Esthetician Podcast; Business tips for Beauty professionals

072: From Burnout to CEO: How This Esthetician Built a Million-Dollar Team Without the Treatment Room

• Kari Jo

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What happens when an esthetician finally conquers her fear of stepping away from behind the chair? Transformation at every level.

In this deeply personal conversation, Kari Jo welcomes back former coaching client Jacquelyn Kraemer to share her remarkable journey from burnt-out service provider to thriving business owner. The raw emotion in this episode reveals just how profound this transition has been - not just for Jacqueline's business but for her entire life.

"Looking back at that video, I was like, oh my God, I can't believe I looked like that a year ago," Jacquelyn shares, reflecting on her initial coaching session. "I can't believe that I was doing it all... I was surviving, but you can do it all without doing it all great." Since implementing proper systems and embracing her role as a CEO rather than just an esthetician, Jacquelyn has lost 40 pounds, gained newfound energy, and built a million-dollar company that runs smoothly even when she's not physically present.

The conversation dives deep into the fears that keep estheticians trapped behind the chair - fear of client abandonment, fear of team members leaving, fear of losing control - and how overcoming these barriers leads to exponential growth. Jacquelyn's candid admission that "what got me from point A to point B wouldn't get me from B to C" provides a powerful framework for understanding why so many beauty business owners plateau.

Perhaps most valuably, Jacquelyn outlines the specific systems that transformed her business, particularly her accountability framework that empowers her team while maintaining high standards. Her insights on creating true leadership in the beauty industry, rather than perpetuating the unhealthy cycles many professionals experience, offer a roadmap for anyone ready to evolve from service provider to visionary business owner.

Ready to transform your own esthetics business? This conversation will show you it's possible to build financial freedom and time independence without sacrificing quality or abandoning your passion for the industry.  


Check out Jacquelyn's amazing accomplishments here - 

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Links You May Want to Check out:

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Kari Jo:

Welcome to the Esthetician Podcast, where passion meets prosperity. Your host, Kari Jo Patterson, transformed from a solo esthetician into a successful business owner, achieving ultimate time and financial freedom by the age of 38. Kari is the author of Fearless Prosperity, empowering estheticians to build their empire and achieve financial freedom, and the creator of the Empire Growth System for Estheticians. Get ready for some empire-building wisdom Now. Welcome your host, Kari Jo Patterson.

Kari Jo:

Welcome back to another episode of the Esthetician Podcast. Guys, today I decided to bring on a past person that I interviewed on my podcast, but I brought her on because she was one of my coaching clients and she has grown so much, she has completely transformed and I feel like you guys need to hear her journey, and so I am so excited to have Jacquelyn back.

Jacquelyn:

Jacquelyn, hey, how are you Hi, I'm great, so excited to be back. Oh my gosh, I love doing these things with you.

Kari Jo:

I'm excited to have you back. We just finished up a year's worth of coaching and when we started I told her I was like I'm only gonna, you know, have you commit to six months and if we make it a year, then you know, if you want to go a year, we can whatever. And we just finished it up and I just showed you the video of our very first intake and to where you are now and we both started tearing up. I know I went to my husband and I was like honey, you have to watch this. And I made my husband watch it and he like got teared up too and he's like I'm so proud, like he's like proud of me and I'm like proud of you and it's like I don't know one big like happy.

Jacquelyn:

I might cry again today. I feel like not in a bad way, I've just I feel I feel emotional in a good way. But you know, when you um overcome your fears and you look back on your journeys, you know and you're like, holy crap, I did that and it is emotional, but it's emotional in like a positive way. So if I do cry, it's only happy tears but yeah.

Kari Jo:

So, yeah, well, one of the things I had this little plaque someone gave me once was when I started this and it said you know, it's not about the leader you know you become, it's how many leaders you can actually make. And I've always taken that. I'm like, okay, yeah, that's my goal is how many people can I make into leaders? And for you in particular, like what I see with you is you are not just like I feel like you're going to surpass me, and what I did and that's what makes me so proud is because I'm like this girl is on fire and I don't know where she's going to end up, but like so much potential and so I feel like we've got to dive into your brain and everything that you've gone through. So I want to take it back and let's rewind, let's go back. Let's go back and let's talk about what was going on in your life that made you say, okay, I can't do this alone anymore, I need a coach.

Jacquelyn:

Well, I climbed really far. I look at my business as I was scaling a mountain, so I started at the bottom and I just climbed and climbed and climbed and I never looked back and I got there from instincts and just being relentless and just having this drive of like I want to do this, I have to do this. I have this dying passion that I need to fulfill, and I had no idea when I started my career 15 years ago that I would be where I am today, owning a successful business, building a business in a town that I did not grow up in, in a small little town of Lake Charles, louisiana. Coming from a big New Jersey city, because that's where I'm from originally, I never thought that I would be doing any of these things. So when I started climbing my mountain, I just knew that I had to get there. And it was actually interesting because I was listening to a masterclass today about mindsets and about how some of the most successful people of our time didn't get there by the skill that they had. They got there by survival and by wanting to just create something, and that's kind of where I guess I resonate with a lot of that. So, with that being said I didn't get into this like having a business background or knowing anything about business outside of like I like skin and I'm good with people and I can sell things and I'm just going to climb.

