The Kind of Delusion Every Small Business Owner Needs
Why Delusion Is Required When You’re Building Something New
Let’s talk about delusion.
Not the unhealthy kind where you’re disconnected from reality. I mean the kind of delusion you have to carry if you’re building something that doesn’t yet exist. The kind you need when you’re trying to change culture, challenge stigma, and build a business rooted in purpose instead of trends.
If I were fully logical all the time, I probably would’ve quit by now.
Hair Loss Pride didn’t come from a business plan or a market trend. It came from a gap; a painful, obvious gap that I lived inside for years. I started this business because I wanted to build what I didn’t have as a teenager losing my hair: support, community, representation, and someone saying, “You’re not broken.”
I also knew from the start, that this wasn’t going to be easy. Female hair loss is still wrapped in shame. It’s misunderstood. It’s dismissed as cosmetic, and it’s something most people are deeply uncomfortable talking about, especially publicly.
Yes, running a business in this space requires a certain level of delusion. You have to believe people will care before they show you they do. You have to keep going before the results make sense.
The Roller Coaster No One Warns You About
It’s been just over a year since I started Hair Loss Pride, and let me be honest: it’s been a ride.
Some weeks I feel on top of the world:
Being interviewed by local Vancouver news
Being featured in digital publications
Teaching salon workshops
Watching women open up and feel seen
And then there are the other weeks:
The weeks with no bookings
The weeks filled with rejection emails
The weeks where I started wondering if I’m completely out of my mind
That emotional whiplash is entrepreneurship. If you’re doing it right; if you’re pushing boundaries and not just selling something easy, you’re going to feel both wildly hopeful and deeply discouraged; sometimes in the same day.
Rejection Gets Easier… and You Get Stubborn
Here’s what I’ve learned: rejection never feels good, but it does get easier to carry.
Luckily for me, I’m stubborn. I keep going because this work matters; not just to me, but to millions of women who are still suffering quietly.
Women who learned to hide.
Women who internalized shame they never deserved.
Young girls who shouldn’t have to grow up feeling broken because their hair didn’t behave the way society says it should.
I refuse to accept that this is “just the way it is.”
Delusion in Action: Asking for What Doesn’t Exist (Yet)
In the past few weeks, I decided to lean fully into my delusion. I started reaching out to Vancouver and Canadian beauty and fashion brands, asking them to consider representation for women with hair loss.
Not influencers. Not perfect models. Real women.
In the past week, I’ve gotten three no and four yes responses.
Here’s what matters most: every single yes came from small, local, women-led companies who were willing to take a risk because they could see the vision. One of those yes responses came from a well-known and respected Canadian makeup brand. I emailed the founder directly on LinkedIn. We weren’t connected and she had no reason to respond. But she immediately did. She said yes, and introduced me to her marketing director, who also said yes without hesitation.
They may not realize how big that yes was. Regardless of what comes from it; big or small, it’s a meaningful step forward. It’s proof that representation is possible when people are willing to listen.
Why This Matters More Than Business
This isn’t about visibility for me.
It’s about the women who have never seen themselves reflected anywhere. It’s about reducing stigma so fewer women feel isolated, ashamed, or unworthy. This matters at the deepest level.
Because the truth is heartbreaking. There are women who leave this world because they feel like they don’t belong, because they’ve been bullied, and because they feel invisible and less-than.
Representation saves lives. Seeing yourself reflected tells you that you exist, that you matter, and that there’s a future where you belong.
So… Am I Delusional? Probably. And I’m Okay With That.
Am I delusional to believe I can help normalize female hair loss on a larger scale? To believe brands will change? To believe culture can shift?
Probably.
But I’ve always loved being an underdog, so that means I’ll keep showing up. I’ll keep asking. I’ll keep pushing. I’ll keep building.
This work feels like my life’s purpose. I’ve survived hard things. I’ve fought my way through shame, grief, and loss before. This is just another roadblock, and I fully intend to clear it.
Delusion isn’t the problem. Giving up would be, and I’m not going anywhere.
