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Bridging the Beauty Gap: Client Experience Meets Professional Perspective with Sarah Faustine from Boise Beauty Connection
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This week, we’re cozying up for some real talk with Sarah Faustine, founder of Boise Beauty Connection — a platform all about celebrating the pros who deliver unforgettable client experiences.
We dive into what truly sets a beauty business apart (hint: it’s more than your menu), how to bridge the gap between the professional and the client perspective, and why connection, trust, and reputation matter more than ever in today’s industry.
It’s part girl talk, part growth talk — the kind of conversation that reminds you why you started, inspires you to show up with intention in every client interaction and reminds you why every detail matters.
✨ Topics we cover:
• What makes an exceptional client experience truly feel different
• The role of energy, communication & reputation in beauty
• Finding your brand’s heartbeat and showing up authentically
• Why local community and connection matter more than competition
Tune in, pour yourself a matcha or iced coffee, and join us for a conversation that feels like sitting in your best friend’s living room — full of warmth, honesty, and inspiration for every beauty pro.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:02
Speaker
Hey, everybody. Welcome to beyond aesthetics, the podcast where we dive deep into the journey of estheticians who aspire to grow, not just professionally, but personally and spiritually. This is a space where the art of aesthetics meets the soul and the power of community fuels transformation.
00:00:18
Speaker
Whether you're looking to elevate your skills, expand your mindset, or align your career with your deeper purpose, you're in the right place. Join us as we explore stories, strategies, and insights that go be beyond the surface because growth happens from the inside out.
00:00:31
Speaker
This is Beyond Aesthetics. Let's grow together. And I am one of your hosts. My name is Jessica Peterson, and we have such a fun episode for you guys today. And this is my co-host, Tiffany Orr.
00:00:43
Speaker
And today we have a really, really special guest. So today we're going to talk about bridging the beauty gap client experience meets professional perspective with Sarah Faustine from Boise beauty connection. So.
00:01:00
Speaker
ah Sarah, we're so excited to have you on the podcast today, just talking about the power of connection and service and trust in the beauty industry and all of the cool, fun things that you have done and all of your experiences. And we can't wait for you to share all of that with us.
00:01:16
Speaker
So Sarah is a licensed esthetician with 20 years of diverse experience in the beauty and skincare industry throughout her career. She has worked in day spas, dermatology offices, and plastic surgery practices.
00:01:28
Speaker
as well as owned her own business and launched a curated skincare line with an online store. She's also founded Boise Beauty Connection, which evolved into a social media content creation platform.
00:01:41
Speaker
Sarah brings a comprehensive perspective on skincare and aesthetics informed by her work across clinical, retail, and digital spaces. She's known for her ability to elevate businesses and experiences through the lens of both a client and an industry expert.
00:01:56
Speaker
She's passionate about highlighting standout beauty businesses that deliver exceptional services and
Guest's Personal Insights and Philosophy
00:02:01
Speaker
results. So Sarah, welcome to show. podcast today. We're so excited to have you and just so honored. And you're actually somebody we've never met in person. So some of our guests we have or they're like coaching clients or friends or whatever. And so this is going to be really fun for us because We've been watching you. We've been, you know, on social media and kind of like chatted back and forth very briefly.
00:02:27
Speaker
So we get to get to know you today on a deeper level. And so this is just very, very exciting for us. So thank you so much for being here.
00:02:38
Speaker
I'm excited. Thank you both so much for having me. I'm honored that you asked me to be on the podcast. Absolutely. It really is an honor for us to have you. And I'm with Jess. I'm like, I've known you the last couple of years, but like very, very distantly. And it's just so exciting to get to like peel back some layers here and get to know your story and your journey.
00:02:59
Speaker
And then kind of like what's, what's on the, the burner for Boise beauty connection and what's next. So I think to get us started, we're going to do some like rapid fire questions and just um we're going to dive right in So Sarah, are you a coffee girl or what is your morning drink of choice? Now you can go as deep here as you want. We're coffee girls. Share with us what your morning drink of choice is.
00:03:26
Speaker
Okay. I am absolutely a coffee girl. I'm an iced Americano with extra ice type of girl every day, no matter what. Okay. Same. i love but anything in it or just block.
00:03:40
Speaker
So this morning i have some cinnamon powder on top of it but normally just that just black. Oh my gosh. I love it. that That's my exact coffee order from Starbucks every morning without fail, except for this morning for whatever reason.
00:03:55
Speaker
Didn't get time to go this morning. That is awesome. I love to hear that. Yes. Love it. Uh, what has been your biggest heart moment in your beauty career so far? so we're going to go from like surface level coffee to like deep.
00:04:08
Speaker
It's what we do. Um, um I think that my biggest heart moment would probably be creating Boise beauty connection because I feel like it's the first, it's the first, um,
00:04:25
Speaker
thing that I created that I feel super connected to. And I'm passionate about it and it's always changing. and I get to meet the most amazing people and business owners and it's always exciting me. There's always something new happening. So I really think that this point in time in my life, like this is what is bringing me like genuine happiness and i just love it.
00:04:52
Speaker
I love that so much. Give me chills.
Professional Journey and Achievements
00:04:56
Speaker
What would you tell your younger self just getting started in this industry? oh wow. um I think I would tell my younger self to just keep going.
00:05:08
Speaker
Like my career has changed so drastically. And I feel like I've done so many things in the aesthetics industry that i would just tell myself to keep going.
00:05:19
Speaker
That like the best is yet to come.
00:05:23
Speaker
Do you feel like in a way that that's probably what has happened on your timeline, like your future self or your higher self has like telling your younger self, like, just keep going. It's going to get better.
00:05:34
Speaker
100% because anytime I hit a roadblock or I'm not feeling, motivated or encouraged or creative, i just keep going. I just take the tiniest little step forward. And then most times it just turns into something bigger than I could have even imagined. Like, for example, being on this podcast, I never even thought that I would ever be on a podcast. So it just goes to show that I just keep going. Even like these little steps are for something greater.
00:06:05
Speaker
ah that gives me chills right there. I love that. Um, okay. If we were all having self-care girls night in together, what would your go-to ritual be?
00:06:16
Speaker
Okay. Well, first of all, I love that. And I would much rather have a girls night in than go out. Yes. So I think it's like simple, like pajamas, cozy clothes, like on the couch with a blanket, maybe like a face mask, just hanging out.
00:06:37
Speaker
That's it. Do you have a favorite face mask? um I love the Hydranity face mask right now. It's so good. haven't tried that one. I've tried a couple of their other products, but I'm not sure if I've ever tried the mask. I'll have to look into that.
00:06:51
Speaker
Yeah, it's seriously amazing. Cool. Is it for hydration or like what is the... yeah correct I mean, I think everything hyter is for hydration. ah Yeah. It's hydration. It's really calming. Like you can use it after a micro needle session and it brings out the redness super quick, but it is ultimately for hydration.
00:07:11
Speaker
Awesome. Very cool. It makes me want to have a girl's night. Like that doesn't happen anymore as like a mom and you know, all the things do we do, do people do that anymore? i think we need to bring that back.
00:07:23
Speaker
We should. I hope people are doing it. I'm not doing it, but I sounds amazing. Um, how would you define your beauty philosophy, Sarah?
00:07:36
Speaker
um I think my beauty philosophy is simple and minimal and just whatever makes me feel confident.
00:07:46
Speaker
Whatever I feel good in, that is my beauty philosophy. here i like that simplicity. And yeah, I think it's always just a foundational something that we can always anchor back into.
00:07:59
Speaker
But I don't know if it's like talked about a lot anymore because it's kind of gotten... crazy out there, so much information coming at us and, you know, so many products and all the things, but, um, I like to keep things very simple.
00:08:17
Speaker
Okay. That leads me to ask, maybe this is where Jess is going is, are you like a like a three-step skincare girly? Are you like a five to seven step skincare girly? Are you like a 12 step skincare girl?
00:08:29
Speaker
I'm definitely not 12 step. Um, I would say I'm like in between three and five, I'm always trying to do anything to work on my pigmentation. no there's always an added product in there for that, but I really do like to keep things simple. um I'm always tired at night when I'm washing my face, getting ready for bed. So there's no way that I could do 12 step routine. And in the morning, i don't feel like I have time or want to make time to do that. So I'm like in between three and five, I would say on a regular basis.
