The Lakeside Hustle
The Lakeside Hustle dives into the real stories behind the businesses shaping the Newfound Lake region. Hosted by Corey Caza, each episode features local entrepreneurs, makers, and doers who turned vision into reality—right here in our backyard. Whether you're a curious local, a business owner, or just love a good hustle story, tune in to get inspired, learn something new, and celebrate the people powering our lakeside community.
The Lakeside Hustle
Ep 4. A Newfound Spa Client Appreciation Day
What happens when a spa becomes more than just a place for facials and manicures? The answer lies in the heartwarming stories shared in this celebration of Newfound Spa's five-year anniversary.
Katie Roman takes us on a journey that begins with pandemic-ravaged skin and ends with an engagement ring. As a teacher wearing masks constantly during COVID, her inflamed skin led her to Newfound Spa where owner Stacey not only restored her complexion but also played matchmaker, introducing Katie to her now-fiancé. Their wedding is just weeks away—a testament to connections that form in unexpected places.
The entrepreneurial spirit runs deep in this lakeside community. We meet Nikki Goodwin, founder of Cotton Cupcakes, celebrating her first year in business selling designer t-shirts from a distinctive pink van that turns heads everywhere it goes. Her family-centered approach to business resonates with the spa owners' philosophy, highlighting how small businesses become extensions of personal passion and family support.
Even those initially reluctant to indulge in self-care find themselves transformed. Gail, who "never thought I'd be coming to a spa," describes the surprising joy she discovered in allowing herself these moments of pampering. Meanwhile, Robin—honored as the spa's most loyal client across all five years—reveals the beautiful symbiosis between mentor and mentee that has blossomed between herself and the spa owners.
What emerges from these stories isn't just a business anniversary but a celebration of how local entrepreneurs create ripple effects throughout a community. From helping people feel better in their skin to facilitating life-changing relationships, Newfound Spa exemplifies small-town business at its finest—personal, transformative, and deeply connected to the community it serves.
Ready to discover more inspiring stories from Newfound Lake's entrepreneurs? Subscribe to Lakeside Hustle today and join our growing community of listeners celebrating local business success!
Awesome, all right.
Speaker 2:Actually, can I grab a beer before we start?
Speaker 1:Go ahead, it's recording.
Speaker 3:Welcome to the Lakeside Hustle, the podcast that highlights the people, businesses and ideas shaping the newfound Lake community. Each episode, we share inspiring stories and practical insights from the entrepreneurs, leaders and changemakers driving success right here in our backyard. Let's get started.
Speaker 4:Hi, my name is Katie Roman. I have been coming to the Newfound Spa pretty much since it opened. I got hooked up with my beautiful esthetician and wonderful friend, stacey Barnard, who is one of the owners of the lovely Newfound Spa, and Stacey really changed my life in many, many ways. But first, starting off just with my skin. Obviously, as many people know, the spa opened during COVID.
Speaker 4:There was a lot of restrictions during that time and I am a full time teacher. I wore a lot of masks during that time. My skin was absolutely inflamed constantly. I knew I had to get this under control. I was so upset about it and I walked into the spa and Stacey quickly changed my life, and I mean that very, very sincerely. She showed me ways to take care of my skin, really nurture it. I came in very regularly during that time and now she has taught me so much that Not only can I come in for check-ins and make sure everything's good, but I now know what to do in order to really take care of it. So it has really she is a true professional and I've learned so, so much. So I'm so very grateful.
Speaker 4:I also I do want to give a little more personal shout out because, as you know, when you have time with your esthetician, you become friends very quickly because they're really close to you. They're really you know, you share personal stories, you share personal things about you and at an appointment in April of 2020, stacey looked down at my face and asked me if I was single which is a funny thing for an engaged woman to ask you and I said yeah, and she said, well, do I have the guy for you? She set me up with my now fiancé and we're getting married in a month. Congratulations. And that is literally because Stacey said you know what? I think you and Jason Murray would be the perfect match, and it turns out that we were.
Speaker 4:True story.
Speaker 2:He was here earlier.
Speaker 4:Shout out to my lovely fiancé Love you, Jay. Love you, jay, but yeah so. And true story, he was here earlier, shout out to my lovely fiance but um, but yeah so, um, the newfound spa means a lot to me and I will always come back to support these ladies and their beautiful business.
Speaker 2:So thank you guys. We love you, love you, thank you okay, that's enough of stacy my name is nikki wister goodwin and I'm with Daisy.
Speaker 5:Our children go to school together, nice, and she's been kind enough to donate gift certificates to our Easter events and everything else because she's a sweetie, and I'm here today because I want to support her. Five years of being in business I think that's a huge accomplishment. I'm only on year one of my business, so yeah, year one is great it is, it's exciting.
Speaker 1:You can plug it. You can plug it.
Speaker 5:It's Cotton Cupcakes. I own it at a designer t-shirt company and hats. We sell hats and bags as well, and we've been business for one year and it's been amazing. It's been a roller coaster and it's been a full family affair. So it's awesome.
Speaker 2:Awesome. We're thankful you're here though.
Speaker 5:Oh, I'm very grateful Every time anybody sees that pink van.
Speaker 2:They're like, oh, cotton cupcakes. I'm like, yep, they're going to be at the spa.
Speaker 5:It's very fun to hear people like when they see the van. It's almost like they've never said the word cotton before because they go cotton cupcakes and it never gets old. Like my husband and I laugh every time. We're like it's so funny, it's like the most foreign thing. It slips off their tongue when they're watching little van because it is a tiny. It is the ultimate minivan.
Speaker 2:That's for sure. Yeah, and it's pink, and it's pink, and there's frosting and a cherry on top you know everybody's like oh, you sell cupcakes.
