Esthetician Podcast; Business tips for Beauty professionals

096: Solo Esthetician Confidence Blueprint: Niche Down, Get Educated, and Book Clients Faster

• Kari Jo

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We coach Alyssa through rebuilding confidence after burnout, narrowing her services to traveling makeup, and using education and metrics to drive growth. We share why rebooking rates matter, how to niche with intention, and where AI fits next to human touch and realness.

• early career lessons from commission-only work
• moving solo, hitting burnout, simplifying services
• defining confidence as self trust, not perfection
• industry rewards education over effort
• choosing a niche and ideal client for makeup
• personal equity and the 85 percent rebooking target
• Gen Z’s impact on authenticity and trends
• AI’s limits versus human touch in aesthetics
• debunking viral fads with clear, useful content
• next steps with systems, scripts and micro wins

I reference Episode: 086: How to know if you should go solo.  https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2384812/episodes/17872833-086-should-you-go-solo-how-estheticians-know-they-re-ready

Hey estheticians... I’m going to be offering a chance for a few estheticians to come on and get a free business audit here, live on the esthetician podcast. How you can apply is click in the show notes below. You’ll fill out a form, we’ll reach out and we’ll get you on the podcast today. Then that same link will take you to applying to be a part of my VIP coaching program!


To learn more about Kari Jo visit: https://www.karijopatterson.com

Want to do a live Business Breakthrough Audit on the podcast with me?

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Book a Free Discovery Call - https://stan.store/EstheLaunchAcademy/p/free-20-minute-consultation-

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Links You May Want to Check out:

Join the Client Building for Estheticians group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/clientbuildingforestheticians
Check out Kari Jo’s courses here https://esthelaunchacademy.com

Phe:

Working with Kari Jo Patterson has been such a game changer for me as a solo esthetician, as someone that doesn't work under anyone. She helps me keep myself accountable with our one-on-one calls. She's put things in perspective for me as far as the what I'm trying to do in my business. She helps me put into words what I'm trying to do. And she also keeps me accountable with our one-on-one calls. Every time I we implement something in my business, I'm like, I have to do it because I'm going to have a call with her next month. So it really keeps me accountable. And she's just so sweet. She's loving and she has so much information. And I can ask her anything. She's always available for me to message, and she doesn't make me feel bad about it. And yeah, I just love working with her. She has just been such a blessing in my business.

Kari Jo:

Hey guys, and welcome back to the Esthetician Podcast. I am super pumped. Today's episode is another business audit. I had an esthetician reach out, fill out the form, which I highly recommend you to go and do so that you can get on this podcast and I can answer your questions. But today we have on Alyssa and I am so pumped. Alyssa, how are you? I'm good. I'm so excited to be here and like talking to you. Yeah, well, I'm like super pumped too. And I, you guys, Alyssa's so sweet. She I've actually sometimes you get to know people that follow you. And like Alyssa is someone that has followed me for a while. And I so like I recognize her. Like I see her stuff come up and I know her. And I feel like it's so good because I feel like you are the definition of a woman who is cheering on another woman. But tell us a little bit about you. You're an esthetician.

Alyssa:

Tell us your background. So I'm an esthetician here in South Louisiana. And I have I'm gonna be two years since I got my license. So that's exciting that I've been out in the field for that long. And I travel as of right now, doing skincare recommendations. I do brow laminations, tint, makeup, all the things. So it's fun and it's a lot, but yeah, so yeah, I love that.

Kari Jo:

Well, I am super pumped that you came on this the show. So I normally have, for those who don't know, if you want to come on, you fill out this form that's in the show notes. You guys can click it. And yeah, thank you. I try to make it easy, like five questions or something. But in it, I asked, uh, what is one thing that you feel like if you could accomplish in the next 30 days, like if you could accomplish one thing in the next 30 days, what would it be? So that and I asked that question because I really want to know what is it that's gonna be the biggest game changer for you that I can help you move the needle with. And on it, you put building my confidence back for this career. So I want to jump in and explain that sentence to me.

Alyssa:

Okay. So for me being an SD for only two years, especially in my first year of getting out there and really pounding the pavement, it was it was a lot compared to what they tell you in school. And I I met a lot of people, I met a lot of great people, but I also met some people that weren't too great. I think definitely just healing and kind of growing from those experiences and still taking like what did I learn from those situations? Just trying to feel better. So I've kind of slowed down and just been traveling and doing my own thing for the last couple months.