Jacquelyn:

And I got to this point in my mountain that I was like I know I need to go up further, but I don't know how to get there. It was almost like the next cliff was a little out of my reach. I just did not have the tools to do it and I was spiraling and I felt like I was just stuck. I went to work every day and stared at my computer blankly in between clients, being like I know, I need to do something, where I don't know what I need to be doing and it was really bothering me. And after reading books and going down rabbit holes, I just knew I needed somebody's direction and I was really terrified to hire a coach. I was scared shitless excuse my language because it's money to invest and you got to trust people.

Jacquelyn:

And for such a long part of my life I did everything by myself. I don't have a team behind me, I'm not married, I don't have a trust fund, my parents are not business owners. I literally did all this by myself. So, being a survivor and being your own person that pays their own way and is not used to support, you're like well, how do I trust somebody and then I'm going to pay you to tell me what to do?

Jacquelyn:

So it was very and then also like too, when you hire a coach, they literally are going to dive not only to your you as a person, but your business, your finances, how your mind works, and it's very vulnerable spot to be in, it's a very earth shaking spot to be in, and it's it's a lot of trust, you know. So I had to get over that fear, right, and I had to find a coach. And I had to find somebody that I knew was going to help bring me to the next level. Of all the books that I read and all the things I did before I hired a coach, Pretty much every successful person has has gotten there because of somebody else, because somebody else did that before them, and I knew hiring a coach was what which really was going to save me not save me, but it helped me get to the next level and help me figure out the tools I needed to get to that next cliff on my mountain, so to speak, and you know, that's that's, that's that's what I did.

Kari Jo:

Just so, now we're here and it's been like the most incredible journey, because you went from working behind the chair like doing everything to now you don't even work behind the chair, so no going back. What was the hardest thing for you to let go through, like let go of.

Jacquelyn:

Serving clients. I know, when we first started working together you know we didn't work on that first I think you brought that idea to me like six months, almost like six or eight months into our time together, months into our time together and I remember when you told me that and my stomach dropped, I was like no, like I cannot do that. What do you mean? Like that is my whole, I'm an esthetician. What do you mean? Like that's what I do. I wax people, I do facials, I do skincare, I what do you mean? I can't and I can't do it all.

Jacquelyn:

Like as I by default, have always treated myself as kind of like a machine, a robot, so to speak, and like I could everything. I've always had to do everything. So I just in my mind, it was that mindset shift that I had to overcome to walk away, you know, from serving clients. But that was really hard for me as a leader of my company to relinquish that and turn it over to my team, these people that I've built connections with over the last like five years, and the standard that I've created, the environment I've created. You know, now I have to put that on to somebody else who I've trained hand trained. I know their skills are there, but they're not me, so it was like giving that up was very hard to do so how?

Kari Jo:

what was the fear of, like getting out from behind the chair? What was keeping you stuck from doing that? Like what?

Jacquelyn:

was the actual fear. What were you?

Kari Jo:

afraid of if you left the chair?

Jacquelyn:

I guess I was afraid, like you know, when you build something and it's based off of you right, and even though you hire people onto your company and you train them, it's still not you. And I guess it was the fear of you know, know, clients not being satisfied because it wasn't me. I was afraid that clients were going to feel like I was abandoning them. I was afraid that clients were going to look at me like, oh, she's getting too successful, I don't want to go to that business anymore, because I hate to say this, guys, but people do think like that. I was also afraid of, in some way, shape or form and I don't want to say this in the wrong way, because you are building a team to empower people but like fearful of giving your client, not giving your clients away. I don't know if that's the right way to say it. You know you do want to trust the people you hire and I do fully trust people that I've hired.

Jacquelyn:

But it was hard to do that Cause, like we're taught in this industry, it's almost like you want to squirrel away all your nuts. You know, like you want to collect people and it's like, especially if you come from like a corporate environment, which I did. I worked for a corporation for a long time and it was very cutthroat. It was like you know, we're all competing against each other. So not that I was like feeling like I was competing against my employees, but it was like that mentality that I was ingrained in me, since, like conception of being in this industry was like you got to keep everybody that you have and it was hard for me to like think of it in a different way and give people to other people. I guess if I'm explaining that correctly no, I think that's.

Jacquelyn:

I think that is like one of the biggest thing is like I think he's worded it well by saying, like collect the nuts yeah, exactly, and you know we don't own people at the end of the day, right, like people are free to go wherever, but in our industry, we know a client is so valuable. Um, you know we don't own people at the end of the day, right Like people are free to go wherever, but in our industry we know a client is so valuable. You know you can't put a price on a good paying client. I mean, I don't. And so for me it was just okay I'm going to trust. I got to trust the process and my own leadership skills and I got to trust that I'm going to turn my clients over to the people I employ and that the people I employ have enough integrity and respect for me that they're not going to do me dirty.

Jacquelyn:

I guess, and part of my fear of that also was not having a good.

