Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Allen.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Christina . So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a young girl I was pretty much a tom boy. I played sports and grew up with mostly boys. Soon I started to discover things like having a relaxing nail treatment, playing with skin care products and keeping up on the latest health and beauty magazines. It became a fun passion. I started pursuing my passion as a career when I was 18 years old. I worked in a high end Boylston St. Spa in Boston for the first 12 years. I started to learn about Ayurveda-It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on balance between the mind, body and spirit. I found my niche.
I regularly practice yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and nutrition in my own life and looked forward to helping others feel and look their best from the inside out. My entrepreneurial spirit-I believe started while growing up- my family owned a restaurant that I was apart of starting at the age of 9. They instilled a strong independence and work ethic in me. Throughout my career in Boston I always dreamed of what my own spa would entail. I had a lot of creative ideas-that I wanted to bring to life and started working towards my goal. I would keep in mind quaint, destination areas that I came across that could one day be the home of my future spa. At age 29 I opened a Citron Spa in Wayland Square, Providence RI.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would say the biggest struggle would be starting a business from the ground up. I had worked for 12 years in Boston and had built a steady clientele, however, I decided it would be best to open a business near my home and I had my heart set on the charming neighborhood of Wayland Square. I knew I would be spending lots of time there especially in the first few years. So I took a leap of faith and starting a new, working at building a name for myself and my business.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Citron is an exclusive, boutique style wellness spa. We specialize in customized spa treatments such as facials, massage, waxing, body treatments, manicures and pedicures. Another popular portion of our business is Spa Parties. We encompass the Ayurvedic philosophy and the 5 elements of nature in to all that we do. Starting with our professional Feng shui design, created with citron greens, crisp whites, and natural wood and water elements, intended to bring about feelings of being connected to nature. Each service offering (facials, massage, body and nail treatments) involves a thorough consultation determining your personal elemental nature and what needs balancing in mind and body. Through aroma, temperature, and pressure of touch we are able to individually heal each guest. The product lines we use are Aveda which is 100% naturally derived and Glo therapeutics is our plant based, paraben free clinical line. We combine natural mind body balance and natural product benefits with result oriented, holistic medical grade treatments. This approach is what sets us apart. We are very proud of the culture that exists in our spa. We have a comfortable, non-intimidating environment that is small and welcoming, complete with citrus infused air, warm neck wraps, homemade treats and complimentary mimosas. Along with the “home and family” feel we possess, each member of our team has a wonderful relationship with each guest we see.
What qualities do you have that contributed to your success
I feel the most important characteristics and qualities to my success have been instilled in me by my family and how I was raised and could also be compared and contributed to playing sports. In sports, to be successful you need to be a team player, have leadership qualities, high motivation, strong work ethic, and never stop striving to learn from the best, I also think being a good listener is an important in a leadership role. Managing staff can be a challenging part of running a business and leading by example and as a team instead of as a dictatorship, I have found is best. I have a need for creativity and an independent nature which has lead me to entrepreneurship. I get to express what comes naturally to me and that is what I love.
Pricing:
- Facials $95-$185
- Massage $95-$125
- Brow shaping $18
Contact Info:
- Address: 225 Wayland Ave. Providence RI 02906
- Website: Www.spacitron.com
- Phone: 401-861-0908
- Email: citronspainfo@gmail.com
- Instagram: Www.instagram.com/citron_spa/
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/citronspa/
- Yelp: Www.yelp.com/biz/citron-spa-providence
Image Credit:
Christina Allen, Daniel Allen, Lucie Molvig, Tiffany Russo, Nancy Manso, Joshua Sylvia, Diana Hudon, Tatum DaPonte, Teri Hatcher, Tommy Flanagan, Mark Ruffalo
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