00:09:01
Speaker
Okay. Do you have a favorite product for pigment? yeah Is that where you're going to? Thank you for asking. My favorite product right now for pigment is the Hydranity Vivid Bright. I've been using for months and I would say it's hands down one of the best products I've used for pigment. It's actually made a really big difference.
00:09:24
Speaker
um You know, treatments can make a big difference, but products using at home and supporting those treatments are a huge part of how to keep the skin healthy. So definitely that's my go-to right now. It's on my counter. I use it twice a day.
00:09:38
Speaker
Okay. What are the actives in there?
00:09:43
Speaker
That's a good question. Okay. I'm going to look into it because yeah, I feel like, ah oh my gosh, having a few go-tos to recommend for pigment especially it so important. So that's really good to know because I would imagine you try many things.
00:09:59
Speaker
I've tried so many things and because I've worked in dermatology offices and plastic surgery offices, I've always had access to medical grade skincare. And so I feel like I've tried everything, but sometimes just because it's medical grade or it's hundreds of dollars doesn't mean that it's going to fix your pigmentation. And i feel like personally, my pigmentation has been ah journey forever. i mean,
00:10:25
Speaker
I grew up going to tanning salons and working at a tanning salon. And so I have like a lot of really deep pigment. And so i just try to always find something that's helping. And this seems to be like the one product that has really helped me to this point.
00:10:41
Speaker
Love to hear that so much. And i feel like I could record an entire... not even just one, like a series about treating hyperpigmentation because it is one of the most complex for an esthetician to learn about all the ins and outs and treating it and getting your clients on board, like such a loaded subject. So the fact that you found a product that you feel like is making a difference is huge. Thank you.
00:11:08
Speaker
in Yeah, it's a loaded topic for sure. And it's pretty so different. Like my pigment will die down in the colder months, but as soon as the weather starts to get warm, um I just feel like it comes right back up. So yeah, it's hard to treat.
00:11:23
Speaker
yeah it really is. She's a stubborn one. Do you feel like hyperpigmentation is ah one of your beauty philosophies too, just because of your own journey with it and that you have tried so many different things?
00:11:36
Speaker
I think so. Yeah. I'm definitely very passionate about it. um You know, we're our own worst critic, but it's the first thing I see when I look in the mirror without any makeup on or anything, you know, just all those like little dots or spots on your face. It's like everything that I'm always looking at. And so I'm always trying to just like brighten my complexion, um you know, just get that glow. Yeah.
00:12:03
Speaker
So your skin is glowing right now. So what are you wearing? Okay. Thank you. Um, I, I got my makeup done this morning, from Danny Smith. She's amazing.
00:12:15
Speaker
And she sprayed, I will have to let you guys know the name of it, but she has a new product that she was using on me. And she said it has some kind of like an oil in it but it sets the makeup and it's hydrating. I will find out the information. yeah She said it's amazing. And yeah.
00:12:33
Speaker
Let's give Dani shout out. I don't know Dani, but do you know her handle? So we can. Yes. Let me look. Yeah. We can connect with her because truly like I'm obsessing over your skin right now. Like your whole look actually hair, makeup, everything.
00:12:49
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. So her Instagram handle is Dani Smith M U A. Okay. And she has a new product. Can people like purchase this new product? it's She didn't create the product, but she it to her for using it.
00:13:04
Speaker
And i think that she said she used it at a wedding this past weekend or something. and she just was asking, she's like, do you want your skin to be more matte today? Or do you want it to be glowing? And I'm way more of a glowing person.
00:13:17
Speaker
And so she used it. So I'm thinking. ah Awesome. So fun. Thank you so much for sharing. so one more question about your beauty philosophy. I didn't even think we were going to like go this deep on this, but do you find, because we've both been in the industry for about 20 years, ah have your philosophies changed throughout the years?
00:13:39
Speaker
Just as far as like your overall approach, the way you would treat things, recommend products, stuff like that. Um, absolutely. i mean, i can't imagine that anybody would say anything different. i You'd be surprised.
00:13:53
Speaker
for so long. um yeah of course. I mean, I love learning. i think that this industry is always evolving. And so I'm constantly looking for new ways to treat things or to talk about product or why products work and how they work with the skin.
00:14:10
Speaker
So I think it definitely has changed. I feel like when I was first starting out, everything was like really harsh. It was like a lot of physical exfoliation and like a lot of chemicals.
00:14:24
Speaker
And then I feel like it peaked a few years ago and now I feel like people are more wanting sometimes like more of a natural approach, less harsh on the skin.
00:14:36
Speaker
um you know, there's, they want their skin to look glowing and healthy and they don't want it to look so stripped from ah bunch of retinols and, you you know, stuff like that. So I do think that it has evolved and i imagine that it will continue to do so.
00:14:53
Speaker
Yep. Absolutely. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Now we're going to get into the real nitty gritty. Very excited. All right, Sarah, tell us how your journey in the beauty industry began. Take us way back.
00:15:09
Speaker
Okay, so way back when i was in high school, i knew that college for four years was not really the path that I wanted to take. I was not interested in school.
00:15:21
Speaker
um i was always there just for kind of like the social aspect, not the schooling at all. And so I knew that I wanted to be an esthetician and get into skincare. I had an amazing esthetician when I was growing up that did my brows and just her whole vibe. Like I loved how I felt when I went in, I loved the service that she provided and I loved how I felt when I left.
00:15:44
Speaker
So I went to beauty school when I was, and was 19, got my aesthetics license. And then from then just that's when like the ball started rolling. So my very first job out aesthetic school was a junior esthetician for a day spa.
00:16:02
Speaker
And i think I was there for six months and I just worked under the senior estheticians and I learned. so much about how to turn my room over on time and like seeing people back to back and staying on time with your services and recommending product.
00:16:18
Speaker
Um, so that was my very first job out of beauty school and they actually hired me before I even got my license because of the school that I went to just had a really great reputation. and so I was very fortunate to have that job.
00:16:34
Speaker
I've never heard that term before junior esthetician. Maybe I'm like behind on the times, but like I've heard lead esthetician. think I've even heard senior esthetician, but like junior esthetician. That's kind of cool. Yeah, it was really fun. And it taught me so much of the basics. You know, when you're in school, you're learning all these skills.
00:16:51
Speaker
And then when you have to pass state board, you're learning how to pass state board. um But this was like the first time that I really got real world, like you're doing your laundry and you're turning the room over and you're restocking your room and all while you're trying to perform the service for somebody and have it be the best thing ever.
00:17:12
Speaker
It's kind of cool that that that day spa actually had that in place. Because like how long ago was that? um Literally 20 years ago. 20 years ago. Okay. I mean, that's pretty neat.
00:17:24
Speaker
Setting, setting their estheticians up for success by like starting, you know, with the basics. So just throwing you into the deep end and learning how to swim on your own. Exactly.
00:17:35
Speaker
Yeah. Very cool. um Okay. Then take us from there.
Career Evolution and Business Launch
00:17:40
Speaker
Like. Okay. So after that, then i got a job. I don't know if you guys are familiar, but it there used to be a store called Pure Beauty. And the only thing I can compare it to now is like an Ulta.
00:17:53
Speaker
And in these Pure Beauty stores, they had you know all kinds of beauty products, but they had an aesthetics room. And so I worked for this company, but I was the esthetician.
00:18:06
Speaker
And so then people would come in get their brows done. It was a lot of waxing. um So I used to do a lot of waxing there. And that was interesting because I was on my own.
00:18:17
Speaker
going from the day spa where i had so many people to ask questions to then i went straight to that job and didn't have anybody to ask any questions to so i worked there and then i went to a different day spa and i worked my way up there i was there for three and a half years and i worked my way up to lead esthetician there um and that's where i really learned like the business side of things so i learned how to restock and order um just like as a percentage of what we were bringing in for the spa. So that's like my first introduction to the business side of things. And just because you're charging, you know, $150 for a facial doesn't mean that you're making $150 in your business.
