Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Dai.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in Dallas my entire life, I have witnessed the triumphant growth of my prolific surroundings. Wearing matching Cowboys jerseys for family picture days, listening to the local radio stations every morning on my way to school singing along pretending to be excited about loving school when the truth was id rather been home using markers to change my dolls hair color instead of tracing numbers and letters repetitively.
My first experience of being a cosmochemist was when my mother moved us from North Dallas into Garland and the shock of culture allowed me to express myself freely amongst a new environment who didn’t have any childhood stories to criticize me. My mother’s free spirit gave me permission to wear my hair any way I wanted so openly that when I would go to school the young girls would ask me who did my hair? Once I discovered that not only was I becoming a walking hair show but they would bring me snacks and such in hopes that I could recreate the style on them also. No hair texture was exempt! I was naturally gifted.
In 2004, I tragically lost my mother but her spirit of freely existing continued through my daily voyage of discovering my skills and talents. At the age of 19, I enrolled in community college while working a full-time job until I eventually failed out. I would wake up religiously with the same routine pretending as if I were going to class then work until on my 20th birthday I withdrew my savings and enrolled into cosmetology school without telling anyone.
I graduated from cosmetology school in 2010. Failed my state board test 3 times, then passed my state board in 2012.
After interning with one salon, and being fired from another my spirit became fragile as to if I were fulfilling my purpose. At the age of 24, I lived alone, doing hair anywhere I could plug up a flatiron just to pay my bills until one day I broke down and cried while calling around to salons and each of them rejected me for various reasons. One salon even put my name on the list saying they were full which I knew they weren’t so and I went to facility the same day and she said, “Oh, we have one room left” I didn’t trust her so I left. Finally, I searched for salon suites, and although I heard of them before I wasn’t sure I was ready to be responsible for my clients without supervision.
The manager gave me a contract and told me to take it home, fill it out and bring it back the following day. As I’m completing the form a blank line says “Company Name” I look towards a friend of mine and ask, “Well, what do I put?” then as quickly as I could begin to think he says, “Well the way you develop relationships with some of your clients you’d think they were having an affair…” We brainstormed on my company name and motto for hours until Mane Affair was created and since 2013 we have grown into a laboratory for women to enhance themselves confidently anywhere their hair goes.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The journey to where I am today has been gratification.
Within my experience what would be the most challenging is the ability to complete. As an artist nothing ever feels complete, I can always add here or take off some of that and it looks better or becomes worst than how it started. I’m living in the Times of the Entrepreneur and while I’m constantly reinventing my strategy to succeed another company perhaps similar to mine appears to be getting ahead.
What helps me smooth that road is a prayer for understanding, keeping my eyes on my test, and having satisfaction with being enough.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Mane Affair Studio – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Mane Affair Studio is an experimental, exploration between me, you and your hair.
I accompany textured hair with education, hair extension connoisseurship & healthy lifestyle cheerleading. My advanced hair care knowledge and polished skills enhance today’s professional woman, sophisticated being to confidently enter the room first while taking her confidence everywhere her hair goes.
Mane Affair, Studio one of the leading textured hair studios residing in Carrollton, TX. We help develop an arsenal of various activity appropriate hairstyles to avoid boredom and blending in with others. I’m most proud of my ability to transform someone unaware of the nature of their hair into aware and conversing with others about the progress.
Our Studio experience is a relaxed, private environment filled with laughs, personal hair notes for each visit, on-hand or in stock products, pure passion for your natural hair and lots of education to put your strands at ease.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The future is present. Therefore when it comes to planning I focus on what is happening now and what God wants from me. I’m grateful that I’ve set my life up to receive the blessings of having a full-service wellness salon servicing and educating women of many journeys about the importance of their self-esteem and how to manage it.
I look forward to being the most recognized cosmochemist in Dallas and the surrounding metroplex then ill work on universal.
Pricing:
- Most Popular, “The Greenhouse Effect” – $85
- Most Recommended, “Welcome To Mane Affair” – $150
- Most Valuable, “Elevation Package” $300
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maneaffairstudio.com
- Email: info@maneaffairstudio.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/maneaffairstudio
- Facebook: facebook.com/maneaffairstudio
Image Credit:
Wonderland Boudoir, PictureMeMK
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
