5 Reasons We Should All Be More Like Tabatha Coffey

Tabatha Coffey @tabathacoffey on twitter

I love Tabath Coffey. Adore her. Not in a creepy I-want-to-steal-her-doggie kind of way, but in a wow, that's-- woman-who-gets-things-done, kind of way. A year ago, I literally walked two miles on a beyond freezing cold night in Boston, slipping on ice all the way there, to listen to her talk about her book, then waited in line for about two hours to meet her. The only other person I have done that for was Jan Brett, when I was 7, but that was totally different because I did it for my sister who was obsessed with the book The Mitten, and I'd do just about anything for my sister, but I digress. As I was saying, Tabatha rules. Here are 5 reasons we should all be more like her.


5.   She knows her talents, and sticks to them. Let's face it, a lot of people are miserable with their current employment situation, but how often do they consider that the reason they are unhappy could be that their position does not fit their particular skill set? Tabatha knows she is an excellent stylist and colorist, but she is also a fantastic business woman. According to her book, It's Not Really About the Hair, Tabatha discovered her talent for doing hair while growing up in her parents' night club. She took that talent to school, and eventually opened up her own salon. But she didn't stop there. She took those skills and created her first reality show, Tabatha's Salon Takeover, and now her second, Tabatha Takes Over, premiering tonight on Bravo.

In Tabatha's Salon Takeover, Tabatha went into failing salons, and took over the place for a week and attempted to turn the place around. The program has been such a huge success, that now Tabatha is taking over all sorts of small businesses in the new iteration, Tabatha Takes Over. I seriously can't wait to see what she takes over next. If you are unhappy with your current situation, take a page out of Tabatha's playbook and consider your passions and your talents, then make a move to improve your life. 

4. She knows who her customers are, and caters to every last one of them. If you want to make money, you need to cater to the correct customer, the kind of customer you want to frequent your business, not just any random person trolling around the internet. If you want to have a high-end hair salon, do cross-advertising with a high-end restaurant, not a dive bar. Seems simple enough, right? Well, if the salons on Tabatha's Salon Takeover are any indication, most businesses do not know who their ideal customers are, or how to cater to them, which is one reason their businesses are failing.

Tabatha knows how to cater to many different customers at once. On Tabatha's Salon Takeover, she is simultaneously catering to the audience (Bravo's, therefore her, customer) at home to keep them entertained, to the salon she is working with that week, future salons that she needs to contact the show so she can do the same awesome things she is doing for other salons in their salon, and to potential customers for herself and her salon in New Jersey. That is a level of self-awareness that we would all benefit from. If you are running a business, working for a business, or looking for work, consider who your customer is, and cater directly to them. Talk to other people that have been successful in the way that you want to be, and take their tips to heart.

3. She knows who she is, and she doesn't change to suit other people's desires. Tabatha is not a pushover. If she does not agree with something, she tells you. If she thinks your a half-wit, she tells you. If she thinks you have so little personal style you shouldn't be staying other people, she'll tell you that, too. Tabatha has been called a bitch so many times that she uses it as an acronym for Brave, Intelligent, Tenacious, Creative, and Honest. We should all strive to be those things.

2. She is professional. Regardless of how you might feel about her thoughts and feelings towards people, you have to admit that Tabatha always acts in a completely professional manner. She is always put together in a nice, well tailored, black outfit. When she has an issue with a persons behavior or attitude, she goes directly to that person and has a discussion about it. Although Tabatha talks to the camera about the people in the salons she takes over, you know she has said the same thing to the person's face. This ability to have an honest and open conversation with someone you are not getting along with is extremely important in all aspects of life, but it is particularly necessary in our professional lives. Take the time to learn techniques such as fearless feedback so that you can feel more comfortable communicating effectively with your coworkers.

1. She knows how to turn an opportunity into a career move. When Tabatha Coffey was on the inaugural season of Shear Genius, a reality show on Bravo, she was depicted as the villain. Tabatha wasn't devious, and she didn't backstab, but she did tell the world what she thought about her fellow stylists. And believe me when I tell you she didn't sugar coat anything there. Eventually, Tabatha was kicked off the show, and someone no one can remember won the competition. Did Tabatha go home, lick her wounds and hide? Nope. She negotiated a contract for her own show on Bravo, Tabatha's Salon Takeover. Brilliant. Next time something doesn't happen the way you want it to in your career, think about what Tabatha did here, and turn it into a positive career move. And for what it's worth, Tabatha has had more seasons on her show than Shear Genius has had in total. Excellent.

We can all learn a lot from Tabatha Coffey. It is really important to understand ourselves and our talents, so that we can parlay them into a profitable career. Sure, there will always be setbacks, but the important thing is to learn from them and turn them into opportunities. Be Tabatha, not the person that won the reality show that nobody remembers.