00:19:04
Speaker
So I did that for three and a half years. And then i went to work for a dermatologist. And that was more, of course, on the clinical side of things. um And I did that for a couple years.
00:19:17
Speaker
And then I went to work for two nurses. And that was amazing. That was the first time that I really had a lot of freedom in helping people with their skin and kind of choosing what I think would be best for their skin instead of having ah protocol that was already written out for me and kind of like a standard operating procedure for these businesses that I had worked for.
00:19:44
Speaker
So I did that for a couple of years and then I went to work for a plastic surgery office And that brought me to moving to Idaho and then starting my own business.
00:19:58
Speaker
Let me ask all along the way, like working for these different companies and kind of working up the ladder, did you have a vision through that? Like, did you have, like you wanted to work in medical aesthetics or you wanted, or was it just kind of, this is how it happened and transpired?
00:20:15
Speaker
um I definitely wanted to work in medical aesthetics. So when I went from the day spa to working for the derm office, um right when I got to the derm office, I was like, okay, this is for me. i love these products. I love the results that we're getting.
00:20:32
Speaker
I liked the environment of being more of a medical setting. um i think that the day spa... taught me so much, but it just wasn't the path that I was going to go. I wanted to help people long-term with their skin and in day spas, generally speaking, from what I saw in my experience, um, people are going for special occasions or they're having a girl's day or, you know, they're not coming in on a regular basis for skin treatments.
00:21:01
Speaker
That is really, it was really done in like a medical setting. Yeah. Um, very cool. Tell us where your curated skincare line, um, falls into place. Are we there yet in this timeline or not quite?
00:21:17
Speaker
Okay. So we were just about to get there. Okay. Okay. I curated a skincare line when I moved to Idaho. So I moved to Idaho five years ago from Northern California and this curated skincare line had worked with it's um it's a private label line and I had worked with it for 10 years prior. I worked with the same line at the dermatology office.
00:21:39
Speaker
And then at the plastic surgery office. And when I moved to Idaho, i would just be at my kids' sports practices and moms would be like, oh, like you just moved here. What do you do? and I would always say, I used to be an esthetician. And they're like, so many people are moving here. You should really start your own thing. And so...
00:22:00
Speaker
I got a wild hair. I started my own business. um I rented like a skincare suite. My husband built it out beautifully. And um I just wanted to offer treatments that I loved doing. And I didn't look at my schedule and I was like, oh, I don't want to do that today. Or that doesn't excite me.
00:22:17
Speaker
and then same thing with my skincare. So I curated and I just picked all the products that I thought were hero products. um And i just private labeled them, did my logo.
00:22:30
Speaker
all the things, branded it. And then about a year into that, I realized that in order to build your own business, you have to be available on nights and weekends.
00:22:42
Speaker
And i have four kids and at the time their ages were two to nine. And so I just didn't have the luxury of being in the skincare suite on nights and weekends. And I just realized that I didn't want to do that. So I closed down the skincare suite and stopped seeing clients, but then I kept my online store for my skincare for about a year and a half after that.
00:23:07
Speaker
And then I just realized that I wasn't super passionate about selling skincare online.
00:23:15
Speaker
And so I closed that down and then right around that time is when um I started Boise Beauty Connection. And I just, from moving here from out of state, I never had to worry about like hair services or nail services because I was born and raised in the area that I was still in So I just knew who to go to. I knew who all the best people were, who had great customer service and all the things. And then when I moved here,
00:23:43
Speaker
I didn't know anybody. So I would go on Google and I would start going to these places that had the best marketing and like the highest Google ratings. And I would leave so disappointed sometimes. And I would just say like, this can't be it here. This cannot be what the beauty industry is in Boise, Idaho. This is just not it.
00:24:05
Speaker
um So I was just like on a walk with my husband one day and I said, there has to be a website that people can go to, especially moving from out of town or out of state, that they can find beauty services. Because that's literally what all the moms were talking about at all these sports practices that I was at.
00:24:23
Speaker
So I'm like, there has to be a website of some kind. And Google, you know you can pay for ads. Yelp is like your worst day as the provider, your worst customer coming in for the first time. They're having a bad day. Then they leave you a review. So like Yelp is not where it's at either.
00:24:41
Speaker
So I started Boise Beauty Connection just by social media and I stayed anonymous because I didn't want people to work with me or not work with me based on anything except for like what I was producing on social media. And so i just stayed anonymous for a year and I would just reach out to businesses and I would say like, can I come by Can I meet you? Tell me about your business. What do you specialize in What are you passionate about?
00:25:11
Speaker
Can i make social media content and post it? And then I would re I would just find things that I loved in this area and I would repost it on the page. And that's how it all got started. Just from like,
00:25:23
Speaker
that walk and that idea of like, this cannot be everything that's offered here. Dang. Isn't that so cool when you come across something that doesn't exist yet and you're just like, there has to be something yet.
00:25:37
Speaker
The actual existence is in you that needs to be created. It's really wild because I mean, I never thought that I would, go down this path in aesthetics or the beauty industry. um And then I would say a year into me being anonymous, people started reaching out and they were like, okay, like, can you tell us who you are now? Like what's going on?
00:26:04
Speaker
So I think it was about a year into it. that I finally posted a picture of myself on the Instagram feed. And I got like, you know, the most amazing feedback. And then it just kind of like grew from there. And it's just taken on so many different avenues for me. And it's just brought so many different things.
00:26:28
Speaker
I have questions. So how did you stay anonymous though? Like I I'll be honest, like it was really hard for me to figure out like who you were and like, remember like when I was emailing you back and forth and this was a couple of years in when you even were anonymous, I was like, I have, who am I talking to?
00:26:44
Speaker
And that, but I did, I wanted to know more about you. And then I think it was like, what my, I don't know, six months ago. And then you posted that, like that picture of you on your feed. And I was like, so excited to see it. And I was like, Sarah, we need more of you.
00:26:58
Speaker
so And you know, that's a lot of the feedback that I've gotten over the past, I would say two years is like, we want to see more of you and like, what are you doing? But this whole platform is about these businesses I'm trying to highlight them and what they specialize in. And that's like the whole basis of the website is I'm trying to showcase these businesses and what they specialize in and kind of just what what makes them passionate about what they're doing. Because then when a client is on the website, they can say, oh, they're so passionate about microneedling. And I want to go to somebody who does microneedling all day, every day. I don't want to go to somebody who just does microneedling occasionally and isn't super excited about it.
00:27:54
Speaker
Yes. The thing is, though, that when it comes to branding and building your personal brand, people need to know you and love you and have a connection to you in order to put more trust in who you are saying is great.
Building Trust and Success in Beauty Industry
00:28:12
Speaker
You know what I mean? And so that probably has so much to do with it Is there like, okay, you're recommending all of those people, but I don't even know who you are. And if I know you and I love you and I feel a connection to you, then I'm going to trust those sources and those people that you're highlighting that much more. So I can kind of see where people were probably coming from and I can see where you're coming from too. But But I also think that's just kind of where social media is at. They're like, hey, I need a connection to you so that I can trust what you're putting out there. It's like influencers, basically, which is like not my favorite comparison in the world. But I think you get what I'm trying to say.
00:28:51
Speaker
Yes. Well, I think and I've talked to Tiffany about this before. It's hard for me because I feel like I do not want to be an influencer in that sense. I'm going be a traditional influencer. That is not my goal.
00:29:05
Speaker
There's no part of that that I want to be involved in. But I think over the past year, um i will say that I'm getting more comfortable sharing more information about myself and what I'm doing.
00:29:20
Speaker
um I'm just getting out of my people-pleasing era. And so now I'm just more comfortable, like if our energies align, then that's great and we can work together.
00:29:33
Speaker
But if energies don't align, then I'm okay not working with people or just if it's, if it's not the right fit, then it's not the right fit. Whereas before I feel like when I first started this, I would feel like,
00:29:47
Speaker
I would take everything too personal, like, oh, this person doesn't want to work with me. It's me, but it's just and now I know, and I've matured, like, it's not me. You know, everybody is just doing the best that they can and they're in their own businesses and their own lives. Um, so I'm definitely getting more comfortable being out there. I would say over the past year.
