The Courage to Start Again: Turning Failure into a Purpose-Driven Brand

When I first came across Dip Sustainable Hair Care, I was instantly drawn in. The packaging was clean, the story was compelling, and the mission felt deeply personal. Then I met the woman behind it — Kate Assaraf, a former beauty industry insider who decided she was done playing by the traditional “hustle harder” rules.

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In our conversation on The Lazy Entrepreneur Podcast, Kate shared how she built a sustainable, award-winning hair-care brand by slowing down, doing less—but better, and redefining what success looks like as an entrepreneur and as a mom.

This is her story — and it’s one every entrepreneur who’s ever felt burned out or disillusioned by hustle culture needs to hear.

From Burnout to Breakthrough

Before starting Dip, Kate spent 20 years behind the scenes in the beauty industry — working on product development, marketing, and even live-TV demonstrations. What she saw behind the curtain was anything but beautiful.

She told me stories about drawing fake wrinkles with eyeliner for “before and after” shots and using Vaseline to fake product results on live TV. It was all smoke and mirrors — and it made her stomach turn.

“I learned all the dirty tricks of the beauty industry,” she said. “And I used what I disliked most about it to build the marketing for Dip — as the counterculture response to that.”

That counterculture response became her mission: to create high-performance hair care without the waste, guilt, or greenwashing.

But starting a sustainable brand wasn’t just about helping the planet — it was about reclaiming her integrity and sanity after years of being told that faster and louder was better.

Why Plastic-Free Matters (and Why It’s More Than Just Marketing)

Kate’s frustration with sustainability began the way it does for many of us — she tried to live plastic-free and failed.

“I had a graveyard of shampoo bars in my shower,” she laughed. “They were terrible. They didn’t work. I spent all this extra money trying to do right by the earth, and I still ended up throwing everything away.”

So, she decided to make a better bar herself.

Dip’s products are plastic-free, long-lasting, and salon-quality, proving that you don’t have to sacrifice performance for principles. But the bigger mission goes beyond hair.

Kate explained how plastic waste affects our bodies, wildlife, and ecosystems — from endocrine disruption in fish species to microplastics found in our bloodstreams.

Her goal wasn’t just to sell shampoo. It was to educate consumers about the unseen cost of convenience — and to show that sustainability can be fun, effective, and accessible.

The Courage to Start Again (After Failure)

What most people don’t see when they look at successful founders is the heartbreak that often comes before the breakthrough.

Before Dip, Kate had another business — one that didn’t survive.

“I had just come off the heels of closing another business. I was full of shame. I was broke and humiliated,” she said. “When you close something, it feels like everyone’s watching you fail.”

She didn’t file for bankruptcy, but she lost everything she invested — money, confidence, and momentum.

Starting again wasn’t easy. “There’s an excitement when you launch something for the first time. The second time, there’s fear. You wonder if people are rolling their eyes, thinking, ‘Oh, she’s at it again.’”

But Kate couldn’t shake the idea for Dip. She had what she called an “unscratchable itch” — the kind every true entrepreneur knows. So, she pushed through the fear, woke up at 4 a.m. every morning, worked while her kids were asleep, and built her dream from scratch.

“I knew the problem I wanted to solve,” she said. “And I knew I could do it smarter this time.”

Doing Less—but Better

One of my favorite parts of our conversation was when Kate talked about doing less.

Her business doesn’t rely on paid ads, influencers, or viral marketing gimmicks. Instead, it grows through word of mouth — customers so impressed with the results that they tell everyone they know.

“We’ve never had to run a Meta or TikTok ad,” she said. “It’s literally been a word-of-mouth brand. People are so surprised that the hair care is good, they buy it for everyone they know.”

This approach might sound risky, but it’s part of her philosophy: slow growth is sustainable growth.

Kate doesn’t chase volume or vanity metrics. She chases value — loyal customers, ethical production, and authentic relationships.

