Today we’d like to introduce you to Helen Perry.
Helen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I never actually meant to go into business. In 1983, I was married with three little boys, five and under. To get back in shape after the last one, I created an exercise class at my church and was teaching aerobics. Additionally, I attended a seminar by Robert Pante’, internationally known image consultant, who got people in touch with the statement they made with their appearance. He told me I looked like a PTA mom who sold Tide at meetings. I could have gotten mad. Instead, I learned how to fix it and got a new look.
One of the women in my exercise class noticed the change and asked me to come review her closet. I tried to get her to hire a trained consultant but she said, “No, I’ve just had twins and I know you’ll understand what it’s like getting back into regular clothes. I want you to help me.” The rest is history. I remain forever grateful to Linda Johnson for seeing a talent in me I never really knew I had. Prior to that, I had worked in women’s retail for five years, so I knew the dynamics of getting a woman into a dressing room and coordinating a wardrobe.
Quickly recognizing that this was a viable business, I went to San Francisco for Robert Pante’s formal image consultant training. Consulting was a great fit for me with my family responsibilities, so in between carpools and soccer games, I began building quite a clientele of men and women. It started very simply. We captured photos of my makeovers and compiled a slide presentation…”Have Carousel Will Travel”! I spoke at Rotary Clubs, civic clubs, country Clubs, churches, synagogues–you name it. My first corporate client was The Memorial Healthcare System (now Memorial Hermann). Their Northwest location was moving from a very small facility to a large, state of the art new hospital. They hired me to work with their admin team over a six-week period so they wouldn’t look and feel like fish out of water in their fancy new digs. That lead to another account in Illinois with another hospital staff moving into a new facility.
I never advertised, just worked hard to do one good job with one client at a time. Image Consulting was a relatively new field, so the media loved covering my work and I got lots of great press. To this day, I appreciate the many writers at The Chronicle, HBJ, Wall Street Journal, various magazines and all the local TV stations who invited me on their shows and newscasts.
One of my most exciting corporate accounts was my year with Enron. In 1992, they hired me to work with their staff in Houston as well as India. I had a beautiful office there and made two trips to Mumbai and New Delhi. Even got to stop in Paris for a few days along the way. Lucky for me, I didn’t take out my fees in stock! I continue to value the friendships made there.
Dressing individuals is one of my sweet spots. It’s amazing what a few hours in the stores or a closet styling outfits can do for someone. I had the honor of working with Mayor Annise Parker and her partner, Kathy Hubbard for the six years she was in office. They were great to work with and graciously invited me to some of the most interesting events in our city. I’d love to dress a first family and see the impact my work could have in that regard.
In ’92, another facet of my business organically fell into my lap. My oldest son’s school asked me to teach an etiquette class during interim term. Eticool School was born and since then, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching over 7,000 young students. It may be the most rewarding part of my business to instill good communication and social skills into these children. It makes a huge difference in their confidence and ultimate success.
Teaching has lead me to form some great partnerships. Most recently, I’ve had the pleasure of joining the team at Houston’s beautiful new finishing school for girls in Uptown Park, MISS Academy–Manners, Image, Style, Success. As their Admissions Ambassador, I enroll girls from 5-27 years old in their program. It’s an honor to work with owners, Crystle Stewart Sebrechts (Miss USA, 2008) and husband, Max. I get to teach a few classes there as well. Bering’s Hardware has hosted Eticool School for over 10 years at their Bissonnet location and I teach at schools, country clubs and lots of scout troops throughout the Houston Area. Donna and Tony Vallone have graciously hosted classes in the Tony’s wine room over the years. My students call me “Miss Perrywinkle” and are not allowed to leave Eticool School without mastering a great handshake and eye contact.
My degree in Speech has proved beneficial as the demand for coaching in that area is substantial. Executives and managers find they make great progress in just a few sessions as they overcome the greatest fear in America–public speaking.
