Kitsch’s Post

Cassandra Thurswell was 25 when she started hand-making hair ties in her Los Angeles apartment and selling them door to door. Raised in Wisconsin by a hairdresser single mom, Thurswell’s initial goal was to make “cute things” that the Midwestern women who she grew up around would enjoy and be able to afford . “I was thinking about the young woman or girl and what she reached for every single day,” she recalls. “What’s something that I could do that no one else had put attention on? To me, that product was a basic hair elastic.” Fourteen years later, what began for Thurswell as a passion for colorful accessories, has evolved into Kitsch, a hugely popular beauty brand with a hefty social media presence. Read more: bit.ly/4eZoZhR

Receiving the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 award among such incredible entrepreneurs was both humbling and validating. 🌟 As I sat through the awards ceremony, listening to all the other winners being announced (I was one of the last), I reminded myself that this process was just like starting a business. You put yourself out there without knowing the result. For hours you pitch yourself and your business, hoping to make a connection with the person across the table. You have to be patient, continue to smile, and cheer on your peers, knowing you may not win, and continue to have the confidence to keep going. Throughout the process, I kept reminding myself that everything happens at the right time, and if it's not this time, maybe next time. Simply being a finalist was a win! It made me grateful for all the team members I've had over the past 14 years. All the hard work and contributions that so many brilliant minds have contributed to Kitsch's success. This award wasn't about me at all. It's about honoring the people that got us nominated in the first place. My incredible team - THANK YOU. 🙏 Also, my love: Jeremy Thurswell That took a lot of pressure off me as an individual. During the ceremony, I thought of my daughter (she came with me!) and how this could be a core memory for her. She was going to see how I show up regardless of winning or losing. She was so nervous for me that I thought we should redirect our attention and make a game out of the night. I challenged her to see how loud we could cheer for all the other winners. I reminded her this is all about having a great time. She loved this. 💓 Just like starting a business, sometimes you win, and this was one of those moments. 🙌 Congrats to all the other winners: We hope you heard us cheering you on! Mari Llewellyn , Greg LaVecchia, David Yeom , Larry W. , Daniel Winer , Darren Litt , Will Ferrell, Bennett Rosenthal , Larry Freedman , Everett Sands, Alexander Israel, Peter Fisher, Melissa Palmer & Amy Liu. #EOYUS #EOYGLA