Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Kronlein.
Gabrielle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Gabrielle Kronlein but anyone who actually knows me calls me Gaga.
I recently moved here from Sacramento. I was at a point in my life where I didn’t quite know which direction to go. I was happy but in a very mediocre way. I had just turned 26, fresh out of a serious relationship, a newly licensed cosmetologist, and bartending at a restaurant I loved but had been at since I was 22. It was a little bit of a scary realization because I knew I could keep doing what I was doing and still be “happy” but probably be in the same place in 5 years.
I was simply too content. I wanted to change, grow, learn, and be uncomfortable. For whatever reason, me and my sister decided on San Diego, and we pretty quickly picked up and moved, along with one of our best friends who was living in LA.
I’m a huge believer in manifestation and without fear, we decided what we wanted and made it happen. We ended up finding the cutest apartment in Little Italy and on my first day in San Diego, I got a job at Consortium Holding’s new brunch restaurant Morning Glory. Training started the next week. With very little bartending experience, I was quite terrified but eager to learn from best bartenders in the city. I am now the bar lead at Morning Glory and although it hasn’t been easy, the amount of knowledge and love I have gained from my mentors and community at CH is truly overwhelming.
Besides the fact that they make beautiful restaurants and bars, their core values as a company is why I’m so proud to be apart of what they are doing. They are humble, have empathy for their guests and staff, their attention to detail is unlike anything I have ever seen and I have grown to be a stronger leader and person since working for them. I truly couldn’t have found a better home.
Fast forward a couple of months, without really trying, I had a few friends suggest I apply at A Robert Cromeans Salon in downtown San Diego. To be honest, I had a lot going on with Morning Glory and a part of me was hesitant that I could take on more. However, I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to work for someone who I had always looked up to, coming from a Paul Mitchell background. So I took a chance and applied and got the job. In such a short time Robert and his wife Mary Cromeans have really welcomed me, reignited my passion for hair, and made me so excited to start growing and building my career in a new city.
Similar to Consortium, A Robert Cromeans Salon not only has talent and grace in everything they do but so much more. They truly care about their clients and staff. The community and support they have for each other is pretty incredible to witness and in my opinion, rare to come by in the beauty industry. I’m so excited and proud to be apart of their salon and can wait to see where this will take me next.
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?
It has definitely not been a smooth road for me along this journey. There’s been some tears, self-doubt, frantic calls home, and I have thought about quitting a few times along the way but I think that’s all a part of the process and also what has made it so much more rewarding. My advice would be to follow your intuition, be yourself, and work hard. As a female, I have always felt like I was “too much” for people. Too outspoken, too curious and had too much of an opinion. When I was younger, I thought I should not say what I felt or take action on something I wanted in fear of what others would think of me but the second I started being myself so authentically and not caring what anyone thought of me is when everything fell into place. Based on my looks and bubbly personality alone, people tend to underestimate me and not take me seriously but the older I get, the more I enjoy surprising people. Working hard is the key to it all and being open to dropping your ego, learning from your mentors and not thinking you know everything(something I’ve definitely struggled with in the past)! This has really been something I changed this past year that has had a huge part in my success. Everyone has something to teach you even in the smallest of ways, so letting go of your ego and just being eager to learn is something I think everyone can benefit from. In my eyes, nothing is unattainable it is really just about how you will get there.
Please tell us about your business.
I specialize in blondes and extensions (shocker I know).
Color has always been something that just clicked for me. I gravitated towards it early on in school and I think personally being blonde and having extensions since I was 18 years old, it helped me relate to my clients and really understand what they wanted.
I think what sets me apart from others is my ability to connect with people. I love to talk, sometimes too much. I think I have mastered this skill through bartending but I have always been so intrigued by the human mind and trying to figure people out. I have a genuine interest in strangers lives and I think they can feel that when they sit in my chair or at my bar, and it allows them to quickly open up to me.
I am blown away day after day by the people I meet and connect with from all walks of life. Some who I never talk to again and some who have remained in my life and became close friends. I easily could have just served them a drink or did their hair and let them walk away but I didn’t. I think I am most proud of my ability to be vulnerable with others and give people the space to be vulnerable back.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
I’ve always been the kind of person to focus on the positive. I don’t like to think about all the things we have working against us but all the things we have to work with us. Absolutely, women don’t have it as easy as men but also there are a lot of people that have it harder than me and I think we should make the best of what we have. You know what we do have the opportunity to prove people wrong. I can guarantee that if you ask every person at our training for Morning Glory who would end up becoming the bar lead not one person would have said me, and that’s pretty powerful. It’s definitely a struggle, you will get people who don’t want to listen and push back but I’ve found that by not trying to be this masculine leader and by just using my feminine, soft qualities to my advantage it has actually helped me get through to people and be a better leader. It has been so rewarding when those same people finally realize your intentions and really get behind you.
Contact Info:
- Address: For booking contact:
A Robert Cromeans Salon
+1 (619) 595-1120 - Website: https://robertcromeans.com
- Phone: 9167452235
- Email: gabbykronlein@aol.com
- Instagram: @Blondeandbougee @Lordgagaa
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