Kari Jo:

No, I love it. Like, I love that because I a lot of times I get so many like, how do I borrow my clientele and stuff like that? But like what I love about your question is I feel like it's the root of every new aesthetician that's building, which is the confidence. Yes, and so I thought it was important to talk about. So yes, like I think you nailed it on the head. So, okay, so you opened your own, you graduated school, and then did you work for someone? Did you open your own business?

Alyssa:

I worked for someone for the first like six months of my career, and it was a new med spa that was just getting started, and I was the only licensed esthetician there. So I basically kind of took on like all these different roles, being like kind of the manager and then also like doing product selection. I was organizing a lot of like the clients and kind of getting familiar with the online booking systems, and so that was really interesting, even though it wasn't maybe the best situation for me. Yeah, because I was only getting paid commission, I wasn't getting paid hourly like I should have been. So that that was kind of what I meant by like getting into situations and people kind of trying to take advantage or because I was young and I'm naive.

Kari Jo:

Yeah. So you worked for her for like six months, you said? Yes. Okay, and then what did what did you do after that?

Alyssa:

Then I was just like, I'm gonna go ahead and go solo, I'm gonna go to rent my own space. It took me some time to find the right place. Then I got into a salon. That was for a year. Oh my gosh, I learned so much being solo, really getting to do everything myself and building my clients, getting more recommendations just by word of mouth. It was crazy. It was, and you've talked about in your book how you're gonna get burnt out if you keep on just accepting any client and trying to do everything, you're gonna you're gonna burn yourself out. And that's what I did.

Kari Jo:

Okay, yeah. So then you went out on your own and you built a great clientele. You burnt out the amount of time, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I saw that you were taking like 10. Oh, yeah, you had like 10 clients or something per week or something. Okay, so you build a great clientele. Now, how did you end up where you are now?

Alyssa:

For me, I ended up where I was because after the holidays and all of last year, everything kind of slows down. And they talk about how you need to plan for that. And I didn't plan. I had I was completely just so new to all this, and I just got in way over my head, just yeah, financially, that financially and mentally altogether, I was I was like, oh my goodness, what have what have I done?

Kari Jo:

Sounds like you went through a really big rush, and then all of a sudden you kind of hit like a little bit of a downturn in the like a little bit, and then and so then do you still work at that same salon or no? Okay, so now you're doing traveling freelance, and like do you how does that work?

Alyssa:

Tell us about that gig. So I basically just pack everything up. I have like a big Hulkin bag and my makeup bags and everything, and I pack everything up, I go where I need to go. For the most part, I've been doing mostly makeup, so that's been like my biggest thing since being out of the salon. And I love how small, like it's not I'm not being asked to do everything because I was doing acne clients, I was doing waxing, I was doing like just it was it was a lot, and I I I enjoyed what I do, but I just I think I I was I was doing way too much and like my menu was I think a little confusing at the time. So yeah, I I don't know. I kind of broke things down.

Kari Jo:

Okay, so you just kind of simplified it. So if you were to look at like where you are now, like what is your goal? Like, where do you want to be in in the future?

Alyssa:

So in the future, I would like to either be able to rent a space again, or like I've seen a lot of other estheticians, they do, they have like their separate like little spa rooms. It's either a little mini house or something, but it's not connected to their house, it's its own entity, so that's that's the rules here in Louisiana. Everything has to be separate. So, and for me, I'm I'm only 21, so that I have time to kind of plan. Yes.

Kari Jo:

So tell me what what was the big thing that like broke down your confidence that you're like, oh, like that just started. What made that sentence become a reality to you?

Alyssa:

I think for me, it was just being around like coworkers, and I have my own issues with my acne and skin. And that's kind of my thing. I I'm personable. I was always able to talk about those those issues with my clients. I felt like with my coworkers, like they would say, Oh my gosh, like what did you what's wrong with your skin or whatever? And I don't know, just be like a little acne or whatever. But I was also struggling with my mental health. So I feel like it was just kind of added, just another thing added to the mix. I think just all of those things, rather than just feeling like I look good, I was worried about oh my gosh, is my skin good enough for an esthetician? And I know a lot of other SDs worry about that if their skin is SD skin.

