Taking the Leap

It wasn't until a close friend suggested they go to cosmetology school together that Krista gave the beauty path serious consideration. Touring the Aveda Institute of Chapel Hill in North Carolina, she made a decision that would change her life. "It was a leap of faith," Krista says, "but having someone to do it with gave me the confidence to try."

Finding Her Passion

She launched her career in 2018, right as the industry was shifting toward a more collaborative, community-driven approach. Quickly discovering her passion for blonding, balayage and creative color, Krista also found a love for teaching, inspired by childhood memories of watching her mom lead dance classes. Krista instinctively knew how to break down complex ideas and communicate them clearly. "Other hairstylists would say, 'You're really good at explaining that.' And over time, it just became something I loved even more."

Embracing the Challenges

But along with passion comes pressure—and Krista learned firsthand that burnout is an inevitable part of a high-achieving career. "Burnout is one of those things in this industry we're taught to prevent. But I think no matter how hard you try to prevent it, you're going to reach a point of burnout," she muses. "I think that we just need to embrace it and know that it's not going to last forever."

The constant drive to succeed can easily snowball, she says. So whenever she feels burnout coming on, Krista focuses on reflecting how far she's come and being creative. For Krista, collaborating with models on free-form projects helps reignite her passion. "It sounds so silly to tell somebody to work more during burnout, but it allows me to open up that creativity again and push through."

Balancing Creativity & Education

Today, Krista balances her passion for creating beautiful hair behind the chair with her growing commitment to independent education. She is also a proud member of the Fancy Team, Jacob Khan's scissor brand. "Joining the Fancy Team was the best thing that happened to me," she says. "After going independent, I felt so lonely. Jacob took me under his wing, and it brought the fun back to my career."

Sharing Knowledge: Upcoming Education

Next up, Krista is leading her own independent education series. She's teaching a class in Sarasota, Florida on May 18, followed by Eugene, Oregon on June 29, Raleigh, North Carolina on July 13, and a soon-to-be-announced New York City class in September. "I'm super excited," she grins. "If you want to learn more, definitely head to my Instagram page."

What's more, Krista will teach at Hairbrained Sessions in Minneapolis on June 23rd, leading a class that blends two of her strengths: color and social media. "I'm excited to show stylists not just how to place color beautifully, but also how to style, pose and capture it for social media — "because today, that's how we connect and grow," she says. Krista will also appear at Hairbrained's upcoming Hb Fest in Palm Springs, with more details to come.

Connect & Learn

Early bird tickets for the Minneapolis event are available now, and Krista couldn't be more excited. "I'm just so thrilled to help stylists not only create beautiful work, but also share it confidently with the world," she says.