Tangerine salons have been a pillar of the community and a luxury beauty haven for 20 years in Dallas, Texas, with a strong focus on customer service, education, and involvement in local events and fundraisers.

Owner Brandon Hensley (with wife, Janet), says, “We’ve always had a very generous donation policy towards reputable organizations, especially schools–those are our customers and their children, and we want to be part of the community.”

He adds, “We never turn anyone away. From giving away gift cards for teacher orientation lunches to sponsoring Miss Texas candidates, we’re always involved. We give back in ways that will help grow and aid the community, and the law of reciprocity kicks in.”

In 2016, Tangerine’s involvement with local businesses was taken to the next level when their local professional football team–the Dallas Cowboys–reached out. Kelly Finglass, director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC), is also a Tangerine client, and she was seeking a new salon partner. 

“When the DCC partnership team approached us, we knew it was a great opportunity,” Hensley says. “I’m a firm believer that we need to be the best we can be. Being involved with a worldwide phenomenon permeates our team and instills immense pride. It helps elevate their game and their self-esteem. Having ‘Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader stylist’ in their Instagram bios is something special.” 

A Powerful Alliance that Attracts New Talent

The Dallas Cowboys brand is world-renowned and collaborates with many well-known global brands. Hensley acknowledges Tangerine is one of the Cowboys’ smaller partners, but says they are treated exactly the same as big names like Tostitos or Ford. “The Cowboys organization is run with complete respect and appreciation of its partners,” he says. “We’re invited to the same trips and events as the big names.”

Tangerine also receives eight Cowboys season tickets each year, which he passes along to his team through drawings and contests, giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy a game. While the perks are nice, Hensley says that stylist recruitment is where he has seen the most benefits. 

“The DCC partnership is amazing for staff acquisition,” he says. “We stand out, and so we have a high volume of resumes, and definitely have the pick of the litter.” 

On occasion, a really good stylist will walk through the door ready to hit the ground running, but Hensley usually hires stylists and trains them in the Tangerine education program. “Our favorite thing to do is to grow people to their potential,” he says. “If you come to work here, we will put in the effort.”

And of course, the Tangerine team also benefits from being the official stylists of the DCC. 

Netflix Dials Up the Exposure

When Tangerine entered into a partnership with DCC in 2016, the cheerleaders starred on Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team on the CMT (Country Music Television). After 16 seasons, the show was canceled in 2021, and a successor show, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, premiered on Netflix in June 2024. 

“When we first started with DCC, we told the cheerleaders (about 40 of them plus a couple of all-stars) to come in for services whenever they wanted,” Hensley says. “But now that we’re going into our 10th year, we’ve figured out what works best for us, and limit the visits to a certain amount and give the cheerleaders a budget to spend on products.”

Tangerine’s distributor and brand partners generously help keep the cheerleaders stocked, and stylists provide complimentary services. But Hensley says the social media marketing opportunities are priceless. 

Hensley selects a lead stylist with seniority to appear in front of the camera for the show, and then the rest of the team submits their names to a pool.

“The lead role needs to be someone who can project well over TV,” he says. “Then we try to get people from every level to have an opportunity to be in it. We have no control over the footage that airs, but we try to be as fair as possible.” 

Even if they aren’t featured on the show, having a DCC cheerleader as a client is an exciting opportunity for Tangerine stylists. “Part of the deal is, when the cheerleader is in the chair with us, they make IG posts and stories with their stylists and tag each other,” Hensley says. 

The popularity of America’s Sweethearts and accompanying social media blitz hasn’t just been a morale booster internally at Tangerine; it’s also great for client acquisition. 

“It’s really cool how the show has given us recognition,” Hensley says. “We don’t have to market actively–name recognition alone has us basically sold out every day—we even have people fly in for appointments.”

The media coverage of the cheerleaders has also promoted a surge in Tangerine’s extension business—especially among younger girls.

“We’ve definitely seen an uptick in extensions due to the influence of the show,” Hensley says.

But at the heart of everything the Hensleys do is their team. “Our number-one priority is staff delightment,” he says. “We want them to be proud of where they work.”

Get Involved and Thrive

Hensley acknowledges he has a partnership many salon owners covet but says community involvement is possible for any owner. “There are 32 NFL teams,” he says. “There’s also college teams, local schools–just get involved.”

Hensley advises reaching out with pure motives and let the rest fall into place. “Don’t approach a school or PTA with a marketing goal,” he says. “Do it to help the community and teach your staff about compassion and giving back.”

With 200 employees, five fully booked locations and high staff retention, Hensley says his next move is to expand some of his locations.

“I’m not interested in opening another location, but rather growing what we have,” he says. “We’re blessed with guest retention, and it’s a testimony to the hard work our team puts forth. I never dreamed our salon would get to this level.”