Daughters Of Zion CNPP Grantee Announces Tomisha Rucker – The Pink Salon As The DOZ CNPP Entrepreneur Of The Week- May 29, 2022 – June 4, 2022

By: Gloria Davis

Tomisha Rucker

The Pink Salon & My Sister’s Closet

Phone # (901) 247-8057

Years In Business: 1

Number of Employees:  5

As part of our follow-up to the progress the Daughters of Zion CNPP grantee is making within Memphis, Shelby County, and beyond- we are highlighting the weekly Entrepreneur of the Week award. When asked why Tomisha Rucker was selected as the entrepreneur of the week, Dr. Gerald Kiner, PhD declared, “Misha was the first person that taught me how to market on Facebook over 10 years ago. She is a marketing genius. While other people were posting photos of themselves on Facebook- 10 years ago Misha was posting photos and videos of her clients and her cosmetology skills. She blew my mind and she has never stopped blowing my mind. She is a dedicated mother just as much as she is a dedicated business woman. She is the real deal. I am so proud to be a part of her life both spiritual-wise and business-wise. I am honored to call her a friend.” 

Tomisha Rucker answered several questions for the entrepreneur of the week.

Q: Tell us your full name and the name of your business. 

A: My full name is Tomisha Rucker and the name of my business is the Pink Salon. 

Q: How did you come up with that awesome name for your business? 

A: First of all, my favorite color is not pink, it never has been pink. It’s something God just dropped in my spirit one day. And then, I began to look up the meaning of pink. The Christian meaning of pink and just understanding where it derived from stood out to me. That is how I came up with the name The Pink Salon.

Q.What is the meaning of pink? 

A. It represents serenity, love, and peace. Pink is a color known for bringing peace and serenity. 

Q: How did you get into the cosmetology industry? 

A: Since I was a little girl I always loved doing hair while playing with my dolls. I learned how to do my own hair because my mom could not do hair and  I hated the way she did my hair. So, I started learning from other people and it just clicked.  I think I was just naturally born with the gift.

Q. What attracted you to start your own business? 

A. I guess it’s in me, not on me. I just wanted to have my own, I was tired of the experiences that I was having over the 10, 15 year course of working at other salons. I had a vision, a mission, something that I wanted to just dare to be different to do, and just start my own trend and salon. 

Q. How has having your own salon impacted your daughter? I know you had a problem before with salons not wanting your daughter to be around.

A. Well, it’s given her a sense of responsibility and knowing that this will one day be hers she’s very proud. She’s very proud and she’s very secure with it being mine, which will one day be hers.

Q. What have been some of the compliments you receive from your clients about your new salon? 

A. I waited so long for this. They’ve been with me through everything from the different transitions, and they said that I deserved it. And this was nothing but God, so they’re very proud clients.

Q. What was it like going through the process to start your own salon from scratch?

A. It was challenging, but it was worth it. You know, everything you do you have to make a sacrifice, and the bigger the sacrifice, the greater the reward. So, it was challenging but it was all worth it.

Q.  Did you have much help to get your new salon up and running?

A. I’mma be honest. Help was limited, but you know, with God on my side I had everything that I needed. All my needs were supplied, every door, it was so many doors being opened. Once one door closed, three or four more doors opened. And, my support system that did help me, oh, my God…it was so many blessings coming my way, even when I did run out of funding.

Q. What happened when you ran out of funding?

A. I trusted God, I said, “God didn’t bring me this far to leave me,” and He made a way out of no way. So, what I thought would be a two month process turned into maybe an eight month process. But, you know, with God’s timing it’s perfect timing. 

Q.What separates your salon apart from the average salon?

A. The fact that we have all services in one place. The vibes, the peaceful serenity vibes and the services that we offer. We offer everything from hair styling, hair extensions, facials, massages, waxing. We have a full sauna oxygen bar that I mentioned, full body massages. We do the foot detox, Yoni steams, the infrared full-body wrap blankets. We do so much, everything that a woman could ask for in one place, we have it at the Pink Salon. As well as My Sister’s Closet, we have an onsite boutique that my sister and I started too, inside of the Pink Salon. So, yes, everything in one place.

Q. What’s your vision for the next five years for the Pink Salon?

A. Growth. To have more women, like-minded women, employ them with jobs at the salon, and to expand. I want, not only the Pink Salon 901 in Memphis, I want about four or five more locations in very popular cities, such as Dallas, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

Q. What would you tell someone that’s looking for a salon about why she should come and bring her children to your salon?

A. As a client, we treat all of our clients like celebrities, each and every one of our clients are celebrities, and you will get that experience and treatment.

Q. How did you hear about the Daughters of Zion Community Navigator Pilot Program?

A. The Daughters of Zion, I would have to say just being a member of Jesus People Church, and just networking, and social media. You guys are everywhere. I heard about the Daughters of Zion from just being a member and visiting.

Q. Has the Daughters of Zion Community Navigator Pilot Program impacted you?

A. I love the support and the prayers. They always pray behind your back and they always give you what you need to move forward with your business and help.

Q. What would you say to anybody that wants to know who you are and what your salon is all about?

A. I would say, come see for yourself, I’m one of a kind. My salon is one of a kind, and we are there to be different and stand out, I promise we are top notch.