Conversations with Kaela Tabor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaela Tabor.

Hi Kaela, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I wasn’t the little girl that just knew I would grow up to be a hairstylist. I played basketball and thought dinosaurs were the coolest (I still do haha). Once I no longer wanted to play basketball… I discovered dance. I love to dance. I danced through middle and high school and even graduated from an art school for dance and performed with a company for a while.

Truth is, I wanted to be a dance therapist. I dreamed of connecting with people through dance and I wanted to help them find their healing through movement. Even with as much passion I had for that dream… something inside was telling me that I hadn’t quite found my true passion just yet. I’ll admit, I was a bit lost.

I was working in the service industry and became quite comfy with the lifestyle, but was terribly unhappy. One random day, I bought some mascara from a friend on Facebook. She totally suckered me into her pyramid scheme and before I knew it I was selling this mascara, too! Haha This was gateway mascara. That led me to the art of playing with my makeup.

I started to get more creative. I started to realize how much I was enjoying the art of makeup and how it allowed me to connect with others. I gained momentum quickly and people began to ask me questions about hair. I was like a deer in headlights. Here I am, knowing nothin’ about nothin’, box dying my hair and selling that gateway mascara on Facebook. Haha!

It was just enough to spark the thought, though! “I should go to hair school!” Suddenly, that was all I could see. So, when my mama called me to ask if I had finished enrolling for the next semester of college…I hesitantly said, “Uhhhh… hmmm… well, actually…I think, I wanna go to hair school.” She met me with nothing but support. So much so, my family welcomed me into their home while I was in school. Then I stuffed my car full of my belongings, my pup, all my dreams and headed to Texas, where I attended Paul Mitchell School of Cosmetology.

I can easily say my very first day in this new school, was the day I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. That was the day my life really started to change. Eleven months later, I graduated from hair school and decided I didn’t want to start my career in Texas (no hate on Texas… it just wasn’t my vibe). So, after some consideration, I moved to North Carolina in 2016 and have been here ever since. In January 2017, I was welcomed into my very first salon. This environment is exactly where I needed to be… right up until it wasn’t.

It’s hard to move on from anything in your life. Positive or negative. But I do feel there comes a time in one’s life where the questions must be asked… is this serving me? And am I serving them? Thankfully, at the end of that important time in my life, I was left with gratitude and the understanding that we had simply evolved past one another. And that’s ok!

Now, I am the owner of my very own salon named 10:10 Salon Studio!!!

I truthfully never even fathomed I would be where I am today, I had made very different plans for my life that were self-limiting. So, even if it’s that one simple thing that sparks your interest, no matter how silly it may seem, go for it!

I am forever grateful for that gateway mascara on Facebook. For my faith. And for having the courage to trust in me.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I definitely faced many challenges along the way. When I started this professional journey, I was lost, depressed, and lacked the motivation to serve myself.

Thankfully, my family let me live with them while I was in school. And even though they lived one hour and twenty minutes away from my school, I made that drive every day. Not just for school, but for work, too!

After moving to Raleigh, I endured challenging relationships, learning to survive on a new stylist income, and develop a new sense of self. However, I believe these challenges built an inner strength that allowed me to honor my own values, quit my job during a pandemic, and create a safe space to create my own business. While this was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, scarier than hell, to be exact… I believed in myself and my faith. With the support of close friends and family, I knew I would excel and wouldn’t go down without a fight.

I could truly go on and on about the struggles I’ve faced, as I think we all could. But I am definitely someone who believes all experiences come with challenges and I choose to view those as opportunities to grow. It is how we become stronger and wiser. It teaches us how to make better decisions, how to use our discernment, and how to listen to our intuition.

I also remind myself… I have survived every single challenge, and have been made better for it. As “cliche” as it sounds, I wouldn’t change any of it. I love where I am today. I love that I get to, not only create beautiful hair but beautiful connections with amazing humans every day! And my soul knows that I wouldn’t be where I am now, with the perspective and gratitude I have, without every single one of those challenges. I look forward to the growth I’ll gain from future challenges.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a professional, custom, hair, and makeup artist!

I provide a wide variety of services in all of the following areas:

• Chemical/Color Services
• Design/Cutting Services
• Waxing
• Makeup – natural to glam
• Weddings and Specialty events
• Styling
• Treatments

I am most proud of the support this industry provokes in one another. I am always striving to learn new techniques or to simply fine-tune the day-to-day hustle. Humans are so innovative and there are so many talented artists creating new content every day.

Let’s celebrate that for a second! I also love learning more and more about being a business owner, too! So many new and exciting challenges for which I am thankful and proud.

Any big plans?
My plans for the future are never-ending, but for right now, they are to continue a steady pace of growth. I’m focused on nurturing the relationships, I’ve established and welcomed new hearts into my chair.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @kaela_1010salonstudio

Image Credits
Somer Handley