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A Love Letter to the Industry with Beauty School Bobbi

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This episode is our love letter to the beauty industry.

Beauty School Bobbi and I sit down to reflect on where our journeys began, what beauty school taught us, how the industry has evolved, and the challenges it’s facing today. Through all the changes, one thing hasn’t changed, our passion and our love for this profession.

We hope this conversation inspires you to keep learning, keep growing, and never lose sight of why you started. 🤍

SPEAKER_01

I'm like, can we just block men, like in general, from certain posts? Can we just be like I wish block?

SPEAKER_00

Hi, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Spot A podcast. I'm so happy to be back recording in our glorious beanbags. And today we are joined by a very special guest. And there's a really good chance that you know who this is, but this is Bobby. Hi!

SPEAKER_01

Thank you so much for having me here. And I love the beanbags and I love the comfy. And I feel like I want to change the format of my show to be like comfy.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, I like so when I was trying to decide what chairs to put in here, I was like on Wayfair, just like scrolling and scrolling, and everything's like it looks so uncomfortable. And I'm like, alright, I'm just gonna get a freaking beanbag. And these are from TikTok Shop. Love your like affiliate link. Yes. Um it is linked on on my TikTok.

SPEAKER_01

I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my goodness. So you wear mini hats. You have like a million and one things going on. So what all do you do like for work?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, this is like such a hard question to answer. But so main job, um, my like everyday what I'm going into the office for is I'm co-owner of Tennessee School of Beauty. So I'm the director of industry relations um at Tennessee School of Beauty, and I've been there for 14 years, which is so insane. Wait, that's so long. I didn't know that. So long. So I um yeah, have been there for 14 years, um, still do admissions there. Like we're still, you know, I was meeting with people today um and enrolling, like just like I did with you. And I um I love that so much. It's just my heart to be around you all and to be around the students all the time. So that is like gonna be my just forever. I could never imagine myself not doing that. But through that time, I mean, much like you, I just realized that I wanted to do more and I wanted to like mix it up. And so I have a podcast and YouTube show um called Beauty School Bobby, which started just so that I could give students like more information about the beauty industry. And then that grew into us hosting at hair shows and events and kind of covering the beauty industry through Beauty and Style Network. Um, we host an awards show in Knoxville. Um, this year coming up is gonna be the second year of the Tennessee Beauty Professional Awards. So I really created that as a space to be like, well, I want to highlight our graduates. I want to do like, can we all get dressed up and hang out? And so we did that two years ago. We're doing every other year just because we are so busy. Um, and so this year um I started a nonprofit called Bonded by Beauty. And this is a nonprofit that's gonna help fund and get like tools and resources, um, guest speakers, like into the high school cosmetology programs. Oh, I love that. Because um they're so underfunded. Um, and they aren't able to really get to use like real products or real tools because they're running these programs on next to nothing. So we are gonna be doing that. And so as everything's grown, it's really one of those things where I'm like, where do I feel led? Like I've really learned as I've grown up, just as getting older, you know, trusting my gut into like what I'm supposed to be doing. And I really feel like this is the next chapter for us is to really use our connections that we built in the beauty industry because I thought that it was gonna be hard to like climb the ladder. Um, but one thing about the beauty industry is that everyone is everyone's people, people, you know, like they wanna, they wanna help and they wanna meet people and network and all the things. So now I'm like, we know everybody. Like we're going to the hair shows and we're like running into like everybody. So I'm like, what can we do with that? How do I use that for good, you know, to help people? And so this is kind of our next step of like making a difference. And I'm somebody who really needs to have like a passion project um and really wants to help people. So in the industry, just in general, there was a need. So we started that. Um, I'm also a mom and a wife and doing all of that too. So there's a lot going on, and the schedule gets a little crazy, but I'm still just happy every day with what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_02

I love that.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and when I'm not, if I'm having a bad day, like we had a graduation today where um they're having like their beauty school besties speak at their graduations now. Wait, that's so cute. And the way that we will like all cry, like standing out there, and I'm like, that's what this is about. So even 14 years in, I'm still tearing up at graduations for just the relationships that you all build there and what is like next for you, and just how everybody's like, okay, beauty school is gonna be this. But I am always like, you're about to meet people that are gonna be in your life forever, and going through these important phases with you because oftentimes you're coming in really young and then you're gonna get married and have babies and start your careers. And you need people that like understand A, what you're going through in beauty school, but B, like what the next chapters look like. Um, so that is just my favorite thing. So even on a bad day, I can like step outside, have that moment, be like, okay, good. This is what I'm, you know, this is why I'm doing this. Um, so that's kind of like some of what I do right now. Um, and I just have a feeling we're always gonna be adding oh yeah, different, different things into that.

SPEAKER_00

That is amazing. I that I love that and I love how passionate you are about all of it. That's like the most amazing thing. But I did have a question. How did you like get into TSB? Like, how did that happen?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so it's so random because I moved to Knoxville. I grew up in Pennsylvania. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, yeah, I'm from Pittsburgh. Okay. So I grew up in Pennsylvania, and then when we moved to Knoxville, I had a couple of like random jobs. I dropped out of college. Um, I was gonna be a high school English teacher because I was gonna like change the world. And it's so funny how it's coming full circle to be like working with high schools because I was like, I really am passionate about students and I want to help and I want to make a difference. And then I did my like student teaching, and I was like, Oh, I can't do this. Like, I'm gonna have to be mean, you know, and I like can't do that. So um I dropped out of college, we moved to Knoxville, my mom had moved here, and then we followed a year later. Now my entire family's here, like brothers, like everybody's here. Um, so this is home now. Um, but when I moved here, just working random jobs, like figuring out life, I was like 22, 23, maybe when we moved, and just didn't know what I wanted to do. And I had a salon owner friend, I had met a salon owner here in Knoxville that was business partners with Adam, who owns the beauty school. And when we met, he was like, Oh my gosh, do you know about Tennessee School of Beauty? And I was like, I'm not from here. I don't, you know, knew nothing about it. And he was like, Well, I'm gonna refer you to my friend, he's gonna give you a call, like just go in for an interview, like check it out. Because they needed somebody to do admissions because before me, it was Adam and George, and so they were like maybe in their 40s at the time, um, doing admissions and not really able to connect, you know, like the older you get, and I have this fear too that I'm gonna grow out of this, but you know, it's not as easy to connect with the students that are coming in. So they needed somebody to do admissions. So I went in and like I remember it all like it was yesterday. Like, and it's one of those things that just confirms that it was like where it was meant to be. Um, and I just fell in love with it and it just started out only doing like tours and you know, like just slowly went into now being an owner, but I got obsessed with the beauty industry. Um, so not going to beauty school, having no experience, that was my first exposure to it. And I was like, this is amazing. And then I started meeting with parents and their children, you know, coming into tour the school, and they were just like not supportive at all. And that made me mad. Like I was like, I hate this. Like, why is the beauty industry getting such a bad rap? Like their parents only want them to go to college, and that has been such a flip, like from where we are now. Now, parents come in and they're excited to see it and they're encouraging their children to, you know, do what they love. And I'm sure they're spending so much money on products that they understand the value now that their child can like make money and be successful. Um, and so from there it just like took off. And I'm somebody that's always like super curious, and so I just like dove in, like listened to every podcast, read every book. Like I wanted to know everything about the beauty industry um and how it works and um what and that has changed so much too in the 14 years that I've been there. Um, so that's really how it started. And then as I grew in the business, um, you know, Steven, who's fifth generation, which by the way, I do have to mention that when I told him I was coming here to see him, I first of all, like he was like, tell her I said hi. But he goes, She was like one of the OG, like Ben Hurton fans. And so for those of you that don't know, like Steven has makes music, he's a rapper.

