Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya White.
Tanya, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began my career as a hairdresser in 1999 at the Aveda Institute of Minneapolis, while bartending nights. After graduating, I was hired at Rocco Altobelli and started the training program. Once I successfully graduated, I started building my clientele at the Galleria salon. I continued to bartend in the evenings while I was building my career during the day. Until October of 2002, I gave birth to my daughter. Having a new baby and down to one job, my maternity leave was short roughly 4 weeks. I was very passionate about the industry and the artistic expression I saw from my peers and mentors kept me motivated to want to do and try everything. I interviewed to become an Educator, and later became the Lead Educator of the Galleria location for the remainder of my time at Rocco Altobelli’s. I was given the opportunity to become the Design Team Lead, a two-year position where collections, trends, and photo shoots were produced and shared with the company. This position gave me the outlet for great creative expression, I glued headpieces together, built wigs, crafted costumes, and collaborated with so many creatives. After 14 years, I moved my career to Haus Salon in the Northloop Minneapolis. Here I learned how to take my creativity to the next level. They were fresh and exciting, a small boutique salon doing beautiful work. I soon became the Styling Director of the Northloop Salon. The Haus team was nominated for a NAHA (North American Hairdressing Awards) and I am very proud to have taken part in that work. There I had the chance to work with some of the most celebrated photographers in the industry. Shortly after that, and after giving birth to my third child, I was in a rut. I decided to move to the newest Haus salon in Northeast Minneapolis when it opened and became the Director there. The change was just what I needed to spark my creativity again, I started doing models weekly and photographing them. In 2019 I was nominated for two Behind the Chair awards. I met an amazing group of stylists from around the world at this event that share different ways of doing business that was new to me. I was so inspired! In 2020 during the covid pandemic, hairdressers were unable to work for months. This time spent in my home, with my three children offered some time to reflect and dream about how I wanted to spend the next chapter in my career. I realized I was chasing a small intimate feel in my work environment with no drama and complete sovereignty in every aspect of my work. So, I started to dream up my own small salon with a team of independent hair artists that had similar goals in mind. After twenty-one years as an employee, I made the leap and opened Dome Salon and Creative Space on January 4, 2021.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oddly enough, opening a salon in a pandemic and in a city going through major changes, it seemed smooth in comparison. I was able to get support through Women’s Ventures. I found the perfect location, next door to the sweetest boutique in Minneapolis, Hazel, and Rose. I painted every corner, my amazing husband tiled, made shelves hung mirrors, and made the doorways arches, my amazing team helped put every piece of furniture together. So many friends and family were a part of this dream coming to fruition, it is hard to look at anything as a challenge. The biggest struggles were awaiting furniture and appliances but we rolled with it all.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Hairdresser, Educator, and Salon Owner. I specialize in haircutting, styling, wig work, and photoshoot styling. I have taught many Twin Cities hairstylists foundational haircutting techniques, razor cutting skills, client communications, and career coaching. My salon, Dome Salon and Creative Space is a group of 4 independent stylists operating their own business within mine. We operate as a team and each have specific offerings and specialties. We focus on using clean products and minimizing our footprint on the planet. I hope I am known for building up others and being a positive impact in my industry which can be unnecessarily competitive and full of elitist bullies. I think I am currently known for razored haircuts and curly hair cutting. I am most proud of my salon and the amazing group of women that took a risk on me and my idea. What a gamble! I am also proud of every stylist I’ve had the privilege of teaching. After 22 years I have seen so many come back into my life as collaborators and team members, inspirations, and friends. What could be cooler than that!? What sets me apart from others is being unapologetically nice! Not in an “I get walked all over” kind of way. I can be forward and kind, get my point across without belittling others. As for hair, I think there are zero limits, I can and will try anything and do it as well as can be done, whether if it’s my vision or a collaborators. Oh and my salon, without a doubt, hosts the most talented hairdressers in Minneapolis.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I am not sure if I give any credit to “luck” good or bad. I have worked hard for everything I’ve achieved. And I have failed for a variety of reasons and believe failure is a sort of gift. It is where growing happens, you have to learn something from a failure. I guess it is more empowering for me to think of a “bad luck” scenario as something I can change and learn from rather than “luck” suggests something you’re a victim of and it is out of your control. Now if you’re walking down the street and a bird poops on your head, that is pretty bad luck, but you could decide to wear a hat from that point on too.
Contact Info:
- Email: tanya@foryourdome.com
- Website: www.foryourdome.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/olivejoos www.instagram.com/dome4domes
Image Credits
Shelly Mossman
Jerad Christopher
Tanya White
