Helena Gibson Consulting - Helena Gibson - Strut Hair Solutions - Does Not Honor Contracts - Unethical Business Practices - Solana Beach California

My name is Barbara Rhodes.  I have been an arbitrator for business disputes for the past 40 years. I was asked by my husband to review a case involving web development. The law classifies this type of work as virtual since it is not like a physical product you can buy in a store and return.

It pains me to publish this report about another woman in business because I know how hard it is for women to compete in a man’s world.  More than that though, if we are to be held to the same standard as our male counterparts, it’s important that we conduct ourselves in an honest and ethical fashion.

The client in this case is Helena Gibson, owner of Strut Hair Solutions in Solana Beach, who claims non-delivery of web development services and was requesting a full refund of her deposit, about $740.00.

The web development team consisting of Mr. Stahl, principle, and two engineers claims to have put 35 hours of work into a new website for Ms. Gibson which included research, SEO, photo manipulation, logo creation, consultation and a 28 page website.

I wanted to review this case because Mr. Stahl, of Mike Stahl Web Designs, has done quite a bit of work for my husband’s business and had nothing but very good reviews up until this incident. His portfolio was one of the nicest I’ve seen in any business.

In examining this case I inspected some twelve email communications between Mr. Stahl and Ms. Gibson and all 8 of Mr. Stahl’s submissions to American Express and PayPal in response to her non-delivery claims.  This included two research reports, a clearly written proposal, a complete 28 page website awaiting revision directions from Ms. Gibson and SEO for all 28 pages. I also read the Rip-Off Report submission by Ms. Gibson and Mr. Stahl’s rebuttal to this report.

This is what I found - In all the emails I inspected that went to and came from Ms. Gibson, what I did not see was any reference to the non-response, breaking of a contract or posting of untruthful reviews she was accused of. What I did see was repeated attempts by Mr. Stahl requesting content needed to finish the work Ms. Gibson hired his firm to do.  What I did not see was any evidence that Mr. Stahl had sabotaged her web assets or libeled Ms. Gibson or her company in any way.

Ms. Gibson preceded to file a chargeback with American Express which she won.  Credit card companies often will rule in favor of their client in spite of the evidence, which in this case was overwhelming in favor of Mr. Stahl. And there is NO appeal in this process!

This means that including the two written reports (2 hours) each, Mr. Stahl’s firm was never compensated for some 39 hours of technical labor.

Everyone advises that if you receive a bad review, the best way to respond is with a rebuttal.  You are advised to plug your business in a positive light and express what you have done to rectify the situation for the client so it will not happen again.  This is a form of damage control.  Ms. Gibson used this opportunity to pat herself on the back and ends her rebuttal with the number of women who strutted out of her store with great hair.

It is my professional opinion that Ms. Gibson is guilty of breaking her contract, posting false negative reviews in the form of rebuttals to Mr. Stahl’s reviews of her business and non-response to the requests of a vendor she hired to do a job. I’m embarrassed for Ms. Gibson. Her behavior is unacceptable.

Had this case come before me professionally, Ms. Gibson would have been ordered to pay back the deposit American Express awarded her during the chargeback plus the remainder of what was owed for the project.  I would have levied the maximum fine permitted by law in penalties along with a stern warning about ethical business practices and the negative message she sends to others about women in business.

Finally, the owner of the Rip-Off Report has been sued many times and has never lost. It is considered freedom of both speech and press to post whatever one likes about whomever one chooses. The Rip-Off report does not verify any of these reports.  Ms. Gibson clearly knows this and has taken advantage of our system of freedoms in a spiteful attempt to discredit someone with an otherwise sterling reputation.  I find it ironic that she appears so put upon that her integrity was questioned.