Kari Jo:

Yeah. So, you know, yeah. Yeah, no, I totally get that. It's funny. I when I got into coaching, I think we all kind of have this vision in our head of like what it takes in order to be successful. And for aestheticians, it might be like having the young skin, like for me for coach, or like not the young skin, like the perfect skin that's flawless. And for like coaching, I was like, I mean, when I was building my company, I looked at these ridiculous successful people that were so flashy online, and they were all designer, and I was and I loved them and I emulated them. And so I'm like, if I'm gonna coach, I have to emulate that, right? But that wasn't who I was. And the moment I stepped into who I was was when my clientele started growing. And like I don't always speak perfect, and I thought it had to be like perfect and flawless in how I talk, but I'm not perfect and I'm not flawless. But like when I just started not editing my podcast and just letting it be me, it's like I attracted my tribe. Do you know what I mean? So I think we first have to get rid of all of our vision of what success we think needs to be like having that perfect skin. We need to throw that out the door the door. Yes, for sure. Tell me about your clientele. Does your clientele like, do you feel busy enough? Do you want to be more busy? I feel pretty busy now.

Alyssa:

Like I said, I think now that we're getting back into the holiday season, I've been getting a lot more requests for makeup for events and weddings, which has been amazing, super excited. So yeah. And just kind of continuing to do the clients, well, serve the clients that I have I've had, and then also I've been getting some new people interested. So that's always just amazing. It's always yes.

Kari Jo:

Okay. Well, I love it. So the one thing that I feel like I keep hearing like on the conversation is that sounds to me like it's not that you are struggling with your skills by any means, but what I feel like you're struggling with is your self-trust and trusting yourself. The one thing that I have learned about business is well, it's not even about business, but about confidence is confidence usually doesn't come from having that perfect skin. It's from say doing it with the imperfect skin. And that's how you get your confidence, right? So, like when other people are tearing you down, like you're just building that muscle of continuing to show up when you don't feel like it. And that's what stretches that confidence. How do you feel your confidences like right now, like in where you are wanting to go?

Alyssa:

For me now, I feel like I've worked really hard. I've been trying to build myself. And I felt like then I was really emotional. I was very all over the place just because I felt like I had to make my clientele happy and whoever was watching me and supporting me, of course. But also I I put a lot of pressure on myself whenever I people tell me things about how I look or whatever. But now I'm really just trying to just be okay with who I am and not let what other people think or how they feel, because those emotions they don't have anything to do with me. So I'm just trying to keep that separation. I think I was so codependent on getting people's approval of myself when I really don't I don't need any I get what you're saying.

Kari Jo:

And I feel like with when it comes to confidence and things like that, is like we become in in this industry, I feel like in the aesthetics industry, our industry, we do not reward effort. This industry does not reward, like you can put in a lot of effort, do a lot of social media, a lot of different things. Our industry in particular only rewards education. That's it. So the higher educated you are, the more chance of you succeeding. And so, by that, how you can gain your confidence. And what I love that you did is you took a step back and you were like, okay, I've got to like figure out what it is that I love, what it is that makes you unique and makes you different, and you loved the makeup. And so, like, when it comes to like this industry will reward anybody who puts in the education to figuring that out. And so it sounds to me like if you find your niche and if that is makeup and you narrowed it down to just makeup, and then you go a step further and you narrow it down to who's your ideal makeup client. Is it the high school kids? Is it the bridal kids? Is it year long, whatever it is, narrow down to who it is that you're going to serve, and then start like just like digging everything you know about that generation. What kind of like, for example, if it's like you like doing bridal makeup, well, who is the bridal market? The bridal market is going to be your what is it, the Gen Xers now? Yes, the Gen Xers, right? So like you start digging in and researching and learning about marketing to Gen Xers. What is these guys', how do they view about money? How do they receive their contact? How do they pick businesses? Like, that's what like the industry it rewards those who like are educated. So the more you can educate yourself on your ideal clientele, the more you can educate yourself on narrowing down your niche and what it is that you are ultimately going to become known for, the more that you can educate yourself on how to market just that. And that doesn't mean that like when you nail down your niche, it doesn't mean you can't market to everybody. Like it doesn't mean you can't do anybody or do facials anymore or anything like that. It just means you're known for this. When you have that much knowledge, you have so much confidence in who you are, who you're serving, because you have the knowledge to back it. Does that make sense? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So what was the most helpful thing that you like just took away?

