When you meet Michael Suba you will likely be struck by his calm, welcoming demeanor, you might however not guess that he is an infamous figure in the hair replacement industry. Though it is an industry that serves and impacts the lives of millions every year, the hair restoration industry is not one that we often feature in the media. The truth of the matter is, experts like Mr. Suba deliver an invaluable service to individuals suffering the emotional and psychological impact of hair loss day after day. In a recent interview with Mr. Suba The Hair Society learned about his passion for the hair replacement industry and his own personal experiences as a hair loss sufferer himself.
HS: Why did your parents first enter the Toronto hair replacement business 50 years ago?
MS: My parents had a small Toronto-based beauty salon at the time that they decided to establish Continental Hair. Believe it or not, wigs and hair pieces were so popular, that many in the hair industry feared that their business would become obsolete. As wigs and falls became a major fashion statement, my parents made the strategic decision to enter the hair replacement business.
Unlike competitors who entered the Toronoto hair replacement industry at the time, my parents made the choice to go straight to the source. My father regularly traveled internationally to meet with vendors to ensure the quality of the Continental Hair product line.
HS: How do your source your products today?
MS: Just as my parents did, I still go directly to the source. I spend anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 a year, to travel to our manufactures around the globe. Just like my parents, I don’t believe that there is any substitute for touching and feeling the products that go into our hair replacement systems. I like to meet with our manufactures 
firsthand, to tour their operations and ensure I can stand behind every product we sell.
HS: How do you equip yourself and your staff to help women dealing with the emotional impact of hair loss?
MS: For many women, the loss of one’s hair goes far beyond the physical. It often comes with the loss of their sense of identity and even the loss of their privacy. For those undergoing chemotherapy, the subsequent hair loss makes their illness apparent even to strangers.
At Continental Hair it is our goal to ease the pain associated with hair loss. In fact, in many cases the women we serve are pleasantly surprised to learn just much how we can help. It really is a point of pride, for myself and my entire staff, to help women suffering from hair loss maintain their identity and privacy, and get back to living life. Most of the women we serve report that they simply want to forget about their illness between treatments and at Continental Hair, we are committed to helping them do just that.
HS: How do you deal with “unsatisfied” clients and how are you impacted by negative comments online or in the press?
MS: It cuts to the quick when you read a negative review about your business. When we receive negative reviews, they are typically from customers who have not voiced their dissatisfaction to me or my team. In most cases the issue can be easily fixed. All I ask is that our customers tell us when they have a problem. In fact, at Continental Hair we are the only Toronoto hair replacement studio that will always take responsibility for a mix up. We are always happy to provide a refund or a replacement to ensure our client’s satisfaction. While it is tough to read a negative review, the hundreds of positive reviews, letters and emails we receive every year make it all worthwhile.
HS: How many satisfied clients have been seen in 50 years?
MS: Though we do have an occasional complaint, the truth of the matter is the vast majority of our clients are satisfied. I would estimate that we have easily served upwards of 30,000 satisfied customers over the years.
HS: What are the best and worse times in this business?
MS: The worst would definitely be when a staff member left only to set up a competing Toronto hair replacement studio. In the end it turned out to be a blessing when I learned that many of our existing clients were relieved to hear that she was no longer with us. In fact, shortly after her departure we experienced our strongest sales month to date.
The best times are spent working with young hair loss suffers and talking to their parents. The parents are always so thankful when they learn what we can do to restore normalcy in their child’s life. As a parent myself, this hits particularly close to home.
Another career highlight was opening a Continental Hair studio in the Sunnybrook Healthy Sciences Center. We are coming up on our 17th year with Sunnybrook, an accomplishment we are all incredibly proud of.
HS: What makes your staff unique?
MS: Every member of my staff is specialized. Everyone is encouraged to learn our process and select the area that inspires them. Some are better at certain cuts and products. We currently have 5 specialized stylists, which really enables us to address anything that our clients ask of us.
HS: What trends have you seen in the business over the years?
MS: Though we have been focused on