We were lucky to catch up with Daria Kruchinina recently and have shared our conversation below.

Daria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

The beauty industry itself is indeed an intriguing and complex realm where there is no definitive “right” or “wrong” approach. It’s a dynamic field where both corporations and small businesses play a significant role in shaping the landscape. As the owner of KRUCHININA New York and someone deeply passionate about exploring beauty services worldwide, I’d like to shed light on a couple of significant distinctions that set my small business apart.
Firstly, there’s a common misconception that “Corporations, aka big businesses, provide better service because they have people at every level to control the situation.” While this can hold true in certain cases, more often than not, the involvement of numerous individuals in the service process can introduce complexity, leading to services that are delivered merely in accordance with protocols rather than with genuine care and personalization. In the case of KRUCHININA New York, we specialize in enhancing natural beauty, particularly focusing on natural eyebrows and makeup. Our core principle revolves around prioritizing quality over quantity. This extends to our approach to services, interactions with clients, and our overall communication strategy. Our beauty business is not driven by a desire to maximize the number of appointments and services, as is often the case in large corporations. Instead, our focus is on providing tailored, personalized experiences that yield specific, exceptional results. In some instances, we go as far as creating individualized beauty strategy plans to cater to the unique needs of our clients. Additionally, we recognize that consultations and procedures cannot be rigidly constrained to a 15-minute time slot. Our approach allows for flexibility in scheduling, ensuring that each client receives the time and attention they deserve.
To illustrate the significance of these differences, let me share a story. One of our clients had previously visited a corporate beauty establishment for eyebrow shaping and makeup. She expressed her dissatisfaction with the rushed and impersonal experience she received there. Upon coming to KRUCHININA New York, she was pleasantly surprised by the personalized consultation and the time we dedicated to understanding her preferences and needs. The result was a stunning, natural look that left her feeling truly beautiful and confident. This experience highlights how our commitment to quality and personalization can make a meaningful difference in our clients’ lives.
In conclusion, the beauty industry is a diverse and ever-evolving landscape, and small businesses like KRUCHININA New York have the unique ability to offer a more personal, tailored, and quality-focused experience, which can greatly impact our clients’ satisfaction and confidence.”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I hail from Krasnodar, Russia, my hometown where I spent my formative years. At the age of 18, I approached my parents with a request for financial support to attend a makeup school, all the while pursuing a degree in social work and interpretation at university. My entry into the beauty industry was sparked by an incident that was both amusing and disheartening. Just before New Year’s Eve, I had a beauty appointment that went awry; they not only forgot about my scheduled service but also left me with overly thin, intensely black-tinted, and overly trimmed brows. I found myself standing before a mirror in tears, gazing at my eyebrows, and made a decision to take matters into my own hands. It took me a full 10 months to regrow my natural brows, and when I turned 20, I embarked on my first eyebrow course right in my hometown.

Upon successfully completing a few courses in 2012, I commenced my practice in Krasnodar. Gradually, I cultivated a loyal client base who referred me to their acquaintances, who, in turn, became my clients as well. I also received an invitation to serve as the official makeup and brow artist for the football club “Krasnodar.” It came with its own set of challenges, particularly dealing with football players who were skeptical about light makeup and brow care for photo shoots. In response, I set out to explore innovative approaches and organically developed my own “Signature Brows Shape” technique. This technique aimed to achieve natural, airy, broad, and voluminous eyebrows without the need for scissors or tinting.

At the time, the brow industry had a limited palette of three colors for tinting (light brown, dark brown, and black) and three primary techniques: threading, tweezing, and waxing. However, I soon discovered that most clients did not require tinting or scissor and razor trims. In fact, excessive trimming led to thicker and curlier hair growth, creating an endless cycle.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has undoubtedly been word-of-mouth referrals from my satisfied clients. It’s incredibly rewarding to see that my clients trust my work enough to recommend me to their friends and acquaintances. This organic growth through personal recommendations has been instrumental in expanding my client base.

Firstly, I maintain an organized client database that includes information about each client and their referral history. This allows me to track who has referred new clients and when. I also keep notes on the specific services they were happy with, so I can tailor my recommendations to potential new clients based on their needs and preferences.
Additionally, I actively engage with my clients on social media and encourage them to share their experiences with their followers. This digital word-of-mouth can significantly amplify the reach of requests for services (and in that case I am 90% sure that I will match energy and vibe with my new clients, as they are followers / friend of my existed clients).
Currently, I operate with a limited number of appointments each month, especially given my schedule. I spend the majority of my time in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where I’m available for just five days per month. Additionally, I have a two-week work period in North Loop, Minneapolis. Given these constraints, the referrals from my existing clients have been crucial in maximizing my reach and making the most of my availability. It’s a testament to the power of a satisfied customer base in helping me build my business.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Maintaining strong client relationships and fostering brand loyalty is a top priority for me. One of the primary channels I use for communication is email, and I have a dedicated email list of over 500 clients and counting. Through regular email newsletters and updates, I’ve found it’s an excellent way to keep in touch with my clients on both professional and personal levels. In my emails, I cover a wide range of topics. On the professional front, I share the latest trends in the beauty industry, offer beauty hacks and tips, and provide updates on new products or services I’m offering. This helps my clients stay informed and engaged with the ever-evolving world of beauty.
However, I don’t limit my communication to just professional topics. I believe that forming a personal connection with my clients is equally important. Therefore, I share personal details in my emails, such as updates on my life, recent moves, and even my personal journey, like the excitement of getting my talented visa approved. This humanizes the interaction and creates a sense of trust and camaraderie. It’s also an opportunity for me to share my struggles and successes, which can inspire and resonate with my clients on a deeper level. Some people reach out to me with more personalized questions, suggestions, or even contacts that I need. This is why I refer to my client base as an extended family; I am in the know about what is happening in their lives, and I am always happy to help, just as they are.
By maintaining this dual approach of addressing both professional and personal aspects in my email communications, I’ve been able to build lasting relationships with my clients and foster brand loyalty. It’s a way to stay connected, share knowledge, and create a sense of belonging within my beauty community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kruchinina.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kruchinina.pro/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kruchinina/
• Other: google maps. / reviews https://maps.app.goo.gl/cTExRL4vLUxYrfxF9

Image Credits
Fashion and makeup styling – Daria Kruchinina Photographer – Dasha Brook