Stop doing $10 an hour tasks in your business.

Stop doing $100 an hour tasks. 

So, what are the tasks you should be doing in your business? 


The $1000 an hour tasks. 

Now let me momentarily backpedal because I already know what you may be thinking…

“$1000 an hour tasks…what are those?!”

“I don’t have the revenue to stop doing $10 and $100 an hour tasks; I’m just barely keeping up!”

“I know I need help, but I don’t know the first place to look.”

Well, sit back, pull up an earbud, and fire up your notes app because in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’ve got you covered on all things hiring a VA.

If you’re not familiar with the term VA, it stands for virtual assistant and let me tell you; they are a game-changer for the burnt-out, overworked, run-ragged business owner.

(Even if you’re not burnt out, you can still use a VA because they help you continue to stay sane and help you sustain growth as you scale your business!)

Virtual assistants are the key to setting yourself free from tasks that don’t fall within your zone of genius (aka the $1000 an hour tasks) so you can pass off the to-dos that take you forever to cross off to someone who can do them in mere minutes thus saving you a ton of aggravation and getting you a massive return on your investment.

However, as you get searching for a virtual assistant, you’ll find there is no shortage of potential hires to choose from.

In this episode, I’m sharing with you my top tips, tools and resources for finding your perfect fit VA, getting them set up and ready to roll, and creating a system so they can help you achieve your mile-markers for success.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How you and your business can benefit from bringing on a virtual assistant (VA)
• What a VA is and what types of tasks they are equipped to handle 
• What to consider concerning pricing, hours, and hiring locally, domestically, or internationally 
• Tips for finding and working with your perfect fit VA 
• Resources for where to begin searching for virtual assistant help

References Mentioned in Episode #085: How to Hire a VA and Reclaim Your Time

• Check out sites such as Hire My Mom, Cloudpeeps, Upwork and Freedom Makers to find a VA 
• Find international VAs in the Philippines 
• Use tools like LastPass, Canva and Google Drive to collaborate and share access to materials 

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

There’s an old sentiment when comes to business relationships and how it predicates your success…

“It’s all about who you know.”

While this is true to a degree, because knowing who influences various areas of your community is essential in knowing how to leverage your relationships to be mutually beneficial, what’s more important is how well you’re getting to know people. 

How much effort are you putting into nurturing your relationships?

What are you doing to invest in your existing relationships to make them stronger as well as develop new relationships?

Now, if you’ve listened to even a few episodes of Spa Marketing Made Easy that feature guest interviews, you’ve probably noticed a pattern: all my guests are people I’ve personally connected with or met and developed a relationship with before having them on the show. 

Whether it’s meeting them through my coaching or mastermind groups, business events, or working relationships, our connections are what drive our conversation forward. 

And in this week’s episode, I’m talking with another one of my connections made through my coach, Rachel Perry, who is also a coach herself, as well as one of the sweetest and funniest people I’ve had the opportunity to chat with. 

Today we’re exploring the benefits of business relationships both with clients and with other business owners, and how the power of relationships isn’t so much about the who, but rather the how in how you approach developing relationships with everyone within the sphere of your business. 

Whether you’re brand new in business, you don’t own a business but are working to grow your clientele, or you’re well-established, but looking for new opportunities to expand in your career, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why investing in finding and nurturing entrepreneurial relationships is important and necessary 
• How to create stronger client relationships that make a client feel valued and how that benefits your business in the short- and long-term
• Simple ways to keep track of your relationships and why you should be keeping track
• The differences in approach to developing relationships with clients vs. fellow business owners 

References Mentioned in Episode #083: Exploring the Benefits of Business Relationships with Rachel Perry 

• To learn more about Rachel, click here to visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram 
• Tune into Rachel’s podcast, Making the Leap 
• Listen to Episode #008 of Spa Marketing Made Easy: Grow Your Clientele With Gift Card Marketing

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community.

When I speak with aesthetic experts who have recently taken the leap to start their own aesthetic business whether it’s as a solo practitioner or a spa with a team of aestheticians, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “how do I build a business that lasts?”

We’ve all heard the stats: 20 percent of small business businesses fail in their first year and 50 percent within five years. 

It’s not exactly a hopeful statistic when it comes to longevity, and that’s why I love to share stories like those of my guest on this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, Shannon O’Brien. 


Shannon is an industry vet with over 17 years of experience where she has started and grown not only a successful day spa in Tahoe but has also moved on to a new area, launched again as a solo practice and built it up with a team and a boutique to boot. 

She knows what it takes to build a business from the ground up, scaling her team and services, and building a brand that will be successful for the long haul, but this journey didn’t come without its bumps in the road.

