TTDoesitAll Commission Salon, Hair Transplants, Booth Rent, R. Kelly, How to be a Co-Host and more!!

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I ain't started yet.

Okay, hold on, cuz I know the call's coming.

What's up, y'all? It's TT Does It All and Anthony Ford.

Welcome back.

Yes, back up.

Grown up-ish.

Yes. So I wanted to start this show off again thanking everybody for listening because We are, yeah, we are again, we're really, um, trailblazing for ourselves. I mean, shoot, we're not trying to blaze past nobody else, we're just trying to succeed. And yeah, honestly, we are. Um, I know I posted that we went past 500. 500. Um, yes, with downloads. And that's throughout.

Really cool.

It is. It's dope because we— I mean, we— I had no expectations.

Yeah, me neither. I just wanted to use the platform to talk about things that I was passionate about, right, in the beauty industry. And I'm glad that you guys are listening. It's like really, really cool.

And we're at 549 now. So that's a month with almost 600 plays. Like, that's pretty cool. I'll take that. So I'll take that.

Come on with it, child.

So first things first, I want to acknowledge two of the comments that we did get on our website. The first one, um, was from Alana Hall. And she basically wanted our input on booth rent versus commission. So do you have any input?

Yeah, I definitely do. Go ahead. I think we touched on it a little bit in like the first episode, but, um, both rent versus commission, I think it depends on once you get started in your career, like what part of— like if you already have a little bit of clientele and you kind of know how to pull in your clientele, then I would suggest booth rent because you can— you already have people who know who you are and you're already bringing in the income. The income's already coming in, so booth rent is better because you're, uh, um, you know, you're a private contractor, you know, inside of a salon. So I think that's better for if you already have clientele and stuff, but if you're like someone who's just like literally just getting out of school or something and just starting out and you don't have any clientele, I do think that commission is better because it's a steady paycheck, you know, and it also builds your clientele, it builds your skill, it builds your chairside manner, you know, and then you're able to promote yourself more and grow and then eventually you won't have to do commissioning anymore, you'll be able to do booth rent, which ultimately is the best choice for me, I think, which is booth rent.

Okay. I've, um, so it kind of makes me think based off what you said, I probably did it backwards without working in a shop, because if I had worked in a shop, maybe building clientele commission would have been something I looked into. So I understand that. I was going to say commission kind of reminds me of hair school, but you don't get a dime.

You'll get a dime.

Yeah, a tip. But, um, so yeah, I understand. I really, I couldn't actually put, put my input in that outside of that because I don't have experience with the commission.

Um, I'm looking to go into it.

Why?

Um, just for really, to be honest, with being a private contractor, working in a salon, paying booth rent, sometimes it could be slow, sometimes it could be really, really good. And so I feel like I need to be in, I'm trying to do two things at once, I guess. And so I wanna do a commission-based salon as well. And this salon is more diverse, I'll be doing different stuff that I don't usually get to do while I work, you know what I'm saying? So it's a different demographic.

Like what? People might be asking.

Um, white girls, you know, girls of different— Diversify, yeah. So I want to do more cuts and colors and, you know, the balayages and the layers and, you know, highlights and things like that. So I want to get back into that, you know, where what I learned in school and stuff like that. So the salon that I'm wanting to go to is a commission-based salon, which is fine because I feel like it's good to have a steady paycheck also on top of your money in a salon because it's more of like hustle money, you know, like you get it, you come in, it's fast money. And then the commission-based is more like a steady paycheck. You work hours and you get a certain amount of money you know, which, which is fine. It's to each his own.

But yeah, I'm kind of thinking about, um, and she said booth rent versus commission. She didn't say which side of the table you were on. So when I think of booth rent versus commission from my position in hair at this point, I think of owning a salon and what would I want my salon to be. Booth rent or commission. I think for myself, like you said, the, the owner is at that point bringing in a lot of clientele for the customers. Um, I couldn't imagine if there was a TT Does It All extension salon, like, and then I had people in there that did everything exactly how I told them. Oh my God, that thing would be a win. But you have to just find people that are eager to learn and that are into constructive criticism, that will not take it personal that this may be differently than what I do. And I'm also a learner, you know, like I still love to learn, so I'm not opposed to listening to a new technique that may be faster or, you know, whatever, whatever does not hurt my clientele that gets the job done faster. I'm all for it, but I'm not into taking shortcuts on a client's expense, you know. So, um, that's a whole nother topic, but I think that as a, as an established stylist, I would prefer booth rent too, uh, one set fee. But you can come across situations where you get a salon owner that's jealous. Like, what if you do come in as booth rent and, whoa, they start— they don't know what, you know, like, I've never had that happen to me.