SPEAKER_00

And I have something to say about this. So I went to Universal, I might have to cut this out. I went to Universal companies to their headquarters to meet like John and like the whole team. Yeah, yeah. And they were talking about Steven and it came off. And I was like, Did you know that Steven was a rapper?

SPEAKER_01

Wait, I love that.

SPEAKER_00

We pulled up, we were in like the conference room, and we put like one of his videos on.

SPEAKER_01

Like, you can't cut this. Like you have to cut this. He's gonna be so happy. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00

Like, Steven, we watched one of your music videos in the Universal Company's conference room.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, that's incredible. Like, I'm because I'm sure that they were like, What? There's no way. Everyone's always surprised, you know? Um, one of his music videos, he was supposed to shoot somewhere downtown or something, and it was raining, and it's literally filmed at my house. And I was like, Okay, and I think my mother-in-law was like visiting at the time, and we literally had to leave the house so he could film there. I'm like, I'm not gonna have my kids running around in the back of this rap video. I get back, or I get the video, he's like, Oh, let me show you, like blah, blah, blah. They were like in my bed, like playing with Monopoly money with my kids' stuff. I'm like, what was going on? Like, this is crazy.

SPEAKER_00

That may have been the one that we watched. I love, yeah, that was my house. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, I know. And I was like, this is hilarious, but I love his fiance Tia so much. She's a TSP graduate. So I was friends with her, like while she was in school. She used to keep pop-tarts like in my office.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So I was close with her. So when they started dating, I was like so excited. And still, I mean, they were just over at the house on Sunday, and we're still just like so close, but he really is like my little brother. Like, it's insane. And I just couldn't ask like to be part of a better, like a family business like that that's been open for like 96 years, fifth Steven's fifth generation. So to come into that, it's always been a dream of mine to own a business. Um, I grew up, my dad owned a business, my mom was very like corporate America. Like, I really always wanted to be in that role. Yeah. Um, and so to get to do that with a non-family member coming into is just so, so special. And I just am so thankful that they value what I bring to the table, you know, and that they see that it's that it's helping the school and that I get to be a part of all of that.

SPEAKER_00

So oh my gosh, that is so amazing. I I I knew that you had become like co-owner, and I think that is like that's iconic.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's literally iconic. I still feel like so lucky for the opportunity. Because again, like fifth generation family business, like they definitely didn't have to be like, oh, we want you a part of it, but we are that close, and and it's not even like we go into work and it's just talking about work stuff. I mean, we're talking about mental health and the ways that we want to change the world, like change the industry. Like he really is so passionate. So when I say like it is one of those things where like when like sometimes you just it might be something so new. Like it was never on my radar to be in a beauty school, to work in a beauty school, but like that is what I was like, everything was leading me to. And you have to just trust your gut sometimes on that that like you're gonna end up where you're supposed to end up. And I definitely didn't. I feel so lucky because they support me doing all of these different things. I mean, it all ties back to be like it does help the school, it promotes the industry. Um, but they never have told me, no, you can't go on this trip, or no, you can't be at this event, or no. I mean, it's just so supported. Yeah. Um, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I love, I love, love, love. So you mentioned um unsupportive families, and that was actually one of my questions. So you did see a lot of that, but I feel you said you feel like now it's not as bad.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, for sure. I think so. Definitely in the beginning, it was like this fight of them being against it, yeah. And a lot of people, you know, coming in and being like my parents. I mean, it was like one of the questions we would ask at admissions of like, you know, how does your family or friends feel about you doing this? Really for us to be like, are you supported in this? You know, like, and so that we can just kind of get closer with our students and stuff, you know, and like gauge where they are and what they're gonna need from us. Um, but it's changed. Like now I think again, moms are spending some or dads that are, you know, helping pay for their daughters or whatever um their makeup and Sephora and Alta, like everything has changed so much financially over the last 14 years, what the industry is. So I think now people get it. And I think also now people are more like, well, we want, I want my child to be happy and to follow what they love. And it's not just like one route, it's not only college. Um, or if they want to drop out, those parents are always fun when they come in because they're like, I made her go, I made him go try it, and now here we are. This is what she said she's always wanted to do, but I didn't. Yeah. And now we're here. So, what was your family like when you came in?

SPEAKER_00

They were very supportive. So my grandmother was a hairdresser, so it was like always like within my family, and so um, she actually has her instructor license, and she got her instructor license at TSB. I love okay.

SPEAKER_01

See, that's like my favorite thing. Like, there's so many families that are connected through this too. Like it's so great.

SPEAKER_00

So it was for me, it was like totally they they were behind me 100%, which they I also went to college for a year. I went to Mississippi because I did the Tennessee Promise, which I feel like is like so many people's stories. Like they did it and they hated it, sort of thing. So that's what I did. But I never knew that I would actually be into skincare. I went to aesthetic school to do makeup.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And when I got in there and realized that I wasn't as good as I thought I was, I was like, okay, well, and then the five weeks was over and we started learning the facial routine, and I was like, oh, okay, so this is why I'm here.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

But yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I love that. And I feel like I've always said this to you, but I feel like you'd be an amazing educator, and I actually like forgot or didn't know that your grandma did that. Yeah. Like that's incredible. Thanks. Because I do think you'd be so good.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, you think so?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Well, I think the way that you even just like your social media presence is educational, even if it's, you know, fun and whatever, you're so good at showing what it's actually like to be an esthetician, but also what you do so well is that you make it different. Your content is different. I mean, now there's probably a bunch of people that have copied at this point, but it's not your traditional like spa, like yeah, that's true. You make it fun, and that's what you have to do in a classroom to make things interesting. Like, I think it should be really good.

SPEAKER_00

I never thought of it that way, but that's true because I definitely like when I started, I knew that I was gonna have to like separate myself to make my videos stand out. Because I mean, I mean, you're scrolling on TikTok and you see something, you know, you're just doing this. So I had I think I've been called the crazy facial lady, like last year, people are calling me the crazy facial lady. Why?

