Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristina Alecu
Hi Cristina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been behind the chair now for almost 20 years. It’ll be 20 years this May actually which is wild to even say. I won’t say that this career is what I’ve always wanted to do but growing up I had a lot of bald Barbies that might tell a different story. I’ve been working for myself as an independent stylist now for many years but prior to that I worked in the salon environment for more than half of my career. I learned a lot of things along the way and I’m so grateful for the life lessons in both business and life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road is never smooth and that’s ok. I think the struggles along the way are the only way to grow and learn. Besides personal struggles of trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be, there are definitely growing pains trying to navigate this industry. Whether that’s educating yourself to stay up to date on trends (which is absolutely necessary), learning to communicate effectively with people in your chair and your peers around you, or just learning the ins and outs of the business. It’s all a learning process.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love being able to sit down with someone and say “I have a vision, this is what I was thinking, what do you think?” Tailoring a look to each person is my favorite part of the process. You can get a color and cut anywhere but finding a connection with a professional who gets you, your hair, and your lifestyle isn’t as easy.
What were you like growing up?
I was born in Romania and moved the states when I was 4 years old. My dad ran away as a political refugee in 1986 and my mom and I reunited with him 3 years later here in Texas. My parents worked so hard to build a life for us and I learned so much from them about work ethic, ambition and perseverance. My dad was also a small business owner so early on I was able to see what it was like working for yourself. As I mentioned earlier, I had a lot of bald Barbies so giving them make overs was a daily occurrence. Being an only child, I spent a lot of time using my imagination and I vividly remember reenacting shampoo commercials and playing “salon” with all my mom’s beauty products. Looking back, I guess I should’ve seen that I was going to end up in the beauty industry eventually.
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