The Sugar Show

Georgia's Sweet Success Journey: A Sugar Pro's Path to Prosperity

• Season 6 • Episode 5

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What happens when a traumatic waxing experience leads to entrepreneurial triumph? Meet Georgia, a sugar professional who transformed her small-town Wisconsin beauty practice into a thriving business supporting her entire family.

Georgia's journey began with a horrifying waxing incident during her pregnancy that sent her to the emergency room and took months to heal. Searching for safer alternatives, she discovered sugaring—but found no practitioners within hundreds of miles. This gap in the market sparked her determination to become the solution her community needed. Starting with just $500 and a borrowed massage table, Georgia built her business jar by jar until she became the "sugar queen" of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Her success has allowed her husband to stay home with their children while she supports the family through her passion for natural beauty treatments.

The conversation shifts to a hot topic affecting sugar professionals everywhere—the rise of laser hair removal franchises and at-home devices. Rather than viewing these developments as threats, Shannon and Georgia discuss how to reframe them as opportunities for collaboration. They explore the unique benefits of sugaring that laser can't replicate: effectiveness on all skin tones and hair types, natural ingredients, and the irreplaceable human connection that comes with the boutique sugaring experience.

For beauty professionals wondering how to navigate this changing landscape, this episode offers practical strategies: focus on skin benefits rather than just hair removal, create memorable experiences that laser clinics can't match, and build referral relationships with other beauty providers. As Shannon reminds us, "Lasers might be having a moment, but sugaring is a movement"—one rooted in holistic care, personal connection, and inclusivity for all bodies. Whether you're a seasoned sugar pro or considering entering the field, this candid conversation provides both inspiration and practical guidance for sustainable success in the evolving beauty industry.

If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar.

If you are interested in learning more about Radeq Lab's Premium Prebiotic Sugar Line of products, you can find them at www.radeqlab.us.

If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar

The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout

Cheers to your Sweet Success!

Speaker 1:

Hey, hey, beauty community. Shannon, your sugar mama, this episode of the Sugar Show is a good one. We're going to talk about lasers, because they are here and we need to know what the competition is all about. But I don't think it's competition. I think it's actually an opportunity, and we're gonna talk about that. And even more important than lasers is our beautiful, beautiful, beautiful educator, georgia, who is going to share with us her sweet success story and also fill our cups with just exactly how far she's come in this industry and give you a little inspiration. See you on the episode, miss Georgia, in Wisconsin. Hello girl.

Speaker 2:

Hey Shannon, how's it going so good?

Speaker 1:

So good. I you know it's so. It's so been so fun to watch your sweet success journey and we spent time live together in New York. I looked at Jodi, one of our other educators, and I was like, oh, we got to get her on the podcast. Like, you are the most fun. We had such a blast together and I knew you were a good educator and I knew you were a stellar student, but I did not know that you were as sassy and fun as you are. So I wanted to make sure that you were the first person after New York that I interviewed that you could share your story with with the world.

Speaker 2:

so thank you. Thank you, shannon, I'm seriously honored. I can't even elaborate how fun it was to meet everybody and get my hands in sugar with literally everybody. Getting to see people in such different stages of their sugaring career or even getting to think about starting sugaring was just an awesome experience, and the amount of people that I hope we influenced and got to talk with and and share education and the importance of education, that's super awesome it's really motivating for you, right, because it really does it.

Speaker 1:

It you realize how many people are sugaring also, which is cool, and then you can share some product information with them. But then the people that are like, oh I don't know what this is, you're like, how do you not know what sugar is? Right, you have to kind of adjust your conversation.

Speaker 2:

But in the end it's so inspiring to see the people that are so motivated and excited about it, absolutely Even the people who had never heard it, and they're like, oh my gosh, what is that, why don't I know what that is? And getting to be like, oh my gosh, let me tell you about it. That was just so awesome, it felt so natural and I just was so excited to also see people excited about it too. It just really sparked something in me to continue and be like okay, let's go, let's talk about it.

Speaker 1:

Then you want to hit the ground running when you get back and you want to teach everyone.

Speaker 2:

Oh for sure, I'm like you on the street. Get in here, let's show you.

Speaker 1:

Pulling people from the aisles. So true, okay, so let's get down to it, because you have so much to talk about. We were at dinner and you were telling your story and I was like, ooh, we got to let everybody know. So let's go way back to little Georgia. Yeah, she is thinking about going to beauty school and you chose to be a cosmetologist.

Speaker 2:

Correct.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So originally I was kind of in the midst of figuring out what I was doing for college. I was a brand new little baby. I was about 18, 19 years old. I was actually married, and so I was kind of going through some turmoil and the amount of comfort I found going and having personal services done is, to this day, something that was so influential for me and I don't think sometimes people realize what clients are getting from even a good experience in personal services. It definitely pulled me through some really mentally emotional turmoils and so I really I got done with my hair one time and it was around my birthday, so November ish.

Speaker 2:

I was like, okay, let's get it done before Thanksgiving, before Christmas. And I remember walking out and being like, oh my gosh, she gets to make people feel like that. She gets to make people leave and feel so confident, so happy, so excited. And I was like how do I get into that? Like how do I do that? So that really sparked something in me too where I was like I need to do this. So it was November. I signed up for my program that started in January. It was full at the time. I think I was on the wait list. Somebody moved and I was like, okay, looks like I'm starting in like two weeks, and it ended up being just so fast. But I was at the same time I was like this is, this is what I'm supposed to do. Um, so I did that. I do have a little bit of background in here. I don't really dabble in it anymore. Um, I've found so much love for skincare and hair removal as a whole, so that's really been my passion.

