Founder Interview With Victor Scotti Jr., Our S.P.A.C.E. Studios
Photo Credit: Victor Scotti Jr.
A deep sense of purpose has always guided Victor Scotti, Jr. Raised on the South Side of Chicago in a family that taught him to show up fiercely, faithfully, and fully himself, he carried those lessons into a decade-long career in Diversity & Inclusion at Google and Netflix. Even as he built a résumé that many would consider a dream, Victor felt a quiet misalignment —a longing for something more tangible, more spiritual, more in line with his true self.
That longing led him to beauty. After being laid off in early 2023, Victor enrolled at the Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute in Arlington, VA, where he discovered that hair wasn’t just hair. It was a healing, transformative, and affirming experience. Today, as the founder of Our S.P.A.C.E. Studios, a luxury, expression-neutral salon suite, Victor creates identity-affirming, holistic services for LGBTQIA+ Black and brown clients. From transformative colors to gender-affirming cuts, his work transcends style. It’s about the sacred art of becoming.
Check out the interview below!
Can you walk us through your personal and professional journey?
I was raised on the South Side of Chicago in a family that taught me to show up fiercely, faithfully, and fully myself. My early life was filled with both brilliance and burden: a gifted kid navigating the dual pressures of performance and invisibility, queerness and code-switching. I went on to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, and for nearly a decade, I built a career in Diversity & Inclusion at Google and Netflix.
I actually started at Google as a DEI intern twice, which opened my eyes to the fact that you could do that kind of work at a place I’d only associated with engineers. I moved through student development, HR rotations, diversity consulting, and later built programs at Netflix before returning to Google. On paper it was an incredible arc, but even early on, I felt a quiet misalignment, a sense that I was expected to “fall in line.”
“I probably would have stayed, unsure of what else to do, had I not been laid off. The shock quickly turned to clarity: this was the universe nudging me toward the path I was meant to take.”
That longing for something more tactile and more aligned with who I was led me back to beauty. After being laid off in early 2023, I enrolled at the Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute in Arlington, VA, and quickly discovered that hair wasn’t just hair—it was healing. It was transformation. It was a language of affirmation I had always spoken but never fully claimed.
Today, I’m the founder of Our S.P.A.C.E. Studios, a luxury, expression-neutral salon suite rooted in holistic care, identity-affirming services, and sustainable beauty. I specialize in transformative color and gender-affirming haircuts for LGBTQIA+ Black and brown folks. This isn’t just work, it’s a calling. It’s the sacred art of becoming.
What inspired you to offer the services you provide?
My services are born from a personal truth: I needed a space like Our S.P.A.C.E. long before I ever created it. As a queer Black man with textured hair, I grew up navigating salons and systems that didn’t see or serve me. I know what it feels like to sit in a chair and wonder if the stylist will understand your curl pattern—or your pronouns.
“I’ve seen how often beauty becomes about fitting in rather than standing in who you are. That’s why I created a space that centers authenticity over assimilation, restoration over results.”
At Our S.P.A.C.E., every element is intentional. From the affirmations on the mirror to the sustainable, non-toxic products I use, everything is curated to help clients feel safe, seen, and celebrated. My gender-affirming cuts and high-touch color transformations are just the entry point. What’s underneath is a philosophy: beauty should feel like coming home to yourself. I see hair as a sacred crown and a canvas—a visual story of resilience, evolution, and expression. It’s my honor to hold space for those stories to unfold.
Photo Credit: Victor Scotti Jr.
What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced in your journey as a service provider, and what did you do to overcome this?
One of my biggest challenges was resisting the pressure to conform in an industry that often prioritizes speed, sameness, and surface over depth, intention, and care. As a newer stylist with a nontraditional background, I felt that tension early on. I was told to charge less, move faster, simplify. But I knew I was creating something different—a salon experience rooted in healing, artistry, and presence. The real challenge was trusting that there were clients out there who would value what I offer.