SPEAKER_01

Which I think compliments like I'm like, you're gonna take this as like, yes, I am, thank you.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, but I think it's like in good spirits, yeah. Yeah, anyway, it's maybe I would be a good educator. I think you would for sure.

SPEAKER_01

But I love that your family was on board for you doing it and wanting to do that. And honestly, like going back to the free two years and the trying it, I always tell students, and I don't know, I'm interested to know if you feel this way because I say it and I'm like, is it true? But you like having that year, I think just affirms like okay, college isn't for me. And I think that's okay, yeah. Like to try it and see, and then you're never gonna be like wondering, like, what if I would have? You know, like I think it's good to do it and it's free. So, you know, like I don't think it's the worst thing to have that experience, have that time, realize that, and then come to us. But what's happening now more than anything, well, not more than anything, our I guess our like normal beauty school student, like if we're going on like the most, like the most students and their experience prior is probably the one year of free somewhere, kind of living at home still and whatever. But we have so many students that are transferring like from UT or that are moving here with people that are going to UT and then coming to beauty school, because then you still get the like college experience. You can still go to the games, you're still living on campus, like you still get that. Yeah, and I love that. I'm like, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00

That's pretty cool. There's actually a girl in my class, um, Katie. She did the same thing. Like, she was going to UT and then in the summer she started doing mud, and she was in mud, and then she went back to school. So she was doing aesthetic school and the regular college at the same time. And I was like, girl.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's so hard. Like that's so hard. But again, like she may have had family members that were like, no, you have to finish. And she's like, Well, I'll figure out a way to do both.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, she was in her senior year, so I think mentally she was like, Okay, I I have to finish. Yeah, like I went to the ball.

SPEAKER_01

What were you gonna be? Like, what were you studying, or were you just doing like gentle ads?

SPEAKER_00

Oh lord, several things. I first went in thinking I was gonna do dental hygiene. Okay. I mean, I here's the thing about me I love to picket things. Okay. Teeth scraping, I would have loved that, which maybe sounds nasty to some people. I would have loved to do that, but I get to pop pimples all day, and that's you know, still within that. I wanted to be a buyer for like a company, like I wanted to be be into fashion, which at that time that was so who I was. Looking back at that now, there's no way I would have like probably enjoyed doing that because I don't know. I just went to the mall and thought, oh, I love fashion, like I which is literally not like what that is, and I guess in my brain I just didn't I didn't know. Yeah, but I was doing mostly Gen Ed. I mean it was my first year, so I was doing like literally just Gen Ed. Yeah, and my last day, so I went the full first like semester and really actually tried. The second semester, they put me in this, like I don't remember what math class it was. I think it was statistics, but I feel like they bumped me down because I'm not a math girly. Yeah, no, and I think they bumped me down to like a class that was supposed to prep me for the class that they originally put me in. And the teacher literally told me that if I could not figure out statistics, that I would not amount to anything. And that was my last day.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00

And I would drive to school and sit in my car in the parking lot because my mom was tracking me and I didn't want her to know. Oh my gosh! What? Yeah, no way.

SPEAKER_01

Wait, how long did you do that?

SPEAKER_00

Uh probably a good two months. Wow, and some days, like, so sh my family would be gone from the house because I was still living at home, and they would go to work, and I would sit in my bed in the morning and contemplate, like, God, do I go today or do I just stay home and like you know, hope that she just doesn't check my location?

SPEAKER_01

But I mean, I love it. That's fine. Like, you were like breaking the rules. But why were you afraid to tell her? Because you did you think she was gonna be disappointed, or like you were like, I'm just not allowed to quit things? Like, because I know that's a big thing.

SPEAKER_00

I don't know. I think I just didn't want to like it's not that she didn't want me to because I had at this point I had already mentioned beauty school, and she was like all for that at that time. I think I was just like almost too embarrassed to tell her that I wasn't going. I don't I don't I think it was like a personal thing. Yeah, for sure. I think it was me not wanting to quit, but knowing that I wasn't gonna be able to do it because I literally just did not care.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So I think it was a more of a me thing.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I like thank God my parents I grew up in the time where there was no tracking. Like there's like those TikTok videos of being like in high school and you're like, I'm in a field telling my friend, like that was us. Like I've told my mom now, so like this isn't like secrets, but like I've told her like all the things, and I mean, she I mean they had no idea. But I did the same thing. I mean, I quit school like before officially like telling them that I'd quit, but I think it was more of a like I think that they were gonna be disappointed because at that time it very much wasn't like what college, like, or what do you want to do? There was no other option. It was just like which college are you gonna go to? That was it. That was the only option. And I just was scared to quit something. I'm not a quitter. You finish what you start, like that. Is very much like and so I think it was more of that was I was like, I don't want her to my parents to think that I'm, you know, just giving up on something. And I didn't have a plan. I wasn't like, oh, what am I? Like you had to at least let me go to beauty school or do something. I was like, I have no clue now because I always thought this was gonna be it. Um, I mean, now obviously they're like so excited. And at the time, I think they were just like, okay, whatever, you know, like get a job, you know, was like really what it was.

SPEAKER_00

But yeah. Oh, yes. I I'm definitely so glad that that did not work out for me because my life would just I'd probably be miserable. I think I would literally be miserable.

SPEAKER_01

You would have ended up in it at some point. Like, we have a lot of people that come to the school that are changing careers, like you would have gone into whatever, you know, maybe if you would have finished and then ended up back in this at some point. Because when this is what you're meant to do or passionate about, like it happens, yeah. Or I'm because I'm sure, Morgan, like I don't know if you think about this, but I'm sure that there are people that are watching your content and being like, Okay, that's what I want to do, you know, like because you're inspiring them by what you're doing. So I think you would have ended up you know, doing that anyways, or seeing someone else that you're looking up to and then end up coming into it because it's what you're meant to do, like truly.

SPEAKER_00

Well, thank you. I think I'm also meant to do this, but I that's one of my favorite, like, so I get a lot of messages from people, and I get a lot of messages from like high school girls asking me how I got started. Yeah, and a lot of times I feel like I I don't know how to give good advice, and that's one thing. Like, I don't know if I would be a good educator because I don't know if like I'm not very good with words. I know what I'm thinking and I know what I want to say, but when it comes to telling them how I feel or what I think, I'm just like, uh, and yeah, and it's like very hard for me to to tell them like how to get started or whatever because honestly, I don't know. I just kind of started doing it like how I thought that it would work out, and then I ended up I I I winged everything. Yeah, I winged everything, and that's how I got here. That's it.

