The present invention discloses a process for preparing a detergent alcohol mixture, branched aldehydes, alcohols, and surfactants produced thereby. The process for preparing a detergent alcohol mixture comprising the steps of (a) providing one or more poly-branched poly-olefins, wherein the poly-branched poly-olefins must contain one non-branched terminal olefin and one or more additional branched olefins in the molecule; (b) hydroformylating said poly-branched poly-olefins to produce a poly-branched olefin containing aldehyde product with one or more olefins or mixture thereof; (c) reducing the aldehyde product of step (b) in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst to form a poly-branched detergent alcohol mixture; and (d) removing said poly-branched alcohol mixture from said catalyst and branched aldehydes, alcohols and surfactants produced from the products of this process.