Serenity and Fire with Krista

A Week in the Life: Rituals, Real Talk, and What It Really Takes to Own a Business

• Krista Guagenti

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Ever wondered what it really looks like to own and run multiple businesses while trying to keep a sense of balance? In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of one of my busiest weeks—complete with 4 a.m. wake-ups, chaotic schedules, contractor nightmares, and client curveballs (yes, even the ones that come with barstool debates).

I’ll walk you through the messy, beautiful, and completely unfiltered reality of entrepreneurship—the kind that doesn’t make it to Instagram. You’ll hear how I navigate the constant fires, find moments of gratitude in the chaos, and lean on my wellness rituals to anchor me when life feels like too much.

We’ll talk about:
 💚 The truth behind what it actually takes to run a business day-to-day
 💚 Why chaos can be one of our greatest teachers
 💚 The messy middle of chasing your dreams
 💚 The wellness rituals that keep me grounded and focused

Whether you’re a fellow entrepreneur or just someone trying to find your own calm in the storm, this episode is a reminder that the mess doesn’t mean you’re off track—it means you’re growing.

✨ Watch the Instagram reel that inspired this episode HERE.

✨ Check out my spa, Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique HERE.

SPEAKER_00:

Welcome to Serenity and Fire, the podcast where wellness meets grit. I'm your host, Krista Guidenti, founder of Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique. Join me as we dive into the intriguing world of biohacking, clean living, cutting-edge spa trends, and the hustle, grind, and grit of entrepreneurship. From my personal battles with weight management, infertility, and a 30-year journey to create and launch my dream business, to building a sanctuary for those who have been touched by cancer. I'm here to share real talk, inspire big dreams, and spark a passion for holistic living inside each and every one of you. So let's dive in. Welcome back to Serenity and Fire. Today I wanted to do something a little bit different because I always have people asking me how I get everything done and what my days are like as an entrepreneur. So I thought I would bring you behind the curtains a little bit and give you an inside peek into the life of an entrepreneur, at least from my perspective. The idea for this episode also came about when I was watching an Instagram reel that a friend of mine sent. And Jamie, if you're listening, thank you so much for the inspiration. So in the video, she talks about how because she is the boss, she had to chew her own ass out. And then she filed a complaint with the HR department, which is also ran by her. And on behalf of the HR department, she got back to herself with a formal response that said, Maybe if you weren't being such a little bitch, work wouldn't seem so hard. She then goes on to say that she asked herself, out of curiosity, where she saw the company in five more years. And out of frustration, she said, burning to the ground. Then she fired herself, rehired herself, and took a pay cut for insubordination. She then goes on to say how she thought owning a business was supposed to be the real American dream. You get to be your own boss, set your own hours, take vacation whenever you want. But in reality, you don't get PTO, you don't get to call in sick, and you don't ever get to clock out. She said, you just drink NyQuil for dinner and wake up at 4 a.m. screaming the next day, but then shared how thankful she is that she doesn't actually have to answer to anyone. But then she quickly realized she doesn't have to answer to anyone except clients, bills, the government, and her own crushing anxiety. So then she recaps by sarcastically saying that yes, owning your own business is the real American dream. I love this video so much because it does such a great job of explaining the many hats we wear as entrepreneurs. Yes, it is sarcastic, but it couldn't be farther from the truth because as small business owners, we do have to rely on ourselves to solve all of the problems. As entrepreneurs, we are constantly running from one task to another, putting out fires left and right, and most times juggling a bajillion tasks at once while also being everyone to all people. We are the manager, the HR department, the maintenance specialist, the business decision maker, the accountant, the legal team. And a lot of times we are also working in the trenches while being everyone and everything else in between that it takes to run a business. And sometimes wearing that many hats can feel heavy and overwhelming. So for those of you who work for someone and who have never wanted to own your own business, this episode will likely validate why you made that decision. For those of you who are contemplating entrepreneurship, this will hopefully give you some additional insight into the life path that you're about to take on. So after watching this video, which again, I feel was very real and also hilarious at the same time, I thought that this is exactly what my week felt like. So I wanted to take you into my last seven days and show you the messy, the beautiful, the chaotic, and the crazy and share the lessons that also came out of that week. So as I mentioned earlier, I will post this video in the show notes, but a little bit of a spoiler alert. What this woman business owner reveals to all of us is that her day was far from balanced. It wasn't pretty and it definitely wasn't serene. But it was honest, it was chaotic, and in many ways, it was exactly the kind of week that shapes who we are as entrepreneurs, as leaders, and as humans. So if your life feels messy right now, grab a coffee, maybe take a deep breath, and lean into what I'm about to share with you. And if you are an entrepreneur who feels the same way on a daily basis, know that you're not alone. So let's start with this past Thursday. I fell asleep on the couch the