We had the good fortune of connecting with Tisu Banda and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Tisu, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
One of my favourite quotes of all time is “No one is you and that is your superpower”.
This quote has helped me stand firm in who I am and what I have to offer the world. I am confident in my abilities because when I work on my clients heads, I aim to impress myself and no one else. If I don’t look at the finished product and think to myself, ‘Damn, I did THAT!’ then to me that is motivation to do better next time.
Don’t get me wrong, I do admire and draw inspiration from other hairstylists. But referring back to the quote, I do not feel the need to be anyone else or to become a replica of someone else.
I am Coiffure Moderne and that is my superpower!
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been doing hair for about 10 years. I believe what sets me apart is my genuine love for the art of hair. A lot of the newer age hair stylists care more about the money than they do about putting out a distinguishable product or service. My work is consistent because I put the exact same energy, emotion and dedication to each and every client. If you don’t believe me, go and checkout my Instagram or Tiktok!
Getting to where I am has definitely not been a walk in the park. I had to go through so many experiences with different clients in order for me to understand who I was, and what I would and would not tolerate within my business. Being on the younger side, when I first got into the industry, I had to quickly learn how to be assertive and create various policies to protect my own peace. One thing I definitely learned along the way is that if you give people an inch they will definitely take miles and miles and miles. So it is KEY to create boundaries and stick to them with no exceptions.
I built my brand on honesty, integrity and mutual respect. And over the years, I got to understand that not everyone is going to be for me. Therefore to an extent, I definitely vet all my clients and I don’t just accept anyone. Respect is a very big thing for me and one thing I will not tolerate is any form of disrespect from anyone who is seeking my services and my time.
Whoever said that the client is ‘always right’ was definitely a kiss ass and I’m sorry, I was just not raised that way. Right is right and wrong is wrong!
However, this is just the business side of me talking…in real life I am actually such a softy. And honestly I’m just excited about my journey and where I’m going. I do believe that there is so much more that has to be done and I simply can’t wait for the whole world to experience my art.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well living so close to Toronto, it is not that difficult to find places and things to do. My best friend and I typically love to visit restaurants. We love fine dining, patios and places with beautiful views. Honestly if I had to list them all we would probably be here all day, so I will just tell you my tips and tricks of how to find nice restaurants.
I simply just go to TikTok and search up “Toronto restaurants” and there is so many amazing restaurants to pick from.
Otherwise another great way to find out what is happening in the city, is by checking Narcity.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother for sure because she also did hair back in her younger days. And I love my mum with everything in me, so I always wanted to be like her- but in my own unique way.
Instagram: https://instagram.com/coiffuremoderne/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoiffureModerne/
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/c/LeTisu
Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8Lt3rng/
Image Credits
First Picture (girl with nails)- Erin The little baby girl in pink holding her ponytail- Karidad