Jacquelyn:

Well, I had good foundations, because naturally I'm a leader, but not having the right systems in place and having protocols and my guides books all written down and really empowering my team and creating a teamwork accountability environment at the moment, and once I created that, it really did alleviate a lot of those fears because I knew, you know, there was a protocol for everything.

Jacquelyn:

And you know I knew I was pushing my team in a certain direction, to where you know they had to uphold the standards and that I built my business on. And then I had policies in place to protect myself and my business if they were to leave. And you know, before I got behind the chair I didn't have all that set. So once I did have that set, it was a much easier transition for me. But that definitely was one of the biggest things. I think Now, looking back and reflecting during this conversation, probably what was deep in my mind holding me back it wasn't just defaulting to the typical mindset that estheticians have, but also as a business owner, knowing I'm not fully prepared to step away because I don't have all my ducks in a row. So once I was able to secure that, it made my transition a lot easier and smoother.

Kari Jo:

So, for the girl that has that fear right now, what is the one thing that Like and there was multiple things that we did in order to, but the one thing that you're like, implement this, do this first. That like can make you move that way, cause it's about just creating momentum and starting to move. So what was the one thing that someone could implement that you're like do this.

Jacquelyn:

Well, if we're thinking of a technical standpoint, if you don't have a handbook in place or a guideline in place for your team culture, you got to start there because you need to tell people how the boundary and you need to tell people how you're going to run your business and how to treat you know how to treat your business. There has to be a guidebook, and when you have a handbook or you have a policies and procedures or SOPs in place, it's already set. This is what they got to follow and it's easy to coach too, and that makes it more clear for you also as a leader and as a CEO of your company, and how you're going to run your company. So there's no gray areas and it just makes you feel more secure when you have those things documented and they sign the forms, the contracts, and then, outside of the technical thing because I think this is like a two-part answer is your mindset. If you don't believe in yourself that you can do it, you're never going to do it. You have to trust yourself and trust the process and trust the person or the leaders that you have in your life or the guides that you have in your life, whether you're paying for coaching or you're kind of self-doing it. You have to have your own mindset set, because before all of that it doesn't matter how I already had a handbook, honestly, before I hired you right, and I already had stuff, but I didn't believe in my not that I didn't believe in myself. My mindset wasn't where it needed to be.

Jacquelyn:

So once I started shifting my mindset and believing in going through the motions of that and seeing and envisioning myself as like a CEO, as a business leader, as, um, you know, uh, a woman who can like create, really create her own schedule, I mean, I'm sitting in my home office right now. My business is open. It's been open since 9am. Those girls are in there making money. You know I have a whole team of people that knows exactly what they're doing and I can sit here and have this conversation with you and be with my daughter, because it's now summer and you know, not have to stress about it.

Jacquelyn:

You know it was really creating that, that that vision for myself, that that's where I belong and I'm not just an esthetician anymore. I'm a business owner, I'm a leader. I'm just like you said earlier. You know you're creating, you're creating leaders. You know, my goal of my mentorship is I'm just like you said earlier. You know you're creating, you're creating leaders. You know my goal of my mentorship is I'm creating the next generation of musicians, you know. So that's, that's what I had to like, train myself to think, and then all of it followed, the rest of the follow-up, you know. So, really, truthfully, for me it was it's really a two part answer, so you can't have one without the other person.

Kari Jo:

Yeah, I, I agree, and I feel like you know it's so interesting is you said something I don't remember what it was, but it reminds me is one of the things that I noticed is for you in particular and I feel like all my clients are a little bit different is is you work well when I call you out? You work well when I call you out, like I say to you like this is your red flag, like like you know what I mean. This is like you when you get called out, you like immediately respond. Not everybody is that way, but did you feel like you had to be called out on the fact that you could do it?

Jacquelyn:

or not necessarily. Um, I really throb off of constructive criticism. I have a growth mindset. I do not have a scarcity mindset, naturally I don't. I just don't have a scarcity mindset. I am a survivor. I'm a survivor in a lot of ways. Not a survivor in like a life-threatening thing, but just like I've had to fight for everything that I have today.

Jacquelyn:

I know I'm scrappy at the end of the day, like I'm going to go out and I'm going to get it. So if you're telling me like, hey, you need to improve here because your life or your business depends on it, I'm going to listen to you. I'm a cramp. I got to do it Cause in my my, in my own nervous system, I'm wired that way. Like I need that so I can propel forward.

Jacquelyn:

You know we get blinded a lot, you know, by things where we get so caught up in the data. I know the other day you're telling like and you did tell me the truth about it Like you're like you are so focused on building systems. I love building systems. I've learned, just like my love of marketing, I'm obsessed with it. But also you can get tunnel vision and you're an eye for me to be like look at the bigger picture, cause that's your expertise. And be like uh, you need to revert over here because this is where you're struggling, this is where you're red flagging. You need to make moves now. And you got to figure it out. And I'm like okay, I'm listening because it triggers something within me to be like okay if you got to move the needle somewhere and you can't get, so like laser focused on one thing and forget about the other thing. So really for me, coming from that growth mindset, I want to know how I could be the best I could be, because I strive for that.

