ANGLE Vale’s Rachelle Lessue of Tangled Kids Hair Care has been named as a finalist for the 2020 AusMumpreneur Awards in six categories.

Mrs Lessue, who said she has no idea who nominated her, received nominations in the categories of Regional Business Award, Product Innovation Award, Health and Wellbeing Award, AusMumpreneur of the Year – as well as two People’s Choice Awards for Customer Service and Making A Difference (Business).

After starting the business five years ago in order to create a product that would eliminate pain from the hair-brushing process with her kids, Mrs Lessue said things kicked into overdrive after she lost her advertising job due to COVID-19 cutbacks.

“There were pretty much no products on the market that I could use to treat her tangled hair without combing, and it was just always a traumatic experience,” she said.

“So, basically I created a detangling spray that conditions the tangles and deters head-lice after getting some great advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

“We started getting it made at a lab out in Tanunda, so it’s completely South Australian based, and then we got it tested, and got it made.”

After the spray became a hit, Tangled Kids Hair Care designed its own pain-free, detangling hairbrush as well, which is particularly valuable for parents of children with special needs.

“It’s great for children who are on the spectrum – ASD, SPD, ADHD – we work a lot with special needs providers in helping people gain independence by brushing their hair,” Mrs Lessue said.

“Back when we started we were getting one or two orders a week, and in January this year we were getting maybe 10 or 15 orders a day.

“When I lost my job, I said to my husband ‘it’s sink or swim now’, and since then we’ve ramped up our advertising and gone full-time – and now we’re getting between 70 and 90 orders a day.”

While it sounds like it happened quickly, Mrs Lessue spent the past four years bringing her products around the country, setting up stalls at the royal shows in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne and building a customer base.

Mrs Lessue said it has been hard work – now working seven days a week and up to 15 hours a day – but the added flexibility has still enabled her to spend more time with her kids.

“The flexibility of running my own business has allowed me to be more present than ever before in my daughters’ lives,” she said.

“Watching them play sport, school excursions and sleepovers – previously I was working as an employee and didn’t have that flexibility.”

For those thinking about making the move and starting their own, Mrs Lessue said her advice, while cliché, is exactly what it takes.

“Work hard and plan, plan, plan,” she said.

“You may not succeed on your first attempt, but learn from the lessons and don’t make the same mistakes over and over.

“Determination, desire and courage is needed. You will have to pick yourself up and dust yourself off, but never admit defeat, life is a lesson we are constantly learning from.”

The AusMumpreneur Awards will be presented over Zoom in September.