Alyssa:

That I I I appreciate you saying that me taking the time and to kind of collect myself and figure out what is best for me because I felt so worried about, like I said, disappointing people. And but at the same time, I knew that I needed to figure out myself because I didn't want to keep on putting whatever onto my clients or the people I was working around. I wanted to make sure that mentally I was correct in in all the right places. So and I think that's one thing they don't talk about much with this field, like you were saying, not really being rewarded because it's everything's so visual and nobody nobody really gets to see just like all the mental parts to it and all the things, all the hard work that you do put into this this career and this field and dream. So yeah, I think being able to be more educated and I think like you said, that that brings more confidence when you feel you know what you're talking about rather than Yeah, like you don't need to learn about acne.

Kari Jo:

And I mean, yes, you want to learn about it, but like learn one thing and become the master of one thing and then start learning about other things. But right, you don't need to spend $900 to learn how to do how to work on acne. I don't know. That's not your niche. Like if that's I mean, do something else, and then if that course is like interesting and your makeup clients have acne and you want to do it, then you can dive into that a little bit. But definitely starting to get little micro wins is going to bring back your confidence within the industry and tracking it too, because yeah, our our industry it definitely does not reward effort, it only rewards education. So it's like you just have to continue educating yourself on all these different little tiny, tiny things, business, especially with Gen Z and you know that that market of people learning how to capture attention and what catches their eye, what is connecting to them about your advertisement.

Alyssa:

One thing I can say about when I found you a year ago, compared to other coach, ST coaches that I've I've seen and talked to and whatnot, I liked how your setup of marketing and like your book and everything, it gives a step by step. It gives you kind of a visual look at okay, of what do you need to do to get from point A to point B? I don't know. That that was just I I like that, that visual and how personable you are compared to other coaches I've met.

Kari Jo:

So oh, you're so sweet. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. You're the best. Of course. Well, so we have a few more minutes left. Is there any other like if you were to be like, okay, I got one more question? This would be my question. What would it be? Do you have another question if you don't?

Alyssa:

I have I have some serious ones, then I have some silly ones. So I don't I I was kind of like going, I was like, I don't know what I want to do. But for you, what do you believe is the right thing or when is the right time to go out on your own? Like yeah, with the amount of clients or yeah.

Kari Jo:

So I there is a episode that I released a little bit ago. I don't remember. I'll have to add it to the show notes of this, but I believe that there is something called personal equity. So I don't think that I think you could go out on your own like right after school, but it's going to be incredibly hard because you have no personal equity. And there are certain things that you have to develop in personal equity, and why not go learn it on somebody else's dollar versus your own? Because you can go out on your own, learn the personal equity, but you're gonna pay for it by not making money for a while until you can get it. But if you go out and you work for somebody else, and like one of the main things is like by personal equity, just like a few off the top of my head is like working for someone else and like is your rebooks above like 85%. If you are getting lower than 85% rebooking rates, why would you want to go out and open your own company if you have like a 50%? Every client, like you're gonna have to work 50% harder. Yeah, right. So, like, let me go work for another company and continue to learn and like I focus just on my rebookings. Like, if you have 85% rebooking rate, it means that you have developed a system, and that system works. And so when you go out on your own, you have and you do a model client for free. You have an 85% chance of them rebooking, yeah, right? And it's worth it. But if you're going out and you're on your own and you have a 50% rebooking rate and you're doing models, well, you only have a 50% chance if they're going to rebook, like it's gonna take you a long time to build. So, like getting that personal equity is super important, and there is other ones that go into it. And I highly suggest listening to the episode. I'll put a link in this episode, but yeah, what other one do you have? Do you think that AI will take over the esthetician field in the next 10 years? Oh my gosh, yeah. I know I've seen like the little that is spreading lashes and whatnot. I think there is gonna be a place for it, definitely. That was just silly. I do, I love it. I I think there will be a place for it, and we'll probably incorporate that in so many ways, and I could find so many uses for it. But there is something that AI does not have that our industry in particular and massage therapy has, and that is touch. We are one of the only industries that has personal touch, and so you touch personality, yeah, and you can't take that away, right? Like you can't take away the personal touch from someone. And I feel like right now, especially with this younger generation, what they are craving the most and why we have such a depression rate and everything is because of that personal connection, and so it's gonna be more valuable than ever. Absolutely. I had one more question with the younger generation. Do you think that they and any new aestheticians like myself? Because I'm also Gen Z. Yeah. So do you think that we will change the field and like the trends in the next decade? Oh, yeah, for sure. Dude, for sure. I I absolutely the Gen Z is actually like if you research this, Gen Z is actually the smartest generation that has ever been. They are the smartest because they have been constantly fed so much information. Not only are they the smartest, but they also like can absorb information quicker than any other generation. They might have a short attention span, like whatever, but they can absorb very random knowledge. Yes, they also can literally sort through the Generation X is the best generation at finding phony versus real, right? So, like you guys are definitely going to lead in this industry, like the things that will come out, and I'm excited for it because in particular, like I look at my daughter, and my daughter is like anti, like what is that called when you put a like a filter on your face, right? It's like that app that came out be real, like you guys want realness. Well, I believe that this industry has been fake for far too long, and I believe your generation is going to, it's like a pendulum swing. It's been too fake for too long, and your generation is going to swing it the opposite way. Like it's okay to have wrinkles. It's like we're about aging gracefully. Like, let's just love ourselves. Like that is what your generation is about. And so, yes, I think you guys will it I think what's the modern day hippies, like yes, yeah, totally. I don't know. We'll see what happens, but I think that's I think that's what it will go towards. But okay, for the last two minutes, what was the most interesting, maybe like controversy or drama in the esthetician field that you've seen this year so far? If you can answer that.