In this episode, Shannon and I are getting vulnerable on what it looks like to navigate the entrepreneurial journey through tough seasons of life and how you can find beauty in the breakdown to help you build your business to the vision of success you hold, and even beyond your wildest dreams.

Today, Shannon is the founder of iSugarUniversity where she is bringing sugaring education and community to the online space, and I’m so excited for you to hear her inspiring story of how she arrived to where she is today.

I know her story will give you hope, especially if you’re in the midst of a rough patch of life or business, but even if you’re not, her story is a case study in the grit and perseverance needed to succeed, and is chock full of takeaways that will help fuel your growth personally and professionally.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Shannon’s evolution as an aesthetician who owned a successful day spa and moved to a whole new city to start over 
• How Shannon discovered sugaring, how it compares to waxing, and why it’s a beneficial treatment to be able to offer your clientele 
• Shannon’s top tips and mindset shifts for navigating difficult seasons of life and business-ownership to build the dream you envision for your life
• Why finding your focus is one of the most critical entrepreneurial skills you should develop 

References Mentioned in Episode #082: Finding Beauty in The Breakdown with Shannon O’Brien of iSugarUniversity 

• Learn more about Shannon’s iSugarUniversity and Sugar Tribe by visiting her website
• Connect with Shannon and iSugarUniversity on Instagram and Facebook 
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

Does the idea of going live in front of the camera leave you feeling frozen?

Yes, you know that doing things like Facebook and Instagram Live can be great for your marketing efforts, but you feel awkward being on camera, you don’t know what to talk about, and then the fact that you’re LIVE and can’t click the stop or pause button?

Forget it!

Listen, I 100 percent understand that putting yourself out there via live video can feel scary, but if you were brave enough to venture out on your own as a solo aesthetician or spa owner, you’re brave enough to sharpen your camera-ready skills.

Thankfully, with tips from experts like Tiffany Lee Bymaster aka Coach Glitter in your back pocket, you can build your on-camera confidence to begin leveraging the power of live streaming.

In case you haven’t guessed by now, Coach Glitter is my guest on this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, and she’s here to give you the honest-to-goodness truth: you can’t afford to not connect with your audience via video.

In case you’re still on the fence, according to a study conducted by HubSpot, 72% of respondents said that where both video and text are available on the same page, they would rather use video to learn about a product or service.

If that’s not enough reason for you to embrace video marketing for your services, I don’t know what is.

So, if you’re ready to get on board with today’s most effective social media strategy, listen in as I discuss Coach Glitter’s unique background as a pro makeup artist and how she became a live video expert, plus how to use these tools to boost your aesthetic expertise and grow your audience.

(And with a name like Coach Glitter, how can you not be intrigued?! Trust me, she is an expert who will give you the boost you need to finally click the “Go Live” button with confidence!)

In this episode, you’ll also learn:

• How Tiffany was forced to take the plunge into live video and has since gone live over 1,000 times, and has never looked back
• Why live streaming can provide a much-needed boost around building our audience and promoting our services
• How to stop playing small and start showing up through your online video marketing
• Her top tips for getting started with what to say, do and show when you go live plus how to leverage that live streaming content through your other marketing channels

Recommended Resources from Episode #018: Getting Comfortable with Live Video as an Aesthetic Expert with Tiffany Lee Bymaster aka Coach Glitter

• Learn more about Tiffany and her work as a camera confidence coach, branding expert and pro makeup artist.
• Check out Coach Glitter’s course, Lights Camera Branding!
• Connect with Tiffany aka Coach Glitter on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
• Ask your live video questions, receive feedback and support in the Aestheticians Connect Facebook group.

Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur?

Traditionally speaking, an entrepreneur is someone who owns their own business, which if you own a spa or operate as a solo aesthetician, would mean that you’re an entrepreneur!

But even if you work as an employee for a spa, and don’t necessarily have aspirations to run your own show, the insights shared in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy will still apply because as you’ll see, every successful spa expert needs to possess these key qualities to achieve their definition of success.

After all, as an employee, you still have sales goals to meet and client bookings to fill, right?

So, as long as that’s the case, there’s always room for improving our entrepreneurial traits in skills, and this episode will help you do just that.

Today I’m joined by my good friend, Nicole Simpson, an aesthetics industry educator, aesthetician, international speaker, and most recently the AVP of Global Education for SkinCeuticals.

She’s traveled and worked in more than 37 countries educating on the skin, cosmeceutical science, as well as on business development and social media for aesthetics clinics around the world.

