Meet Kriss Wells | Owner & Visionary of Ego Tripp Salon LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kriss Wells and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kriss, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?

I was born in New York and grew up in Westchester County, spending most of my adolescent years in the city of Mt. Vernon. A small town of only 4 square miles but a city known nationally for its ties to hip hop and R&b artist such as Heavy D, and Al B. Sure, and not to mention celebrities such as Dick Clark and Denzel Washington, Mt Vernon was definitely where I was exposed to music,(hip hop and classical) fashion and beauty.

As a teenager attending high school, keeping up with the latest hair and fashion trends ignited my passion for hair artistry.

My parents were from the Island of Jamaica and instilled in me the value of hard work and the importance of education and to have a firm belief in God and Christianity. They sacrificed so many of their personal goals and dreams to make our lives easier than the challenges they faced back home.

Growing up I excelled at many things and I would often hear my mother say “whatever you touch Kriss, turns to gold.” I played the violin and piano, and was captain of my dance team. I taught myself  how to create beautiful trendy hairstyles that was so polished, that by my junior year in high school I had a clientele of family and friends. My high school offered a cosmetology program and I obtained 1000 hours while earning my high school diploma. I went on to study accounting at College of Southern Nevada with hopes of becoming an accountant, but my true passion was creating beautiful hairstyles and building connections with other women. Ultimately I became a licensed Cosmetologist and practiced the art for over 20 years.

Because of my background and supportive family dynamic, it allows me to connect with people from different backgrounds confidently by sharing my talents with them which can have a positive effect on their lives.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Ego Tripp Salon was birthed in 2016 as a small studio suite and shortly after the pandemic in 2021 I signed and opened my brick and mortar Salon located in North Las Vegas. It was everything I wanted for my career and everything I’ve dreamed of since becoming licensed. Being the first person in my family to officially own a store front, made my parents very proud and a part of their dream came true as well.

My mission for the Brand is to uplift the Ego of each guest we service through hair artistry in a luxury environment where it’s safe to be your authentic self.

Over the years of being behind the chair, I’ve encountered raw reactions at the end of a styling session and witnessed clients take on an entire new persona. Their confidence level was through the roof and their “ego” had been stroked.(Hence how the name Ego Tripp came about.) I discovered my “Why”. It’s so rewarding to be responsible for making people feel better about their image. Confidence is everything and when you possess confidence it allows us to unleash the highest version of ourselves in everything we do.

Essentially, it became my motivation and drive to build a team of like minded artist who understand our guest needs and believe in my vision to provide them with exceptional service while building their confidence. This is what truly sets us part from others in the industry and I’m so proud of that.

However team building and staffing has its challenges. As a commissioned based salon, leading and cultivating a culture of professionalism and excellence is key in becoming successful and hiring the perfect candidate is few and far between.

Most of my days are dedicated to my clients, while training new grads and mentoring them about the real expectations of what it takes to have a lucrative career in the industry. It’s been a revolving door as some stylist only stay for a short while and go back to working a 9-5. While some stylist are simply just not a good fit.

I’ve learned so much in the two years we’ve been operating, Building a brand and physically seeing it blossom to its full potential takes time. I’ve experienced burnout, poor eating habits and totally left with no time to enjoy my family or off days. This is the ugly side of entrepreneurship that no one shines a light on. I’ve made a huge change at the start of the new year, to bring on an assistant and schedule time out of my day to fuel my body and take a moment to just breathe. It’s been a such a game changer for me, and my family has mentioned that I’m more present and available for them.

At the Salon, we understand that earning the trust of our guest that we service builds a sustainable business. Ego Tripp Salon prides itself with providing impeccable service but most importantly brands itself as a Salon who selects quality products tailored to each individuals hair texture with a focus on healthy hair care.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world and there’s so much to do! Whenever my best friends comes to town, we set out to do everything with high vibrations and excitement!

We would kick the weekend off at Mariposa Cucina & Cocktails for the best brunch and day party in the city! They are known for the best chicken and waffles while the DJ spins the hottest tunes! It’s such a great vibe and it gives you the night club feel with out staying out late! My out of town guests love it there!

After filling our tummies the next stop would be the Bingo Hall at the Red Rock Hotel. Bingo is one of my favorite casino games and everyone knows how to play it! After an hour long session of bingo and wandering about the casino trying a few slot games, it would be time to get some rest and freshen up for dinner. Reservations would be at the chic restaurant JING located in downtown Summerlin. It’s Asian fusion cuisine and ambience is a whole vibe! Getting dressed up and taking photos at their flower wall is a must to capture the experience.

Vegas is surrounded by mountains and hiking and bike riding is always so relaxing. The following day, I always make it a point to take my guest to Lone Mountain to capture the most beautiful photos of the Valley and take in fresh air. I would tour them around my neighborhood and definitely make a stop at Ego Tripp Salon to give them a feel of my lifestyle as a local here in Vegas.
Last stop on the itinerary would be a stroll down the infamous Las Vegas Blvd Strip to take in the lavish resorts and eagerly await for the water show in front of the Bellagio to begin!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

So they say “team work makes the dream work” and without my life partner, my husband Larry Wells and my mother Pamela Newell, I couldn’t have taken the risk of becoming an entrepreneur.

My husband has supported me throughout my journey of and downs, great ideas and bad decisions. While my mom living all the way in Florida has been my therapist who countinues to encourage and guide through the many emotions that I face on a daily basis while trying to be the best version of myself.

If I could just mention my professional mentor and friend Rolanda Brooks, who countless times helped me level up in business.

Website: Www.egotrippsalon.vegas

Instagram: @egotrippsalon

Facebook: Ego Tripp Salon

Image Credits
Andre Marentic