Cindy Ludwig, owner of 7 and Main Salon in Standale, said she wanted a business name that "had to stand the test of time" and built the salon around a collaborative team model that can operate if the owner steps away. Ludwig described her path into the industry — attending the Kent Career Technical Center cosmetology program in high school, later completing two college degrees over many years, and opening a salon intended to improve conditions for stylists.

Ludwig told the Made in Walker podcast that staffing and training have been major focuses as the industry has changed. "We had to implement a level system and some training," she said, adding that new trainees often arrive with less hands-on experience than earlier cohorts and require more in-house mentoring. She said the salon offers shorter services, online scheduling and flexible staffing to match changing customer expectations.

The salon owner said her early vocational program at the Kent Career Technical Center closed because "it was too expensive and there wasn't enough filtration into the community," a development she and others tried to prevent by serving on related school boards when possible. Ludwig credited an instrumental teacher for inspiring her career and described returning to college while maintaining salon work: "It took me almost the course of two decades to finish two degrees."

On civic engagement, Ludwig said she accepted an invitation from Mayor Carey during the pandemic to serve on Walker's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to learn more about city processes and represent local business perspectives. "When asked to serve, I thought, what a great opportunity to learn more about the city," she said. Ludwig said the DDA aims for "controlled" growth in Standale, acknowledging resident concerns about development pace while pointing to specific proposals — including a project behind the fire station — intended to reflect community preferences.

Ludwig emphasized succession planning and workplace culture as part of running a sustainable salon. Recounting a period when she needed shoulder surgery, she said having a team meant she could be away without disrupting clients. "I needed shoulder surgery. We were too busy. But in the long run, I had a team of people that could take all of my clients and handle all of them," she said.

Asked for advice for people entering cosmetology, Ludwig recommended training with a group of professionals and seeking environments that provide mentorship: "You have to kind of replace yourself long term," she said. She also encouraged community members to serve on local boards, noting that DDA meetings occur monthly and subcommittees sometimes meet more often.

Contact information Ludwig provided for 7 and Main Salon includes email (hellosevenandmainsalon.com), phone (616-453-7888), and social media; she also invited listeners to learn more about the City of Walker’s podcast or to send feedback to podcast@walker.city. The episode closed without discussion of any formal DDA votes or official actions.