And as a co-founder of Aesthetic Influencer, an aesthetics education and support company created to provide the aesthetics industry with resources for business and social media growth, Nicole remains at the cutting edge of the aesthetics world to carry out her mission of elevating and supporting the industry she loves.

(You may also be familiar with her as she is one of the panelists from the Aesthetic Marketing Seminar I hosted in San Diego this past spring!)

In this episode, we discuss which qualities every skincare and spa entrepreneur needs to have and develop to build sustainable success on your terms.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why it’s critical to define your vision for success and how that aligns with the journey you take to achieve it
• The purpose of “starting with why” and how to find your “why”
• How your “why” and purpose helps you overcome entrepreneurial roadblocks the steps you can take to cultivate your why further and have it drive the actions you make in your work
• What a successful entrepreneur’s mindset consists of and the consistent attributes between successful entrepreneurs
• How understanding your own personality and perspective allows you to shape your journey to success

References Mentioned in Episode #016: The Key Traits and Practices to Become a Successful Spa Entrepreneur

• Connect with Nicole via her website, on Facebook and Instagram.
• Learn more about Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” via his book and by watching his TED Talk.
• Read “The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level” by Gay Hendricks.
• Take the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator test.
• Join the free Aestheticians Connect Facebook group.

Silver linings, looking on the bright side, glass-half-full…however you coin the idea of optimism, what you’re actually doing is choosing to be positive. And yes, positivity is a choice.

While being positive isn’t a marketing strategy per se, when embraced and embodied, the power of positive thinking has true, scientific evidence of improving not just our day-to-day lives, but long-term happiness and sustainable business success.

Tune into this episode to hear:

• Why mindset is a critical piece of success and happiness in life and business
• My personal story of how positive thinking has directed my entrepreneurial journey and my approach to taking on challenges and struggle for beneficial outcomes
• The science behind positive thinking and the tangible numbers to prove how impactful it can be in your business
• A simple practice you can begin doing now to immediately begin shifting your mindset into a place of positivity and possibility

To join the Spa Marketing Made Easy community on Facebook and receive more marketing insights, support, and feedback, click here.

When I first traveled to Japan in 2016, I immediately fell in love.

Not just with the place, but with the people.

They’re kind, inviting, present and take immense pride in their work, and as I explored some of their most prominent cities, I noticed that my experience with the people remained constant whether I was in a 7/11 convenience store or an upscale sushi restaurant.

Needless to say, it’s not uncommon to be inspired by travel, but Japan and its people genuinely offer an experience that’s uniquely it’s own, and I believe we have a lot we can take away and bring into our spa client experience.

So, in today’s episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, which I’m recording while on my second trip to Japan, this time to Kyoto, I wanted to share while immersed in the surrounding culture, the three core principles that I’ve experienced within the culture and among the Japanese people that you can use them to transform and enhance your spa’s client experience.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What it looks and feels like when you make people your priority
• How details matter when crafting a client experience that leaves a lasting impression
• What it means to be “simplistic” in a way that adds immense value (without creating a ton of extra work for you)
• How approaching an attitude of gratitude and service is one that can only come authentically

References Mentioned in Episode #015: 3 Takeaways from The Japanese Culture to Enhance Your Spa’s Client Experience

• Learn more about cultivating a presence practice by listening to my discussion with Kimberly Spreen-Glick in Episode #013 of Spa Marketing Made Easy.
• See the culture and mindset of the Japanese exemplified in the documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
• Join the free Aestheticians Connect community and give your feedback on this episode or ask questions within a supportive community of like-minded aestheticians working to create thriving careers.

Today’s guest is a little different than my usual interviewee in the sense that, yes, she is a successful business owner, but the topic of her business isn’t what we’re discussing.

Instead, we’re diving into the money mindset that helped her achieve her success in life and business.

Meet Tamiko Kelly; she’s the founder of Sleep Well, Wake Happy, where she helps mamas feel like themselves again and improve their baby’s sleep through the night, which is actually how I began working with her when my daughter struggled with sleeping (not anymore!).

Tamiko has been instrumental in helping me create the business and baby balance that works for our life and my work, and as I got to know her, I found her attitude and reflections toward money to be profound in a way that I know many aestheticians need to hear.

Now let me address what could be the elephant in the room for you…

I know being in such a caring profession can make the idea of money feel sticky or out of alignment. After all, you’re here to serve and heal, right?

Before we go any further, you have to know this: you can help heal people and still be financially successful (whatever that means for you). Those two things are not mutually exclusive.

