Daughter Follows in Father's Footsteps with
National Hair Centers

Lisa Zimmerman’s father, Arnold, remembers when his wife talked him into letting their only child work at the company he founded, National Hair Centers.

He reluctantly hired her as a receptionist in 1977 for his 2-year-old Phoenix company.

A rebellious child who moved out of her parents’ home as a teenager, Zimmerman says she actually likes working at her dad’s company, learning new skills on the job.

“By 1979, I knew this was what I wanted to do,” she says.

Over the years, her father began to trust her judgment. He remembers, for example, when she wanted to buy a fax machine for the office.

“I said, ‘What do we need a fax machine for? We’ve never needed a fax machine,’” he says. “She talked me into it. Two or three weeks later, I said, ‘How did we do without this thing?’”

The same thing happened when she wanted to buy a computer for the office.

“I have file cards here to tell you everything. What do you need a computer for?” he recalls saying. “We went over that, over and over. I finally gave in, and we got the computer.”

Now, the company has several sophisticated computer programs, some created specifically for the hair-replacement business.

By the time Zimmerman’s father was ready to retire in 2001, he felt comfortable that she would do just fine as president and chief operating officer. At 77, he still stops by and visits the office.

“She’s really doing a very nice job,” he says. “She’s doing things that I would not have thought of.”

Zimmerman manages to balance her role as mother of a 17-year-old son and president of a 35 employee company by finding time to play her base guitar and ride her Harley-Davidson motorcycle with friends.

“If I’m really stressed out, I’ll go play the bass, and it will be gone,” she says. “It puts me in a different place.”

She had a stage built in her spacious home, where she invites friends to jam with her. Although she doesn’t have her own band, she sits in on sessions when her friends play at various nightclubs in the Valley.

Diane Geshwind, Zimmerman’s business consultant for more than 10 years, says the guitar provides a healthy diversion for her client.

“I think it’s wonderful she has that release,” Geshwind says. “So many business owners don’t. They live for the business. Don’t get me wrong: She works long, hard hours and takes work home, but it’s very good she has that outside interest.”

She describes Zimmerman as a cautious, deliberate, critical thinker.

“She wants to be sure she has all the information before she makes a move,” Geshwind says. “She’s very level-headed.”

Yvonne Marchese, owner of Marchese Enterprises Inc., says she is amazed at how much Zimmerman accomplishes at one time.

“She could be in the middle of a marketing meeting with me, where we’re discussing everything from media to creative to graphic design, and (she’ll) take a phone call from the Web site guy while she’s on another phone call from a Transitions member across the country and deal with an internal issue,” Marchese says. “It amazes me she’s able to do all those things, literally at the same time, and keep focused and not skip a beat.”

National Hair Centers is a founding member of Transitions International Group, which is composed of individually owned and operated hair-restoration affiliates worldwide that share information and patients. The Phoenix company has two board-certified surgeons who provide hair-transplant services at the center’s 11,000-square-foot facility.

Several associates are walking testaments to the services provided, including “virtual reality” hair restoration, the latest nonsurgical method.

Does Zimmerman take advantage of any of her company’s services?”
“I'll never tell,” she says.

Profile: Lisa Zimmerman

Title: President and chief operating officer

Company: National Hair Centers

Web: www.nationalhair.com

Age: 48

Significant other: Ron

Children: Son, Jay, 17

Residence: Phoenix

Associations: Transitions International Group (board member), American Hair Loss Council, International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, National Hair Society, Better Business Bureau

During lunch: “Work.”

Most treasured memories: “Vacations with my parents, traveling throughout Europe and Australia.”

Autobiography title: “Never a Dull Moment.”

Will never forget again: “Never leave your teenage son home alone when you go out of town.”

When happiest: “In my band room, where I play my bass guitar. Fortunately, I am able to play as loud as I want without disturbing my neighbors.”

Phobia: “Flying. I do have to fly often, but I’d rather not.”

Dream: “Since my favorite thing to do is play the bass with rock bands, I dream of playing bass with a band in a huge venue, in a cold-out concert.”

Proudest career moment: “When my father gave me recognition in front of our business peers at an international industry convention.”

Greatest influence: “My father, who has always been hard-working and entrepreneurial. I try to emulate him in both my professional and personal life.