Jane Plitt Q&A

You have been on a mission to tell the story of Martha Matilda Harper, who was the true and uncredited pioneer of the modern retail franchise model. Why is this story so important to you?

When I and other women became business owners in the 1980s, we felt like pioneers, blazing new paths for both ourselves and for other women. I was shocked to discover that over 100 years before us, women like Martha Matilda Harper had truly blazed new business paths. Harper created the modern retail franchise model with over 500 worldwide shops, yet we businesswomen and society never heard of her because history had buried her accomplishments. Harper’s story, and other path-blazing accomplishments by women, must be acknowledged to assure that we can both learn from women’s brilliance and build on it. Without acknowledging Harper, we falsely credit men like Ray Kroc. While Kroc’s business launch was highly admirable, he did not invent retail franchising.

Why is it important to reveal the hidden talents of women in history who have not been given credit for their achievements?

Without giving women credit for creating the modern retail franchise model (Martha Matilda Harper); for creating the technology allowing the wireless age with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth GPS and cell phones (Hedy Lamarr); for being the first Black millionaire (Madame C. J. Walker); for discovering the DNA structure (Rosalind Franklin); and many more, society falsely identifies men as being achievers and inventors, while women’s contributions are simply forgotten or often credited to men. This reinforces the erroneous stereotype that women are helpers, not leaders. Such historical amnesia perpetuates untruths, undermines women’s self-perception and reduces needed role models for girls to pursue their talents and dreams.

The documentary that you wrote and directed about Harper is being released this month and was admitted to the Sarasota Film Festival. What was it like to write and direct your very first film?

Honestly, it was joyful. The Marvelous Martha is a documentary brought to life with the precious assemblage of Harper’s historic photos. Giving voice to these characters, imagining what these folks would say about their lives, seemed a perfect way to reach another audience about Harper.

The story also included the tale of how I pieced her story together, giving full credit to the many devoted Harper employees/franchise owners (called Harperites). In addition, I had tremendous help from a wonderful editor, Linda Joffe, and a videographer, Karen Arango.

How was Harper able to leverage her connections and relationships to further her business goals?

To succeed, Harper brilliantly tapped multiple niches including society ladies, religious affiliates, poor women’s loyalty and the suffrage movement. Both Susan B. Anthony and she lived in Rochester, Ny., and Anthony promoted Harper as a prime example of what women could achieve when they earned their own money. Harper became identified as a business owner women should support. Society ladies encouraged each other to bring Harper franchise shops to their communities/countries. In fact, it was Bertha Palmer from Chicago, who pushed Harper into expanding, and that is why Harper came up with the franchise model. Christian Science provided Harper with the structural model, and its followers also became loyal Harper customers. Lastly, Harper provided poor women (servants or factory workers) with opportunities to change their lives by joining the Harper enterprise. These ladies became devoted to Harper and literally went wherever she sent them, following Harper’s training and clear dictates around the world.

How does Harper’s story translate to women in franchising today?

Harper’s achievements provide all franchisers and would-be franchisees with inspiration and practical guidelines about how to succeed. For women, Harper’s story should encourage them to trust their passion, their dreams, and their voices to succeed. For example, Harper believed it was essential to listen to your employees before lecturing them. As a former servant for 25 years, Harper understood how to delight customers, and she reminds us that such fundamentals remain true today as they did in 1891 when she first launched franchising.

Harper targeted poor women as franchisees – tell us about the influence she had on social entrepreneurialism as we know it today.

Because Harper had been a servant from the time she was seven, she understood society’s limitations for poor women. By providing franchise ownership opportunities only to poor women for the first 100 of her franchises, Harper became a social entrepreneur. She used the Harper business as a way to create business for social change by economically empowering these powerless women with money. They then could choose what they did with their lives and whether to marry.

As the first executive director of the National Organization for Women and a life-long activist, what is your advice to young women in the business world today?

Dare to pursue your dreams against all odds. Be determined and persistent. Use your voice to help yourself and others Recognize the power of sisterhood. Connect. Network. Bring others along!

What is next on the horizon for you?

I am taking the Harper documentary on the road and speaking to groups about how to succeed and using business for social change. I am recording my story from labor relations pro, labor arbitrator, feminist, businesswoman and author to visiting scholar.