- We want to celebrate a remarkable woman together
and share the story of Erica Gamble,
also known as the wig doctor from Marietta, Georgia.
Just take a look.
(upbeat music)
- Hair means confidence.
Hair means power.
Hair means character.
If I can provide people a hair loss solution,
then I know that I'm doing what I'm called to do.
I am Dr. Erica Bamble,
but everyone knows me as the wig doctor.
The Wig Doctor opened in June of 2015 in Marietta, Georgia,
to service people
who are going through chemotherapy treatments,
auto immune disorders, or life changes.
90% of the people who walk through this door
have never worn a wig
and they have no idea what a wig entails.
My clients become almost like family.
I had a situation where I had a little girl,
she was still in school and she lost all of her hair.
After seeing a family go through something such as that,
it was really one of the main reasons
why I continue to do what I do.
There are times when my clients come through these doors
and they often feel wounded.
It is my responsibility
to make them feel like warriors when they leave.
The struggles of small business are, for me,
being a one person show.
I do it all.
Marketing is difficult because I often feel
that I don't have the tools or the resources
to reach the people that I might be missing in the market.
I started this business using my own resources,
buying what I thought would be necessary.
I've spent a lot of my own money to support my clients,
to make sure that they have
everything that they need from me.
- I'm here with Gabrielle Union,
fellow beauty business owner and entrepreneur,
and joining us is Dr. Erica Gamble,
popularly known as the wig doctor.
Hi, Erica.
I watched your video and I was just overwhelmed
with your story and what an amazing person you are.
And over the course of obviously the last eight months
and how it's impacted everyone,
I know how much the coronavirus
has impacted small businesses.
Will you speak about that?
'Cause I know you put so much of your own money into this.
- Yeah, finances have been really hard during this time.
You know, honestly, the doors aren't,
they're not opening as much as they did prior to COVID.
And so one thing for certain
is that even though COVID is happening
and we're in a pandemic,
cancer diagnosis don't stop,
hair loss issues don't stop,
auto immune diseases don't stop.
And so I still have people who are calling me saying,
"Hey, I need help."
I am not saying no to anyone that calls
or anybody who walks through the door
because the people in this community really do need me.
And it's just been a challenge.
- And Gabrielle when you were speaking
about going through IVF
and having a change in your hair
and a lot of women, when they have babies,
also their hair changes,
or if they're going through something like chemotherapy
and all of the deep important, difficult things to discuss
such as you live your life by Erica.
I mean, hair loss is a tremendous psychological thing
for really women and men.
But can you guys speak to that?
- There's so much shame involved.
For so many women, and certainly women of color,
and then specifically black women, our hair is our crown.
And when your crown has been knocked off your head,
you feel less than, you feel self conscious,
you lack the confidence.
I know when I was experiencing bald patches,
I only wore wigs.
If I didn't have a wig,
you would have never seen me.
I wouldn't have been able to shoot my show.
And that's not life and death.
And what Erica is talking about
and what she's dealing with
and what her customers are dealing with,
this is life and death.
And how do you move through the world
as you're battling for your life.
A great wig can change your life, child,
it can change your life.
And so you are doing the Lord's work
and I cannot say enough.
And when you lean into service for others,
the work comes in leaps and bounds and it comes in spades.
And so my advice would be
to continue to lead into service
because blessings, God, karma, whatever you want to say,
it comes back to you
and you will reap everything that you are sowing
and because you're such a beautiful,
beautiful woman doing such amazing work,
this will come back to you
in ways that you can't even begin to imagine.
And I just want to thank you,
as someone who has relied on wigs in my darkest hour,
I just want to thank you
and so many others in the community
who desperately need you.
So please hold on, help is coming.
- And Erica, use us as a billboard right now.
- Yes, I would love to use you as a billboard.
I mean I think it would be amazing
and that's where I need help.
Honestly, at the end of the day,
no matter how often I think about giving up and quitting,
which is literally really every day-
- Don't you dare, okay.
We want to contribute.
What you are doing is so vital and important to empowerment.
You are, as Gabrielle said,
doing life or death business,
you are changing people's psyche
and the confidence that they have.
So we at Flower Beauty, actually,
we're launching hair tools on September 30th,
and we're gonna send you a ton of stuff.
We want to help style your clients.
I want to shine a big light on Flawless.
I think Gabrielle, what you are doing,
is so crucial and important,
again to that confidence and how you live your life.
And I just have such deep respect for what you're doing.
And also I do know an amazing social media guru
who I'd love to help give you some tips
and get you started on the right path
and we'll help along the way.
And Gabrielle and I want to help support you
and your efforts.
So together with Flower Hair tools,
we're gifting you this $10,000 check
just to get you started.
- Thank you.
(audience applause)
- And Erica, we're gonna make you our WCW for this Wednesday
to coincide with the episode.
(screaming)
So we'll make sure to blow it up as much as possible
on my personal page and on the Flawless pages.
- Thank you.
Oh my gosh, you just don't know
what this really, really means.
I'm just like floored.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
- Thank you both for being here.
Dr. Erica Gamble, the wig doctor
and Gabrielle Union,
grab a bitsy snack and watch her on "L.A.'s Finest".
Thank you so much you guys.
(upbeat music)