SUCCESSSTORIES
INSPIRING TALES OF STARTUPS, GROWTH AND OVERCOMING HARDSHIPS
Helping Cancer Survivors
Rediscover Self-Beauty
BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON
KIM BECKER Founder and President,
Hello Gorgeous! of Hope, Inc., South Bend, Indiana
ello Gorgeous! of
Hope, Inc Founder
and President Kim
Becker already had a
successful 1,000-square-foot
salon business when she felt
something missing. In one of
her many conversations with
her husband in which she
shared her desire to make a
difference in other’s lives, the idea of starting a mobile day spa
that caters to cancer patients came upon her. “The idea just
dropped in my heart,” she recalls.
When she told her husband that she wanted to start a
“palace on wheels that will treat patients and survivors like a
queen for a day—all for free,” she recalled seeing her husband’s
face turned white. His first question was: “How are we going to
do this?” At that time, Becker didn’t know the answer, but there
was one thing she was certain: this was her life calling and she
needed to pursue it.
H
Starting a Nonprofit Organization
Becker founded the nonprofit organization 10 years ago. “We
started Hello Gorgeous! with a one-dollar donation from our
son from his garage sale money. From that one-dollar donation,
we managed to grow the organization and have just surpassed
the one-million-dollar mark in cash and in-kind donations,”
Becker says.
She sold her salon business to focus on Hello Gorgeous! and
worked as an independent salon contractor to support her
family while her husband worked seven days a week to get the
nonprofit organization off the ground. “Our Certified Salon
Affiliate program began in the salon that I had previously sold.
We were performing our makeovers on Fridays at that time, only
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one day each week, and we were using my salon station to do
the services,” she says. “To date, we have certified more than 50
salons in 10 states. We have helped more than 900 women
through these surprise makeover experiences. We also have a
fleet of two mobile day spas called Hope and Faith.”
What’s in a Name?
The organization’s catchy name was her husband’s idea. While
thinking of names for her salon business, her husband
suggested “Hello Gorgeous!” “That’s the stupidest name I have
ever heard!” she recalls telling him at that time. But when they
decided to start the nonprofit organization, Becker’s first
thought for a name was exactly that: Hello Gorgeous! “Because
this is how these women deserve to be greeted,” she says.
Number of years as an ISPA member: 1 Year
Learned about ISPA: “I heard of ISPA several years ago
but was formally introduced to the association by BeTini
Spirits, a cause-marketing partner that invited the
organization to attend the ISPA Conference & Expo last
year as a resource partner.”
Reason for joining ISPA: “After attending and seeing the
caliber and diversity of ISPA Conference’s education and
presentations, I realized that the association has a higher
standard and expectation for the industry, one that
models my own,” Becker says.
ISPA resource most beneficial: “I believe the ISPA
Conference & Expo was one of the best industry-related
events I have attended in my 28-year career as a stylist,
salon owner and national educator. The professionalism
and attention to detail were unequaled.”