Speaker 2:

When I was getting done with school, though, I really was interested in full service. I pursued a full service spa and salon, and kind of in that I was seeing some things in the industry that you don't necessarily love or you're like, oh OK, I wish that was different, I wish that maybe we thought more about that. I thought, when I started, I was having some migraine issues and I thought it was maybe just the stress of a new career once I had graduated, and I mean cosmetology school was just, I mean, a pedal on metal. You, I think they went from a two year program to condense to one right as the semester that I had started. So they were working on how to condense a two year program to one or a little over one, and that was intense. I remember being in school for 40, 50 hours a week and you're just like, oh my gosh, how do you get through that? And so I was like, wow, maybe I'm just having some stress from the new career. How do I navigate this? And so we kind of talked to my boss at the time a little bit about like how to negate some of that feeling Maybe it's fumes, maybe we need better ventilation in the salon and spa, some of the feeling maybe it's fumes, maybe we need better ventilation in the salon and spa.

Speaker 2:

And I started to nosedive into what we're working with. What are we exposed to? On a regular? We're exposed to germicides, which is obviously very important for sanitation, and I understood that, but then we're also exposed to so many ammonias and cleaning products and lighteners, and so then all of a sudden, I kind of started to take a whirlwind of what are we doing? How are we doing this? What are? How are we going to protect ourselves from these? How are we going to manage um, protecting our clients from these um? So I kind of started to look into what it looked like to do more natural skincare, more natural hair products and I actually was pregnant at that time with my second.

Speaker 2:

So I was like, well, I want to protect me and my pregnancy and make sure that we're not exposed to things unnecessarily. So I started kind of going down a road of like what does more natural look? Like I'll think about it, I'll start to dabble. And it kind of always was sitting in the back of my head like how can we do this? How can we make it healthier for us, how can we make it healthier for our clients? And I had been getting regular sugar or not sugaring, but regular waxes done.

Speaker 2:

And so I, as I hit about, I want to say probably middle of my pregnancy, I was going to the same girl for quite a while and I remember going in one day I was had same things as always. We went through all my potential hazards that I was pregnant. I was maybe a little more sensitive and I remember sitting in that appointment and she was nervous I mean I'm getting bigger, pregnant, we're working on different positionings and I was about halfway through my service and I hear her gasp I audibly gasp during my service and I remember just feeling such immense stinging and I was like what just happened? And I actually am someone who got the top of my pubis mountain ripped off with hard and soft wax. So I just remember laying there and she literally handed me an aesthetic wipe and told me to put pressure and said somebody will meet you out front.

Speaker 2:

And that was our encounter and it was someone I had had a good relationship with, good client provider relationship with, and the look on her face. I was like what just happened. Her relationship with and the look on her face. I was like what just happened. And I remember I stood up off of the service table. There was a full-length mirror. I was pregnant. I couldn't see past my belly at that point and I remember seeing what happened and I literally jaw to the ground, was like how did this happen? I mean, I was offering waxing a little bit to my clients. I was like what just happened? How did that happen? And so we sat, or I sat, I tried to compose myself the best I could and they actually referred me to the emergency department because of how severe it was.

Speaker 1:

So when you yeah, I thought I't even wrap my brain around how that would feel, and what you even say to your practitioner. Oh sure, and about it, like I, you know what do you say?

Speaker 2:

yeah, you kind of and at that point too I was like, oh my gosh, like she's something scared her one, something scared her and you just are like it kind of breaks your heart hearing like them gasp like that, and you're just like something went wrong.

Speaker 2:

I can't tell you what, yet I can't tell you how, and and something went wrong and it was just really, I mean, and and talk about a reason for liability forms. When I got out, they walked me through my liability that I had signed and I was like, absolutely, and they did refer me to the right place after, but I really, after that experience, I sat there and I was like how did that happen? Why did that happen? How do we make sure that doesn't happen to anybody else? Um, and when I was in the ER, one of the nurses was like oh, I've seen this a few times. And that stuck with me, because I was like you've seen this a few times, like I thought I was going in freak, freak accident. I'm like, oh my gosh, they're not even gonna know how to help me. And she's like I've seen this a few times. And I was like oh my gosh, like yeah, yeah, I mean I was bleeding. She literally handed me a chunk of aesthetic wipes to set on while I got dressed and it really just was mind-blowing, because I, I really, and then I'm getting myself to the emergency department making sure everything's okay and you are sitting there and you're like what happened?

Speaker 2:

And it could be combination. I mean, you're sensitive, the heat of the, the wax, I really do recall it being too hot. But I'm sitting here and I'm like you don't really realize what too hot is too hot, um, and especially if you've been doing it, you're like, oh, I'm a seasoned pro, I'll suck it up. I'm not someone to say something. If something feels wrong, I'm kind of like no biggie, it'll be fine. But I'm like, oh, yeah, that's probably. How long did it take for you to heal um? I think it took over three months for me to heal um, and so that was like that huh did you

Speaker 2:

deliver with it like that, yeah, yep. So I think I was mostly healed, um, but yeah, I delivered like that and I actually, kind of right after it happened was when I had found you, um, because I really I was sitting there, I was pregnant and I mean my preference was to not have hair for delivery, which is completely normal but I was like what are my options? Oh, my gosh, what are my options? What are other people's options? Laser was not an option. I was pregnant and I have really fine hair, so it was not an option for I was pregnant and I have really fine hair, so it was not an option for me. And so I was like, oh, all right, I remember seeing a video from some I cannot even remember her name, I could tell you if I saw her but I remember seeing a video on Buzzfeed of her. She's from California and she's wearing these big overalls. She's huge, pregnant, and it was an introduction to what sugar was. And I remember seeing a little bit about it and I was like, oh cool, I'll kind of dabble and see if there's even anyone in my area. And when I looked, there was nobody within a five to six hour radius of me who was offering it. And so then I was sitting and I was like, well, I want to see what this is, I want to see how this is. I am reading up on it being more natural and I was like, how do I not know what this is? I just got done with school. I just got done with like a really extensive program. I flicked back in my big big cosmetology book and I found one singular paragraph on sugaring. It was literally, it was just like this little tiny. It was in the escalation and it was just one teeny little paragraph. And I was like, oh, like I, that's crazy, how do I not know what this is? Um, so I kind of was like, well, all right, we'll figure out what it is. And so I started looking into that more.