She also doesn’t force repeat purchases through wasteful consumption. Her bars last anywhere from six months to two years. That means fewer sales, but happier customers.

Most business owners would panic at the idea of fewer transactions. But for Kate, it’s a badge of honor.

“I built Dip from the customer’s point of view,” she said. “They don’t want to keep shopping — they want products that last.”

Rebuilding Trust — With Herself and Others

After her first business partnership went south, Kate worked alone for the first 18 months of Dip. She handled everything — marketing, fulfillment, operations — while raising two kids.

Eventually, her husband joined full-time, bringing his industrial design expertise to the brand. Together, they became the creative force behind Dip’s minimalist, eye-catching packaging and branding.

Then, just when things were finally taking off, her contract manufacturer went bankrupt.

Most entrepreneurs would have called it quits. Kate, on the other hand, built her own factory.

She laughs about it now, but that decision was a turning point. “It was either trust another manufacturer and risk my formulas, or build my own. So I built my own.”

Today, Dip manufactures, ships, and produces everything in-house, keeping its carbon footprint small and its values intact.

That level of control allows Kate to run her business her way — with boundaries, balance, and bravery.

Balancing Business and Motherhood

When I asked Kate what motivates her, her answer was simple: her kids.

“I wanted to work for myself because I’m a mother,” she said. “Your schedule revolves around your children, even when they’re in school. I wanted to be able to attend the things that matter — the recitals, the field trips, the random middle-of-the-day events.”

She’s right — entrepreneurship doesn’t mean freedom from stress, but it does mean freedom of choice.

“I don’t know how parents with full-time jobs make it to every school event,” she said. “My kids are only little for so long. I don’t want to miss those moments.”

Her honesty reminded me of why I started The Lazy Entrepreneur Podcast in the first place — to have real conversations about building businesses that serve our lives, not the other way around.

The Beauty of Boundaries

When I asked Kate how she manages to stay grounded despite everything she juggles, she laughed and said, “Honestly? TikTok comments.”

She admitted that responding to every comment started consuming her life and raising her blood pressure. So, she did what great entrepreneurs do — she delegated.

“I hired someone to help me manage comments, and it gave me so much peace back,” she said.

It’s such a perfect example of what we talk about on this podcast all the time — you don’t have to do everything yourself. Setting boundaries isn’t selfish; it’s necessary for longevity and mental health.

And in Kate’s case, those boundaries have allowed her to keep her focus on what truly matters: creating quality products, protecting her team, and staying aligned with her mission.

Lessons from Kate’s Journey

Talking to Kate felt like a masterclass in purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Here are a few lessons that stuck with me:

1. Failure doesn’t disqualify you — it prepares you.
   Closing her first business didn’t make Kate weaker; it made her wiser, sharper, and more intentional the second time around.
   
   

2. You can be sustainable and successful.
   Doing what’s right for the planet and your customers doesn’t mean sacrificing profit. It means redefining what success looks like.
   
   

3. Do less, but do it better.
   Instead of chasing trends or fast growth, focus on doing a few things with excellence. That’s how you build something that lasts.
   
   

4. Boundaries are your best business tool.
   Whether it’s social media, work hours, or emotional energy — boundaries protect your creativity and peace.
   
   

5. Enthusiasm is contagious.
   Kate doesn’t rely on paid ads because her genuine passion for what she does attracts people naturally. When you truly love your product, others feel it.
   

Kate’s story is a beautiful reminder that you don’t have to do more to make more.
You don’t need to chase every opportunity, post every day, or outwork everyone around you.

You just need to do what feels aligned — with your values, your purpose, and your peace.

As Kate said so perfectly, “Once you figure out what works and what doesn’t, enthusiasm snowballs. Authenticity feeds itself.”

If you’ve been feeling burned out or afraid to start again, take this as your sign: slow down. Do less. Build with intention.

Because the truth is, sustainable growth — in business and in life — comes from doing less, but better.

Connect with Kate:
🌐 dipalready.com | 📱 @dipalready