MUNCIE, Ind. (NewsLink) -- Local Muncie owner of the Chameleon College of Beauty School, Krista Sides, has been working in hair salons ever since she was 14 years old. With so much experience under her belt, she devoted her time and effort to give back to the Muncie community and make connections with other local businesses.
Sides said her mission was for this school.
“Deciding to open Chameleon Salon, a place where I could help women be self-sufficient, that was really important to me. My mission is to empower others mentally, physically, socially, and financially in an environment which respects ideas, diversity, and hard work.”
Sides said she is very passionate about networking and making connections within the Muncie community. She’s had much experience thanks to what she said about her father being in the cosmetology business.
“I love mentoring, I love teaching, cosmetology has been my passion my whole life. My dad actually worked at all the beauty schools here in town so I am very knowledgeable on the different business styles of the different schools and the gaps I can fill because I’ve been a salon owner so long and I understand our trade."
Not only is the Chameleon College of Beauty School benefitting the Muncie community, but it can also benefit Ball State students who are interested in this profession.
“Whatever you are studying, whatever that thing is that you need to practice, or that you want to get back to, come to the school and talk to me and ask me where that can fit in our curriculum because that is part of our mission: is to connect with other professionals." Sides said. "So you don’t necessarily have to be in the beauty part of it, I mean students need to learn about social media, they need to learn marketing, they need to learn business skills, they need to learn relationship building. There are lots of gaps that can be filled with Ball State students."
Sides said she is excited for the future of the Chameleon College of Beauty School.
“Obviously I would love to see someone graduate from Chameleon College of Beauty Culture, but not only that I would love to see them connect with Second Harvest Food Bank; they’re a great program for teaching you about poverty and how to progress in life and get out of poverty. I would love to see them connect with the YWCA and go volunteer time and teach them about how to connect with people and learn with other people. So what I hope to get out of this is a complete transformation."
Sides also emphasized that the Chameleon College of Beauty Culture would not be here if it wasn’t for her husband, Richard Sides.
“He put 6 months of time into a vacant building to get in remodeled for our school; 6 months with no days off. I am just so impressed by him and thankful for him and I don’t think he gets enough acknowledgment sometimes and he should. He’s totally my partner."