I overcame that fear by anchoring deeply into my purpose. I got support through mentorship, trauma-informed education, and business coaching. I restructured my pricing and service menu to reflect the care and consciousness behind every experience. Most importantly, I stopped shrinking. I spoke openly about who I serve and why it matters. And in doing so, I began to attract clients who not only respected my values but also aligned with them.
“The biggest lesson? You don’t have to be for everyone. You just have to be fully yourself for the people who need you the most.”
Photo Credit: Victor Scotti Jr.
If you could give one piece of advice to future LGBTQ+ service providers within your field, what would it be?
Don’t dilute your magic to fit into rooms that were never built with you in mind. This industry will sometimes try to convince you that safety comes from sameness. But your queerness, your culture, your story? That’s your superpower. Lead with it. Build from it. Trust that the clients meant for you will find you, not in spite of who you are, but because of it.
Give yourself permission to take up space. The world needs more stylists who understand the sacredness of identity, of touch, of beauty as liberation.
“So carve your own lane. Charge your worth. Rest without guilt. And know that every time you choose authenticity over assimilation, you’re not just creating a career, you’re creating a legacy.”
You don’t have to do it alone, either. Find mentors. Build community. Ask for help. There is deep power in being both gifted and held. You get to be excellent and yourself. And every time you choose to be both, you make it easier for someone else to believe they can be, too.
For me, community showed up most powerfully through mentorship. Hair school teaches you the basics to pass the state board, but real skill comes through apprenticeships and learning from others. I knew I wanted guidance, but only in spaces that aligned with my values. That meant trusting my intuition, saying no to environments that didn’t feel safe, and being patient until the right opportunity emerged. Eventually, I found a mentorship program with a stylist named Ashleigh, whose generosity and wisdom have given me not just technical growth, but the kind of support that affirms both the craft and the human experience we hold as beauty professionals.
How does being openly queer inspire or impact your business?
Being openly queer doesn’t just inform my business—it is my business. Every decision I make at Our S.P.A.C.E. reflects queerness as a culture, a lens, a way of being. From the expression-neutral design to the language on my intake forms, I’m building something that affirms fluidity, celebrates nonconformity, and centers care over convention.
“It’s not just about making room, it’s about redefining the room entirely.”
My queerness allows me to hold space with empathy and precision. I understand what it’s like to sit in a chair and brace yourself, to wonder if your stylist will understand who you are, let alone honor it. At Our S.P.A.C.E., clients don’t have to code-switch or explain themselves. This is a salon where your wholeness is welcomed, not despite your queerness, but because of it.
Photo Credit: Victor Scotti Jr.
What brands or services by LGBTQ+ founders are your go-to's and why?
FOLX Health is one of my go-to brands because they provide affirming, accessible healthcare tailored to queer and trans communities. Their commitment to equity and wellness feels revolutionary and necessary.
Pound Cake Beauty is another favorite. Co-founded by Camille Bell and Johnny Velazquez, this pro-Black, pro-fat, pro-queer brand is rewriting beauty norms. Their products are bold, intentional, and designed for skin like mine —not as an afterthought, but as the starting point.
Good Light is a beautiful example of beauty beyond the binary. Their products and mission reflect a softness and strength that speaks to the fluidity of identity and the power of inclusive self-care. They remind us that beauty isn’t binary and never was.
Who is your favorite LGBTQ+ celebrity?
Niecy Nash-Betts is one of my favorite LGBTQ+ icons. Her unapologetic brilliance, humor, and authenticity inspire me deeply. She’s a radiant example of someone who continues to evolve publicly and proudly on her own terms.
I also love that she came out later in life, proving that truth has no deadline. Her love story, her faith, and her refusal to shrink all remind me that queerness isn’t just an identity, it’s a liberation. And she models that liberation so beautifully.
Can you share one fun fact about yourself?
My grandmother and I collected all 50 state quarters together when I was growing up, and I still have them to this day! It’s a sweet reminder of our bond, and of how even the smallest rituals can hold so much meaning.
That collection taught me patience, attention to detail, and the joy of finishing what you start. In many ways, it mirrors the way I approach my work now, carefully, intentionally, and always with love.