night before, and I know that's horrible, but I sometimes just can't help myself from doing that. And most nights, Jason and I finish our long days by snuggling on the couch with our cat Axl, watching one of our favorite shows. And then Jason is so good because he actually will get up around 11 or 11:30 and go to bed, which is what I should be doing. So I'm not waking up in the middle of the night with a kinked neck and a sore back from sleeping on the couch. But I'm typically in a deep sleep when he gets up to go to bed. And all I want to do is stay all warm and cozy next to my kitty cat. Plus, if my eyes see any light at any point, I don't know about you, but I'm done and I can't get back to sleep for the rest of the night. And this particular night was one of those nights. I ended up waking up around 3, 3:30 and just could not get back to sleep. And typically for me, I'll do my breathing meditations or, you know, I'll count in my head or do other things to help get me back to sleep, but I'll usually give myself about 30 minutes. And if I haven't fallen back to sleep, it's probably not gonna happen. And I had 80 million things racing through my brain that night. And like I said, my normal breathing meditations and exercises just couldn't calm my mind enough to help me get back to sleep. So finally at about 4 a.m., I gave in and decided to just get to work. We were launching a new POS system at my Decalash business. So I knew the day was going to be chaotic, which is probably why my mind was racing so much. So from 4 to 6:45 a.m., I read through some contracts for another business that my husband and I are investors in. I placed some Amazon supply orders for the spa. I went through my texts and emails and I set up time responses to those emails so that they wouldn't go out to my team at 4 a.m., but also so I wouldn't forget to send them later. Then from about 7 to 8:30, I jumped on my walking tread. And if you don't have one of these and you're someone who struggles with getting enough activity in every day, you have to get one. You can literally put this tread anywhere in front of the TV, when you're watching shows, or under your desk, which is what I do, so I can walk while I work. It makes me feel so productive. And I love when I already have five miles in before most people even start their day. Plus, I get a ton of work done too. And I actually like to jump on my tread desk whenever I'm on phone calls or webinars. It just makes them go so much faster and helps me get my workout checked off for the day. Anyway, this particular morning, I use this time to redline those contracts that I had reviewed earlier and then message my partners in that business to make sure we were all on the same page with regards to the contract details and the changes that I was recommending. I also made a quick follow-up call to a bank that I am currently in ongoing discussions with about a refinancing opportunity on the loan that I took out to buy our property for the spa and to actually open the spa. And this is something that constantly weighs heavily on my mind because when we were finally able to get this loan back in 2022, the 3% to 4% interest rate that I thought I was going to get skyrocketed to 10%. It was absolutely ridiculous and devastating. But I didn't have a choice at that time. I had to take out the loan. And if you listen to my very first episode, I talk a lot more about this and how I ended up in this situation. But to summarize, I had no choice but to be locked into a loan with these kinds of interest rates. I was simply too far down the rabbit hole with this particular bank and too far along in the development of the project to back out and start over. I had hundreds of thousands of dollars and overdue construction invoices. And so, like I said, I had no choice but to take out this loan. But now that my prepayment penalty period is over and interest rates are now finally going down, I do have the opportunity to refinance. So, of course, it's definitely on the top of my list. And so I made a quick touch-base call with this new bank to see how things were coming along. We've actually been working on this refinance deal for about four months now. And based on my experiences with banks in the past, I'm skeptical about whether or not they're going to be able to step up to the plate and do what I'm asking. But I'm trying to remain cautiously optimistic because this bank is ran mostly by women and purports to be the bank for women businesses. They're also specifically looking to grow their portfolio in the beauty industry sector. So it seems like a natural fit. And they claim they want to help carry us down the growth trajectory that we are on and develop a true banking partnership with us. To me, that means they're going to be there when I'm ready to expand, no questions asked, ready to be our funny partner on whatever is next and whatever we need, because I've proven myself to be a good partner. So we'll see where this courtship takes us. But after this quick call, I headed to the next version and jumped online to buy a stool for our VIZIA analysis system. If you're not familiar with VIZIA, the system is so super cool. It looks deep into the layers of your skin and shows us what lies beneath the surface. You know, all the stuff that we can't visibly see when we look in the mirror that can wreak havoc on our complexion down the road. Things like sun damage, bacteria, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, et cetera. It'll tell you your true skin age, in other words, what your skin age is compared to others in your same age and peer group. It can even progress you up to 80 years old so you can see what your skin will look like if you continue down the same path that you're currently on when it comes to your current skincare routine. The device is super simple for the client, and I promise there's a reason why I'm telling you all of this. So just hang in there with me. As the client, you just step up to the camera and place your chin in the chin