How I Made It The founder of O&M had one big idea. It became a global haircare empire
Sep 21, 2025
Jose Bryce Smith, the founder of Original & Mineral (O&M), chats about her whirlwind journey from a holiday in Australia to creating a global haircare empire. She shares how personal tragedy fueled her work ethic, her innovative shift to low-chemical products, and the challenges of launching O&M. Jose dives into overcoming manufacturing crises, battling gender bias, and the strategic decisions that propelled her brand forward. With 320 products in 21 countries, her story is a testament to resilience, vision, and community.
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Performance Wins Skeptical Pros
- O&M's early advantage was removing fumes and smell by making ammonia-free colour while maintaining salon results.
- Demonstrating equivalent performance reduced resistance and won salons and consumers over.
Product Failure Threatened The Business
- After discovering PPD allergies were common, Jose pursued a PPD-free colour and partnered with a US manufacturer to attempt a solution.
- The US-made samples had stability and grey-coverage failures, causing oxidization and product reliability issues.
Founder On The Frontline During Crisis
- Jose single-handedly managed a crisis: inspecting tubes, calling salons, and coordinating limited remakes from the manufacturer.
- FedExing four shades weekly and personally guiding salons kept the business alive during a year-long recovery.