The Hard Truth About Being an Esthetician

0:00 [SPEAKER_04]: I could drive through Lee Summit and there is a med spa popping up every single month somewhere. [SPEAKER_04]: And there's only a handful of reps that I know that have been doing what I've been doing for 10 plus years. [SPEAKER_04]: I love this industry, but it is you are either a girls girl or there are so many girls in the show. [SPEAKER_03]: Hey guys, welcome back to a Skin Based Pot. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm your host Lina License Estition. [SPEAKER_03]: And today, I have Georgia Davenport License Estition, Kelsey Rhodes, Estition of Prentice. [SPEAKER_04]: Christian Sam Boorn, License Estition. [SPEAKER_03]: And today we're going to talk about kind of the hard truth about being an ascetician.

0:40 [SPEAKER_03]: So many great points have been brought up before the episode and my first one was like it's not just facials in self care. [SPEAKER_03]: I think overall today we're going to talk about how ascetics has been glamorized. [SPEAKER_02]: It really has these rich and beauty and expectation. [SPEAKER_04]: has been glamorized in the ends of it because there's been a lot of videos online of like what I made today as a licensed institution in the thousands and thousands of dollars or they see these estations that have hundreds to thousands of followers and people think like oh I'm going to come right out of school and I'm going to be a six-year esthetician and I mean truthfully like [SPEAKER_04]: Yes, you absolutely can make six figures, but also six figures in this economy isn't what six figures was 10 years ago, or they know like it's hard.

1:25 [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, or I'm going to come right out school and start my own practice in my opinion, this one, the hardest field to build your practice. [SPEAKER_03]: as an esthetician because we're not a doctor, we're not a term, we're not a nurse, we're an esthetician. [SPEAKER_03]: And so I think this tends to be one of the hardest fields to build your practice and it takes the longest, it might be like it was five years far I got but like fully. [SPEAKER_03]: at least three to four. [SPEAKER_03]: I would finally got fully booked. [SPEAKER_03]: So you spend several years doing water to clients a week. [SPEAKER_02]: Because no one's forcing you to go see a new session. [SPEAKER_02]: Your entrance isn't covering it. [SPEAKER_04]: But I think like somebody like myself where I'm just now getting into it right and like I'm not fully licensed yet and so for me it's kind of you know as I'm going through the books and stuff and they're asking you know those questions and like showing you all of the different avenues to come out like [SPEAKER_04]: I think it's also hard to where Lena, I think you've done a really good job of kind of like not niching yourself into acne, but like acne and waxing are kind of I feel like what you specialize in at the office and that's where you see a lot of patients, but it takes time to build up that and figure out like what is my kind of niche going to be?

2:34 [SPEAKER_04]: And I think that's where it's challenging too, is there's so many [SPEAKER_04]: different things that life-sensitive can come from. [SPEAKER_04]: Some treatments we can offer. [SPEAKER_04]: Yes, but it's also, you know, you have to figure out what do I like to do and how do I build up my clientele to that. [SPEAKER_04]: But I think on the back and people don't realize how much money products is. [SPEAKER_04]: All of these skincare lines have minimum buy-ins and you have to buy, you know, three to six to 12 per skew. [SPEAKER_04]: And there is so much money tied up in the back end of these two. [SPEAKER_01]: This is great information coming from a sales rep because Kelsey does and she's been doing in the industry as she's been working high in the product lines and she's, you know, all of these things that she's the one on the back and I bet in the sales part of it, you have seen quite a few that started but didn't make it.

3:26 [SPEAKER_04]: And I've seen a lot of estations that you know have started out at an office and, you know, that office is amazing and, you know, has let that esthetician leave and grow and I love this industry, but it is you are either a girls girl or there are so many things that I'm in charge of, which I think we can get into later, because I think that fits into the full being esthetician, but where I have seen the successful estheticians, [SPEAKER_04]: truly flourish is those that have built up their clientele or you know have kind of niche themselves and even in an office like there's some essays I know that are booked out for months and other essays have so many gaps but they've done a good job of figuring out what am I good at and I'm going to stay in my lane.

4:14 [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's our team is that each of you guys have your specific specialties that you do very, very well. [SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of like, I have my specialties. [SPEAKER_01]: There's things that I know that I won't do. [SPEAKER_01]: I will not do a brow. [SPEAKER_01]: You're I'm not going to take your brows. [SPEAKER_01]: I can't even put my brows on straight. [SPEAKER_01]: And I know that. [SPEAKER_01]: And so I'm not going to do it. [SPEAKER_01]: So if you call in your like Christmas, I want you to do my brows. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, I'm never not. [SPEAKER_01]: But there's a [SPEAKER_02]: for all of us and it's nice to work an environment where we can I know that I'm never going to learn how to do last extensions so I'm going to send my people to Kristen and back and forth. [SPEAKER_03]: As much as I love my clients, you also also part of being an estition where if you don't have thick skin, this is a very hard industry to be in.

