We had the good fortune of connecting with Tamara Dolce and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tamara, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always been a salesperson. I started working in my aunt’s children’s boutique with my mother and cousins as a pre-teen. I believe I was 12 years old. I would assist in choosing the mommy and me clothing that we purchased for consignment, baby clothes, toys, and accessories. I would help hand write the tags, ticket merchandise, dress the mannequins, stage displays, and I would be the cashier behind the register. I used to think every day was so fun. You never knew what kind of stuff you would come across to buy or sell and you never knew who would come in the store. As an adult I worked in retail sales. From clothing stores like Kohl’s to jewelry stores like Tous’ and Fire CZ in the Hartsfield Jackson airport. I have sold bridal merchandise at Bed Bath and Beyond, candles, and sex toys; all the way to surveillance cameras and home improvement financing products. I have sold bottles and sections in nightclubs and a good customer experience. I believed I had sold it all, so why not sell some things for myself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

Getting to where I am today has not been easy but it’s all part of the plan. There have been several experiences that have given me the courage to believe in myself. I realized that I was able to work with and communicate with people from all walks of life and overcome language barriers.

In modeling, I am a member of the Plus Size community and we are underrepresented. I decided that I would be the face to show up for us. I would walk into rooms so many of us wouldn’t dare to walk into. I also have to be who I am. I’ve always challenged the “rules”.
The lifestyle portion of LaDolceVida is just that, it’s a lifestyle. It’s empowering to feel good and look like you feel! And sustainable fashion is it! In its simplest form: We have to do our part to help save the planet, even if it’s through a small act of reselling your gently used items for someone else to look fabulous in- instead of dumping it in the trash! Someone fabulous once told me that “thrifting is where fashion lives.”
I am working on a ton of things behind the scenes as well! When it comes to my brand and my story, I like to live by a quote “Life is generally pretty damn amazing if you let it be.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting the area and I wanted them to have the best time ever, I would first caution them to get some rest, pack their flyest and even sexiest outfits & wears, and make sure they have a nice budget in place! There are a few places I enjoy going that you have to do some physical activity so I would also make sure they had some comfortable shoes! For the week, we would have something fun to do each day! I am sure we would mix it up.

First things first, we would have to get something delicious to eat. I would recommend us getting breakfast at The Flying Biscuit and devour a bowl of creamy dreamy grits and chicken sausage and a mimosa! I’d make sure we would get our nails and toes done at one of these wonderful salons that serve wine while you get your service done. There is so much to do in the Atlanta nightlife, there is a place to party every night. At night I would make sure we hit a nice nightclub or lounge.

A few of my favorite places are Lyfe Atlanta, Cru Lounge, or Opium nightclub. Kais & Co, Salt & Pepper Kitchen have super cool live performances. We would have to find time to go to Spice House and Rocksteady for Caribbean flavor. I’d make sure we hit Spin for a yummy slice of pizza, Pig & Pearl for the baked mac and cheese, Rusan’s for sushi and sake bombs, A few more places I would make sure we visit would be Old Lady Gang for their fried chicken, or Juicy Crab for the juicy special seafood bag. If they were in the mood to sip specially curated, creative, cute drinks with their pinky up, and enjoy desserts and small plates we would head over to The Garden Room or The Select.

I’d make sure we booked a Private Personal Chef Experience with my good friend, Chef Rea, owner of Bosses Kitchen- or at least ordered a plate off of daily the menu! Also, I would make sure we caught rooftop vibes at 6 Feet Under or The Reverb Hotel bar. Atlanta has some of the best skylines so we would head out in our comfortable shoes and go to Piedmont Park, Stone Mountain hike up trail, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, or The High Museum. We would hang out at The Battery or Ponce City Market. When we’re all done, they would probably want to move here!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wish I could attribute my success to a group or organization but honestly, there were not very many people who believed in me when I decided to leave my hometown in Johnson City, TN and move to Atlanta. I needed some thing different than what I was doing there but no one agreed. Almost every single person I spoke to about moving here tried to discourage me from going. I have never thought about it until now but I can thank my friend Misheal. She believed I could move here and survive. We were room mates at the time back home and often told joined at the hip. She would frequently ask me to help her shop & style her outfits for us to go out in. She also would ride with me to Atlanta on the weekends when I was contemplating the relocation and trying to meet connections here.
After I moved it here and passed the first few hardship years; I would like to thank God because it seemed as though there was always a person, place, or event that miraculously showed up or occured in my life to support, motivate, or encourage me when I needed it most. The friends and family I have made along the way since 2008 have helped to shape my world today.

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Website: vivaladolcevida.blog

Instagram: @ladolcevida1222

Linkedin: Tamara Dolce

Twitter: @ladolcevida22

Facebook: Tamara Dolce

Image Credits
LadolceVidaLLC

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