Her Story
About Rhonda
Rhonda Winters is an accomplished entrepreneur, business owner, and operations professional with more than 20 years of experience in the beauty industry and over a decade of successfully owning and operating Village Hair Studio in Houston, Texas. Since establishing her independent studio, Rhonda has built a thriving business through strong client relationships, operational discipline, strategic decision-making, and a commitment to exceptional service. Her entrepreneurial experience has given her a practical understanding of business management, customer relationship management, performance measurement, problem-solving, and day-to-day operations. Recognized for her business excellence and customer satisfaction, Rhonda credits her success to determination, accountability, loyalty, compassion, and the support of her clients, family, and community.
Driven by a desire to continually expand her knowledge and prepare for the evolving demands of a technology-driven business environment, Rhonda pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems from the University of Houston-Downtown. She further strengthened her technical foundation by completing the Rice University Cybersecurity Boot Camp in 2024, demonstrating her commitment to developing skills in information security, analytical thinking, and technology. Her combination of hands-on entrepreneurship and formal education gives her a distinctive perspective: she understands both the operational realities of running a business and the importance of using technology, data, and analytical insights to improve processes and support informed decisions.
As she enters the next chapter of her professional career, Rhonda is bringing the skills she developed as an entrepreneur into the corporate environment, with a particular interest in business operations and analytics. Organized, adaptable, tech-savvy, and committed to continuous learning, she approaches new challenges with the same determination that helped her build and sustain her own successful business. Rhonda is eager to contribute her operational experience, business acumen, analytical mindset, and problem-solving abilities to an organization where she can make an immediate impact while continuing to grow professionally. Her journey reflects a powerful combination of entrepreneurship, education, resilience, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities in an increasingly technology-focused world.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rhonda
01What do you attribute your success to?
I'll attribute my success to a combination of the people who have supported me, and my own determination to keep me going. My clients have been a huge part of my journey, and I'm incredibly grateful for the trust and loyalty they've showed me over the years, and my friends and family also encouraged me and supported me through the challenges and changes on the way.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Basically, like, to be prepared to fail and learn during the first couple of years. It doesn't happen overnight, and some of the biggest lessons come from the mistakes and challenges that happen along the way. You just have to keep going and adjust, and you just kind of learn what works and doesn't.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the beauty industry is to take the time to build a strong foundation before going out on your own. Find a salon where you can stay for several years, build your skills, develop relationships, and establish a loyal clientele before you open your own business. And then, you have to plan, like, save enough, because not all your clientele will go with you. When you start the business, it can be tempting to spend a lot on beautiful decor appearances, but I've learned that functionality and location matter more than having the fanciest space. And parking is a big thing.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in the career was the pandemic and the impact it had on the economy and small businesses. I've seen so many places close because of it. And it changed the way people work and spend money. But I see it gradually getting better, the economy.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me, both in my work and professional life, are loyalty, accountability, growth, and compassion. I believe loyalty means being someone others can trust and count on, while accountability means taking responsibility for my own actions and always striving to do better. Growth is important to me because I believe we should never stop learning, evolving, and challenging ourselves. Compassion reminds me to lead with kindness and understand, because you never know what someone else may be going through.
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