Ep 296 | Dr. Julie Chung

Written By Yasmin Nouri

It’s Never Too Late to Reinvent Yourself and Step Into Your Own Power

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Dr. Julie Chung is the co-founder of T3, a premium hair tool brand known for its sleek, innovative designs that deliver professional-grade styling results.

Growing up, Julie always knew she wanted to pursue medicine but had a passion for fashion and beauty as well. It wasn’t until she met her then-boyfriend Kent that her love for beauty was reignited. Their journey began in 2003 when they both realized that Julie would apply skincare and makeup—using only premium products that made her skin glow—only to finish with an inexpensive hair dryer that would ruin her hair. Kent saw her frustration and created their first product: the T3 Featherweight hair dryer. The brand quickly became a hit, selling out multiple times and eventually winning over retailers who were initially hesitant to stock it. Today, the company remains 100% privately owned by both Julie and Kent and is ranked as the #3 hair tools brand in the United States.

In this week's episode, we chat with Julie Chung about her journey from medicine to entrepreneurship and how she manages to balance both worlds. Julie shares how embracing uncertainty has been key to thriving as both a physician and co-founder of T3. She opens up about taking a year off from medical school, her parents' concerns, and how that decision ultimately steered her into entrepreneurship. She also reflects on the pivotal moments that led her and her now-husband Kent to launch T3, how they pushed past skeptics who didn’t understand their vision for hair tools, and the challenges of balancing her medical career with building a successful business. Julie discusses her personal journey with infertility, motherhood, and the importance of community among women. She also shares valuable lessons from hiring a CEO, letting go of control, and navigating the ups and downs of running T3 for two decades.

Show Notes:

  • Julie shares how life isn’t always black and white. [03:42]

  • Julie’s passion for medicine and creativity. [08:13]

  • Taking a gap year in med school and moving to New York. [10:44]

  • The unconventional journey to entrepreneurship. [11:53]

  • How the idea for T3 was born. [13:35]

  • The early stages of T3 and people’s perception of the product. [22:06]

  • Getting into Sephora in 2016 and other retail stores. [24:18]

  • The power of word-of-mouth when building a brand. [26:59]

  • Being fully self-funded since 2004. [29:03]

  • Julie’s experience with infertility and motherhood. [35:16]

  • Learning to let go of control. [36:57]

  • How Julie’s relationship with comparison has evolved over the years. [41:59]

  • Taking a year off and moving to London in 2020. [47:54]

  • Common misconceptions about starting a business. [56:48]

  • The experience and lessons of hiring a new CEO. [59:42]

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Ep 295 | Ann McFerran