Speaker 2:

Um, I was trying to find education and I could not find education in my area. I couldn't find a provider in my area, I couldn't find education. And that's when I really started deep diving. I had found I Sugar University online and I was like that looks a little bit sketchy. But OK, ok, come on now. But I like smile on my face. Yeah, sweetest thing, I think that told me it really did. Yeah, sweetest thing, I think. That told me it really did. But I was, I mean, I was skeptical. I said how, how am I going to make sure I get the education I need? How do I make sure that I'm doing the right technique?

Speaker 2:

And when I went through your, your program stuff because I had seen a few other like teaching things, kind of like that um, but yours was the only one who said you're going to send videos and we're going to, we're going to send them back if they're not good enough. And you sent my eyebrow back to me and I am so grateful because that was when I really was struggling with and I thought, oh, I'll just send these they don't even watch them and they'll just send me my certification. And boy was I wrong. Yeah, boy was I wrong, and I'm so glad I was. Um, and yeah, I remember too I the support that came with that. I was like they can't support you from so far. How are they going to do this?

Speaker 1:

We watch them, that's for sure.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, oh, for sure, I'm like you guys skim through those and you watch them really fine, cause you. I remember getting the email back too, and you told me exactly what I did wrong and how to correct it, and it was like immediate. As soon as you said it, I was like, oh, yeah, okay, I can do this. So I think I was. I was still pregnant when I got my certification. I was, yeah, I was probably seven months pregnant, yeah, and so that was my whole rest of my pregnancy.

Speaker 2:

I was practicing on my legs. I was practicing on my arms, my husband, brandon. I was practicing on him and I was like, sorry, you're gonna be as smooth as a baby because I need to get this down. Be really honest, I did not pick it up quite as fast as I thought I would, um, but it was so cool to have a support system because I did. I had questions and I think it was either you or Brandy. I'd be like what is going on? How do I fix this? Sometimes it was humidity. Um, being in in the Midwest, I couldn't. I'd watch videos on you guys sugaring and you guys are in California. So I was like, oh, I don't know what's going on. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So, just having that troubleshoot it. It was so cool to have a network immediately and it really pushed my passion for skincare again, because it was like no, we can help each other. Like, oh my gosh, like I, you can learn virtually, you can have support system virtually, and I literally got to be the first children's salon in my area. As soon as I decided to come back from maternity, I decided to re-evaluate everything. I am a completely natural salon and spa. I do not use anything beyond what is legally required for sanitation. Otherwise, we are using organic cotton. We're using biodegradable gloves. I'm using hormone balancing products to make sure that we aren't disrupting anything that is not necessary. Now I get to use RADIC lab for pre and post biotic and I'm super excited about that.

Speaker 2:

But it's crazy because you really I got to be the first and I was like why aren't you guys doing this? And people thought it was crazy. They're like what is that? Even the amount of times people were like oh, sugar scrubbing, what are you doing? Oh, and I was like is sugar scrub? Like we're sugaring? And they're like I don't know what that means. Um, but getting to like walk through that with everybody. And I was part of the first group of sugars, I think when you started to switch over to love to sugar. It was the Sugar Tribe and I was part of that and it was really cool to get to see that transition. And I've kind of been on that sideline for quite a while.

Speaker 1:

I think I've been certified with you for seven years, eight years, yeah, well, and what is even part of that journey is so cool is feel like when we circled back around to look for educators, you literally like raise your hand. You're like put me in coach, like I want to be here. Yeah, whatever it takes, I'll educate because I want people to have and and uh, and that's been really cool.

Speaker 1:

So talk about your um, let's talk about you as an educator, and then we'll talk about your story, like so I think how did that come about?

Speaker 2:

how, yeah, so I think it really did stem on. I loved my online. I loved it so much, but I was like I really want, I wish that I had somebody to be like here's what I'm doing. Can you show me how to move my hand? Because even that, like when we were at New York, a lot of the times I was like it was ergonomics a lot of what I'm doing. Can you show me how to move my hand? Because even that, like when we were at New York, a lot of the times I was like it was ergonomics a lot of what I was seeing.

Speaker 2:

They were trying so hard, but I'm like you gotta sit up, you gotta turn your wrist out, you gotta. And so I'm like to physically be able to help students and be like here, let's move your body, let's here, let's do this and have that support in your area. Um, there's times, too, I've gone with people I've already certified or educated and you you're like, let me come in, let me come in and watch you. What are you doing? Let's, let's break this down and you kind of pretend like you're a fly on the wall and you can get to see what's going on and sometimes you're like that's such an easy fix and I'm like I wish I could be the fly on the wall. I want to help you. I want everybody to be successful.

