Level Seven Salon: Phoenixville Small Business Spotlight

PHOENIXVILLE, PA -- In our continuing series spotlighting local businesses around town, we sit down with Michelle Wigg, owner of Level Seven Salon on Schuylkill Road.

Business: Level Seven Salon

Owner: Michelle Wigg

Website: www.levelviisalon.com

Address: 427 Schuylkill Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460

What business are you in?

Beauty: Hair, Skincare & Massage

How did you come up with the name? "

Level Seven is a hair color term that refers to someone with dirty-blonde or mousy coloring. Typically women with this natural color use professional hair color to add dimension, create warm tones or highlight their hair. We decided to name our salon after our most popular demographic and to attract salon professionals to be a part of our team."

Why start a business in this town?

"I was raised in Hawaii, then went to school in Southern California. Clients often ask how I could ever leave such beautiful, warm places to have a salon in Phoenixville. We are lucky to be in a diverse area where we get to express ourselves creatively. We have business professionals who come in for classic looks, and artists who come in for pixies and crazy colors. I love the seasons of the East Coast when it comes to hair trends. Clients tend to go lighter in Spring/Summer months, and go darker in the Winter. Women are more like to rock shorter, trendier styles here. I don't feel like we had as much variety on the West Coast."

What's the most difficult challenge you've faced as a business owner?

"Not meeting or exceeding client expectations. It is always our goal to create an experience worth repeating, and when we fall short it hurts! In the beginning we were developing systems. Some things worked great, and some fell flat. I wish we could get another chance with some of our earlier customers who never returned because we lacked systems early on."

What's been your proudest accomplishment since opening?

"A former client of mine had a baby at 21 and came in looking for a job. I had been doing her hair since she was 16 and had always encouraged her to do hair. She was resistant at first, but as a new mom, she was busy and didn't have the time to go back to college. I reminded her how awesome our industry is and that she could have a job with Level Seven Salon as soon as she graduated. She ended up enrolling in Cosmetology School and getting her license. She is now a successful hairdresser at our salon, is supporting her now 3-year old son and is even dating a hairdresser! It has been an amazing thing to help influence a young persons career path and provide a working space for her to support her family."

How does your business giveback to the community?

"We hold an annual cut-a-thon in our salon and donate 100% of the money earned to a different charity every year! We have sent over 60 hair donations to Children with Hairloss, a company that provides wigs to children who are battling cancer or alopecia. More recently, we partnered with The House and offered free haircuts to the residents. We have donated to local school PTA's."

Know of a local business or nonprofit that deserves the spotlight? Email us at justin.heinze@patch.com.

Image via Level Seven Salon