We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tea Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tea, thanks for joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I guess I always thought I’d be a business owner in some capacity, I come from a family of all business owners/entrepreneurs. There was never any alternative in my mind. But to answer your question. Im absolutely happier being a business owner. Getting to be my own boss is a luxury that I’ll forever be grateful for. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but I have had intrusive thoughts of what I’d do if I had to pick a “regular” job, and for a few reasons, my mind landed on “a mail man!”

Tea, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hey all! My name is Tea Miller, im the owner of a small, rainbow covered, anime loving, Furby inhabitated, queer salon called Mermaid Cult in Hollywood. Im currently 32, non-binary, and 12+ years into my career. I focus my talents on vibrant hair color and gender affirming hair care services such as haircuts and styling. I opened Mermaid Cult in July of 2019 with the focus of it becoming a safe space for all who are different and queer. Hmmmm, how was Mermaid Cult born you ask? Well, I think its inception started several years ago when I was walking down an alleyway with a handful of mermaids to get our thirst quenched at Starbucks. We looked badass, and kind of intimidating as a large group, so I said “uh oh, mermaid cult coming through” and it just stuck. I started using it as a hashtag, and when I was ready to open up my own salon, it naturally had to become the name and brand. I wouldn’t say I’m trying to do anything groundbreaking with Mermaid Cult that hasn’t already been done, but I do know that I always want it to be a space that is inviting and meaningful. I spent many a year going to large, loud salons that didn’t understand my aesthetic, anime inspired reference photos, or my queerness, let alone my pronouns. So for me, creating Mermaid Cult was like healing my inner child who always wanted to go to a salon like this and be heard. This career has been so rewarding, not only do I get to be my own Bob Ross and paint everyday, but I get to see people light up and love who they see in the mirror. It’s indescribable. My favorite is the gender affirming big haircuts and color transformations, it honestly makes me emotional. I’m very honored and lucky to be in this position and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

For a hairstylist, I’d say the most effective thing for me was staying put in the same area, which can be difficult for most! But I started my career in Hollywood and I’ve stayed here the entire time, sure people come and go, but I get lots of referrals and new people from social media too! I signed Mermaid Cult up on this great website called Strands for Trans and it puts people in touch with trans friendly salons in their area by typing in their zip code! That has been a huge help for my business and I get the clientele that I want. It’s a win win!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Honestly? It’s been posting regularly on Instagram, and signing up on Strands for Trans website. I don’t even post regularly on Instagram and people still find me on there everyday! I also have a google listing and Yelp page too, all of it helps and I haven’t paid for any of it! But visibility is all online these days. So you gotta take advantage of that

Contact Info:

• Website: Mermaidcult.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/mermaidcultsalon?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MermaidCult?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mermaid-cult-los-angeles?uid=14aNMyg3L26hQzPZRhmiZA&utm_source=ishare
• Other: https://linktr.ee/mermaidcult?fbclid=PAAaY3lK1PThIxMWubGQJraVBmx27fduBDhT_a5pd8vS4GBYoXf8-yOH2ZJmk_aem_AUJNtUl6CG4_2Jj-gufWL-vSBkbxhI6vT4z6fBVRXJQt359wheAxEpCQDcRNaR6nWyA

Image Credits
Heidi Calvert Photography