Speaker 2:

I really didn't think that I would have the amount of success with sugaring as I do. I support my family my husband stays home and homeschools our kids and it was because I was passionate about learning and continuing to learn and I want to also strive to help people continue to learn, because you can learn how to sugar, but then you're going to keep learning how to sugar and you're going to keep learning. There's even in New York. We got to see so many different correct techniques, but different techniques, and it was so cool to see everybody have a little bit of a spin on it and it's such a beautiful art form and I will say it to this day. You see people do stuff and you're like it looks so natural and like a rhythm and I'm like beautiful, it's so cool. You get to see each educator have just a little bit of their own thing, and even from you to Armando or to literally anyone I was like or Joey, I'm like whoa, where do you guys get these moves? I'm like that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, just a couple of tweaks and there's for sure. Let's talk about your success journey in Sugar Sweets, which is your space in Eau Claire, wisconsin, and you touched on the fact that your husband gets to stay at home with the kids and he makes sourdough bread and he raises baby quails.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we're busy. We are Midwestern busy. He is on the farm man, I love it.

Speaker 1:

So, yeah, talk about you. Let's go back to school and what your journey was to opening your own place.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So I think when I started kind of reaching into what do I want to see in our industry I mean, obviously we're in an industry that is very female focused to an extent, and I just remember feeling not good about some of some of what goes on and I think that falls into a little bit of the education too is I want to hold hands with the cat, with everybody. I'm like we can do it together. We're gonna daisy chain up and we're gonna. We're gonna work on this together, chain up and we're gonna, we're gonna work on this together. Um, and it's because I I think right off the bat I was seeing that cut throat that this is my client, this is your client. Don't, don't let them muddle, muddle together, and you're like no, everybody like chill out. Yeah. So I was like one. I don't want this to be an industry standard. I think you can genuinely love and be compassionate about other women and other providers in your service industry and show that and you can say, oh, yeah, we back each other. But then you can do it and you can be support to other women and other men in the community through what you do. And so I was like I want people to know I have a safe space, I have. My heart has always been here. My heart is always in educating clients also, and then I want it to be good for you, like I.

Speaker 2:

Really, after going through a traumatic service, I could have been somebody who was like never again never will I try any other hair removal ever again and it could have taken me away from being someone else's potential client and so making sure you're safe and being respectful to your client's skin and what's good for them. I'm not afraid to turn clients down if I think it's going to be bad for them or not a good fit. And I really I'm like I'm so sorry this might kind of put a damper in your plan, but I care about you and that has been so cool to know. My business as a whole cares about clients and people. So that was a really big thing when I opened, because when I was working at a bigger space with multiple service providers, you're kind of like they don't care about their client.

Speaker 2:

They care about did that client tip enough? Did that? Oh, this client was five minutes late. Oh, I can't stand that and it's like I don't. Like I don't want to be a part of that. It's like you can give grace where grace is given, for sure, but I'm like I want to see. I want to see a change.

Speaker 1:

I want to see people have care for their clients but also provide a professional service and a beautiful byproduct of that is you've been able to make enough money that your salary is big enough that you can support the family.

Speaker 2:

I kind of remember the conversation and we joke about it now because there was a little bit of a point too, because I was like we kind of had our finances separated because I was like, yeah, the business that's my baby, don't worry about it, we'll just I'll figure it out, you do your thing and I'll make sure that this is paying for itself, that we're doing well enough with it, that I can get all my supplies. And it was after we bought our first bigger home together and we, our little kids, were it's probably about two, three years into into my career as a business or as a business and Brandon, my husband, was sitting there and he's just like I really I just don't like going to work. It really is putting such an emotional like toll on me. And he was working. I think he was working like four tens and it was just a lot and it would be staggering hours for me. And so it felt like we didn't see each other, we didn't get to spend that connection together. And I remember sitting there and I was like so don't. And he's like what do you mean? I was like just don't, like you don't have to work. And he's sitting there and he's like looking at me like, what are you talking about, woman? And I was like, oh, we're fine. And that was the first time he was like what do you mean? I was like you've never asked, you didn't ask how we were doing, um. And so we got to sit down and it was like he's like, oh my goodness, I can stay home. And I was like, yeah, you can stay home.

Speaker 2:

Um, and that was such a crazy transition to go from. I mean, when I, when I opened my business you don't know anything I went from I was a one. I was in a Phoenix salon suites. When I first opened, I was in a little tiny hundred square foot room and that's what I ran off of. And then when I started out growing, I think I moved up to like 200 square feet, started out growing, I think I moved up to like 200 square feet and now I have multiple, I think like 1500 square feet now, and it's just like, oh my gosh, great, we love this. But I was like, yeah, we're fine. And even he could see that progression happening. But I think for him to all of a sudden get to see that he's just like, oh my gosh, gosh, we're fine. Um, but now we've had the flexibility and freedom to we homeschool our boys. Um, we bought 10 acres of property and just built our own home. Um, my husband, with staying home, got to build everything himself.

Speaker 2:

Um, so that's been really awesome because it was like those opportunities wouldn't have been there if I wasn't successful in sugaring and the educating clients to tell them what it is. Even potential clients they're like oh, what's this sugar scrub you're talking about? And it's like, oh, here's what sugaring is and having like visuals for them. I had so many photos and videos of me actually performing big legs, big chest backs and because I want them to see that art form and a lot of the times everyone's like that looks so cool, that's so satisfying and it's like, yeah, it really is.

Speaker 2:

Um, but that has been just life-changing because you talk about going from not having anyone in the area to being the first real salon and spa doing it to now I there's multiple other women in my area starting to sugar and it's so cool because I get to kind of be the OG to an extent and be that guidance for them and if they have questions I'm here and it's cool to also be that person for other businesses to look up to and also knowing that my family is cared for and my boys get to see their mom in an environment that I go to work.

Speaker 2:

I love it. I have always said that my goal from day one was to never dread going to work and I don't think I've ever felt that way. And I remember when I worked at a bigger salon I would cry you'd go, you'd be going in, you're crying, you're like I don't want to go to work. Yeah, but I, with the clients I've had now and with how I get to operate my business, knowing it's good for everybody, it's like the amount of like sight. I'm like excited. I'm like, wow, what do we got in the books today? What are we doing?