rest while the camera takes images of your face. It takes about 90 seconds total. And then we spend about five to seven minutes reviewing the images with you on the computer screen and showing you what we can see beneath the surface of the skin before we take you back to the treatment room for your facial. We use all of this information to establish the best treatment plan and at-home skincare routine for our clients. And the data is really fascinating. I tell you all of this because we had a client complain so much about the fact that she had to stand for this imaging that I had to purchase a stool to go with the machine. We've never had anyone say anything about it up to this point, but we decided to go ahead and do this so that clients would have the option to sit for that five or 10 minute process. Now, maybe I'm being a little cynical, but this client did not say anything during the actual assessment. So we had no idea she was uncomfortable standing for that short period of time. Had she mentioned it during the assessment, we could have easily grabbed any one of the 10 other chairs or barstools that were in the room for her to sit on. But she didn't do that. And instead, she waited until we got her into her facial to complain about it. And she was so worked up over it that she did not stop talking about it through her entire facial, which was conducted, mind you, in a comfy aesthetics chair. She then continued to complain about it when she was at the front desk checking out. She literally let it ruin her entire beautiful spa experience. And now, almost five weeks later, she's still calling us and complaining about her experience. To be clear, I'm not upset about the fact that she made a recommendation to us to have a chair at this device. I try to use all client feedback as a learning experience. And if that feedback reveals a way in which we can deliver an even better experience for our clients, we'll do whatever we can to implement that change if it is in our control. This particular request is something that was well within my control. So, like I said, we bought a stool for the Vizia device. It's just the fact that she let something so simple not only ruin her entire spa day, but the day of every person she came into contact with that day. Her esthetician, my wellness guy team, and now my managers. And all she had to do was say something in the moment, and we could have grabbed a chair for her. Honestly, sometimes I sit and wonder thinking about how people cope in life when really difficult things happen to them. This was just a simple five-minute period where she had to stand. And okay, maybe that was not ideal for her, but was it really something that should have caused this much distress? What would this person do if they had to deal with anything truly traumatic, like a debilitating injury, a cancer diagnosis, poverty, the death of a loved one, anything like that? But you would be surprised at some of the feedback we got from clients and how enraged some clients get over the craziest things. Everything from redesigning our entire locker room to make them bigger, to moving our cold plunge pools into private rooms, as if we can just dig out the one we have and magically create more square footage to the building so that we can create a bunch of private rooms with pools in them. We constantly have clients tell us it's our fault that they did not know they should bring their bathing suits. And because of that, we should refund their services or give them a bathing suit for free, even though we send out three confirmation emails and three confirmation text messages telling them to bring their bathing suits so that they can enjoy the amenities. My favorite is when clients blame us when they are late to their appointments and then they don't have time to use the amenities because their appointments end right when we are closing. And then they demand that we either pay for their services or let them come back on another day to use the amenities. Of course, we post our hours in those same six emails and text messages that every client gets, as well as online, on our booking site, on Google, and on social. And then there are those clients who feel we shouldn't allow anyone else in the spa during their bookings so that each client can have the entire spa to themselves. Honestly, some of the requests we get are outrageous. And many times they're, I feel, rooted in self-entitled, unrealistic expectations that are motivated towards positioning them to get whatever they can for free. But then there are other times when the feedback is really genuine and valuable. Sometimes that feedback isn't so easy to swallow because, of course, no one likes to be told they're falling short of their recipients' expectations. But once we get over the emotional side of this kind of feedback, it usually ends up being a great learning experience. So while this particular complaint seemed overly exaggerated and was shared in a way that was maybe not the best, adding a stool to our VIZA device will elevate the client experience and is something that we've quickly implemented. But here's the other side to every piece of feedback we decide to implement, and the part that most people probably don't realize. And that is that something like this, which seems quite simple, was not just a five-minute task of jumping on the internet and quickly ordering the first stool I could find. I had to make sure it blended with the rest of our panacea design aesthetic. So in this case, I wanted something on brand and in our green and brushed brass finishes. It also had to be stainproof, easy to clean, able to hold over 300 pounds and able to rise up and down since the Vizia device itself is not adjustable. There are literally hundreds of green and brass 32-inch barstools that raise and lower with a weight capacity of over 300 pounds that show up in the internet searches. And not all of them can actually hold 300 pounds. And unfortunately, when I finally found a few that I liked aesthetically, the