Meet Kristin Kienzle

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kristin Kienzle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kristin below.

Hi Kristin , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My path to finding my purpose is rich with depth. While I always knew I wanted to be a hairstylist, my true passion was being a mother. I had three children, all born with a fatal genetic disease. Since the gene for this disease is recessive, each conception carried only a 25% risk, which explains why we had another child after the first two, close in age, were diagnosed.

Raising them involved more than the usual parental responsibilities of ensuring they didn’t skin their knees, misbehave in school, or make good choices with friends. As their mother, my role encompassed all the duties of raising great people, as well as working as a full-time unofficial medical professional to keep them healthy and prolong their lives. Each year, I spent an average of two weeks in a hospital with one, two, or all three of my kids. Some years were more demanding, others less so.

When my youngest was a teenager, he received a lifesaving organ transplant—a procedure that was both complicated and extremely scary. Thankfully, he made it through a long, tough recovery and finished high school right along with his friends.

Three years later, a drug was developed that seemed to miraculously change the trajectory of all three kids’ disease. They no longer spent their days undergoing treatments, weeks in the hospital, or their free time worrying about how long their bodies would endure. The boy with the lifesaving transplant began to thrive as well, successfully avoiding organ rejection. After the development of this new drug, their disease was no longer referred to as fatal. What a win!

Once all three kids became grown adults, my responsibilities to manage their care were turned over to them. Thanks to the advancements in drug developments, they are now able to manage their own care successfully and live very normal lives without the constant shadow of life expectancy hanging over them.

With my job of raising three amazing humans essentially complete, I found myself with a lot of time and energy to devote to something else. The skills I acquired through intensely focusing on raising my kids to adulthood—such as making critical decisions and managing challenging situations—were transferred into opening, sustaining, and growing my business.

With my adult children thriving and healthy, I maintain the intensity of my drive for success. I’ve channeled my passion for giving them the best chances at health into creating and nurturing a thriving business.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am the owner and founder of Utopia Modern Salon Suites, a suite-concept salon where beauty professionals operate as independent small business owners. At Utopia, we host a diverse range of professionals, including hairstylists, estheticians, nurse injectors, nail technicians, barbers, lash and brow specialists, and wax professionals.

Currently, we have two fully leased locations in East Wichita, each with 12 suites, and we are excited to announce that our third location in West Wichita is under construction with 13 suites filling up quickly. The caliber of beauty professionals attracted to Utopia is a significant factor in our pride and success.

We have recently franchised Utopia Modern Salon Suites and are working with our first potential franchisee, with two more in the pipeline across different states. This unique salon concept fosters entrepreneurship by providing affordable, all-inclusive spaces for beauty professionals to run their businesses independently. What sets Utopia apart is our dedication to building community, fostering business growth, and supporting the lifestyles of our beauty professionals.

This concept offers beauty professionals the flexibility to create schedules that align with their personal and professional lives, giving them the freedom to earn a living based on their own efforts. As the owner, I am incredibly proud of the 24 business owners currently thriving in our salons, and I am eager to welcome the 13 professionals who will join our third location.

The most exciting aspect of our expansion and franchising is the entrepreneurial opportunities we provide to those aspiring to own a salon model like ours. Additionally, we look forward to seeing the multitude of beauty professionals whose careers will flourish within the supportive environment of our salons.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

First, I believe that a key quality contributing to my success is my eagerness to learn and explore the unknown. In a world where resources for knowledge are abundant—from internet searches to connections made through virtual and in-person networking—it’s essential to seek information and educational opportunities continually. Every day, I encounter something unfamiliar, but knowing more about it can benefit my business. Embracing a mindset of perpetual learning and networking is crucial for continual growth in business.

Second, good old-fashioned customer service skills have been invaluable to me. My first job at 15 in a department store taught me the basics of customer service, lessons that have stayed with me over the years. People want to be heard, responded to, and treated well. Building trust in all professional relationships and always staying true to your word is essential.

Third, my 34 years as a professional hairstylist have given me deep insights into what today’s beauty professionals desire in their careers. I understand how they serve their clients, and as a salon owner, I know how to support them in running their businesses effectively.

For those early in their journey, my advice is to always seek knowledge through coaching, networking, and reading. Remember that countless resources are available if you have the tenacity to find and utilize them. Embrace every opportunity to learn and grow, and you will continually move forward.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes, we are actively looking for individuals to partner and collaborate with. We are particularly seeking beauty professionals to fill our suites in our West Wichita salon, opening in early September. We welcome inquiries about our suites as we like to maintain a waiting list for any openings and to accommodate our ongoing growth. We are anticipating opening of a fourth salon, owned by a franchisee, in the Wichita metro area in 2025.

We seek professional, talented, and business-minded beauty professionals who work well independently but also value community. All types of beauty professionals are welcome!

Additionally, we are looking for entrepreneurs who desire to own a simple and proven business model that becomes somewhat passive once the suites are leased. Our franchisees work full-time for several months during the building and leasing phase. Once fully leased, managing the salons becomes a part-time job that includes administrative responsibilities, maintenance, marketing, and being a visible resource to the beauty professionals in the salon. It is essential that Utopia salon owners are actively interested in the well-being of the professionals working in the salon.

An ideal Utopia Modern Salon Suites franchisee would be someone very familiar with the beauty industry, possessing strong business acumen, excellent character, honesty, trustworthiness, consistency, and good management skills. This person will thrive if they enjoy the salon atmosphere and connect well with the diverse beauty professionals.

If you are interested in leasing a suite or owning a Utopia Modern Salon Suites franchise, please contact us through our website at www.utopiamodernsalon.com, email me at [email protected], or call me at 816-863-2599. I welcome any inquiries and am always available to provide more information about our company.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Ashlyn Faith Branding
PAKC Solutions

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,