You’ve probably seen the black-and-white bottles sitting on a salon shelf or tucked away in your shower. They look classic, almost clinical. But the story behind the founder of Paul Mitchell isn't some corporate boardroom success story. It’s actually kind of a wild ride involving a Scottish hairstylist with a rebellious streak, a man living in his car, and a Hawaiian farm that runs on sunshine.
Honestly, people usually think "Paul Mitchell" is just one person who got rich selling shampoo.
The reality? It was a partnership between two guys who were basically broke when they started. One was Paul Mitchell, a legendary hair artist from Scotland. The other was John Paul DeJoria, an entrepreneur who had been homeless twice before he hit it big.
In 1980, they had $700. That’s it. No massive bank loans. No venture capital. Just seven hundred bucks and a dream to make life easier for hairdressers.
The Man Who Put the Name on the Bottle
Paul Mitchell wasn't just a face for the brand. Born Cyril Thomson Mitchell in a tiny Scottish village called Carnwath, he was literally born into the business. His mom was the first hairdresser in town.
By the time he was a teenager in London, he was already winning competitions. He was a prodigy. He eventually landed at Vidal Sassoon, where he became a star, but he had this itch to do things differently. He didn't want to just follow the rules of the time.
Mitchell was a bit of a hippie at heart. He was a vegetarian back when people thought that was weird. He was into Eastern mysticism and meditation. He’d walk through the mud in Hawaii just to feel the earth.
He moved to New York in the mid-60s and opened a salon called Superhair. It was a massive hit. But the pressure of the "glamorous" life took its toll. He actually took a break from the industry for a while before meeting John Paul DeJoria.
When they decided to launch John Paul Mitchell Systems, it was Mitchell’s reputation as a stylist and DeJoria’s grit as a salesman that made the magic happen.
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The Founder of Paul Mitchell and the $700 Gamble
It’s hard to imagine now, with the company worth billions, but the launch was a total disaster at first.
They had a backer lined up to give them $160,000. At the last minute, the guy got cold feet and pulled out. DeJoria had already quit his job. He was living in his car—a beat-up old Chevy—and checking for coins in the upholstery just to buy a 99-cent breakfast.
He’d wash up in park restrooms and then put on his one good suit to go sell shampoo.
Why black and white? It wasn't a "minimalist aesthetic" choice. They literally couldn't afford colored ink for the labels. They used the cheapest printing possible.
They started with just three products:
- Shampoo One
- Shampoo Two
- The Conditioner (a leave-in product that was totally revolutionary back then)
The leave-in conditioner was a game-changer. It saved time for the stylist and helped protect the hair. It was a "pro" product that actually worked, and because they didn't have money for advertising, they relied entirely on word of mouth.
DeJoria would walk into salons, do a demonstration, and basically beg people to try it. He knew that if they tried it once, they’d reorder. As he often says, "You don't want to be in the selling business; you want to be in the reorder business."
Why the Company is Still "Pro-Only"
If you see Paul Mitchell products in a grocery store or a CVS today, the company wants you to know it’s likely "gray market" or counterfeit.
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The founder of Paul Mitchell made a promise: they would only sell to professional hairdressers. They wanted to support the people who actually used the tools. Most big brands eventually sell out to big-box retailers because that’s where the easy money is.
But DeJoria and Mitchell stayed firm.
Even after Paul Mitchell passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1989, DeJoria kept that promise. He even put the company in a trust that ensures it can’t be sold to a massive conglomerate for over 300 years. That’s a long time to keep a secret, but it’s also a long time to stay loyal to your roots.
The Hawaiian Connection
One of the coolest parts of the legacy is the Awapuhi Farm. In the mid-80s, before "sustainability" was a marketing buzzword, Mitchell and DeJoria started a solar-powered ginger farm on the Big Island of Hawaii.
They used the roots of the Awapuhi plant for their products. It’s still there today. It’s 100% off-grid. They harvest the ginger by hand. It’s sort of the heart of the company’s environmental mission.
Mitchell is actually buried on that estate. It’s a quiet, beautiful place that feels a world away from the bright lights of a Beverly Hills salon.
Lessons from the Hustle
There are a few things we can actually learn from how this whole thing started. It wasn't just luck.
First, they didn't wait for the "perfect" time. 1980 was a rough year for the economy. Inflation was through the roof. People were waiting in lines for gas. And yet, they started a luxury hair care line.
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Second, they focused on quality over fluff. If the shampoo didn't work, no amount of salesman charm from DeJoria would have saved them.
Third, they embraced their limits. That black-and-white packaging? It became iconic because it was different. Sometimes having no money forces you to be more creative than a million-dollar marketing team.
John Paul DeJoria often talks about "Success Unshared is Failure." He’s a billionaire now, but he still remembers what it was like to share a 99-cent burger with his son. He signed the Giving Pledge, promising to give away the majority of his wealth.
Moving Forward with the Legacy
The company is now run by DeJoria and Mitchell’s family, including John Paul’s daughter, Michaeline DeJoria, who is the CEO. They’ve recently gone through a "restage"—basically a glow-up for the packaging and formulas—to stay relevant for a younger generation.
They’re pushing even harder on the eco-friendly stuff, using recycled plastic and aiming for zero waste.
If you're looking to apply the "Paul Mitchell mindset" to your own life or business, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Be okay with "No." DeJoria says he had hundreds of doors slammed in his face. You have to be as enthusiastic on door 101 as you were on door number one.
- Quality is the only real marketing. If your product or service is actually better than the rest, people will talk about it.
- Don't forget where you started. Whether you're a stylist or a startup founder, staying true to the people who supported you early on is how you build a brand that lasts for decades, not just a few seasons.
The founder of Paul Mitchell didn't just build a hair company; they built a culture that actually cares about the planet and the people in the chair. Not bad for two guys with $700 and a dream.
To really see the impact, next time you're at the salon, ask your stylist about the brand's history. Most of them have been through the Paul Mitchell Schools system and can tell you exactly how those black-and-white bottles changed their careers.
If you want to support the original vision, make sure you're buying your products directly from a licensed salon or an authorized professional retailer. It keeps the "pro-only" dream alive and ensures you're getting the real deal, not some watered-down version from a warehouse.