Over 30 years ago my mom created recipes, tediously stirring huge pots of hair oil in the kitchen, long before it was chic to make products at home.
[The Entrepreneur]
Marlene Duperley.
Owner and SVP, DORIS New York Hair Care Products
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself; where you were raised and the most important things you learned from your parents.
A: I was born and raised right here in the grind capital of the world, New York City. Born in Manhattan, raised in Queens and Long Island. I feel like I was exposed to the best of both worlds. I had the roots of the hood and the molding of the suburbs.
I learned that space was a necessity in being able to breath and allow your dreams to manifest. I attended C.W. Post College-LIU now known as LIU-POST where I
majored in business management with a minor in History. Funny thing is art and acting was and is my love, my thing, so when I look back I always think, why wasn’t I an art major with a minor in Theater? Well God knows best. 
Q: Tell us a little about Doris New York Hair Care Products. What’s unique about this company and when was it launched?
A: Doris New York, aka Doris House of Charm, the Salon, started over 40 years ago. It started at very humble beginnings in the basement of our Queens home. My mom was born to do hair. Born in Jamaica, West Indies, she came to New York with my dad with truly a dollar and a dream. They sacrificed daily to get her through Cosmetology school and after she received her license she began doing hair in our basement. Not much later we were able to open the salon just a block away from our home on Linden Boulevard, in Cambria Heights which remains, 40 years later.
What is unique about Doris New York is that we truly love and care for every single client we have worked on. Our first client ever, still comes to the salon to this day. Now that is a testimony. We have taken every bit of love, experience and knowledge and put it into every single jar and bottle. Over 30 years ago my mom created recipes, tediously stirring huge pots of hair oil in the kitchen, long before it was chic to make products at home. Talk about creating out of necessity, that is truly the origin and birth of Doris New York.
Q: Who are the ideal clientele of Doris New York Hair Care Products. Whom do you target as your market?
A: Any individual, male or female, who is wholeheartedly interested in caring for their hair. Who honestly wants real knowledge, information and instruction on how to grow their hair, stop breaking hair, maintain their healthy hair and wants honest answers on this journey. This is what we do.
Q: In one sentence describe the ideal client for Doris New York Hair Care Products. What type of lady is she?
A: First, it could be a she or a he. Our products are for everyone. However for our woman I will answer–she is a woman that knows her hair is her ultimate accessory and without proper care any night out, any business meeting, any life-changing event will be a disaster without the proper products and care.
Q: What are some of the most popular products or services that Doris New York Hair Care Products offers?
A: Our most popular products to date are our Hair and Scalp Oil, our Leave In Conditioner, our Mud Pack Treatment and our Olive Oil Hair Cream. For the perfect twist out. Our Leave in Conditioner and Olive Oil Hair Cream is all the rave. We offer consultations daily to anyone who is need of hair repair.
Q: How has demand grown for your company’s products since the company was launched?
A: Let me just say we are blessed. We created the product line because after many years of consistently nagging Doris to put out her amazing Hair and Scalp Oil she finally called me one day and said, “I am ready.”I knew from that day, which was five years ago, that we would never look back. I truly believe my mother waited this long, almost 30 years later because she did not want her clientele to feel that they could not receive the same kind of attention to detail from a product that she had provided for so long. I felt that she knew the time was coming that the Salon would have to close and I could see her saying “but what will my people do? Where will they go and who will take care of them the way I have?”
Q: Talk about some challenges you’ve faced since founding the company and how you’ve worked to address them?
A: The greatest challenge has been as a small company with basically two to four employees; meaning on a daily basis, we are two, when we have shows and events we have four. The challenge comes in making sure every detail is attended to without compromising customer service, product quality, and availability and financially meeting the needs of a growing company. When people realize that it is basically a mother and daughter show they are floored and so are we. We are currently expanding our company slowly and we are so thankful that we have been able to make additions to the DNY Team just recently that are enabling us to reach higher heights. 
Q: If you controlled all the variables, tell us where you would want Doris New York Hair Care Products to be 5 or 10 years from now?
A: That’s easy; ever heard of Pantene? Ever heard of Loreal? Ever heard of Paul Mitchell? Enter Doris New York, the new addition to every global household.
Q: What’s the best way for people to learn more about Doris New York Hair Care Products? How do you promote the company?
A: Right now it is best to find us online at www.DorisNewYork.com and at most major Trade Shows and Hair Shows. We are currently working on opening our own store of course, first in Brooklyn, New York, and then expanding to cover some East Coast territory, including Atlanta and Florida. We are also sponsoring our own Hair Panels and Shows not only to promote the product but to promote overall education of Hair Care within our community.
We are currently running bus ads all over Brooklyn, New York, and parts of Queens which are absolutely amazing. Our goal for 2012 is to make sure we are in at least two major retail outlets and on at least two major TV shows. Yes we are working it out.
My favorite five websites.
