Call her “The Wig Doctor.”
Dr. Erica Gamble is the founder and owner of The Wig Dr. Wig Boutique Hair Loss and Mastectomy Center. Based in Georgia with locations in Marietta and Fayetteville, The Wig Dr. is a unique venture by any measure. Founded in 2014 to provide women on the go with quality, fashionable wigs for professional settings and elegant evenings, the company quickly occupied an unexpected market niche.
“I started The Wig Dr. because I thought we would sell to women who just wanted to wear wigs, change up, be cute, and look different,” Dr. Gamble said. “The trajectory changed when I realized that there was a medical space for what we were doing – that we could help people receiving chemotherapy treatments or who’ve been diagnosed with alopecia and autoimmune diseases that cause hair loss.”
Hair loss can be traumatizing, but life’s responsibilities don’t end with an unwelcome medical diagnosis – nor does the desire to engage the world positively by looking one’s best and exuding self-confidence. For many, The Wig Dr. provides the correct prescription with a range of hair loss solutions, including human, synthetic, and blended hair wigs and hairpieces.
“We look at the specific conditions that a client may have, whether its patchiness or thinning, and conduct a full scalp analysis to determine what’s going on and how we can help,” says Gamble, who has a doctorate in health sciences with a concentration in trichology (the study of the hair and scalp). The Wig Dr. staff often can identify undiagnosed medical conditions in the early stages and recommend that the client seek appropriate medical attention.
Dr. Gamble’s vision for her company has grown beyond simply providing wigs and hairpieces as cosmetic accessories, an evolution that, in many ways, mirrors her own journey.
Born and raised in Cleveland, she spent 25 years of her professional life in corporate America, working in human resources while teaching college. Her corporate experience as a Black woman inspired The Wig Dr. concept and set the stage for her eventual shift to business ownership.
“In my work, I would often find myself in professional situations where there wasn’t anyone else who looked like me,” she explains. “I was tasked with traveling all over the world, heading from Atlanta to Seatle and on to the next city, sometimes within a space of days. When the climate changes, your hair changes. So, when I showed up for meetings, sometimes my hair didn’t measure up to my professional attire and knowledge; I just started wearing wigs. It was easier because I looked the same, my hair wouldn’t be a topic of conversation, and I felt like I was always presentable.”
Gamble knew other professional women likely shared her experience and frustrations and that there was a viable market for The Wig Dr. Entrepreneurs will tell you that a strong concept is half the battle. Still, lots of ventures fail for lack of attention to the other half of the equation—preparation.
“There was no preparation,” Gamble confessed. “I started this business completely bootstrapping. I did not belong to any business groups or women entrepreneur organizations. You could say that I jumped in ‘feet first’ without a lot of knowledge of business.”
What Gamble lacked in business knowledge was balanced by her passion for the concept and a talent for applying her teaching experience to the venture’s success: “When our clients come through the door, we educate. It’s not always about the sale; it’s about people understanding the product. They are more apt to purchase when they know exactly what they’re buying, why they’re buying it, and what the product can do for them.”
Of course, the Gen X entrepreneur had to upgrade her business skills for the venture to survive, beginning with readjusting her financial goals and expectations.
She asserts: “When you’re an entrepreneur, sometimes payday just doesn’t come. In corporate America, I was used to that regular salary. With entrepreneurship, sometimes circumstances get a little dark because of the typical ebbs and flows. One month, we may hit $30,000 to $40,000 in revenues; the next, we may make $5,000, so then you have to pivot.”
Gamble assembled a strong financial team throughout The Wig Dr.’s decade-long growth to help navigate market uncertainty and keep the business in the black.
“I have an accountant, of course, who keeps me on track with taxes. And insurance planning has been very important from very early in the process. I’ve maintained my professional relationship with my insurance agent for the last nine and a half years,” she said, noting that liability coverage is especially important for a company that consults with clients with varying health issues.
“As we’ve grown and incorporated trichology and mastectomy services into the businesses, we’ve had to make sure we were supported in the liability space. We meet quarterly with our insurance agent to ensure that the company is protected and updated with proper coverage.”
With The Wig Dr. financially solid footing, Gamble’s focus has expanded to include legacy. Her husband and two sons, ages 30 and 32, are part of her company and involved in planning and decision-making. Building and passing on general wealth is a shared responsibility.
“I would like to leave a legacy so that our children and their children don’t have to struggle and perhaps work as hard as we did,” she said. “I’ve made certain investments, and [I’m] working to ensure that I remain in a good place financially, so whether I eventually decide to sell the business or hand the business down to my children, I’d be set.”
In the meantime, she is confident in the future of The Wig Dr. and hopes to open additional locations in underserved communities, starting with her hometown of Cleveland, which, coincidently, is home to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, a leading academic medical research and care facility.
“A great many cancer patients go to the Cleveland Clinic for their medical care. I would love to have a boutique in that market to serve men, women, and children who could benefit from what we do.”
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