Meet Misty Harris of Texas Etiquette in Fort Worth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Misty Harris.

Misty, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story began as a teenager in Fort Worth.

I was invited to a country club for a graduation luncheon. My mother was extremely ecstatic and I really didn’t understand why. I knew was expected to present myself but what my mother knew and I didn’t was that I was representing my whole community!

The good news is that my mother also had the foresight to recruit a local charm school teacher and after undergoing several weeks of an intensive charm course, coupled with many more hours of observing shows on PBS, I survived the country club luncheon. Surprisingly, I enjoyed every minute of it!

In fact, that event sparked my love of fancy events and gave me my first taste of “etiquette.” I was hooked and my interests eventually led me to modeling school and several other formal events. I was bitten with the etiquette bug and I just couldn’t get enough!

Fast forward many years later, I was a military spouse moving to a new base every few years. There were military balls and galas to attend. It seemed like there was a party or an event wherever we went! I learned a lot through the years by attending those events, but what I learned in charm school, as a teenager, is what really stuck with me. I can honestly say, that that Charm School crash course and those years of travelling would become the foundation to my future passions and success!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There isn’t a right way to become what I am or know and learn what I do. Etiquette Consulting isn’t something you can just get a degree in. For many years, I had to train myself.

There was also the struggle of being a military spouse. Because we moved every few years I had to make my career portable and highly adaptable.

These two factors are the main reasons why I have training in several arenas. I didn’t always teach everywhere I lived. In fact, sometimes I didn’t teach etiquette at all.

For two years, I trained to become a midwife while living in California. When we moved back to Texas, I commuted to Houston for training as a Montessori teacher. (I came home to Ft. Worth on the Friday evening and left at 3:30 am on Monday to get to school in Houston by 8 am. What a commute!)

After that training, I came back to Fort Worth and took business classes at Texas Wesleyan to hone my skills and become more business savvy, but during all of this time, I juggled with being a good mom, taking care of my family and trying to better myself. I also have lived with parenting a child with juvenile arthritis and the many complications of that disease.

But honestly, the real obstacles were establishing myself as credible before we had to move, and of course, finding the time to teach classes with our busy family schedule.

Please tell us about Texas Etiquette.
I first began teaching a class I called, “The Tuesday Tea Club” which was a charm and etiquette class for preteen girls. There were children in our neighborhood who would play at our house until dinnertime. All of the children were welcome to eat dinner. And some of them even came over just to ask what I was making. But one young lady would always leave before dinner. After months of invites, she finally came for dinner and as we started to eat, she grabbed her knife and fork and held the out like they were weapons! After talking to her, she said that most of her meals were eaten on the go and that “hands-on” was how they normally ate. I asked her if she’d like to become more confident using the tableware and from there, my teaching career began!

Each week for 8 weeks, we had a tea party and went over as many aspects of etiquette and life skills that I could fit into an hour-long class. After that first leap, I taught at women’s retreats, girl scout groups and military spouse events. Helping others feel polished and comfortable with their social skills is what I love to do!

The best thing is that I can take my business wherever we moved! That beginning was over 13 years ago and since then it’s been a roller coaster of excitement!

Texas Etiquette is now my company. It was founded by a lovely, former Miss America contestant who saw a need for these classes in the DFW area and she happily filled it. For 25 years she taught all over North Texas.

I was chosen as the successor by the founder when she decided to retire. She observed a dining class that I was teaching and offered me the opportunity to take over her company. It took no time for me to make that decision!

There are classes available for all ages, but primarily, I teach classes for children, teens and young adults. We also offer half-day summer camps each summer.

I am so excited about my current project! Since I have requests for classes all over the state, I’ve developed an online etiquette class, “Elementary Etiquette” for elementary school students. It is a neat way for children to learn etiquette online with a live trainer and without having to make the drive back and forth weekly.

Adults classes are done by request and are always highly entertaining and enlightening.

Right now because of the demand for etiquette classes, we will be offering Children’s Courtesy Coach Training in October.

The best feeling about doing what I do is receiving a “Thank You” card in the mail with a student saying, “Mrs. Harris, I have used nearly everything you taught me! I couldn’t see how important these skills were before, but I sure can see how they have helped me now!”

I do what I love to help others succeed.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have to give credit to my awesome husband, Mr. Harris, who always supported me while I shifted my hobbies to careers and then had to pivot because we had to move many, many, times…. Also, my awesome family who has always been there when I was home. I was sometimes gone for months while I trained and learned how to better others and enhance lives.

Lynda White, who literally gave me Texas Etiquette because she loved how I treated my students and shared the gift of good manners, entrusting me with her 25 year old company.

Louise Fox of Etiquette Ladies in Canada who held me under her wings and then handed me to another fantastic mentor. Lew Bayer, who has primed me to walk into international territories through Civility Experts and also worked with me in becoming the first American franchise owner of In Good Company Etiquette. Texas.

My fabulous daughter, April Harris, whom gives such great business and life advice. I’m glad to have her and my son, Wyndon, as my technical gurus.

Most of all, I want to thank the parents, grandparents, educators, business owners and concerned adults for entrusting me to share valuable life and social skills. I could not thank you enough for your faith in my work!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.TexasEtiquette.com
• Phone: 817-476-0138
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/texasetiquette/
• Twitter: @InGoodCompanyTx

Image Credit:
Wyndon Harris
Kip Shillam from The Crowley Star Newspaper (Out of publication)

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