Podcast
Questions and Answers
What significant business move did Harper make in 1891?
What significant business move did Harper make in 1891?
What was the duration of the training courses for neophyte beauty operators?
What was the duration of the training courses for neophyte beauty operators?
Which countries had Harper Shops by the 1930s?
Which countries had Harper Shops by the 1930s?
What did Harper invent that is widely used in hair salons today?
What did Harper invent that is widely used in hair salons today?
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Who took over the management of Harper’s organization as she approached age 80?
Who took over the management of Harper’s organization as she approached age 80?
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Who is often credited with the early example of modern franchising?
Who is often credited with the early example of modern franchising?
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What key product helped launch Martha Matilda Harper's career?
What key product helped launch Martha Matilda Harper's career?
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At what age did Martha Matilda Harper start working as a domestic servant?
At what age did Martha Matilda Harper start working as a domestic servant?
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What unique services did Martha Matilda Harper offer in her salons?
What unique services did Martha Matilda Harper offer in her salons?
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In which city did Martha Matilda Harper open her beauty salon?
In which city did Martha Matilda Harper open her beauty salon?
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What did Harper credit with healing her during her business struggles?
What did Harper credit with healing her during her business struggles?
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What factor played a key role in the success of Harper's salons?
What factor played a key role in the success of Harper's salons?
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What was one of Harper's contributions to women's self-presentation?
What was one of Harper's contributions to women's self-presentation?
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What was the primary focus of the training courses offered at Harper's training school?
What was the primary focus of the training courses offered at Harper's training school?
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Which significant business model did Harper implement in 1891 to expand her company?
Which significant business model did Harper implement in 1891 to expand her company?
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How long did the training courses last for experienced beauty operators at Harper's school?
How long did the training courses last for experienced beauty operators at Harper's school?
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What innovative equipment is Harper credited with inventing for hair salons?
What innovative equipment is Harper credited with inventing for hair salons?
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What was one outcome of Harper's decision to train primarily women from modest backgrounds?
What was one outcome of Harper's decision to train primarily women from modest backgrounds?
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What did Martha Matilda Harper emphasize in her beauty salons to enhance customer experience?
What did Martha Matilda Harper emphasize in her beauty salons to enhance customer experience?
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What was one of the main factors that contributed to the success of Harper's salons?
What was one of the main factors that contributed to the success of Harper's salons?
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Which innovation likely allowed franchises like Harper's to thrive in the 19th century?
Which innovation likely allowed franchises like Harper's to thrive in the 19th century?
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What unique business approach did Martha Matilda Harper adopt in her salons compared to traditional practices?
What unique business approach did Martha Matilda Harper adopt in her salons compared to traditional practices?
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How did Martha Matilda Harper's upbringing influence her later success?
How did Martha Matilda Harper's upbringing influence her later success?
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What was a significant factor in Martha Matilda Harper's approach toward her customers?
What was a significant factor in Martha Matilda Harper's approach toward her customers?
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Which belief system did Martha Matilda Harper credit for helping her through business challenges?
Which belief system did Martha Matilda Harper credit for helping her through business challenges?
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What does the emergence of Harper Shops signify in the context of women's roles in business during the early twentieth century?
What does the emergence of Harper Shops signify in the context of women's roles in business during the early twentieth century?
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What was a critical aspect of the training course structure for beauty operators at Harper's training school?
What was a critical aspect of the training course structure for beauty operators at Harper's training school?
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Which statement about Harper's business expansion is true?
Which statement about Harper's business expansion is true?
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What was one of the notable differences between Harper's inventions and those of her contemporaries?
What was one of the notable differences between Harper's inventions and those of her contemporaries?
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What demographic primarily composed the franchisees of Harper's business during its expansion?
What demographic primarily composed the franchisees of Harper's business during its expansion?
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How did Harper choose to distribute management responsibilities as she aged?
How did Harper choose to distribute management responsibilities as she aged?
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What innovative practice did Martha Matilda Harper introduce in her salons that distinguished them from traditional hair care methods?
What innovative practice did Martha Matilda Harper introduce in her salons that distinguished them from traditional hair care methods?
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How did Martha Matilda Harper's early life experiences influence her business model?
How did Martha Matilda Harper's early life experiences influence her business model?
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What aspect of her personal belief system did Martha Matilda Harper credit for helping her navigate business challenges?
What aspect of her personal belief system did Martha Matilda Harper credit for helping her navigate business challenges?
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What key communication advancements in the 19th century were critical for the development of franchises like Harper's?
What key communication advancements in the 19th century were critical for the development of franchises like Harper's?
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What major change in the beauty industry did Harper's salons signify for women during the early twentieth century?
What major change in the beauty industry did Harper's salons signify for women during the early twentieth century?
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Which of the following statements best describes Martha Matilda Harper's approach to customer service in her salons?
Which of the following statements best describes Martha Matilda Harper's approach to customer service in her salons?
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What product was pivotal in Martha Matilda Harper's career and helped her establish her first beauty salon?
What product was pivotal in Martha Matilda Harper's career and helped her establish her first beauty salon?
