Episode 15: She Came to America With Nothing... Now She Owns a Hair Studio

In Episode 15 of Forged for Greatness, I sit down with Lucia, co-owner of Artim Studio in East Hanover, New Jersey, to talk about her family’s journey escaping communism in the early 90s and starting over in America with nothing in their pockets.Lucia opens up about the emotional challenges of being separated from family members during childhood, adapting to a completely new life in the United States, and watching her parents work tirelessly to create opportunities for their family.What started as a passion for hairstyling eventually led Lucia across the world to Prague, where she expanded her education and sharpened her skills in hair coloring and styling before bringing that knowledge back to the States. After years working at Bangz Salon in Montclair, Lucia and her mother took a leap of faith and opened Artim Studio — an intimate salon built around creativity, connection, and truly caring for their clients.This episode is about resilience, sacrifice, family, and chasing opportunity even when life starts at zero.Greatness isn’t given. It is forged.