manufacturers didn't have information on their websites about these specifications. So I had to reach out to their customer service teams to gather the necessary information before I could make a buying decision, which meant waiting for them to get back to me and/or sending multiple follow-up emails to their customer service teams when they didn't get back to me until I actually received the information I needed. I also had to get with my team to see if we could get by with a stool that would easily stow away under the device, or if they felt our clients needed a stool that had a back on it. And if it did need a back, I then needed to make sure that we had enough space for this to fit since this device is located in our boutique where there's a lot of traffic flow, retail items, the boutique bar, and other things going on. Oh, and by the way, as a side note, I strategically decided to keep this Vizia device out in our boutique where everyone could see it because it is such an incredible wow factor. When shoppers and spa guests see others getting high-tech consultations from across the room, they instantly want to know what is happening at that device and want to book this service because it is just so cool. So placement of this device was intentional and I couldn't have a stool that would require us to move it into another less visible room. So after spending a few hours here and there over the last couple weeks, I finally had all of the information I needed to finally make my purchasing decision and place the order that morning. That was a really long way for me to share with you that I had taken a few minutes that morning to place this order. But I share all of that because I want you to see that a lot goes into almost everything we do and every decision we make. It's rare that something is a done and dusted situation that doesn't require any additional follow-up, investigating, or research. Okay, so after all of that, I then sent out a couple emails to a couple of contractors that have literally been the bane of my existence. One was to our A-B contractor, who has literally taken two and a half years to finish our installation punch list. Yes, I said two and a half years. I am constantly having to chase down contractors just to get them to do what they promise. But that, as well as the hundreds of hours I've spent doing so, is a topic I'll share in another episode. But on this particular day, the issue I was messaging them about was in regards to our music system not working in one of our treatment rooms, something they have not been able to resolve since we've opened. And the other call was to my developer who decided to turn our parking lot into a paid lot, even though that was never discussed during our negotiations when I purchased the building. And even though one of the biggest reasons I bought this specific location was so that my clients could have free parking. Anyway, I was messaging him for like the third or fourth time because they installed signs on designated parking spots throughout the lot that were intended to allow our spa guests to park for free. But they only put office parking on the signs. So my spa guests get confused and think they're not allowed to park there since it doesn't say spa parking. And yes, we do send out text messages and emails to all clients letting them know where to park, but unfortunately, people don't always read the messages that we send out. So I've been pleading with the developer for months to add the word spa to those signs. So my guests will stop getting parking tickets. Fortunately, the developer does always waive the tickets, but many clients don't know that and end up paying for the tickets anyway, which is definitely not the service experience we want them to have when coming to the spa. So we'll see if I get a response this time. To date, I have not heard anything back. So it was now 9 a.m. and I was sweaty for my walk and needed to get ready to be at my Decalash studio for the new POS launch. So I hopped into the shower. Now, aside from starting work at work at 4 a.m., this is where being an entrepreneur really is a whole different ballgame from how most people conduct their daily work and life activities. Most people, I presume, get up, hopefully at a more decent time. They have their coffee or tea, they complete their morning rituals. Maybe that's a workout, maybe that's just taking a shower and getting dressed. They grab breakfast and then hop in their car, listen to a podcast, music, or the morning news on their way to work. And then when they get into the office, they get settled and then start their day. And if they work from home, then they just get into their home office, get settled, and go from there. My only solace in the morning is during my 10-minute shower. And I mean literally the actual shower. So as soon as I get out of the shower, before I even start getting ready, I'm on and off my phone the entire rest of the morning, returning text messages, responding to Slack messages from my team, fielding calls from our contractors, vendors, and maintenance specialists, having debriefs with my managers. And as it was this particular morning, calling my insurance company to get my policies up to date, and the list goes on and on. And all of this happens in between flossing and brushing my teeth while I'm slathering my body with lotion, applying my skincare before after drying my hair, and all the while I'm applying makeup, flat ironing my hair, and getting dressed. My phone is literally on speaker, right next to me while I'm getting all of this done. It's like the mom who can never go to the bathroom alone, except that I'm with my vendors, managers, contractors, and anyone else I need to catch up with. And I'm sure those people would be mortified if they knew they were meeting with me in my bathroom every morning. So, anyway, once I've caught up with everyone and have gotten dressed, which usually takes anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours, depending on how many calls