From reluctance to purpose: inside the rise of Boca's new Parle de Cheveux

Corina Valdez opened Parle de Cheveux this year, drawing inspiration from a recent trip to Paris. [Photo by Parle de Cheveux]

When Corina Valdez imagined her future, owning a salon was not part of the plan.

“I never wanted the responsibility,” Valdez says. “I told my brothers no every time they asked if I wanted to open one. It just didn’t interest me.”

But just months after opening her own salon in Boca Raton, Parle de Cheveux, Valdez finds herself at the center of a fast-growing business shaped as much by faith as by style. Her unexpected opportunity has become a space that clients and employees alike describe as transformative.

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The journey started this year when Valdez was approached about managing a salon space at a mall. When those plans fell through with the original owner, she was encouraged to take a chance on herself. At the same time, Valdez says, she was experiencing a personal shift, becoming more grounded spiritually and more open to trusting the unknown.

“I thought if I don’t try, I’ll regret it,” she says. “I prayed about it. I told myself if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen, and if not, that’s OK too.”

The timing fell into place. After direct, candid conversations with mall management, Valdez signed a lease in May and opened her doors in October. What followed, she says, has been both demanding and deeply rewarding.

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“I’ve never opened a business before, so everything has been a learning curve,” she says. “But it’s growing quickly. Every day I’m emailing, reaching out, visiting schools. It’s nonstop, but it’s incredible to watch it come together.”

That growth has come without aggressive recruiting or shortcuts. Valdez says she has chosen not to poach stylists from other salons, instead allowing the team to build organically. To her surprise, experienced professionals sought her out.

“One woman I used to work with just called me and asked if she could stop by,” Valdez says. “Then she asked if she could join the team. I never expected that.”

While logistical challenges tested her resolve early, Valdez says the most meaningful moments have come from watching her staff succeed.

One employee, she recalls, broke down in tears after realizing the job allowed her to stay in school. “She told me, ‘You changed my life,’” Valdez says. “I didn’t see it that way. I just needed good people. But hearing that reminded me why this matters.”

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Another stylist, initially fearful about income and stability, is earning more than she ever has, Valdez says. “It feels good when you tell someone, ‘This is going to work,’ and then they’re living it.”

The salon’s atmosphere — calm, refined and welcoming — is no accident. Its aesthetic is inspired by Valdez’s first solo trip abroad to Paris. “Paris changed how I see design,” she says. “There’s sophistication but also simplicity.”

The Parisian influence shows in the salon’s minimalist color palette, floral accents and playful touches like a pink British-style phone booth. “I wanted French-inspired without being overdone,” she says. “Classy, clean and intentional.”

That same philosophy extends to the salon’s branding and product choices. Valdez exclusively uses high-end, clean brands such as Oribe.

“They’re environmentally friendly, vegan and high quality,” she says. “Yes, they’re luxury brands, but that matches the caliber of work we do.”

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Still, Valdez is careful to define luxury on her own terms. “I love how one client described us: high end, luxury but down to earth,” she says. “That’s exactly it. It’s elevated, but it’s comfortable. No judgment. No pressure.”

The salon operates with a tiered system that welcomes a wide range of clients while maintaining high standards. Education is central to the model. In the first two months, the team hosted multiple training sessions, from barbering to product knowledge, and plans more.

“Even seasoned stylists should walk away learning one thing,” Valdez says. “We’re always investing in the craft.”

For Valdez, success is no longer measured solely by numbers or aesthetics, but by impact — on her team, her clients and the culture she is building.

“I didn’t set out to open a salon,” she says. “But now that I’m here, I know I’m supposed to be. This is bigger than me.”

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