Small Business Q&A: Michael Andrews Hair Studio

Entrepreneur Michael Andrew Putnam returns to his hair design roots.

Putman owned and operated Michael Andrews Hair Studio, in the same Lower Roswell Road commercial space across from Parkaire Landing Shopping Center, over a decade a go.
 
At the time, he was also an international platform artist for Zotos, now owned by Shiseido. A platform artist is a training position that required Putnam to travel on weekends.

He wanted to spend time with his three school-aged daughters. So, he quit Zotos and used that energy to develop an idea he had for wire shelf covering.

WEP Enterprises was created to manufacture the wire shelf covering which was distributed by Home Depot. WEP became Putnam's full time work until recent.

Putnam also developed an idea for a media management system for parents. MIKKO USA manufactures and sells a device that limits the TV, Internet and video game time available to children.

Michael Andrews Hair Studio will have 16 stylists. Some will be on commission and others will rent "booths." Putnam will provide salon management and training.

"People come in and get touched. How many professions does that happen in?" Putnam said.

Putnam realizes the importance of the intimacy hair stylists have with their clients and will teach the psychological aspects of helping others' self esteem to the hair designers under his management.

Future plans are to shoot complimentary head shots and individualized hair styling and make-up training DVDs for clients.

Other salon amenities include a commercial quality cappuccino and coffee bar.

Q. What's the best thing about your job?

A. Contact with people. Seeing immediate improvement in people's confidence levels is a nice thing. People feel great when they're looking good.

Q. What is the best thing about East Cobb?

A. The education system and the diversity of people. There is every race through religion represented in this area. That diversity helps me in my personal growth.

Q. Why did you choose to open your business in East Cobb?

A. I had a salon in this same space from 1985 until 2000.

Q. Why did you pick this kind of business?

A. Doing hair was so challenging, it intrigued me. The intrigue pulled me in. I found out that I'm good at it, so I stayed in it.

I was selling salon products in the 80s when I met Gus Pamboris of Salon Via. He became my mentor. At the time, I had the highest sales in the company and he told me that I should enter a statewide hair cutting competition.

I learned how to cut hair and entered the competition and came in third in men's hair, out of the whole state.

Gus also suggested that I open my own salon. So I did. I had another place with a partner before I opened Michael Andrews.

Q. What are some of the services you offer that people don't know about?

A. We're doing men and women's cuts and include entertainment and psychological support with all our services.

Q. How did your business get started?

A. My youngest daughter, Loran, is not interested in going to college, so I offered to apprentice her so that she learns a vocation.

I was looking for a salon to work a chair at and stopped in here, it was a salon called Wisteria.

The owner said that she had just sold her business. A couple days later I was across the street and noticed moving trucks here so I came over. I learned that the deal fell through and Wisteria was closing.

That made my old space available. I called the phone company and my old business phone number was available.

What are the odds? Eleven years later and I can have my same phone number? It feels like it was meant to be.

Q. Do you have advice for anyone who'd like to start a small business in this area?

A. Think your idea through. Research it. Be persistent.
A lot of people talk to me about their business ideas and people tell me that I've been lucky.

It's not luck.

When I started the shelf covering business I knew nothing about plastics or how the product would be sold. But I sought out and surrounded myself with people who did know.

When I was confident that the product could make a profit I called Home Depot. I found out that the buyer had open times for product pitches and asked for an appointment.

I was told they were full, no openings. I asked the woman on the phone if she used metal shelving. She said yes. I asked her if she had problems keeping things straight on the shelves. She said yes.

She ended up giving me an appointment, and in our meeting, agreed to distribute my product.

Q. Is there anything else you'd like our readers to know?

A. If you want up-to-date styles and great customer service, come in. Or, if you just want a great cup of cappuccino, come on in.

Michael Andrews Hair Studio
770-971-8880
4961 Lower Roswell Road
Website www.MichaelAndrewsHairStudio.com
Facebook: Michael Andrews Hair Studio