Feature Friday: dk.envy
Oh man. I can't wait for you all to read this feature! I have been getting my hair done at this little boutique salon for a couple years now. Here's a quick testimonial: We were introduced through a mutual friend after my stylist moved out of the province. I was skeptical as I have a hard time trusting hair stylists (horror stories from my childhood!), but these guys not only did a great job on my hair, but they understood my anxiety and were very sympathetic toward it. So, if you are in the neighborhood for a new stylist, check out these lovely ladies. Now, for the feature.
Tell me a little about yourself and your work. Where are you from, what do you do?
My name is Darlene Crnkovic, and I have a severe passion for lifting others!!! I am the Owner/Creator of a beautiful boutique Salon~Spa Located in South Calgary. I am a Master Stylist, with a few awards and accolades under my belt! I am also a Trendsetter with Loréal Professionnel Canada, and I have committed my life to making a difference through my passion of hair.
I mentor a team of 12, and I feel responsible for helping others feel beautiful!
What inspires you to do what you do? How did you start doing this work?
I can't help myself. If given the opportunity I must leave each individual I meet feeling beautiful! I never feel more alive than when I can show someone just how amazing they are, and watching them realize it! I spend my time helping men & women stay and feel fabulous while trying to inspire my team daily! This has become what fulfills me most! Watching the amazing group of ladies who I work alongside find their talents, & nurture their passion, while helping them shape a secure a quality future. This is my calling and I wouldn't/couldn't see myself doing anything else.
I grew up originally in BC where my mother ( a 30-year hairstylist veteran) did hair. We moved to Calgary in 1988; I'll never forget as Calgary was hosting the Winter Olympics. I remember thinking what a cold and really exciting city... Since then I've been freezing! ❄️
The city of Calgary has been so amazing to me and my business. The people here are responsible for my success. Calgary has helped grow my vision. An intimate hairstyling emporium, where everyone who visits is treated like family.
Starting my career, & following in my mother's footsteps, I knew through hair and beauty I could make a difference. I wanted to create a comfortable environment where the focus was our guests, & that our main goal was to help create a career that would bring joy, fun, & inspire self-esteem, self-love, & encourage all of this through the power of love and care.
Just as my career was gaining momentum, I was diagnosed at the age of 23 by two orthopedic surgeons that my career was over. Never being one to quit, I refused to throw in the towel. I found a third surgeon who was willing to help me. I believe he saw my passion and desperation to be in this industry!
So being the rebel I am, I ignored the diagnosis & I opened my first home based salon, it was a success, but my hands were beginning to fail me. So I worked as long as I could and decided that if I couldn't continue to do hair, I needed to be around it. This is where the vision of dk.envy was born.
I knew in case surgery wasn't successful I had to be in the beauty industry. So I opened my first incarnation of dk.envy Inc. to the public.
I finally had my surgery, and learned to use my hand again through therapy. With momentum flowing We were getting noticed from the city. We were so successful that Within 3 years I had to expand our space! So I decided to open my second salon, expand my team and opened a 1700sqft boutique salon.
Within five years of starting dk.envy we were awarded through the votes of our city, Calgary's Choice for Best Salon! As well I received an award for being one of the top 3 best bosses under 30 employees! Ahhh this was the best award I've ever received. As being the best boss possible was really important to me. It's definitely true what they say: Never Give Up!
We now house 12 staff, the best possible products, grew our services and started to offer a one stop shop for our guests. From hair to makeup, pedicures to manicures, massage & we even offer nonaggressive, Anti-Aging Medical Grade Facials.
Today we continue to encourage self-esteem and empowerment to All the lovely guests who enter our doors! We will grow ourselves, and our skills through the generosity of sharing our knowledge with everyone who allows us to work our magic.🌟 We truly LOVE what we do!! Xo
If you could give anyone starting out in your field one piece of advice what would it be?
My contribution as far as advice I would give to anyone who is starting out in this field would be ....To Listen to your heart & take it day by day! Believe in yourself, know that you Can achieve ANYTHING you work towards.
It definitely isn't easy and all sunshine, but if you can have one encounter with someone who sees your vision I promise those experiences will override the tough times... Always!
If you're honest with yourself & others, and you have a passion for doing what you Love, others will see your intention & support you in so many ways.
If I had taken the advice of others, whether the advice was to give up or not to even start I would not have 13years of Success, a strong sense of accomplishment, and most important the women who stand by my side each and every day!! This is what it's all about the relationships that give life meaning. My life has been shaped by the experiences, & the people who have supported us over the years. Nothing worth having is ever easy, but if you continue to focus on your passion and dreams, eventually the people that matter will notice & grace you with such fulfillment. Your heart will never feel more full. There were times I didn't know what to do next or times I had to have a conversation with myself to keep going. But I always did! Creating a little girls dream into fruition, housing other like minded people and emitting a beautiful, fun environment. Where we could all make a living and really enjoy it, with balance and innovation. dk.envy is the result of hard work, passion, and desire! It has ALL been worth it! Having the right mindset will bring your dreams to fruition! Know that if you really want something & you have a plan, you Can achieve your Dreams! ❤️😘
What inspires you most about your community?
My community Inspiring others is what Inspires Me!
When they say "It's a small World" 🌎..they aren't kidding! The people of Calgary truly have a loving & small town feel about them. Community matters to us! Everyone seems to understand that we all want to encourage and create a safe, fun place to support our dreams and our futures. Calgary has a family like atmosphere that you can feel wherever you go. We all seem to recognize that when we lead with our hearts, we are all successful for it! We support each other in any way possible! Whether we are involved in a fundraising event, supporting children in Sports, helping shave a lid for a kid. Or giving away dream makeovers for cancer survivors & their families to help heal and feel beautiful. Charities like The Mothers Day Walk & Run, and Locks of Love are near and dear to us as well. We try to participate in as many ways as we can. At dkenvy we always strive to be involved. We've supported causes to encourage activities for the disabled and we have been fostering two children in Rwanda for the past 7 years. Knowing we are doing our part to make a difference in our city is what inspires us, and truly matters to us as a business and as human beings! My biggest inspiration is to inspire self-esteem in people, I've found in my experience, that when someone has self-love, they exude that light and it spreads and shines bright to everyone they encounter! THIS is my favorite result in life!💕
Tell me three fun facts about you or your organization.
- I met my true love Steve at 16, and we've been together now for 22years!!🙌🏼❤️ 💍
- The bike in the Salon my husband built! 🏍💫
- I love camping fishing boating, wake-surfing, and my dog Jackson beyond belief 🚤🎣🏄🐶❤️
How can people get in touch?
Website: dkenvy.com
Facebook: dk.envy
Twitter: @DKEnvy
Instagram: @dkenvy
Do you know of a person, business, non-profit or other organization doing amazing work in Calgary? Tell me about it! Visit the Feature Friday page for more information!