4:55 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_03]: Nine times that's in my clients. [SPEAKER_03]: I love and are we are really good friends. [SPEAKER_03]: You'll get these are the ones that are very tough. [SPEAKER_03]: Also, I think a lot of clients that come in are expecting to overnight result because it's social media. [SPEAKER_03]: If you don't know how to say no, or like, this is what you're really going to expect. [SPEAKER_03]: If you're really soft, this, this, this industry could eat you alive and also communication skills. [SPEAKER_01]: You have to be talked to people. [SPEAKER_01]: You have to be kind and I think that's that's something you have to have a kind heart and you have to be kind and you have to understand the position that you're [SPEAKER_01]: you know, they have $60. [SPEAKER_01]: And that's all that they have to spend.

5:36 [SPEAKER_01]: They've saved their money for four weeks for that $60. [SPEAKER_01]: They want to do a lash lift intent. [SPEAKER_01]: You have to understand that they're coming in for that service. [SPEAKER_01]: And, you know, how to make them feel the best that they can when they leave. [SPEAKER_01]: It has been the... [SPEAKER_01]: that we're a booched field that, you know, only if you have a lot of money, do you come and see us? [SPEAKER_01]: Well, the last, I'd say the last 10 years that has really kind of faded to the, to the leeway and social media has done a great job helping that teenagers are starting to start their skincare journeys early. [SPEAKER_01]: My granddaughter Miss Hartley. [SPEAKER_01]: And she has this big old skin care that she does at home and she is all into facials. [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that it's cool to start younger now.

6:18 [SPEAKER_01]: And so don't think that just because you're a young person that you need to wait until you're my age to get into skincare. [SPEAKER_03]: And there's a lot that's hard about this industry like cancellations. [SPEAKER_03]: So we're we are not an industry that gets unless you're working for someone. [SPEAKER_03]: We do not get paid by the hour unless you should like our client show up for their appointments. [SPEAKER_03]: Then we get paid. [SPEAKER_03]: And this industry, if clients, no show, no call, no show, last minute cancel, you can't fill a spot. [SPEAKER_03]: We're not making hourly wages. [SPEAKER_03]: Like you're not, you're not going to get paid. [SPEAKER_03]: So, [SPEAKER_04]: It can be very stressful or just like a lot on you sometimes because I don't also think clients understand that as much either and I also think and we've talked about this you know before of having to uphold a cancellation policy like that goes back to having thick skin and you know we hate charging you a cancellation fee as much as [SPEAKER_04]: You know, you hate getting charge of cancellation fee, but at the end of the day, if somebody no-called no-show to you or your boss said, hey, you're not working this hour.

7:24 [SPEAKER_04]: Or you're not, you're not being able to work, but you're not being paid for it. [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, absolutely. [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, you're coming in, but I'm not paying you from 11 o'clock to 12 o'clock, but you still have to be here. [SPEAKER_04]: Like, it goes, [SPEAKER_04]: all the way around. [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, you know, and if you know, call no show your dermatologist, they're charging your skin. [SPEAKER_04]: You are not fighting it. [SPEAKER_04]: And it's the same with our service as well. [SPEAKER_04]: And I think that's the hard part of being in a session and truthfully a business owner that, you know, some of these 19 year olds truthfully that are coming out of high school are getting their licenses like you have to have such tough skin, such tough skin. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I think with clients too, is that, especially, you know, going to the holiday season, our appointments are, um, are sought after.

8:09 [SPEAKER_01]: They're in their sought after. [SPEAKER_01]: If you cancel that morning, you know, think about it. [SPEAKER_01]: Your esthetician has gotten a babysitter had to pay the babysitter, had to pay to get there and then you cancel on her last minute. [SPEAKER_01]: She's not getting paid and yet she's already invested a lot of money in you. [SPEAKER_01]: as an statistician have to be kind of prepared for that, um, but as a client, be considerate of your esthetician. [SPEAKER_01]: If you know that you've gotten a vent coming up or you have a, a doctor's appointment that you need to go to on Friday, you know, call as soon as possible. [SPEAKER_03]: Did you get a lot of information that happened to like we understand like when you get sick, you wake up sick. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and you don't know, you're getting a waiting list. [SPEAKER_01]: And it doesn't matter whether it's your esthetician, your nail tech, or your hair stylist, you know, we're all kind of in the same, in the same avenue.