Jacquelyn:

You know, like I competing with myself, I guess I love. I love that. I love being called out and told like hey, you need to improve upon this, because I'm always self-reflecting. I mean it's like I walk around with a mirror 24 seven. I'm always looking at myself and like, how can I be better? How can I be the best version of myself for the people I love in my life? For you know, every person I interact with, like for my kid, my future husband, my mom and my dad, like my people, I employ the people I come across every day. Like you know, how can I be the best for you? You know, not just really for me, but you know.

Jacquelyn:

So I feel like the only way you can get there is through, you know, self-reflection and constructive criticism. You know you need that to drive you forward. That should be the fuel. It's not in any way, shape or form, a bad thing, you know. I mean I think it depends on the packaging, right? Like, if you're being criticized and it's not constructive, it's definitely can be detrimental. But you just got to be real with yourself and take a really long, hard, look in the mirror and ask yourself what do I want? How am I going to get it? And you have to get uncomfortable. And somebody telling you something about yourself that is going to only help you move forward is uncomfortable. It sucks hearing it. Excuse my language again, but it's necessary in order to grow.

Kari Jo:

Yeah, so what is one thing that you thought you wanted, but once we started coaching, you realized you actually needed something completely different?

Jacquelyn:

I guess I don't know. This is such an interesting question because I don't know what I wanted. I hate to say this. I just like I knew I wanted to build a business and I knew I wanted to be financially stable. I knew that's what I wanted within my company.

Jacquelyn:

I guess what I can say, what I learned through coaching that I didn't really realize what I needed because I didn't really have an end game plan. I guess for myself it was like, oh, I'm just going to work and take clients and you see, so many people work in this industry that never stop taking clients Most people I know that own beauty businesses are still taking clients to this day and I just thought like, oh well, that's just what. I'm going to run my business, take clients, do this, do that. So I didn't realize that what I actually needed was to step away, that what I actually needed to grow and scale my company was to stop taking clients and to embrace the leadership role that I naturally have in myself and truly become a CEO role that I naturally have in myself and truly become a CEO. I just never saw past myself taking clients and being known in town for being the best wax place and being an amazing Brazilian wax specialist.

Jacquelyn:

And while I still definitely hold that flag and I will overtake that badge because I've earned it now I see myself, and I want people to see me, as a business leader, as a mentor, as a woman in business who's paving the way for the next generation of women in business. Whether it's in our beauty or real estate or whatever industry you're in, you can still be a martyr for that. And I'm also paving the way for estheticians. I live in a community to where aesthetics is. We're not saturated yet it's on the rise. We've got a beauty school that's pumping out estheticians every couple of months and I'm kind of setting the bar for them and what can be of this industry, how to get there, and I didn't really like. I said, I see that now, but when we first started this journey, you know I didn't see past just taking clients. But now I see where my true purpose is, you know, and it's it's more than just being behind the chair or being in the treatment room.

Kari Jo:

So yeah, do you think? Let me ask you this, now that you and both, do you think that you can be a good leader and a boss and work behind the chair, and why and why not?

Jacquelyn:

I mean yes and no. I mean I am a juggling master, multitasking queen. You know I've always had to be. But am I effective? No, and I could do it all. You could be a jack of all trades, but you'll be a master of none. Um, that saying is so true. You know, in order to be a great leader, you have to be present and focused every day.

Jacquelyn:

I know that when I was behind the chair, a lot of things got pushed to the wayside. I could not stay on top of my team, I couldn't coach them properly, I couldn't drive my business forward. I also didn't have a clear picture of anything and when I'm in the treatment room, my brain in my ears always tell what's going on in my business. So I can't even be a great service provider. I mean, I'm still a great service provider, but I can't be as focused as I want to be. When I was solo and it was just me myself and I easy breezy. But as your team grows and as you start hiring employees, and whether it's a front desk person only or you start marketing more heavily, that requires so much brainpower and so much expertise and focus that you can't do it both and you're going to burn yourself out, and I did. One of the reasons why I cried when we watched that video playback because I looked at myself and I saw a woman on the screen that was so tired and burnt out wasn't taking care of herself. Ever since I've really freed myself, my time, I've invested back in me. I've lost over 40 pounds. I actually get dressed these days. I don't show up behind the computer in a big oversized robe anymore. Like I actually want to do my hair, I want to apply makeup, I want to get dressed up. You know like I don't want to just like be a shell of myself, you know. So, looking back at that video, I was like, oh my God, I can't believe I looked like that a year ago. I can't believe that I was doing it all. But you can see this woman is doing it all and I wasn't mastering. I was great at it. I was surviving. I'm a survivor.

Jacquelyn:

Remember that If you're a survivor, you know this is going to resonate with you because you can do it all. It doesn't mean you're doing it all great and you know what lacks the most is you right? So you're showing up for everybody else and you're burning it at both ends for everyone else and you're putting on that brave mask. When you come home, you're just, you're like a blob, like you can't focus, you can't do anything for you, and you walk around not realizing like you might look okay or you might be able to pull yourself together, but you're still not operating at your true level of capacity. You know, because you're putting it so many other places and, like I said, if you're a survivor, if you're listening and you resonate with that, you don't know exactly what I'm talking about. And so you know, after really seeing that and really like reflecting, you know, no, like you can't, you can't do it all.