Speaker 2:

and you're just excited and that's such a nice joy yeah, true joy, and I think that was what I was looking for. And now to be going on over six years of business, um, with my, my salon, and always feel that way, is just completely incredible, and I think that's what pushed me. I'm like how do I help other people get this? Because that was I'm like how do I help people do that? I'm like I just here, do that so.

Speaker 2:

I forward? Yeah, absolutely. And so I'm like I think that's what makes me passionate, too, about education. I'm like I mean Brandon and I started. We were little teeny boppers still um, I mean early 20s trying to figure out how to navigate, how to figure out raising your kids together, how to figure out finances, how to figure out how to run a business right off the bat and to go.

Speaker 2:

When I opened my business, I think I had $500. I had enough for a deposit, my room, and then I borrowed somebody's massage table for a few weeks until I had enough appointments to pay for a table. I got my table and I would buy two jars at a time until I could slowly start building up. But I can't tell you how sparing I was with my pace at the beginning because I was like, all right, you can't waste anything. But it's also a good. I want people to see that you don't have to have thousands and thousands to start your journey. I saved up, I paid for my online class with you and that was such a big purchase at the time. But I remember and I'm like it was so worth it. It was like if that was the price to be where I am, I would do it tenfold yeah, yeah so crazy it's not even.

Speaker 1:

It's not even that expensive. No, I'll be considered. I mean shoot like triple the amount to learn how to do that. Sure that takes a lot of skill and you know patience and you you know there's all those reasons which.

Speaker 2:

But the fact that when you hear people talk about yeah, when you hear people talking about making sure that I'm like just invest in yourself, invest in your, in your future, because at the end of the day, I could go buy 10 coffees and it would cost me more than that, so you're like invest in you, um, that's a really big thing because it will take you really far when you do start to mentally and invest in your education and continuing education. It's insane and I love it.

Speaker 1:

so tell them where you are willing to go. I know far and wide, but you're in Wisconsin, and so where else are you an educator? Because we're going to be bringing you to other areas of the country, but most specifically, you are.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I am Wisconsin, I am Minneapolis, minnesota area, I am Michigan area. I, if you're within probably a 300 mile radius or more, I'm gonna find you, I'm gonna put you down and make sure you I'm gonna come help you because that is something that I'm really passionate about, cause we talk about these Midwest rural areas and it's like you guys can do it. I mean, we have upper Michigan, that's up the upper peninsula and stuff, and you're sitting here and it's like you guys can do it. Hey, I mean we have upper Michigan, that's up the upper peninsula and stuff, and you're sitting here. You're like, why is nobody helping you?

Speaker 1:

but let me come to the backwoods and I will teach you it's here, she's here and you know there is something to be said for those of you that have achieved sweet success, big success, um, in smaller towns. You know, I mean one of my great Estee Besties, Rhonda, is in Alvin, Texas, where they have like a stoplight. You know, like that's it and she's killing it. You know, I mean you're in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. You know you're killing it and you don't have to be in Houston or San Francisco or Miami to kill it. I mean you should be killing it in those states, Absolutely.

Speaker 2:

I think it's cool too, because I think that's a really good viewpoint to see. And when I've compared with other people in our industry, I make equivalents of people who are in these big cities and I'm like you can do it, like you can absolutely do it. I always joke. I'm like, why is there nobody in Minneapolis? I mean, I have a plethora of clients who are driving an hour and a half to come see me. I'm sitting here. I'm like, why are you guys not sugaring? I'm like I'm over here with 50,000 people, but like I'm like you have so many opportunities and nobody's in it, so that is a goal I have this year. I'm like I'm gonna find somebody in Minneapolis and I'm gonna make you sugar that's right.

Speaker 1:

You're gonna find multiple people.

Speaker 2:

I love it absolutely we're gonna find so many. But yeah, I I really want people to not be stopped by the fact that they're in the Midwest. There's so many opportunities and I am so excited to be on the journey of helping people find those opportunities and teach them the opportunities.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and so now you have a booming business. You're going to be educating You're already educating people in your states, and I want to take this moment to congratulate you because it has been a beautiful six years. You should be very proud of yourself, because owning your own business is not for the faint of heart and we don't stop often enough and remind ourselves of how far we've come. And I want to send a kudos to you through the airwaves of great job, girl, because you are a an official badass boss babe and you are making things happen for your family, for yourself, for your clients and, um and now, for fellow estheticians, and that's really what it's about is paying it forward. So good on you, girl, and it is an honor to work by your side.

Speaker 2:

I appreciate you. Shannon, thank you so much for the platform you've created and the mentorship that you continue to give people in our industry, because it really has pushed me to strive for better me and also just know we're humans. I mean, you put your heart on your sleeve and I am so appreciative because sometimes you see people online and you're like, wow, they have everything together, like no, they don't. But I appreciate that, because your mentorship through love to sugar has been absolutely incredible and I'm so, so grateful for it. Thank you, friend, I appreciate you uh, okay, so onward to educating.