8:53 [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, but I think that's, that's a very mentally tough situation as and it's like if you're coming to aesthetics, like that tends to be a mentally tough situation for a lot of young people, even, you know, somebody who's [SPEAKER_04]: The village and I call myself middle age. [SPEAKER_04]: And if you're middle age, I'm ancient. [SPEAKER_04]: But somebody who is a lot older now granted I have been in the industry for over 10 years. [SPEAKER_04]: I'm saying, right? [SPEAKER_03]: What your job is. [SPEAKER_03]: I bet you a lot of push that I would not wear. [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_04]: But I've watched the industry change over the last 10 years. [SPEAKER_04]: And I was kind of even laughing because there's so many sales reps. [SPEAKER_04]: I think even in the industry now that are [SPEAKER_04]: young sales reps and it's kind of weird to look around, especially Kansas City and there's only a handful of reps that I know that have been doing what I've been doing for 10 plus years.

9:44 [SPEAKER_04]: You deal with a lot of personalities in pushback and as much as I love this industry, like I said, it is changed. [SPEAKER_04]: so much in 10 years. [SPEAKER_04]: It has absolutely exploded. [SPEAKER_04]: I could drive through Lee Summit and there is a med spa popping up every single month somewhere, the salon studios. [SPEAKER_04]: You have so many solo injectors and essays and things like that, which is great. [SPEAKER_04]: I love seeing people thrive, but I also think dealing with a lot of personalities. [SPEAKER_04]: you have to again, we've talked about you have to have thick skin. [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, it is a girl's girl industry, but on the other side, you have so many mean girls in this industry.

10:27 [SPEAKER_01]: So many, I am so glad we're located in Harrisonville. [SPEAKER_03]: I mean, even we're starting to get show like there's doing so many solo estheticians in Harris andville. [SPEAKER_03]: I had a client, I was like, how many are in this town now? [SPEAKER_03]: And I'm like, I think there's five of them. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, that's showing how much the industry is growing. [SPEAKER_04]: and it's amazing because it brings a lot of awareness to the industry and again we were kind of talking about this where it's not necessarily your 40-year-old women who has been makes a lot of money and stuff like that, like your skin is your largest organ and it deserves to be treated that way and even if you are working on a tight budget but you have skin concerns like we can fit that into your budget and it does not go missed upon us that you are working so [SPEAKER_04]: Spend your money here, but at the end of the day like there are I think with having that many people in the industry There's enough space for all of us.

11:25 [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, yeah, like I promise you that helping In supporting other people in your industry is going to make you that much better at your job Versus trying to tear people down. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah need a little escape treat yourself to a relaxing head spa treatment [SPEAKER_00]: Add to your package a massage or facial treatment for the ultimate self-care package. [SPEAKER_00]: Bring a friend and book a treatment for two because relaxation is better together. [SPEAKER_02]: Download our app amazingly Ageless and book your appointment online today or give us a call. [SPEAKER_01]: your personality has to match your profession. [SPEAKER_01]: Just like your personality has to meet your hairdresser.

12:05 [SPEAKER_01]: You have to be able to click, so that you feel comfortable to tell them absolutely everything. [SPEAKER_01]: There's times that I have clients say, they've got some backstory and some things going on that really help me come up with a good treatment plan for them. [SPEAKER_01]: But if you don't feel comfortable telling a 19-year-old girl or a professional that type of story, then you need to go find someone that you can. [SPEAKER_03]: Miss Cheryl. [SPEAKER_03]: She told me when I was starting that not every client is your client. [SPEAKER_03]: Yes, and that has stuck with me forever made a huge difference in building my books. [SPEAKER_03]: If I had clients that we didn't really like dive in the treatment, the treatment felt kind of like the energy was weird.

12:46 [SPEAKER_03]: I would send it like I we settled like Georgia. [SPEAKER_04]: We're just even other estatists in town. [SPEAKER_04]: That's why I say, like, I think that the insulations and hair girls girls is so important because, like, you said, I can tell you, like, if we don't have a service, but somebody else has a service or, like, to be honest, I know I have to wax, I don't love waxing. [SPEAKER_04]: I would much rather refer you to one of those girls, but, like, Kristen, even the other day, how do my Greenland client, she's like, listen, Kelsey, is way better at my Greenland, like, it's way better to book with her, like, but even doing that across the board. [SPEAKER_03]: If I have a waxing client and we can't make the appointment fun, that appointment is not going to be fun for them.

