Education

At Female Founder Collective’s The 10th House, we often hear founders ask the same question: how do you scale without losing the trust, culture, and community that built your brand in the first place? In our conversation with Julissa Prado, Founder and CEO of Rizo’s Curls, we explored what long-term brand building really requires—especially in beauty, where growth pressure can quickly dilute values.

Julissa’s journey challenges the typical “raise fast, scale fast” narrative. Before launching in 2017, she spent nearly a decade offering curl advice everywhere from high school bathrooms to college campuses—building what she calls years of unofficial market research. When Rizo’s Curls launched with just three SKUs and 1,000 units each, hundreds of orders came in during the first week from people she had helped over the years. Many included testimonials recalling past encounters. The brand didn’t begin with ads—it began with trust.

Today, Rizo’s Curls is available in over 4,500 doors nationwide, including Target, Ulta Beauty, and Nordstrom. But the scale came gradually—and intentionally. For founders navigating the “messy middle” between startup and established brand, Julissa’s approach offers a grounded roadmap.

What It Really Takes to Scale Without Losing Yourself

Here are the core lessons Julissa shared about building beyond the launch:

Community is your first growth engine. Long before product existed, Julissa built credibility by educating and empowering her audience. That early relationship-building translated directly into first-week sales and organic advocacy. Customers posted before-and-after results without being asked. The takeaway? If you build real trust, conversion becomes a byproduct—not a campaign.

Bootstrap discipline creates strategic freedom. Rizo’s Curls has been 100% self-funded for nine years. Julissa reinvested profits annually, used a line of credit as a safety net, secured small grants early on, and didn’t take a salary until year nine. She moved back home, cut expenses, and leaned on family support to preserve ownership. Growth wasn’t rushed—it was funded through patience and reinvestment.

Scrappy marketing beats expensive marketing. With no formal marketing budget in the early years, social media became the primary growth channel—and her first hire was a social media manager. The team hosted curl classes in borrowed spaces, partnered with same-stage brands for cross-promotional events, and seeded product organically. Even participation in the Meta accelerator program provided leverage without major spend. Momentum came from proximity, not paid scale.

Retail expansion should mirror operational readiness. Target was the first major retail partner—and the launch started in just 100 stores. Growth expanded slowly: 100 to 200 to 500, eventually to 4,500 doors. Julissa emphasized that everything in retail is negotiable—margins, fees, damage splits. Retail is not a trophy; it’s a relationship. Scale too fast without infrastructure, and you lose leverage.

Culture is not optional—it’s strategic. Julissa’s leadership philosophy is simple: everything has to be fun. Hiring prioritizes culture fit over pure skill. Collaboration and kindness matter more than technical perfection. She also encourages founders to lean into feminine leadership traits—intuition, nurturing, and balance—as competitive advantages rather than weaknesses. That mindset extends into initiatives like the United for Immigrants fundraiser, which previously raised $250,000 with participation from 183 brands.

Long-term brands are built in the “messy middle.” The hardest stage isn’t launch—it’s sustained growth. Balancing DTC and retail. Managing capital decisions. Expanding without diluting your voice. Julissa’s story reinforces that scaling with intention requires restraint as much as ambition.

Why Long-Term Thinking Wins

For early-stage consumer founders, especially in beauty and personal care, the temptation is to optimize for visibility—viral launches, rapid retail, quick fundraising. Julissa’s path offers a different lens: optimize for durability.

Education before expansion. Community before capital. Culture before scale.

If you’re building in a crowded category and thinking about how to grow without overextending, this conversation is a reminder that sustainable brands are not built in a moment—they’re built in seasons.

Collective momentum matters. And when founders commit to scaling with integrity, they don’t just grow revenue—they build brands that last.

Your Invite to 10th House: A Community that Fuels Your Journey

At Female Founder Collective’s 10th House, we exist to democratize access to the strategies, insights, and connections that have traditionally been locked behind closed doors. Our community fosters authentic connections, celebrates victories, and shares honest advice, creating a space where founders can grow together.

As a member of The 10th House, here’s what you can unlock:

• Direct access to industry leaders who meet you where you are and give candid, real-world advice.
• Supportive workshops, resources, and frameworks you can apply the same day.
• Opportunities to connect with founders who celebrate your wins and help you through setbacks—with zero judgment, just true understanding.
• Front-row seat to future events like our intimate fireside chats, founder cohorts, and exclusive pitch demos.

Apply now below to join our vibrant community and unlock the resources, insights, and connections you need to scale your entrepreneurial journey. Let’s build the future, side by side 💌

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