Some people spend their entire lives searching for their purpose. For Mara Roszak, she was lucky to have found hers at 12 years old when she was struggling to manage her new post-puberty hair texture. All she wanted were super-straight strands. So, using her mother’s hair tools, she took it upon herself to make that happen—and then got really, really good at it. 

Soon enough, she was styling all her friends’ hair before bar and bat mitzvahs nearly every weekend. “People started to really take notice that I had this knack for hair, and it really brought me out of my shell,” Roszak says. “It was a major moment—identifying something I was good at and that I really enjoyed, and it brought together community and friendship. That’s what I still love so much about it.” 

She’s turned her intrinsic talent and her incredible eye for beautifully styled hair into a thriving career: as a hairstylist to the stars with a roster of A-list clients, some of whom she’s styled for the Oscars; as the owner of Mare Salon; and as the founder of RŌZ, a line of clean, high-performing hair products. Roszak recognizes how privileged she is—to live her dream—but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. While she often plays a role behind the camera—including as the on-set hairdresser for this season of Work Friends—she steps in front of the lens, as well, and tells us about life as an entrepreneur, how she balances it all (spoiler: she doesn’t), and what’s next for her empire.

I don't think I've ever said to myself, “I've made it” or “I'm in the next league.” I think I'm someone who’s very driven and really wants to do exceptional work. So, for me, every step is like, “We’re here now, what’s next? What’s the next accomplishment?” And I show up and do my best. 

It would be lovely to celebrate the wins, which I’m learning to do more and more. Some fun accomplishments have been doing the hair of Oscars Best Actress winners—I’ve now worked with three women who have won Best Actress [Michelle Yeoh, Emma Stone, and Brie Larson]. Those were career highlights, but I’m always striving to do better. 

Hair is very individual and so personal. Most of us are very attached to it in some way; it can be a huge part of our identity. For me, it’s more about the person and not about their hair. How can we highlight them and allow them to feel the most beautiful version of themselves with this hairstyle that I helped create? 

I love to make people feel good; it's something that comes naturally to me. I see beauty in every individual who sits in my chair, and I think I have a gift that brings beauty and ease into their lives in some way, whether that’s cutting their hair or providing a product they get to use. As a founder, I love creating something that people genuinely enjoy and that plays even a small role in their life. It’s such a joy for me, to make that kind of impact. 

Launching RŌZ has been the thing in my career I've wanted to do for the longest. I have always been obsessed with hair products—even when I was 12 and struggling with my own hair. There wasn’t much available at the time, and all my friends had very straight, silky hair, so I couldn't lean on them for products to use. I saw how products can transform and help you create what you're looking for. 

I've seen thousands of women in my chair at Mare Salon—so many different hair types and struggles. They would say, “My hair is just not behaving.” I saw a lot of dryness, which is something we all universally struggle with. I wanted to create a very curated line of products that enhance what’s naturally beautiful about each person and remind them that their hair is beautiful. There was an opportunity for better formulations and more effective results, and I was able to identify products that worked and transformed hair, using deep knowledge, an obsession with products, and a unique perspective. 

It took a couple of years to perfect the formulas—there were many, many iterations, of going back and forth with the lab. And we use the Credo Clean Standard, so we have a list of over 3,000 ingredients we don’t use in our formulations to ensure they’re not only clean and safe, but also high performing. 

One of my favorite products is the Milk Hair Serum, which is manufactured in a lab in Italy that creates a lot of skin care. I chose to work with them because I wanted this hair product to almost feel like a skin care product: super hydrating (like moisturizer for your hair), non-sticky, and absorbs in a way that it feels like your hair is drinking a gallon of water. It detangles, it smoothes, it defines, and it’s lightweight—it doesn’t leave weight or residue of any sort. It’s truly beautiful. 

Truthfully, balance is such a challenge, and it’s something I aspire to do. It’s truly hard for women who are career-driven, who have a ton of ambition, who have thriving careers, especially for those who have a family or want a family. And then to also find time for themselves? It’s really hard. I could definitely do a better job at it. 

I’m living my dream, and I know what a privilege it is to be able to have a career that is fully in line with my dream and passion. Even though there are challenges and there are stressful moments, I have never once felt, I can’t do this or I don’t want to do this. I face those challenges daily, but I have such a deep passion for it, that it feels exciting. 

Obviously, I need to do more for myself, and I try. I get massages when I can. I remind myself to put down my phone. I think it’s true for so many ambitious women who are probably like, “One day I’ll rest.” 

Every day presents some kind of a challenge, which could range from a product formula to an employee. A lesson I’ve learned is to not treat every challenge the same. I think to myself, Is this going to matter in a week or two? Or a month from now? How big of a deal is this? 

I used to treat every challenge as a huge deal, and I gave it all my attention and energy, but that wasn’t sustainable. You just have to try to have grace in the process and put your best foot forward. And being able to rely on people you trust—team members or friends who have encountered similar challenges—has really helped. 

As an entrepreneur, you wear so many hats; no job is too small, especially in the beginning. You have to be willing to put everything you have into what you’re trying to build and show up in any way you're needed—and you're needed a lot. You have to be willing to get your hands dirty and not think anything is beneath you. It doesn't matter how many years you've been in the industry. For me, when I started RŌZ, I was 17 years in my career, and in some ways, I was back at the beginning. It’s definitely humbling. Nothing is a sure bet, so you have to be determined and check in with yourself: “How much am I willing to put into this?” Your level of determination can directly inform the success of whatever you’re creating. 

My style has definitely evolved. I love fashion—it’s such a great way to express your creative vision. Now that I’m a little older and further along in my career, I like to show up professionally. But when I'm on set or at RŌZ, it’s very casual. I'm a jeans-and-cute-T-shirt person now. I love great vintage denim, a beautiful blazer (I’m obsessed with all things Argent), and a puff-sleeve top or a lace moment. 

RŌZ is my deepest passion, and getting the products into the hands of as many people as possible is really key. We're also selling to salons as well, so expanding that distribution is going to be really exciting. When I know that professional hairdressers are using the products and loving them, it’ll mean the world.