Ronnie Passariello went from working behind a shower curtain to creating a successful cosmetic hair-loss solution which is now a million dollar company! If you haven’t heard of Hair Illusion, let us be the first to share with you this amazing product and the man behind it. Hair Illusion Hair Fibers are a cosmetic product made from 100% real human hair that allows men and women to conceal the appearance of thinning hair and bald spots, giving the impression of more hair. Check out our interview with Ronnie Passriello as he discusses how he went from being an ex-convict to a successful entrepreneur.
What was the hardest part about getting the product off the ground?
There were countless times that I wanted to stop building a brand for myself. I ran into road blocks and crazy obstacles every which way I turned. I had many questions racing through my head. Who’s going to buy the product? What is my demographic? Will barbers like it? etc….I didn’t let it stop me. I would say the most difficult part was marketing the product. I endured this by pushing the product because I believed in helping people with balding and thinning hair. I created a nice following on social media and Hair Illusion is still growing at a rapid pace.
Did you encounter any difficulties navigating through the social media landscape in order to promote Hair Illusion?
When I first started Hair Illusion, when I was released from prison, the biggest social media platform was Myspace. I had to learn how to use all the social media platforms as they became popular. When Instagram was introduced, I noticed that a lot of my sales were generated from IG. I taught myself how to promote on IG with hashtags and increase my following with engaging with Barbers and other consumers. It was difficult at first but now it’s much easier.
Have you inspired any inmates to start their own business?
I like to say I inspired many inmates when I visited South Bay Correctional Facility in Florida last year. They invited me to come back on July 13th. Many of the men came to me with business ideas and creations. I’m happy and humbled that I could help these men see the light at the end of the tunnel.
What would your advice be to former inmates who are struggling to get their lives back on track?
The prison system is set up for people to fail. Don’t quit, it’s too easy. It might be a struggle to land on your feet and get a legitimate job, but don’t give into selling drugs or whatever you were doing that sent you to prison in the first place. You will end up back in prison. That’s what the government wants to happen. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve your goals. If you keep working hard you will succeed. You have no choice but to succeed if you don’t give up. Winners never quit and quitters never win.
What is the best part about operating your own business?
The best part is helping people with their hair insecurities while traveling the world and running my company from my laptop.
What is your ultimate goal for Hair Illusion?
I would love to see Hair Illusion in barbershops and hair salons worldwide and become a household name. If the opportunity presented itself, I wouldn’t mind partnering with a large corporation within the next 2-3 years to increase sales.
What is the most common piece of business advice you can give?
This may sound cliché but if you don’t know something ask questions. If the person doesn’t know you can always Google it. It’s 2017, you can learn anything from the internet. There is no excuse not to win.
What can we look forward to from Ronnie Passariello?
I’m currently in the process of writing a book about how to be a successful entrepreneur. I plan to visit other prisons and share my success story and motivate others to achieve.
For more information on Hair Illusion, visit:
Hairillusionllc.com and follow them on Instagram @HairIllusionLLC.