Alyssa:

Most controversial. Oh I can think of one.

Kari Jo:

Yeah, you tell me your oh my god. The one with the blood test, the blood typing to your skin type, like matching your blood type to what you should be doing for your skin to have yeah, a black skin and to have a great body, healthy body. I saw that, that was everywhere. I don't know if you know what I'm talking about.

Alyssa:

Yeah, no, it's so funny because I'm not on TikTok. But again, my generation, or like my not my generation, but you like a lot of my marketing is geared towards more millennial groups. Yeah. My marketing is like on podcasts. I just still have a lot of like young gen ex clientele. And it's funny because I get sent these like random things, like you're saying, they're like, What do you think of this? And I'm like, that is so bogus. Like, where are people coming up with these ideas? So I don't know.

Kari Jo:

I I think it's TikTok. It's like ruining those things. I think it's I think it's just the part of like attention, definitely, like that. Oh, this sets me apart. This because people want that so badly, but and then it turned into a whole nother thing. Like it was about that, the blood typing and and all, but then it turned into like all these different things, and it was just like, oh my goodness, like this is yeah, too much. I think if I was to be an I'll end with this, if I was to be an esthetician in this Gen X, like um, and I was like a Gen X or whatnot, and I wanted to market them, I would make a complete Instagram TikTok of all like it like it wouldn't be like my facials or my lashes and showing my work. I would like literally be promoting all the most ridiculous trends on Instagram, and that is like what I would do over and over and over again. And then at the very end of like this, like, yeah, let's blood type. I'd be like, yeah, let's not do the blood type, and let me tell you why. And then I would be the authority. Go to a doctor if you want to do that. So that's what I would do with all those ridiculous trends because they're way too many, and I keep getting sent. I agree. I should look some up. But well, anyways, I am so excited. Thank you for jumping on, and I hope that like you continue going in this industry. It sounds like you literally have the skill set totally. I think you just continue niching down and learning as much as possible, and your confidence in the industry will completely swarp because nobody taught you how to be a business owner. So you gotta go and educate yourself on it.

Alyssa:

That's why I bought your book. That's why I'm here. That's why, you know, everything. So I appreciate you so much, and I definitely will keep you updated with everything as far as me.

Kari Jo:

So yes, I will love that. So thank you so much for joining on, and we will see you guys next week on another esthetician podcast. Bye guys. Bye. Hey estheticians. I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Esthetician Podcast. But listen up, I'm going to be offering a chance for a few estheticians to come on and get a free business audit here, live on the esthetician podcast. And it's your opportunity to get real-time clarity, custom strategies, and massive exposure for your business. How you can apply is click in the show notes below. You'll fill out a form, we'll reach out and we'll get you on the podcast today. And listen up, let's say you are ready for a coach. You are ready to grow fast with systems, with supports and strategy. Then that same link will take you to applying to be a part of my VIP coaching program. Guys, I'm excited. Let's work together and let's figure out your next best step together. Bye, guys.

Announcer:

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's Fearless Prosperity Mastermind Group, one on one VIP coaching opportunities, and more, visit www.karijopatterson.com. That's www.karijopatterson.com. See you next week for more insights and strategies on the Esthetician Podcast.