00:30:07
Speaker
Yeah. Well, and I kind of, it's like ah you're doing the way that you've built Boise beauty connection is like with you as a, the brand behind it is more subtle and I actually really respect that. And, um, I like that a lot.
00:30:21
Speaker
And so it's not like you just like came, you know, out the gate, like, Hey, this is I'm Sarah and I'm behind it and dah, dah, dah, dah. But you really like built up the platform of everybody inside Boise beauty connection.
00:30:33
Speaker
And then now you get to throw your little touches in there. and create those connections. Tell us how, how many, i don't know, like businesses or esthetician, I mean, what do you call them? How many people are inside Boise beauty connection like today?
00:30:46
Speaker
Now we have, i want to say just over 50. I want to say it's like 51, 52. In the beginning of this year, i set a goal that I wanted to finish 2025 with 100 businesses. I want to be so confident in recommending 100 legit businesses that are passionate about what they do They're bringing the best customer service.
00:31:11
Speaker
They have ongoing education. And this is across all beauty platforms. This is not just... skincare or estheticians. i also really am passionate about giving a voice to individual providers. Even if you work for a bigger company or a bigger brand here, you still are your own brand. And one day you won't work for them. And i love highlighting each individual provider because that's not really something that they can do on their own.
00:31:43
Speaker
unless they're really active on social media. But then again, if you're working for somebody else's business, it's hard to do that.
00:31:51
Speaker
We just had this conversation yesterday in a coaching call, just how it's just, it can feel a little bit awkward and hard to like brand yourself while you're working, you know, for another company, but it is so important.
00:32:03
Speaker
and so I really, really love that and respect that as well. Yeah, I think it's super important. And When I'm showcasing individual providers, we can still have links to their booking site for that business, but information about themselves and how they can be contacted because if you've ever worked for a big company before and then you don't work for them, then you don't have access to your books. You don't have access to your clients. So I think it's super important that individual providers are on the website and they can get ahold of them in case something happens.
00:32:40
Speaker
Very cool. Yeah. Okay. What do you feel your top two or three traits are that have allowed you to stay in this beauty and aesthetic space slash industry for as long as you have and continue to evolve with it?
00:32:57
Speaker
um I would say probably tenacity would be one. um Number two, I feel like I have a lot of confidence when it comes to...
00:33:12
Speaker
Being in this industry, I've been in it for so long. I've seen so many changes. But at the end of the day, everything always comes back to being honest, um having really good relationships with people and staying super professional.
00:33:27
Speaker
And i would say those are probably like the top things that have kept me going and will probably keep me going for a long time. I love that. Do you feel like that is the tone that you set for everybody inside Boise Beauty Connection? Is that like conversations that have come up with certain businesses or does it just seem to align itself or not align? Like you kind of said.
00:33:51
Speaker
um I would say it's a mixture of all three of those things. Okay. I feel like the more professional I am and the more professional I set things up, it does set the standard and then yet it either aligns or it doesn't. And that's okay. I've had some businesses come and go. and um, i think that's a natural progression of my business and who I am as a person and just like me maturing over the years.
00:34:18
Speaker
For sure. yeah I love that. Um,
00:34:25
Speaker
Okay. We answered those questions. I love this. Um, how has being both a beauty professional and a loyal client shaped how you see this space as a whole? Um, that's a really good question. I think that's a unique position that I have is that I have been a licensed esthetician for.
00:34:43
Speaker
Sorry.
00:34:46
Speaker
sorry So I know what it feels like to be the provider. I know what it feels like to look at your schedule and not be super excited about a treatment that you're going to do on somebody.
00:34:59
Speaker
And then I know how it feels to be a client. Like I said, when I first moved here, I know the starting over when you move somewhere and you're going to a business because it has the highest Google rating, but then their customer service isn't good or the service that you paid for isn't good. And there's only so many new businesses you can try before you get discouraged and you're like, oh okay, I'm spending all this money. I'm not happy with the services. I'm not happy with the providers.
00:35:29
Speaker
I want a trusted source that I can go to that's going to show me this information and kind of help guide me into what services and what professionals I'm spending my money at.
00:35:44
Speaker
So that leads me to ask you this. Do you find yourself, um, as the leader of Boise Vita connection, being more in a mentorship role for people inside, like, or has that come up for you yet? Like,
00:35:58
Speaker
Do you feel like you have some businesses where you see the potential and see that they need a little bit of this or a little bit of that? And you have those conversations or do you kind of just let them do their thing? um No, I've definitely had those conversations with businesses before. And I think that the curated collection of businesses that I have right now, i feel...
00:36:20
Speaker
Like on a personal level, we trust each other and we can talk to each other about those things. I'm constantly talking about business ups and downs and the flow of everything and all that with so many of the businesses on there. So I do think that that comes up.
00:36:39
Speaker
Um, but you know, just like everybody else, I'm learning as I go as well. And so I don't have all the answers, but I feel like if I don't have an answer, I try my best to find it for somebody.
00:36:52
Speaker
I think that's very powerful. And they have kind of like watch that as Boise beauty connection has grown and evolved over the last couple of years of you being kind of just like kind of that person, um, or that mentor, like if there's questions or like, Hey, I have ideas like, you know, what about this promo or this? Like you're very, very knowledgeable in that. And you're a very like safe space to talk to about that. You know, even from afar, I haven't met you in person, but through email and on social media, like it's a very just loving and kind graciousness that you exude. And so I think there's like such a superpower within that and because you're behind it and because you do have all of this experience. so I just wanted to highlight that, that, that
00:37:36
Speaker
is something I've noticed. And so I was just curious if like that is coming up for you more and it probably will continue to more and more. Yeah. Well, i appreciate that. Thank you. Yeah. I try, i definitely try to be that for people if they're coming to me with questions or, you know, just like things to work out in their businesses. Um, I, yeah, I've had a lot of experience and I've done a lot of things that probably weren't super successful. So I know the pains of working through those things and not giving up and not stopping what you're doing, but just to pivot and go maybe in a slightly different direction or try something a different way.
00:38:15
Speaker
Okay. One more thing before we move on going back to like in your early days of living in Boise and going on Google, trying to find these businesses to go get your hair done or your nails or whatever, seeing their like great Google reviews or their great, say marketing techniques, and then actually going in there and they suck.
00:38:32
Speaker
What advice would you have for those businesses that are like, what do they, what essence are you looking for? So I'm looking for energy, first of all, like I can almost tell immediately if our energies are going to mesh or not. And I'm really looking for professionalism. And if you're passionate about what you're doing, um because it comes across in all things, I feel like if you're not passionate about something, it's coming across on your social media or
00:39:08
Speaker
If you're super passionate about something, it goes the same way. It is coming across on your social media. So, um I get a lot of referrals and I'll reach out to businesses that way. Um, but if I'm trying to find a business, that's like initially what I'm looking for is energy. Do I feel like our energies are going to align and are you passionate about what you're doing?
00:39:30
Speaker
and Or are you just trying to sell something to somebody? Are you trying to sell a product? Are you trying to sell a service because it's popular right now and it's trending? It's like, I want more authenticity, I feel like from people. And I feel like I really can feel that and match that energy.
00:39:53
Speaker
So freaking valid. It's just like, do you want to be here or why are you here? And why are you offering this service? You're like, is this here? ah here for a paycheck or are you here to actually serve because you love this?
00:40:05
Speaker
Yes. I think everyone can take note of that. Actually, no matter what you're doing with your life, aesthetics or not. Yeah, it's so true. So now we're going to get into bridging the client professional gap.
00:40:19
Speaker
So Sarah, in your opinion, what sets an exceptional beauty experience apart from just an average one, probably just an extension of what you said, but is there anything that you would add to that? I mean, I'm a detail girl. i love the details of everything. I love the smell when you walk into a business. I love how I feel. i love the lighting. i mean, ah every detail. So I think that that is really important um across all businesses. I think that you really have to
00:40:56
Speaker
hone in on the entire experience somebody is having when you walk into a business or when you're with somebody in a service.