SPEAKER_01

But yeah, I always hate when people ask that question because I'm like, I don't know, I'm still figuring out like even with the nonprofit stuff. I'm like, we're just like obviously you have to like make everything official with like the IRS and like all of that stuff, but like we are just figuring it out. And then you'll talk to somebody and they'll be like, oh, have you thought about this? Or is there a way we could and then you're like, okay, like so much of just my whole career is like, yeah, you're just figuring it out, taking like the next right yes, or what you think is, or if it's the wrong thing, then you're like, oh, okay, like step back and do it. But there's not a secret sauce, and everyone's experience is so different, even through beauty school, that it's like you can advise, but you know, it everybody has their own story, their own 750 hours. You know, it looks different for every single person. Yeah. Um, and so it's hard to just like give that advice, other than like, yeah, follow your heart, trust your gut, like just take the first step to do it. I think is always what we tell people is like just start. Yeah, that's really all you can do. That's true. But you're not bad with words, by the way. Like you're good. Like, I think you're so good. Um, and always have been. Like you're always you've always just been exactly like this. Like you do feel more grown up to me. Now I'm like, oh, she's like more grown up, but you've always just been Morgan. Like you've always just been yourself and like happy, and you know, like it's I don't know, it's also just knowing who you are, too. Thank you. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00

Um, I saw this TikTok, and I think about this all the time. This is one of my favorite quotes, and I've said it probably 50 times in the last month because I love it. I'm so excited. I can't wait to hear what this is. Um, I got everything I have because I bit off more than I could chew and learn how to chew it. Yeah, and I'm like that's literally my life.

SPEAKER_01

I love that. Yeah, yes, yeah, because you weren't even in school, like, oh, I'm gonna have a huge following on social media.

SPEAKER_00

I had no idea what I was doing. I I mean, my first job. Did do you know what I did for my first job? So I graduated in 2019 at the end of the year.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

COVID. COVID's looming. Okay, it's coming. And I got licensed in the like December 31st. I got licensed on Christmas or New Year's Eve. Yeah. Oh my god, what's the holiday? And um, it took me a while to find a job. I was on Indeed, like every day scrolling, as I don't even know if that's like a good website to find jobs on. I don't know. Yeah, but I'm on there just like looking for anything, and an Ulta skin therapist comes up and I'm like, it says skin. I'm gonna go over there and be like, hey, please hire me. So I walk in there and they had an esthetician that was working in this like skin pod in the back of Ulta. Yes. Oh my god, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Listen, that was it was like a curtain.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it was like a not even because it didn't even go to the ceiling. Yeah, it was like a like a plastic shell that was like one wall and it like started from this this wall and like didn't even meet the other. There was no door, like it was completely open. So if you're shopping in Ulta and somebody's getting a facial, you could literally just go stand there and like watch facial. It was weird, yeah. Well, I started working there like two days a week because the esthetician that was there, she was working full time and she didn't work full-time anymore. And so I started working there, and then I was there for two weeks, and then COVID happened.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00

So they put me on catastrophe pay, and I still was working at Bath Body Works, so that that was like the job I had through school and whatever, which I low-key loved my job at Bath and Body Works.

SPEAKER_01

I am like Okay, what's your favorite scent?

SPEAKER_00

Okay, listen, I'm a seasonal girl. Okay, I have a favorite scent for every season. Okay. My number one all-time favorite is leaves in the fall. The leaves candle. Mm-hmm. It when I smell it, it's just like so nostalgic.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Okay, I love that. I just think we're at the best. I mean, I grew up on like cucumber melon. You know what I mean? Like that's just like what I grew up on. So I think, I mean, yes, I was like, if you had that, like it, girl. Um, but I mean, same. I love all the seasonal. I'm very big on like our home and buying candles and like all of it being like per season. You can't have like a coconut candle in the winter, like you're just not allowed. Yeah, no. Okay, so you're working there, you're working at Ulta, you got catastrophe pay.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, I got let that well, they didn't let me go, but they never brought that position back. Like, even still, like they took that pod out, yeah, and it's like there's no SD in there anymore. And so while I was like waiting to decide what I was gonna do, I found out that there was gonna be a medi spa opening up in my uh so I'm from Seymour, and it was opening up in Seymour. Not a good experience. I know I was hired on as their opening day esthetician. They asked me what an esthetician was in my um interview, and I should have known then like yeah, I don't need to work here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That lasted about nine months, and the reason why I opened this was because I pretty much had to. Yeah, and there was like nobody hiring because this was like January 2021 is when I like opened this up, or I guess February, but yeah, anyway, so reason I'm telling you this Ulta Skin Therapist, insane experience. Like literally, I was doing retail because I didn't have any clients coming to get a facial at the Ulta.

SPEAKER_01

But what I love about that is that, and this is an important message, like this is something like that, even if it's not right your first job, your second job, even it doesn't mean you have to like leave the industry. It just means that you might need to pivot into something else and look at what it turned into. So it's just crazy how things can just lead you to the place that you're meant to be, you know, and I think a lot of people, it does scare them when they have a bad experience and then they're like, Oh, I just couldn't do it, and they leave the industry like altogether instead of being like, Well, I want to be in this, I just need to figure it out. And again, exactly what you were meant to do. So it all worked out, and that experience is good too. Because if you would have come right out of school and just done this, again, you don't have the knowledge of like what not to do, what you don't want. Like, yeah, I just really feel like the opportunities sometimes, like, even if it's a negative experience, learn from it, learn what you don't like about it, and you would never operate like that. Like, if you did hire other people on or bring people in, like, you know what not to do with them, and I think that's a valuable lesson too. Um, I can't believe you were there nine months though. That's a long time to stay somewhere.

SPEAKER_00

The the first half was fine. They um they literally blindsided me. So I got COVID at in December, and I was out for a week, and when I came back, they had hired another aesthetician in one week of being gone. Oh my gosh! And that I mean, that's like just the tip of the iceberg. Yeah, they were they were uh horrible to me. And at this time I was still very, very young and like was doing anything I could to like be there and work because they weren't letting me be there unless I had a client. And they thought that I was like I started my skincare with Morgan Page around this time, or I guess I didn't beauty school, but I really started to post around that time because I wanted to get clients in at that spa, and they thought me doing that was me trying to poach all these clients and start my own thing and leave. And I never had that idea until they said that. Although I didn't post their clients because I was nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my gosh, yeah. Well, and I think too, like it's just people take things weird, like every business operates different, and if you're just it's not the vibe, you know. I love that you were still doing something though in that time to build the clientele, you know, that's really the main thing. Yeah, because a lot of people would be like, Oh, I'm just gonna clean or whatever, and you did the thing you needed to do to like put yourself out there, so it was really smart. Thanks. Yeah, I really tried.

SPEAKER_00

Um, so what do you I feel like there's so many estheticians now? I feel like the business is just like booming. There's so many. I have so many people that come in here that tell me they're going to TSB. Yeah. And I'm like, oh my god, like I need to have like a list of all these people. Um, do you think that there's still more hair girls than SEs? Or do you think it's like Yes?

