Oh, we know. We are so so fancy now. First with our matching team denim jackets and earth friendly hair products - and now adding a VP to our Ginger team. Because the next obvious step post matching denim is….. world domination (Psst.. BIG and EXCITING news is coming soon!), we found the most amazing VP, Krista Gray. You’ve got to meet her. You’ll see. She’s upped our game, people.
G: Welcome, Krista! Tell us about yourself…
KG: I just joined the Ginger Salon team as Vice President. I'm really excited to be joining such a creative group of people, and I'm passionate about being a part of a company that is a Certified B Corp.
Prior to joining Ginger Salon, I worked for a Global Sportswear brand in Europe. I won't bore you with my full career history, but I will say that my career experience and university education is in business management and marketing.
One of the things that I learned from the Europeans is not to just ask "What do you do?" and instead try to get to know the whole person. So I will tell you that I regularly laugh until I cry and that my wonderful husband is usually to blame for this, that I try to create beauty and order in my surroundings, that I love running trails in Forest Park with friends and riding Andalusian horses and traveling to foreign countries, and that I value honesty and generosity and people who show love to the world.
G: What's your go-to workday flow? How does this differ from your weekend vibe?
KG: I'm currently working remotely from a variety of places, as I am in the process of moving from Germany back to Portland. I'm looking forward to when our move is fully complete and I have a routine again. Then I'll be getting up early, going for a morning run or doing yoga, enjoying delicious Portland coffee, and then working from an beautiful and organized home office space. My favorite weekends are the ones that feel really balanced, and that have a mix of having fun with friends & family, doing personal projects, and resting and self care.
G: We hear you love to travel. What hair or style influences have you picked up while jetsetting?
KG: I love traveling around Europe. From what I've observed of European women's hairstyles (especially in France and Germany), they seem to have a more natural and effortless approach to hair styling. An easy top knot or natural waves are more common than hair that has obviously been styled. I've embraced this approach, especially when I'm traveling since I've learned that "packing light, is packing right." You don't want to use valuable space in your suitcase for styling tools, and you don't want to be messing around with differences in voltage. I've burnt out a flatiron trying to use it with an adapter in Europe.
G: Where are you planning on traveling next? What's your favorite destination that you'd be the first to say we've got to experience?
KG: When I don't need to worry about international travel restrictions, I will be traveling to see my friends in Scotland, Switzerland, and Germany. However, I would recommend Marrakesh as an exciting travel destination. I enjoyed Marrakesh, Morocco, because it has a rich culture with beautiful hand crafts, great food, and amazing experiences. Staying in a Riad and shopping in the Souks is a MUST to experience the uniqueness of Marrakesh.
G: Do you have any favorite summer style staples?
KG: Because my wardrobe philosophy is "Less is More" I prefer versatile styles that can not only be worn in the glorious Portland Summer, but can also bridge across Spring and Fall seasons. One of my favorite staples is a wide-leg pant in a light-weight woven fabric. These type of pants are also great for traveling because they are appropriate anywhere--from St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Italy to Jakarta, Indonesia to Paris, France.