Meet Trailblazer Wendy Berthiaume

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Berthiaume.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Many years ago, I was an unhappy, unhealthy high school Art teacher looking for a change, but not sure what to do. My other half – who was a hair stylist – suggested I get out of the classroom, and get my Cosmetology license, as his boss was opening a new location with many more chairs. Hair was something I did in college, on friends and myself, but it was never something that I thought would be a career.

After some great thought, I decided to sign up for night school at HCC. Now, I was teaching at Katy High School, and drove to HCC’s main campus on San Jacinto and Holman every night. I had students that were taking classes at a closer HCC, so I had to avoid that location… for both their privacy and mine.

In 2005, I walked out of the classroom and into the salon. My partner and I were building a great business for ourselves, but as the years went by the salon was slowly falling apart. The previous owner seemed to have lost interest in growing the business any further. After some very frustrating years, and many stylists leaving to pursue their careers elsewhere, we knew something needed to change. If we were going to continue to keep someone’s doors open, they were going to be ours.

Last summer we presented our former owner with an asset purchase offer – which he accepted – and on October 1, 2017, we opened as Front Room Hair Studio! We currently have 6 stylist and 2 apprentices, and are on a path of steady growth.

Somewhere along this journey – I decided, like the salon, my physical health also needed some serious help. In 2011, I discovered that I liked running. Not only did I like it, I loved it. Along with the growth of the business, I too was growing and morphing. I turned myself into an ultra marathoner. This October, I will be running my 3rd 100-mile race. Who even knew??

Balancing it all has certainly been tricky at times, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Seeing how far I’ve come mentally, physically, and emotionally still amazes me. I’m just another example of “you can do anything you want to”… you just have to REALLY want to.

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?
Oh, have there been bumps!

Some days, it seemed like one problem would unfold right after the next.

We had a huge roof leak, two or three times, learning curves with payroll and all of the different taxes, wifi issues that seemed like they’d never be fixed (we are totally wireless – so that was a biggy).

As far as the business side goes, yes, problems will pop up, and things will go wrong… but they are now our problems to fix. Not having to wait for someone else to remedy them is such a relief. Just get it done and move on.

Stand up straight, pull yourself together, put on a good poker face, and as they say “Brush that dirt off your shoulders” (no one has to know you’re totally freaking out on the inside! 😉

We’d love to hear more about Front Room Hair Studio.
We are a comfortable, yet modern salon in the Heights specializing in men, women, and even children. We are known for exceptional guest service. We take pride in taking the time to listen to every guest, old and new, to determine the best way to deliver the desired result. Whether it is a new color, a retouch, a cut, or a completely new look, we approach them all with the same amount of care. All of our stylist’s shampoo, cut, color, highlight, and perform texture services.

I take pride in the fact that we take care of our guests like family. No one should feel like they are on an assembly line. Your stylist will see you through from the beginning of the service to the end.

I believe we have a great “feel” in the salon. People tell us daily how comfortable they feel when they are here. To me, aside from providing beautiful hair, that is of utmost importance. The world has enough “snooty” salons that make you feel like you’re not worthy.

We are not that salon.

Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
My parents, especially my mom, embraced my “strong-willed” tendencies. Rather than shut down that spirit, I was encouraged to do whatever made me happy… but if I started something I had to see it though. I was not allowed to quit. I didn’t have to do it again, but damn it – I started it so I had to finish it. Swim team, band, even college… (I went to Baylor but wanted to leave my first semester. I cried and begged to get out, but my parents held firm, and wouldn’t let me consider transferring until the end of my first year. Well, I graduated 4 years later with some of the greatest friends and memories.)

I’m also stubborn to a fault, I get that from my dad (who I lost to cancer the same week we opened – that wasn’t an emotional roller coaster week at all). Along with the stubbornness, he gave me the “average is not enough” speech more times than I can remember. In school, if I got say a 95 on a test, I would hear “why isn’t it a 100?” Even as an adult. the one time he saw me cross a race finish line he asked, “What took you so long?”… he wasn’t kidding. In today’s softer society, that might be seen as harsh, but that was not his intention. He just wanted his daughter to reach her full potential. Period.

I strongly believe those two things have helped me to get where I am now. Oh, I miss him dearly and am so sad he couldn’t see what I have accomplished.

As my mom teases, “Go on, try to tell her ‘no’. See how that works out for you.”

I just love that woman.

Contact Info:

• Address: 706 E. 11th St
  Houston, Texas 77008
• Website: frontroomhtx.com
• Phone: 713-862-9480
• Email: info@frontroomhtx.com
• Instagram: frontroomhtx
• Facebook: Front Room HTX

Image Credit:
Jack Potts of Bohemian Photography in Houston

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