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so what happened was I don't know if it was during COVID. I would say that's probably I get my years mixed up, and I'm like, when did anything even happen? But I would say the last four years, like aesthetics was on the rise. Like I would go into high schools, and before it would be like, I would literally on tours be like, okay, who's interested in aesthetics? Like one hand would go up because they don't really go into it or they hadn't really seen it, which now they're seeing it on TikTok and understanding what the job even is and what the career opportunities are. So it got really, really popular, I think after COVID. Yeah. Um, and so for four years, just across the United States, schools were booming with aesthetics. Um, now it has kind of taken a dip um a little bit where our classes are definitely smaller. And when I go into high schools, I'm kind of back in the situation of one or two. So I think we are coming out of that. And really, one of the reasons I think is that with you know the cosmetology license and you being licensed to do everything under that license, I feel like a lot of people will just say, you know what, I'm just gonna do cosmetology and get all of it. Um so I know that's one of the reasons. Um, but yeah, I think that just that from what I've heard, and again, statistically across uh the United States, schools' numbers for aesthetics are lower than they have been the last few years. But that peak was crazy. Like yeah, it was a lot. I think it's again, it's changing to where it's like the people that are I met a girl, I think she goes to Heritage High School. Oh, that's where I went. Really? Yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay, I need to like connect you guys. I probably told her about you because when I do have girls that are like really interested and what I always tell them to follow you, I'm always like, Do you know it's good, Karen with Morgan? And I'll tell them to like follow your page because again, it's encouraging and it's a fun, different way to show the industry. And um, so she was telling me she's like just so passionate about it. And her mom was like, This is what she's going, like she just knows it, you know? Um, and so there's people like that that are just like set on it. Um, sometimes I think it's people that maybe career change or whatever is is what we're getting. But like I have a class, we actually have orientation for our class um tomorrow um for the what month are we in? July? The July class. And there's um there's 12, and I would say for the past where it's been like 26 full. We have 12, which I am like, we would, you know, at TSV, we would just rather have people that like really want to be there. Right. So I'm like, we're fine with the 12 number, like we're good with a smaller class size, um, and just having the people that really want it. Um, but there is a boy in the class. Um, so there's guys that I think are that's been like a little bit on the rise, I would say. Like guys getting into the industry and wanting to do um just more of like the health and wellness, you know, and I think as that grows, like whole plunge sauna, the whatever aesthetics really fits with the health and wellness area. So um that's changing a little bit, but I think it's gonna dip and then it'll go back up. I think the problem is um with there being so many and this exploding so much is just, you know, it's the job opportunities.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And so it's hard and it's a conversation that we have, you know, openly in admissions of like it is harder to get a job. Um, more people are just having to go out on their own right away, um, which is why we do that business class and stuff, you know, to prep you for that. But um I think it's just hard because there's only so many Medi spas, there's only so many places, and so many people that need or are aware enough to be like, oh, a facial, like that's actually like I need to take care of my skin, you know, like that has, you know, there's more people. I think even my friends, like we have a book club um that I'm a part of, and just girls, you know, my age, and we're all moms, and we weren't like taught, and now I know because I've working at TSB, but I think now everybody's like picking up more on the like we gotta do this, we have to start taking care of our skin. And girls are doing it at such a young age now, like so much smarter than you know, we were not wearing SPF for the first like I don't know, 30 years of my life, you know, not knowing that I was supposed to. So it happens.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

What is your take like on the boom of aesthetics? Like, what have you seen with it?

SPEAKER_00

I mean, I feel like I I think I got into this at a really good time because it it only affected me when I couldn't find a job as soon as I graduated. But I still feel like at that time it was still not super like it was before the peak, I guess, like a like a year before the peak. Um, but I have a lot of people who have moved here from out of state who are my clients, and they're like also aestheticians and they're like looking for jobs and they can't find anything, and I'm like, I don't, I'm sorry. Like, but I mean you see these salon suite thing places pop up on every corner of Kingston Pike, like you know, constantly. So it's like there's places for them now, they're just very expensive for a tiny closet, right?

SPEAKER_01

No, for sure, but then also like you know, what is it gonna take? Like the population's growing here where we are, but if you think of like middle of nowhere Montana, you know, like are you going to be able to support what you need or the clients gonna be able to support you? Yeah. Um, it's just something that like I think schools need to talk about and make sure that they're open and honest about because I think a lot of times a lot of schools, from what we hear, not even just in our area, but speaking like across the country, it's very much like come in, sign up, like whatever. And we're just so different that we're like, we want to have a real conversation with you and make sure that you know like good, bad, ugly before you start. Now, there are things that will happen in beauty school or whatever that we can't prep you for every single situation that you could ever imagine, but we do our best to try um to prep you for that. Um, but I think that honesty is important because um you need to be prepped for, hey, it's either gonna be hard or my first year can look like this, but then you know, a lot more, a lot of estheticians just going out on their own, I think is is what we're maybe not used to because with cosmetology, um, which is definitely still growing. I mean, those classes are still full and our numbers are still like through the roof for cosmetology. Um, there are just, I mean, there's so many salons and the salons meet people. So it's just living in two different worlds with the industries, like even just within this industry, those two licenses, it's just really very different for what like the career path can look like.

SPEAKER_00

What just happened with the whole makeup artist thing?