I have to take during this time and how quickly I can end them so that I can start the hairdryer or brush my teeth. I whip up my protein shake and then I either dash off to my office at the spa or upstairs to my home office to start tackling the rest of my to-do list. Mind you, that to-do list for this particular day was done on the notes app in my phone between 3 and 4 a.m. when I couldn't fall back to sleep. On this day, after I got dressed, I dashed out the door, made a quick stop at the pharmacy to get my progesterone and my thyroid medicines, and then headed to Decalash. As I am sure is the case with most executives, my car rides are full of action too. I'm either sending text messages via talk to text, taking calls on my way in, or listening to my next podcast episode from my producer for editing approval. Sometimes, if I have everything caught up, which is super rare, I'll listen to a podcast that isn't mine on my way in, usually something that is health and wellness or business development related or something inspirational, usually by someone like Ed Milet, Joe Rogan, Gary Breca, Dr. Pompa, Daniela Warner, or Carrie Croft. On this day, I made a call to my catering partner, Lisa Boyle, at Chocolate Cafe to talk about a networking event that we're hosting together for a wedding consortium. We needed to plan out the menu and our presentation agenda. So we ironed out those details and then I called my bookkeeper because I had some questions about our most recent financials. We're hiring a lot of new associates at Panacea, and I wanted to be sure we're not busting the budget on payroll. After that, I made a quick call into the marketing team to talk to them about an upcoming retail conference I would be attending. So when I arrived at the studio at 11:30 and the transition still had not occurred, I was not happy. I'd been preparing my team for this transition in the days and weeks leading up to this, but I just knew this transition was not going to be super cut and dry. Implementing a new POS system never is. Anyways, when I arrived, all of my lash artists were in client services. So that gave me some time to open up the six new pillows I had just ordered for us to test out on our clients. My lash artists and I put them on the tables and tested them out for ourselves in between clients that day and discuss which ones we wanted to move into testing with our actual clients. From about 1215 to 1.30, I set up the new POS system on our terminals and I walked my lash artists through whatever training and launch information I could. We had to do this in between their client appointments, so I continued to work on setting up the system in between those conversations. And then from about 1.30 to 2, I took a quick call from my director at the spa regarding some supply orders she needed help with. I also had to finalize the linen order for that wedding consortium event that we were hosting. And after all of that, I quickly realized that I was not going to be able to take any of the calls that I had scheduled for that afternoon since the launch still had not happened and our data had not yet migrated over from the old system to the new system. So I had to get in touch with my 2.30 and 4 p.m. conference calls and get them rescheduled. From 2 to 245, I participated in a webinar that was hosted by one of my spa vendors around seasonal spa treatment ideas. I know I totally double booked myself with the webinar and my 2.30 call, but I was originally planning to jump off the webinar to take that call from 245 to 345, but I had to schedule a 245 conference call with my deck-lash corporate point person regarding the launch of the new PUS system so she could walk us through the transition. And as it turned out, all of our data actually migrated right when she called. So we were able to work through the client data in real time. She helped us go through some basic launch tips and tricks and showed us how to navigate the system so my team would be ready to go live with it the next day. After my call with her, I spent the next two hours setting up our new merchant service devices and accounts, our messaging applications, and transitioning as much client information into the new system that I could. I also spent that time showing my team everything possible in order to help them successfully operate the new system without me being there over the next few days. On my way home, I called my payroll and HR manager. She helps me with both Panacea and DECALASH, and she had some questions about our DECA payroll and our attendance policies. We talked my whole way home, after which I had to field some additional texts from my lash artist about the new POS system. This involved me setting up some videos to send to them over text, which I finally wrapped up around 6.45. I had time to warm up some leftovers to take on the road with us and get my bags packed, and we were finally out the door by 8.15 with my dinner in hand. We were headed to Cincinnati to surprise my great nephew, who was doing a major fundraising walk-a-thon for his elementary school on Friday. Normally, when Jason and I take road trips like this, I'm lucky because he likes to drive and listen to podcasts while I work in the passenger seat. So I can usually get a lot done on these road trips. So I worked on client transition information in the new POS system until we got to my sister's house around 10 p.m. Jason and I then spent a few hours visiting my sister, my brother-in-law, and my mom, who lives in my sister's mother-in-law suite. And then we finally called it a night around 1 or 1.30. On Friday, Jason and I were up around 6:30 or 7. He actually had a conference in Cincinnati, so he spent the morning prepping for those meetings while I got on the new Decalash POS system to try to troubleshoot some more of our setup issues. I could not, for the life of me, get our client messaging app to download. So that sucked up about two hours of my time that morning. But I quickly got dressed and my sister and I headed off to