For the Rucker sisters, hair care is a family affair. Inspired by their mother’s passion for natural hair treatments, the sisters drew from their Southern heritage to launch a product line of their own. Ellen Rucker Sellers and Ione Rucker Jamison join the Mompreneurs podcast to discuss the rich legacy behind their company, Rucker Roots, and how family has been the bedrock of their business. With six children between the two mothers, their success did take a village.

Ellen and Ione are the founders and CEOs of Rucker Roots, a natural hair care company with a celebrated product line on the shelves of major retailers like Target, Walmart and more. Healthy hair is at the core of the company’s mission and it has proved to be a formula for success. From being featured on major platforms like the Allure Best of Beauty Awards, Good Morning America and InStyle, Rucker Roots has flourished in the hair care space.

‘Our Mother Was Really Into Making Us Appreciate Our Natural Hair’

Rucker Roots pays tribute to the homegrown hair care formulas the sisters grew up on. Their mother, the matriarch of their large Southern family, ensured her girls saw natural hair’s beauty. “She was really into making us appreciate our natural hair,” Ellen says.

Their mother taught them not only to love their hair, but how to take care of it. She gathered ingredients from the family garden and formulated her hair treatments. “Our mother used these wonderful kitchen concoctions on our hair when we were growing up,” says Ellen. “She would mix it up and do these wonderful hair masks on our hair on Sunday afternoons.” Ellen and Ione developed a deep appreciation for natural hair care from an early age.

When Ellen and Ione had children of their own, they continued this tradition with their daughters. “We wanted to teach them like our mother taught us to love their natural hair, so we started doing these natural kitchen concoctions that our mother did in our hair,” says Ione. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, their daughters saw the business potential in this household tradition. They encouraged Ellen and Ione to start a business and Rucker Roots was born.

Inspired by their mother’s passion for healthy hair, Ellen and Ione focused on nourishing and protecting natural curl patterns. The sisters meticulously tested and perfected their products before debuting them in salons. “We started Rucker Roots in beauty salons because we wanted to get the street cred from professional hair stylists,” Ione says.

The company’s momentum grew with Love Thy Sister, the 2015 reality TV series starring the Rucker sisters. While the show ran for just one season, Ellen and Ione saw an opportunity to launch Rucker Roots with a wider audience, including the show’s loyal fan base. The company continued to grow from there. Today, Rucker Roots is sold nationwide at retailers like Target, Walmart, and Macy’s. Next, they are looking to expand in the global market.

Family Is The Bedrock Of Their Business

Through life’s ups and downs, Ellen and Ione managed to build their business while each being a mother of three. This journey has truly been a family affair. Their kids have been helping out since they were little, and now that they are grown, they help manage the company’s social media marketing.

Managing family and a growing business is a balancing act for sure. However, the sisters’ partnership and the support of their family were key to their success. It’s about being patient with yourself and finding the strength to keep going, they say. “Some days I’m a rockstar mom and some days I’m not,” says Ione. “Show yourself grace. Just don’t give up.”

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