Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Gomez.
Leslie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always had a love for all things beauty. Even as a little girl, I was constantly doing my makeup, styling my hair, and even doing my cousins’ hair when we would play dress-up. Looking back, I truly feel like beauty and hairstyling have always been in my heart.
I started cosmetology school in 2019 and graduated in 2020. Unfortunately, most of my time in school was during the pandemic, which made the experience especially challenging. For several months, our classes were completely virtual through Zoom, and during that same time, I was also dealing with the loss of a loved one. It was a very difficult period, and there were definitely moments when I felt discouraged. I remember one teacher even asking me, “Are you sure you even want to do hair?” I’ll never forget that question because, despite everything I was going through, I knew the answer was yes. I truly loved what I was doing.
After graduating, I worked in a few different salons. Those experiences taught me a lot not only about hairstyling and the beauty industry, but also about the kind of business owner I wanted to become. There were moments when I would think, “If I were a salon owner, I would do things so differently.” I knew I wanted to create a salon environment where employees felt respected, valued, supported, and appreciated.
In 2023, I decided to take a leap of faith and start my own business out of a salon suite. At the time, I had little to no clientele maybe three to five clients at most but I believed in myself enough to start anyway. I took that risk, worked hard, and slowly began building my clientele and my business.
By late 2024, I opened my own salon in New Port Richey. At the time, I had also just found out I was pregnant with my baby girl Mikeyla , so I was balancing a lot personally while continuing to grow my business. But pregnancy never stopped me. I worked almost right up until giving birth literally about a week before! Haha. My business continued to grow, and watching my clientele and community grow with it was such an amazing feeling.
2024 was also a very emotional year for me because I lost my grandmother, which was one of the biggest heartbreaks I’ve ever experienced. She was always someone who reminded me how proud she was of me and everything I was building. She would always tell me to keep my faith in God and keep pushing forward with my dreams. Hearing her tell me that she was proud of me meant so much, and after losing her, it became even more important to me to keep going and work even harder. I knew she would be proud of the woman and business owner I was becoming, and that thought gave me even more motivation to keep pushing forward.
Then, at the beginning of 2026, I faced what was probably the biggest obstacle I had experienced in my business: I had to close my salon. It was heartbreaking. After everything I had worked so hard for, having to close those doors was incredibly difficult. But I refused to let that experience stop me. Instead, it made me want to work harder, push myself further, and prove to myself that one setback would not define my story.
I come from a Hispanic family, and one thing I was taught from a very young age is that sometimes we have to work a little harder than others to get where we want to be. That mindset has always stayed with me. My parents have always taught me to work hard for what I want, to be independent, and never to sit around waiting for someone else to make things happen for me. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my entire life and especially throughout my entrepreneurial journey. I’ve carried that work ethic with me into everything I do.
Now, just a few months later, I’m incredibly proud to say that I own SlayByLes Hair Salon | Barbershop alongside my husband. Looking back at where I started with only a handful of clients and so many uncertainties to where I am today is something I’m extremely proud of.
It has taken a lot of hard work, tears, sweat, faith, and countless moments of wondering if I was doing the right thing. But every challenge has shaped me into the business owner I am today. I’m incredibly grateful for my parents, my husband, my family, and especially every single client who has supported me, believed in me, and continued to grow with me throughout this journey.
My story is far from over, but I can honestly say that every step, even the difficult ones, has been worth it to get me where I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road. There have been a lot of ups and downs, and honestly, some moments where I questioned myself and wondered if I was doing the right thing.One of the biggest challenges was starting my business with almost no clientele. I had to build everything from the ground up, learn how to attract and retain clients, manage the business side of things, and continue improving my skills all at the same time. There were definitely times when it felt like I was working so hard without seeing the results I wanted right away.I also went through a lot personally while trying to build my business. I went through the pandemic during cosmetology school, experienced the loss of loved ones, lost my grandmother in 2024, and was also building my business while becoming a mom. Then, in 2026, having to close my salon was probably one of the hardest things I’ve experienced professionally. It felt like I was losing something I had worked so hard to build. I’ve learned that entrepreneurship is not always about having everything figured out or having a perfect journey. Sometimes it’s about being willing to start over, learning from your experiences, and continuing to believe in yourself even when things get difficult.Every setback has taught me something, and I honestly wouldn’t change those experiences because they’ve helped shape the business owner and person I am today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
It is a family-owned / Latino -Owned business that I own alongside my husband, and our goal is to create a space where everyone feels welcomed, comfortable, and confident. We are located at 6610 Port Richey,Florida 34668.
I specialize in hair extensions, blonding, highlights, balayage, color corrections, and dematting services. I also offer a variety of color services, and one thing I’m especially proud of is the way I’ve structured my color packages. Our color services are packaged so that clients know exactly what they are paying for upfrontthere are no unexpected additional costs or surprises at the end of their appointment. Since color services can be a big investment, I want my clients to feel like they are getting the most out of their service.We also offer five different hair extension methods, allowing me to customize the service based on each client’s hair, lifestyle, and individual needs. More recently, we’ve expanded our services to include barbering, with my husband joining me in the business as a licensed barber.
What really sets my business apart, though, is that for me, it has never been just about the money. I genuinely love helping people. You never know what someone may be going through when they sit in your chair, and sometimes doing their hair is about so much more than just the service itself. I want my clients to feel safe, heard, comfortable, and cared for. That is something I try to bring into every appointment.
I also think my personality has become a big part of my brand. A lot of my clients tell me that they love coming to me because they feel comfortable around me, we’re always laughing, and they know they’re going to have a good time. I want people to leave my salon feeling beautiful, but I also want them to leave feeling happier than when they walked in.
I’m especially proud of the brand I’ve built because I started with very little and have been able to grow it into something that represents who I am. SlayByLes is not just a salon it represents hard work, resilience, creativity, and genuinely caring about the people who support my business. I’m proud that my clients trust me with their hair and that I’ve been able to build relationships and a community around my brand.
Ultimately, I want people to know that when they come to SlayByLes, they’re not just coming in for a haircut, color, extensions, or a fresh new look. They’re coming into a space where they can feel comfortable being themselves, laugh, feel cared for, and leave feeling confident.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Absolutely. I definitely consider myself a risk-taker when it comes to pursuing something I truly believe in. One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was starting my own business and moving into a salon suite without having any clients lined up.Honestly, it was scary. I barely had any money at the time, and there was no guarantee that clients would come or that my business would work out. But I was focused, determined, and willing to bet on myself. I knew that if I wanted to build something of my own, I had to be willing to take that first step, even if I was afraid.
Looking back, taking that risk was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It taught me that sometimes you have to be uncomfortable and take a chance on yourself before you can see the results you’re capable of achieving. For me, taking risks isn’t about being careless it’s about believing in my vision, doing what I can to prepare, and having the courage to go for it even when I don’t know exactly how everything will turn out.
Pricing:
- Tuesdays wash and blow dry special $30
- Seniors get 20% off any color services
- $85 women’s haircuts
- Partial highlight/Balayage package $325
- Full highlight / Balayage package $425
Contact Info:
- Website: https://slaybyles.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slaybyles
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AipUi5oGh/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_slaybyles