Client Focus and Service Excellence
00:41:05
Speaker
i could not agree more. Very, very, very valid. So what are clients actually looking for beyond the treatment or service? um I think that in my opinion, from what I hear as of recently, i think that people, especially right now, are looking for value.
00:41:25
Speaker
um I don't necessarily think that people are shying away from spending money, but they're a little more savvy than they have been over the last few years of like where they're spending their money, what they're getting in return for their money.
00:41:41
Speaker
and i just think it's like all comes down to value and the feeling that they get.
00:41:48
Speaker
I cannot second that enough. We have actually been talking about that for the last couple of years. ah People are spending money. like I work with the numbers, I promise. People are definitely spending money, but they're spending their money where they're finding the most value.
00:42:03
Speaker
And so I look at that as an opportunity for beauty businesses and individual providers to do an audit of you know the experience you're offering and the value that you're really offering for people if you want to keep your business going because people are spending their money. But like you said, they're just very savvy and very conscious about spending their money where they're getting the most value. So to me, it's like a great opportunity. And it's so true. I'm so glad that you said that.
00:42:31
Speaker
Yeah, I think that it's important for businesses to evolve. And of course, in the beauty industry, everybody has retail products that they're selling. But I think as a customer, we want to see the refresh of products, but we don't want to feel like every time we walk into a business that you're trying to push something new because something new is pushed on you.
00:42:53
Speaker
You know what i mean? We don't want to feel this is trending. So now we're onto this, yeah but two months ago, something else is trending and you wanted us to buy this. Like, I don't ever want to feel like somebody is trying to sales pitch me all the time. I just want to feel authentic connection. And like, do you truly love this treatment? Do you truly love this product? Like, how is it going to benefit me?
00:43:20
Speaker
Yes. Yes. Such good reminders. Very good reminders. So what advice would you give to estheticians, hairstylists, or injectors who want to improve improve their client retention?
00:43:33
Speaker
um i would say ongoing education, like constantly learning. And now there's so many, so many things you can do for education. You know, like YouTube, you can watch videos on Instagram.
00:43:46
Speaker
you know, whatever skill you're performing at work, um there's so many different ongoing education platforms that you can get into. But I think that that's really important. It's not just like once you graduate school and then you get your license, it's not just like you now know everything and you can go out on your own and you're going to be the best. It's like if you're not constantly growing and teaching yourself new things, then it's just never going to work out.
00:44:15
Speaker
And don't you feel, I think all three of us could agree that after being in the industry for so long, I mean, i am still learning all the time. And I work for a huge skincare company, you know, and I am still like blown away by the things that I'm learning all the time.
00:44:31
Speaker
And, you know, with, I think the amount of information that is out there for people, like the thing these days is that your end consumer, like your clients are seeing information.
00:44:42
Speaker
And so you want to be sure that you also are continuing to learn because like, you don't want your clients out learning you, you know what I mean? Like I'm thinking about that a lot lately as I'm watching social media.
00:44:54
Speaker
Yeah, I would agree with that. And I just think it's good to know what your clients are seeing on social media as well, because if they're going to follow a trend because an influencer suggested it, it's like, you don't have to agree with it, but you have to know what's out there and why we shouldn't be following that or like a better way to do something.
00:45:16
Speaker
A hundred percent. We talk about that all the time. Like you have to know what these trends are and you don't want crap all over it necessarily. We want to figure out the heart of the recommendation so that we know how to kind of flip it on its head and do it, like you said, in a better way. Absolutely.
00:45:33
Speaker
Yeah. um So good. So what are some common missed opportunities you see service providers overlook when it comes to client care? um I think, again, it goes back to the details, like um just making sure that when a client walks in the door that they're being greeted.
00:45:53
Speaker
um not everywhere is going to offer a water or a beverage, but it's just like the little tiny details that make somebody feel seen when they come in.
00:46:05
Speaker
and comfortable because if somebody is walking into a business for a first time, they're probably going to be nervous. They don't know necessarily what they're walking into. So just making them feel seen and comfortable, i think can be overlooked.
00:46:18
Speaker
Um, but it's so valuable. You know what it makes me think of is the younger generation's very uncomfortable with that. Like, so there's some spa partners that I have and the younger generations, like if I walk in for a training, they don't even greet me. It's like, I should just greet myself.
00:46:37
Speaker
It's a really weird thing. And so as I thought about it, I'm like, I think that, you know, those, the younger generation who is being ah brought up by social media doesn't know how to just make somebody feel really seen and welcome in person. Have you experienced that? And how can we like...
00:46:56
Speaker
fix this because they're usually the ones working reception. Right. Yes. I have seen it. um I would agree with that wholeheartedly.
00:47:07
Speaker
i just think that it has a lot to do with the business owners um having that conversation with employees and just saying like this is the standard that we set.
00:47:19
Speaker
You have to greet somebody. i mean, for us, that's like a no brainer. It's like would be everything in me to not greet somebody when they walked into it. But um yeah, i just think it's like the business owners having those conversations and setting the standard for sure.
00:47:35
Speaker
That's what I was going to say, leading by example. So if we have any friends who are listening and you are running a team, make sure that you're setting the example that every time somebody walks in the door, they're greeted, they feel seen, you're offering a drink, you're doing whatever.
00:47:50
Speaker
Even if I'm like doing a training at a spot and a client walks in, I greet them and I don't even work there. And like I'll help them, I'll assist them. Make sure that they feel comfortable because I'm like, I want everybody in this room right now to see how important it is that everybody walks in the door and feels like they're welcome here regardless of what they're walking into. Well, it's like you wouldn't have somebody walk into your home and not greet them. Yeah. Yeah.
00:48:17
Speaker
you know, not offer them something to drink. And it goes the same way for businesses, especially with the owners. It's like, this is kind of an extension of your home. This is your business.
00:48:28
Speaker
All your time and energy and resources are going into this. It should feel like a super cozy place for people and they want to be there. so I think it's super important. Yep, definitely.
00:48:39
Speaker
Awesome. Such good answers. Thank you. It makes me think of like, I'm constantly making my kids, putting them in an uncomfortable, you know, conversations on purpose, like hop over to the neighbor's house and go ask, you know, if they need anything done. And you know, my 12 year old's like, and I'm like,
00:48:54
Speaker
let's go. You know, she needs her trash taken out to the road. You can go help her. And I just, I'm this is just common sense, but it's how we were raised. And so it's how like, you know, I'm going to raise my kids, but also like as a boss and a leader, like that's how you're going to set the tone for this business too. It's just so, so important.
00:49:12
Speaker
And it really just comes back to connection too. And having like real person conversations and being comfortable in that, even if it feels uncomfortable. Yeah. And ah I've had a lot of businesses say like they want, they'll reach out and they will say, i want to stand out in this industry, in this market.
00:49:31
Speaker
And I always am asking like, are you doing everything possible to stand out? Like what, what is different about your business? How are you making people feel? um What is the vibe of the business?
00:49:44
Speaker
Like those little details are what is setting businesses apart, um how they treat their customers, because there is a beauty business on every corner and these clients can go anywhere they want to and spend their money. They're going they're going to get the service regardless.
00:50:01
Speaker
For them to stay with you you, have to be treating them like you care and you see them and you need to make sure that all those details matter to you too. Yes. Oh my gosh. Yes.
00:50:13
Speaker
Thank you for sharing that. It's so, so, so important. Um, okay. Let's talk about the power of connection and reputation. So how important is consistency, communication, and and professionalism in your client relationships? We've kind of already touched on this, but i mean, the most important, this is like the number one, everything from being professional and knowing your craft and ongoing education so that you're constantly learning, learning how to do things better and coming from a place of always wanting to learn. The second that you decide you already know and you don't need help from anybody, that's when your business is not going to grow.
00:50:58
Speaker
thousand percent It's really a mindset um space or shift and that you kind of constantly have to keep yourself in. Like we're here to just continue to evolve and continue to grow. And I've never, I never want to reach like the end of,
00:51:13
Speaker
This, you know, I want to continue on this path of growth and challenges and, you know, excellence and all the things. So I think that's so, so important as well. What role does a provider's online presence and social media play in building trust before a client even walks in the door?
