A Beautiful Business: The Maly's Story

The moment Ken Maly understood his dream of becoming a partner at the local barber and beauty supply was unattainable, he took a risk and struck out on his own. With little more than $5,000 and the support of his wife and five children, Ken launched his own beauty distribution business in 1967: Maly’s. Each member of the family rallied behind the cause in their own way and invested days, nights, and weekends into getting the company off the ground. Over the span of four decades, Ken’s tiny operation swelled into a national, multi-million-dollar enterprise.

Like with any entrepreneurial story, particularly those involving family, the path to success was not always smooth. Yet the tenets my siblings and I absorbed through being raised and trained by Ken Maly equipped us with the tools necessary to remain an intact and loving family throughout our time in the wild, wacky, and inspiring beauty industry. Now, looking back with the clarity of hindsight, I invite you to take part in remembering our beautiful business.