Michaella Blissett-Williams says her General Manager Gloria Hortua leads with consistency, integrity, and a deep care for the staff and business.
Credit: [salon] 718
SALON TODAY's Meet the Manager series celebrates the managers, team leads, and directors in the industry who work to maintain the vision and goals of salons, spas, and barbershops. In today's profile, we meet Gloria Hortua, general manager of the eight-location strong [salon] 718 in Brooklyn, New York. Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams says Hortua is the first employee she didn’t have to train. As Hortua took over salon operations, her leadership has helped the business maintain its goal of double-digit, year-over-year growth.
Manager: Gloria Hortua, general manager
Nominated by: Michealla Blissett-Williams, owner of [salon] 718 with eight locations in Brooklyn, New York
Date of Hire: June 2023
SALON TODAY: What about Hortua’s background or experience made you think she’d be a good fit for your business?
Blissett-Williams: “Ms. Gloria came to us with an extensive background as an Executive Director at a beauty school. She understood the importance of training, education, and developing talent. More importantly, she was aligned with the company vision, creating sustainable and fulfilling careers for stylists. Her experience both behind the chair and in leadership means she knows the craft inside and out and understands the discipline required to be an exceptional hairdresser. From day one, she brought professionalism and operational insight that immediately supported me and strengthened the company tremendously.”
ST: What personality characteristics does this manager hold that make her a good manager?
Blissett-Williams: “Commitment, loyalty, dedication, and reliability are at the core of who she is. She leads with consistency, integrity, and deep care for the staff and business.”
ST: What are the three most important tasks Hortua takes on at the salon?
Blissett-Williams: “Ms. Gloria stabalizes the boat. She spearheads recruiting new talent, client engagement, and staff engagement/development.”
ST: How is Hortua compensated?
Blissett-Williams: “A combination of salary plus bonus.”
ST: How is Hortua held accountable for the performance of the business?
Blissett-Williams: “We track our growth rate, always looking to maintain double-digit growth. She also ensures that we stay within our inventory budget, supports stylist retention and performance, and represents the brand at trade shows/industry events.”
ST: How often do you meet with Hortua, and what do you go over?
Blissett-Williams: “We have a daily meeting, and we catch up once a week over lunch for deeper discussions. During these check-ins, we review our team's growth, performance benchmarks, scheduling optimization, and upcoming business needs. Ms. Gloria can earn an additional 5-10% of her salary if we make double-digit growth. She also introduced structural improvements, such as split shifting and reviewing our contracts, to ensure we get the best pricing on products.”
ST: What types of continuing education do you offer Hortua?
Blissett-Williams: “We invest heavily in her growth. She attends industry events such as Intercoiffure and the Data-Driven Salon Summit. She also travels for advanced education. Next year, she's going to Ireland; last year, she went to Germany; and there were past trips to Texas, Florida, and more. Any professional development that she is interested in, we support.”
ST: How has Hortua helped you grow personally and/or professionally?
Blissett-Williams: “She is truly an angel. She was one of the first people I hired whom I didn't have to train. She understood my vision and could follow through on it without me having to explain. She has my back, which has allowed me to shift my focus to scaling the company instead of managing daily operations. In the three years she's been with us, we've experienced significant growth due to her leadership, structure, and reliability. She is a Godsend.”
If you have a manager you'd like to nominate for this series, learn more here.
