Check Out Luella Mendivil’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luella Mendivil.

Hi Luella, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Luella Mendivil, and if there’s one thing that has defined my life from the beginning, it’s creativity! I’ve been artistic for as long as I can remember—drawing, painting, entering every little art competition I could find. As a kid in Macomb, Illinois, I even won several Rembrandt awards, which felt like the universe’s way of whispering, “Keep going.”

But like many people, my first career choice wasn’t the one my heart was begging for. After moving to Arizona in 2004, I became an office manager. It was stable, organized, and safe—everything a young adult “should” want. But every day my creative side tugged at me harder and I knew deep down that I needed to be doing something that blended art, connection, and hands-on transformation.

So I took a chance on myself and enrolled in Empire Beauty School. I graduated in 2010, trained in Pivot Point cutting and advanced coloring techniques with Goldwell, and spent years working as both a stylist and a manager in Tempe. I learned, I grew, I mentored new stylists, and I fell completely in love with my craft.

And then came the big dream: opening my own salon studio.

In 2017, that dream went from “maybe” to “now or never.” And let me tell you—making that jump was one of the scariest decisions of my entire life! I had three children depending on me and a life full of responsibilities. Every thought in my head seemed to scream, “Are you sure?”

The loudest voice was the one saying, “Do it anyway!”
And right behind that voice was my husband—the man I married in 2008 and the biggest supporter I could ever ask for. He believed in me on the days I felt fearless and on the days I felt like an absolute mess. He pushed me when I doubted myself and reminded me why I started in the first place.

Of course, dreams don’t fund themselves, and starting a business takes money—money I did not casually have sitting around. So, I got creative in the most unexpected way: I sold tamales! Yes, actual homemade tamales. And honestly? They worked. People bought them like hotcakes. For a moment there, tamales were practically my business partner.

With hustle, determination, family support, long days, late nights, and a lot of laughter and some tears along the way, I opened my salon studio in 2017—and it changed my life!

Today, my studio is a place where artistry meets comfort. I specialize in multiple extension methods, including Weft Beaded Rows, Hidden Beaded Row, Tape-Ins, Top of the head solutions and Keratin Tips. I pour my heart into every client who sits in my chair, not just to make them look beautiful, but to make them feel beautiful, understood, and cared for.

Looking back, every part of my story makes sense:
the girl with the paintbrush,
the office manager craving creativity,
the beauty school student chasing a dream,
the Mom determined to build something better,
the wife supported by love,
and the woman brave enough to sell tamales to make it all happen!

My journey has been equal parts courage, humor, and heart. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that dreams don’t always start with perfect timing—they start with a decision to try.

Sometimes, all it takes is talent, a bit of support, and a really good tamale!!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Right before any of this salon-owner dreaming even began, our family had just survived one of the most stressful, emotional, and expensive journeys we’d ever taken: helping my husband, whom I married in 2008, become a U.S. citizen. He officially became a citizen in 2014, but the years leading up to it felt like a marathon made of paperwork, interviews, legal fees, and a permanent knot of worry sitting in our stomachs. Every envelope we mailed felt like it cost $500, and every appointment felt like we were holding our breath underwater. By the end of it, we were thankful, relieved… and absolutely drained—not just financially, but mentally and emotionally too.

That wasn’t the only big investment happening around that time. I also had the cost of cosmetology school hanging over us—a choice I would make a thousand times again, but let’s be honest… beauty school bills hit different. Between tuition, supplies, chemicals, tools, and the mannequin heads silently judging me with their cold eyed stares as if I owed them rent money, it all added up fast!

Then, in 2015, life threw us the sweetest, most unexpected curveball. We found out I was pregnant. Considering we didn’t think we could conceive, she was a miracle—our little “plot twist!” We went from “there’s no way, 6 positive tests to be sure” to “we need a crib, diapers, formula, wipes, and about seventeen baby blankets ASAP.” Suddenly our lives were full of joy, excitement, and an entirely new set of expenses all wrapped up in a tiny pink bow!

So when the dream of opening my own salon studio came knocking in 2017, it felt even heavier than usual. We were still financially recovering from the citizenship process, adjusting to life with a miracle baby, and trying to rebuild our savings—which at that point felt more like a polite suggestion than an actual bank account. Our budget wasn’t tight; it was holding on by a single bobby pin!

Through all of this chaos, my husband never wavered. Not once. After everything he had just been through—the interviews, the stress, the paperwork that could wallpaper a house—he still showed up with pep talks, encouragement, and the kind of belief in me that made quitting impossible. I’m greatful for him and everyone else that’s been there to support my journey.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a hairstylist, salon studio owner, extension specialist, color blender, hair therapist, comedian-by-accident, and part-time life coach — all rolled into one. I’ve been in the beauty industry since 2009, which basically means I’ve spent well over a decade transforming hair and hearing everyone’s deepest secrets while I do it. And yes… my lips are sealed. Always.

I’m known for my obsessive attention to detail, my honesty (the kind that’s helpful, not hurtful), and my ability to create results that look effortlessly natural — even though there’s usually a very technical method behind the magic. People tell me I’m approachable, real, and easy to talk to, which matters in this industry. Hair is personal. Trust is everything.

Clients come to me because I listen, I explain, and I never rush. Every appointment is customized. No cookie-cutter formulas, no “one-size-fits-all” toners, and absolutely no assembly-line hair. If you sit in my chair, your hair is getting its own blueprint.

I’m also known for having an artistic eye, which goes all the way back to my childhood as an award-winning young artist. Those Rembrandt awards trained me early — and that artistic foundation shows up in the way I foil, blend, map color, and place extensions. I don’t just “do hair.” I sculpt it, paint it, and design it to fit you.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I get most of my hair inspiration from Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok — basically the holy trinity of “stylists teaching other stylists at 2 a.m.” I follow educators, creators, and salon owners who drop tips and secrets faster than I can screenshot them. Honestly, I fall asleep at night to the sound of clippers. It’s my version of a lullaby.

Outside of hair, I am a reader — but more the “research a topic until I become a mini-expert” type. Genealogy and health are my two biggest rabbit holes, and once I start digging, I don’t come up for air.

So I learn visually for work, and through deep-dive research for fun. It’s chaotic, focused, and weirdly soothing — but it works for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Revampedhairsalon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revampedhairsalon?igsh=MW80NTFyYjNmZ2hkZg==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17gtC7tGja/