I've been in 3 different salons this whole— yeah, well, I'm currently in the third salon, which I'm planning to stay in. But, um, yeah, I've never had that one.

Well, and you work with—

I've heard of it—

Blush and Braids, right?

I did. I worked with, um, Jal Blush and Braids. Yes.

So I'm saying, you don't work with her now?

No.

Oh, okay, okay. I didn't know. Um, but I'm saying, let's just say you worked in there.

That was my first salon.

Oh, really?

That I worked in. Yeah, that was—

so not the one that we met in?

That was the one we met in. That was the only time I worked with her.

I'm saying, I thought you worked with her now.

Oh, no, no.

Oh, okay.

Mila Magic.

But, okay.

Yes, at the Magic Factory.

Okay, okay.

Yes, come see us at the Magic Factory on 367 in Lusher.

Do y'all play the Chocolate Factory in the background? Okay, never mind.

No, we don't listen to R. Kelly.

Ooh, let me break that down.

It's all about women empowerment and love and all those good things. We don't pee on people there. Oh, it's the TT, that's it.

All— why did I bring that up? Uh, okay, we can get back to that topic. But, um, I think that, you know, let's just say you and Joe were in a salon together, and I think the, the benefit of it is that you two do two totally different things, so that is where you both can be comfortable still, to me.

Uh, but I, I mean, but I feel like it's all in the person. Because I currently— the currently current shop that I work in right now, there's 3 stylists there. We literally all do the same thing. We all do wigs, we all do closures, we all do frontals, we all do, you know, basic sew-in, quick weave, all of the, you know, basic services or whatever. But none of us are jealous of each other. Like, we all show each other love, we all, you know, share things with each other, like go back and forth, like, okay, what you do right there, you know what I'm saying? So because we love each other and we know that we're all trying to win and it's money for everybody and we have our own type of clientele because even though we do all do the same things, we all do them differently and in our own way and in our own style. So there's really no room to really be jealous. We really do love each other. We really do compliment each other on our work and be like, bro, I love that. Well, not bro. 'cause they're both girls, but you know, they'll say that to me or you know, something like that. But like, we'll come to each other's room because we have suites and you know what I'm saying? We'll look and we'll be like, yes, that's fire, that look good. You know, like we do that. Like, so it's not even the case, that case for me. Like I don't even, I've never experienced that really.

I've always just been by myself. So it's always been awkward going into a shop. Like when I worked at the shop that we met at, I felt so uncomfortable because I was out in the open, you know, like I was in an open space. Yeah, it wasn't even like I had my own corner or my own booth, booth rent, you know, like I had a mirror in front of everybody and I did everything that I do everywhere in front of every— you know, it was just so different for me and I was so uncomfortable. And I'm also in a new city, right? So not only am I in a new city, I don't know anybody in St. Louis or in this shop, right? So it was so just uncomfortable for me. But yeah, it was coming from a new, a new place, just being in a new city and being around women and men in St. Louis. It was so intimidating, you know? Like, it was like I was already set in, in my career, but it was just like, you just never know, like, who's there and who feels any type of way, or, or who's being genuine, or who's like being sarcastic, you know, like it would be some things that'd be like, oh, that's cute. And then it's like, if you snicker after you say that's cute, I'm automatically think you was talking about me behind my back. Or maybe it's an insider that I don't know because y'all been working with each other. And I— it was just so uncomfortable.

I, I definitely had that like a little bit, maybe like when I first came in, just like the unsureness of is people like really genuine about like, oh, is that really good? Like 'Does it really look good to you guys? Are y'all just saying it because y'all don't want to offend my client or offend me?' So yeah, I've definitely experienced that.

But what I was getting ready to say were my clients. I get a lot of clients that come to me now because I'm not in a shop with other people. Um, and yours is a suite, so that's different. But like where we met at, that was definitely no-go for a lot of people where it was like, really?