the walk-a-thon. I had to field a couple of calls on the way there from my Decalash team about some issues they were having with client checkouts, but I was able to resolve those pretty quickly. My mom and her boyfriend went ahead of us and set up camp in the park so we had a good spot along the walking course where we could cheer Oliver along and jump on the walking path with him. It was so cute. Their whole school was walking to raise money for school activities. Their theme was around the world. So they had little booths set up along the walking route with things from all different countries. They also had hopscotch and fun sidewalk chalk graffiti all along the way. And they also had water balloons, pizza, and even one of the Cincinnati Reds baseball mascots at the event. The kids won prizes if they did the most laps in their age group. So my nephew was definitely on a mission to win. And the coolest thing was that my niece was so surprised when I walked into the event with her mom. She gave me the biggest, longest hug that I've had from her in such a long time. It literally melted my heart and made the 18-plus hour day I had the day before worth every second. I did have to take a couple of conference calls during the second half of the walk-a-thon, but I was just so happy to be able to make it for even part of this event for Oliver because I had to miss it last year. And this fundraiser is a big deal for him. He sends out videos to everyone asking for donations. He does a massive lemonade stand where he raises most of the money. And his mom is really good at making sure he does the heavy lifting for this entire event and that he understands the hard work and effort it takes to participate in something like this. Sure, she and my mom do make the baked goods for him, but he helped portion them out into the baggies for sale. He made the lemonade, solicited the buyers, sold the products, and worked the stand for the entire day. This year the fire department actually happened to be driving by, so they got a visit from some neighborhood firefighters and got to take a tour of the fire truck, which was super cool. Then on the walk-a-thon day, these kids walk from like 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which is a lot for those little first graders. So anyway, back to those conference calls that I had to take. One was a regional call about the POS launch where we could raise issues and get real-time responses. That one lasted an hour, and then I had to jump right on my second call, which was actually a really exciting one because this one was with our branding firm for the new Panacea location that we're building in Bridge Park. And this was their first reveal of the name we chose for the project and the hotel, as well as their first reveal of the branding concepts, which included logo designs, color concept wheels, fonts, and potential ways to use all of this in our marketing and design concepts. They presented six different versions and they all had a little bit of something that I personally loved. And then we got to see what these concepts might look like, sound, and feel like to our future guests and clients. So it made everything for this entire project just feel so much more real. And while I can't share any of the details with you yet, I can tell you this is the kind of stuff that gets me super excited and energized. And as an entrepreneur, while what we do sometimes feels exhausting, relentless, and never-ending, it's the glimmers and flashes of excitement and progress like this, and the thrill of overcoming challenges, like all of the things I shared earlier, that keeps me diving in for more. I will also say that while there are some days that I do have to put in 18 hours or have to take important work calls in the middle of my family time, owning my own business and having an amazing team behind me, like I have at both of my businesses, where I can trust my team to run the show when I can't be there, makes it possible for me to sneak away on a Friday afternoon to enjoy something like my nephew's walk-a-thon. And on this particular afternoon, after my calls, which lasted from about 12 to 2:30, I dashed downtown to Cincinnati to see a chiropractor that my friend has been raving about. I've been plagued with plantar fasciitis in one or both of my feet for literally the last year, and it's been agonizing. But she swears he has the magic touch for this condition. I have tried everything to get rid of it, and nothing has completely resolved the issue, so I decided to check him out, and she was right. He is really awesome and seems to be slowly but surely making a difference for me. A funny side note about my planner fasciitis, and I know none of you will probably believe this, but the only time that my planner fasciitis doesn't bother me is when I wear heels, which is great because I am a total heel junkie, but it's pretty hard to play golf or walk on the treadmill in heels. So I'm hoping this guy can fix me completely. I've had two appointments and I'm headed back for a third next week, so we'll see how things go. And a really cool thing actually happened when I went to him for my second visit. He told me about a friend he was out with the night before who raved and raved about panacea when he mentioned to her that he had met me. He was asking her about a business in Cincinnati that I wanted more information on, and that's how I came up in their conversation. He said she held up her phone and showed him a picture of me, I'm guessing probably from Instagram, and was like, Is this who you're talking about? He confirmed and then said she talked about how she had been to Panacea a few times and loved it and could not stop talking about Panacea the whole night, which made me actually feel kind of famous. Anyway, after meeting with him, I was able to join my friend Nikki, the same friend who recommended this chiropractor, for dinner at this adorable Italian restaurant called Vivi, the Italian Experience. We talked and ate delicious food for