Kari Jo:

Yeah.

Jacquelyn:

You could try, but you're. What's going to lack is, and you're never going to be great at anything.

Kari Jo:

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean, because when I watch that's why I cry too Is because even me, being in the spot where I'm at, when I see those estheticians, I feel it and you can spot it now in other people Like, if you want to see it, you can spot it. I watch Shark tank all the time and I love shark tank. That's like my favorite show ever. It's my favorite. And I cry and my husband is like, oh my gosh, you're crying again and I'm like I can feel it, I know what they're going through. It's like you can fill it with. You can fill an entrepreneur's pain because you lived it. So, speaking to that, let's say, because I love how you're like if you, you know what I mean If someone is listening and they are right now where you were one year ago, they are burnt out, they are stuck, they're scared to hand it off, they don't know what they're doing, what would you tell her?

Jacquelyn:

I would tell her that it's okay to ask for help. I don't care how strong you are, I don't care how much of a survivor you think you are. You are allowed to ask for help. You're allowed to throw yourself a lifeline because if you don't, you're always going to be scared. You're allowed to throw yourself a lifeline because if you don't, you're never, you're always going to be scared. You're always going to be stuck in this vicious cycle and you can't be afraid to invest in yourself.

Jacquelyn:

I feel like a lot of time, um, especially if you are a survivor, you know, if you are that type of woman who you know fearlessly, like runs her life and her business, you know, without thinking of yourself, you know you, you don't invest in yourself. You don't take the time Like I know I didn't and it took me a lot of you know of my woman, I'm saying balls, whatever, sorry, you know. So like actually invested in myself because I'm not used to doing that and ask for help. You know, cause, as a survivor, I'm strong. You know. I put on this front like I, I got this, I don't need you, but I do, and I had to really really be real with myself and be like, if I'm going to make this business work, if I'm going to survive here for the long haul, I need help, I need to throw myself a lifeline and I also need to stop treating myself like I'm a machine, because I'm a human and my time is not limitless. It's not. And how you spend your time as a business owner it's going to determine exactly where your business is going to go. So if you're not spending your time in a valuable way, guess what? Your business isn't going to move in the direction you want to move it to.

Jacquelyn:

As a business owner, as a CEO, whether you're still behind the chair or not, your time is the most valuable. I don't care how many employees you have, while their time is valuable to you, yours is the most valuable. And if you're spending it spinning your wheels trying to figure out your next move because you got too much on your plate, you need to delegate and get shit off your plate because you're not language again and you need to ask for help and you need somebody to help you, guide you to the next level or help you scale to the next cliff on your mountain so you can reach the peak, reach your summit and start building your community. That's kind of how I looked at it. It's like, well, I got there right and I finally got through the next cliff and I got the tools and now I'm at my summit, I've staked my claim, I've planted my flag and I'm building a thriving community. But the only way I could do that is like, hey, I need help, I need a lifeline. But I had to find that within myself first, so I had to almost tell myself it's okay to ask for help, you are allowed to ask for help, and your time is more precious than anything, and how you spend it is exactly where your business is going to go.

Jacquelyn:

Because if I didn't ask for help a year ago, I don't know where I would be. I'd probably be doing the same thing. I'd be treading water, I'd be feeling like I'm drowning. I'd probably have gained another 20, 30 pounds and been even in a deeper place than I already was. Not that I was in like a bad place, but I wasn't taking care of me.

Jacquelyn:

And now that I'm able to do that, I can lead my team in such a better place. And it's interesting because my girls actually said that to me not too long ago. They're like, you know, I just feel like I love coming to work before, but they all feel like this place just feels so much more magical Now. It feels like we're all part of something, we're all striving for something, like they work so much harder for me now than they did before. You know they have more guidance on they did before, but they love it, they're thriving off of it, you know, and we're moving forward and they feel that they see that you know and you can't. You can't be afraid of those things.

Jacquelyn:

And if you are afraid of change or afraid of employees leaving, well then guess what? Maybe they're supposed to leave. You know, I had that happen. We changed some things and we had a girl quit and that was okay because I knew that as my business grew, people that I had on my team weren't going to be there for much longer and I knew that that needed to happen for growth and for the success of my business. You know, and you can't be afraid of that either.

Jacquelyn:

So I know, kind of, going back to me, one of the questions you asked me earlier, that was also a fear change, change and having, you know, the people that you did employ in your business quit. You know what I mean and it can happen. And you know I I made the changes and I faced my fears and the people who left left and that's okay because you weren't supposed to be on my team to begin with. Then, in the long run, you know and that's not to say anything negative about anything it just means that you're just not a good fit anymore. And that's okay, because where I'm going you can't take everybody with you.

