Anything but average
At just 23 years of age, Krystal Oickle, owner of Origins of Beauty Salon & Spa, has difficulty accepting how far she has come. “I’m just an average person,” says Krystal. “My teenage years were the classic slamming doors, fighting with my parents and struggling to get good grades.”
High school was a particularly hard time for Krystal. Bullying and a major illness left her failing classes and spiralling mentally. “I didn’t know how to learn, and I didn’t believe in myself.”
While Krystal remained focused on achieving a post-secondary education, it wasn’t until she applied to Business Administration at the Lunenburg Campus that she felt she could truly turn things around. “I began to really focus in on what I loved to do and what I wanted my future to look like,” says Krystal. “Within a few short weeks, I received an acceptance letter and I was on my way.”
I was so impressed with Krystal’s attitude towards her business. Krystal thinks others might be too quick to dismiss the benefits of living here in Lunenburg County. She knew she wanted to build a life right here, at home.
A dream becomes a reality
“NSCC wasn’t what I expected,” says Krystal. “It wasn’t all about reading from a textbook. Instead, it was infused with real-world experience, challenges and knowledge that exposed me to various methods of learning.”
Following graduation, Krystal added to her diploma with certifications as a makeup artist and nail technician. “Before NSCC, I never had a goal to own a salon and spa; it was more of a crazy dream,” says Krystal. “When I finished my nail technology program, though, I realized this crazy dream was becoming a reality.”
Krystal says that her education, coupled with an emerging ability to turn past negativity into positive energy, gave her the drive she needed to open her business. “It became the wood for the fire that burned inside of me. It fuelled my passion.”
Equipped with an entrepreneurial mindset and a new found confidence, Krystal opened Origins of Beauty Salon & Spa in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia — just 13 minutes from her home community of Italy Cross.
As she looks to the future, Krystal says she hopes to continue to grow her business and her client base. “I’m looking to become a positive example for the young people of Lunenburg County who want to focus on a career and open their own business here, at home. I’m also a lifelong learner, and want to continue to add to my education.”
Fast Fact
In 2011, there were more than 800 estheticians working in Nova Scotia, with strong growth expected in the industry going forward. (Source: Nova Scotia Labour Market Information)