Which entrepreneur is linked to the Harper Method, an early business-format franchise?

The entrepreneur linked to the Harper Method, an early business-format franchise, was Martha Matilda Harper.

Harper was a Canadian-born entrepreneur who opened a hair salon in Rochester, New York, in 1888 after developing and selling her own hair tonic. Her salon combined product sales with a standardized service experience, including scalp care, reclining shampoo chairs, customer hospitality, and later childcare and evening hours.

In 1891, Harper began allowing other women to open salons using the Harper name and operating approach. She trained franchisees, supplied products, and inspected salons to maintain consistent standards. Her first franchise opened in Buffalo, New York, and the network eventually grew to about 500 locations at its height.

A common mix-up is to associate early beauty franchising with famous cosmetics entrepreneurs such as Helena Rubinstein, Madam C. J. Walker, or Estée Lauder. Those women were important figures in beauty-business history, but the Harper Method specifically refers to Harper’s salon and franchise system. Harper’s model is notable because it deliberately helped working-class women become business owners.