As a cosmetologist, Sheryl McCaleb styles hair all day.
But all the hair she's working on is on the heads of mannequins.
As the owner of Hair Prosthesis Institute, McCaleb uses her skills as a stylist to create wigs and other hair replacements for women and children with medical-related hair loss conditions.
"My oldest sister died in 1976 with cancer, and there was absolutely no place to turn to for help," said McCaleb, who owned a beauty salon for several years before opening the institute. "I could only find a wig for her from Castner Knott, and it was nothing like she ever wore her hair. It was synthetic and so very thick. I knew there had to be an answer, and being a cosmetologist, I wanted to help the ladies who needed help so badly."
Not having a lot of capital and not wanting to borrow money, she purchased used equipment and started the business as a one-person operation in 1994.
"A huge challenge was the fear of stepping out of my comfort zone and taking a leap of faith with a business that was unheard of," McCaleb said. "When I opened HPI, we were one of the first centers in the country to specialize in women and children's hair loss. I was told I would never make it, and we would probably fail so I had to overcome the fear and do a lot of praying. God guided me all the way and gave me the confidence I needed to do this."
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