GABRIELA AZAR | ISTITUTO MARANGONI | FASHION PROMOTION, COMMUNICATIONN AND MEDIA MASTER |

FASHION ENTREPRENEURSHIP | CATRY OSTINELLI

JEN
ATKIN
JEN ATKIN - THE ENTREPRENEUR
If you want to know about someone who is the tangible
definition of a young thriving entrepreneur, you can’t
pass the chance to meet Jen Atkin. Jen is considered
an American celebrity stylist, who in the last ten years
has gone from being a simple receptionist to one of the
most high end hair stylists worldwide, with a net worth
of more than $800,000us, owner of her own brand, and
traveling the world with celebrities such as Chrissy
Teigen and the whole Kardashian - Jenner clan.
JEN’S STORY
Jen was born in 1980 and grew up in a small Mormon
community in Oahu, Hawaii. By the time she was in
high school she was living in St. George, Utah with
her family and was surrounded by a group of young
girls who were not thinking of going to college and
who’s only aspiration was to get married and become
mothers.
“I was the only one [in my community] obsessed with pop
culture from a very young age. I loved movies, and Paula
HAIR/BEAUTY BOSS
Abdul was a god to me. I loved the idea of dress-up and
changing my appearance and playing characters.”
(J.Atkin, 2016)
High school we can say was the time when Jen
found herself and started realizing which path
she wanted to take in life. During those four
years she started cutting her own hair, cutting
and styling her friends’ hair and that is when
the desire to be a stylist first came to Atkin’s
mind,
“I wanted to be a part of the glamorous
and fun world I saw in George Michael and
Madonna videos.” (J.Atkin, 2016) she says.
In the year 2000 she decided to pack up her
things and move to L.A with only $300us
dollars in her purse; this is when her journey
began.
When in Los Angeles, she started from the
bottom, doing all kinds of jobs like music
supervisor, clerical, front-office jobs until she
finally found a job as receptionist at Estilo
which was one of the top beauty salons in the
city; here she met Chris McMillan who was
one of the most famous stylists at the time who
would later on help her impulse her career.
After a year at the salon she got promoted to
manager where she learned the business of
styling, how to run a salon and how to deal
with clients. After three years she saved up
enough money to put herself through Abram
Friedman Occupational Center beauty school
and at the same time she started working as
an assistant to stylists in order to get hours for
her cosmetology license. She was working all
day, at the salon, hostess at night and went to
school all at the same time. A year and a half
later she gained her degree and license and
was officially a stylist.
At this time Chris McMillan opened his own salon
in Beverly Hills and Atkin went to work with
him at an assistant and she learned from him and
from stylist Andy Lecompte. Andy was Madonna’s
hair stylist and took Jen with him in Madonna’s
“Confessions” tour with in 2006, which opened many
new doors and opportunities for Jen. After the tour
Chris McMillan made Jen one of the official hair
stylists at his salon where she started building up her After being established at the salon, Jen still had
own client list and everything started from there on. more to offer and one of her goals was to style at
“You start as the person who gets there early and stays the NYFW. Lorraine Schwartz, designer, introduced
late.” (J. Atkin, 2016) this she might say is the key to her to John Galliano and she did the hairstyling for
success, diligence, responsibility and perseverance. Galliano’s shows in New York, Paris and China. Since
then she decided to work both in NYC and LA.
In 2008, her stylist friend Andy Lecompte opened his “Working at the salon is something I haven’t been able
own salon and Atkin went with him and still works to let go of. I’ve known these clients for the last nine to
at this salon in between her personal businesses.. 10 years, and sometimes they wait six months to get
Her first celebrity client was Minka Kelly and then a haircut. The salon is [also] the best place for me to
started styling other celebrities like Amanda Bynes, shape and grow my team of assistants.”
Lindsey Lohan and Nicole Richie. It is important to to see how even after Atkin was
“I’d work eight hours, then do someone for a red able to “triumph” in the business she still appreciates
carpet from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and almost always her origins by working at the salon and how she can
worked on my days off. This is what separates the acknowledge that she need help, she needs a team
people who can really make it and those who can’t. to work with her and there is no better place to find
You have to be available at all times and change plans these people than at the salon, just as she started.
at a moment’s notice.”
She says how it is difficult to see how all your
friends might be on vacation and you have to
stay put and hustle in order to make your career
and how it is important to speak and meet the
right people such as the right publicist and
getting along with them because you know there
is a client there. Jen also states that in the beauty
business so much is “word of mouth”, which is
why doing a good job always is key.
FROM KARDASHIANS TO A BRIGHT FUTURE
Many have come to know Jen as “the Kardashian’s hair
stylist”, this is the moment in her career that really gave
her the bump she needed. She first met Kim Kardashian in
2010 through different friends and Kim had seen Atkin’s
work on other celebrities like Sophia Vergara and she
asked Atkin to do her hair for a Cosmopolitan cover in
Miami; this is when her relationship with the Kardashian
bunch began and she started working with every one of the
Kardashians from Khloe to Kendall Jenner.
Her relationship with the Kardashians grew to the
point of friendship because Jen believes in working
with people who feel comfortable around her and
trust her work and her as a person.
“The success of hairstylists is 30 percent talent and the
rest is our personality. We’re in people’s homes, in their
face, starting the day off with them. We’re in such an
intimate position. We know everyone’s secrets. If I were
in their shoes, I’d want somebody who was trustworthy
and somebody who had my back.”
(Atkin, 2016)
Today Atkin travels the world with celebrities like
Chrissy Teigan and John Legend, Kendall Jenner and
Bella Hadid, and styles in L.A, NYC, Dubai and more.
MANE ADDICTS
In 2013, Jen really wanted to give young, regular girls a
platform were they could find all information related
to beauty. A platform with video tutorials, product
suggestions, images,
a website just about hair to give women real advice they
could use at home. In 2014 she made this idea reality with
the launch of her website titled “Mane Addicts”.
When developing this digital platform, Jen received help
from several individuals like Hillary Kerr, Katherine Power
and Jessica Alba and at the same time she learned about
online sales, and the idea of how in-store sales are time
consuming and how a delivery service makes everything
easier and was going to be part of the future even in the
beauty sector. At this time when learning from her website,
the digital world and online sales is when Jen started to
think about the key ingredients that her idea of a line of
hair products started developing.

