In this episode of the Coffee with Q podcast, host Jaci Patrick interviews Pam Florig, the CEO of FoliCure Hair Replacement and founder of the John Florig School of Hair Replacement. Pam recounts the origin of the business, sparked by her husband John’s personal hair loss experience and his subsequent work at a large hair‑replacement center, which led them to start their own compassionate, lower‑priced service. She describes the profound challenges after John’s sudden passing, including maintaining a staff of eight and 400 clients while navigating a lawsuit with the former employer. Pam credits the loyalty of her team for keeping the doors open and highlights how the COVID‑19 pandemic created a surge in demand as remote workers became more aware of their hair loss, prompting the team to adapt by offering in‑home services. The conversation shifts to the creation of the John Florig School of Hair Replacement, an academy designed to train licensed cosmetologists in a booming market driven by TikTok and Instagram, providing a new high‑earning trade for stylists. Pam shares her vision for continued industry growth, emphasizing confidence‑building for clients and the belief that “every day is the prom,” a mantra from John. She concludes with practical contact information for FoliCure (follicurehair.com, 214‑691‑5700) and underscores the academy’s role in expanding opportunities for stylists.
Chapters
Hello everyone, thank you for tuning in to the Coffee with Q podcast. I am JC Patrick, your host and news reporter. Today we will be speaking with Pam Floreg, founder of Follicure and the John Floreg School of Hair Replacement. Pam, thank you so much for being here today.
Well, thank you for having me.
So, Pam, we're going to talk a little bit about your background and to really hear your story on how you got started to the hair industry.
Okay.
So can you share a little bit about your origin story and what drew you and John to the hair replacement industry?
So it's— I get asked this question a lot. It's kind of a funny story. John was starting to lose his hair, and he had thinning hair on top, and he wore the back of it kind of long and then started perming it. So this was probably 30 years ago. And I said, I think you should go do something with your hair. So he took that to heart and went to one of the largest hair replacement centers that's across the USA. And went in for a consultation, and they told him that would be somewhere around $2,000. So 30 years ago, we were both jaw-dropping, like, $2,000. So we put it together. He got his first hair replacement system, and it was quite a shock. And his family and friends were like, dude, you look like you are wearing a wig. So he went back in there and said, you have to take this thing off of my head. And they said, we can do that, but we want to offer you a position to run our Fort Worth location. And at that time, he was hating his job. He was in logistics and hated it. So he comes home, he says, what do you think about me working there? And I said, if that's something you want to do. So he did. He started working for that company and we went on our honeymoon. And when we got back, there was a note on his office door. It said, please report to the Dallas location. We have closed our doors. So at that point, he's like, now what? What am I going to do? And so he decided, you know what, I'm going to open one of these on my own and I'm going to do a better job. I'm going to have more compassion and care and not charge such ridiculous prices. So that is how it got started. So he cared. He cared about the people that came in. He did his own and he did it the way he wanted and actually cared about the people and the product that he delivered.
Yeah. Hearing your story, actually, I can really hear how he cared about his clients. And I think that when you're entering an industry like that, that's so vulnerable, you want to be able of your, um, you know, your clients. You want to be able to know that they're getting the best of the best. So Pam, what was the most significant challenges that you faced after John's passing, and how did you find the strength and the direction to overcome them?
So obviously the hardest thing was, um, John passing suddenly. And then we had 8 employees, we had 400 clients at that time, and it was kind of like, well, are we going to continue? This was his passion. I worked there and it was his passion. It wasn't necessarily mine at the time, but I did help and work there. So the girls and I got together and we said, how are we going to do this? And we decided we are, we're going to continue because everyone needed jobs and we couldn't let all of those people down and just close our doors. And then also at that time, I was— we were in a lawsuit with the company that he originally worked for. And so his passing left me to deal with, you know, all of that plus the lawsuit and trying to keep our doors open. So it was a big challenge first deciding to do it. But all of the girls They were all like, of course we're doing this. We're going to join in. We're going to all do this together and we're going to make him proud. And that's what we did. We just kept on going.
I love that. And I think it shows the dedication that your team has and the loyalty that they have to you and John. And I think that within any business, you want to have those loyal employees, those loyal people that will be there for you. And, you know, I can see that since you've grown this business, that your team has has been there with you. And that's actually the next question I'm going to ask is, how did your team at Follicure contribute to the turnaround of the business? I know you shared a little bit about that. What role did they play?
So what kind of really turned this business around is the unfortunate COVID incidents when everybody had to stay home from work. They were on their computers. People would come in during the time they were off and working from home and say, you know, I think this is the right time. This is a time I want to try this. I'm not going to work. Nobody's really seeing me. I have time off. I'm seeing myself on Zoom calls, and I can't believe I'm that bald. So it was— I think that was the biggest turnaround. And during that time, so many businesses were closed. But the team here decided, you know what, we're going to help these guys anyway. And some would go to their homes. Some would even come in if we were closed because this was their life, this was their livelihood, and they needed to have their hair done, of course. So that was a huge turnaround. Everyone worked together to get everyone taken care of during that tough time that everybody went through. So nobody was not going to help. This is what we're doing. And everybody was like, I'm in, I'm going to help. We'll be there. We'll get these people taken care of. Yeah, we just joined forces and got it done.
Yeah. Thank you, Pam. You've really showcased— I mean, your team, they must be so incredible. And I think that, like I said, within any business, you want to find those loyal employees. Yeah, definitely. And I mean, places that I've worked, I've seen the care that they take with their employees. And I think it's important for any business because when you have a business that someone genuinely loves going to and enjoys, it never feels like work.
