I’m a Vegan Hair Salon, and I’m Taking Over.
Dec 18, 2009
4 Comments
UPDATE: Why Tabatha Coffey is a stellar business advisor!
I've seen enough. Hand me the keys. I'm taking ooh-vah. - Tabatha Coffey, star of Bravo's hit reality series, Tabatha's Salon Takeover, to another clueless owner as she is gob-smacked, once again, by a poorly-run hair salon . . .
I've seen enough. Hand me the keys. I'm taking ooh-vah. - Tabatha Coffey, star of Bravo's hit reality series, Tabatha's Salon Takeover, to another clueless owner as she is gob-smacked, once again, by a poorly-run hair salon . . .I know there are far more serious issues going on right now, such as the climate change conference in Copenhagen, but I figure COP15 has enough media buzz--not to mention the discussion of all the private jets and limousines that are hauling all the politicians and potentates to and around a Scandinavian city . . . in winter.
Which is why it may seem ridiculous that I am bringing up Tabatha's Salon Takeover, Bravo's guilty pleasure that frankly is one of the best reality shows on TV. Well, I just cannot help myself: this week's episode took place at Refuge, a hair salon here in Silver Lake.
Silver Lake is a fantastic neighborhood, ridiculous accolades aside (modern bohemian central, rock-and-roll über cool, "bobo," the Greenwich Village of LA), but the area does suffer from the "too cool to work" syndrome that plagues its restaurants, cafes, and shops. So for small business owners, in the brick-and-mortar world, Tabatha Crowley's show is a must watch: you can learn how a software platform can improve your business operations, what customer service really means, how to lead and motivate your employees, and what it takes to ensure your customers return again and again. I have walked into countless "green products" stores that lacked much of the above.
Hence, I just buy my Method home products at Target. I may as well go where they are cheap.
Back to Tabatha's show and the Silver Lake episode. Take a look at the video of Refuge before Tabatha took over, which featured the salon's "vegan" and "organic" products. I laud the owner's attempt to use as many recycled goods as possible when designing the salon, but at the risk of sounding clueless, I have got to know what defines "vegan" hair products. I was not aware that competing hair products came in leather pouches, or that like the lead character in Glee, I had been putting larded product in my hair all those years. The poor salon, however, was in such a hapless state before Tabatha turned it around that the befuddling "vegan" theme was never a subject in Wednesday night's episode. I just wish would just leave "vegan" for veggie burgers, but in our ADD culture, "not tested on animals" just takes too many syllables. Incidentally, the new salon design looks much sharper now.
I only have one little quibble with Tabatha's show. I know the remodeling scenes make for great TV--what fun it must be to take a sledgehammer to an old fixture--but I do wish they would just donate the old shelves to an organization that could use it. But then, who would want to watch a huge piece of furniture get loaded on a couch?
In any event, if you know someone running a store or cafe that is struggling, keep TST in mind--Tabatha's show is a great series of case studies in what it takes in turning around a small business. Some may find her snide and provoking comments high camp, but in the end, her comments are on target, and she wants these struggling owners to succeed.
So let me give you my travel tip for hair. No shampoo? Dunk a cup of green tea over your head. Yes, I'm serious. I have always found hotel shampoos revolting, so for years I have packed my own green and mint teas. Often I would rather not use the shampoo in the bathroom, so instead of wasting more plastic, I would seep a cup of tea overnight, and the next morning, I'd rub that tea into my scalp. After all, for a while skin and hair products with caffeine were all the rage, though I think caffeine now ranks in the beauty product history dustbin with jojoba and alpha hydroxy acids.
And if you want to enlighten me on what vegan hair products are, and what alternative, healthy products exist for changing hair color and texture, I am open to a dialogue.
I love Tabatha’s Salon Takeover! You are right on point about the Silver Lake too-cool-to-work vibe! Tabatha does a great job with her tough love attitude towards common sense business tactics and mindset. So much of what she espouses is completely transferable to other businesses as well.
About vegan hair products… you may not realize that animal products like placenta and urine end up in a plethora of beauty products and, of course, the majority of products on the market are needlessly (and cruelly) tested on animals. So a vegan product would have to both be free of animal products and not be tested on animals.
You’d be surprised at how many seemingly vegan or vegetarian products actually contain animal parts! For example, did you know that Guinness beer uses fish guts in their finishing process – some of which inevitably ends up in the beer? Yep. Fish beer!
Hi, thanks for the comment. I understand that, but I think from a marketer’s point of view, a better label than “vegan” for non-edible consumer products is needed. More education is needed, I think, for folks who peruse the drugstore aisles is necessary. Just my 2 cents if this is going to succeed. Perhaps better labeling should be mandated as well? GGP
[...] Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, in its third season on Bravo, is a great example of Management 101. Tabatha Coffey backs up her sharp tongue with a strong record: she rose through the ranks to become a talented [...]
[...] can turn a corner and no longer be toxic. Over a year ago I wrote a tongue-in-cheek overview of a “vegan” hair salon in Silver Lake that Tabatha smacked into shape. I thought about that salon again last week when I [...]