Hey! Who is this girl anyways??

I'm Lexi, 

Salon Owner, hairstylist, makeup gal, industry educator, salon business and success junkie, a wannabe foodie, travel gal and wifey to Josh Oldenburg. 

That's the short version, the Instagram profile version.  The long version is that I am all of those things, and will break each down independently here.  

Salon owner: I opened my salon almost 11 years ago! I was 20 and people thought I was nuts. Except my parents who always have supported me and fully believed in me.  The experience and adversity I faced was  something I would never give up or trade because I learned SO much, most of which is what I attribute my success to now. Fast forward from 2007 to 2018, and I have a blooming staff of 25, in the same location, two assistants, and work behind the chair myself 5 days a week.  

Hairstylist and makeup gal:  I opened my salon during finals week while I was getting my bachelors at UCSD.  So to say I have always been a stylist, or knew I would always do hair is a stretch.  I always loved beauty, but thought I would stay on the business end, and have another career as well as owning a salon.  I realized after I graduated that to truly be a good salon owner you need to be present, and I also realized I needed to get my hands in some hair too. I couldn't sit on the sidelines any longer! I got my license and got behind the chair asap. What I have been able to accomplish behind the chair, quickly in terms of building clienteles is my secret sauce and what I want to share with you! Basically doubling your income each year to reach six figures in less than 3 years, as a booth renter was surprising to me, but not really looking back at it now. I was creating systems. and implementing the same systems day in and day out. I also did a TON of weddings and naturally got into makeup too... it goes with being a lover of all things beauty really :) 

Industry Educator: Shortly after receiving my license and working for a year or so I was approached by KMS to apply for their educator position.  I had already been an educator for Mirabella Beauty (make-up only) so I thought why not?! I prepared for my audition and was all set to go the night before and basically talked myself out of it. I didn't want to drive to LA, traffic is lame, and I could have a day off, I didn't have anything to share with them, they probably didn't even want me, what could I do for them, I was so new... etc etc. all that crazy self talk we SHOULD NOT do. My then boyfriend and now husband Josh really was my push back on this and said to me "don't go, it will be like everything else, an opportunity you could have made work, but didn't" OUCH. He got me, long story short I didn't allow him to be right, went to the audition, and have been working for KMS, Goldwell, and Varis for the last six years, and loving every minute of it.  I get to share my knowledge to stylists just like you and inspire and connect our freaking amazing industry. 

Salon business and success junkie: The stuff that makes my heart race, my face big big smile, and what makes me get up in the morning.  I love business, all kinds of business. I love our industry to the point where I scare my employees by how excited I get about silly details.  This is my mojo zone.  In our industry we are artists generally first, but if you combine that with a little biz know how, you can blow the roof off your goals and aspirations. I recognize that as artists the business side doesn't come as easy for some of us, and that the old men in a suit don't simplify it enough and we can't relate.  So we just don't work on it...and that's a huge shame and makes me want to cry because I know so many stylists have so much more ahead of them, and maybe never reach their full potential.  Pleeeeeaaaaseeeee let me share my secrets with you.... lol. I'm kidding, well kind of. You deserve it.

Wannabe foodie, travel gal, fitness and nutrition enthusiast and wifey to Josh Oldenburg: These are my hobbies, the non work things about me.  I freaking love to eat. Pasta, donuts, tacos, I mean I could go on forever.  Josh and I love to cook and one of our favorite things to do is to recreate great meals we had dining out, or on our travels at home.  We travel a lot for fun, and for work, me with KMS and education, and Josh with his surfboard business. Some of our favorite places include anywhere in Mexico, Chicago, The South of France, and Bali. We also take any chance we get to see our family who are all over the U.S. I'm also super interested in fitness and nutrition and because of my love for food am always on a quest for balance and satisfaction while maintaining the best personal health I can for me. Currently i'm a spin addict, and love any beach workout. Josh and I play golf almost weekly and just enjoy doing almost anything together, from cleaning out the garage, to checking out local craft breweries, and hanging with our friends and their ever growing families. 

I don't think I could tell you everything about me in one blog post, or if I would want to, lol, but thats the basics. hang out some more, and check out my podcast 10 minute beauty business on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcast from for easy to follow actionable steps that you can take in 10 minutes, and to lean more about me :) 

xoxo

adios amiga!