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What entrepreneurial milestone did Martha Matilda Harper achieve as she expanded her business?
What entrepreneurial milestone did Martha Matilda Harper achieve as she expanded her business?
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Study Notes
Martha Matilda Harper & Harper Method Shops
- Martha Matilda Harper (1857-1950) is credited with the first modern franchise model.
- Harper started her career as a domestic servant and later moved to Rochester, NY.
- In 1888, Harper opened her first beauty salon in Rochester, offering services beyond what was available at the time.
- Harper Shops were one of the first franchises in the world, with most franchisees being women.
- Harper franchisees were trained in Rochester, NY using a comprehensive training program.
- By the 1930s the Harper Method Shops franchise expanded to 500 shops throughout the US, Canada, England, France, and Germany.
- Harper invented the reclining shampoo chair and shampoo basin, which are commonplace in salons today.
- Harper was a pioneer in the beauty industry and established a model for businesses to expand through franchising.
Social and Technological Influences on Franchising
- The expansion of Harper Method Shops would have been impossible without the communication advancements of the 19th century.
- Harper’s success can be attributed to the changing social landscape for women in the early 20th century, particularly with regard to women’s self-presentation.
- The rise of new business models like franchises, and the success of Harper's shops, reflected the shift in women’s roles and aspirations.
- The use of mail-order catalogs and other forms of direct marketing played a significant role in the franchising model's growth.
Martha Matilda Harper
- Martha Matilda Harper (1857-1950) was a Canadian-American entrepreneur who founded the Harper Shops, a chain of hair salons.
- Harper Shops were influential in the early 20th century for changing how women cared for their hair and navigated beauty standards.
- Harper's business model was innovative and is considered to be one of the first examples of modern franchising.
- She started her career in Rochester, New York where she used Moscano Tonique to style the hair of her wealthy employer.
Harper's Early Career
- Harper opened her first salon in 1888 with savings of $360.
- Her salon was a novelty, as most women at the time either styled their own hair or had hairdressers visit them at home.
- Harper's clientele was primarily upscale, and she employed women in her salons, many from the same backgrounds as her.
- She became the first female member of Rochester's Chamber of Commerce, offering incentives like childcare and evening hours for working women.
Harper's Method and The Harper Shops
- Harper developed her own methods and trained operators for her salons.
- The training included lessons in anatomy, scalp and hair treatments, and treatments for the face and neck.
- Harper began franchising her Harper Method Shops in 1891.
- Most franchisees were women from modest backgrounds, trained at the Harper Method School in Rochester, New York.
- By the 1930s, there were over 500 Harper Shops in the US, Canada, England, France, and Germany.
Harper's Innovations
- Harper is credited with inventing the reclining shampoo chair and basin, which are now standard in most salons.
- Harper did not patent these inventions, unlike Moscano Tonique.
The Legacy of Harper Shops
- In the 1930s, Harper handed over management of her business to her husband, Robert McBain.
- McBain eventually sold the business, and the Harper Shops gradually faded out in the 2000s.
Martha Matilda Harper & The Harper Method Shops
- Martha Matilda Harper's Harper Method Shops are widely regarded as the first modern franchise system.
- Harper, born in 1857, started her career as a domestic servant and later worked for a wealthy family in Rochester, New York.
- Her salon, founded in 1888, was a novelty at the time as most women either cared for their own hair or employed hairdressers to visit them at home.
- Harper’s salon catered to an upscale clientele and recruited employees from among Rochester's domestic workers.
- She was the first female member of the city's chamber of commerce and offered unique incentives to customers, including childcare during appointments and evening hours to cater to working women.
- After falling ill and finding healing through Christian Science, Harper incorporated facial, neck, and shoulder massages into her salon services.
- In 1891, Harper introduced the franchising of Harper Method Shops, also known as Harperite shops.
- Most Harperite franchisees were women, many from modest backgrounds, trained in Rochester and later, in two other locations, using Harper's comprehensive training methods.
- Training courses lasted several weeks for experienced operators and six months for novices.
- By the 1930s, approximately 500 Harper Shops were operating in the United States, Canada, England, France, and Germany.
- Harper is credited with inventing the reclining shampoo chair and shampoo basin, commonly found in salons today, but she did not patent them.
- She increasingly turned over management to her husband, Robert McBain, in the 1930s.
- The business was eventually sold, and the Harper Shops faded away in the 2000s.
Significance of Technological Advancements and Communication
- Harper's success was significantly influenced by communication advancements of the 19th century, which enabled wider reach and coordination within her franchising model.
- It is suggested that the franchising model might not have been possible without these communication advancements.
Other Business Models & Technological & Social Influences
- The text encourages exploring other new business models to determine which could have existed earlier and which, like franchises, required technological or social shifts.
- The text highlights the importance of considering the role of technological or social changes in the emergence and success of new business models.
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Description
Explore the groundbreaking contributions of Martha Matilda Harper, who pioneered the modern franchise model in the beauty industry. Discover her journey from a domestic servant to establishing the first beauty salon franchise with comprehensive training programs. This quiz highlights her innovations and the influence of social and technological factors on franchising.