SPEAKER_01

It's girl, it's so crazy. Um, and I have a lot of opinions about this. So I'm really glad you brought it up. Good. Um, so deregulation um just across the country for beauty schools, right? Like there's a lot of states that are reducing hours, taking hours away for training and all that stuff, which when we're talking about aesthetics and makeup, to me, that it's like mo, I mean, it's important in all areas that sanitation, all the things, but even more in aesthetics and makeup. Um, and so it used to be that you didn't have to, anyone can just go be a makeup artist and like you could work at Mac counters and you're not selling the service of doing makeup, you're selling the product, right? So they had some things in place. Then they required the license. Um, and they just decided, and this is just like one step, like I swear, this is like our first step into again, people making decisions for our industry that do not know a thing about our industry. This, like, it's so hard to get our point across and share our views um because they just don't know. Yeah. Um, and so yeah, they just decided like effective July 1st, you don't have to have a license, you don't have to have any training, no certificate, nothing required. Um, and so I obviously am so against that, not even just because of the school, but just for safety reasons. Like, you know how much part of your program was sanitation.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And even through MUD, how they like through makeup designery, the program you're um, you know, certified makeup artist with of like the palettes and how you never reuse a lipstick. Like you take this, you know, the um spatula thing. I don't, yeah, yeah. I'm like blanking on what that's called, but it says spatula, yeah. Okay. Um, um, on that. And so, like, there's so much care and thought into what you're putting on somebody's face so that you're not transferring disease to somebody. Um what I fear is that they're because they're taking that away and again not requiring anything. So my husband, who has never applied makeup before, could go charge for services. Um, so it's scary, but I'm also worried about what it's gonna do to the people that have made a living, charging for services, doing weddings, and and that's their sole income. Are people gonna now switch to, oh, my best friend can do it, or my cousin did make up good ones, you know? So there's a lot of downsides to it. Um, I think for us, obviously, we're still encouraging like at least come get the five-week certificate so we can train you in the sanitation. So I'm hoping that it will get to the point where there is enough information out there that people will know to ask. Like before you hire somebody for your wedding, for your photo shoot, for your whatever, ask if they've taken any classes or have any certifications or have, I mean, at least make them do some sort of hours to learn that part. Like, that's really the thing that's hard is we have no control over that. It's literally like we had heard rumblings that it was gonna be brought up to stay bored. And then, you know, we just get the text of you know, this is changing effective July 1st. And it was when Steven and I were in San Francisco for a conference, no, San Diego for a conference, and so that was beginning of June when it happened, and that quickly they took that away. Um, so I'm yeah, scared for what can happen, but like main message is like make sure you're asking what training these people have because there's so many dangers of not properly sanitizing.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that's like it's honestly kind of sick, and it's heartbreaking for everyone that's done it the right way all this time. Yep. And I immediately started thinking about all my friends who do makeup, and I'm just like, oh god, what a gut punch. I know. Yeah, like her education doesn't matter anymore. Like, sorry, girl, you just spent all your time learning all this technique and learning sanitation and all this other stuff for literally no freaking reason.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, like it that's it's unfortunately like what it's gonna take to make it go back to requiring a certification license, whatever they end up doing, um, is that somebody's gonna have to get hurt. Yeah, that's what will make the change is like something bad has to happen, and then they wake up and they're like, oh, okay, this is why. But unfortunately, because it is like a government issue, it's you know, decided by the state. Um, and it's not people, it's not like state board decides. Yeah, it's literally like legislators, senators, like all of that. So we I've had to dive into the government like policy part of this a little bit too, which I was like never thought. I'm really like, I don't ever want to be a part of that. That seems what but then um they also have talked about taking away financial aid for beauty schools.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I saw that. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01

So that was a really big thing, which thankfully, you know, the industry spoke up and and it didn't get passed this time. But it's like every year, I mean, they are just so against it. Um, we actually one of our state representatives um sent he has two daughters that were going to TSB during the time that we were writing letters and advocating um for to make sure that like financial aid is still an opportunity for us. Um and he helped a lot to um um like send letters and and just help and and help us for what w who we needed to communicate with. But um it's not fair that that's who's deciding is really what I hate. I'm like, can we have a different set of people that are you know deciding what the roles are because it's scary to think that like you could eventually never even have to do any license to be an aesthetician.

SPEAKER_00

Like what's next? Like that's my question because I mean it yeah it literally could be anything. And I mean makeup is so like somebody's gonna get MRSA in their eyes. Somebody's gonna go blind.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah I mean and that's what it's gonna take in order to be like oh wait this is why we had rules but they just think like that we're just like playing around at beauty school or we're just like that you all aren't getting you know the right education. I'm like I wish that I could just show everybody yeah how much it is what is the thing about beauty school that was like I had no idea I was gonna learn this or it like surprised you that you were gonna have to go into a certain subject or like was it anatomy or did you kind of like know all the things that you were going to have to learn?

SPEAKER_00

I mean I guess I knew because I had really looked into it but it was very like science driven and I never liked science but I really enjoyed it when it was something I cared about. And I mean Loki honestly the sanitation I mean I knew to clean things but the amount of like nasty things that were brought up that could potentially happen if you don't do something the right way like freaked me out. Yeah and just like you know learning what acid can actually do to somebody's face if you don't neutralize it you know things like that. And if somebody doesn't have an aesthetics license how would they know they have to neutralize a chemical pill right you know I guess some of them are self-neutralizing but if one's not I mean nothing's gonna eat away to the bone.

SPEAKER_01

It's somebody's face like that's what's so scary is like hair can grow back. Like and I'm not saying we don't need but I'm like it's just even scarier that it is makeup that it is somebody's face it's your eyes it's I mean it's literal like permanent damage. Yeah um so yeah I mean that's frustrating but like again we just have to keep having the conversations and educating the public on what to ask for and and just making sure that they're you know with somebody or hiring somebody because that's the other thing is like okay so now they're making money doing like you're charging for services which makes it so insane too when you think about how like you can't charge for services as an aesthetician until you're licensed and now all of a sudden they just take this way that everyone can just start these bits. So it's not only that they're like doing it they're doing it for money like you're paying them so um hopefully people will will get the point and continue to support the makeup artists that that are good and that have had that education. So that's really what we need to I would like put out there. Yes absolutely I'm like I would never ever hire somebody or let somebody work no matter how good they are if they didn't have that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah and I feel like people that are very good at it probably would want to become licensed just maybe to have that in their back pocket but I don't know that's that's insane. And something else that I wanted to ask you about so right now all of this like ASMR light touch massage like all of these like scratchers and all of these things are coming up and there's people doing hair play that aren't licensed because you don't have to be licensed what are your thoughts on this yeah I mean I think if anybody's touching my body like I want you to have had taken a class or something.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah I mean I definitely think all of that I mean the um the what are the head spas um and stuff too like I mean that doesn't fall under it doesn't anything specifically um does it oh I don't know I mean I guess you don't have to be licensed to wash hair do you yeah so that's what I think that it's not like or at least maybe they're just not like monitoring because it's like a new thing um or newer thing. But yeah I mean I think that certifications are easy enough to get where you're like it's just really important for this job for you to have this um I definitely think I mean I'm it's funny because I'm so anti like don't tell me what to do like I don't want rules I don't want anybody interfering but like when it's something I'm paying for or like going to a doctor or going to a what I want to make sure you've taken a class or you know have something that is like not just somebody off the street did it I see those videos on TikTok all the time. And I am like that's crazy.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah um because even just with yeah like hair play or ASMR don't touch me like I would really like you to have but maybe that's me being weird because I don't like that you know maybe I don't know I just like I mean I do it I have Zenheads who's a massage therapist like she's killing it but she's a massage therapist like she can touch people she's certified licensed to touch people.

SPEAKER_01

She's an amazing massage therapist by the way and she's also from I just ran into her recently by the way yes we were um we were somewhere with my kids and playing and like walking and I just in my like normal life I don't recognize I don't know I'm just like not thinking TSB or whatever. And we just both were like hey because I enrolled her in the she came to the massage school when we had that she's the best and I she's an amazing massage therapist amazing like ASMR love her video like just love everything about her and what she's doing. So like quick puns for her love her.

