When she was 2 years old, It’s A 10 Haircare CEO Carolyn Aronson, 56, was adopted by a family in Michigan. At an early age, she discovered the power of a hairstyle, when parting her hair. And when she was 8 years old, she knew she wanted to become a hairstylist. She went on to pursue beauty school after high school and earned an Associate’s degree in Applied Science from Oakland Community College in Michigan. While she didn’t complete her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, she opened a successful hair salon, with the support of her father.
Carolyn later met her then-husband Scott Scharg, which led her to move to Los Angeles. They started a company in 2002 that “ended up failing,” Carolyn says. Carolyn and Scott later divorced, moved to Florida and began laying the groundwork for their next venture.
In 2005, Carolyn and her partner founded It’s A 10 Haircare. By 2017, Aronson announced full ownership of the company after buying out her partner. Today, the female-owned brand sells various shampoos and leave-in conditioners, making $500 million a year. The company has also sold over $5 billion in total retail sales and has expanded to include cosmetics and hair extensions, among other ventures.
Note: This story was produced for Fortune Magazine’s The Ground Up series.