“I put together a business plan with my ideas for Ouai
Haircare. I detailed what I wanted the products to look like,
what ingredients I wanted to use, and the concept of hair
care supplements, which is what I feel was missing. I was
lucky to find investors in people I already knew. The website
and subscription service launched in February 2016, and
the products are also available in Sephora.”
(J. Atkin, 2016)
OUAI
Ouai launched in 2016 with only a couple of
products and at the time it was stocked in a
small selection of Sephora stores and online.
For its initial 2016 launch, it was stocked in a
small selection of Sephora stores and online.
Fast forward to 2017, and  Ouai’s shampoos,
stylers and supplements are carried in 351 Atkin also realizes that she hasn’t
Sephora stores through the US, as well as in a done all of these based on her
variety of other retailers across the country. own knowledge, but also on the
It has become global and today extends to experiences and learning outcomes
Canada, the UK, Australia, France, the UAE, from those in the industry and
Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Though the those who mentored her and are
brand has not disclosed specific sales figures, part of her daily life.
experts estimated $15 million in net sales for
the year 2017. Then there’s the communication
and social media clout where Ouai has racked “ I would be an idiot if I wasn’t
”
learning from the
up 316,000 fans on Instagram, and Atkin
people around me ,
herself boasts 2.1 million followers on the
she states.
platform.  Ouai took home the award for Best
Beauty Brand at Revolve’s Inaugural Influencer
Today Jen’s success has taken her
Awards and that’s all been achieved organically,
to be categorized by The New York
without paying influencers.
Times as “the most influential
The brand has focused on building its community,
hair stylist in the world”. She is
investing in tools to help shoppers feel even
an entrepreneur with her own
more connected to the product. In November
company of The OUAI hair
of 2016, Ouai launched an on-site consultation
products, celebrity stylist, married
service in which users can take a quiz that leads
to director and photographer Mike
them to product recommendations. To date, the
Rosenthal and simply thriving and
quiz has been taken approximately 70,000 times,
bumming in the beauty industry.
enabling the brand to collect first-person data
and feedback from customers while moving
product. Purchases from those who take the
quiz now account for approximately 20 percent
of the site’s total sales.
HAIR CARE
MARKET
IN THE USA
HAIR CARE MARKET DESCRIPTION
Hair care products are formulated to help nourish
and prevent hair damage resulting from dryness,
pollution, and other factors. The hair care
market is comprised of thousands of products,
such as shampoo, conditioners, serums,
colorants, sprays, etc., which are composed of
both natural and synthetic ingredients in order
to maintain healthy, lustrous and well-groomed
hair. In today’s culture, healthy hair is a staple
that portrays the idea of maintaining a youthful
appearance, and this factor strongly influences
purchase decisions among consumers.
Hair care is continuously engaged in research
and development in order to formulate new,
more effective and safe products. Over the
past few years, herbal hair care products have
been enjoying increased popularity because of
consumers’ heightened awareness about the ill
effects of harsh chemicals and substances.
Growth in the hair care market has been
encouraging, which has prompted a number
of new entrants to gain a foothold in niche
segments. In the coming years as well, this trend
is projected to continue, especially as millions
of consumers in developing economies are now
becoming conscious about styling their hair,
coloring grey hair, and maintaining a healthy
scalp.
Beauty products can be also subdivided into
premium and mass production segments, according
to the brand prestige, price and distribution channels
used. HAIR CARE SEGMENT USA
Over the years to come, the cosmetics and personal The Hair Care segment is one of the largest in
care industry is predicted to record gains across the the Cosmetics and Personal Care market. The
board, with particularly strong growth expected for segment includes care products such as shampoo,
sun protection and anti-aging products as consumers conditioner, hair tonics as well as styling products
become increasingly aware of the dangers of sun such as hair spray, gel and dyes. The main producers
exposure and more concerned with preserving a in this segment are L’Oréal, Henkel and Beiersdorf.
youthful appearance. Emerging nations represent
huge potential for international companies, offering • Revenue in the Hair Care segment amounts to
better quality products than locally produced US$15,222m in 2018. The market is expected to
goods to populations with rising income levels. grow annually by -0.6% (CAGR 2018-2021).
Multinational companies have begun establishing
a strong foothold in countries such as Russia, India • From an international perspective it is shown
and China. that most revenue is generated in the United States
Rising income means that consumers are more (US$15,222m in 2018).
concerned with product effectiveness and ingredients
used than cheap products. Manufacturers are • In relation to total population figures, per person
therefore focused on advertising their products as revenues of US$46.43 are generated in 2018.
superior to those of rival companies, rather than
systematically seeking to undercut market prices.
Distribution channels are changing in that cosmetic
brands are available not only in retail outlets like
department stores, but also through internet
purchasing, television infomercials, home shopping,
airport vending machines and in spas.
SIZE OF THE GLOBAL
HAIR CARE MARKET
FROM 2012 TO 2024 (IN
BILLION U.S. DOLLARS)*

This statistic depicts the

estimated size of the global hair
care market from 2012 to 2024.
In 2018, the global hair care
market is estimated to be worth
about 87.73 billion U.S. dollars.
 PESTEL
ANALYSIS
USA 2000 - PRESENT DAY

March-June - US plays leading

role in Nato bombardment
of Yugoslavia in response to
Oklahoma bomb kills more Serb violence against ethnic July - US tests its controversial