You can do both, and based on personal experience I can also confirm that is only the case if you have done the work to develop a money mindset that acknowledges your value and reframes your money outlook from one of scarcity to abundance.

And that’s what Tamiko is going to shed light on today you hear her money mindset journey along with her top insights for developing the mindset that will help you win big in business.

So, we may not be talking about sleep in this episode, but I think by the end of listening you’ll sleep better knowing that the success you desire to achieve lies within your control and reach.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why just “charging more” isn’t the fix for earning more and how there’s more profound work to be done
• How you can prepare yourself to be ready to receive and be resilient in breaking new blocks through your evolving money mindset journey
• What it takes to create boundaries that allow you to unblock the things that could be holding you back from receiving new energy around earnings

References Mentioned in Episode #054: Developing Your Winning Money Mindset with Tamiko Kelly

• Learn more about Tamiko’s work at Sleep Well, Wake Happy and sign up for her free (game-changing) online workshop: The 3 Step Process For Teaching Your Baby To Sleep All Night
• Connect with Tamiko on Facebook and Instagram
• Learn more about “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne
• Read “E-Squared: Nine Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments That Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality” by Pam Grout

As aestheticians, I wholeheartedly believe we provide more than just beautiful skin. We’re also healers and confidence creators, so when I heard from one of my guests on today’s episode that 50-60 percent of aesthetic schools have closed since 2009, I was honestly shocked.

I had no idea our industry was experiencing such a shortage of educational avenues, and it got me thinking, “How can we as aestheticians be doing more to support and enrich the community and industry we’re a part of to ensure that it doesn’t slowly die?”

As I pondered that question, one of my guests on today’s episode, Maxine Drake, a leading spa consultant and coach, stepped in to help shed light on the subject and share how she’s giving back and creating educational opportunities on a larger scale.

Along with Maxine, I’m also talking with Malinda McHenry, a veteran aesthetics educator and Co-Owner of Bronzed n Beautiful (among many other notable accolades), about the current state of aesthetic education, the importance of giving back to the aesthetic community and industry, and how we can continue to professionally thrive through education.

In addition to those topics, we’re also talking about the incredible event Maxine is hosting in Hawaii on October 14 and 15, the 2018 Beauty Business Summit!

When you buy your ticket to the Summit, not only are you investing in your professional growth, but you’re also giving back to the aesthetic community since all proceeds from the event will go toward a funding grant for an aesthetic education institution.

I’m honored to have been invited as a panelist at the event where I’ll be speaking on “Retail Selling With Confidence.” I would love to meet you and learn with you there, so get your ticket today!

During this episode you’ll learn:

• The current state of aesthetic education institutions and why it’s critical they receive outside support from those thriving in the aesthetic industry
• Various ways we can give back to the aesthetic industry by imparting our gifts of knowledge and helping up-and-coming aestheticians gain greater experience
• How Maxine saw an opportunity to help up-level aestheticians’ business acumen while simultaneously giving back to aesthetic education through the Beauty Business Summit
• The benefits of participating in industry events and making professional connections
• How you can get involved with giving back no matter where you’re located or how much time you have

References Mentioned in Episode #014: Giving Back and Owning Your Role in Supporting the Aesthetic Industry

• Learn more about the 2018 Beauty Business Summit and to get your ticket.
• Apply for your school to be a candidate for the Beauty Business Summit Grant.
• Learn more about Maxine via her website and schedule a complimentary coaching call by click here.
• Learn more about Malinda and connect with her via LinkedIn.

Vulnerability, fear, self-compassion, judgement…these are all things we tend to face, especially as women, but even more so as entrepreneurs and aestheticians carving out our own definitions and pathways to success. But just because we face them doesn’t mean we’re doing the crucial work of moving through or with them, and that’s why I’ve brought on today’s guest, Julia Kristina.

Julia is a registered clinical counselor and the founder of Julia Kristina & Associates where she and her team help their clients process and breakthrough their emotional barriers brought on by anxiety and depression, stress and overwhelm as well as self-esteem issues, and grief and trauma.

Julia believes that we need to stop shying away from looking at and talking about the deep things that make us tick (and tock) as human beings, and doing so doesn’t have to be awkward or uncomfortable. In this episode, we discuss how we can begin bringing down our emotional and mental barriers to allow ourselves to be happy, healthy, and prosperous entrepreneurs.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How the core of your entrepreneurial success is tied to your willingness to be vulnerable
• Why you might be subconsciously sabotaging yourself and how to unblock the emotional restrictions holding you back
• Why you need to get curious and questions for reflection to help you transform fear into confidence
• What it means to be self-compassionate and how that ties into practicing self-care