We recently connected with Jessi Atkocaitis and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jessi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Why are there so many ingredients I don’t recognize — and can’t pronounce — in my luxury hair care products? And what are all of these mystery ingredients actually doing to my scalp and hair health? I was a hairstylist for more than 20 years, was determined to find out the answers to those questions, both for myself and my clients, many of whom were struggling with hair loss, dry hair, and frizz and finding that conventional hair products were doing nothing to help.

I had seen massive results after switching to organic skin care, non-toxic household cleaning products, and cleaner eating habits, and deduced that hair care that followed the same philosophies would have similarly positive outcomes. However, it was almost impossible to find a hair care line that fit into my natural lifestyle. I started researching pretty obsessively and realized that the chemicals added to many of these products were actually making both my and my clients’ hair worse.
But I couldn’t find anything great to replace them. It was a little shocking and very frustrating. I decided that if I was discouraged by the gap in the marketplace, others probably were as well, so I decided to act.

The first product I created was the Balancing Tonic. I tested it out on myself for more than a year, and the results were amazing. My scalp dryness was gone. My hair was growing like crazy, with less frizz and more shine, and I loved that I was using products that were good for my body, too. Buoyed by the success of the Balancing Tonic, I continued to create more of the products me and my clients so desperately needed to achieve the healthy scalps and full, shiny hair we desired. The result: a line of sustainable, non-toxic, organic products that work wonders and pay tribute to our wonderful Earth. Inspired by my Norwegian heritage, I named the line Ren Jord, meaning “pure Earth.”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Health is very important to me and always has been. As a mom of 3 kids and a wife- I have been conscious about the food and products we have in our home. When I was dealing with postpartum hair loss after having our third baby, and not finding any natural hair care that would help with the shedding- I started researching what was in these products and what I had discovered was shocking. Our beauty industry is minimally regulated compared to other countries standards. We have such harsh, cancer causing formulations that don’t even work and actually make our scalp/hair conditions worse- and more alarming- our overall health. I always want the best- and so I wanted to give that to others as well. Having chemistry in my background as a stylist- I researched, formulated, and tested 4 products that we now carry. The Balancing Tonic, Renewing Oil Treatment, Lift and Refresh Dry Shampoo, and Coastal Sea Salt Spray.

At Ren Jord, we believe that the best hair care comes 100 percent from nature. Alarmed by the number of unpronounceable, chemical-laden ingredients in luxury and even so-called “natural” hair care lines, I was determined to find a cleaner path to healthier, more beautiful hair. Each Ren Jord (Norwegian for “pure Earth”) product contains nothing artificial, fake, or toxic and uses only organic, biodegradable, cold-pressed ingredients, combined in a process that uses 90 percent less energy and retains 97 percent more nutrients than the extreme-heat process used to create most traditional hair care products. The result is a product line that strengthens roots at the scalp to reduce fall-out, breakage, dryness, and frizz and to promote hair growth and density. All packaging and labels are recyclable and compostable, and all Ren Jord products are sustainably made in small batches for optimal potency.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I was still a hair stylist at the salon I owned when I was building and creating Ren Jord. It was a lot to juggle- especially with our family of 5. I am an all or nothing person- I started to realize that if I wanted to take this business to the next level-I needed to step down from doing hair and really dive into Ren Jord. It felt scary, sad, hard, and exciting all at the same time. I had done hair for over 20 years- and built so many incredible relationships with my clients.
Even though it was so hard and emotional- it felt right. I knew Ren Jord was meant to grow and help others- I was all in.
Being an entrepreneur is very stressful but so beautiful at the same time. I have loved this journey of meeting other business owners that have helped shape, grow, encourage me, and teach me so much about business and life.
Change is never easy- but it’s what challenges you and makes you better in the end. I never regret any of the really hard days I have had- it has taught me so much.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Being authentic, passionate, and consistent will create loyal customers, and drive sales. It is easy when you have built a brand where you are so passionate about the products and helping others- it makes you want to share them and grow it each day. People want real and results. Ren Jord gives all of that. You feel good about using it and how it impacts the environment as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ren-jord.com
• Instagram: @ren.jord
• Facebook: ren.jord
• Other: TikTok- @ren.jord

Image Credits
Lauren McLeod- Photography