Speaker 5:I'm like on t-shirts, yes, I do, but I don't actually sell cupcakes that you eat no pastries, no pastries I love pastries. That's why they're on the shirts. But no, I don't make them we get asked that too.
Speaker 2:They're like oh, cup cotton cupcakes. So is that pastries cupcakes?
Speaker 5:I'm like clothing, cotton, cotton, clothing yeah, I actually did make cupcakes forever and loved it and loved designing them and decorating them. And, um, I said to my husband one day I wanted to do a t-shirt company for 20 years and I painted a cupcake and I squished it in between two pieces of plastic. So it was a squished cupcake. And I sent it to him as a tech message and he goes that's it started. Now it's a sign, go for it. So cotton cupcakes was born.
Speaker 2:I love that Very cool.
Speaker 5:Yep, Yep, and it's full family. My kids have to model it. My husband has to help market it. I stuck him modeling too. Or I catch him off guard and I make him do some of the social media stuff on Facebook which he absolutely hates talking in public. He hates it. So I spring it on him all the time so that he goes. And it's fantastic. I love it it.
Speaker 2:And it's fantastic. I love it. It's great. Yeah, you can't find my husband around here either, so I get it. They're on the back end, like cheering us on. That's where he wants to be, it's okay.
Speaker 5:That's exactly where he wants to be. It works out well. What else do you want me to say?
Speaker 1:Is it good? Yeah, yeah, I mean that's it that was perfect.
Speaker 2:No, thank you so much. Thank you so much. We appreciate you being here for us.
Speaker 5:Thank you. I'm happy to be here. It's a privilege, so thank you.
Speaker 6:My name is Gail. I've been coming to the spa since it opened once in a while, but I'm Katie's mom. I love the both of them. Stacy, wherever you are, they have done an amazing job with all of it, from start to finish, and I'm the type of person that doesn't spend a lot of money on myself and I'm the type of person that doesn't spend a lot of money on myself, and I never thought I'd be coming to a spa to get my nails done or have my toenails done, and Katie has done that for me a couple times now, and the last time it felt so wonderful. I felt amazing when I left here. She's just so kind with the way she had to make me pick my feet up because I didn't know what she was doing. But I just want to let everybody know what a wonderful place this is and it's beautiful to come here. It's very, very special and it's made Bristol more special. Bristol is special and it's more special now Absolutely yes Very true.
Speaker 6:Love you guys, and it's more special now. Yes, very true.
Speaker 2:Love you, guys, love you, thank you.
Speaker 1:You're welcome. I'm recording now.
Speaker 2:You need to repeat that, because that's pretty priceless.
Speaker 1:It's got shenanigans going on over here. Tell us who you are, how long you've been coming to the spa, how you know them, your experience here.
Speaker 8:Well, I've known Katie and Stacy from the common man days. They opened their spa and my dear friend and myself we are probably one of their first customers and been coming here ever since. Love these guys.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Okay, Been coming here ever since. Love these guys, yeah, okay, what's your favorite thing about the spa or about these fine gals here?
Speaker 8:It's like family. You just feel like you're part of a group. The way I think of it honestly is kind of you know the show Barbershop, yeah, or Beauty Shop, right, it's like that what happens in the spa stays in the spa and nobody knows what's going to go on, because what goes on behind that door is it's all about the spot.
Speaker 1:All right Awesome.
Speaker 2:So true.
Speaker 1:And you guys have something for Robin here.
Speaker 2:We sure do so obviously.
Speaker 8:You want to start Katie yeah.
Speaker 2:So Robin's been part of my life for oh God.
Speaker 7:Years.
Speaker 2:Years, years and years. Common day years. Common years years and years. Common day years. Common man years. I mean, and obviously when we opened the spa and she showed up here, it was that familiar face and it's almost like that comfort, excitement comfort yeah for sure yep, and robin has literally been with us and guided us in more ways that she can ever know, and we have something special for her.
Speaker 7:I want to say one quick thing. She has been our mentor for so long. She is also a strong business woman who works her ass off, the best woman For herself and her family, and we appreciate everything that you've ever done for us. So, please, everything. Rosie, you have been our most loyal client for five freaking years. Every year, robin, every year you have won and and we salute you, we love you you have shown up for us are our heart and soul.
Speaker 7:Thank, you for everything you've ever done honestly oh my god, back at you guys love you so?
Speaker 8:much, and thank you so much for allowing me to come here and give you a little bit of insight about running a business and being a sponge and taking in the what we talk about.
Speaker 2:There are no words. No, no, literally, there are no words. Most loyal client.
Speaker 8:Oh, my God.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. You're welcome. It's more than just a plaque, though, like our heart is with you, oh yeah literally you guys have been.
Speaker 8:Well, you know, like I said, you guys are family and you're like the sisters I don't have right. So, yeah, you know, and I, like I said, you guys, you guys embrace this business. You know, started COVID and you nailed it, you killed it. You did such a great job. I'm so proud of both of you and I can't wait to see what the next five years bring for you guys, thank you so much, oh I should not do that, but thank you so much guys.
Speaker 1:I appreciate that.
Speaker 8:And as long as you guys are here, I'm coming.
Speaker 2:We're not going anywhere. Robin Sounds good.
Speaker 8:Thank you, we're here for you always. Thank you, wonderful. I love you guys.
Speaker 9:Love you too, all right, You've been listening to the Lakeside Hustle. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave a review to help us share more stories from the Newfound Lake community. A review to help us share more stories from the Newfound Lake community. We'll be back soon with another conversation highlighting the businesses, leaders and entrepreneurs shaping our region. Until then, stay driven, stay connected and keep hustling.