Jacquelyn:

You know, and it does help when you have that structure and that, that boundary and those, those strong leadership skills, you attract the people that are going to help your company thrive and you're going to deter and deflect the people that aren't going to help your company thrive. And as hard as it might be to see somebody go that has been with you for a long time, that your clients enjoyed, that they did make you money, but if they're not helping fit your end narrative and helping you get to your end goal, well they're not for you. And you can't be afraid to make those changes as a leader to be able to push your business forward, because they're only going to be a weight that brings you down. So I know that kind of like went off the exact question. But if you're stuck, like I said, just don't be scared to invest in yourself and throw yourself a lifeline. It's life changing. It really is.

Kari Jo:

Right, I feel like what you said earlier was so important, but I think what happens is like what gets us from point A to point B isn't going to get us from B to C, and we have to continually do something different in order to get there. And I feel like that is the definition of what your journey has gone through. What got you to a great clientele? Like, you did that on your own. You got from A to B on your own, but in order to get the company that you want, like the business, you couldn't do that same thing on your own, so you then hired it out to find somebody to help you do that. And then going into where you are right now because, like, that helps too, and we've worked and you've built this amazing, profitable company. She's gotten out behind the chair, she has a team of many people yeah, a million dollar company, right, but what I think where we are now is because we've been together for a year.

Kari Jo:

What's going to get you from now point C to point D, is investments, right? Yes, the whole entire conversation was on. Is that conquering that fear of like? Okay, now I have to learn how to invest. How do you feel about that Because now you're investing in large equipments. You know we've talked about buildings, we've talked about, you know, franchising, all of the different things. So how do you deal with that fear now? Because you just we got on this in the green room because, before we jumped on here, our last phone call, which I just got off with her on on Monday and Tuesday, I literally what did I say to you? And then what happened in the meantime?

Jacquelyn:

Yes, I mean, I don't remember forbidden what you said to me, but pretty much you made it clear that if this is the answer, and you know, if you know, you know what my goals are, you know what my dreams are, you know, you know my numbers, you see the spreads, just like I do. You know, you see the growth, but you also see where I could do better and you know that's also why you have a coach, right, your coach is there to tell you how you can improve. And you know, in enough words, you told me, if you know, in the nicest, kindest way possible, if you don't do this, you're not going to grow, just straight up, like you didn't say it, just like that, but I know that's what you meant and it's. It is scary to spend money, you know. I know I told you that story, I mentioned it.

Jacquelyn:

You know, when I built out my business, you know I did it cash money, all my on my own. I did not take out any loans. And the first time I had to write a $35,000 check, I almost threw up, I cried, I was shaking. You know I ran payroll and I wrote this check in the same week. You know I probably spent, you know, 40 something thousand dollars and I've never I don't come from money. I've never spent that much money before. I never had like that many commas in my bank account and zeros before. You know what I mean and I did that by myself. And you know I come from a family that's like save, save, save, save, save, squirrel away all your pennies. And you know, do all this and don't do that. You know so I grew up like that and so spending money, it was hard and I have to change my mindset. And investing is spending money. And now I'm on this new journey and this new growth path of learning that skill and challenging myself to continue to not have a scarcity mindset when it comes to money and to run towards your fears.

Jacquelyn:

You know, and I've always run to my fears and for me, if I get this like weird, excited feeling, like in the like the bottom of my chest with the top of my stomach, almost feels like this fiery, like like I need to go, like I don't know if y'all feel like that, but I get that feeling, you know, especially when we do talk about certain things when it comes to investments and things, cause I, I, I, I guess it's cause we were connected in a way, cause we're always on the same page. You know, our brains are like syncs, so it's like I know what you're telling me is like is the is what I need to do, and I know it deep down inside, but it's like my brain hasn't caught up to it yet. Like my body knows, my brain is like oh, because it's like that's that those like I don't know your nervous system or however you want to put it like it like tricks you into thinking. Like it's like I think you taught me this.

Jacquelyn:

Actually, when you're scared, it's like your brain wants to protect itself. So if you're afraid, you're going to instantly like shoot in like all the doubt, all the what if this go wrong? That could go wrong, you know, or you're not worthy of this. You have imposter syndrome all of a sudden, but that's your brain just protecting yourself. But you're also you're breaking a pattern and you're rewiring yourself to think differently.

Jacquelyn:

And so for me, every time you said that to me, it was almost like a message to me, like you need to to re, allow your brain to rewire itself and you need to listen and you need to this, you know, because you're not going to steer me wrong, like you haven't. You haven't told me anything yet that hasn't gotten moved the needle for me, or hasn't at least made me think differently, to move the needle myself, you know, because at the end of the day, coaching is not going to instantly make you more money. It doesn't work like that. You have to take the tools and the resources given to and implement them and work to continue to change your mindset. So just putting that out there.

Kari Jo:

So you know, so it's just like no, it's, it's.

Jacquelyn:

We could have a whole other podcast about marketing behind that, but anyway, I'm not going to go there. So you know, and I know that you know by you telling me these things, okay, so I finally, you know it was like I have to run towards this fear and I have to conquer it. And I did and I'm proud of myself that I've, you know, made my first outside of. You know my build out that I that I paid for myself. You know I'm now investing and I'm now taking out loans to. You know, continue to fund and fuel my business forward and not being scared of of the what ifs and if I'm going to make money, cause I am going to make money off of it.

