Christoffels was a successful business owner who now mentors others

Virg Christoffels, the founder of Christoffels Hair Restoration in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, spoke at this month’s meeting of the Edgerton Chamber of Commerce, promoting his new book, Do Life Big, and talking to business owners about ways to live a successful life.

Virg is a 1971 graduate of Southwest MN Christian High School. After high school he went to barber college. He worked in two different barber shops before opening his own shop in 1976. He operated Virg’s Hair Design in downtown Sioux Falls for 16 years before moving out to 26th Street – the current location.

Virg was always successful in his business endeavors, but he had no way to really measure his success. In 1986, he attended a Zig Zigler conference and learned about how to be intentional in his business. 

“The first ten years I was not intentional and deliberate,” Virg said. “I was flying by the seat of my pants. I didn’t see the potential or the opportunities.”

He soaked up every word that Ziegler had to say and applied them to his business.  Over the next 47 years he would build Christoffels and Company into a successful hair restoration business. He attended conferences, talked to business coaches, and developed a solid marketing plan that could be evaluated and changed as the business evolved.

After his first 16 years of business as Virg’s Hair Design, he moved out to the 26th Street location and changed the name to Virg’s Hair Replacement. This was when they started doing more with wigs and hair pieces and less with haircuts and styling. A few years later, he changed the name again, this time to Christoffels and Company, and dropped traditional haircuts all together. 

This change launched the business into the world of hair replacement and made them a nationally recognized company.  

In December 2011, Virg’s wife, Cheryln was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. The practices Virg had put in place for many years prior to this made it possible for him to be with her during her treatment, and not tied to his work. 

“My business model was solid, so it allowed me the time I needed to spend time with Cheryln,” Virg said. “I was able to leave the business in good hands – I didn’t have to be there every day to keep things running smoothly.”

Already prior to Cheryln’s diagnosis, Virg had been working on a succession plan. 

“The only thing harder than trying to get into business, was trying to figure out how to get out of it,” Virg said. 

“I was really blessed to have Sara, my daughter, in the business with me. She wanted the business, and we knew that was going to happen,” he added. 

Sara started buying the business from Virg about five years before they wanted her to take over complete ownership. She is now the CEO of Christoffels Hair Restoration. 

Cheryln battled cancer for six years, before losing her battle in 2018. After she passed away, Virg spent some time at the family’s lake home and used that time alone to write down the story of his life – a romantic story, really, of his life with Cheryln. 

Eventually he sat down with a publisher and they decided the best way to publish his work, was with his business model and goal-setting ideas, bookended between the story of how he and Cheryln met and her battle with cancer.

While he was writing, Virg asked himself, “Where has my life been and where is it going? How can I add purpose to my life and help others?”

When Cheryln was going through cancer, she would sign her CaringBridge posts “Do Life Big.” Virg explains that by that she meant, “Whatever you are called to do in life – your daily work, your household chores – whatever, do it big and to the glory of God.” 

So Virg chose the title, Do Life Big as the name of his book. It was published this past May by Throne Publishing Group. The thin volume is full of great advice for living life and doing business in the best way possible.