Meet Taylor DeSanto of HairByTay in Scottsdale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor DeSanto.

Taylor, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started out at the Aveda Institute of Phoenix here in Tempe. It was the first real decision I was able to commit to after a year off from college, working 2-3 jobs, going through a rough patch in my personal life, and having to completely rediscover the person I lost sight of for a couple of years prior.

When I was younger, I was raised to believe that everything I wanted or needed–I would have to work for. I was also raised to believe that I should always chase my dreams, however, alongside chasing those dreams, I needed to make sure I could sustain them as well as myself. I never knew what it was I wanted to do, I was never the girl who had it all planned out from head to toe, Truthfully I wanted to do it all. But as I got older, it came down to three things. First, being that it had to be something creative. Second, it had to be something that allowed me to help others, and thirdly it had to be able to support me.

HairByTay was the exact triple threat I had been searching for my entire life. A career that was supporting me, allowing me to be as creative as I wanted, and above all touching people’s lives for the better.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road–it’s been a very bumpy one, filled with setback after setback both physically and emotionally. A big struggle was learning that not everything is going to work out how I imagined it. Fresh out of beauty school, I landed what I prayed would be my dream job, and it was–until it wasn’t. I was young and really didn’t know what I was getting into with it being my very first salon. But you live and you learn.

I spent almost three years working day and night, sacrificing my mental, physical, and emotional well being because I thought that’s how it had to be. Give it your all and in return you’ll be successful. I put myself on the back burner, sacrificed a lot, stepped away from the person I was raised to be, and in the end it was more of a loss than anything.

The decision to quit as a commission stylist in the summer of 2019 and turn booth rental was without a doubt one of the scariest choices I made in my career thus far. It was constantly there–the self-doubt, the whispers of those who said I wasn’t ready or couldn’t do it. The struggle of anxiety and fear trying to hold me back so much to the point where I was letting the stress literally eat me alive.

Two months into being on my own, I fell very ill. From Early August to Late October, I was battling the biggest physical setback of my life, as well as having to address the mental and emotional toll I had put on myself for years and years. It’s true what they say–stress can kill. There was a period of not knowing what my life was going to look like anymore, and it really scared me straight. I realized that I take care of people every single day, so why couldn’t I do it for myself? Because at the end of the day, without your health, you’ve got nothing to offer anyone else.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
HairByTay is a party of one, with a few guest appearances. Proudly I rent a chair at a wonderful salon in Scottsdale called Waters + Co–ran by one of the best mentors I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing–Mrs. Alicia Schroeder. It’s a smaller salon but has a huge heart within its stylists and I’m thrilled to be a part of it, to learn from them, (Shoutout to my fellow senior stylists William and Trisha for putting up with me!) It’s a support system that I had been searching for in a work environment for so long. I believe when you’re around good people, with the right intentions, you’ll continue to thrive.

Within this hair industry, I do gravitate more towards color. I am Aveda, Redken, and Wella Trained in my color department. Styling is a huge passion of mine, and back in beauty school, I actually got to attend New York Fashion Week of 2016 and work on about five different shows with some of the best in our industry! I specialize in creative color projects, balayage, styling, and cutting. I am a big believer in a healthy hair journey so I am investing in products from lines like Oribe, R+Co, Aveda, and more! I am constantly watching and learning and practicing in every spare moment I have. A day doesn’t pass where I have not touched hair, whether it’s a real person or a mannequin head. I believe what sets me apart is my personality, my honesty–I will never have a client leave my chair unless they are completely satisfied. I will always own up to my mistakes because they do happen–but that’s how you learn. A stylist-Client relationship is about trust to me, more than anything else that’s what matters most to me.

I’m proud that my little rental chair is being filled more and more as time goes on. I’m proud that in the midst of all my hardships, that people still continued to see me and trust me because of the relationships we have built. I never expect anything to be easy, but I do expect it to be worth it. And I’m glad to say that I am at a point right now where I am seeing my own worth as well as HairByTay’s.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is being of good character, of making people see their own worth. When someone sits in my chair, I can immediately absorb the energy they’re feeling–and when their appointment comes to an end and that energy has shifted from down to up. I know I have successfully done my job. It’s not about money, t’s about integrity. It’s about kindness. It’s about making a difference. Because money comes and goes, but character is forever.

If I’ve made someone happy, changed the way they see themselves, made a difference in the future choices they were thinking of making–then that is a success to me.

Contact Info:

• Address: 8664 E Shea Blvd Ste 158, Scottsdale Arizona
• Email: trosed@icloud.com
• Instagram: @hairbytay_yay

Image Credit:
Image of Amanda with Hat taken by Halie Sutton, @haliebabes on Instagram

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