Online Presence and Community Impact
00:51:32
Speaker
Well, that plays a huge part because, you know, everybody essentially is on social media, some kind of a platform. And i would say that for me personally, i have to see a brand or a business so many times for it to even register in my brain, like, oh, this keeps catching my eye. I'm going to look into them.
00:51:56
Speaker
um So I think that it's it's really important. And then how you present yourself online is super important. um I think a lot of people right now choose to do like a lot of trendy things on social media, whereas I'm more drawn to information, value businesses are putting out there. Um,
00:52:21
Speaker
Just like more of that sense instead of like a funny reel to get likes and follows. Like i want authentic information about your business, what you provide, how you're treating your customers, how they feel when they leave. Kind of that tone.
00:52:41
Speaker
It's like playing the long game. It is. It is. And it's not super fun or glamorous all the time. But I think that the businesses that play the long game are in it, you know, for the long haul. And I think that they'll be around um longer than this quick, like, how many followers do you have?
00:53:04
Speaker
you know, how many likes do you have? All that kind of stuff. I agree. It reminds me of the, um, you know, the tortoise and the hare type of analogy of, because it's not super, it's not always glamorous to like, you know, consistently put out the education and consistently do the less flashy stuff because you don't get the likes and you don't get the responses as doing like a trending reel or, or that type of social media.
00:53:33
Speaker
And it does sustain though. And, you know, it, it will like, it's a more foundational and it stays there. So you've got that sustainability for the long, you know, the long haul. So I think it's really, really important, especially maybe for that younger generation that grew up on social media and really thrives on needing that social media, um, response in a positive way.
00:54:00
Speaker
And I always go back to i don't remember what podcast I was listening to, but just because you have ah certain number of followers doesn't mean that that's selling your product.
00:54:12
Speaker
It doesn't mean that they're engaging with you. it doesn't mean... anything from a sense of like a sales perspective, essentially, they are potential customers, but just because you have a lot of followers, I don't necessarily think that that's what businesses should be chasing.
00:54:31
Speaker
Jess talks about this a lot, actually, because she does see the numbers behind the businesses that she works with and go ahead, Jess. Yeah, no, I just, yeah, like i see a lot of people who are very active on social media. They're getting a lot of likes. They're doing a lot of, you know, whatever.
00:54:51
Speaker
And I think the problem is that other people looking from the outside then see that and they automatically assume that person is successful. And then they start to try to replicate what they're doing. And I'm on the inside going like, no, no, that is not Even an accurate picture of what is really happening. um So yeah, I think it's really easy to just get caught up in what things can look like on social media. And the truth is not always like in the pudding.
00:55:21
Speaker
proof The proof is not in the pudding all the time.
00:55:26
Speaker
Sarah, can you share a standout so story of a business or a professional who made a huge impact on you as a client and feel free to like share their name or not either way, but do you have a story that comes to mind?
00:55:38
Speaker
Oh yes, this is so easy. So, um, when I first moved here and was, going all over to get my hair done. I was just about to start flying back to California to get my hair done because I had had a couple of not great experiences.
00:55:55
Speaker
um And i scheduled a blowout with Jessica Marino. She's the painted blonde on Instagram and we just connected immediately. She's also from California, but she genuinely took care of me and took care of my hair and told me what was going on and why it wasn't good.
00:56:18
Speaker
and I just have been with her ever since. And she's seriously so amazing. She treats everything. Every client, like they're her best friend and she's so good at what she does. She's constantly learning.
00:56:30
Speaker
um i just adore her. And she literally changed my hair's life. She saved you and your dollars from traveling back to California and your hair.
00:56:42
Speaker
What, what was it about that though? Just the fact that obviously she held space for you, right? As a new brand new client and continue to nurture that relationship. But what was it in that initial service that blowout that she did?
00:56:58
Speaker
um I think her calm confidence in what she was doing. You know, when you get a blowout and they do the first pull with a round brush, you're like either, okay, this is going to be legit or, oh geez, this is not it.
00:57:14
Speaker
And I know that this blowout is not right. um Also, she was one of the first people to do an actual, in my mind, an actual blowout. um i feel like a lot of hairstylists were doing blow dry style.
00:57:27
Speaker
But when I think blowout, I think like round brush, pulling the hair, volume, all that. And she just had that and she did it. And then just like her confidence and she wasn't salesy at all.
00:57:41
Speaker
um You know, I went to her for a blowout, but that's not who I was going to for my color at the time. And she never talked negatively about the stylist that who was doing my hair.
00:57:53
Speaker
um She was just so... She was so professional and I'm so drawn to that. If I just, I love that. And she seemed very passionate about hair and what she was doing. And so our energy is just immediately connected.
00:58:09
Speaker
That's amazing. And that's like something i think all of us professionals can continue to aspire to be like. Absolutely. well So let's talk about your experience here in Boise see and the treasure Valley. So what have you learned about the beauty business community and the treasure Valley kind of like specifically, and then how do you feel like that compares to other cities or communities?
00:58:32
Speaker
Cause we're growing like crazy. So I think there's just been so much change. I um i only got here, I think three years before you did. Okay, so I think the biggest difference is there is so many businesses.
00:58:47
Speaker
And what I've noticed here compared to, you know, where I was at in Northern California, I feel like there's a lot of beauty suites. Here in professionals can go out on their own where, uh, when I was getting licensed and back in California, I'm sure there are those types of businesses and suites, but that's not what I was really exposed to. So when I moved out here and I was like, Oh, everybody can just open up their own suite.
00:59:17
Speaker
Like that's kind of crazy because if you just got out of a school and you're opening up your own suite, like how are you getting ongoing education and how are you looking at what other people are doing and how they're working? How are you learning if you're by yourself? So I would say that that's like the biggest difference that I see here is the sweet situation, um which is fantastic for some people, but I don't necessarily know if that's setting a new provider up for success immediately right out of the gate, um you know, right when you get out of school. I just don't know.
00:59:53
Speaker
i don't know if that's the best route to take immediately when you're just fresh into the industry. I definitely agree. i think some people can do it and like, you know, they end up being okay, but I always recommend like go work for someone else, go get some experience, you know, and then if you feel like that is the route that you want to take, you know, you know, then go for it. But I could not agree more.
01:00:19
Speaker
I came from Arizona from like Scottsdale area and the, the sweet thing was massive there Yeah. Yeah. And so for me, I feel like when I came here, I already had a really good reading on that situation, which is interesting when you've been in the industry for so long and it isn't like that. And all of a sudden they started popping up like 10, 11, 12 years ago.
01:00:47
Speaker
it became, you know, such a huge thing. And I couldn't agree more. Like, I don't know if that is really the best way to go for everybody. i think it's kind of few and far between.
01:00:58
Speaker
Yeah. And I think that just because, you know, it's available, doesn't mean necessarily you should do it. But on the other hand, it's, it's kind of cool that you really can just start your own business and ah you can have your own space. And that's amazing. I just personally think that, um, working with other people for somebody else, taking away little bits of information is huge in your long-term success.
01:01:27
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
01:01:29
Speaker
It's very true. What makes a brand or business stand out in a saturated market? Like, okay, but I did not use, I did not put that word in there. That was chat GPT. So I don't believe that our industry is saturated. I, everybody needs beauty services, but in Boise, like you said, I mean, there are beauty businesses on every corner and like two in between there as well.
01:01:54
Speaker
So what would you say really makes people stand out the most? you know what's interesting is in a general sense, yes, there's beauty businesses everywhere, but still to this day, i have not met ah beauty business or an owner or ah professional that truly specializes in the exact same thing in the exact same town. Like somebody who's specializing beauty.
01:02:22
Speaker
hand-tied hair extensions in Boise is doing something different if they're specializing in Meridian. It's just, it's different. So to this day, i still have not met anybody where I'm like, oh no, how am I gonna like set up their business page on the website to look different than somebody else's because it just hasn't happened yet. And maybe I just haven't seen enough businesses here yet.
01:02:47
Speaker
But it really hasn't happened. And people ask me that. Businesses will ask me that all the time. Like, well, I don't i don't know if I want to be like your 10th esthetician on the page. And I will tell them honestly that like, well, you're going to specialize in something completely different than the girl down the street. So it really doesn't matter because the client who's going to be attracted to you won't necessarily be attracted to the girl down the street because you're not specializing in the same thing.
