Kendra Runnals

Title: Owner, Hair Stylist
Salon: Parlor Beauty & The Wig Parlor
Location: Hampstead, New Hampshire

Question #1: Tell us about where you grew up.

Answer: I grew up here in southern New Hampshire in a small town about 45 minutes from Boston, Massachusetts. Winters are cold here, but I’ve always loved the season changes. We get all four seasons and each one brings so many opportunities and things to do.

Question #2: What was your favorite cartoon growing up, and why?

Answer: I honestly don’t think I watched cartoons but I know every Disney movie there is. They are classics and I am still a big Disney fan.

Question #3: If a movie were made about your life, who would play you?

Answer: Kate Hudson, in “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” That’s me.

Question #4: Describe your high school years.

Answer: My high school years honestly were some of the best times of my life. I met my husband there and I met some of my best friends to this day. I was on the cheerleading and track teams, making varsity all four years. Cheerleading was my heart through school, I think it paved my foundation of women supporting women and always being encouraging. I find it helped me create the salon team I have now, knowing how to lead a team to be successful.

Question #5: Who have been your most substantial influences in life?

Answer: My influencers have been my grandparents. Watching them own businesses and provide for their family really molded how I wanted to be as I was growing up. There really are so many influences in my life, at all different ages and stages. I am influenced because I’m always striving to grow as a person. Right now my biggest influencer is my 9-year-old girl Lucy. She is always making me want to be a good example of a business owner, a hardworking and good mother. She is my purpose.

Question #6: How would friends and acquaintances describe you?

Answer: Oh jeez. Depends on which friends you ask. I think they would say I’m fun to be around!

Question #7: What would you do differently if you had a chance?

Answer: If I could do things differently I think it would be to slow down a little bit. I still have to remind myself of that, but to be grateful for what I have while I’m working for what I want. It’s easy for a business owner to keep wanting to expand and go bigger. But it kinda takes away that accomplishment feeling of how far you have come. I always have a new business idea. Then I tell myself to just focus on the two salons I have. I also would have retired two years ago from working Saturdays for 20 years. Having Saturdays back is such a gift to a busy stylist behind the chair. It was the highway to burnout so I wish I knew that years ago and would have saved myself the challenge.

Question #8: Describe a scene of your vision for the future.

Answer: For the future I’d love to be doing classes online, still managing my salon and taking extension and wig clients. I hope to have my business for many more years so a lot of what I have is on my vision board, really I just want to take care of it well so my staff and the salon stay nice for years to come.