Tabatha Takes Over

Format

Tabatha Takes Over begins with Tabatha meeting the owner(s) of the business she will take over; in Seasons 1 through 3, these were exclusively hair salons, but in Season 4, other struggling small businesses are featured (including a gay bar, a frozen yogurt parlor, and a dog grooming/doggie day care facility). During a discussion regarding the state of the business, Tabatha and the owner(s) watch surveillance tapes that invariably reveal poor management, unprofessional staff behavior, and uncomfortable/dissatisfied clientele; Tabatha demands the keys to the business and the takeover begins. Tabatha enters the business with the owner(s), informing the staff that she will take over and calls them out on what she has seen; she informs them that some staff could be in danger of losing their jobs. She then requests a tour ("The Inspection"), usually finding it dirty, unsanitary, and unorganized. She calls a staff meeting for the following day, during which she gets their point of view. After the staff meeting she brings in clients so she can assess the staff's work ("The Assessment"). By the end of the second day, she sits down with the owner and talks about what she thinks should be changed. The third day usually consists of team building or marketing the business and the beginning of the renovation. The renovation takes about 3 days. By the last day, "The Reopening" happens, where the salon starts anew and Tabatha assesses their improvements in a week. By the end of the day, she gives her "Final Recommendations" to the owner(s), announces to the staff the decisions of the owner(s) and gives the key back to the owner. After about 6 weeks, Tabatha comes back to see how/if the business has changed.