Meet Trailblazer Kristin Rossi

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Rossi.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I became a licensed nail technician in Michigan in 1992. I had been doing nails for about ten months and was already making more money than my mother who was on tenure as a teacher. So, I sold my little red convertible my father bought me for my Sweet 16th Birthday, used the money to open up my first salon and never looked back.

Shortly after, I expanded my business into education and opened up a school for nails. After a few years, I sold my business to one of my former students and moved to Florida. I opened up two more salon and spa businesses on the beach and did educational makeup for Aveda and Jane Airedale. I specialized in destination weddings and I was able to offer everything from hair to makeup to nails, skincare, and massage.

After many years of both failures and successes in Florida, I found myself in Denver, Colorado. Seven years ago my father had a massive stroke, so I packed up myself and my daughter, drove across the country to the Mile High City and began a new life. Unfortunately, my father died four weeks after my arrival which left me to care for my mother. Needing to pay bills, I accepted a GM position at the Hyatt Regency Spa in downtown Denver and their sister spa, Spa Universaire. A couple of years into my new life in Denver, my daughter and I were in a terrible car accident. Thankfully, she was unharmed, however, I wasn’t as lucky. I suffered a traumatic brain injury which left me with almost complete memory loss. I also lost partial vision and hearing on my right side, loss of speech, loss of balance and I was six weeks pregnant.

Have you ever heard that hard work and determination gets you everywhere? Well, I’m living proof it does, and because of it, I took my recovery to the next level! My doctors were constantly telling me the brain is a mystery; be prepared to spend the rest of your life like this. Mind you, at this time I was relearning how to shower, walk, remember my daughters’ name, remember where the dishes were in the cupboards, etc. But being an athlete my whole life gave me the tools to dig deep and never give up.

Prior to the accident I had been doing a few of my friend’s nails for fun but wasn’t taking it too seriously. Needing hand and eye coordination therapy from the car accident,  I resumed my craft strictly as part of my PT not knowing what a valuable asset it would be in my recovery. The benefits were endless! I started an Instagram account at the urging of one of my clients, and well, as they say, the rest is history.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road? Is it ever? Struggles along the way are what makes us who we are and hopefully a better version of our younger,  more naive selves. I’ve always welcomed obstacles and challenges because they force us to look outside of the box. Most of the time the answers aren’t always in front of us. This sets the imagination in motion to seek out new and undiscovered methods to take us to our new triumphs.

To those women starting out on new journeys: remember to believe in yourself and take action today! Acquire knowledge and take the right steps so that you can achieve the goals you have set out for yourself. But most importantly, never give up! You are worth every success that comes your way.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Nails By KR – what should we know?
What does Nails By KR do?… Well, to put it simply, I add a little sparkle in people’s lives.

I don’t just do nails, I’m a therapist, a motivator, a mother, a wife, a friend, a philanthropist, but mostly I’m a woman living my best life.

I’m so proud of all of my accomplishments from my children to my publications to my everyday clientele. I also take great pride in giving back to the community.

Some of you may know I’m a huge supporter of the LBGTQ community. My Nails By KR Custom Press On nail business caters mostly to drag queens from all over the United States. This business got me thinking that the world needs a little more sparkle in it and I created a global business to do just that! It’s called Nail It Forward. It’s a program that allows anyone from every corner of the globe to nominate someone who may need to feel a little more “glamtastic.” How it works – email your nominee to NailItForwardKR@gmail.com and tell me what makes them shine. Each month Nails By KR will donate a set of Custom Press On nails to selected nominees. Recipients can then choose to nominate someone else.

What sets me apart from others? That’s always a tough question, however over the years I’ve come to realize that the combination of my real-world experience, strong work ethic, integrity, empathy and self-awareness have escalated me to the top of my game. Not to mention I’m a pretty good nail tech.

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
In the beauty industry, you mostly see strong female leadership. However, in business, there are definite unseen barriers which are easily broken down by hard work and determination. Everyone deserves a fair chance to prove themselves. Period. Go for what you want – develop the necessary skills & don’t quit until you reach your goal!

leadership.

Contact Info:

• Email: nails.by.kr@gmail.com
• Instagram: @nails.by.kr
• Other: #nailsbykr

Image Credit:
Photos – Kristin Rossi
Photo Editing – Whitney Dorman
Hair By – Tiffany Galaviz

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.