Jim Markham

In 1967, after reading in Playboy that celebrity stylist, Jay Sebring was charging $50 for a haircut, Markham went to Hollywood to challenge him to see who had the best styling technique.

[13] He lost the wager, but agreed to pay a franchise fee and learn Sebring's methodologies in hair styling.

Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Markham continued to hold his title as the hair stylist to the biggest male stars.

Markham appeared on national TV shows and got press across the United States as the highest paid hair stylist in the country at $55 per cut.

In 1989, Markham returned to California and founded ABBA Pure and Natural Hair Care to address a gap that he saw in the women's market.

Markham's formulas for ABBA included extracts of plants, leaves, fruits, nuts and berries, with a spotlight on an environmental consciousness and a strong emphasis on education for salons and stylists in the professional beauty industry.

Within three years of its inception, the Irvine, California-based company that specialized in products designed specifically for color-treated hair passed the $25 million mark in sales.

On May 8, 2007, PureOlogy was acquired by L'Oreal for $280 million under the professional products division, and relocated to its headquarters in New York City.

One of his most recent achievements includes working with chemists to create a breakthrough system called BioRepair-8, a drug-free formula designed to help prevent hair loss and thinning.

[17] His latest innovation, SuperSheer, features the first professional silicone-free, fragrance-free, and clinically-tested hypoallergenic products for color-treated hair.

[18] His company PureOlogy brought Markham recognition as Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 for Ernst & Young for consumer products, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame.

[19] In addition, that same year, he was inducted into Professional Beauty Association's (PBA) North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) Hall of Leaders in recognition for his achievements within the Industry.

Over the years the Markhams have supported charities such as the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC), Habitat for Humanity, SeriousFun Children's Network (formerly known as Hole in the Wall Gang Camp) and City of Hope where Markham and his wife, Cheryl, were recognized with the Spirit of Life Award.