Today we’d like to introduce you to Ta’Nita Gunn.
Ta’Nita, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am the proud owner of Salon Seven, Salon Seven Training Academy and Restore Hair Loss Clinic, I am a Licensed Master Cosmetologist, Licensed Cosmetology Instructor and a Certified Hair Loss Practitioner with over 25 years of experience in the beauty industry. I graduated Magna cum laude, became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and earned a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA. After graduation in 1997, I successfully landed a job in corporate America in the Human Resources field and worked as a Human Resources Manager for nearly ten years.
I quickly climbed the corporate ladder, but I knew that I was born an entrepreneur at heart with a PASSION for HAIR! So while working as an HR Manager by day, I studied cosmetology by night and received my cosmetology license from Chattahoochee Technical College (Marietta, GA) in 2000. After graduation, I was inspired to open a Hair Salon with a mission to provide professional hair care services which was the inspiration for Salon Seven in 2002. I was soon known as a Healthy Hair Care Advocate with a true love to educate and motivate others about the importance of maintaining healthy hair, which lead me back to school at Empire Beauty School (Kennesaw, GA) where I received my education and training to become a Licensed Cosmetology Instructor in 2011.
I worked as a Licensed Cosmetology Instructor educating students in a private sector for nearly three years. While teaching in the classroom, I realized that I wanted to take my teaching to another level by training and educating inspiring cosmetologists and beauty professionals through hands-on and online continuing education classes…which was the inspiration for Salon Seven Training Academy in 2014. In 2018, Salon Seven Training Academy became a Board Approved Continuing Education (CE) Provider for Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers. To date, Salon Seven Training Academy has sold over 600 online continuing education courses to beauty professionals to renew and/or reinstate their professional license, has taught over 200 inspiring cosmetologists, have sold/rented over 80 Practical Exam Kits and has trained over 100 graduating cosmetologist students to pass the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology Exam.
During my years of providing hair services in the salon, I’ve serviced so many clients that are experiencing HAIR LOSS. Hair Loss is an epidemic affecting millions of people. Some reasons for hair loss are evident but most are unknown. Working as a Master Cosmetologist for many years and educating students primarily about hair, I was determined to educate myself to find out all the unknowns about hair loss which lead me back to school at US Trichology Institute and became a Certified Hair Loss Practitioner in 2019.
In 2020, I will begin a new journey by opening the doors to Restore Hair Loss Clinic, a clinic that will help people maintain healthy hair, understand the causes and prevention of hair loss, provide hair loss consultation with tailored hair loss programs and low-light laser treatments.
With my practical knowledge coupled with over 24 years of experience in the hair and beauty industry. My mission is to make a difference by educating and building self-love, self-confidence and self-esteem in the lives of so many people…starting with HAIR!
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it hasn’t…the road to entrepreneurship is not easy at all. Nothing worth having or building is easy. It’s never easy starting or running a business, no matter what type of business it is. The world of social media is very deceiving and has many people thinking that entrepreneurship is an overnight success.
Entrepreneurship starts with a PASSION and VISION to build something that will impact the lives of others, but passion and vision is not enough. The cost is countless hours, a lot of financial risks, many sacrifices, daily hustle, blood, sweat & tears coupled with a lot of prayer. You will experience good times and not-so-good times building your business but the challenges you experience will help shape and mold you into the entrepreneur that you will need to become to build a successful business.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Salon Seven & Salon Seven Training Academy story. Tell us more about the business.
Salon Seven is a privately operated hair salon with a mission to provide professional hair care services. Salon Seven provides excellent customer service, an online scheduling system, VIP After-Hour appointments, free WIFI and business services with complimentary beverages and snacks in a drama-free environment.
Our salon takes pride in offering our online “No-double Booking Scheduling System” which ensures that our clients receive a professional hair salon experience in a reasonable amount of time. We are truly a salon of INTEGRITY with a mission to provide excellent customer satisfaction through an intimate HEALTHY HAIR experience from the moment our clients walk in, to the moment they leave our salon.
Our licensed and experienced staff at SALON SEVEN are highly skilled and sincerely LOVE what they do. We take pride in advancing our knowledge and expertise to keep our clients looking and feeling they’re very best. SALON SEVEN values and appreciates the gratefulness and dedication from clients which is reflective in our high percentage of loyal repeat customers and referrals.
SALON SEVEN TRAINING ACADEMY is a Board Approved CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) PROVIDER for GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY AND BARBERS.
At Salon Seven Training Academy, we provide affordable, quality education to MASTER COSMETOLOGISTS, BARBERS, ESTHETICIANS. HAIR DESIGNERS, NAIL TECHNICIANS, INSTRUCTORS. Our goal is to train and educate professionals in this industry by providing hands-on and online continuing education classes to renew and/or reinstate your professional license. Salon Seven Training Academy offers a 7-hour intensive, hands-on State Board Prep Course to help you successfully pass the Georgia State Board Cosmetology Practical Exam. We also help students prepare for the NIC Georgia State Board of Cosmetology Exam by completely organizing and offering State Board Practical Exam Kit rental services. We’re now teaching the current NIC curriculum with a 100% pass rate!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The hair and beauty industry is more than a $2.5 billion dollar industry and is expecting to continue to grow. From providing hair services and education to branding and selling your own product…there is no limit in this industry. I think in the future of the beauty industry, there will always be a huge demand for all types of hair and beauty products. Our social media platforms now allow us to build relationships, communicate and respond to our market specific needs and sell to millions daily.
The hair loss industry is more than a $4.8 billion dollar industry and is expected to grow because of the awareness about alopecia areata disease and advance treatments. Alopecia Areata has affected over 147 million people due to high levels of stress, lifestyle changes, health issues, illnesses and bad food habits. Now that people are more aware of this disease, they are likely to seek professional treatment.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3622 Houston St. #A
Lithia Springs, GA 30122 - Website: www.salonseven7.com www.salonseventrainingacademy.com
- Phone: (770) 853-7024
- Instagram: @salonseven @salonseventrainingacademy @restorehairlossclinic
Image Credit:
Marjorie “JoJo Stylez” Louis of Captured by Jo @jojostylez
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
