Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Chinian.
Hi Amy , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Amy Chinian, founder of My Hair Helpers, and my journey began with a personal challenge that turned into a mission. In 2000, while pregnant with my fifth child, my family experienced a lice infestation. I was shocked by the lack of safe, effective solutions available, and that moment planted the seed for what would later become my business. Fast forward to 2007, when the recession hit and my husband’s business collapsed, we were left without a stable income and five children to care for. I knew I had to act, so I started offering in-home lice removal services using a basket of non-toxic, carefully researched products. Word spread quickly, and families responded to the compassionate care and real results. Today, I oversee multiple salon locations across Southern California and manage our in-home services, ensuring every family feels supported and confident. I’m proud of our enzyme-based product line and specialized combs, which give families safe, effective tools to tackle lice. My mission is to empower families, provide exceptional care, and continue expanding our reach so more people can benefit from what we offer.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely been a journey with both smooth stretches and bumpy roads. One of the biggest challenges was starting the company with no financial backing — no investors, no outside support — just my husband and me deciding to build something from scratch. That meant every step, from advertising to building a website to expanding our reach, had to be done carefully and creatively with limited resources. Another major hurdle was finding trustworthy, reliable people to join our team. Over time, I learned a lot about hiring, what works, what doesn’t, and the kind of people who align with our mission. Having my husband as a partner over the last decade has been a huge support, especially with his prior business experience. There were also moments of trial and error. Those experiences taught me to pivot, adapt, and keep moving forward. It’s all part of the process.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My business is called My Hair Helpers, and it was born out of a personal experience and a deep desire to help families navigate the stress of head lice with compassion and confidence. We specialize in non-toxic, enzyme-based lice removal products and services, offering both in-home treatments and care at our salon locations across Southern California. What sets us apart is our commitment to safe, effective solutions and our family-owned approach. We truly care about every customer’s experience.
We’re known for our personalized service, our expert-trained team, and our dedication to customer care. Families come to us after trying everything else, exhausted and overwhelmed, and we’re proud to offer them real relief. Our product line includes specialized combs and treatments that actually work, and we’ve built a brand that people actively seek out because they trust us.
I’m especially proud of how our business empowers women; we’ve created jobs that allow our team members to support their families and learn a valuable trade. We also work hard to remove the stigma around lice, whether it’s through our upcoming children’s book “Everybody Gets Lice” or our nonprofit, Lice Free Forever Charity, which sends products to families in need.
At My Hair Helpers, we’re more than a lice removal company — we’re a support system, a resource, and a brand built on resilience, vision, and heart.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I absolutely consider myself a risk taker; anyone who starts and runs their own business has to be. It’s not for the faint of heart. One of the biggest risks I took was opening a salon in a city an hour away, simply based on faith and the demand I saw coming from that area. Managing it from a distance was challenging, and it required finding trustworthy people to run things on the ground. That experience taught me a lot about leadership and the importance of building a reliable team.
When it comes to risk, I believe in starting small. I don’t jump into massive commitments with high overhead; instead, I take calculated steps, test the waters, and expand only when I see something working. Risk doesn’t have to mean recklessness; it’s about being brave enough to move forward, but wise enough to do it with intention.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.myhairhelpers.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhairhelpers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyHairHelpersHeadLiceRemoval/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-chinian-90697b22/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCixbWLmr50f9frZZPQYv15w
Image Credits
Photo credits: Kyle Shields
