- People don't realize how much work it takes to make a truly custom formula, not just a recipe out of a book.

- The first thing people will say is, "My hair doesn't stink."

(gentle music) Hi, my name is Monica Slayton.

- My name is Dr. Irene Reyzis.

- I am the owner.

- And I am the Chemist.

- Of CarloMoni Hair Care Products.

I am a hairstylist of 25 years.

My salon is based in Akron, and that's where I sell CarloMoni Hair Care Products out of, and I also do a lot of online sales.

Being a hairstylist, and I do extensions, and I wear braids myself, and you don't shampoo those every day, so my first product was hair freshener, kind of like a hair Febreze.

- After I graduated, I went and got a Master's in Cosmetic Science from a pharmacy school, and I learned how to make products.

Anything that goes on the skin, I can make it.

I wanted to do something creative, consulting work, and work with small businesses.

- I went to the Bounce Hub building, I was referred to a chemist there.

- Monica and I met a couple months after I got started consulting with small businesses.

- Irene and myself, we hit it off.

The first thing I said when we first met is like, this is gonna change our zip code.

- I just became her formulator, basically, after that point.

- That's how our relationship began.

- Step one for developing CarloMoni's products was getting to know Monica.

She had a very specific vision, which actually helps me a lot as a formulator.

- If you're cooking or barbecuing or if you walk into a smoke-filled room, it will get in your hair.

So I was like, there needs to be a product that you can use in-between shampoos.

People don't like to talk about it, but hair does attract odors.

- She said she wanted this hair freshener.

I thought about how to clean and deodorize in a way that you wouldn't ruin hairstyles.

- She's very easy to work with.

She was patient, whatever it needed, she was right on point.

She was so open to make it right.

- After more than a dozen attempts, we finally made a product that was exactly what it needed to be.

- It was very emotional for me to be able to have one of your dreams come true.

I mean, that was everything.

- I'm just like, kind of getting goosebumps thinking about it because it was a big moment for me, it was a victory.

I'd finally taken a formula that I designed, I proved to myself that I could do it on my own.

The fact that she was so satisfied gave me a lot of confidence and belief in myself that I'm doing the right thing with all my knowledge.

- And I feel like we helped each other's confidence.

She was just as excited as I was about it.

This is my baby, and it's her baby as well, we feel the same about the product.

I love Irene and I thank God for the connection.

- It was a perfect meeting of vision and the knowledge.

- I already feel like I'm in the ultimate success.

But the big thing for me, is to have my own hair care product line, something that I can pass down to my daughter and when she has kids, and different things like that.

- I don't think success is a one-time thing, I think it's kind of like a relationship or love even, it's something that happens over time.

A lot of times, success is a matter of just sticking with it.

- Never give up.

People are gonna close doors, people are gonna say no, so whatever that passion that's inside of you, just step out and go for it, be persistent and stay in it, and don't give up.