01. than 160 people in worst ever Albanians in the province of missile defence shield, or
incident of its kind in US. Kosovo. “Son of Star Wars”.
POLITICAL SITUATION 1995 1999 2001

1990 -1991 1992 1996 1998 2000 2001 2001

THE CLINTON YEARS

DEMOCRATS LOSE
US forces play dominant role Clinton re-elected, beating Scandal over Clinton’s November - Republican Party’s
Democratic Party candidate Bill Clinton SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS
in war against Iraq, which was Republican rival Bob Dole. purported sexual impropriety George W Bush wins presidency.
elected president.
triggered by Iraq’s invasion of with White House worker 11 September - Co-ordinated suicide October - USA Patriot Act
Kuwait and ended with the Monica Lewinsky dominates attacks on various high-profile targets, approved by the Senate, giving the
Congress passes North American Free
expulsion of Iraqi troops from domestic political agenda prompting the US to embark on a ‘’war government greater powers to detain
Trade Agreement, or Nafta, intended to
that country. and leads to impeachment on terror’’ which includes the invasion suspected terrorists, eavesdrop
create free-trade bloc among US, Canada
proceedings in Congress. of Afghanistan and Iraq. on communications and counter
and Mexico.
money-laundering. In November,
October - US leads massive campaign President Bush signs a directive to
of air strikes against Afghanistan try suspected terrorists in military
and helps opposition forces defeat tribunals rather than the courts.
the Taleban regime and find Saudi-
born dissident Osama Bin Laden, December - Energy giant Enron
who is suspected of masterminding declared bankrupt after massive
the September 11 attacks. false-accounting comes to light.

January - State of the Union address:
President George W Bush includes
Iraq, Iran and North Korea in what he
describes as an “axis of evil”.
June/July - Telecoms giant WorldCom’s
multi-billion dollar accounting fraud is
revealed, eclipsing the Enron scandal
to become the biggest business failure
in US history.
2002
November - President Bush signs
into law a bill creating a Department
of Homeland Security, the biggest
reorganisation of federal government
in more than 50 years. The large and
powerful department is tasked with
protecting the US against terrorist
attacks.
February - Space shuttle Columbia’s
28th mission ends in tragedy when the
craft breaks-up while re-entering the
atmosphere. The seven astronauts on
board are killed.
2003
IRAQ WAR
March - Missile attacks on Baghdad mark
the start of a US-led campaign to topple
the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. US
forces advance into central Baghdad in
early April
May - Speaking on the deck of the aircraft
carrier Abraham Lincoln, President Bush
declares that the main part of the war in
Iraq is over.
May - Furore over pictures
showing the abuse of Iraqi
prisoners in US custody.
July - Senate report says
US and allies went to
war in Iraq on “flawed”
information. Independent
report into 11 September
2001 attacks highlights
deep institutional failings
in intelligence services and
government.
2004
BUSH SECOND TERM
November - Presidential
elections: George W Bush
wins a second term.
2005
August - Hundreds of people
are killed when Hurricane
Katrina, the most destructive
storm to hit the US in
decades, sweeps through gulf
coast states. Much of the city
of New Orleans is submerged
by flood waters.
Congress renews the USA announces a new Iraq
Patriot Act, a centrepiece of strategy; thousands more US
the government’s fight against troops will be dispatched to
terrorism.
2006
The only man to be charged
over the September 11
attacks, self-confessed al-
Qaeda conspirator Zacarias
Moussaoui, is sentenced to
life in jail.
November - Democratic Party
wins control of the Senate and
House of Representatives in
mid-term elections. Defence
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
steps down.
March - Democrats in
Congress succeed in passing
a bill on health care reform
US and Russia announce
agreement on a new
May-June - Deepwater
nuclear arms reduction Horizon oil rig disaster in
treaty to replace the 1991 the Gulf of Mexico causes the
Strategic Arms Reduction
United States’ biggest oil spill
Treaty. to date.
President Obama unveils November - Republicans
a new defence policy make sweeping gains
January - President Bush
significantly curtailing the in mid-term elections,
circumstances in which
regaining control of House
the US would use nuclear of Representatives.
shore up security in Baghdad. weapons.
2007 2010
2008 2011 2012
September - Turmoil in the US and May - US forces kill Al-Qaeda leader January - President Obama unveils
OBAMA ELECTED
international financial markets as Osama Bin Laden in an operation in the a revised defence strategy involving
major Wall Street investment bank Pakistani city of Abbottabad. budget cuts, but insists US will
Lehman Brothers collapses and maintain its military superiority.
other big US financial players face
July - The final Space Shuttle mission
growing troubles as a result of the
is completed with the landing of
“credit crunch”. With hundreds of
Atlantis on 21 July, bringing about
billions of dollars wiped out in bad
the end of the 30-year programme.
loans and a prolonged property
slump, the US faces its worst
September - Anti-capitalist protesters
financial crisis since the Great
Depression. take to the streets of major cities,
marching under the slogan “Occupy
November - Democratic Senator Wall Street”, against “corporate
Barack Obama becomes the first greed” and increasing government
black president of the United debt.
States.
02.
INDUSTRIAL SITUATION
INDUSTRIAL SITUATION USA
“History shows that trade made easy, affordable
and fast...always begets more trade, more jobs,
more prosperity,” the founder and CEO of FedEx
wrote in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed.
Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. actually increased
in the years after the North America Free Trade
Agreement with Mexico and Canada went into
effect in 1994.
But the story changed dramatically in 2000. Since
then, the U.S. has shed 5 million manufacturing
jobs, a fact opponents of free trade mention often.

Manufacturing remains a key part of the

U.S. economy. Over 12.3 million Americans
are employed in the industry. But it’s not the
powerhouse it was.

