Hairdresser Turns $500K Investment Into Emotional Intelligence Startup for Kids
  • Jul 08, 2025

Hairdresser Turns $500K Investment Into Emotional Intelligence Startup for Kids

0:00
0:00
Advertising will end in
play_arrow
pause
replay_10
forward_10
volume_up
volume_down
volume_off
share
speed
Skip ad
close
close
close
close
close
Share:

About Podcast

What happens when a small-town hairdresser discovers her clients need more than just a haircut? Tami Hymas built five successful businesses in rural Idaho, but her biggest venture yet tackles childhood emotional wellness through cartoon characters that help kids identify and process their feelings. In this episode of StartUps with Stu, Tami shares her journey from salon owner to startup founder, revealing how she invested $500,000 to create the InUPowers program now being tested in juvenile detention centers and schools. Stuart Draper dives deep into Tami's mission-driven approach, exploring the challenges of scaling an education technology business beyond local markets. From government contracts to classroom management tools, this conversation unpacks the reality of building a business that aims to heal young minds while generating sustainable revenue. Tami's story demonstrates that sometimes the most unexpected entrepreneurs create the most needed solutions.

Related Episodes

Baby Songs & Business Sense: The Keri-Ellen Story

Baby Songs & Business Sense: The Keri-Ellen Story

"I had a university degree in one hand and a two-month-old baby in the other" - this is how Keri-Ellen Walcer turned simple nursery rhymes into a business touching thousands of families. What started with knee bounces in her living room grew into a network of 50 licensees blending music, movement, and early childhood development. After selling her first company and becoming an entrepreneurship professor, she's back with MusiGo Inc., showing how business and family life can thrive together. This episode is filled with practical wisdom about bootstrapping, scaling organically, and the incredible ripple effect of nurturing your first customers. With just two responses to her first marketing campaign, she built a relationship that would bring her 25 more business partners over the next decade. Keri-Ellen's story reminds us that sometimes the best business ideas come from simply solving problems in our own lives, and success often starts with treating every small win like gold. Follow her journey to see how she continues to impact families through movement and music: Website: [MusiGo Kids] Instagram: [@musigo_kids] LinkedIn: [Keri-Ellen Walcer] Facebook: [MusiGoKids] YouTube: [MusiGo Kids]

Play
Successful Founder Vowed to Never Be an Entrepreneur

Successful Founder Vowed to Never Be an Entrepreneur

Step into the world of edtech entrepreneurship with Justin Hewett, the visionary founder and CEO of Flashlight Learning. Discover how he navigated the challenges of balancing a thriving business with a growing family of six children, and learn the secrets behind Flashlight Learning's remarkable impact on English language learners. Justin shares insights on bootstrapping, maintaining company ownership, and upgrading leadership teams as your startup scales. Join me as we uncover the passion, perseverance, and strategic thinking that drives one of edtech's rising stars.

Play
Mergers, Mentors & Millions: A Young CEO's Journey

Mergers, Mentors & Millions: A Young CEO's Journey

From ranch hand to digital marketing mogul, Michael Johnson's entrepreneurial journey is a masterclass in building a service-based business. In this episode of Startups with Stu, the CEO of Get Found First shares how early lessons from 4-H sales and a pivotal private jet meeting shaped his path to success. Gain insider perspective on the strategic acquisition that transformed competitors into partners, leading Johnson to scale his agency to 40 employees and $8 million in revenue. Packed with practical insights on going "all in," mastering strategic communication, and building lasting client relationships, this conversation delivers invaluable lessons for anyone looking to build and scale their business. This episode provides a roadmap for turning entrepreneurial dreams into reality through strategic thinking, persistence, and the power of relationships.

Play

Comments