Martha Matilda Harper was a very important lady who lived a long time ago. She was born on September 10, 1857, in a small village in Canada. She was a very bright and determined girl who loved to work hard. When she was just seven years old, her parents died, and she had to go live with her uncle and aunt. Sadly, they were not very kind to her, and she had to work very hard for them.
When Martha grew up, she became a servant in a rich family's house. She worked very hard and learned many things about hair and beauty care. After some time, she realized that she wanted to start her own business and help other women like herself to have a good job and a better life.
So, Martha started her own beauty salon in Rochester, New York, in 1888. She called it "Harper Method Studio," and it became very popular. She used all-natural products and techniques that were much better than what other salons were doing at the time. She also hired only women to work for her salon, which was very unusual back then.
Martha's salon was a great success. She treated all her employees like family and ensured that they had good salaries, free time, and many other benefits that were not common at that time. She even invented a special chair that could recline so that the hairdresser could stand behind it and work comfortably.
Martha also believed in educating her employees and teaching them how to become independent businesswomen. She created a school where her workers could learn to read and write, do math, and even learn how to run their own businesses.
Over time, Martha became very famous and successful. Her salon grew and opened branches in several cities across the United States and Canada. She even had clients from as far away as Europe and Asia.
Martha Matilda Harper was a true trailblazer and an inspiration to many women. She showed that with hard work, determination, and a little bit of creativity, anyone can achieve their dreams and make a positive impact on the world.