing around with elastics and came up with the basic design that is the Rip Tie today. After my time in the tropics I moved to San Diego and was working as a job developer at the Arc of San Diego and surfing all the time with my homemade hair tie. I decided that I would like to become a social worker, so I enrolled in San Diego State’s Masters of Social Work program part-time. Eventually, I had to quit my job, so I decided I would try and sell some hair ties to bring in extra income. I was in a lot of Facebook groups like “women who surf” and “girls who dive” and at least once a week someone asks, “what do I do with my hair?” Every time I would comment in the group, saying I made a hair tie that prevented tangles. I started to get orders every day, and not only that, I was getting a lot of emails from customers saying that they didn’t just use the Rip Tie in the water, they were using it for motorcycle riding, horseback riding, the gym- any sport where long hair gets in the way and tangles. When the demand got too high for me to make the hair ties myself, I found a manufacturer and made my first order for 200 hair ties. Today we’ve sold over 250,000. The business has grown alongside my family. I got married 6 months after I started the company, and then I had to move the product out of our second bedroom to a warehouse to make room for our son a year later!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There were growing pains associated with growing so quickly, for the first 2 years we went out of stock 5 times. During those two years I was also going to school, working at an unpaid internship 20 hours a week, and (for 9 months) pregnant, so I didn’t have as much time to dedicate to the business. We also had issues with quality control in our first couple shipments, which was disheartening.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Rip Tie Enteprises Inc.?
Rip Ties are an innovative, uniquely designed, patent-pending hair tie that keeps hair contained, streamlined and tangle-free. They keep hair out of your face and stop ponytails from sticking to sweaty backs. They also prevent the nasty snarls and tangles that can come with an active lifestyle.
The most common question we get is, why not just braid your hair? Our customers find that other hair ties and other hairstyles like buns or braids simply don’t hold up to high-energy activities and don’t prevent tangles. Rip Tie Hair ties are specifically designed to keep hair tangle-free during all types of activities. The design also minimizes hair breakage, making them ideal for both everyday use and high-impact sports.
Rip Ties come in an assortment of colors so you can match your vibe. We also have a variety of sizes for different hair lengths and types.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The global hair accessories market is projected to grow to $52.92 billion by 2029. We’ve seen huge growth year over year for Rip Tie, and we hope that the increased demand for unique, practical and innovative hair accessories continues!
Pricing:
- 12.95/ one hair tie ($13.95 for extra long)
- $30/ 3 packs ($33/ extra long)
- $45/5 Packs ($50 extra long)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.riptiehair.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riptiehair/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Riptiehair/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@riptiehair
Image Credits
underwater diver Ren Taylor
horseback rider Amy Bee
motorcycle Christopher Byrne
skiier Olga Burymska