Yeah. And especially doing what we do. Mhm. Especially dealing with the ladies and stuff like that. I do have to close my door often for, um, clients, you know, suffering from alopecia or, you know, hair loss.

Right, that's a lot of my clientele.

Some of my girls don't care. They be like, I don't care, shit, I'm going to look good when I leave here.

So let's— I watched this YouTube video last night. Her name is Amy. Amy and Mozy. I don't know if you've seen them yet. They're newer on YouTube, but they had a pretty big following. It's a couple, and she a week ago, I think, went public about her experience. She had a whole quarter of her head that was like just bald due to all the braids, all the blah blah blah, and she just showed the before and after, the difference, and how hard it was like to find somebody that does Black people hair transplant. Hair transplant. There we go. Find somebody who does it for African Americans. So she showed her before and after.

It sounds so painful.

It does. They literally stitch like a horseshoe shape in the inside of your head, like kind of like a, a horseshoe shape.

It's uncomfortable sounding. I don't even want to listen to it.

But no, it— when I tell you she has edges now. She was talking about how uncomfortable she was. She would always wear her hair in the middle part because of her sides. Were gone and she was so insecure about it. But you know, I have so many—

she got it done and it looked good.

Yes, you would not know. You would have no idea she had it done.

So you could braid it and do all kind of stuff.

She's half feed-in braids straight to the back.

Periana. And I'm hollering.

And like you say, like it's hard for you.

That probably was expensive.

She said she paid $6,000 for it.

That ain't nothing.

They talk—

so listen, that's, that's cheap, y'all.

She talks about how, um, she had that done, and you see here she has a high ponytail. All of that was gone, no edges, and it's there now. Yes, yes, yes, that's Amy. So I just showed her— I love her. It's Amy Luciani. World on Instagram, and I just randomly started watching one of her videos. She had a prank— um, not a prank, she had a, um, YouTube video with her boyfriend.

I love them. I just shared that video like 50 times to all my friends and stuff.

He said he was tired, she needed to, uh, switch it up.

Yes, and she was just like—

oh my goodness, she was dressed like a dude.

She was dressed like a guy. That was hella funny.

He was I was like, I don't see why.

He was like, hey, don't touch me.

She was like, come here, give me smooches, baby. That was it.

So you said switch it up. It was—

yes, I love them. But you see how, how full her edges are?

Yes.

She had a hair transplant.

That's dope. I didn't know that.

That's crazy.

That's crazy.

So, you know, like, I just think about that kind of stuff, you know. I have customers that look like her before. That still look like that to this day, where it's like being in an open salon and stuff is just not an option. Like, I had lost customers when I was working there. I have customers to this day that'd be like, yeah, I remember when you worked there such and such, and I couldn't come that bad. Yeah, I didn't feel comfortable.

Definitely. Oh, that's understandable. And then we had that big glass window. It just was too open. It was very open, way too open. It was great exposure for being a first-time stylist, though. Like, me getting out there, me being a new stylist in the professional world, that was great exposure, like being in an open space like that. My station was the first station. Everybody walked past. Oh, you do her? And you know, it was just like they could see my work right there as they walked past. And we were in a plaza, so it was like a lot of traffic, a lot of foot, uh, foot traffic.

So let's go to Alana Hall. Um, I'm sorry, that was Alana Hall. So the next one we're going to go to—

thank you, Alana Hall, for that.

Thank you, Alana.

Definitely, that was good topic.

A lot of talk. Um, but, and let us know, comment again, let us know if we answered your question.

Yeah, I was just going to say, give us feedback on if we answered your question. Um, what— which one would you rather do based off of what we gave you?

Yeah. So the next person we have, Teresa Reynolds. She says, I loved it. I'm definitely waiting to hear more. You guys touch bases on so many things that relate to me. I'm a licensed cosmetologist and I'm currently working from home, and I've been licensed for 2 years. I don't feel that I've gotten far. Well, I haven't. And I just work a 9 to 5 to pursue cosmetology full-time. Um, I do just about everything from waxing to hair, everything except makeup. I truly like to get the ball rolling. You want me to go first or you go first? Go ahead.

You can go first. Go first. I'm going to let this one set in and so I can give her some good advice because I do feel like I can help her get the ball rolling.

