Meet Mary Gonzalez | Hairstylist, Proud Woman Business Owner and Mother

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Gonzalez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
As a parent and business owner, the most important thing that I have done for my children is show them what hard work and passion looks like. Running a salon has allowed them to see me balancing my creativity with responsibility. Which will hopefully inspire them to chase their own goals with the same dedication. Running a salon isn’t instant.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been full of purpose. I started my adult life early — as a Marine wife and young mom — and those experiences taught me strength, patience, and adaptability. After years of support, responsibilities and moving from one state back home. My daughters’ father encouraged me to finally pursue what I loved most: doing hair. That moment changed everything.

Building my career as a hairstylist and eventually becoming a salon owner took hard work, late nights, and faith. There were times I questioned if I could balance motherhood and business, but I kept going because I wanted my children to see that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

The biggest lessons I’ve learned are to trust the process, stay humble, and never stop learning. I want the world to know that my brand The Orange Salon is built on passion, authenticity, and care — every client who sits in my chair becomes part of that story.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to visit, I’d definitely take them to experience Deep Ellum, one of my favorite spots in Texas. It’s full of energy, art, and amazing food — a perfect reflection of creativity and community.

We’d start the week with brunch at AllGood Café or Terry Black for some classic Texas comfort food. During the day, we’d walk around to see the colorful murals, stop by a few local boutiques, and maybe even visit a vintage record shop or book store.
Evenings in Deep Ellum are always fun — we’d grab drinks at Angry Dog, St. Pete’s or Armoury, then catch live music at The Free Man, Club Dada, Three Links, Trees or The Bomb Factory. I’d also plan a chill day for self-care — maybe a little salon pampering, coffee at Murray Street Coffee Shop, and dinner at Vidorra for good vibes and rooftop views.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
“I want to give a heartfelt shoutout to everyone who has supported me along this journey — Maddison Partner for believing in me and leasing me the space to grow my dream, my amazing clients for their trust and loyalty, my children for being my biggest motivation, my parents and sister for their endless love, my family and friends for always cheering me on, and most of all, God for guiding me every step of the way.”

Website: https://the-orangesalon.com

Instagram: @theorangesalon

Facebook: The Orange Salon

Yelp: Orange Salon

Other: tiktok
@theorangesalon101

Image Credits
Thank you to my clients for modeling their hair and allowing me to take all the pictures, for my business! If it wasn’t for you, who would see my creativity skills??!