13:26 [SPEAKER_03]: I am not a very relaxing energy person, like I'm a very high energy person. [SPEAKER_03]: So most of my facial clients, we tend to talk. [SPEAKER_03]: We have fun, like we laugh. [SPEAKER_03]: If I have some of that, just wants to like chill out and relax. [SPEAKER_03]: And I can't, because I am big on energy. [SPEAKER_03]: If my energy is like not helping them relax, then I'll rest schedule them with like Georgia, who does really good at helping them relax. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: And that's what makes it so much fun to work with a group. [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's, you know, I was a solo institution for years. [SPEAKER_03]: Experience possible is if you can drive with your association. [SPEAKER_01]: Because I was one of the few estheticians south of Kansas City, whenever I started back in the day, it's such a good field to be able to work with others and be able to pull the knowledge of the other estheticians that are in the shop.

14:10 [SPEAKER_01]: And I just, I love that vibe. [SPEAKER_01]: But I think a lot of our clients like that vibe too, because, [SPEAKER_01]: You know, they may ask us a question. [SPEAKER_01]: If I can't answer it, I'm going to let somebody else answer it. [SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, really think about that. [SPEAKER_01]: Schools must be letting out because this week, my phone has been flooded with estheticians calling to see if we have openings. [SPEAKER_01]: That's my word of advice is, you know, get in with some other ones and don't try to jump out there on your own to start out with. [SPEAKER_01]: So, we're going to start with others. [SPEAKER_03]: And building books takes so much time. [SPEAKER_03]: That was like the first five years of business. [SPEAKER_03]: It takes five years to build a business. [SPEAKER_03]: The same is here. [SPEAKER_03]: Building your client books is building a business on its own. [SPEAKER_04]: But I also think figuring out what you like. [SPEAKER_04]: And I think that's where I'm so blessed that I have this opportunity because I'm not necessarily in school per se where it's like, OK, we're going to teach you how to pass boards.

14:56 [SPEAKER_04]: And like, sure you'll get a little bit of practice here and a little bit of practice here. [SPEAKER_04]: I actually get the hands on training plus the education where I can kind of figure out, I will wax an armpit all day long. [SPEAKER_04]: Love it legs on the other hand. [SPEAKER_04]: I'm kind of like eh, but I think that a lot of like you know people who come out of school They don't necessarily know that because they haven't had that practice and so then they go out in their own and they try to succeed with like okay I want to be a wiser [SPEAKER_03]: or they want to offer everything. [SPEAKER_03]: And then they get to so expensive. [SPEAKER_03]: And they get to so much. [SPEAKER_03]: So far for waxing and facials and then products. [SPEAKER_04]: And it's like, and then you feel like you have to carry out all of these medical grades can care lines that have $3,000 buy in, like there's certain lines that if you don't spend more than $5,000 a year, like if you spend $5,000 a year, you get insight support.

15:44 [SPEAKER_04]: If you don't spend more than $10,000 a year, you are getting an outside sales rep. [SPEAKER_04]: There is so much money and then microdienaling devices, lasers, like I don't think people realize how much money can get tied up in the back end and you can easily bankrupt yourself. [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, an average laser is around 200 grand. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, which is when I bought my first laser and I paid more from my house, that is a house. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but I bought a house, youngest statisticians, you know, we have a wonderful, wonderful field, but it is hard to break into the jobs. [SPEAKER_01]: You can be a little scorn, yeah. [SPEAKER_04]: And it's hard. [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_04]: And if you're a patient, I think the biggest advice I'd give you, too, is like, [SPEAKER_04]: Even when you're calling to book with us, like, if you want a very relaxing experience, if you want a silent appointment, by all means, I will we talk all day long, I talk all day long in my other job to you.

16:34 [SPEAKER_04]: So like I will absolutely shut up, but please just tell us so that we also know, but also so that we make sure we book you with the right, you know, person too. [SPEAKER_01]: And you know for those that don't know we do have massage therapists. [SPEAKER_01]: We have Cassidy that's there and she does all of the sports massage She does the cupping. [SPEAKER_01]: We do offer those types of relaxing treatments too, and and we're doing a lot more of those Actually not for now, lymphatic body drainage Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think you know even having Shelby who is a cosmologist being able to do has been [SPEAKER_04]: treatments with her. [SPEAKER_04]: Like as much as I love doing head spot treatments if she has an availability like I'm probably going to put you with her because she will just be able to help like if you're having you know a dry scalp issue or things like that she'll be able to kind of guide you better.

17:20 [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_03]: So just let us know your goals are that way we can put you with the pride person to fit you. [SPEAKER_03]: Well I think that's all the time we have for today. [SPEAKER_03]: Thank you guys for having me. [SPEAKER_03]: Thank you all for hanging out with us. [SPEAKER_03]: It will see you on next week. [SPEAKER_03]: Bye. [SPEAKER_03]: Bye.