September 24, 2024

Building a Cult Following in the Beauty Space Thanks to TikTok and Zero Outside Investments, with Sarah Potempa, Founder of The Beachwaver Co.

59 minutes

“I really wanted to give people a story and a journey they could understand, and simplify hair care, because throughout my career I’ve found it can be confusing for a lot of people,” shares Sarah Potempa, founder and CEO of The Beachwaver Co. Sarah joins Lindsay Pinchuk this week to share her path from celebrity hairstylist—working with clients like Rachel Zoe—to creating the Beachwaver, a rotating curling iron designed to make hairstyling at home easier. One turning point came at QVC, where, with just a prototype in hand, she pitched her product and secured a major order that propelled her brand forward.

Sarah opens up about the valuable lessons she’s learned on flexibility, authenticity, and building a strong community—particularly during the pandemic when she pivoted to direct-to-consumer sales and used TikTok to connect with her audience. How do you scale a business to meet growing demand while keeping that personal touch? Sarah tackled this by focusing on customer relationships and maintaining top-notch quality in her products. Her story is a powerful reminder of the importance of perseverance, creativity, and staying true to your vision as an entrepreneur.

Quotes

“I really wanted to give people a story and a journey that they could understand and simplify hair care, because what I’ve found throughout my career is that it can be a little confusing to a lot of people.” (23:48 | Sarah Potempa)
“I would do the website live and the TikTok live at the same time until I realized these are different audiences, and they need different experiences.” (34:05 | Sarah Potempa)
“You also have to educate yourself and learn… It took me a really, really long time to get to where we are on TikTok because I wanted to be perfect, and I wanted to feel like we were this big, huge brand when we weren’t… I just learned that, ‘You know what, I have to deal with it.’ I have to learn every element of this business. I have to know who’s replying and how to the customers.” (47:26 | Sarah Potempa)
“While you’re live streaming, show the real you. And that’s okay because that’s something I struggled with. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and show that.” (53:59 | Sarah Potempa)
“Enjoy the moment and appreciate the struggles, the hard times.” (56:19 | Sarah Potempa)

Connect with Sarah Potempa:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahpotempa/

https://www.tiktok.com/@thebeachwaver

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By Lindsay Pinchuk

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