Speaker 1:

Um, we are going to spend the next half of and we'll talk about this for a quick second we're going to spend the next half of this podcast talking about um, when um, about lasers and, uh, have you had a laser? You know franchise, come to your town and kind of change. You know the trajectory of what people. You know there's lots of choices now, right, and this podcast is going to be about how we deal with, you know, lasers not being as expensive. You know, back in the day we'd say, oh, that's so expensive to get. You know, 12 treatments of laser is $2,500. People say, oh fine, I'll just sugar and we never really had to know much about what the lasers did. So, yeah, so we're going to spend the second half of this podcast talking about, you know, the attitude about having laser centers come and the um, the actual symbiotic relationship that you can have that you and I talked about. What have you seen in Wisconsin with lasers coming to your town?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, for sure. So I think that there's a huge uprise on many spa services as a whole. So talking about continuing education, even if you don't intend to provide those services, is really important, because we want to be able to give the correct information to any service and to be honoring to that other person's business. But I think it's really cool because sometimes people look at laser and they're like, oh my gosh, that's going to take my business, that's going to take my clientele. And we did a little bit earlier. Yeah, we talked about the symbiotic relationship between those two and it's like you do have people who are excluded from being able to get those services, and so we talked about pregnancy earlier a little bit. Pregnancy is an exclusion from getting laser, but what are those laser clients doing during their pregnancy? Um, they would like to be hairless as well. So we should start creating relationships with these places that maybe, maybe, are intimidating to us, um, and creating a relationship with other providers in our communities to also create a networking system, because it's like, maybe that client is at the end of their package and they they aren't going to be buying another package, but they have 80 reduction, what about the other 20? And if that laser facility has a good relationship with you and your business, they're going to. Oh, I see you're at the end of your package. I know you don't anticipate buying another one. Here's so-and-so, here's what I would suggest, because it's more sensitive and gentle on your skin. It's more friendly to the vellus hairs, the fine blonde hairs, and those are usually what are left. So you talk about that as well. The laser is going to get the more coarse hair, but if it's too coarse it won't get them. So you're kind of in a little bit of a range, and I think that's where the education part is really important too, because you want to know what that range is.

Speaker 2:

Um, we talk about pigmentation. Some lasers are not, um set up to treat clients with pigmentation or a higher melanin in their skin. So we want to make sure we can honor those clients as well, because sometimes they'll go in thinking they're, oh, I'm going to get laser, and then their laser technician says you're not a good candidate. And so, having a relationship again with these, they'll say you're not a good candidate for laser. But hey, go see Georgia at Sugar Sweets. She specializes in all hair textures and skin types. So we all of a sudden can have a community with these instead of being scared.

Speaker 2:

Once you can start to have relationships, you're going to get referrals. Or maybe somebody starts their laser sessions and goes this isn't for me which happens to. It's a little spicy, a little more spicy than sugaring, I would say. But you talk about again hair textures, types.

Speaker 2:

We want to have relationships with these MediSpa services and have education, knowing when you can sugar after, because some of these are going to be questions you have to ask a provider If you're not sure. If you don't provide laser, if you haven't gone through the training, how do you know when they're safe to start sugaring again post laser treatment? And being able to have somebody to kind of ask some of those questions to um on an open platform is a great idea and um again builds a good relationship saying hey, you might not know me, I'm so, and so I just want to welcome you first. Welcome welcome to our town, and I also want to just elaborate and ask some questions. I have some questions. If clients are coming and seeing you and seeing me, how do we work together? How do we make sure it's safe for the client? So I think those are important.

Speaker 1:

I think I'm going to have you as a co-host on the podcast now, because you know I don't need to do my half. You're amazing. So, yeah, I and I'm glad to hear that you haven't that you took the right perspective instead of saying, oh man, they're going to take my business and being negative, right, you're like, okay, how can I work with this? And so the second half of this podcast is going to be supporting just that. So, thank you, george, for being on the podcast. Thank you, yes, and cheers to your sweet success. And, uh, we will see you in the next class and everyone in the audience. Stay tuned, because we're going to talk lasers. See you guys, all right. So was I right, or was I right about Georgia? She is awesome and I love spending time with her. I know you will too, for those of you that are blessed enough to be educated by her. You just never quite know what she's going to pull out at those classes and teach you with. She loves props and bringing music and fun to the class, and so I hope that you are blessed to have her as an educator someday. And, as you know, you can see the show notes and see when her next classes are.

Speaker 1:

As we discussed, we wanted to talk a little bit about lasers, and so I've dedicated the second half of this show to really kind of touching on the fact that lasers are having a moment. But sugaring is a movement and I really really feel strongly about this, and not just to tell you all the ways that sugar is better than laser, but really to walk you through how you navigate if someone comes to town and has lasers and your clients have questions. Okay, because this conversation is lighting up my DMS. It's in SD chats. Um, clients are talking about it everywhere and really, the rise of laser hair removal, of home hair removal units, um, as is here. And what does that mean for your sugar business? So I'm sure you've probably heard it already. You know, oh, there's a new med spa down the street or they're doing full body laser for $99. That's it.

Speaker 1:

Or should I try laser instead of sugar? I'm sure you get all those questions right and, let's be real, it can feel very intimidating, especially when those flashy ads start popping up on your client's feeds and you're sitting there wondering how do I compete with that? Because back in the day we used to say, oh, it's so expensive or oh, it's so painful, and the technology has really changed. And how do we address that as savvy professionals? Okay, so, if there's anything that I want you to know is this you don't compete, you pivot, you educate and you lead. That is how you will build a solid foundation for your business. That is how you will stay inspired, because laser might be trending, but sugaring is a movement. We've been proving this for the last as long as I've been doing this 16 years. We've been proving this for a long time, and now let's talk about the rise of laser and why it's not the end of the world. Let's talk about how to confidently talk about the differences with your clients and why you don't need to slash your prices or shrink your power. Right and a twist you might not have expected, but maybe it's time to partner with a laser clinic. That might be one of the smartest moves that you ever make. So I just want to touch on these topics so that you can feel strong in your business and you can be educated, so you can educate your clients. So let's get into it.

