Community
14 June, 2022
Local entrepreneur is building a hair care empire
YOUNG entrepreneur, Cairns local and nominee for the Cairns Business Women’s Club Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Cassy Markus, is the founder and owner of KUS Culture the hair care brand everyone is talking about.
Cassy never expected to get to the position where she is, selling out her products in weeks, preparing to launch new ones, and receiving positive reviews from all across the country. Still, she did have a passion from the beginning: hair.
The XXI century and the pandemic have brought a revolution of self-care and the importance of putting your wellness front and centre. So was the case for Cassy; as someone who had very long healthy locks, finding a product that nourished her hair was a constant struggle.
After trying many products and formulas on her hair, Cassy decided to create her own product, but it was only intended to be a hobby.
“By 2020, I was working fulltime, and this (KUS Culture) was a part-time thing for me,” Cassy said.
“As the pandemic hit, I had to work from home in my full-time job for four or five weeks, and that’s when I went into my business full time.
“By the end of 2020, I quit my full-time job and took a leap of faith, and I haven’t looked back.”
Cassy wanted to create products that would be fully Australian-made, organic, vegan, and cruelty-free to stand out in a market of saturated products.
“I wanted to create something minimalistic with rich ingredients,” she said.
“My products are cruelty-free because we want a cruelty-free world. We love our furry friends. Vegan because nothing has to be from animal by-products in hair care or skin care, and organic because my manufacturer in Brisbane is a certified organic factory.”
She started with a serum that was a total success and moved on to masks, heat-protective sprays and curl creams.
“So far, so good,” Cassy said.
“Today is the day that I’m packing hundreds of orders to go around Australia.
“I am in some local salons and stockists as well, which is really exciting, and it’s just a matter of putting my name out there and contacting salons to try and see if they will take that leap of faith into a one-woman business.”
Cassy said that she is proud to represent Cairns on the national stage as an entrepreneur, but at the same time, it can be nerve-wracking.
“It makes me very nervous,” she said.
“Sometimes it’s a bit of a ‘pinch me’ moment, a bit of impostor syndrome.
“But then I remember, this is what I’m doing; this is my mission.”
KUS Culture and Cassy Markus are not slowing down; with many projects and launches for her brand in 2022, she cannot wait to see what new things are in store for her future as an entrepreneur.
“You literally only live once,” she said.
“If you’re not happy with what you’re doing, you change it and make it work.
“Every day is a new day, and it’s a mindset battle, and you’re always going to have your doubts, but if you believe in what you’re doing, it will always work.”
Visit https://kusculture.com/ to learn more and support a local business.
