Beauty entrepreneur Joby Linsangan-Moreno, creator of Orange Blush Salon and the soon-to-launch beauTITA Cosmetics, is celebrating her 41st birthday this year via the launch of her much-anticipated e-book entitled “Beauty and the Biz: Your Stress-Free Guide to Building Your Own Beauty Empire”.
The e-book is published by ABS-CBN Books (Creative Programs Inc.) and will be released on Amazon on April 8, 2021, Joby’s birthday. As part of Joby’s birthday bash, however, the e-book shall be made available FREE to download for a limited time – from April 8 to 12, 2021 only!
Joby calls the e-book a “bookazine” (a combination of book and magazine) and is a collection of exclusive lessons from self-made beauty entrepreneurs like herself, and secrets on how they build their own beauty brand, and made it to the top! She dedicates it for those who dream of putting up a hair, eyelash salon, a nail or waxing salon, a barberdashery, a skincare center, and even those who want to become a makeup artist. Those who want to distribute their own clothing, jewelry or accessories line will also find the e-book very useful, as well as those who are planning on focusing on the wellness side of beauty businesses and help consumers stay fit, healthy, and happy. The e-book also features exclusive tips from Tito Boy Abunda. As a bonus, it also includes Joby’s “10 Commandments of the Orange Lady: Thoughts on living a joyful and balanced personal-business life!”
Aside from the e-book launch, Joby is also celebrating her birthday by paying it forward through the continuing work of the Parlorista at Barbero Kami (PAK) Foundation, which she launched early last year to help families in need, especially those dependent on the beauty industry for a living.
“We have plans for collaborating with another foundation this year as we spread Love One Haircut at a Time through the PAK Foundation. Right now, we are in partnership with Aliaga Rice Supply, allowing us to give out rice during our activities. We will also be doing projects with our beloved barbers and hair stylists as we bring hope and love to people that need them most,” Joby said in an exclusive interview with Orange Magazine.
Barbers and hair stylists were among the hardest hit economic sectors by the pandemic when government decided to allow only “essential” businesses to operate at the height of the community quarantine beginning March last year. Through the PAK foundation, Joby and her employees were able to reach out to communities in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija to distribute rice, orange masks, and Orange Salon hair products (leave on conditioners and hair serum sprays). These include the families of barbers and hairdressers, as well as key frontliners like hospital staff, bank employees, supermarket workers, barangay captains and councilors, military and police personnel, and pharmacists.
On a year when doing business is difficult, Joby has learned to lean harder on her faith for strength, positivity, and the will to celebrate the beauty and life. Yearning to help other entrepreneurs just like herself who are fighting to survive in a recession year, Joby decided to join GoNegosyo to serve as one of its volunteer mentors. By teaching others what she knows, she realized she was actually learning more in the process. By giving more of ourselves to others, she realized that we are also opening the door to receive more blessings. Indeed, this has been the most fabulous lesson in optimism she learned on the way to turning 41 this year.
“I have learned in life that for you to shine your “light” and live out your purpose, you must be always near and dependent on the Only source of light — Jesus Christ, so that you may reflect His light and Glory. That in all things you do, acknowledge His Presence and He shall direct thy path. And look forward to better days ahead, more plans and projects, more quality time with the family, and a joyful 41st birthday celebration,” said Joby.
Among Joby’s unexpected blessings last year was her hosting The New Channel’s Usapang Beauty show, which airs every Thursday and Saturday at 5:30 PM. Through the show, she shares with the audience her practical beauty tips, which she has known and mastered the past several years of being in the business. She never expected, however, that hosting the show would open her eyes to appreciate beauty on an even deeper and much more authentic level. It has been a great privilege for her to learn from all the show’s adorable and articulate guests. Indeed, her personal philosophy of beauty has fully bloomed.
“I have learned that beauty truly comes from within. Yes, we keep hearing that line in beauty pageants and interviews; but that light inside of you comes out when you are joyful, grateful inside – that is what makes someone truly beautiful. Your outer beauty is but a reflection of your heart,” said Joby.