Speaker 1:

All right, the first topic is about laser having a movement, but I don't want you to panic, okay. So laser is booming. You see on TikTok, the handheld units where people are using those on themselves, wearing glasses, zapping themselves. You can go to a med spa, you can go to a laser franchise, and it's gotten cheaper. The technology is cheaper. Franchises are really kind of popping up everywhere.

Speaker 1:

Georgia talked about that with me earlier and the clients are wanting this promise of permanent hair removal and to never shave again. The ads are all over their feed. But let's talk about what people don't know and how you can kind of answer this for yourself and for them. So, as we know, laser works best on light skin and dark hair. It doesn't remove all the vellus hair or very light, fine hair. It often requires shaving in between and, as we know, hormones can make that hair grow back even after multiple sessions of hair removal. And on deeper skin tones, sometimes it can cause pigmentation issues or other sensitivity issues for those folks. And so while laser might look like a quick fix, it's definitely not for everyone.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so that's where you come in. Right, you are offering more than hair removal. At least, if you're one of my students, you are because I require that you offer a skin first, holistic and, of course, natural experience that your clients can trust. And if you've ever been a part of my coaching, my one-on-one coaching, my group coaching you know that I am about your branding, your skills and your relationships. Can you be trusted as the town's go-to person for aesthetics? Can you be trusted as that person? And so if you are offering a whole experience, if your room is clean, if your skills are on point, if your education and your imparting of education and wisdom is on point, your clients trust you. They know to go to you.

Speaker 1:

Now, in some cases, it might make sense for someone to try lasering. If they have dark hair, a little bit lighter skin tone, and you just cannot get them smooth, it might be that laser is actually good for them, right, that might be an option. But you have to understand what lasers are capable of and what they're not capable of so that your clients can trust your recommendation. The key here is your client's trust, okay. So when a client comes to you and says I'm thinking of trying laser, what do you think? Don't shut down, don't panic. I want you to educate them, okay. So here's something that you can say Lasers can be a great option for some people, especially if they have certain hair skin combinations, but it's not for everyone and it's not always permanent. Okay, I'll just put this in the show notes because this might be something that you have to rewind and listen to over and over again.

Speaker 1:

Right, laser can be a good option for some people. Positive, it's not bashing anything and it's you commanding. Let me share with you why. Right Now, sugaring works on all skin tones in comparison, on all hair types, even light vellus hair and the fine stuff if they don't know what vellus hair is, the fine stuff that lasers can't touch. Okay, it also helps with ingrowns and texture and pigmentation, because it exfoliates every time. Boom, you've just positioned yourself as a trusted expert without ever bashing the other side.

Speaker 1:

Okay, because that's the goal is to empower your client to make informed choices. You're not here to win a competition. You're here to guide your clients Again, some of them. It might be something they should try. Now, remember they're not going to get every body part lasered. Their bikini might be really frustrating for you and for them. You just might not be able to get them clear. Laser might be a great choice for them, but you can still do their eyebrows, their lip, their chin, their nose hairs, their ear hairs, um, their underarms If they're not ready for that, their legs, I mean any other body part you can do but you are educating them, you are empowering them. You're not in competition, which is going to be the key to your success.

Speaker 1:

Okay, let's also talk about just the experience that your clients are going to have in addition to trusting you, right? Okay? So laser franchises, their businesses, their volume-based, their efficiency-based, and they have high turnover, but you, you're a boutique experience. We want to be efficient, we want to move clients through the experience right, but we are a boutique experience. And again, if you've ever trained with me, you know that this is really important.

Speaker 1:

What it smells like, what it feels like it's not stark and white and sterile in your space it sounds good, it feels good. They love and trust you. Your client gets personalized attention. They get consistent, trusted hands. They get custom care based on their skin, and it's a relationship, not a transaction. Okay, lasers can't replicate that vibe. No, you might have very nice laser technicians nothing against laser technicians but we're not in competition with a franchise. You deliver something they can't, okay and own that.

Speaker 1:

I want you to post about that. I want you to speak that truth out loud, because your clients are craving that level of connection. They're not coming in to get zapped and leave, and that might be okay for them too get zapped and leave and that might be okay for them too. But if you really have an experience, a delightful place for people to escape, that is an added plus. Okay, it is an added plus for your customers. You're also giving them facials, you're also giving them recommendations, you're also giving them a hug. It smells amazing, it sounds amazing, it is an experience in your space, and if you're not providing an experience, it is time for you to step up.

Speaker 1:

Okay, now I want to turn this a little bit for you and reframe this, because if you are worried about the laser clinic in your area, if you are worried about the quote, competition, what if that laser clinic or that med spa isn't your competition? What if it's your collaboration? This is an opportunity. I believe all businesses, all local businesses, have the obligation to figure out a way to work together. I love working with spray tan artists. I love working with hairstylists. I love working with businesses that you might not even think about Bathing suit stores, boutiques, like I said, touristy type things, working with concierge at hotels right, these are collaborations that can build your business. But what if you were able to partner with that laser facility for all of those folks that can't laser? You are now the place that that laser company feels comfortable referring, and you should experience that laser company's treatments so that you can possibly refer people who, just you, just can't get clear and they just can't stop tweezing or they just can't stop shaving.

Speaker 1:

Okay. So I want you to think about also offering post-laser care. For clients with irritation, pigmentation, ingrowns, you can offer a deluxe vagatial, you can offer facials for them. You can offer many, many different things that a kind of churn and burn clinic wouldn't be able to do. Right, you can accept referrals for hormonal hair, for facial hair or laser tones that skin the laser just can't treat. So those skin tones my words are coming out backwards the skin tones that laser hair can't treat.

