🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Kate Assaraf on Sustainable Beauty and the Power of Small Businesses | Take FiVe
In a world where convenience often outweighs connection, Kate Assaraf, founder of Dip Sustainable Hair Care, offers a powerful reminder: business isn’t just about products. It’s about people, purpose, and community. In her recent interview, she shared her journey of building a sustainable beauty brand while advocating for small businesses and encouraging families to rediscover what truly matters.
Starting with Purpose
Kate admits she never set out to be an entrepreneur, it was a calling born from conviction. After realizing the damage plastic consumption has on both health and the environment, she wanted to create haircare products that delivered salon-quality results without the guilt. Her mission wasn’t just to reduce plastic, but to prove that sustainable products can perform even better than conventional ones while saving people money.
Building Differently
Instead of chasing venture capital or aiming for Shark Tank fame, Kate took a grassroots approach. She went door to door, contacting zero-waste and plastic-free retailers who aligned with her vision. This humble but powerful strategy allowed Dip to grow authentically, connecting with store owners, most of them mothers, who weren’t treating sustainability as a hobby, but as a calling to create real impact.
Why Supporting Small Business Matters
Kate warns that America risks losing its small shops if everything shifts to Amazon and Walmart. Beyond economics, she stresses the human element: when we buy local, we’re investing in schools, libraries, fire departments, and the fabric of our community. Shopping small isn’t just a purchase.. it’s an act of preservation for culture, human connection, and local livelihoods.
Rethinking Family and Technology
The conversation also touched on family life in today’s digital world. Kate and her host expressed concern about children spending more time behind screens than outside.
“Being a child is glorious,” Kate said, emphasizing the magic of curiosity and exploration.
She called on parents to model healthier habits, reminding us that sometimes the best gift we can give our children is boredom. It fuels imagination, connection, and faith.
Manufacturing with Integrity
Despite challenges, including her original U.S. manufacturer going bankrupt, Kate chose to build her own factory in North Carolina, hiring employees directly. By keeping 90% of Dip’s production in the United States, she not only preserved jobs but also demonstrated her commitment to ethical, transparent, and empathetic capitalism.
Final Word: Faith and Action
Kate’s story is ultimately one of faith, courage, and conviction. She urges anyone with an idea to act: find your purpose, start small, and go forth in faith. Small businesses may not dominate headlines, but they create meaningful change in communities and that’s where the future lies.
