I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Kristin Kienzel, the founder of Utopia Modern Salon Suites and Utopia Modern Salon Suites Franchise. Kristin has dedicated over 30 years to the beauty industry, beginning her journey right after high school at cosmetology school.
In 2014, she experienced the salon suite concept in the Kansas City area, which inspired her to start her own business when she moved to Wichita. She opened her first Utopia Modern Salon Suites location, in 2022 and a second in 2023. A third location is set to open later in 2024. She began with 12 suites, including one for herself, but soon realized her passion for helping other beauty professionals thrive and grow. This led to the idea of expanding and franchising.
Kristin’s franchise aims to create jobs for many beauty professionals and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to own multiple locations. She is a lifelong learner, inspired by authors like Jen Sincero, who wrote “You Are a Badass at Making Money.” Recently, her daughter introduced her to “Hidden Potential” by Adam Grant. Her favorite quote from this book is, “It’s often said that where there’s a will, there’s a way. What we overlook is that when people can’t see a path, they stop dreaming of the destination.” Check out utopiamodernsalon.com