January 2000 marked more than just the beginning of a new century for Gretchen Imler - it marked the beginning of her dream to own her own business. Almost three years ago Gretchen opened Sharper Images, a full-service hair salon in the Bedford mini mall. She likes the responsibility and freedom of being her own boss. "I'm better able to serve my clients - I can make my own decisions rather than having someone else make them," she says. "I love making people feed good about themselves. I like working with people; the social interaction of helping them and consider many of my clients to be good friends."

Gretchen, an Imlertown native, is a graduate of Bedford High School and the Bedford County Technical Center's cosmetology program. "I received enough hours in school to take the state license board tests, enabling me to walk out of high school and start working." She spent time in other shops for several years before striking out on her own. "This business is not easy. It takes time to build up a clientele, and getting started can be tough. You need to be patient and willing to work hard," she says. "You've also got to develop very good communication skills. Being able to communicate and listen - understand what your clients want - is the number one skill you need to have to be successful." An artistic sense - being able to visualize - is also important, she says, as is keeping technical skills current with changing styles and products.

Gretchen finds the paperwork and accounting necessary to run her business the most frustrating, and standing all day the most physically demanding. Despite those minuses, "I love what I do; I love getting up in the morning and coming into the shop. It's a very rewarding career for me, and I can't imagine doing anything else."

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