01:03:15
Speaker
Or just your own authenticity, like your own energy, your own authenticity, like you as a person, you know, and the business that you've created, you are what makes it different.
01:03:26
Speaker
You know what I mean? Like you are how it stands out. And I couldn't agree more. And it's not because you haven't worked with enough businesses because I've worked with over probably 500 spas at this point as a rep.
01:03:39
Speaker
All of them are different. Every single one of them is a very different. And that's why i don't believe that the industry is saturated because as long as you are like, you're saying like you're specializing, you're in your authenticity, ah a you're going to draw in the exact people for you.
01:03:58
Speaker
And everyone is so different. Yeah. Everybody's so different. Clients are so different. You know, I get clients that will reach out and say they don't want to drive eight miles for a service. Like what is in their vicinity within a couple miles, um, for that particular service, you know, just everybody's so different. Some people don't care about driving and they'll drive all the way across the Valley to go get their lashes done, but some people are not like that. So everybody is just different and they're all offering something very unique.
01:04:28
Speaker
Yes. Oh, I'm so glad that you said that. Thank you so much. How do you decide who and what to highlight? Like, what are some things that you are looking for specifically? I think we've already kind of answered this in different ways.
01:04:42
Speaker
So things that I'm looking for specifically really are professionalism, responsiveness. Like if you can't, if we're emailing and you can't respond to me and kind of like a timely fashion,
01:04:59
Speaker
um I don't know that you're going to respond to a client in a timely fashion or um just by what you're putting out there. Is it professional? Are you talking negatively about other professionals? Like I don't, this space is not for that. i don't need to be talking negatively about anybody else.
01:05:19
Speaker
um So I just think that being professional, showing up, saying, and you know, saying the right things in, in your business um is going to attract the clients that you want and align with your whole business vibe is super important.
01:05:39
Speaker
um And then, you know, what are you putting out on social media? Is it professional? Is it not? All that stuff. Well, what would you do? so this is like, I just got so excited.
01:05:54
Speaker
professionalism, ah what would be an example of what is professional to post and what is unprofessional to post? So when I repost things from businesses and I will repost businesses that catch my eye that are not part of Boise Beauty Connection, like you don't have to be part of Boise Beauty Connection and have a membership and have a business page for me to post you. Cause I'm constantly looking. I want to showcase people that are doing the right thing and like providing amazing service and the end product looks amazing. Like that girl's skin looked beautiful and hydrated.
01:06:34
Speaker
I personally think, and I don't know if this is showing my age, but I don't necessarily want to see like a ton of personal content on your business page. Like I keep it separate and I probably do more than I should by keeping it separate, which I'm working on.
01:06:52
Speaker
But I don't want to see i don't want see a bunch of personal stuff. I don't really want to see talking negatively about another business. um i don't love the like correction posts. Like, oh, i did a color correction on this person when you know we all know who they were going to before. It's just...
01:07:17
Speaker
I know that that happens, but I don't love seeing it all the time. Like every once in a while is okay. But I just think that like, if you're staying true to your business and you're super confident in what you're offering, the right clients are going to come and your business is going to grow. Like you don't have to knock somebody else down to then lift yourself up.
01:07:38
Speaker
I think that's the most unprofessional thing that people do. Yeah. I don't love it. No, same. It's a turnoff and it's low vibe and it's just, it's like a yucky feeling.
01:07:49
Speaker
um especially for those of us who are in that headspace of like, you know, we don't compare and we don't knock and we don't drag others down. And so it just makes you feel kind of yucky. And then it's like out of alignment.
01:08:04
Speaker
And there's always two sides to every story. So I just think I talked to so many professionals and the good ones are like, I always encourage clients if they're unsatisfied with a service to go back and let that provider fix it. Like let them remedy the situation before you go around town talking poorly about them, knocking their service or their business, like let them try to fix it but you don't have to like tear anybody down in the process. There's enough clients for everybody for this all to work out for everybody. It's true.
01:08:37
Speaker
So true.
01:08:40
Speaker
Okay.
01:08:43
Speaker
Let's see, can you tell us, Sarah, what's next for Boise Beauty Connection? You know, don't know for sure. I'm very open. i feel like over the past year, I've just kind of let my type A personality like so scheduled and regimented and all that. I've tried to just like let it go a little bit and just whatever feels right to me, I'm just gonna go ahead and do. So like if our energy is aligned and you wanna do something,
01:09:16
Speaker
then I'm going to that way. And if our energies do not align, then I know pretty immediately now, and it's going to be a no for me. So I'm just open. Just going with the flow and probably a lot more peace.
01:09:28
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. i love hate the same actually. um Okay.
01:09:39
Speaker
I do have a question. So tell us, So you do like branding shoots through Boise Beauty Connection, right? Can you tell us about that? Yeah. So through Boise Beauty Connection, and I don't even really remember how or the first time I did this, but through Boise Beauty Connection, i met Amanda Kozlowski and she's a photographer here and she specializes in branding for businesses.
01:10:04
Speaker
And she was offering like a brand shoot day And it just so happened that a lot of beauty professionals were taking advantage of that. So it would be like hair and makeup is provided. and then you get you know, however long, 30 minutes, an hour to do your photo shoot.
01:10:22
Speaker
And then I would come in and I would do behind the scenes video content for people. And so I got connected with Amanda and we were doing that. um And I just love telling people stories. And I think that people want to see authentically who you are. And I think that short clips of videos instead of like a still edited photo all the time, um it's important for people to see you moving around and how you like naturally are. And so I got into that and that really has taken off, which has brought...
01:11:02
Speaker
me just into different relationships with different people professionally. And I'm just taking all the opportunities that I can and just kind of seeing what aligns right now. So is that something that's only offered to people inside Boise Beauty Connection or do you open that up?
01:11:18
Speaker
Do you guys open that up for any like beauty brand who wants to do that? Yes, anybody can book that service. um Yeah, so for people that are Boise Beauty Connection members, um sometimes I will go in and do behind the scenes video content for them.
01:11:36
Speaker
um But I've worked with so many different businesses. I've worked with interior designers. I've worked with... Somebody who owns a pharmacy. we We've done so many, so many different things.
01:11:47
Speaker
um But I really feel like the behind the scenes video um can capture a lot about a business and showing that online is just kind of like showing who you really are.
01:12:00
Speaker
It's also so powerful to have somebody like safe to do that for you because i have found like it's hard to be genuine knowing that somebody is videoing you like you can pose for a picture and do like your photo shoot, but then knowing when like the camera turns on it, but you can do it like, you know, I've had like just film me doing like a real and I'm like totally fine. And then like somebody else, I feel a little bit self-conscious even though I don't care once I post it if that makes sense. So yeah,
01:12:30
Speaker
I do think it's really cool that you offer that and that you're just such a safe space to, for somebody to just, you know, show up authentically. And I always tell people when we start those behind the scenes video, I truly am like your biggest cheerleader. I know what it would feel like for somebody to be videoing me from the wrong angle and look at it and be like, what are you doing? No way I'm posting that.
01:12:54
Speaker
So I just, I try to make people feel super comfortable and confident so that their brand story can be told. Very cool. You're a girl's girl. i like it so much.
01:13:07
Speaker
Can we talk about brand stories for a couple of minutes? And can you expound on that just a little bit? Yeah, I think that brand stories are super important um because people want to feel connected and they want to kind of know who you are and the face and the voice behind brands. I think it's super important to show up online and be authentically yourself and feel good about it. And so I really enjoy helping people do that and creating content for them.
01:13:43
Speaker
How does someone develop their brand story? um i think that it's a lot of soul searching, to be honest with you. I think that it's writing things down. i mean, asking chat GPT is probably one of the easiest things that you can do. and it's free, but you can just, you know,
01:14:02
Speaker
type in, like, help me tell my brand story. What are questions that you need to know for me? And then it will populate questions on things that you should answer. And it may be stuff that you're not even thinking about necessarily, or things that you don't really want to highlight or things that you do want to highlight.
