Member Interview with Rose + Co’s Whitney Rose Gandy

About Whitney RoseGandy

A Rose by Any other Name, wouldn’t be the same…

We love our featured member interviews! We glean so much insight and inspiration from how these amazing women thrive in life and business. Our goal with these interviews is to invite women to share their stories with the apsiration that they may be able to help other women starting a business, growing a business or even trying to tame that unicorn that is work-life balance.

In our Q&A Interview with Rose + Co Salon’s Whitney Rose Gandy, we learned a lot about her collaborative spirit and drive and the people who influenced her along the way. Always the proverbial cheerleader both in life and business, Whitney was a competitive cheerleader who jumped right out of high school into entrepreneurship, and she hasn’t looked back since. A super mom, Cheer Coach and Boutique and Salon owner, Whitney has found a way to bridge the gap between personal and professional success while giving her family top billing in the process.

With a 1500 sf shop in Downtown Canton, Texas, she girl bosses on the daily with her fabulously branded salon and cutting edge services. Her stylists love her, her community loves her, and we adore her.

Learn more about Whitney & her biz…

connect with whitney in her member profile

CEO SocietyMember Interview


(Click the down arrow to see answers)

I believe I got where I am today by the man upstairs, a few mentors, and a lot of motivation! I was born with a true entrepreneur mindset. I’ve owned a salon and boutique for 13 years. I had my boutique from day one and as any retail business, it had some highs and lows! I’ve recently closed my boutique and am off to a new project! TBA. 

 I have a lot of friends and mentors in the industry who have given me direction throughout the years and who I’ve looked up to! They’re all women! My biggest mentor has clothing in numerous retail stores and is extremely successful. Women empowering women is very Important and anyone who knows me, knows I truly believe in community over competition. 

I always knew I didn’t want to go to college as I barely made it through high school! I liked to socialize too much! Being independent working my senior year, while being head cheerleader, maintaining a 4.0 and having my own apartment, I went to cosmetology school and opened my first salon in 2012! The Rustic Rose in Blanchard, Oklahoma. 

My biggest inspirations have been several individuals, women of course 😉. My aunt, Barbara Parker, Boutique owner, coach and leader &  Kim Nauman, CEO of Bling-A-GoGo. (To name a couple.) 

For anyone wanting to be a salon owner or a boutique owner, you must have a true passion for it or it will not work. It’s not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. 

My fav thing to do in a day.. I’d have to say in work life is making my clients feel better with fresh color & all the happy vibes! 

The most rewarding thing again in my industry is just meeting my client’s satisfaction and seeing them smile and their personalities pop as they feel their best when leaving my salon. 

I’m SO excited to a part of the new CEO Society to help uplift any woman and inspire where I can! What a fun way to contribute and be a part of a group of women with the same spirit! I’d like to contribute Butter (this is her favorite chardonnay, by the way), my heart and alllll the knowledge and experience I’ve learned and gained through the years of being a CEO of my own business. Let’s inspire one another and kick some ass together! #bossladies 

I’d love to see some fun girl’s brunches, girl’s day out, spa days and maybe even a weekend retreat. Prom, maybe? How fun would that be!! Most ladies would LOVE to have another prom.

I’d absolutely never change my career path. However, There are some lessons I’ve learned along the way and have mentored other boutique owners as I’ve grown from them so they wouldn’t make the same ones. 

The most challenging part of being a business owner in today’s society is being unique. Don’t be basic & blend in with everyone else. Don’t copy your neighbor, be yourself and stand out! 

The most enjoyable part of my job as a salon owner is, making people feel and look FABULOUS of course! Most of my clients/guest become friends. Love our relationships. Customers like that as well in retail, for you to make them feel special! Call them by name, cater to them etc. 🙂  

A day in the life of me. I normally wake up and pray! On my knees… it takes praying to whole new meaning! Try it 🙂 then, before I check my emails or text, anything else, I read my devotional. It’s always good to start your day with positivity! Sounds cliche but take my word for it, it makes a difference! I thennn get my kids fed and dressed and off to either school or with my husband, mom or sometimes they hang with me for the day (depending on the day). Coffee coffee coffee…emails then my work out! Meal prep, and off to work! 

Get to work, get my clients all taken care of … colors cuts and whatever they need for the day…  catch up on emails and text while clients process. (And after and before , they’re never ending.) make sure everything at the salon is taken care of and everyone is doing what they’re suppose to be doing before I leave for the day… off to sports! Cheer, football and/or baseball. Then dinner and more time to catch up on text and emails. 🙂 

I’m literally always doing something and that’s how I like it. Being productive and staying busy is my jam. If I’m not at work working, I’m working on my phon, unless it’s Sunday or Monday!its also important to keep your YOU days. Days to unplug. Saturdays I try to not be as busy with work as well. 

How to balance work life and YOUR life:: I’ve learned over just the last couple years how important this is. You have to dedicate not only time for you as well but your family. Make days to unplug and relax. Don’t hook anything on those days. 🙂

My advice to any woman starting their own business is, don’t be afraid to take chances! Follow your heart… make sure you have a passion and love for your career, don’t do it as a “job”… I always say to my clients, although I absolutely love my family, that my real “job” is being at home with my husband and kids… the salon is a breeze & fun for me!! I adore it. 

I’m looking forward to inspiring and being inspired by amazing women in business.

I don’t have any leadership training programs but I do highly recommended Big Life podcast by Pamela Crim. She’s a friend and mentors thousands of women across the country with her morning podcast and offers monthly retreats that I’ve been on! 

I love any charity that supports mental illness. NAMI is a great one. So many of us struggle with anxieties, Depression, bipolar disorder, etc. Not only does it tug at my heart strings, but the numbers sadly increase daily.