Joby started the Orange Blush Salon business when she was 23 on a measly P30,000 capital, with an initial challenge of turning around a beauty parlor on the brink of a shutdown. Her startup journey is a colorful story by itself. One of sheer hard work and labor of love just to make things work. 17 years and 20 branches later, Joby is now known fondly as “the Orange Lady” to her hordes of satisfied customers and business admirers.
The pandemic did hit the business hard, but it also gave her the opportunity to show that she’s not just all about beauty; she’s also about business smarts and determination, especially when the going gets tough.
When business slowed down, Joby and her team took has resolved to look at the bright side take advantage of whatever new opportunity and great idea that comes their way. Instead of cursing the crisis, she and her team turned the business slowdown into an opportunity for skills improvement. Soon they developed and deployed a full-on, affordable home-service package. In anticipation of continuing need to enforce COVID protocols, Joby also decided its high time for her branches to undergo a full makeover.
“We have a new-look: orange brick-walls and sustainable salon design and furnishings that maximize our space and makes work more fun, much more efficient. We also designed the floor plan with much more room and space to also adapt to the new normal. I’d say that our new design is fresher, simpler, and unique. As for our team, we used our downtime during the lockdown to hone our skills in salon services and customer service through trainings and workshops. Our Home Salon service is also in demand and perfect for the pandemic situation right now,” said Joby.
Another of Joby’s recent business winner is the soon to be launched beauTITA Cosmetics, catered to the ubiquitous but overlooked “Tita crowd” who have their own unique voice, idiosyncrasies, and beauty needs.
“Yes, beauTITA is actually ‘Makeup ng mga Tita!’ With all the millennial beauty brands in the market- we feel that the ‘Tita’ market (Generation X, early 30’- early 50’s) is underserved, and had a lot of potential, so we created a cosmetics line that will serve ‘our’ needs. We like easy to use and apply, makulay or highly pigmented liptints that will last long. Colors that are not for the young, nor for the old. beauTITA liptints – Nakakaganda! We will also launch our hair products that Titas can use at home for their salon-treated hair,” said Joby.
Despite the continuing pandemic crisis and the uninvited “new normal” protocols that we have to endure, Joby noted that, life is still what you make it. When you celebrate life and take advantage of opportunities each day brings, you will discover more reasons to celebrate, as well as more opportunities and blessings to be thankful for. Living in faith, however, makes everything a little easier to bear.
“Let Go. Let God. There are things that we CANNOT control, and we should not stress about them. All worries, fears, concerns, anxieties that we may be facing amidst the pandemic should be laid down at the Feet of Jesus. Let Him handle what we can’t and rely on His Powerful and Loving Presence. Let’s look at what’s going right, and manage wisely what we CAN control,” Joby said.
As a special birthday treat, the Orange Lady also shared some exclusive tips on what helped her survive and even thrive while in a pandemic. These are quick and simple tips that enabled her to manage her physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, as well as allowed her to be fabulous at 41!
- Workout with a sustainable schedule and routine; the simpler the better (brisk walking, sit-ups, squatting). Some workouts do not even require any gear.
- Eat mindfully. Know your limits and eat nutritious, simple, and healthy food.
- Sleep early. Make time to prioritize a restful and quality sleep.
- Appreciate everything that you have; talk to your families, your friends, open-up.
- Make time to clear your mind, unplug from the internet every now and then.
- Read good books.
- Surround yourself with happy, optimistic people who will lift you up. Spend quality, undivided time with family and loved ones-and yes even virtually.
- Always offer your day to the Lord and rely on His Presence and Power. Set a quiet time with the Lord every day. We may be going through challenging times right now but know in your heart that the Good Lord is with us always, and that He will never leave us, nor forsake us.
- Love unconditionally, appreciate everything – God’s small and big blessings, alike – and see miracles unfold in your life.