That's right.
So can you give us a little insight on the John Floreg School of Hair Replacement and what really inspired you to establish this academy in his memory?
So what kind of started it is one of my colleagues named Kim. She thought Why don't we do an academy and teach people how to do hair replacements? And mostly because, you know, it's really become a booming industry ever since TikTok and Instagram. It's so out there that people aren't really ashamed of it anymore. It used to be a taboo. It's like, you know, like nobody can know. Now when people come in, they're sitting in the chair, they're on their phone with their friends going, bro, look at my hair, look what they're doing to me. And it's so out there that it has totally turned this into industry around. So more people wanting to do it means more people that need to learn how to do it. You come out of cosmetology school, this isn't something that you learn. So people need to learn how to do it. As long as they know how to cut hair, they can learn how to do the hair replacement. So we can do the academy, teach licensed hairstylists already, and then they can learn how to do it and take care of All of the young guys that are out there now that this is really affecting their lives. So I have 19-year-old, we have 19, 20s, 30s. This is the age that we're getting now and it's really impacting them. Once they get this hair, you know, they are just thrilled. It changes their lives. They're getting married, they're doing their job interviews. They're like, this has just changed my life. So John would be proud that we moved in this direction. So yeah, we're proud of it.
I can definitely see that. And I think that you're doing everything in your power to have his legacy live on. And I think it's really important what you said with the age range, because a lot of guys in the Cayman Islands actually are having that same issue. They're losing their hair, either thinning or, you know, it's not as full as it used to be. And personally, I know someone that's going through this issue, and it is hard because Because it does really cause them to see themselves differently, and their confidence is really what is most affected. And I think that by having this academy and by giving people the option— and I mean, again, it's guys within that age range, and it's something that they've never really seen before— but you are giving them that option. So thank you to you and John for that. I think you guys have, you know, had this legacy going on, and I think a lot of people will benefit from it. So thank you.
You're welcome.
So, Pam, my last question for you is, looking forward, what do you envision for the future of FoliCure and the hair replacement industry? And what advice would John likely give to those entering this field?
I have to say, like I had just said a little while ago, the growth— growth is the future of Follicure Hair, Follicure Academy, that there are so many people moving to the Dallas area and just transferring to all different places, just wanting to improve, you know, their look, their confidence. And that is the most important thing is to improve their confidence. So I only see this hair replacement industry growing.
Yeah.
And it has grown tremendously in the last 5 years, also contributing to social media that it's out there. And I see nothing but growth moving forward in this industry. They've tried so many things to cure baldness. It's just not there yet. Thank goodness for us. Um, but it's not there yet. And John always had this saying, um, that every day is the prom. So yeah, he always said, you know, look your best to be your best. And that, I think, is what's driving us forward, is to help just change, um, the people, how they feel about their appearance and feel about their confidence. And, um, that's what he would say, every day is the prom. So—
Yeah. When you speak about him, I can see just the love and like the admiration that you have for him. And I think that, you know, working on this kind of partnership that you have is absolutely amazing. And I think that every day you're changing someone's life. So I think that there's so many people that are going to benefit from this. And like you said, it is about growth. And I think that hearing your story and seeing what it was like back then to how the hair Replacement industry is now. I think the growth has been very significant. I think you guys have done an incredible job. I've done my research before this podcast, and I've seen some of the results and the testimonials, and I think that's absolutely incredible. So Pam, leaving us with this podcast and all of this information, how can our viewers find? Follicure, and do you have a website and a phone number that they can reach you at?
We do. You would want to go to follicurehair.com. Um, our phone number is, uh, 214-691-5700, and you'll speak with Chris or Deanna, and we're happy to, um, get you moving in the right direction.
Great. Thank you, Pam. So, Pam, how is your project, the John Florek School of Hair Replacement, playing a role in the business industry?
So, you know, we decided to do this, the School of Academy, to help other cosmetologists. You know, after John had passed, it was kind of— it was a struggle. deciding on if we were going to keep going. You know, the situation, if the business was going to survive without him.
Yeah.
So having cosmetologists be able to do another trade where they can make a 6-figure income, you know, sounds appealing to most. It's a new trade that people can learn and they can have their own hours. It just takes them in a different direction and they could have the opportunity to grow their business, not only doing doing hair and color, but they can add this caveat to their portfolio of their business, their individual business. So this just takes on a whole different direction for them to be able to make more money. A 2-day course is a small price to pay for such a great future that it could give, give to them and their families. Um, there's so many single moms out there Girls that are young that are getting started, men that are young getting started. So this just really can help add to that, to their income, and give them more options. They won't get bored. They have other things to try. So it's just a great avenue to add to what they already do so well.
Yes. Thank you, Pam. And I think that a lot of hairstylists here, it is the hair replacement that is quite new, and hairstylists here are willing to have those because, like I said, a lot of it, you know, changes their perspective. So I think that having hairstylists that are willing and able This replacement will be ideal for both any man or woman looking to build their confidence. That's right. So thank you so much for being here today and on the hair replacement industry, the John Flores of hair replacement, and a little bit more about Follicure. And I look forward to speaking with you soon and About this amazing industry that you've entered. So thank you so much for being a guest on our podcast.
Well, you are welcome, and it was wonderful to get this out there so people have the opportunity to learn and grow from something new. So we're happy to get it going and, and hope that many can, can benefit from this. We know that the balding population will definitely benefit from it. Just hoping that it's good for all.
