“Pomades are outdated.”
That’s what people said when Brian Baylosis, the 22-year-old CEO and founder of Man Pomade and Gears Corporation first shared his idea of creating his very own pomade concoctions and selling them in their local village.
Ever since he was a kid, he was fond of experimenting with his hair. From trying different hairstyles and hair gels, he wanted to create the ‘perfect’ style.
Back then, grooming for men wasn’t given as much attention as compared to female grooming. This then kickstarted his idea to experiment with multiple ingredients in order to create his very own line of pomade.
“Before, I used gels, wax and clay,” Brian says.
“But as I grew older, I became curious with what older folks called pomade. So when my cousin asked me to try it, I was very eager to use it, and true enough, I ended up liking it. I have used it every day since then.”
“Then one day, an idea came to me, ‘What is pomade and what if I make some on my own?’ I researched, sought help from professionals, and eventually, Man Pomade was born.”
The Journey Of A Young Entrepreneur
3 years ago, Brian embarked on his entrepreneurship journey. He saw the huge hole in men’s grooming and quickly found a way to plug it – by making his own pomade company.
“At first I was alone – my parents were still not convinced that the pomade products would sell. Although they did give me my startup money, but I was on my own after that.”
“My first attempt at starting my business was opening an Instagram account, and a Facebook page for my brand. I can still remember that during that time, I was still on my own, going on meetups to sell my products personally. I would also visit local barbershops to try and advertise my pomades.”
I even remember one time, I had to wait for 2 hours on one of my meetups because the buyer was late, It was raining and I only had one customer that I was waiting on, And he only bought one item, it was even the cheapest one in my inventory.
His First Pomades Were Made By Hand
He had humble beginnings, just like other successful entrepreneurs did.
“I can still recall that in the early days of my startup, I didn’t have any high-tech equipment. All of my pomades were being made by hand, on a simple frying pan,” he said.
After a while, demand for his product increased, and he was forced to hire more people. It was then that he also decided to open two more branches in his hometown and in Manila.
Not long after that, his parents heard the news of his success.
“My parents were so shocked and surprised at the same time. Even I didn’t expect to have so many sales. The business was booming and I was forced to open another branch in Taft near one of the most distinguished universities in the Philippines – De La Salle University.”
During the opening, one thing that I was really surprised by was that the line for my shop was so long, it reached the exit of the building! And the craziest part about it was that I only had one employee – me.
The Pomade That Started It All
In his opinion, it’s hard to identify what makes a hair product different from everything else. There are numerous factors that can affect a customer’s needs and surely one product cannot cater all of it.
Some people prefer the glossy finish, others prefer matte. Some like oil-based, others prefer water-based ones.
There are many ingredients that can affect the quality of the product – one wrong chemical can alter the stickiness and the effectiveness of the gel and ultimately destroy it.
“I think the reason why we have loyal customers is not only because they love our products, but also because it makes their hair healthier” Baylosis said.
“I made sure that we only create the finest products that we can offer our customers, unlike other gels that damage your hair. Man Pomade is made specifically for general consumption. It doesn’t put stress to the scalp, it doesn’t leave residue, and most of all, it has ingredients that will make you feel like you just underwent a relaxing hair treatment.”
From Gritty to Great
Man Pomade was not an overnight success.
While Brian spent some capital on advertising his products, it wasn’t the sole reason why they’re so successful today.
One of the major reasons why Man Pomade is a breakout is because of the support of its fans, especially on social media.
We are really grateful for all the love and the positive reviews for Man Pomade. Without these people, I doubt we could have made it this far. They are a huge part of our success.
When asked what separates Man Pomade from other grooming products, he replied:
“Man Pomade was formulated for two reasons. To help men have more grooming options, and to make sure that this product isn’t only for display, but also for treating their hair.”
“Also, one of the strong suits of Man Pomade is that unlike other grooming products. Our products are made with organic and natural materials like jojoba oil and virgin coconut oil.
I didn’t start this business for the money. I really want to be the one who can offer diversity in men’s grooming. I want to be able to lend my hand to the world, and if you would ask me what is the secret of my pomades – it’s passion.
Local Boy To Celebrity CEO
Over the last two years, he has proven that age really doesn’t matter when starting a business.
With 191,000 likes on his Facebook page, 15,000 Instagram followers and 20 branches nationwide, he has truly attained the success that most people could only dream of.
“I think everybody deserves to feel and look good – inside and out. We are a great nation and the Filipinos are very hardworking and smart people. I believe that with enough patience, focus and passion. All of us can accomplish our dreams and leave a mark in this world.”
Man Pomade is currently available for franchising.
Featured Image Credit: Inquirer Lifestyle