In 1960, about one in four American workers had

a job in manufacturing. Today fewer than one
in 10 are employed in the sector, according to
government data.
Workers transitioned from the fields to the
factories. Now they are moving from factories to
The jobs former manufacturing workers have
service counters, retail and health care centers.
moved into -- health care, construction and retail
The fastest growing jobs in America now are
-- also vary greatly in pay, benefits and quality.
nurses, personal care aides, cooks, waiters, retail
salespersons and operations managers. “Certain industries have declined and others
Since the 1960s, manufacturing has always have risen,”
says Harvard professor and trade expert Robert
paid substantially more than the minimum
Lawrence. “In aggregate, the economy is close to
wage. Even today, the manufacturing jobs that full employment.”
remain average $20.17 an hour. That’s nearly
three times the federal minimum wage.
The graph shows the distribution of the labor Since World War II, the share of private
force in agriculture, industry and services from employment in goods production (including
1840 to the present. The part of the story about manufacturing) has steadily declined from just
agriculture is clearly true: Beginning in 1840 at short of 50 percent to just fewer than 20 percent.
roughly 70 percent of the labor force, agricultural
employment fell to about 40 percent in 1900, 10
percent in 1950, and remains at about 2 percent
today.

The graph examines the service sector. Shows The output data look much like the employment
the distribution of the labor force. In terms data. Just like employment, the share of goods
of employment, the second largest sector was production (including manufacturing) in GDP
services, not industry. In fact, service employment has steadily declined while the share of services
exceeded industrial employment throughout in GDP has steadily risen.
American history. Looking at industry, the closest
that sector got to services was in 1880.
A similar story emerges when we look at output
produced in agriculture, industry and services.
Again, the agricultural sector originally accounted
for the largest share of output, but services caught
up and exceeded agriculture by the 1880s.
03.
DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION

POPULATION

RESIDENT POPULATION OF THE UNITED GENDER DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESIDENT POPULATION OF

STATES FROM 1980 TO 2017 (IN 1,000) THE UNITED STATES FROM 1980 TO 2016 (IN MILLIONS)

This graph shows the resident population of the This graph shows the resident population of the United States
United States of America. In 2017, the United from 1980 to 2016, by gender. As of July 1, 2016, there were 159.08
States had around 325.72 million inhabitants. million males and 164.05 million females living in the United
States.
RESIDENT POPULATION OF THE
UNITED STATES BY SEX AND AGE AS
OF JULY 1, 2016 (IN MILLIONS)
This graph shows the population estimates
for the United States as of July 1, 2016, sorted
by sex and age. As of July 1, 2016, about 10.46
million males under 5 years were living in
the United States. Total U.S. population was
estimated at 323.13 million.
POPULATION PROJECTIONS FOR THE UNITED
STATES FROM 2015 TO 2060 (IN MILLIONS)
This graph shows population projections for
the United States of America. The estimated
population of the USA in 2050 is 398 million
residents.
Population
The U.S. Census Bureau presents annual
projections for the growth of the U.S.
population up to the year 2060. By 2050, it is
estimated that the American population will
surpass 398 million citizens. The U.S. census
also projects a regressing annual growth rate,
starting at 0.8 percent in 2015 and decreasing
to 0.46 percent by 2060.
The UN population division publishes
population projections for the entire world
up to the year 2100. The United Nations also
projects a regressing annual growth rate of
the world population. Between 2015 and
2020, the population is expected to increase
by 1.04 percent annually. Around 2060, the
annual growth rate will have decreased to
0.34 percent.
IMMIGRATION
NUMBER OF PERSONS OBTAINING LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT
STATUS IN THE U.S. IN 2016, BY STATE OF RESIDENCE

NUMBER OF PERSONS OBTAINING LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT

STATUS IN THE U.S. FROM 1990 TO 2016 (IN MILLIONS)
The United States has a long history with
immigration with the vast majority of the
current population coming from some
form of immigrant background – that
being all American’s other than those
who are American Indian or Alaska
Native. The economic strength of the
United States, alongside the mammoth
degree of soft power possessed by the
country, means that demand for so-called
‘green cards’ (permanent residence visas)
is high. Since 2007, the United States
has approved around 1 million green
cards per year. Nearly one fifth of the
permanent residency approvals in 2014
were for persons residing in California.
mmigration is a divisive political issue.
At the center of the public debate
is illegal immigration. Although
the amount of illegal immigrants
apprehended has fallen since a peak
at the turn of the millennium, U.S.
officials still apprehended 679,996
people in 2014. Due to the economic
disparities between Mexico and the
United States, as well as the shared
border, illegal immigration from This graph shows the number of persons obtaining legal permanent
Mexico accounts for the highest resident status in the United States from 1990 to 2016. In 2016,
amount of illegal immigration into 1.18 million immigrants received legal permanent resident status.
This graph shows the number of persons obtaining legal permanent
the United States. resident status, also called “green card” recipients in the U.S. in
2016, by their state of residence. In 2016, about 223,141 green card
recipients lived in California.
NUMBER OF REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THE U.S. FROM 1990 TO 2016
This graph shows the number of refugees arriving in the U.S. from
1990 to 2016. In 2016, 84,989 refugees arrived in the United States.
NUMBER OF REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THE U.S. IN 2016, BY GENDER
This graph shows the number of refugees arriving in the U.S. in
2016, by gender. In 2016, total 41,728 female refugees arrived in
the United States. The total number of refugee arrivals in 2016
amounted to 84,989.
1990
Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), renames and amends Public
Law 94-142. In addition to changing terminology from
handicap to disability.
The Milwaukee Parental Choice program is initiated. It
allows “students, under specific circumstances, to attend
at no charge, private sectarian and nonsectarian schools
located in the city of Milwaukee.”
Teach for America is formed, reestablishing the idea of a
National Teachers Corps.
1991
Minnesota passes the first “charter school” law.
04. 1993
The Massachusetts Education Reform Act requires a
common curriculum and statewide tests (Massachusetts
EDUCATION
Comprehensive Assessment System).
IMPORTANT FACTORS
1990 - PRESENT DAY
1994
The Improving America’s Schools Act (IASA) is signed
into law by President Bill Clinton on January 25th.
CompuHigh Whitmorte is founded. It claims to be the
first online high school.
1995
Georgia becomes the first state to offer universal
preschool to all four year olds whose parents choose to
enroll them. More than half of the state’s four year olds
are now enrolled.
1996
President Bill Clinton signs the Illegal Immigration
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 into
law on September 30th.. It prohibits states from offering
higher education benefit based on residency within a state
(in-state tuition) to undocumented immigrants unless the
benefit is available to any U.S. citizen or national.
1998
The Higher Education Act is amended and reauthorized
requiring institutions and states to produce “report cards”
about teacher education
2001
The controversial No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is
approved by Congress and signed into law by President
George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. The law, which
reauthorizes the ESEA of 1965 and replaces the Bilingual
Education Act of 1968, mandates high-stakes student
testing, holds schools accountable for student achievement
levels, and provides penalties for schools that do not make
adequate yearly progress toward meeting the goals of
NCLB.
2003
The Higher Education Act is again amended and
reauthorized, expanding access to higher education for
low and middle income students, providing additional
funds for graduate studies, and increasing accountability.
2004
H.R. 1350, The Individuals with Disabilities Improvement
Act (IDEA 2004), reauthorizes and modifies IDEA.
2006
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
of 2006 is reauthorized and signed into law on August 12.
It is the fourth version of this law which was originally
passed in 1984.
2008
Barack Obama defeats John McCain and is elected the
44th President of the United States. Substantial changes in
the No Child Left Behind Act are eventually expected, but
with two ongoing wars as well as the current preoccupation
with our nation’s economic problems, reauthorization of
NCLB is unlikely to happen any time soon.

