WORK IN PROGRESS
(Life, Me, You, This Newsletter)
Vol. VI, Issue 2, January 15, 2002 ><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<>>
In this issue:
Personal::::How to handle the end of a relationship
Business::::Business Concepts We Can Emulate that
were Embodied by Martha Matilda Harper in 1888
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HOW TO HANDLE LIFE AFTER A RELATIONSHIP HAS
ENDED
Occasionally I receive questions directly by e-mail that I
believe to be representative of problems that many
people encounter. Sometimes I keep the responses in
case they may be useful to Work in Progress readers.
Here is one. The question involved how questioner
should handle some aspects of life when a relationship
had ended:
Some thoughts that I have... check out some of my Top
Ten lists - you can access them at my web site and the
relationships ones specifically are at
http://www.choicecoach.com/4Writer/TopTens.htm#Relat
ionships. In particular, I would suggest that Open up your
Social Circle, and Things to do when a Relationship has
Ended might be useful. And perhaps the Personal
Growth lists that follow that section might also be of
interest.
Please take this opportunity to step back from the "why"
questions that inevitably arise when someone else wants
to end a relationship. It may have nothing to do with you.
Instead, consider the things that you enjoy but have not
done while in this relationship but that you would like to
have done. Consider that now you have the opportunity.
Think about how you would like your life to be in 3-5
years time... and know that you are a full and complete
person on your own. You do not HAVE to be in a
relationship in order to be a whole person. Certainly,
relationships are nice, when they go well, but perhaps
this is your time to grow in directions that you have not
done in the past, so becoming someone who would be
attractive to someone for whom, at this time, you are not
yet ready. (Yet always remember that this is not the
object of the personal growth, which is simply for you.)
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BUSINESS CONCEPTS We Can Emulate that were
Embodied by Martha Matilda Harper in 1888
Martha Matilda Harper was 'bound out' as a servant at
age 7 and remained a servant, lacking education, into
adulthood. Yet she opened her first Harper Method hair
and skin care shop in 1888, devoting it to the belief that
the basis of beauty is good health and spiritual
wholeness. She was the first person to use franchising
as it is now used, and developed a network of around
500 Harper Method shops throughout North America and
Europe. Harper Method shops were independently
owned and yet followed Martha's original pattern down to
the decor and the use of her products. Harper
franchisees ('Harperites' or 'Harper girls') were women
similar to herself, often having started life as house
servants, but burning for independence. How can we
learn from Martha?
1. Be a model of what you offer, and be your own
advertisement
She herself was a model of what her clients could
become. She used her own products, and let her hair
grow so long and luxuriant (it touched the ground when
unbound) that P. T. Barnum tried to hire her for his show.
2. Know that you can grow
Lacking childhood education, as an adult she hired a
tutor, and later sat in on the few classes then open to
women at the University of Rochester. She encouraged
this attitude of learning and growth in all her franchisees
and colleagues and gave them continuing training even
after they were running their own shops.
3. Don't be afraid to break new ground
In the 1880s ladies were visited in their own homes to
have their hair done. Martha persuaded them to come to
her shops by offering a refined, relaxing atmosphere and
superb service. She owned a business when this was not
yet acceptable for a woman. She invented (but did not
patent) the tip-back shampoo chair, developed her own
products, and then manufactured them, at first herself
and later in her own factories.
4. Service, service, service
Though the service given involved hair and skin care, the
nature of the service customers experienced was far
wider. Harper Shops focused on providing a calm,
uplifting and relaxing atmosphere. They also pioneered
the establishment of children's play areas - a service to
the parent and a smooth way of introducing little future
customers to enjoyment of the Harper atmosphere. One
of the reasons Martha believed in recruiting servants to
become Harperites was because she believed that they
are already mastered the attitude of service.
5. Givers gain - support your colleagues/franchisees
All Harper girls were regarded as family. They often lived
in Martha's house while training, and they knew that in
case of emergency she would give them whatever help
she could, even when they were in business for
themselves in far away cities. Not only did she share her
many innovations with her own Harperites, but also with
the burgeoning beauty industry of the time.
6. Synthesize with other businesses
Example - in the same building as the first Harper
Method shop was a music teacher who lacked space for
his pupil's mothers to sit while the children took their
lessons. Martha allowed them to use her waiting room...
and of course they soon began having their hair done
while waiting.
7. Instill pride and enthusiasm in your colleagues
Because of The Harper Method, the encouragement to
grow, and the careful training they received, hundreds of
women whose choices had previously been confined to
household service or marriage were able to develop their
own businesses and become independent business
women. So proud were Harper girls of their values-based
system that standards were maintained even though
visits from Martha could not be made frequently.
8. Make use of referral sources
Harper customers received such good service that they
became enthusiastic in their recommendations. Martha
was skilled at attracting the well-known members of high
society. Such well-known people as Susan B. Anthony,
and eventually two United States Presidents and four
First Ladies were not only Harper customers, but many
spread the word about The Harper Method wherever
they went. As a result, when a Harper Method shop
opened in a new city, it often had eager customers
already waiting for it.
9. Create and use your network
Martha Harper was the first woman to join the Rochester
(NY) Chamber of Commerce. It is also clear that she
used her contacts to get where she wanted to go, such
as in persuading the owner of her desired location to
agree to rent to her despite his fears that her
establishment would attract an 'unsuitable' clientele.
10. Brand your service
For her logo Martha cleverly chose (and registered) a
cornucopia, with it's subtle message of 'bounteous
rewards' to potential recruits. She ensured that
customers who traveled the world would find the same
familiar atmosphere and service regardless of whether
they visited a Harper Method Shop in North America, in
England, or in Continental Europe. The experience that
The Harper Method provided world-wide was of
high-society women receiving dignified service in
surroundings conducive to harmony and relaxation.
Information obtained from "Martha Matilda Harper and
the American Dream" by Jane R. Plitt - for more
information see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D0815606389/personalandcareeA/002-8534146-380480
and the website
http://www.marthamatildaharper.com/index.html.
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Copyright 2002 Diana Robinson, Ph.D. Work in
Progress may be reproduced in its entirety only,
including this copyright line. Disclaimer -The contents
herein are solely the opinions of Work in Progress
owner, and should not be considered as a form of
therapy nor advice. There is no guarantee of validity or
accuracy. If expert assistance or counseling is needed,
services of a competent professional should be sought.
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