We were lucky to catch up with Tamela Clarke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tamela, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

If I were starting over, I would make more organized decisions. As an entrepreneur, we sometimes have to make decisions on the fly and take risk that people with the security of a job doesn’t have to and pray it works. I would have looked for a mentor in my niche earlier on and been more consistent in my career. I find the fear of failure will hold you back, and making excuses for not doing something is usually a sign of that.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I created a niche for myself in a world of fashion and beauty as a published personal stylist and manicurist with over 20+ years of experience. With the desire to express my creative side, I opened Fashion Savvy Beauty Bar as a place women can go to receive a head-to-toe experience in the beauty & fashion arena. I began my career dressing women in everyday wear and quickly became known as the go-to Fashion Enthusiast. Throughout my career, I have been acknowledged in Hour Magazine for Best of Detroit, Best Style Instagrammer and have been recognized as an influencer in the beautiful world of Fashion.

My mission has always been to ENCOURAGE women to be their best selves; whatever that looks like to them. I want to EDUCATE women in the art of shopping on a budget and not breaking the bank. I want them to know the tips and tricks of a stylist, as I have used them for years to get dressed and show up as our very best – inside and out. Most importantly, I want to EMPOWER women by giving them the means and resources to push past what may have been holding them back from spreading their wings and move into the life they were destined to live.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Yes, I turned my side hustle, doing nails since I was twelve years old, into a new career/business. One day as I was in my early twenties, I decided to get licensed and complete that part of my life. First, I worked for a physician for over 20 years, still just doing nails in the evening/weekends. Next, I expanded to helping women pick out accessories, which turned into dressing them for events. As my passion grew for the fashion and beauty industry, I focused more on building a website and growing my clientele. I then went to work one day and was told after fifteen years, I would need to go full-time, or they would have to let me go. That jump-started my new full-time career. After that, I worked for three years doing nails full-time and managing my online website, where I sold clothes and accessories while I created a plan for a space to service and inspire women with an exceptional experience of beauty services, shopping, and community all in one physical space, that’s when Fashion Savvy Beauty Bar was born.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

I do have multiple streams of income in one space. We are a full-service beauty bar where I have independent contractors; I still sit behind the chair servicing clients, and we have a retail area with apparel and beauty products for the customers to shop.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shopfashionsavvy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamela.clarke/
• Facebook: fashionsavvybeautybar
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/fashion-savvy-beauty-bar-lathrup-village?osq=fashion+savvy+beauty+bar
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/fashionsavvybeautybar/

Image Credits
Hour Magazine