2009
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009
provides more than 90-billion dollars for education,
nearly half of which goes to local school districts to
prevent layoffs and for school modernization and repair.
2011
President Barack Obama announces on September 23
that the U.S. Department of Education is inviting each
State educational agency to request flexibility regarding
some requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.
2012
On December 14, Adam Lanza, 20, kills his mother and
then invades Sandy Hook Elementary School where he
kills 20 children and six adults, including principal Dawn
Hochsprung and psychologist Mary Sherlachmaking,
making this the second deadliest mass shooting by a
single person in U.S. history.
2013
On May 22, the Chicago Board of Education votes to close
50 schools, the largest mass closing in U.S. history.
2014
President Barack Obama signs the 1.1-trillion dollar
bipartisan budget bill on January 17. The bill restores
some, but not all, of the cuts to federal education programs
that resulted from sequestration. It is the first budget to be
agreed to by our divided government since 2009.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AND DROPOUTS
NOT ENROLLED IN SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 2000 TO 2017
2015
On January 9, President Barack Obama announces a
plan to allow two years of free community college for all
American students.
President Obama joins the “too-much-testing” movement
as his new plan calls for limiting “standardized testing to
no more than 2% of class time.
On December 9, the U.S. Senate votes 85-12 to
approve the Every Student Succeeds Act, and
President Obama signs it into law on December 10.
This latest version of the Elementary and Secondary This graph shows the unemployment rate of high school graduates
Education Act (ESEA) replaces No Child Left and dropouts not enrolled in school from 2000 to 2017. In 2017,
Behind and allows more state control in judging around 18.9 percent of high school dropouts were unemployed,
school quality. compared to 16.8 percent of graduates.
2016
FORECAST FOR HIGHER EDUCATION OUTLAYS IN THE UNITED STATES
On May 13, the federal government tells school districts
FROM 2017 TO 2028 (IN BILLION U.S. DOLLARS)
“to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that
matches their gender identity.”
2017
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia sue Betsy
DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education over delays
in implementing regulations protecting student loan
recipients.
President Donald Trump signs the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
into law on December 22nd. The bill lowers corporate
taxes as well as those for most individuals. Educational
implications include maintaining the $250 limit on
deductions teachers can take for school supplies and
expanding the use of 529 savings plans for K-12 private
and homeschool costs. The statistic shows a the amount of higher education outlays in the
United States in 2017 with a forecast from 2018 to 2028. Mandatory
outlays for higher education were 42 billion U.S. dollars in 2017.
05.
UNEMPLOYEMENT

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 1990 TO 2017 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 1992-2017, BY LEVEL OF EDUCATION

This statistic displays the This graph shows the rate of

unemployment rate in the U.S. unemployment amongst those
from 1990 to 2017. In 1990, aged 25 or older, distinguished by
this rate stood at 5.6 percent. educational attainment levels from
Unemployment rate stood at 4.4 1992 to 2017 in the United States.
percent in 2017. In 2017, around 6.5 percent of
people aged 25 and older who had
A rise in unemployment was less than a high school diploma,
also an effect of the financial were unemployed.
crisis that hit the United States
in 2008.