01:14:18
Speaker
Okay. So let's say that you do that on chat GPT. What can people now take that content and do with it? Like once you've kind of have like some sort of layout with your brand story, where does it go from there?
01:14:32
Speaker
Oh my gosh, there's so much that people can do with that. I mean, i would say your best friend should be Canva. i love Canva. I do almost everything in it. It's so amazing.
01:14:45
Speaker
um Just highlighting what you offer, what you're passionate about, how people feel when they're with you, all that kind of stuff should be on your website, on your social media, just so that people can start to get to know you.
01:15:03
Speaker
Absolutely. Yeah. So you basically take that messaging and you just translate it throughout all of your marketing, which BTW, ChatGPT can help you do that too. So I have suggested people take all of that information and then they plug it into a project folder on ChatGPT so that every time that you need to get in and you know create like your email marketing, your social media, your website and stuff like that, whenever you need any sort of content creation, any sort of marketing, all of that information is in one project folder that keeps it all really organized. And it it basically just makes it easier than separate chats for chat GPT to remember your voice is something that I've been learning a lot about too.
01:15:53
Speaker
Also, I have like a like a standard, all the information I need, it's so long now, but I just keep it on like a Word document and then I'll just copy and paste it if I need to do something for a business. But it's like, um if you need all the same information, it's just easier to save it in your notes or save it on a Word document or something like that so that you have it and you can refer back to it. Mm-hmm.
01:16:19
Speaker
Yeah. So powerful. The reason I ask is because it's actually something that we were working on for the last couple of weeks with one of our mastermind groups is I created a tool to help them do that so that then they can take that and kind of tie it into the rest of their business when they need it and kind of find their, their own brand story as an esthetician, regardless of what type of esthetician they are. So I think a lot of people need a little bit more help in that direction as they're trying to brand themselves.
01:16:47
Speaker
Yeah. That's, that's very smart to do. i would. yeah I agree with that. Makes it easier. I think. Yeah. The system we've been talking a lot about systems this week. Yes.
01:17:01
Speaker
ah Sarah. So, so cool to have you here. And I, I just want to like, say, I love ah having a greater understanding of Boise beauty connection.
Future Plans and Show Wrap-Up
01:17:10
Speaker
Cause I originally kind of thought It was mainly about highlighting beauty businesses, but now knowing there's like a deeper layer to that on actually helping clients find these amazing businesses in the treasure Valley and surrounding areas. I think it's just so, so powerful. And I'm just so grateful that you're here with us and sharing your story and,
01:17:31
Speaker
Um, so that we can share it, you know, with our community as well. um where can people find and follow you and the Boise beauty connection and how can potential potential businesses work with you?
01:17:43
Speaker
Okay. so the website is boisebeautyconnection.com and there's a contact form. That's the easiest way, quickest way to get ahold of me. Um, on Instagram it's Boise underscore beauty connection.
01:17:56
Speaker
And if businesses want to work with me or potentially work with me or get information, um, the contact form on the website is amazing. And I respond, it's, it's me. So I'll be responding to you.
01:18:10
Speaker
Can you actually give us real quick, a quick, like if somebody wanted to work with you, what would they get? Okay. So the business page is curated specifically for your business and it has all of your information on it. So it has contact information, your location, um links to your social media pictures, um a whole description about your business, what you specialize in every page,
01:18:36
Speaker
um, has what they specialize in. And I think that that's really important because somebody can go on, a client can go onto your page and see like, oh, this provider specializes in exactly what I'm looking for. Like, this is a good starting point for me, you know?
01:18:52
Speaker
Um, And then there's a coupon section um on their page. So you can always offer a coupon or a discount if you want to And the location, there's like a Google Maps on there and all the services that you offer, all the retail products that you sell.
01:19:09
Speaker
It's really like an all encompassing page to highlight your business and what you offer. and then on the website, we have an events page and we have a coupon section.
01:19:20
Speaker
We just added an open job position, which has been very popular for people to host open job positions on, which is great. um And then our beauty blog that I do twice a week And I'll just tell you that Sarah's really, really good about reaching out to you for updates about your business page. Ask me how I know.
01:19:41
Speaker
She'll send an email and be like, Hey, what would you like to update? And I'm like, Oh yeah, that's right. I love that. Actually, it's very, very helpful. Well, I just know how busy everybody is and it's probably, you know, not on their top three priorities to reach back out to me and update their page. But it is so important because people are on there all the time looking. And so I try to keep things as updated and fresh as possible. And, um,
01:20:09
Speaker
I'll say the most successful businesses and their pages are the businesses that are in it with me. Like when I invite you to be on Boise Beauty Connection, I want you to be in this with me so that we both can highlight your business and you be successful. It doesn't work if like only one person is trying to do that.
01:20:29
Speaker
eat The valid. I could totally see that. It has to be like a collaboration. You guys got to be in it together. Yeah. Um, okay.
01:20:40
Speaker
Go ahead, Jess.
01:20:43
Speaker
Um,
01:20:48
Speaker
You can find me on Instagram at the underscore SD underscore coach. You can find our Instagram page at the beyond aesthetics. You can always email us as well at hello at beyond aesthetics coaching.
01:21:06
Speaker
And yeah, we're just very grateful to have had you. I feel like. There's so many more like questions. under like I feel like we probably need to have you back on because I also feel like our community is going to have more questions um and so many more subjects that we could dive into. I think especially like professionalism and stuff like that so i mean Don't be surprised, you guys, if ah we have Sarah back on the show within the next like six months or so because I cannot even emphasize enough the value of hearing from somebody who is involved with not just beauty businesses in general, but like specific, you know, this is what you're looking for. This is what clients are looking for. i just think there's so much value that you just brought today.
01:21:57
Speaker
And we couldn't be more grateful to have had you like what an honor and so fun to get to know you on this deeper level. Thank you so much. I feel the same about you ladies. i appreciate you and I'm grateful that you asked.
01:22:12
Speaker
Gosh, thank you Tiff, tell us where everyone can find you. You can find me at Sweet Cheeks University on Instagram or TikTok or Facebook. I think all i'm i think i'm I'm there everywhere.
01:22:23
Speaker
um And I do have Brazilian wax masterclass online course. It's complimentary. it just It's a full class on learning how to do Brazilian waxing. And it's free. And it just gives you a little taste of my teaching style and what I'm about. And then Jess and I also do... We host... um uh, mastermind class or mastermind groups, excuse me, twice a year. We have our next one starting in January and we are, we do have a wait list going for that. So if you would like to work with us in a community group, um, definitely reach out to us.
01:23:01
Speaker
Don't hesitate because that wait list is growing rapidly fast. We also do one-on-one coaching. that is something that you're interested in, um, you can reach out to us as well. and get on our wait list for that. And then Jess also has her her offer.
01:23:17
Speaker
i do have my retail sales masterclass. I am getting ready to turn that into more of an online course come January, but I am still doing it like here and there. You can book that time with me.
01:23:27
Speaker
But Tiff, you have something else that you're that's going on with you that you're building too. Feel free to just shamelessly plug that in. Thank you. I am really now an esthetician apprenticeship coach.
01:23:40
Speaker
program through, sweet cheeks university here in salmon, Idaho. So this is a, if you are a girly who has always wanted to be an esthetician and you want to make that happen for yourself and become a licensed esthetician with one-on-one training, you get to come and learn from the best and work with me one-on-one and set you up to become a licensed esthetician. And, um, so That is rolling out early 2026, but I'm also taking like, I've got a wait list going already for that too.
01:24:13
Speaker
And so, um reach out if you, or if you know of somebody who's always wanted to be an esthetician and she just doesn't know how to make that happen in her life, this is a great opportunity.
01:24:24
Speaker
So really, really excited about that. Awesome. I'm so happy for you. I'm so excited to see everything that transpires. Thank you. You're welcome. All right. Well, thank you everybody for being here and hanging out with us today, especially thank you to Sarah.
01:24:40
Speaker
And ah we would love a rating and review as always help us to grow the show and reach more people. So i we hope everybody has an amazing week and have pretty dreams and we'll see you in the next episode.
01:24:54
Speaker
Bye guys. Bye.