I don't know. I think it's dependent like on a lot of different facts.

It definitely does.

There's a lot of moving factors, you know, like we don't know if she has kids.

I was just, I was just thinking the same thing. I was just thinking the same thing.

If she has kids, if she's married, if she's single, if she's in a new city, if she's— there's so many moving—

how young are you, how old are you?

Yeah, yeah. Um, how long? Because she said, I'm a licensed cosmetologist.

She's been licensed for 2 years.

She's been licensed for 2 years, but that doesn't mean she's been doing hair for 2 years, you know what I'm saying?

Right.

There's so many things that can go into this, but if you're—

see, I already had clientele Like, I was doing hair long before I went to school.

Me too, me too.

So once I finished school, then I was like, yeah, I'm ready. Like, I got my license. Like, I'm, you know, and you—

I started my YouTube in '06 doing hair. I didn't go to cosmetology school until 2015.

Wait a minute, you said '06?

You started '06? I was a freshman in college.

You was a freshman in college? I was still in middle school.

First of all, you wasn't, boy.

I was in middle school.

And we're how many years apart?

I was in middle school. Oh, oh, I was in the 8th grade. No, I wasn't.

Oh, okay. The truth. How old were you?

I was a freshman in high school, so she's still—

First of all, you was looking up to me like, oh, her micro's on point, because that's what I was doing. The micro braids my girl.

You even have social media then?

In '06? Yes. Well, you— I, I know about YouTube. I just got on YouTube because I was a freshman.

You was on YouTube with Soulja Boy? Soulja Boy? I'm just playing.

You hear that awkward silence? I hope they feel my pain right now. But so, I mean, I guess I never really talked about that, but let's get to her first. And then we'll talk. But you go ahead because my answer, I would have to ask her more questions before it's definitely kind of all over. Yeah, so you want to wait?

Listen, no, I can help.

We could table that though.

We can table it. All right, we're going to table it for next episode.

Yeah, I don't want to give her—

give us some more info. What's her name again?

Teresa Reynolds.

Teresa Reynolds, if you're listening, please give us some more information about your background so we can better elaborate on you know, the situation and help you in the best way possible.

Yes.

Okay, but I can give you like one small point, you know, for now to hold y'all. It's all about promoting yourself. Self-promotion, self-promotion, guerrilla marketing. Guerrilla marketing definitely means just hitting the pavement with your feet, like word by word to mouth. That's the previous episode. Business cards, flyers, you know, all that stuff. Yes, definitely just putting yourself out there and letting people know what you do and how you do it. And perfecting your craft. Perfecting your craft, making sure that you make sure that your work is worthy of what people are paying you.

But that's so hard. Like, it's so— I think it becomes really hard when you see somebody that you really care about and what you think should be their eye for perfection is perfection to them.

I mean, whatever is perfection to you, I feel like it's your preference, you know what I'm saying? But do your best, you know, do your best all times, you know.

Try to make it, try to learn, you know, take your time, be patient with yourself. A lot of people get mad and, and frustrated because they can't get on the first or second try. It takes more than one or two tries to get this stuff right. Even after going to classes and stuff, I, I was— oh, when I tell you I've been to classes, when Onyx taught me that lace tint, I said, I just can't, I just can't. You know, like when it, when it comes to putting makeup, I just can't. The makeup was off. I may have gotten it right then, but then when I took the picture, it was like, whoa, you know. So it just takes time after time after time of doing it, and then you finally get the hang of it.

We gotta talk about that too. Okay, the preference of lace tint or the makeup, because I've done both.

Let's know, let's note it because we're gonna know that.

I'm just saying, like, I've done both.

Um, boy, you and them chips.

I did not know it was gonna make noise. I've been doing good and we got the video wrong. I ain't worried about the video. They, they know, hey, this is a podcast. We are supposed to be free to be able to express. Why is it keep on putting this little thing around my head?

I'mma have to just go ahead and pause this. The camera keeps autofocusing on your face and you mad about it.

You about to upset me.

Okay, uh, lace tint versus makeup. Okay, so I'mma edit that out. All this that we doing right now.

Oh my God.

This ham is crunchy. I should just leave it. I'mma just leave it in.

I'm cracking up right now. I'm sorry.

How were those ruffles? How are they?

