Today we’d like to introduce you to Tasha Beckstead.
Hi Tasha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Doing hair has always been a hobby of mine, and I enjoyed the process of it all. The transformation is where my passion played the biggest part. All of my life, though, I grew up believing I would pursue a medical career. By the age of 16, I was already working as a CNA in the labor and delivery unit and was drawing up my life plan to hit my overall goal of being a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Fast forward four years. I moved to Colorado with my family and began my nursing career, but I was always drawn back to the idea of cosmetology school. One random night, I decided to act on this thought. I called around to a handful of cosmetology schools and finally found one that was affordable, accepting new students and was starting their new round of students in two days. The school was in Utah, so I paid the fees, packed up and moved to Utah on a passionate dream, and dropped my life goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. My parents weren’t too happy with this decision and didn’t quite support me on this passion project, which fueled my determination even more. I wanted to prove to the world that it isn’t “just doing hair.” This is something beautiful.
For this reason, I always cherished my career path in the hair industry. It was a hard journey, and my husband has always been my number-one support system in this dream. My passion never ran short, and in 8 years, I was able to open up my dream salon with my husband in our hometown, create our hair extension line that is curated to customization and convenience, form a 12-week hands-on mentorship program, and certify cosmetology students and fellow hair artists in sew-in extensions with our method. And yes, my parents are very proud.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Our biggest challenge when opening our salon was my husband’s career, which took him out of the country for months and left everything in my hands.
We just had a baby, signed the contract on our building, started the build-out process, began the hiring process, and opened our doors.. all while he was deployed. That first year of business was such a blessing because it is now why my husband no longer needs to deploy; he can be home with us, and we can run our business together.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Modern Hair Studio?
Portfolio. Modern Hair Studio has always been a dream of mine. I always imagined an elevated experience, a strong culture that radiated throughout the building, a space where you, as a guest, could come in and escape the world’s noise. We specialize in specialty services like sew-in extensions, lived-in colors, and high-end trends.
We are known for our skillset, customer experience, and culture, and we are also greatly known for our hair extension line, Portfolio. Hair Collection. We carry a full inventory in-house, varying from lengths 14″-26″ and in 22 colors. This is what sets us apart: we can custom color match every guest with their unique color code simply because we sell by the weft, not by the bag. With this, we can also assist those who need a couple of wefts for fullness, volume, styling aid, or just a pop of color. We are always here to help everyone find their confidence!
Our goal is to grow into the best version of ourselves. We want every new stylist joining the industry and entering our mentorship program to find their passions and spark! We believe in the utmost quality in education, guest experience, and every position in the building having the opportunity to grow and thrive.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I have learned many lessons along the way and would love to share a quick list with you!
Kindness is always contagious. Never compare anyone else’s highlight reel to your real-life situations. Setting boundaries is hard but is a necessity. Your competition is truly yourself.
And so many more! My favorite lesson in all of this was learning to listen truly. Listening has helped me understand my colleague’s needs, opened my eyes to the consumers’ expectations, and opened many doors for new opportunities. By simply taking a minute to stop and truly listen.
Contact Info:
- Website: portfoliohairsalon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portfoliohairsalon/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/portfolio.modernhairstudio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PortfolioHairSalon
- Other: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFwndmAqks/60A51I2MN1HQPJTSXachIg/view?website#2
Image Credits
Shalese Afua