SPEAKER_00

But yeah what is her like have you did you talk to her about it or I mean people like I've never asked her about it but people ask her in her comments like how do you do like how do you become certified or whatever to do this and she just says well I'm a massage therapist so I'm licensed to touch people. Right. So yeah fair enough yeah I wonder like if eventually I I don't know if this right now I feel like I mean ASMR has been around for so long now I don't think it's a trend that's gonna go away because for years I've been watching ASMR and for years I yearned for the light touch of the fingernails, you know and all of that. And so when I found Zenheads and we like connected it was like oh my gosh this is a dream and I'll want this forever but I wonder like if eventually that'll become something that needs to be like regulated like I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

I just think that if you're gonna yeah if you're gonna touch a body if you're gonna have any I don't know I feel like you just like need to know and mainly because what if something happens like that's always like my thing of like how are you gonna handle a situation if something happens and not that anything like it's super crazy can happen but like if they I don't know like there are just are things that can go wrong in a service that I'm like I don't you need to know how to handle. And you know what? Like even beyond that we both know that there are people that are weird and creepy and inappropriate. Yeah like what are you trained at all in how to handle that like that's a part of beauty school like there's so many different facets of here's how you can appropriately handle a situation what if there is someone that's being weird in a wax room or whatever like male or female or whatever like I guess that can be anything but how do you handle that situation I would like the person to be trained and if something went wrong you know like of how to do that. Yeah. So there's a lot of pieces that I think just people don't think about and until you're in it again coming into the beauty industry I had no idea all of the things but it's like when something happens we're like oh yeah we need to talk about this with the students we need to teach them how to handle you know the inappropriate things that can happen and we were just talking today I was talking to somebody that is a graduate and she's a salon owner and she came back in for a graduation and she was like I wish you still had the massage school I wish you guys still had that and we closed that after COVID because again it was just hard to get people in there um as clients after you know have to wear masks and this like that was really an industry that took like a huge hit. But I was like what I don't miss is that there was constantly people coming in because it's a school so they think it's like easy target for like what being so weird and inappropriate. Like so the crazy stories like I can tell you so many insane stories and I'm like that student again the instructor steps in at that point obviously um but you have to know how to handle yourself to be safe um and those are just all things that are covered and I'm like yeah I don't miss I don't miss that part of it. Yeah no I never really experienced anything really creepy I've had some weird things happen but nothing kind of nasty yeah anyway let's pivot okay what is your favorite TV show okay so I um jump into like these I binge so like I was like behind on the like your friends and neighbors um have you watched that yet okay so it's so good um but I was behind but then we watch two seasons and like you know and so that's kind of how we watch TV I mean I I have two kids that are 12 and eight and so a lot of like what we watch is their stuff but my 12 year old has recently um gotten I've always had this thing that I've wanted him to like be a stand up comedian like he's so funny and he would just put on skits like when he didn't want to go to bed he would like bust in our room and just start acting out these things and I'm like he's gonna be on SNL someday. He loves Saturday Night Live and so we get to go back and watch like the stuff like Will Farrell and like just all of the good so we're watching a lot of SNL but I love Bravo love Bravo shows. So the whole Summer House this year I was really invested um in all of that real Housewives I used to be way more into but I just don't like have as much time to watch that stuff now but um definitely like Bravo is my favorite like guilty pleasure um in summer house was so good this year. But I like will not skip a season of Southern charm also click on Bravo I love Southern Charm. But yeah missing Love Island like I just can't the girls were even talking about it like they mentioned it in a graduation speech today like the one I was telling you that they're friends like and I guess she's like obsessed with Love Island. Yeah um and just some of the stuff I'm like what like how is this on TV? Like it's so inappropriate.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah it's definitely like sometimes it's a hard watch but I mean it's like so I'll sit on the couch with my husband and watch it and he'll he'll like be like I don't want to watch this but then he'll be like you know side eye and then he'll start asking questions about it and I'm like oh so you actually do like to watch it. But for me it's such an interactive experience because you get to vote in the app there's polls and it's so much fun because it's almost like you're like a little puppet master and you get to dictate what happens to all these people. Yeah. Maybe that's kind of sick.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know but then like being a part of it I feel like and everyone's watching it but I don't understand like the time commitment. Oh my god because is it every day?

SPEAKER_00

It's okay so every day but Wednesday and then Saturday is after sun which is low key like a recap and I'm pretty sure almost everybody doesn't watch after sun but um yeah it's like a full-time job like or I guess a part-time job at the end of the day like this is so bad and I'm so addicted to it. We went to Cape Cod a couple weeks ago and I was literally logging into my peacock like in the Airbnb like I'm sorry Josh like we have to be home to watch this time. And that's so bad. I was like on vacation I have a problem that's amazing.

SPEAKER_01

No I think everybody that watches it has the same thing and I wonder if it is that interactiveness of it to be like oh I'm a part of it.

SPEAKER_00

So I gotta watch. Yeah you don't want to like get spoiled on TikTok because I mean everybody is so fast with like posting edits and scenes and whatever else on TikTok so it's like I don't want to be I don't want to spoil it for myself.

SPEAKER_01

I did see um something about like people taking bets and like actually you know how like you can bet on sports and calci. Yeah yeah like that you can bet and maybe like on on who's gonna win is that what it is there's winners.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah so at the end of the show which honestly I don't even feel like at this point it's about winning because I think everybody goes into the show to be like an influencer at the end of it or to have some kind of like other revenue but um yeah like at the end the there's like a remaining couple and they get like a hundred K, which really in Love Island like world that's not that much money. No.

SPEAKER_01

For the amount of money they're definitely making like from the show itself they can be paying them more than under yeah because you're gonna get so much hate I assume right like I assume I don't know kind of like bra but like do they have access to social media while they're there or no?

SPEAKER_00

No. Oh that's what's so crazy about Love Island. They do not know what time it is they don't know what day it is they don't know like What? So they give them these phones. The phones do not have anything on them except for like a camera so they can take videos and pictures in the villa and they have like a way to get text messages from the producers. Wow there's not a clock there's not there's literally nothing they are so whenever these people like start getting super emotional they're emotional because what's happening sh happening sure but they're like secluded in this gotta be going crazy. They're going insane what's so crazy is like I was watching this girl like who was on Love Island season four um she was talking about the different things that like they make them do and they on Saturdays when they're not filming they I think it's Saturday there's a day that they're not filming and they separate the boys and the girls and they are not allowed to talk about anything that happens in the villa and if they do they like separate them from everybody else. Whoa like it's it's insane.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah that seems insane that anybody would sign up for that like you said I mean $100,000 like but you're gonna get a ton of hate I'm sure people are like so mean about them online. Like I don't know if it's worth it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah I mean I guess for some people it probably is but I don't know but like you said it's really the like what's gonna come after you know like they're the sponsorships the the followers because I mean the people that are on last season I mean they have like a whole like that's their career now. Pretty much all of them are influencers. Yeah did you watch UK? Okay. I heard it's better actually but I didn't that's what I've heard too so sorry just like choking over here. You're good. Um so wait I have a question you said that you're from Pittsburgh yes my favorite TV show of all time is Dance Moms.

