I am Tabatha Coffey and I’m taking over… AMA!

What's the main mistake hair salons make?

Fantastic question! some forget that the client is the most important person in the salon, some forget they are the expert and don't recommend to their clients the things that will work best for them. I think complacency is the kiss of death in any business. And when starting a business it's plan plan and then plan some more

What hairstyle trend are you ready to see end?

Ombre, please end the Ombre

Hey Tabatha! Miss you on the telly and seeing you at NewNowNext but I have an industry question? I am not interested in becoming a stylist (currently studying to be a makeup artist) but I want to learn how to bang out drag queen and big, big hair as a specialty to my make-up services. To what extent do I have to be licensed to do this? I just want to work with wigs only!!! Any suggestions for training?

Drag queens are the best teachers in the world that's how I got my start. If you are doing wigs for the girls you wouldn't need a license if it is for wigs only but being a licensed stylist would give you all the tools you need to do some big fabulousdragtastic hair!

Are you going to be on tv anytime soon? Like your own show? The world needs more Tabatha Coffey and less Kardashians

Thanks and i will be back very soon but hey as you know I don't like Kids and the Kardashians are great breeders!

Hi Tabatha! I miss Takeover so much! Any chance you'll be back soon?

Thanks I do too I love date night!! I will be back on TV before you know it as we say on Bravo "watch what happens "

I love your common sense and your straight forward approach to everything. It is very refreshing. I am an instructor at a junior college in the cosmetology dept., what words of wisdom do you have for us instructors that would help us be better instructors to our students?

Fantastic question Hold your students accountable and be accountable as instructors. It is a pet peeve when i see and hear students sitting around not learning or in some cases instructors not being bothered to teach. These kids need to learn their course requirements for sure but they also need some outside and current influences about the industry and whats happening. They also need to realize this is the beauty industry and they need to not look like they rolled out of bed take some pride in their appearance and approach and be taught good work ethics and habits while in school. I'm getting off my soap box now!

Are you related to Chip Coffey?

No but I get that a lot which makes me wonder if Chip gets asked the same question?

What about Folger's Coffee?

not my think i am a dunking donuts girl or if i am feeling fancy nespresso!!

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Who the fuck is Paul Coffey??

What about legendary Motown guitarist Dennis Coffey?

No Not related to ny other coffey's that I am aware of I am the last of the line. However if someone finds my good for nothing Father please LMK!!

Oh man, Tabatha, you are the Gordon Ramsey of hairstylists.

What were some of your most memorable moments on Tabatha Takes Over?

Also, what're some of your favorite food and drink pairings?

I have so many great moment good and bad from takeover, it is honestly such a pleasure that people open up to me and even for all the resistance the ones that get it and implement change have had some fantastic results I guess the really memorable ones for me are sometimes the ones that didn't listen or wouldn't take the help. Food and drink I love food and I love to cook i am a red wine girl or bubbles all the way

Hi Tabatha! When I was in cosmetology school I was incredibly lucky to have taken the Vidal Sassoon's ABC cutting classes. It's something that began my love affair with hair and gave me confidence in my hair cutting skills. What is one of the most important things you took away from your Vidal Sassoon training(or any training, I'll take all the knowledge I can get!)?

Also, if you could makeover one celebrity(dead or alive) who would it be and what would you do?

Your passion and talent is such an inspiration, thank you :)

Vidal Sassoon changed my life. It was all about structure, control and precision. It has been the foundation for many of us for a very long time because once you know the rules you understand how to break them. It also taught me humility because I thought i was OK until I was trained there and then realized i had a million or 2 things to learn. I also loved Vidal because he did what he needed to do to be the best in his field and his hard work dedication and passion is something we should all strive for. All eduction is great we never stop learning in this industry and practice practice practice to me it is about honing your craft and training your eye.

I've been bald since 21 Tabatha. What do you think of bald men, and what are some good features to go with a bald head?

Confidence!

Tabatha have you ever watched The Profit on CNBC? You two should team up. It would be EPIC!

I have great show and it would be but my dream Gordon Ramsey and I!!!!

Are they really trying to do away with licensing? I'm proud to be licensed and I worked hard to get where I am, I feel somewhat belittled, as if we, as stylists, don't really matter. It's ridiculous to think any Joe Schmoe can put a chair in their garage and be open for business! How can we stop this?

They really are and it it absolutely fucking ridiculous and thank you for asking!! Please follow me I always post when some thing happens and follow PBA.org they have a great program called I am a licensed professional and it gives state updates also

Tabatha, I have a client which we have applied Demi perm color on and it doesn't hold the desired tone. What is the best way to get the coverage desired with the tone we want?

depending on the brand you can sometimes increase the development time or use heat for more intensity. Have you tried adding an intensifier?

What's your favorite spaghetti?

Gluten feee

Do you like hot or cold water better?

room temperature thanks or sparkling no ice.