The unemployment rate in

the United States varies from
state to state. The state with the
highest number of unemployed
persons in the United States in
2016 was California. Over one
million unemployed persons
were counted in California.
06.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
In 1970 Congress reacted to increasing
public concern about the impact
that human activity could have on
the environment by creating the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
An extension to the 1963 Clean Air Act
was made in 1970, during the presidency
of Richard Nixon, and the same year, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
was formed. The EPA was established via
Reorganization Plan No. 3, an executive
order submitted to Congress on July 9,
1970 by President Nixon. The role of
the EPA is to enact control programs,
collect data and conduct research into the
prevention of pollution, the ecosystem
and global change.
EPA is still at work today taking into
consideration the different aspects that
affect the world now a days.
POLLUTION
Today, pollution levels in many areas
of the United States exceed national air
quality standards for at least one of the
six common pollutants. Long- and short-
term exposures to fine particle pollution,
also known as fine particulate matter
(PM2.5), can cause premature death and
harmful effects on the cardiovascular
system, including increased hospital
admissions and emergency department
visits for heart attacks and strokes.
To reflect new scientific studies, EPA CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THE U.S. FROM VOLUME OF SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS IN THE U.S. FROM 1970 TO 2016 (IN 1,000 TONS)
revised the national air quality standards 1975 AND 2016 (IN MILLION METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE)*
for fine particles (2006, 2012), ground-
level ozone (2008, 2015), sulfur dioxide
(2010), nitrogen dioxide (2010), and lead
(2008). After the scientific review, EPA
decided to retain the existing standards
for carbon monoxide. EPA strengthened
the air quality standards for ground-level
ozone in October 2015 based on extensive
scientific evidence about ozone’s effects.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gas pollution leads to more frequent and
intense heat waves that increase mortality,
especially among the poor and elderly.
EPA and the National Highway and
Traffic Safety Administration between
2010 and 2012 issued the first national
greenhouse gas emission standards and
fuel economy standards for cars and light
trucks for model years 2012-2025, and
for medium- and heavy-duty trucks for
2014-2018. Proposed truck standards for
2018 and beyond were announced in June The statistic shows the total U.S. energy- This statistic displays the volume of sulfur
2015. related carbon dioxide emissions between dioxides emissions in the United States from
On August 3, 2015, President Obama and 1975 and 2016. In 2016, around 5.17 billion 1970 to 2016. In 2016, there was 2.71 million
EPA announced the Clean Power Plan – metric tons of CO2 emissions were produced tons of sulfur dioxide emissions. Sulfur
a historic and important step in reducing from energy consumption in the United dioxides is a highly reactive gases, which
carbon pollution from power plants that States. In 2015, around 34.8 billion metric largely comes from fossil fuel combustion
takes real action on climate change. tons of carbon dioxide was emitted globally. and other industrial facilities.
 CONSTRUCTION SPENDING IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 1996 TO 2017, BY
SECTOR (IN BILLION U.S. DOLLARS)

07. 08.
INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGIES
There has been a major advanced in
technology during the past decades
and it is no secret that today, all major PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION USING THE INTERNET IN THE UNITED STATES
The $18 trillion U.S. economy relies on a
technologies and changes started with the FROM 2000 TO 2016)
vast network of infrastructure from roads
creation and development of the internet.
and bridges to freight rail and ports to
The internet is a major key factor in our
electrical grids and internet provision.
The statistic reflects the total value of both society today and it is the basis of any
Economists argue that robust
public and private sector construction technology and new invention.
investment in infrastructure in the spending in the United States between The use of internet, online platforms,
twentieth century set the foundation 1993 and 2017. In 2017, private sector webpages, online shopping and social
for the nation’s strong growth in the construction spending is expected to total media are the most relevant tecnologies
aftermath of World War II. And as around 951 billion US dollars. within this project since it is based
engineer and historian Henry Petroski on a hair-care industry company
explains in his book The Road Taken: which basically the company and the
The History and Future of America’s entrepreneur itself made their way into
Infrastructure, poor infrastructure the public eye with the use of digital
TOTAL VALUE OF NEW PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION PUT IN PLACE IN THE U.S. media which has been part of the brand’s
can impose large costs on the U.S.
FROM 1999 TO 2016 (IN BILLION U.S. DOLLARS)* success.
economy. In addition to the threat to
With nearly 290 million internet users as
human safety of catastrophic failures
of 2016, the United States is one of largest
like bridge collapses or dam breaches, online markets worldwide. About 74.5
inadequately maintained roads, trains, percent of the U.S. population accessed
and waterways cost billions of dollars The statistic reflects the total value of new the internet as of 2015. While internet
in lost economic productivity. private construction put in place in the adoption in the U.S. is equal amongst both
United States between 1999 and 2016. Here, genders, online usage increases among
the total value of new private construction demographic groups with higher levels
put in place came to around 899 billion U.S. of education and income. The United
dollars in 2016. States are also one of the highest-ranked
This statistic gives information on the
countries in terms of internet freedom,
internet penetration in the United States
ranking fourth in the Freedom House
from 2000 to 2016. That year, 76.18 percent
Index of 2016 with 18 points.
of the U.S. population accessed the internet,
Online shopping is also a very popular
up from 75 percent in 2007.
online activity amongst internet users in
the U.S. In 2016, the number of digital
buyers in the United States stood at an
estimate of 179 million. Forecast shows
that this figure is expected to increase to
195 million by 2019.
MOST POPULAR DAILY ONLINE ACTIVITIES OF ADULT INTERNET USERS IN THE PERCENTAGE OF U.S. POPULATION WHO CURRENTLY USE ANY SOCIAL MEDIA
UNITED STATES AS OF FEBRUARY 2017, BY AGE GROUP FROM 2008 TO 2017

This timeline shows the percentage of the

U.S. population who currently use any social
media from 2008 to 2017. In 2017, 81 percent
of the population in the United States had
a social networking profile, representing
a three percent growth compared to the
previous year.

