From a conservative upbringing to building a multi-million dollar beauty brand, celebrity hairstylist and Ouai founder Jen Atkin has forged a path that defies convention. In this candid interview, she opens up about her early hustle, handling burnout, her go-to interview questions, and the life-changing career advice she got from Kris Jenner.
From Little Caesars to the top of the beauty game
Before she was dubbed “the most influential hairstylist in the world” by The New York Times, Jen Atkin was just a 12-year-old kid alphabetizing travel brochures at her parents’ agency in Utah. Later, she snagged a high school job at Little Caesars—not because of a passion for pizza, but because that’s where “all the hot guys worked,” she jokes. Yet even in these early roles, Atkin was picking up skills: goal setting, independence, and grit. Her strict Mormon upbringing taught her to work for what she wanted—half the cost of every big purchase came from her own pocket.
At 19, she arrived in Los Angeles with $300, chasing the dream of becoming a hairstylist. But her path wasn’t smooth. One of her first jobs as an assistant involved enduring bleach burns when she didn’t meet her boss’s exacting pace. “It was painful—physically and emotionally—but it taught me resilience,” she says. That early struggle made her committed to building a workplace where people felt supported, not tormented.
Kris Jenner’s golden rule: “You’re talking to the wrong person”
Navigating the business world without a formal education wasn’t easy, especially when Atkin decided to launch Ouai. “I didn’t even know what ROI meant,” she says. But she wasn’t afraid to ask. “I would stop people mid-sentence on investor calls. I never pretended to know what I didn’t. That’s my superpower—I ask all the questions, even the awkward ones.”
One of the voices that guided her most during that time? Kris Jenner. “She’s the person I call when I need career advice,” says Atkin. When she was facing challenges with investors early on, Jenner told her, “Don’t be hard on yourself. This is your first time. You’re doing great.” Another Jenner gem? “If someone says no, you’re talking to the wrong person.” That mantra carried Atkin through the many rejections she received while seeking brand partners—people who told her she wasn’t famous enough or ready.
Why Ouai needed to exist
When Atkin finally launched Ouai, it wasn’t just about another shampoo. It was about filling a cultural gap. “Hair products at the time didn’t speak to you—they spoke at you,” she explains. “They made you feel bad about how you looked.” She wanted something modern: products that smelled great, worked beautifully, and connected with consumers digitally. The idea wasn’t easy to sell. “I was turned away by at least 10 different companies,” she says. But persistence paid off, and Ouai became a hit. Ten years later, Atkin is still innovating. The brand recently reformulated its dry shampoo to make it “super dry,” eliminating oil quickly without white streaks—based entirely on community feedback.
How hustle culture almost broke her—and how she came back
Atkin built Ouai while juggling a celebrity clientele and a blossoming personal life. “I was doing hair, launching a brand, and falling in love—all at once,” she says. Her trademark hustle eventually led to burnout. “I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself. I used to be funny. I was just… empty.”
Now a mother, she’s learned the importance of slowing down. “I put on my oxygen mask first,” she says of her mornings. “I let the kids hang out while I drink my coffee and meditate. I need to be okay in order to show up for them.” Supplements like L-Theanine help too, but there’s no quick fix. “You have to work at balance every day,” she adds. “Passion for your work can become an addiction.”
Her no-nonsense approach to hiring
Atkin brings the same honesty to hiring that she does to business. She values emotional intelligence over polished resumes. Her favorite questions? “What went really wrong at a previous job, and how did you handle it?” and “Tell me about someone you had a great—or horrible—relationship with at work.” The way people respond reveals everything. “You see how they process conflict, how self-aware they are. That’s what matters,” she says. “You’re joining a family. I don’t want selfish people who bring everyone down.”
What’s next: small closets, big ideas
Since her Los Angeles home burned down, Atkin’s closet has shrunk—literally. Now based in Seattle, she’s embraced minimalist fashion. “I’ve fallen in love with brands like The Row, Khaite, and Toteme,” she says. And a surprising rediscovery? J.Crew. “They’re having such a comeback,” she notes with glee.
She’s also juggling multiple projects, with her tabs constantly open: Google Docs, shared calendars, Figma, and Notes. But don’t expect her on Slack. “It stressed me out. Too many conversations. It felt like Mission: Impossible.”
The legacy she’s building
Ultimately, Atkin is shaping more than great hair products—she’s modeling a new kind of leadership. One rooted in transparency, resilience, and self-compassion. Whether she’s raising capital, mentoring new hires, or reinventing dry shampoo, she leads with curiosity and conviction. “There’s no magic formula,” she says. “You just keep showing up. Ask questions. Do the work. And be kind—to others and to yourself.”
