OUR BETTY OF THE WEEK IS LIA HAKIM

Our Betty of the Week is Lia Hakim, the founder of @hottblowdry, @totallyhottsalon, & @hottlash! We instantly connected four years ago at the @highperformancesalon Academy. I love her no-nonsense approach to business and her ability to see things in a positive light. I have asked her many questions about my salon company; she always has the best advice. Thank you for inspiring me and elevating the salon industry!

Fun facts about Lia:

My Background

I am originally from Los Angeles. I grew up in a small town north of LA and moved to Orange County after High School. I was enrolled in college and decided to drop out and go to cosmetology school on a whim!

After working for about five years in a salon, one of my clients worked as a flight attendant for United Airlines. On another whim, I decided that sounded fun and applied to American Airlines. I got sent to training in Dallas and discovered I would be based in NYC!

I moved to NYC and found a salon that let me do walk-in haircuts on my days off from flying. Fast forward 20 years, It was my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah year. We would receive invites and immediately book an appointment at the local blowdry bar. They were so busy and didn’t do such a great job. So on yet ANOTHER whim, I decided to open my own Blowdry Bar; in 2013, Hott Blowdry and Beauty Lounge were born. It was such a hit that I opened my second location in 2015 and realized I was building up everyone else’s full-service salon with referrals. So, I decided to open Totally Hott Salon, our full-service location, in 2016. The latest salon to open was Hott Lash in 2018 when the lash extension craze started to take off.

What surprises people about you?

I am still employed with American Airlines as a Flight Attendant, and I just celebrated my 30th-anniversary last year. I enjoy jetting off to Europe for three days a few times a month with my “stewardess” friends. We have so many laughs, enjoy amazing dinners, and I do a lot of my grocery shopping at the grocery stores of Athens, Rome, Madrid, and London …. PLUS, I get paid to do It. When I tell my passengers I own four salons, they can’t believe It … it’s too funny.