REACH OF SELECTED SOCIAL NETWORKS IN THE UNITED STATES AS OF

FEBRUARY 2017, BY AGE GROUP

This statistic presents the reach of selected

social networks among internet users in the
United States as of February 2017, sorted by
This graph shows the typical daily online age group. As of the survey period, it was
activities of internet users in the United found that Facebook was used by 86 percent
States as of February 2017, sorted by age of online adults aged 18 to 29 years.
group. During the survey period, 50 percent
of respondents aged 18 to 29 years checked
the weather online on a daily basis.
COMPETITORS ABOUT GISOU
Beauty & Fashion Influencer Negin Mirsalehi

ANALYSIS
HAIR-CARE INDUSTRY (OUAI COMPETITORS)
is best known for her luscious, long hair
locks admired by her 4.6 million followers
on Instagram, Youtube, and namesake blog.
The key ingredient in Gisou’s care line is honey
Mirsalehi is a six generation beekeeper. While
derived from the Mirsalehi bee garden, which
growing up in Amsterdam, she was introduced
contains a blend of minerals, vitamins, amino
by her family to the health and beauty benefits
acids and antioxidants. Honey is also known
of bees. She cofounded Gisou (ghee-zoo) with
as nature’s humectant, due to its moisture-
former PricewaterhouseCoopers consultant
retaining properties, perfect for maintaining
Maurits Stibbe in 2015. The brand is self-
the hair’s natural moisture balance. Resulting
funded from revenue Mirsalehi generates from
in deeply conditioned, strong, healthy hair with
work as a digital influencer.
luminous shine.
When Gisou originally launched with 10,000
01. hair oil bottles, it sold out in three months.
Gisou’s texture spray released in July and
COMPETITOR: Neghin Mirsalehi the Entrepreneur within 48 hours it had 2,000 orders. Company
GISOU by Neghin Mirsalehi sales projections are $3 million for 2017 and $5
million for 2018.
COMPANY NAME: GISOU

YEAR OF FOUNDATION: 2015 “I wanted to create multi-purpose products

because most of the bee-based ingredients that
DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL: Online (www,gisou.com) / Offline serve as our key ingredients can be used in
multiple ways.”
N* OF STORES: Sold in multibrand stores (Anthropologie,
Urban Outfitters, Revolve, Tearose Boutique in Milan,
Luisa Via Roma and Sa*ce stores in Dubai)

CONCEPT: Multipurpose Honey infused (bee-based) natural hair

products

TYPE OF COMPANY: Private

TARGET MARKET: Women 16 - 35 year old

PRODUCT RANGE: Four products (hair oil, mask, sprays)

SELLING PRICE: € 35.00 - € 75.00eu

COMMUNICATION / PROMOTION
STRATEGY
The power of social media is what has made this
company succesfull by being constantly in touch
with consumers.
The main communication and promotion outlets
for Gisou are online platforms, specially social
media Instagram. It focuses on promotion in
Gisou’s official instagram page and also through
Negin Mirsalehi’s personal insfluencer account.
Including instagram stories of the influencer
using the product and talking about it.
@NeginMirsalehi
@Gisou
Editorial campaign images of both
the product and the entrepreneur
are also part of the company’s
communication in social media
and in the company’s official
website as well.
PACKAGING
Part of the love of costumers for Gisou’s products,
is not only the product itself but also the way it is
presented. The product’s packaging are very well
thought elements, beautiful boxes with the printed
logo of the brands, always the use of flowers and
pale pink as main color. The products are carefully
placed and well asegurated inside the package.
PANTHONE
The company stays true to their
corporrate colors where the pale pink
predominates, along with the washed
yellow to emphasize the honey in the
products and its relation to bees. Also
the black and white are always present.
 ABOUT MORROCANOIL
The founding story of Moroccanoil is the stuff
of beauty legend. Co-founder Carmen Tal was
visiting family in Israel when she experienced a
hair colour service gone wrong. In an effort to
restore her fried locks, the Montrealer tried a
local oil treatment—made from the nuts of the
Mediterranean argan tree—and was stunned by
the results. Realizing they had a game-changer
on their hands, Tal and her then husband
secured North American distribution rights
and, a decade later, Moroccanoil is now a multi-
Carmen Tal the Entrepreneur
02.
million-dollar global brand.
Strategy: “Take the best of Africa to the rest of
the world”.
COMPETITOR:
COMPANY NAME: MORROCANOIL
MORROCANOIL
YEAR OF FOUNDATION: 2006
COMMUNICATION / PROMOTION
STRATEGY
Morrocanoil communication
strategies have begun to make
their way into online channels
and social media platforms.
With good social media
presence, and constant daily
posts on instagram in order to
mantain costumers informed.
The company is also part of
Langton Communications who
are their PR agency and take
care of everything concerning
the brand’s promotion.

DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL: Online (www.morrocanoil.com) / Offline PACKAGING PANTHONE

N* OF STORES: Sold in salons worldwide
Morrocanoil’s corporate colors
CONCEPT: Multipurpose Argan Oil formula with anti-aging benefits for all include an aqua blue, orange
types of hair - Also body products and also the white in products,
promotion, packaging and
TYPE OF COMPANY: Private everything related to the brand.

TARGET MARKET: Women 20 - 60 year old

Morrocanoil packaging is
PRODUCT RANGE: Over 40 products (hair oil, mask, shampoo, conditioner, leave-in) simple and practical. It is a
simple box with logo and
SELLING PRICE: $10.00 - $150.00us information with the product
bottle inside. The company
does have special packaging
for multi product packages
when several products are sold
together and also for special
edition products.
 COMMUNICATION / PROMOTION
ABOUT O&M
The brand does not work much with
The brand focuses on a simple concept: eco
communications and promotional strategies.
friendly free of chemicals products in order to
They’re online communication is basically in
offer the client the most natural and efficient
the brand’s official website with graphics that
hair products in the market.
inform on how these products are better for
Healthy hair begins when it’s free from stress.
your hair than others which do include cheicals.
Reduce the chemical overload.
The social media platforms do not use high
They challenge the artificial norms of
quality images, do not post often and therefore
professional haircare with formulations that
have no high influence on digital platforms.
are both effective and gentle. Removing harsh
Main communication and promotions are
chemicals wherever possible while including
given in the brand’s salons.
natural extracts and active minerals that deliver
03. real benefits.

