Meet Garrett Lash | PuffCuff CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Garrett Lash and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Garrett, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Kankakee, Illinois, and raised in the Western Suburb of Chicago called Hinsdale. I was brought up in a black middle-class Christian home and fortunate to have both parents in the house. My father was a Pipe Fitter for General Motors-Locomotive Division, and my mom was a grade school teacher. So My parents instilled the principles of faith, love, hard work, and discipline in me from the beginning. My father was constantly thinking and strategizing on how to put our family in the best position possible. In hindsight, I can see that he was always five years ahead in his thinking than we were, which, interestingly enough, is the same thing I do for my family now. My upbringing has made me a God-fearing man who loves his family dearly and works hard at everything put before him. I’ve had some ups and downs that, for some, would have made them throw in the towel. I was blessed to preserver through and come out of those situations a better person. I can see the teachings of my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles in my day-to-day life with how I raise my sons, love on my wife and run our business. It’s incredible how it all comes together.

What should our readers know about your business?
We are PuffCuff LLC, invented and born out of a necessity to style our founder’s beautiful natural hair. We champion self-love and self-acceptance by providing painless damage-free styling tools & accessories specifically designed for those with thick, curly, or textured hair. We are the ONE-STOP-SHOP for all tools needed to style & care for curly, textured hair. I am most excited about what’s to come for our small but mighty company. I believe our crowning accomplishment is to employ 11 individuals and positively impact them and their families. The first four years of the business, my wife Ceata was full-time, and I was pseudo-part-time. Making it difficult to grow and allowing us to see its full potential. Life threw me a blow by getting laid off from my last employer of 8 yrs. I thought this was going to be a detrimental event in my family’s lives. But God had a different plan in mind. This was when I would transition from a corporate individual to a full-time entrepreneur. Because of the formal education and corporate training, I received over a 23-year timeframe, I was able to bring a good deal of value to the running and operations of PuffCuff immediately. Our gross revenue has grown on average of 73% Year over Year since I’ve been the full-time CEO. In addition to our PuffCuff business, I also run our Ecommerce Fulfillment company called Myden-Smalls eCommerce Fulfillment Solutions. This is a boutique 3PL dedicated to giving micro-enterprises and small businesses the attention they deserve so they can focus on growing their business. A few lessons I’ve learned along the way always surround yourself with smarter than you, stay in your lane, treat your team well and enjoy the journey.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The fellas I hang with are cool with hanging out at the house. We are good to turn on a tv show or movie, order some good food and sit around the dining room table or closed-in porch, with a spirit of choice, cigar, and talk and enjoy being in each other’s company. We will, on occasion, with our wives, find a new restaurant that neither of us has been to and enjoy the experience of a new location, atmosphere, and friends. It’s not about what you’re doing; it’s about who you are with.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to Chesley McNeil (11 Alive Metorolgist), Dr. Doug Shipley (Leadership Coach), and Efrem Armstrong (Attorney). The last few years have had some significant challenges for me in my career/business, family, and Christian walk. These men have been integral in helping me keep on track and staying focus on the big picture. Ceata Lash, my wife, has helped me grow exponentially as an entrepreneur.

Website: https://thepuffcuff.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepuffcuff/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettlash/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThePuffCuff

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePuffCuff

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/puffcuffhairclamp

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/thepuffcuff/_created/ https://www.mydensmalls.com

Image Credits
Priscila Benson (headshot)