Robert DiLella Jr.
CEO & Owner
I grew up in a family where people were always coming over. There was always food, conversation, celebration, espresso being poured, and somebody being taken care of. That spirit became the foundation of ROP long before we ever called it a "guest experience." To me, this business has never just been about hair. It's about making people feel loved, appreciated, known, and cared for in a way they may not even realize they needed. I started in technology before eventually joining the family business, and somehow those two worlds still shape me today. I'm fascinated by people, systems, hospitality, growth, and creating environments where both guests and team members can fully become themselves. What I love most after all these years is still the same thing: watching people blossom into more of who they are.
VisionHow they lead
Great hospitality is fulfilling unexpressed wishes. It's noticing someone's glass is getting low before they ask. It's offering a warm towel on a cold day. It's remembering their spouse was sick last month or asking how their daughter's doing after surgery. It's paying attention to the little things because the little things are usually the big things to people. I've always believed guests should feel a level of warmth and care they didn't expect to receive from a salon. People may come in for hair, but what they're really looking for is often deeper than that. They want to feel safe. Seen. Appreciated. Welcomed. They want to stop performing for a minute and just receive care. A lot of that philosophy was shaped during our Ritz-Carlton years, where service was elevated to an art form. But honestly, most of it came from my parents. The salon was always an extension of our home, and in our home, people were fully taken care of.
I want guests to leave feeling like they received something they didn't even know they needed. Not just great hair. Not just good service. Something warmer than that. Something human. The best experiences happen when people feel genuinely cared for without having to ask for it. That could be a hug, a thoughtful conversation, remembering something important in their life, or simply creating a peaceful moment in the middle of a difficult week. I never want anyone to feel like just another appointment walking through the door. Whether someone spends a little or a lot, they deserve the same level of care, kindness, appreciation, and respect. And if we ever miss the mark, I genuinely want to know. We're always trying to grow, improve, and serve people better.
CommunicationHow they connect
I'm a listener first. I try to really get into someone's world and understand where they are before I ever respond. Whether it's a guest or a team member, I want people to feel heard, respected, and understood. From there, I try to lead with warmth, honesty, encouragement, and gratitude. I believe people do their best work when they feel supported and appreciated, so my communication style is rooted in service more than authority.
PersonalityMeet Rob
Warm, kind, grateful, and probably a little humorous too. I think the energy I bring into the room is one of appreciation. I genuinely love people, and I think they feel that. I want guests and team members to feel safe around me, comfortable around me, and valued around me. I'm also deeply curious. I love learning, solving problems, and figuring out how to make life easier, better, and more meaningful for the people around me.
Why ROPRob's favorite part of ROP
The people. Always the people. I love watching team members grow into versions of themselves they never imagined possible. I've watched artists become leaders, young assistants build beautiful families, shy people become confident, and incredibly talented humans touch lives in ways that are hard to even explain. There's something special about seeing people stay together for years and years in an industry that usually has a lot of turnover. The loyalty here means something to me. The teamwork means something to me. Because we're salary-based instead of commission-based, the environment feels different. People genuinely support each other. At its best, ROP feels like a family of deeply thoughtful people who truly care about taking care of others.
CultureA story from the salon
ROP started as an extension of my parents' home. Growing up Italian, our house was always full. There were constantly people over, meals being made, drinks being poured, celebrations happening, and guests being taken care of. Hospitality wasn't something we studied — it was just how we lived. That energy became the soul of the salon. The cappuccino, espresso, Prosecco, warm towel, shoulder massage, the way guests are greeted — all of it comes from that same spirit of welcoming people fully and making them feel like family. What makes ROP different is the level of thoughtfulness behind it. People here genuinely care. They pay attention. They remember things. They serve from the heart.
Behind the scenesTheir role in the day
A lot of the work guests never see is simply paying attention. Checking in when someone's family member is sick. Sending a note when somebody's struggling. Making sure team members have what they need emotionally, not just professionally. Watching for moments where somebody may need support before they ask for it. I've always believed hospitality happens most in the quiet moments no one notices. Sometimes it's fixing a problem before it becomes visible. Sometimes it's helping a team member through a hard season. Sometimes it's simply making sure people know they matter. Those small human moments shape the entire experience more than people realize.
AboutMore about Rob
I actually started in computer technology and engineering before fully entering the salon world. In the '80s, that was the direction I thought my life would go. But my father always wanted me involved in the family business, so eventually I gave it a shot. I went to cosmetology school briefly, although I'll openly admit I was a beauty school dropout. I realized pretty quickly my strengths were more operational and hospitality-focused. Before that, I worked as a shampoo assistant for years, mostly for tips, learning the business from the ground up. My father believed you earned your way up, and I'm grateful for that now. One of the biggest influences in my life was my old boss and mentor David, who hired me washing dishes when I was 12 years old. I literally had to stand on a crate to reach the dishwasher because I was too short. He taught me work ethic, discipline, toughness, accountability, and belief in myself. The Ritz-Carlton years also shaped me tremendously. We learned what true hospitality could look like at the highest level: anticipating needs, fulfilling unexpressed wishes, and creating experiences people never forget. Today, I still carry all of that with me.
Off the clockOutside the salon
Outside of work, I'm honestly a bit of a homebody. My wife and I love being at home together, cooking, traveling when we can, and enjoying life here in Florida. I love grocery shopping and creating meals at home almost as much as going out. I'm also deeply fascinated by AI and technology. I spend hours learning, experimenting, coding, and exploring ways technology can improve people's lives and solve problems in meaningful ways. It feels like a whole new world opened back up for me through AI. When I'm not doing that, I'm probably watching a true crime documentary, planning a trip to Saint Barts, or thinking about finally getting back to Italy.
Fun factA little something extra
Before leading ROP, I was a 12-year-old dishwasher standing on a crate because I was too short to reach the sink.