Meet Tasha Davis | Hair colorist/Entrepreneur

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

Hi Tasha, what inspires you?
I love this question so much! I’ve been a hairstylist for over 26 years. When I started doing hair, Britney Spears was just beginning to climb the charts, mullets were still a thing and all the guys were just beginning to bleach out their buzz cuts like Slim Shady. That era was very much girl power, and grunge, minimalist and witchy,…and I was inspired by it all! Obviously, in this ever-changing industry, getting and remaining inspired is how we remain relevant as artists.

Today, I’m most inspired by the legacy that I hope to leave for my children and grandchildren. I wake up every morning singularly focused on what I can build and leave behind for their future. So, from a business standpoint, that is my biggest inspiration.

Also from a business standpoint, as a Gen X stylist, I’m inspired by Millennial and Gen Z stylists. These “kids” are on social platforms, taking the work that stylists like me and the ones who came before me have been doing in the trenches, and really making HUGE impact on the industry. Because of them, our clients are beginning to see our industry as a legitimate career path. Our clients are respecting our boundaries in relation to work/life balance and realizing that our families deserve medical insurance and dependable cars. They’re showing me how to use my skill set to create additional streams of income beyond the chair. I’m definitely inspired by their boldness and ability to visualize something different for this industry.

Artistically, as a Gen X stylist, I’m heavily influenced by the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s, so I’m super inspired by the popularity of those eras returning! Now that I have so much industry experience, I’m really enjoying taking the trends from those times and recreating them to make them new and fresh for younger generations to enjoy and create new vibes with. Since I’m a creative color specialist, I also take inspiration from nature (sunflowers, sunsets, beaches) and blending them into something beautiful and wearable.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I think one of the things that makes me different is that despite being in a customer service industry, I very much identify as an introvert. As such, I am able to empathize with other less social folks who, while they need my services, prefer not to engage in idle chit chat or small talk. Last year I introduced the ability to book a service with a “quiet chair”. This lets me know ahead of time that my guest prefers not to engage outside of communicating their hair needs. “Quiet Chair” is a free add on service that can be chosen when booking online. A guest can absolutely choose quiet chair on one visit and not on the next.

I’m most excited about a subsidiary company that I am working on called The Salon Locator! This company will connect friendly, professional and talented beauty pros (grouped by specialty) with busy, everyday people who want to look great on-the-go. I’m currently looking to verify the best stylists in each category and intend to launch it in time for the holidays this fall.

The most important part of my story, and the part I want to be known for is intentionally living my vison of : H.O.P.E (Helping Our People Excel) and doing so with integrity, humanity, compassion and purpose.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My daughter will be here in a few weeks and I’m already getting my list together! For brunch we’re doing Gocha’s breakfast bar and The Breakfast Boys. We both love tacos, so we are definitely stopping by Taco Pete, best tacos in the city! We’ll pick up dinner at Che Butter Jonez, the menu is ever changing but the food is always amazing. We love a dive bar, so we’ll stop by Clifton’s for tasty cocktails and delicious west Indian food staples. At least one day we’re going to the Roof at Ponce City Market and I’ll round out her visit with a show at the City Winery.

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?
On a personal level, I HAVE to shout out my family who believed in me enough to loan me money for my crazy dream all those years ago. I’ve been self-employed for 12 years and it’s in part because of their willingness to believe in me. Shoutout to my hubby and children who sacrificed endlessly while I was nose to the grindstone trying to make this thing work.

Shoutout to Robert Cromeans at Paul Mitchell and Shannon King at Redken, who helped me realize that I didn’t have to give up my dreams of being a rock star, because we could be rock star hair stylists. Shoutout to Michael Cole, who I believe was working with Redken at the time, who taught me how to “Stop getting by and start getting rich”. I use many of the techniques from his book to this day.

Last but not least, shoutout to all of the people over the years who have sat in my chair, trusted me with their hair goals and allowed me to live the life of my dreams for the last 12 years!

Website: www.thesalonlocator.com

Instagram: @auntiehairfairy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trimzonawhim007/