hours that Friday night. It was so much fun and was such a great way to end a long week. We also hit up the precinct for a cocktail afterwards, which if you've never been, the precinct is a Cincinnati staple. So nostalgic and just one of those places that holds such a special place in my heart. I used to go there for special occasions when I live in Cincinnati and have some really great memories from that place. So if you're not from Cincinnati, definitely check it out the next time that you go there. And if you are from Cincinnati, I'm sure you already know what I'm talking about and would definitely agree. Anyways, on Saturday, I spent almost the entire day from about 10 to 4 doing some strategic planning for the future growth of Panacea. I'm staying tight-lipped on all of that for right now, but there are some exciting things to come. So going back to that Instagram video that I talked about earlier in the episode, we really never get a day off, even when it's our day off. I was able to spend the rest of that Saturday hanging out with my great nephews and the rest of my family, though. We played games, we watched football, and of course, we ate way too much yummy food. And I don't get to see all of them that often. So it was a great evening of hanging out and catching up. Sunday we slept in a little, visited with everyone a little more, and then headed back to Columbus around noon. Of course, I got an hour and 45 minutes in the car to knock out some more admin work on the way back. And then we decided to play around a golf when we got back into Columbus. Jason and I just started playing this summer, and we have been absolutely loving it. It gets us outside, gets me away from my computer, gives us some quality time together, and it's an activity that is physical and also challenging rather than just sitting on the couch and watching Netflix. Of course, I have to keep my phone on me when we play in case there are any emergencies that come up at the businesses. And that day I did have a few quick work calls, mostly around issues with client checkouts on the new POS system at DECA, as well as a couple of maintenance issues at the spa. But I was able to quickly resolve these issues in between holes. And again, this kind of thing is pretty typical. And that day, it wasn't too much of a disruption to the game. So for me, it was no big deal. After we played our round, we grabbed dinner at the clubhouse and then headed home. We were exhausted from the long weekend, so we basically went straight to bed once we got home. Then on Monday, the week started all over again. Most of my workdays are much like what I described in the first day that I shared with you. Fortunately, they aren't all 18-hour days, but they are usually 10 to 12. And they're filled with one call, text, email, meeting, or fire after another. And I'm okay with that. Between developing and growing panacea, creating content for serenity and fire, making sure my Decalash team has everything they need to keep that business thriving and operating and trying to maintain my own personal health and well-being, I'm constantly juggling and pivoting. And now that I'm planning to scale Panacea, my work-life days are even more crazy. But I'm okay with all of this. That constant chaos is the life I chose, and I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I feel accomplished because I feel like I'm building something spectacular and I'm following my dreams. I feel honored to be able to create jobs for people, mentor people, and heal people through the amazing work we do at Panacea. And all of this also feeds my workaholic nature while allowing me to wake up doing what I love each and every day. And I would be remiss if I didn't say that I'm also very blessed because I have an amazing and supportive husband who is there to pick me up when I'm exhausted, overworked, stressed out, or just need someone to pull me away from all the chaos so I can disconnect and reconnect with those who mean the most to me. But now I have a rock star team at both Panacea and Decalash, filled with passionate individuals who really care about what I've created, who want to be a part of what I'm trying to build for the future. So they can take care of things the way I would take care of them, which is super rare, by the way. But it allows me to focus on our company growth, our strategic development, research and planning, and all the things that need to happen in order for us to be the successful brand I want us to be. So, yes, my calendar often looks like a scribbled, chaotic mess. My to-do list is never ending, and I'm typically in back-to-back meetings or putting one fire out after another. And oftentimes, all of this is happening with zero buffer in between because I'm jumping from a client call one minute into a spa operations meeting the next, and then racing into podcast prep right after, all while checking messages and emails from my phone on the side. And many times it simply feels like there's no room to breathe. Yet somehow it all feels worth it. If you're an entrepreneur, you totally get it. But if you're not, you're probably asking why. Why would anyone ever want all of this? 18-hour days sometimes, no true time off away from the business, feeling anxious and scattered all over the place constantly, and having the pressure of everyone relying solely on you. How, like the lady in the video, do you keep from wanting to burn your business to the ground? Well, that is the beauty of it all. Some of us are just born this way and have this in our blood. And some of us actually learn it and then consciously choose it. Either way, there are valuable lessons that we all learn from this chaos. First, chaos is one of our best teachers. It exposes weak spots in our systems and provides opportunities for growth. It reveals boundaries we may need to establish. It teaches us patience and that not everything always goes how we want it to, despite how well we plan. And it teaches us that we can't hide when things get messy, no matter