Jacquelyn:

I have a plan, I have a strategy. I'm going to market the crap out of it to make money and it's going to be great for my clients and to be great for my team. And I'm like, again, just rewiring myself to not be afraid of that and change my mindset from a scarcity mindset when it comes to viewing my finances and things like that to having an abundance mindset so I can not be afraid to go apply for that line of credit and take out that loan, because I have a plan and I have a strategy and I know that I'm going to be able to make my money back and then 10x it over time, because I know what I'm doing. Yeah, and I trust myself, you know, and I don't have imposter syndrome anymore, like I know I'm, I'm that person and I'm gonna do it. Yeah, yeah, that's just what I do, you know.

Kari Jo:

Yeah, I love it and it's like the first. From A to B is like learning how to master building a clientele. From B to C is learning how to master your business and from C to D is I don't know if I'm doing those right, but anyways, it's like now you gotta learn how to invest. You know what?

Kari Jo:

I mean you're, you're just killing it and we're coming up to the end of the podcast, which I just loved picking your brain because I just feel like so many people will get so much value from this. But what I want to know is what is one system that you feel like, that like I taught you or I gave you or I helped you with that implemented, that changed everything for you that you're like that is a system everyone needs wow, that's a hard question because there's so many great systems out there that I have now.

Jacquelyn:

I guess the biggest one that's probably in my brain right now, that that that made me rethink a lot of things about my business and how I just operate as a whole, is having an accountability system for your team and then also for yourself. You know cause, if you don't show up and be accountable for your own self, I mean, how can you expect anybody else to be accountable? So you know, when you have a team of people, they're there to work for you. At the end of the day they're, you know, obviously they need to make money for themselves and you need to build into the culture, but at the end of the day, they're working for your business and your company. And if you want to drive your company forward, you have to have a really clear cut accountability system and a growth system for your employees. So, one, you attract the people that you want in your company and, two, you have a clear guideline of how to manage those people within your company and a clear path of not only where your people are going to go, but where your business is going to go, because if you don't have that accountability system. It's not baked in well, then it doesn't matter what you do on the backend for your business. It's not going to matter, because these people are the ones showing up and putting in the work every day, especially if you've since left the chair.

Jacquelyn:

Like I said, I know my girls at the store. I can log in to either my cameras or my numbers and I can see how much money they're pulling in. If I was to call my manager right now, she'd be able to tell me everything. If I was to message one of my employees right now, they would immediately message me back and give me a full rundown because I've created that accountability system, you know. I know my girls are going to show up on time for their shifts. I know they're going to show up in uniform, ready to go have everything that they need out. Because I've created that so my business can continue to crush its goals, make profits. I can continue to reinvest in them, not my, not myself personally, but into my business for my employees. So they have a great place to come to work. So I can continue to invest in machines right and have a more like, more opportunity for them. So I can, you know, go buy a building and go buy land or bust down walls, you know, and expand out into the suite next to mine, you know, like you can't do that unless you have a team that shows up and is accountable and works for you every day, because you make yourself accountable.

Jacquelyn:

So I feel like once I adopted that mindset and built that system within my company, it really changed everything and, like I said, people have since left because they didn't fit into that, but they needed to go so my company can continue to grow forward and I can build what I want.

Jacquelyn:

And the people that I have there that are still with me, I know, are the ones that are going to ride with me to the end and are going to really believe in what I'm doing and continue to show up and be accountable for themselves for the long-term growth and success of my company. And you know it would. It would make me feel so great, you know, down the road, when I do open up more storefronts and, you know, have all this that I can then take my girls, my flagship girls, and elevate them and give them, like you know, management roles or just more money. You know I would, I would love to be able to do those things, because those are the ones that are that are been with me since conception and they're the ones that are accountable to show up and, and you know, those are the ones that I want to be able to dump all those things into. But without a system I wouldn't have that, you know. So I think for me personally it was an accountability system.

Kari Jo:

Yeah Well, Jacquelyn, thanks you so much for coming on and what I love about you is so much, but what you're doing is you're changing the industry, because I what I ultimately want to do is I want to change the industry and I want to show that you can work for someone and make a lot of money and have a great environment and have like time freedom and make money.

Kari Jo:

But the problem is there's so many leaders that open a business and they don't have the right systems in place, that open a business and they don't have the right systems in place and then the employees are upset and they leave and they they have envisioned that experience is every experience, and what you're doing is you are changing the industry and you are showing people what it looks like to actually work for a real company that has systems in place where they can make money. They can also go home and have time off, and that is like changing. You're changing the industry and you're helping grow my vision and I just want to thank you so much for everything, for trusting me, for building, for doing it all. Yeah, thank you.

Jacquelyn:

Yeah, no, thank you. I mean, um, it's definitely, uh, been a humbling experience in all the ways, but I'm really proud of you know that I I am kind of, you know, taking this torch and running with it and, yeah, like you said, showing people that can be done different and the beauty industry doesn't have to be cutthroat, where you know we, you can still support each other. You know, I mean you have to and there's no, and I do feel like, unfortunately, like to to you know, kind of go back on what you had just said. You know our industry doesn't, when we go to school, doesn't cultivate leaders. I feel like a lot of times they teach you how to compete with each other versus how to mentor each other, and it's very rare to find a employer or a boss in this industry that actually wants to see you grow.