Speaker 1:

If a laser hair technician says wow, you know what? Your hair is just too fine, it is just too light, we're actually not able to do it, I want the next recommendation to be you. The next recommendation should be you and vice versa, if you're like I, your hair is so dark and so thick and it is just not making you happy that you're not smooth the entire three weeks and your their, your client, is picking or plucking or whatever they're doing and you just can't get them to stop doing that. Maybe the referral needs to be to them. Now you have a collaboration.

Speaker 1:

Okay, co-host education nights offer contrast and clarity for your clients, deciding between two. Okay, if you co-host an experience and those blondies that can't get lasered or have not had success lasering can learn about sugaring and the sugar people can learn about lasering. What a nice collaboration. It's all the same people in your town. Why, why work against each other? Right? So this is the power of connection over competition, and that is going to be the thing that distinguishes you in your town, the thing that is really the, the glue that builds your business, instead of making you that island over there that people don't really know about.

Speaker 1:

Okay, if the laser technician, if the med spa, is referring people to you, there's plenty of other things you can be working on on those people. Okay, you're not losing clients, you're expanding your reach, you're building bridges and, honestly, you're showing up as the professional you are. And if you do not know how to do that, then we need to keep talking about that. You need to contact me and I will work through that with you. That's my job, okay. So I want you to ask yourself who in my community can I reach out to? I want you to reach out, I want you to start a conversation. I want you to try their lasers and see what it feels like for yourself before you go bashing it. But be the one that goes to that laser place first. If there's one in your town, go to it, experience it. You cannot talk about any other business unless you absolutely know about it, so make sure that you get yourself really, really educated on what it is you're talking about.

Speaker 1:

If you are worried about those handheld lasers, you know, honestly, people get stark gung ho about it. The little handheld units. They're not reliable. There's so many reasons why those aren't great for your skin right, and clients typically come out the gate like a New Year's resolution and think that they're going to be consistent and they're really not. Okay. So you're not losing business. You just have to work on how you communicate and how you collaborate with other businesses in town. Okay.

Speaker 1:

So I want you to have a bit of an action plan and let's break that down a little bit bit what that might look like. Ok, so you're going to start talking in your marketing about doing before and afters right and start talking about glow ups and making skin benefits the headline. So if you're someone who does sugaring and facials, what are the benefits, what is the glow up that your client is going to experience and what are the tools you use? Well, the tools you use are this skincare line combined with sugar this you know treatment series combined with sugar. It's about skincare and the health of the skin, and sugar is the tool that you're using. Okay, next thing I want you to think about is creating experiences, not just services. So think about smooth skin rituals, seasonal sugar and skin bundles. Make the benefits a headline and the calming service that you do a headline.

Speaker 1:

People want that feeling. They want to understand what they're getting is smooth, glowed up skin. They want to understand what their results are going to be and the problem that you solve. Sugaring just happens to be the tool that you're using. Okay, if you use that first of the glow they're going to get, then how you get there is up to you, the professional, and that's the. That's the whole point of this. Right, you are the professional, so make sure they understand that.

Speaker 1:

And again, one of the tools is the skincare line, the sugar line, and you know this essential oil line. All right, that is how you are going to get them to that skin right. It's not a competition and I want you to stay visible. So don't disappear when laser ads show up, you know. Show up stronger with education, with truth and that sweet sugar energy that you have right. Show them the way instead of cowering in fear to anyone. That's a quote competition in your town? All right. And here's the other thing be the comeback queen, you know. Talk about this. Hey, did lasers not work for you? Come on back to sugar.

Speaker 1:

Their skin didn't love it. You're here with the solutions. No judgment, Amazing opportunity for you to say. Hey you know, other hair removal didn't work for you. Come on back and try sugar, all right, because these people are going to try it. We don't want to fight them on that. We want to educate them on why we are doing a beautiful job with their skin and it's okay if they come back after they try it and it's okay for them to try it.

Speaker 1:

Don't have a judgment thing or else your clients will feel like they can't come back to you. Okay, so, so, so. So many beautiful things about our industry. My most favorite is really just how we can work with each other, not against each other, okay, and sugaring is a movement and you are at the heart of it. Okay, laser might be having a moment, but sugaring is a movement. You're seeing that now, in the very beginning, when there was no one at trade shows talking about sugaring and I'd stand on stage and be like, yes, you should sugar, it's so great and there was no booths. Now there's one to four booths at every trade show that you can experience. It's a movement. You see it on TikTok, you see it on Instagram. You're hearing about it. Right, you are a part of that movement that is rooted in clean beauty, deep care and real results. Okay, and a movement that prioritizes skin. It celebrates our bodies and invites everyone in.

Speaker 1:

Your service isn't just hair removal. Your identity as an esthetician isn't just hair removal. It's connection and confidence and care, and confidence and care. So, if you have tools in your tool belt and you keep your standards high and you work with other local companies and never forget, you're the reason this industry feels human. That's what we need. We need for you to reach out and collaborate with other beauty professionals in your industry. Reach out to the med spas, reach out to the holistic wellness folks and collaborate, not compete. So do not fear lasers, my sweet friends. Lasers can they have a beautiful place with for some folks, and they have a place that doesn't work for some folks, and that's okay.

Speaker 1:

There's plenty of bodies to go around, okay? So if this episode lifted you up and gave you just a little bit of extra insight, I would love it If you would share it with another sugar pro or esthetician um, that needs a reminder has been kind of wondering. And if you could do all the things like tag us on Instagram and leave a review, that would be amazing and help us to keep getting the word out about sugar, and the goal is to grow this sweet little movement together. I'm proud of you, I see you and I hope that you have a beautifully sweet week filled with sweet success, and I will see you next time on the sugar show.