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

Tiffany, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.

A major part of my business’s mission is to be inclusive for the community. Having a child with special needs brought to my attention just how little resources there are locally for children and adults in our community to not only participate in, but also enjoy, services typical members of society use as basic needs or as self care.

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 began my career in the beauty industry almost 18 years ago. Prior to that, I attended East Tennessee State University as an art major. Art and cosmetology have both been my interests, passions and identity since I was a kid. I was coloring my own hair before I even left elementary school, and giving haircuts to friends by high school.

My salon and my brand now are focused on allowing my clients to pursue and express their own identity through their hair. The end results and the process it takes to get there are my top concerns for each of my clients. My clients are very diverse and all have different needs that I choose to take time and accommodate to. Whether someone has sensory needs to adjust to, physical needs that need extra effort, or religious needs that need to be considered, I’m here to accommodate.

For me, it’s not just about creating great hair, but also creating a comforting experience—a safe space for clients to be themselves. My business name, Liberated, was chosen because I want everyone from all walks of life to feel free in my salon.

While I specialize in and have a passion for creative hair color (think rainbow and unicorn hair) and major transformations (color corrections and major style changes), what makes me most happy is a happy client. I pride myself on going above and beyond for my clients. I wouldn’t be here without them.

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

Prior to opening Liberated, I owned and ran a clothing boutique that was mostly online as a side hustle. When covid hit, sales were way down, and I made the tough decision to close the boutique business. Moving into my larger space, where Liberated is located, I decided to help with the added costs of a rent, I would incorporate a smaller version of my boutique into the salon. So, my clients have a chance to shop while they’re processing or just pop in for a new shirt or outfit! It’s been a very helpful second stream of income in the salon that I’m thankful for and my clients are, too.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media is constantly changing. It’s hard to keep up with and requires more time than many professionals understand. Although, this is our reality now, and as small business owners, social media is our best “word of mouth.” My best advice is to be consistent and be YOURSELF. There are so many “pretty squares” on Instagram, but sit there long enough, and they all look the same. People will gravitate toward genuine personality and style, even if you think it’s “not worthy.” People appreciate beauty, but they also want to get to know you. Putting yourself out there in front of your business is intimidating at first, but it does get easier, and kinda liberating, once you’re comfortable.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.vagaro.com/liberatedbeautystudio
• Instagram: @liberated_knox
• Facebook: @liberatedbeautystudio
• Other: [email protected]