Meet Innovative Woman Sherry Miller, Image Consultant and founder of Sherry Miller’s Golden Chair Salon.
1. How/why did you begin your business?
Going back 20 years ago.. much like young married couples in there late 20’s & early 30’s today, my husband Bill and I found ourselves strapped with a first home mortgage, student loan debt to pay off, and busy careers. We wanted to prepare for our future, pay down our debt, and raise a family of our own. Two incomes would be required to keep our assets but we needed to find a way to shave off some time to make this all happen. So a home business made sense. Naturally I was best suited to be the main caregiver. My vocation allowed me not only the time needed off to rear our children but to work from the home with the extremely flexible days and hours required to run such an operation. In 1996 with my husbands assistance I was able to open my own hair salon business. In 1997 & 1999 we had our sons, Billy & Chad.
As our sons grew, so did my business and our knowledge of how to build people, clientele, and more usable salon space. Eventually we moved, in 2006 we purchased 80 acres in the country with trees, a pond, a pool, 4 buildings, a parking lot, and an 1830’s farmhouse to renovate. What we have is a part of American history, just to think Andrew Jackson was president when this place was first built. Now we are making history as the first salon in the Hamlin, NY area with a solar sign out front.
2.What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Gaining a clientele. It takes years of hard work, dedication, experience, service, organization, education, and top notch professionalism to be able to rise above this challenge and be successful.
3. How do you define SUCCESS?
Success in business is finding out what your clients want and giving it to them consistently so that they keep coming back. Longevity is key. Many of my clients that started with me as their hair stylist over 20 years ago, before I even opened my own business, are still coming to my salon. Clients literally travel from East to West to get here. Locally, regular clientele come from Webster to Buffalo, NY. Nationally other less regular clients book appointments with me from other states across the US. Some of them started coming here as children with their families and grew up while coming to my chair or attended colleges around here as teens and young adults. When they are visiting the Rochester area they get their hair done at Sherry Miller’s Golden Chair Salon. When people in todays fast paced society with many choices make it that much of a priority to book an appointment in advance or travel such a great distance just to have me do their hair, a certain level of achievement and accomplishment has been obtained. I am in awe of my clients continued loyalty to my brand and without them this would not be possible.
4. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?
Not everyone is willing to pay to have good hair or maintain it.
5. What makes you an innovative woman?
Moving forward with Education, constant growth, and a steadfast vision to bring something different to the chair. Separating myself from what everyone else in the hair world and Cosmetology industry is doing by grand design has not failed me yet. I don’t profess to be better than anyone else I am just confident in my skill set and compare myself to no one. “Confidence isn’t walking into a room with your nose in the air, and thinking you are better than everyone else, it’s walking into a room and not having to compare yourself to anyone else in the first place.”~Author Unknown. As a master artist, business woman, and educator I know creating a destination, an experience, and creating a style as unique as each individual will never get old or boring. Above all else I have a passion for providing the best service I can at my salon in a personal, private, and professional manner.
To learn more about Sherry visit www.sherrymillerssalon.com.