Were you in Provincetown, MA on Memorial Day weekend? I was pretty convinced I saw you with a small entourage of young flat-ironed brunettes.

Um now I was at home in NJ so it must have been my doppelgänger

One of my favorite moments from you was when you were at Chicago Male where someone said that they catered to the Boystown community and you stated you were still part of the community, just missing a few inches. :) What do you think is the best way to be an advocate/ally for the LGBTQIA community?

To be supportive and open minded and vocal so that you stand up for the community.

Would you rather fight 1 horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses?

100 duck sized horses

Tabatha, I want to say thank you for this time with you. I would love for us to meet and have a glass of wine and talk about our days in the drag room. I am asking this last question to you, how great was Joan Rivers in person vs. on camera when she talked to you?

meeting Joan Rivers was one of the highlights of career I was so freaked out when I first met her i could hardly speak. she was so nice and kind and gracious when we finished filming she took me in to her kitchen and offered me wine and food and wanted to give me a snack for the car! every other time I met her she was the same way a class act truly genuine and no bull shit I adores her and was devastated by her death. Such a loss for us her fans and poor Melissa

Thank you Tabatha, for making a movement in your industry. I enjoy your books. "Own It" is a personal favorite of mine. It taught me how to deal with my attitude towards life. Will your future endeavors deal with self-help like "Own It" or more towards the beauty industry? I think you do both very well.

Thanks and I plan to continue doing both. I love the beauty industry and launching Industrieonline.com is my way of being active in the industry being able to do what I love hair and give back to the profession that has given so much to me. My next book will be self help I guess i like to share with people what I have gone through so they hopefully feel empowered to get through their shit and know they aren't alone. it helps me to hear other peoples stories so I hope mine help others also

The Industrie website is having errors. SO not being able to see it, what's it all about?

Industrieonline.com is live

Industrieonline will be live very soon I wanted to time it all with my Reddit sometimes it works sometimes not so much! but check it out in a bit

You wear clothes beautifully, and I know you appreciate the art of fashion. Who is your favorite designer?

I really do my favorite designer is McQueen

Hello Tabatha, are you going to write anymore books?

Thanks for asking I am actually working on one now it's not what you expect from me but very close to my heart.

How do you ask a question on here.. Do you still have your salon in New Jersey

You just did and No i do not

Hello Tabatha!

I am starting cosmetology courses later this month and was wondering, what advice do you have for those of us in school or just starting out in the industry?

Welcome to the wonderful world of beauty. Never stop learning and seek as much education as you can outside of school. Finding a mentor or someone to shadow can really really help and good luck

you're beautiful tabatha..did you start your career by modeling?

AWWWW thank you but hell no only modeling I have done is in my dreams

What inspires you and fuels your passion?

wow, I get work inspiration from a lot of places especially fashion,i really love what i do and meeting people, interacting, teaching are all things that keep me going. I am also really tough on myself I don't rest on my laurels so it helps to push me

In the show Breaking Bad, Marie takes pre-natal vitamins for her hair. How true is it that it improves one's hair?

Vitamins do help for sure and there are some specific hair ones out there that help

Are people IRL ever surprised you seem kinder than on Takeover?

Sure all the time but it's the circumstance I am in that brings out what you see. Believe me if you had a camera on me at 8am this morning would have seen the Takeover Tabatha you all know.

Is it true that you have been banned from a certain Columbus, Ohio hotel because of shenanigans that occurred during the hair show that is hosted there?

Um no but it sounds terribly exciting!! I haven't taken part any in shenanigans in quite some time!!

Hi, my husband saw this AMA and encouraged me to ask you something, so here goes, any chance that you will ever come to Cape Town, South Africa to come and do a business- or hair seminar of any kind? I am a huge fan, and have taken your advice from the take-over shows very seriously in the salon(even your fabulous dress-sense) Thanx

I would love to I have never been to South Africa and it is on the top of my wish list

You are often on TV critiquing others for their hair/appearances. I work with animals who don't care what you look like! Do you agree that it's what's on the inside that's more important and why do you (appear to) set so much store on someone's appearance?

I agree that to be truly beautiful it starts with what is inside, however we all appreciate looking at beautiful things and just like art beauty is subjective an open to opinion. I work in the beauty industry so yes I look at the outside and yes I critique it and share my opinion.

How big is an inch to a hairstylist? Because all hairstylists I know think an inch is 3 times bigger than what an inch really is.

Well an inch is an inch however I agree some hairdressers inch is another persons 3!! my tip show them your inch and then make them show you theirs.

How many dates in is it appropriate for me to ask to see their inch?

First one may as well be full disclosure from the beginning then you know what you are in for!!

I've heard you cut hair with a knife, is this true Tammy?

UM MAY NAME IS NOT TAMMY IT'S TABATHA AND NO I DO NOT!!