how much we may want to try. Also, chaos is proof of creation and growth. I say to my team all the time: nothing changes if nothing changes. We need change in order to grow. And with change comes chaos, as has definitely been the case with our new POS system at Decalash. They probably call it a POS system for a reason, if you know what I mean. So if your life feels too calm, maybe you're not stretching yourself enough. Big creations demand messy seasons, and messy seasons are when we learn and grow. Growth is always a good thing. And lastly, chaos is survivable and it can actually be fertile. And what I mean by that is first off, I really believe that we can conquer anything if we put our minds to it. So even when we are in our most challenging moments, we can survive them. And some of our best decisions, ideas, and leadership moments actually come while we're operating in that chaos. But here's the caveat: chaos without anchors can definitely burn you out. So when my world is feeling overly chaotic, I lean heavily into family, friends, and especially my wellness rituals. Like getting a walk-in as much as possible seems to help my chaotic days feel personally productive, like I'm actually doing something for myself in the midst of all the chaos. I also gouache on my face every morning to help work out not only the wrinkles on my face, but tension in my sinuses, eyebrows, temples, and forehead. This also encourages lymphatic drainage. I do contrast therapy with the cold plunge and the hot hydrotherapy pools whenever I can. And when I don't have time to do this at the spa, I'll run cold water over my face and body whenever I'm in the shower or just washing my face in the sink. This helps get the circulation flowing and gives me a sometimes much needed dopamine boost. I've also been actively trying to do breathing meditations at least two times a day and more in the moment, especially when I'm jumping from one storm to another. This definitely calms my mind and helps me refocus where I need. And then one thing I haven't talked about yet in the show are CBD gummies. And I typically take THCB gummies every morning. These particular CBD gummies help with mental clarity, focus, and appetite suppression. And I swear they take away those butterflies that you get, you know, when you're like super anxious about all the things that you have to do in your day. And then when you like have a lot going on, this does the trick to help get rid of those. And then I'll use my light stem LED therapy wand on my neck and my face at night. The heat is so calming and soothing, and it works miracles on your complexion too. And of course, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, I do that as much as I can. Typically, I try to get a couple of sessions in per week. And if I can, I'll squeeze in three. And lastly, drinking lots of fluids to stay hydrated. I try to get at least three hydrogen waters in a day, as well as my chlorophyll water. So if you feel your life is in chaos right now, don't throw the talent and give up. Find the good in the chaos. Know that this is what helps you grow and focus on the lessons you will learn in the end. And most importantly, grab on tight to your anchors. What are your non-negotiables and let them pull you through these crazy times? In closing, I want you to think about what we do with weeks like this. Whether you're an entrepreneur or not, we all have chaos in our lives. It just happens in different forms. And I promise, whatever is going on, you will survive it. I'm always telling my team that they have to sometimes take a step back and make note of everything they've done in a day or week or month, whatever it is, because if we don't acknowledge and take note of all that we are accomplishing and learning, no one will do it for us. And it is very common to have a day all perfectly planned out and then it just goes by the wayside as we're challenged with one expected mess after another. But those messes are important too. So we need to stop calling them failures. We need to stop chasing that mirage of perfect balance and realize that even when our best laid plans get derailed and we feel like we haven't accomplished anything, we actually have accomplished a great deal. It just wasn't what we thought it was going to be for that particular moment. And that's okay, because it is through that chaos that we learn and grow and survive. So my challenge for you this week, instead of asking, how can I eliminate the chaos? Ask yourself, what is the chaos teaching me? Because maybe, just maybe, the mess is actually the message. And if today's episode inspired you, please share it with someone who's in their own chaotic storm and DM me the nitty-gritty details of your own chaotic week, your messes, and your revelations. Let's get comfortable with living in the chaos together and stop using it as a scapegoat to keep us from doing our best and doing our most impactful work. Okay, that's it for today's episode. Thank you so much for listening to Serenity and Fire. The best way you can support the show is to follow us, leave a review, and share our episode with someone who might need to hear these messages. Until next time, keep balancing Serenity with Fire. I'm Krista Guigenny and I'll talk with you in our next episode. At Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique, we don't just offer traditional spa treatments. We create rituals that relax your mind, restore your health, and rejuvenate your spirit. From biohacking technologies to advanced oncology trained care, everything we do is designed to help you heal on the deepest level with clean, holistic therapies, products, and amenities that are second to none. And right now you can experience two of my favorites our whole body LED light bed or hyperbaric oxygen therapies. And as a thank you for listening, you'll get 10% off your first session when you use the code Serenity10 at booking. What is your panacea? Let us help you find it because true wellness isn't a quick fix, it's a ritual.