Today we’d like to introduce you to Orlando Ortega.
Hi Orlando, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. I moved to LA after a 10 year dance career came to an end, with a back injury. My plan was to attend the best cosmetology school I could find, which lead me to the Vidal Sasssoon Academy in Santa Monica, CA.
After finishing their program, I went to work with Celebrity hairstylist Allen Edwards, where I learned freestyle technique, the total opposite of my foundation at Sassoon. A few years later, I was thrusted to my next stop, Luxelab Salon. This is where I would learn high-end customer service, business development and find my true calling. Mentored by Jason Lara and David Abrams, I became an Assistant Manager. Not long after that, I was given the opportunity to run my own salon under the Luxelab brand. In just a few year’s time, we reached 1 Million Dollars in revenue, making it the fastest-growing salon in the brand. I am now one of the major Partners/Owners of the luxelab brand. It feels like just yesterday where my daily lunch was cup of noodles and I was living in a shared apartment sleeping on the floor because I couldn’t afford a bed. A life where I was catching the bus, going to school, and working 20 hours day, just to do it over again. I appreciate my foundation, as it is a testament to hard work pays off!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t consider myself a lucky person. I’m not sure I even believe in luck. I believe that everyone gets opportunities. What determines success is whether they are prepared to see the opportunity at the time it is presented. Life wasn’t easy growing upcoming from divorced parents and no relationship with my father. I’ve struggled with sexually orientation as a child, dyslexia, and far worse things that I choose not to talk about. Fortunately, I was raised by my mother, a strong and independent woman. When I was growing up, there was no crying allowed. She’d tell me get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the game. Not a literal game cause sports is not my “T”, but the game of life. That mentality has stuck with me till this day. I have never given up, especially after each failure. I perceive each setback and failure as a steppingstone, each one has lessons to be learned, each one a step towards success.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Luxelab Salon?
The luxelab brand strives to be a market leader salon, one that people enjoy coming to. A place of professionalism and most of all, creativity. We work with young new hairstylists, teaching them the ins and outs of our industry. Too many salons don’t have programs in place to advance their teams. We have created one of LAs top assistant education programs and offer many resources for the team, such as access to mentorship/leadership, business development, product knowledge, and advance education, to name a few. We Value growth and learning and are passionate about helping to create a pathway for success. We believe the brand’s success is only as successful as the individual success of the team.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
First and foremost, my mom. She raised me strong. If it wasn’t for my upbringing, I don’t think I’d be where I am today. Also, my husband Mateo. I’ve known him since I moved to LA 15 years ago. He is my best friend and inspires me to be the best version of myself. Last but not least, Jason and David, my partners at Luxelab. They have taught me pretty much everything I know about the hair industry. It was their belief in me and the opportunities they gave me that allowed me to shine. Now I get to pass that on.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.luxelab.com/stylists/orlando-ortega/
- Instagram: @orlandoitis
