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

Katrina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I believe success can be measured in so many different ways. To me success is being happy and fulfilled while doing what you love.
I feel very blessed and am so grateful that after 22 years of being a hairstylist. I am very happy, and fulfilled in the career I chose.
Maybe even a little obsessed!

Katrina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The short version of a very long story. Is that I was born in India and raised in 15 different countries. I moved here to the US at the age of 19 with my little boy Tony, who was born in Italy.

I never went to school a day in my life. As I was raised in a crazy hippie cult.

Life, travel and hard knocks were my education.

In India I learned that one can be happy with nothing.
In Japan I learned to celebrate perfectionism, dedication & harmony.

In Italy as a teenager. I learned to admire fashion and passion. It was here that I began to do hair. It very quickly became my obsession.

After arriving in this country I went to beauty school. Then 6 months into my program, I met my first boss Robert Cromeans at a hair show. I told him I was going to work for him. And he ended up hiring me.

That’s what brought me to sunny San Diego where I found a place to love and call home.

I’ve been working as a stylist here for 22 years.
Through passion and dedication and the loyalty of my amazing clientele I have been able to build an amazing business.

What sets me apart as a stylist. Is that my specialty is short hair styling. Shoulder length and above. I’ve always worn short hair and love to cut it. I particularly enjoy it when I am trusted to take someone from long to short. There’s a strength and power you get from being feminine and strong enough to want to do that.

I am most grateful for a career that allows me to have close personal connections with so many people. Making people look and feel amazing is what drives me.
I am most excited about my latest endeavor which has been opening my first salon. Pixiedot in Cortez hill. It is very centrally located and has loads of parking.
I am in the process of building a small team of amazing people who share my passion and dedication to this craft.
This next part of my chapter in my career I will continue to dedicate time to hone my craft by taking classes and keeping up with the latest in technology and products. As I teach and help other stylist improve their skills and career.

Whenever people get to hear a little bit of my personal story. I commonly get asked why I’m so f*cking normal. Lol.
Honestly. I’m a survivor and my crazy upbringing gave me the tools I need. To empathize, sympathize, connect, love and be grateful.
It’s kind of a superpower.

My favorite quote is. “You don’t become strong despite what you have been through. You become strong because of what you’ve been through.

Having the mental fortitude each and every moment to find the light that exists in the darkness. Is a gift you learn through struggle.

I am a living testament that you can come from nothing. With zero education and support. And make a beautiful life. You can not only survive. But you can thrive!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Building a clientele has become far more easy in this era then ever before. However it still requires lots of work and consistency. It’s like a garden. If you care for it. It will grow.

For me as of late IG has been very instrumental. I get so many new request from it. I had to learn that it’s not how many followers you have but “who many”!

Make sure you are posting for people in your community to be able to find you.

Best way to understand this is to think of something you want to find. Write down all the hashtags you try. Now create that for your post.

Yelp is also pretty relevant still. So work that!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Covid really made me pivot. I went from working in a very large amazing salon to working in a little studio for just me. Then we were shut down again. So I opened a small salon in my yard. With a real shampoo bowl and everything. Then back in my studio.
Having my own studio gave desire and tolls for my next move. Which was opening my salon.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: Bobkathair
• Facebook: Pixiedot salon
• Yelp: Pixiedot salon

Image Credits
Patrick Fore