They are delicious. My eyes are watering. Because that was hilarious.

So we got one more person and her name is Kai or Key. I'm not sure which one she goes by. It's K-I, Kiara, Key, Kiara, but she goes by K-I, Key, or Kai.

Okay, anyway, I would say Key like Kiki.

Kiara, like Kiara.

Hey, Key girl!

Hey, Key! Um, she says, thank you guys for this podcast. It's lit. I am not him. Mm. I'm just— you gonna really go with it? What would— they can't hear that. Oh, y'all gonna have to watch this YouTube to see this clown, cuz he did that. What is that from? The AO? Have you seen that show on Netflix? The AO? Never mind. Okay, moving right along. Okay, thank you guys for this podcast. It's lit. Keep the convos coming. My name is Key and I'm in Virginia.

Okay, yay, they listening from Georgia, girl! That's where Chris Brown from, right? Anyway, yes, okay, I'm sorry.

And I'm thinking about going back to school to do hair for a living. I'm not sure if y'all have them where you're at, but here there's been quite a few beauty complexes open up— opening up. How do you guys feel about these beauty complexes?

I've never heard.

I haven't either. Um, The— I, I actually responded back to her and told her that I had not heard of this. However, if she hears this and comments back and lets us know what this is, the only thing that I can think of that she's talking about, like in Overland Park, Kansas, there's this, um, it literally looks like an apartment building and it's suites all over, and there's people who do hair everywhere, and it's just like, it looks like literal apartment buildings. So Some people have their stuff open, some people have theirs closed, and it's literally a building full of suites that you rent out. So I'm not sure if that's what she's talking about or not. Um, those have been in Kansas.

Um, I've never—

it would be— there's one called like Solaris Salon and it's just suites everywhere. Um, but we'll have to get her feedback as far as—

I know they have like this new thing, um, On the Grove where they're like salon suites. Yeah, they're like salon suites, but they're like owned by the apartment building or something. So I don't know, like you don't have to deal with anybody, right? Like any— I don't know really how it is.

I mean, it's kind of like the building I'm in now, but this isn't made for a salon.

Yeah, that— and those are definitely like made for something. Yeah, like a shampoo bowl and everyone. Yeah, all this.

So maybe that's— we'll wait for her feedback for that because I'm not sure.

I haven't heard of that, I'm sorry.

But I mean, literally, Solaris Salons, um, they have huge buildings, like look like apartment buildings, and it's just all salon suites.

That's dope.

Yeah, that could be what she's talking about.

That probably is what she's talking about.

But let's get to the lace tint versus makeup. Go ahead.

Okay, um, I feel like the lace tint— to be honest, I feel like the lace tint only works for like darker—

I would— I didn't know what you were getting ready to say, but I can agree with that—

for like darker girls, you know, like when you have beautiful chocolate, you know, and not even chocolate, maybe like brown skin girls too, even because my sister her hair, her, um, her lace worked well with the tint. But like anybody like a shade brighter than that, I was just like, this is not the business. Like I wouldn't even purchase the lighter tones. Like I don't even want to call out any names or anything. Yeah, because it just, it's not the same. It doesn't look as good to me.

And my thing is, how do you tint lace lighter?

So I mean, sometimes, because when you get transparent lace, you know, you can tint it pretty much any color because it's like literally like white almost, you know.

So yeah, and I think that that's one of those things that it takes a lot of trial and error to get it perfected.

Yeah, here's another thing, but I, when I went to Bonner Brothers, I got all of, all of the colors, and I just was like so excited about it. I thought it was going to take me to the next level, and I was like, I can continue to use makeup because this is not the business. It is less messier though, the tint. I can say that. Yes, the tint is less messier because you got to think about like when you brush the back side of the— look, I'm giving away tips, honey. Tune in because I'm giving away tips. But you know, when you tint the back side of the, um, lace um, it, you know, the, the makeup, of course, it's like a, it's like, um, you know, a creamier substance, or, you know what I'm saying, like the texture of it rather than the spray. It's literally like liquid and then it dries, so it's tinting the lace, and the makeup is actually coating.

So it can be less messier, but even when I tint the lace, it's not the spray. It's actually like soaking it and tinting it to all different complexions.

Yeah, baby, I ain't doing all that. So if y'all want to get y'all lace soaked