Adriana Khalil Christian turned a passion project into a thriving business by focusing on service, accessibility, and listening to her clients’ needs. What began as a side hustle providing makeup services to brides has grown into Khalil & Co., a full-service wedding company offering beauty, photography, and videography services to couples across San Antonio.
Khalil Christian graduated from Texas A&M University in May 2015 and landed a corporate role in logistics. While she enjoyed her job, she found herself increasingly drawn to her side business providing makeup services to brides at a good value. Her client base grew so rapidly that after just 10 months she was able to leave her corporate job to dedicate herself full-time to Khalil & Co. She opened a studio and quickly hired two stylists to keep up with demand.
“I started offering people a very low price for bridal makeup, which naturally draws in a lot of people,” said Khalil Christian. “I really cared about their experience, so I answered their phone calls and their texts super promptly. Good communication and approachability are foundational to my business.
“People kept asking me if I could do hair as well as makeup. I was like, ‘Well I don’t do hair, but I’m sure I could find someone.’ From there, I started growing a team because there were more weddings than I could personally take.”
The business continued to evolve as Khalil Christian expanded her services in response to client demand. After meeting Phil Christian in 2018, she found a partner who shared her growth mindset and brought a strong marketing background. Together, they enhanced the brand by adding photography and videography services that were scarce in San Antonio at the time, creating a one-stop shop for brides seeking a seamless wedding experience.
Now married, Adriana and Phil Christian offer a wide range of wedding services at a competitive price while continuing to grow their team and client base. As members of the Greater San Antonio Chamber, they have expanded their knowledge and professional network through involvement in the Chamber’s Small Business Council.
“I like it because it’s a very small community of people and we’re all very different,” Khalil Christian said. “Even though we come from completely different industries, we run into similar challenges. I’ve learned a lot from them, and they also learn from me.”
To learn more about membership with the Greater San Antonio Chamber, visit www.sachamber.org/membership or call (210) 229-2100.