Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacie Otto.
Hi Stacie; we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am from a suburb of Chicago, Naperville, Illinois. I did the Disney College Program in 2002 in Entertainment, and sometimes I still can’t believe I now permanently reside here in Orlando. I’ve built a business that allows me to work on Disney property and yet go home and still be able to hear Magic Kingdom fireworks nightly. After graduating with a BA in Marketing from Columbia College Chicago in 2004, I worked as a Wedding and Events Coordinator for a catering company in Darien, IL. In 2007, I moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where my career in hair and makeup began. I worked as an artist and counter manager for MAC cosmetics in Nordstrom, Beachwood. In 2010, I transferred with MAC and moved to Orlando, 6 months pregnant with my first child, Zack. Once arriving in Orlando. I realized how insane the wedding market was, and in 2014 after a combined almost seven years with MAC and the unexpected premature birth of my second son, Jake. I decided to take a leap of faith, officially part ways with MAC, and venture into doing weddings full-time. Now, 8 years later, I have a thriving bridal hair and makeup business with a team of talented artists and a roster of the most amazing and beautiful clients worldwide. Most of my brides are Disney brides, and even though they start as clients, they end up as friends. I have my dream job. It’s awesome!
As I previously mentioned, I have two incredible boys, Zack (12) and Jake (8), who keep me on my toes and remind me daily what true love is. Jake was born almost 10 weeks premature and spent 44 days in the Winnie Palmer Hospital NICU. Because of my experience there, I became a volunteer after he turned 1. Today, I have the great honor of chairing the Winnie Palmer Hospital NICU Parent Advisory Council and serving on the Orlando Health Corporate Parent Advisory Council. My family is vital to my success, always offering support and encouragement. I am blessed to live 15 minutes from my parents, Lyle and Carol, and my siblings, Christie, Laurie, Timothy, and Tammy. They are all my rock and my best friends. I couldn’t do it all without their help! We are super close, see each other very often and have one thing in common, we love Disney.
My family helped me start The Friends Food Share shortly after the hit of the pandemic. As a single mother of two, I realized quickly that Covid would be a life changer and that there would be so many people that needed help, people that never had to ask for help before and didn’t know where to start. So before the masses received stimulus and unemployment checks, we went into action. We collected food and monetary donations using Facebook as a platform and provided countless groceries to many families in need. People reached out to us, and we shopped and made direct home deliveries. We could use funds and grocery gift cards to buy fresh produce and meat. Once the need influx dwindled, we turned our focus to helping the homeless, filling up and handing out essential bags at gatherings downtown Orlando. When the bitter cold hit central Florida, we collected and delivered blankets to a pop-up shelter. We are working on developing a new idea for the next season. Stay tuned!
If you do good, it comes back times 10, so I choose to give my energy and time as much as possible, all while involving my children as much as possible, so they continue to grow up to be kind and compassionate.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The obvious struggle, of course, was Covid. Weddings on Disney property were down from mid-March until October 2020. And even into 2022, it still wasn’t entirely back to normal. There was a bride here or there, but with so many restrictions, most bridal parties were cut. I had so many weddings that were canceled or rescheduled several times. It was a very stressful time. I sat on my computer 10 hours a day switching dates, telling brides how sorry I was for their big days being ruined, and scheduling and rescheduling artists, all while having no income. I was still “working” every day, but my pay usually came after the service, and the services weren’t happening.
In August 2020, I started an Etsy Shop selling handmade ornaments and mini masks for our favorite Christmas elves to keep income flowing. I even had a few best sellers and made enough to carry me into spring 2021, when my weddings were back a bit more. I finally felt like things were back to normal by the end of 2021 and into 2022. Now, I can barely keep up! It’s amazing! And I love every minute of it! Then there’s life: going through a divorce from 2016 to 2018, figuring out how to be a single mom has been a challenge. Also, it is a lot to come to terms with having two boys on the Autism Spectrum. There have been many doctors and continued visits for Speech, Occupational and Behavioral therapies. It’s a very different life than I imagined. But I would not want it any other way; my boys are the coolest kids I know.
I’ve learned that life is full of surprises and challenges. Still, if we keep our heads up and learn to value and take care of ourselves, understand and accept ourselves, and surround ourselves only with people who see our full worth in return, we can do anything we want. Plus, I’m the furthest thing from normal, and I’m proud of that! Normal is boring. Being different and unique rocks! This is the example I want to set for my kids and all kids on the Autism Spectrum.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a bridal hair and makeup artist with a unique niche market, Walt Disney World Brides. I don’t pay to advertise on Yelp, Wedding Wire, or The Knot. I solely rely on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, word of mouth, and direct referrals from previous brides, other wedding vendors, and Disney Wedding Coordinators. I try my hardest to give my brides a personal and unique experience when they book with me. I am most proud of finding a career that brings me joy. One that never feels like “work.” One is that I have the flexibility to do what I love full-time and still schedule myself around my kids’ needs. Honestly, I think I work on Disney property more than most full-time cast members. And I love that! Disney is my happy place.
What sets me apart is my love and borderline obsession with Disney. I’m part of the DCP Alumni. If I’m not working there, I’m a guest there. I visit the parks frequently, stay at hotels, dine there all the time, and obviously am an annual pass holder. I’ve sailed 23 Disney cruises, even the Maiden Voyage of the Wish this past summer My knowledge and love of Disney, in general, connects me instantly to every bride I have the pleasure of taking care of there. Disney brides are my people!
What do you think about risk?
Yes! We have to take risks! Leaving MAC Cosmetics, a company I loved then and still today, was a huge risk! I now have no guaranteed income. No guaranteed hours, no insurance benefits, paid time off, or sick days. It was terrifying taking that leap of faith, not knowing how many gigs I would book. But, I learned you would never be able to achieve a higher level of success if you keep playing it safe. You have to put yourself out there and try new things. If you fail, you learn everything you can from experience and embrace that new knowledge for your next endeavor. Nobody and nothing is perfect.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.stacieotto.com
- Instagram: Stacieottohairandmakeup
- Facebook: Stacie Otto Hair and Makeup
- Other: TikTok stacieottohairandmakeup
Image Credits
Cover pic and #8 Root Photography #1 Caldwell Photographic Studio #2 Jess Collins Photography #3 and #4 Bella Allure Imagery by Brittany Miller #5 David and Vicki Arndt Photography #6 and #7 Regina Hyman Photography and Cinema