SPEAKER_01

Oh yeah for sure grew up on dance moms and like Abby Lee I mean iconic like that video will come up on my TikTok where she like rolls backwards out of the competition. Yeah do you know what I'm talking about? Yes I still watch it every single time and it still is the funniest thing in the world to me like yeah I never went I've driven past it but I never went and then there were people like not from Pittsburgh that ended up coming into the show and stuff too so we didn't like know anyone and I didn't I wasn't in that world but I still like feel like it's a proud part of like Pittsburgh for sure.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah yeah no oh my god I'm obsessed that was like my every I was watching that every Tuesday night nine o'clock I would come I was a dancer so I would come home from dance I would put it on and be eating dinner sitting there watching dance moms and when I don't have a client I come in here and I pull it up because they have full episodes on YouTube.

SPEAKER_01

Wow so I pull it up on YouTube and I sit here and eat my lunch and I'll watch dance moms in here and that's like my daily routine I've watched do you remember like when Maddie got cast for Sia oh yeah like for that music video and it was like the biggest thing in the world you're like oh my god she made it and like just insane that it was like this reality show has now made it to like a legit like career like a legit like paycheck for her um the mom that I cannot remember her name I cannot remember which one her daughter is but she's like blonde she's like one of the OG moms. Christy? Yep Christy and Chloe yeah yeah that was a nightmare for me I was like oh no like I don't ever want to be that mom and I feel bad.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah sh they're all crazy actually in their own way. So I um Christy and Kelly have a podcast where they recap every single episode it's so entertaining and they tell you like what was actually happening what was said like when the cameras weren't rolling what the producers said to make them so mad.

SPEAKER_01

It will change your entire perspective but that had to been like 20 years ago like it's crazy that they are still like living this and they're still like making money off of this wild.

SPEAKER_00

It is insane. Because I know a lot of the girls have come out yeah and been like not a great experience or whatever but um that was a horrible experience for them it was abuse it was hard to watch like it really was like and especially now being a mom I'm like I can't even imagine yeah was that at all what your dance experience was like though no yeah like not not in the least I mean I started watching it because I thought it was so crazy and obviously like I like to see like their costumes I love to watch their dances and everything.

SPEAKER_01

But what kept me coming back every single week was the moms fighting yeah I and that's when I was like okay I think I like drama yeah well and like you see adults acting that way and if that's not like how you're raised and that's very abnormal like I couldn't I was like what are they doing? Like the I couldn't believe it.

SPEAKER_00

Like it was wild but then you like you look at it for like what it is and you're like you are backstage at this place or you're at this dance studio like can you even imagine like it's so wild you do like um like crazy oh my god like watching I don't know reason because my life is so like peaceful that I just like to love to enjoy what a gift when I'm involved well I I don't get involved with drama like that but if I were to ever be in such a situation like that I would have to like lock myself in a room because yeah that's I don't like being involved love to hear about it love to watch it I love when my clients come in and they're like girl you're not gonna believe like that's the one of the best things about being in the beauty industry is like you're a therapist. Yes. But yeah no I love dance moments yeah that's amazing I love that um so oh I have another question um I was stalking your Instagram before you came here of course and your outfits are so freaking cute cute we go back to fashion like we're back we're back we are so back where do you shop like where do you get your I will tell you this I shop everywhere like I will not like I the new store that opened um on Gay Street have you been yet?

SPEAKER_01

It's called Good Threads no oh it's like a second hand but like so good but it's owned by Bliss so like their stuff like that you'll find dresses in there like tags like but it's really good vintage clothes like it's great. I love that um I will shop anywhere and everywhere I keep my clothes forever like I have stuff like from for TSV like the dress I wore today like I swear I probably bought like maybe when I was pregnant with Finley like no joke I think I have a I think I have a picture and so like because I have to dress up every day like I'm always just getting things or if I get stuff for ABS from hosting or whatever then I'm like okay well I can still wear this to work. Right. You know and then you like mix and match and um I'm bad at getting rid of stuff. So I'll be like oh this is so cute I can still make this cute so I keep it forever but 1000% like I've spent a pretty penny on my on my wardrobe for sure like nothing crazy. Think you know it is like a fun part of the job oh for sure when we do the shows like I'm like oh my gosh I get to plan my outfits for each day like it is definitely a part of what we do.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah I love that oh I always look just I don't know I try to look comfy cute I'm trying to be a clean girl aesthetic kind of girly but I feel like I always just like I put my outfit on I'm like I look like a homeless person going to work every day.

SPEAKER_01

Never you always look so cute like always adorable intermerch like it's all adorable like it's all so cute.

SPEAKER_00

Shout out Bella Bella Pieza Designs client Patricia yeah she's the best I love the hoodies I saw or the sweatshirt the curves are so cute I live in those I have like 50 of them in my house and like they're just on rotation. Yeah so you make it work for you it's for business but it's really for you it a little bit yeah I don't know is there anything that you want to talk about anything crazy that you're doing you want to plug?

SPEAKER_01

I don't think so no there's just always crazy stuff going on. I mean the Beauty Professional Awards is really like the big push right now it's August 16th at Mill and mine um you can get tickets to attend the event it's all a benefit for bonded by beauty so we are raising money for the high school programs um silent auction there's um a competition so there's a skincare category where you can enter um and again just recognizing and building this industry is you know really what it's all about and and helping each other but also being in a room and I know that you know this from like traveling or even going to universal and all that stuff like sometimes you just need to be around your people and I think it's really good to have everybody together where it's not like competition we're all there like supporting and we're all like in prom dresses and you know like super dressed up and it's just it really is such a fun night. So um that's really like the biggest thing that like of plugging um and then the Beauty School Bobby podcast obviously like you can listen and interested in the beauty industry at all like we talk to everybody like people doing different things in the beauty industry different career like listen to your episode like do you have like find that one um but I think that um yeah just getting the most information out there as we can um and sharing that like it's not just you know doing facials and like it's not just like showing all of the different things which again is what I love that you do is you're showing it in such a fun way in all the different services like we just have to keep putting that out there to to show people what this industry is to get like more people to be on board with it. But yeah that's really it nothing crazy.

SPEAKER_00

I love that well thank you so much for coming and talking today.

SPEAKER_01

This was so much fun I love just like girl talk talking about literally gab gab gab like my favorite thing it's the best well where can they follow you um I'm at beauty school bobby on YouTube, Instagram um and then podcast like wherever you listen to your podcast.

SPEAKER_00

Yay yay all right everybody thank you so much for tuning into this episode I will see you later bye