Jacquelyn:

A lot of people who own beauty businesses want to keep you stagnant. They want to screw you on pay, they want to 1099 you, they don't want to go about it the right way and they're not actually here to educate you and to mentor you forward, because they're scared and they're scared of, I don't you know themselves losing, like you know, like stop seeing clients or whatever, or they just not really. They're really, they're not truly leaders. I hate to say it, but just because you can open a business doesn't mean you should, and just because you can have employees doesn't mean you should. You really have to believe in that leadership mentality and have a clear path and a vision beyond the chair. And if you don't, that's okay, but then you probably shouldn't employ people.

Jacquelyn:

Yeah, yeah, and if you're not willing to be a leader and if you're not willing to be a servant leader cause there's a difference between a self-serving leader and a servant lever go read a book. I think it's called the motive and they talk about it in that book. I read that book cover to cover and it took me like three days. I know it's so good, it's a very good book and you should read that. And if you don't resonate with being a servant leader, you shouldn't own a business. I'm just going to be very flat out and say that or you shouldn't even be in leadership period. If you're a self-serving person, so you person. So here's, you're never going to be successful and your team's going to be successful, and we're going to continue this cycle of you know what we're in today and all this stuff that you see posted on Facebook groups and all the things that everybody complains about, is just going to continue to happen. So yes.

Jacquelyn:

Yeah, two cents on that.

Kari Jo:

I agree, I agree completely. And, guys, if you're listening to this and you're ready to take the next step and get in to VIP coaching, there is a link below where you can jump on a call, just like Jacquelyn did, and we can talk about what you're going through and let me help you guide you. So, and then, oh yeah, go ahead.

Jacquelyn:

I was going to say, um, it's really worth it. You know, I did a lot of research before I invested in somebody and I talked to a lot of coaches, a lot of people, and I think it's frustrating because you do have to trust a person, but, you know, once you find the person you resonate with, you know you need to invest in them. I mean, coaching doesn't have to be it's going to be an investment in yourself, but it doesn't have to be break the bank investment. I just don't believe in that and I feel like what you charge Gary is very fair. I feel like if you're making money anywhere from, like you know, 10 to 15 to $20,000 a month, and you're ready to scale the next level, you can easily afford Gary's coaching, you know, and she's extremely honest and transparent and she's not going to steer you in the wrong direction. And she's not paying me to say this. This is totally me just saying this. How I feel, you know, and I did I did talk to a lot of coaches and I felt that most of them are bullshit, and actually one of the coaches that I almost went with they don't even have an agency anymore. They closed it, you know. So I don't know if that tells you anything.

Jacquelyn:

But coaches that are out here cause I did kind of make a comment about this earlier that um make it seem like, oh, if you hire me, you're going to make all this money instantly or not, and don't believe in them and don't invest in them, cause they're probably a bunch of BS. Like you have to invest in somebody who's going to teach you the systems and the processes and how to build things and who is also going to be really real with you, because you're not going to just because you hire a coach. It's an investment, just like buying a piece of equipment, and the long-term payoff is what you're looking for. It's the long game, it's not the short game. And if anyone's out there telling you you're going to hire me, you're going to make money instantly, they're a lie, that's so.

Jacquelyn:

I just want y'all to know that and that definitely, partnering with somebody who really, truly has a passion to build leaders and has a passion to like really see your growth, and it's not about the money. Like that's the person you need to partner with, because there have been so many times that she's tried to like break up with me and I'm like I can't break up with you and you know I'm still well and she tells me all the time so you don't need me anymore. I was like, but I do and I want to continue to to, you know, pay for her services because, like, I believe in them and no, she's she probably is right, I probably don't, but I feel so compelled that I'm gonna continue because I know that's what I need for myself, you know, but she's so honest that she's like she's tried, but I'm like no, so so just know it's worth the call, um, I don't know, I'm sure they're so free that she, like donates her time pretty much to talk to you and it's just worth it. It really, really is.

Kari Jo:

Yeah, well, thank you, yeah, and I'm glad that we still are together, just so you know. But yeah, you don't need to, but yeah, I'm still here.

Jacquelyn:

Sorry, I'm not ready to break up yet.

Kari Jo:

Well, I'm sorry, I'm not ready to break up yet. Well, let's keep going, okay, anyways, thanks for tuning in guys.

Jacquelyn:

We'll see you next week on the Esthetician.

Kari Jo:

Podcast. Bye, Bye. Thank you for listening to the Esthetician Podcast with Kari Jo Patterson. Each week, Kari brings you real-world lessons on how to grow your empire. To learn more about Kari Fearless Prosperity Mastermind Group, one-on-one VIP coaching opportunities and more, visit Kari. That's www. karijop atterson. com. See you next week for more insights and strategies on the Esthetician Podcast.

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Jacquelyn Kraemer

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