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By Mandy Haggerson

For the Clemmons Courier

When you view the world through the eyes of a child, the opportunities are endless. As a young child, Tanner Briggs fondly remembers her grandfather’s barber studio, which he operated out of his basement. Briggs and her cousin, Radha, who was more like a sister, would play beauty school downstairs.

“Radha lived with my grandparents, so I would go over there often to play with her, and we would hang out with the other kids in the neighborhood in Clemmons West,” Briggs said. “I loved fixing my three closest friends’ hair that lived on their street. And if we weren’t doing that, we would head down to their neighborhood pool, so there was always something active to do as a kid.”

Outside of family time and playing with her neighborhood friends, Briggs realized she had a natural talent for cheerleading as another way to stay active.

“I started cheerleading in kindergarten and really embraced it in middle school,” Briggs said.

When she attended West Forsyth High School, she made the varsity team her freshman year. High school was a formative time for Briggs. After spending the better part of her childhood with her cousin Radha, she tragically lost her life at 13 in a car accident.

“It affected me greatly,” Briggs said. “I don’t even know how to begin to describe it. It was life-changing. I felt like everything was taken from me in one moment. Family gatherings never felt the same after that.”

Briggs found a healthy way to channel her grief when Briggs graduated from West Forsyth. She had always cherished her time playing beauty school with Radha and decided to honor those memories by attending cosmetology school at Davidson Community College.

“I loved it as much as I thought I would. I was in school for a year and a half and never missed a day,” said Briggs, who also made straight A’s. “After I graduated, I went to Park West Salon and worked for Richard Williams, who was such a wonderful boss and mentor. He taught me a lot that helped me gain the confidence and experience I needed to become a salon owner and stylist myself.”

While Briggs was gaining additional experience, she met her future husband, Taylor.

“We had mutual friends and met previously,” Briggs said. “We ended up seeing each other again when he came in for a haircut; the timing was right for both of us when we reconnected. We got married in 2021.”

Tanner appreciated Taylor’s supportiveness of her entrepreneurial and artistic drive.

“We always knew that we wanted to expand our family,” Briggs said. “I had shared with him that I wanted to open my own salon. Never in my wildest dreams did I think about doing both at the same time. I received the keys to my new salon the same day that I found out we were expecting our son. I was excited and nervous all at the same time.”

When deciding what to name her salon, Briggs wanted it to reflect what was most important to her. Like any proud mother, Briggs had to show her unconditional love and bond with her fur baby, Sage, who is now a senior pit bull.

“She is the love of my life, and my wish for her is that she can live forever,” Briggs said. “I love that the meaning of her name also includes getting rid of negative energy when fire is lit under it. And ember reflects my love for Radha.”

Once Briggs came up with her official name, Ember + Sage, she had 2 weeks to pull everything together.

“It was a whirlwind, but I was so excited to open our doors,” Briggs said. “I tried to be very thoughtful during the entire process, including what we offered our clients, from products to services. I have always loved color in general and balayage. I’m constantly watching TikTok videos and other social media sites to try new techniques and learn about products. Continuing your education is so important with learning what’s out there and how to continue to improve and help your clients.

“Another important aspect of owning her own salon was making sure that if someone came in, they could get any service they needed. Other than hair care, there is a professional that can assist you with your aesthetician needs. Some of the services include facials, microneedling, lash extensions, lifts and tints, brow lamination and tints. I think people value their time, and if we have a professional for all the beauty areas, it’s a huge benefit having it all under one roof. It’s been very humbling how the majority of our business has been built off of referrals. That’s the ultimate compliment someone can give me by recommending me to someone else, whether it’s a family or friend.”

While staying busy at Ember + Sage, Briggs has been grateful to live close to family who help with Lennox.

“He’s a year and a half now, so he’s very curious and full of energy,” Briggs said. “Recently, we renovated our home and stayed with my mom during the process. It was really special for him to get to see her every day, even now with how much he gets to see both of our families, since they live so close. I know how important that is and how having a loving support system can benefit a child.

“When I took time off for maternity leave, I did miss the salon, and realized that finding the balance of both is really important. My mom has a really strong work ethic, and I think she passed that on to me. I hope to pass the same life lessons on to my son. Hard work, family, and following your dreams are so rewarding, especially because I know all too well how short life is. You’re not guaranteed tomorrow.”