Over the past few years, Impression Management has become quite the topic of interest. So often, we intend to convey a certain message, but are perceived in a completely different light. By refining a client’s dress, speech, mannerisms and demeanor, he or she becomes more approachable and simply easier to be around and work with. Guess you’d say I’m sort of a Fairy Godmother. Few things please me more than inspiring and coaching others to become the best version of themselves. Whenever possible and appropriate, I’ve been able to share my work with non-profits such as The Salvation Army, The Star of Hope, Hadassah, The Council on Recovery and Aspiring Youth.
Retirement is nowhere on the horizon. Too many people to dress, kids to teach, articles to write and presentations to deliver. God has been incredibly generous to bless me with a career that continually gives back in immeasurable new and exciting ways every day!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Of course not! People in regular 9-5 jobs envy the flexibility of those owning their own businesses but, trust me, you pay dearly for that flexibility. There are times when I have so much business I need to hire an assistant. And there are weeks when the phone doesn’t ring enough or clients play musical chairs with your appointment book. Last minute cancellations can eat your lunch, so I advise new consultants to have a cancellation policy.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges is learning so many different systems and cultures of clients’ organizations and companies. Instead of working for one business and going with their flow, you need to learn a new work environment with every new client–how they dress, how to bill them, what to say, not to say, who to trust and who not to trust. Flexibility is key. That was ingrained in me by being in a big family with 7 brothers and sisters.
In 34 years of business, I can count on one hand the clients I had to let go for one reason or another. It has to be a fit and, in order to fit, I work to be other-centered and serve them completely and with integrity.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Full service image consulting offering coaching in:
Impression Management
Verbal/Nonverbal Communication
Style/Wardrobe-Men & Women
Personal Branding
Employee Training
Etiquette–Adults & Children
Speech Coaching
Makeup
Keynote Speaker/Humorist
Expert Content Writer–column “Sage Advice” in BBB Houston newsletter.
What were you like growing up?
I was the most finicky shopper in the family–impossibly particular about every detail of a shoe or dress. My mother would pawn me off on my sisters to take me shopping.
They’d pass me from one to the other….”You take her!” “No, you take her!”.
Like a little myna bird, I could imitate different voices and played all kinds of pranks on people over the phone. In junior high, I won a trophy at the talent show with my imitation of Ladybird Johnson. By the time I was in high school, I had developed a whole alter-ego named Rosita Valdez, convincing substitute teachers I was a foreign exchange student. The whole class would go along with the schtick and then die laughing after class.
I always loved pretty things. If I had any change when sent to the convenience store for milk or something, I’d go nextdoor to Albert Miller florist and buy a single flower.
My friends meant a lot to me and still do.
Pricing:
- Employee Training Programs-$3500-$30,000
- Etiquette Training–Adults and Children $135-$5,000
- By the project-$500-$50,000
- Keynote Speeches-$2,000-$20,000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.helen-perry.com
- Phone: 713.206.1800
- Email: hperry@helen-perry.com
- Facebook: Helen Perry Corporate & Personal Image Consultant
- Twitter: @helensageperry
Image Credit:
Full length photo in front of skyline by Jack Opatrany
Top 2 pics–Spring 2017 Style Presentation at fundraiser for Sky High benefitting pediatric cancer patients-Fashions by Elizabeth Anthony and Bering’s Children’s Dept.
Helen as interviewer on red carpet at gala with Elvis impersonator
Photo of me with woman in pink and yellow, Dallas Hill, dear friend, fashion model and mentor of 30 years and Neal Hamil, formerly with Ford Modeling, NY
Helen shaking hands with client–Impression Management Training at Sumitomo Corp. photo by Jack Opatrany
Dallas Hill and me at Social Book party, 2012
Pic of me with client in front of Lincoln Center, NYC
Top of The Rock (Rockefeller Ctr) NYC-client’s bday party
With students–Eticool School, Tony’s photo by David Fink
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