COMPETITOR: Jose Brice Smith the Entrepreneur

ORIGINAL MINERAL (O&M)
COMPANY NAME: Original & Mineral
PACKAGING PANTHONE
YEAR OF FOUNDATION: 2000 The brand’s packaging is
simple with the product inside The brand has not a unique
DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL: Online (www.originalmineral.com) / Offline different colored carton boxes corporate color, but a color
with the company’s logo and palette of pale, washed colors
N* OF STORES: Sold in Original Mineral Salons in NYC and Sidney / salons product information. Really always over white or cream. In
worldwide simple, basic and minimal. At these colors predominating a
the same time there are bigger seris of earth colors.
CONCEPT: Eco Friendly original mineral hair care and more graphically detailed
packaging when it comes to
TYPE OF COMPANY: Private multi products sold in one.

TARGET MARKET: Women 20 - 50 year old

PRODUCT RANGE: Over 20 products (hidrate, detox, color)

SELLING PRICE: $10.00 - $80.00us

OUAI AND COMPETITORS EVALUATION OF
COMPARISON TABLE
NEW VENTURE OPPORTUNITY
& CONCLUSSIONS

Of all the brands the oldest ones are
Morrocanoil and Original Mineral, yet the two
most recent ones Gisou, our main brand for this
project analysis, and Gisou are both founded
by influential women in social media therefore
making their companies more succesfull and
giving even more brand awareness than their
competitors. Again, showing the power of social
media platforms, influencers and celebrities
when it comes to product sales.
Several factors have ensured Jen Atkin’s OUAI
products success.
1) First of all the products are good. The hair
line supplements are produced without the use
of parabens, phthalates or sulfates.
2) The products differenciation helps customers
find the perfect product for them since they are
divided in categories such as: daily care / styling
/ supplement / treatment / travel
3) Communications. Part of the brand’s success
is their role in communications starting with the
company’s catchy/weird/ difficult to pronounce
name which Atkin’s states was on purpose in
order to start a conversation with the public
in order to make the name stick and remain in
people’s minds.
4) Atkin’s focus on creating products to fulfill
the market’s need has also been key factor inher
success.
5) The influence of social media. Atkin has not paid any influenser to
promote the products yet she uses the product herself and her celebrity
clients too, therefore creating testimonials for the brand. At the same time
the company is and will continue to be successful because of their brilliant
use and advantage of social media platforms where they have gained the
attention and trust of part of the most difficult markets to get in the hair-
care industry which are Generation Z amd Millenials as consumers. The
use of influencer marketing, digital platforms and Atkin’s own persona as
influencer of the brand are definitely the most important aspects of the
company’s growing success.
SOURCES
Anon, American Educational History Timeline. Available at: http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html [Accessed May 26,
2018].

“History shows that trade made easy, U.S. has lost 5 million manufacturing jobs since 2000. CNNMoney. Available at: http://money.cnn.
com/2016/03/29/news/economy/us-manufacturing-jobs/index.html [Accessed May 23, 2018].

Alchin, L., 2018. 1990 - Present: The Modern Era. Facts: US History for Kids ***. Available at: http://www.american-historama.org/1990-present-
modern-era/epa.htm [Accessed May 25, 2018].

Atkin, J., 2017. Kardashian Hairstylist Jen Atkin Shares The Secrets Behind Her Stratospheric Success. Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/
sites/clairecoghlan/2017/09/19/kardashian-hairstylist-jen-atkin-shares-the-secrets-behind-her-stratospheric-success/#27a4755660ac [Accessed
May 23, 2018].

Anon, FAQS. – OUAI. Available at: https://theouai.co.uk/pages/faqs [Accessed May 22, 2018].

Anon, Hair Care - United States | Statista Market Forecast. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/outlook/70040000/109/hair-care/unit-
ed-states#market-revenue [Accessed May 22, 2018].

Anon, How Kardashian BFF Jen Atkin Became one of the Most Major Celebrity Hairstylists in the Industry. PEOPLE.com. Available at: http://peo-
ple.com/style/pro-files-kardashian-hairstylist-jen-atkin/ [Accessed May 22, 2018].

Janowitz, A. & Biagi, L., Cosmetics & Personal Care. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/markets/415/topic/467/cosmetics-person-
al-care/ [Accessed May 25, 2018].

Johnston, L.D., History lessons: Understanding the decline in manufacturing. MinnPost. Available at: https://www.minnpost.com/macro-mi-
cro-minnesota/2012/02/history-lessons-understanding-decline-manufacturing [Accessed May 25, 2018].

Moore, K., 2017. Designer Spotlight: Beauty Influencer’s Honey-Bee Hair Brand, Gisou, Develops Family Formula. Forbes. Available at: https://
www.forbes.com/sites/forbesstylefile/2017/11/07/designer-spotlight-beauty-influencers-honey-bee-hair-brand-gisou-develops-family-formu-
la/#179528bc6453 [Accessed May 26, 2018].

Pai, D., 2017. You’ve Probably Been Pronouncing “Ouai” Wrong This Whole Time. Allure. Available at: https://www.allure.com/story/things-you-
never-knew-about-ouai-by-jen-atkin [Accessed May 25, 2018].

Rudulph, H.W., 2018. Get That Life: How I Became a Celebrity Hairstylist. Cosmopolitan. Available at: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/career/
a55076/get-that-life-celebrity-hairstylist-jen-atkin-kardashians/ [Accessed May 22, 2018]. Saltzman, S., 2017. T

he Success of Jen Atkin’s Hair-Care Brand Ouai is a Testament to the Powers of Influencer Marketing and Sephora. Fashionista. Available at: https://
fashionista.com/2017/11/jen-atkin-ouai-hair-business [Accessed May 22, 2018].