A devastating car crash inspired Signatures’ Salon owner Wendy White-McCown to improve her salon and reconnect with the community.
Wendy White-McCown has always placed great emphasis on community. In addition to being the owner of Signatures Salon in Lake Charles, Louisiana, she also created the 3-Day Work Week, a successful workplace model that has managed to increase profits and decrease employees’ work hours, leading to a stronger sense of community in her salon.
But when a drunk driver unexpectedly ran into Signatures early one morning, White-McCown was forced to tap into that sense of community once more – and she was shocked by the results. “Our amazing salon group came together,” she said. “We got a plan to open a temporary location in a vacant salon building and we got to work with many details. Our temporary crash site was open in less than 24 hours and we were functioning like it had never happened.”
While opening a temporary space at a friend’s salon, White-McCown and her staff were taken aback by the generosity within their community. People within the community stopped by to drop off supplies, tools, water and food, in addition to lending a helping hand to repair the physical damage. Sign companies pitched in by printing complimentary banners, redirecting clients to the temporary crash site. A local florist dropped off a beautiful display of flowers, and a laundry mat washed towels every day. Within a month, the new and improved Signatures Salon reopened its doors for the community that had embraced it during its time of need.
“From a team perspective, this was the best team building event,” White-McCown said. “Everyone came together and did what they needed to get the temporary location going. It was very energizing. Because we work a three-day work week, it was easy for the staff to make up their time and get their clients’ hair done. Our community was amazed at everyone’s resilience.”