'O'Shay is OK,' Says Whole Foods of Roxborough Entrepreneur

Though sometimes cutthroat and confusing, the business world offers invaluable life lessons. Those who succeed often correct past failures and move on with more succinct ideas. For one Roxborough resident, early setbacks eventually led her to a successful partnership with Whole Foods Markets.

Maria Lee-Driver is the owner and creator of Oria's O'Shay, a line of beauty products that has made some buzz locally and beyond. Her success story began more than 20 years ago, and has developed out of a basic devotion to work hard and succeed in business.

"I don't believe in plan Bs. If you have an A game, you work you're A game until you can't work it anymore; if you truly have a desire and a dream, you have to grab it," Lee-Driver said.

That is precisely what Lee-Driver has done over the past few years, seeing her business ventures develop into the kind of success story fit for a Horatio Alger novel.

Oria's O'Shay provides customers with a multipurpose body cream composed of shea butter, which is designed to help its users both cosmetically and medically. People have found the cream helps heal scars, mend stretch marks and clear damaged skin. It's medically backed by multiple doctors who attest it provides positive effects to those suffering from skin diseases, such as lupus and eczema.

The all-in-one lotion also can be used cosmetically in hair and on skin. Oria's O'Shay has seen major developments over the years, and is the flagship product of a blossoming business rooted in Lee-Driver's lifelong dream of personal success.

Her story began at age 19, when Lee-Driver opened a hair salon called Reon's Designing Impressions in Ordinary, VA. This venture led her to begin cosmetology instruction several years later, which later became a full-time commitment. With these experiences in hand, she made her way to Pennsylvania in 2007 to open Oria's Kids Salon in East Falls.

Oria's served as an extremely important link in Lee-Driver's chain of success. At the salon, she created the first "draft" of Oria's O'Shay. Her original intent: to create a hair product for the children of her salon. This formula focused on crafting sheen yet manageable children's hair, but like so many of her efforts, this cream bore a completely new idea, one that was discovered accidentally.

"I received a lot of comments from the parents of the children telling me this hair product actually worked wonderfully as a body lotion," Lee-Driver said.

With that knowledge, Lee-Driver began her pursuit to create the perfect multipurpose body lotion—a pursuit that saw more than 20 failed batches amid constant trial-and-error. 

After a grassroots effort to sell her product in flea markets and other vending areas, Lee-Driver eventually caught a break—Whole Foods Market was interested. The brokered deal allowed her to sell O'Shay product in a major store throughout several states.

Oria's O'Shay landed on Whole Foods' shelves in early summer, and has been received well. Residents may check out O'Shay at the nearest Whole Foods in Wynnewood or Plymouth Meeting. Lee-Driver attests her success to her development and progression ventures—taking what was given to her and making the best of what she's got.

"I didn't really set out to make a product. My goal was to be a financially successful, and I believed that was going to happen," Lee-Driver said.

She also appreciates the process's cyclical nature, citing how each effort provided her the tools to eventually succeed.

"This product was designed to help people; it started with the kids, developed with the adults, and is now a product everyone can use."

Lee-Driver is hoping this current project will lead her into other opportunities in the future, just as her previous efforts led to her current success. She plans on expanding her line of Oria's O'Shay products, and eventually hopes to make her kids' salon a nationwide chain.

"Five years from now, I think Oria's O'Shay will be an international item."