1% better.
- Jen Martinelli
- Aug 2
- 12 min read
"Perfection is often just fear wearing a really nice outfit."
🖤 From Jen: 1% better
Hi BEAUTISTA Fam,
If you had asked me to describe myself ten years ago, one of the first words I would've used was perfectionist. Back then, I thought that was one of my greatest strengths.
Perfectionists care. We go above and beyond. We notice details other people miss. We don't like mediocre. We have the discipline to keep working on something long after everyone else has called it "good enough."
There are parts of that mindset I'm still grateful for. But over the years, I've realized there was another side to it. Perfection was keeping me from making progress. I wouldn't post the content because I wanted it to be better. I wouldn't send the newsletter because I wanted one more edit. I wouldn't launch something because I hadn't figured out every possible scenario. I thought I was raising my standards. Really... I was just waiting.
Looking back, I think a lot of my perfectionism came from not feeling good enough. If I could just make it a little better... maybe it would finally be worthy of putting out into the world. Then I finally realized something. While I was trying to perfect Version 1, everyone else was on Version 20. They weren't necessarily smarter than me. They weren't necessarily more talented. They just had more reps. They had put their work out into the world, listened to feedback, made it a little better, and did it again. Meanwhile, I was still trying to make Version 1 perfect. That one realization completely changed the way I work. I had to train myself to close my laptop and just hit publish. Not because it was perfect. Because it was ready to learn. I've found that feedback is a much better teacher than perfection ever was.
Throughout the years, I've been working on my perfectionist mindset. I can't tell you how many times I've repeated the same thing to myself: "Done is better than perfect, Jen." Sometimes I believed it. Sometimes I had to force myself to believe it. I'd literally close my eyes, hit publish, and deal with whatever happened next. Little by little, I trained myself to stop waiting. Then this week I realized I'm not chasing perfect anymore.. Every department meeting seemed to end the same way. "Run it." Let's see what happens. We'll learn more from real people than we ever will sitting around trying to predict every outcome.
Then this week our team was looking at one of the most complex workflows in our business trying to improve the process. A few years ago, I probably would've stared at it for months trying to solve every problem before making a move. Instead, I made a few changes, sent it back to the team, and wrote one note: Just make it 1% better. That's it.
Just 1% better. I've realized this idea shows up in so many of the leadership books I've been reading. It's based on the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, the idea that small, continuous improvements eventually create extraordinary results. Toyota made it famous, but today its principles are used by organizations around the world - from manufacturers like Ford to companies like Amazon and Nike -all built on the same simple idea: small improvements, made consistently over time, lead to extraordinary results.
Instead of waiting for one big breakthrough, every employee was encouraged to look for one small improvement. Maybe someone moved a tool a little closer so workers didn't have to take an extra step. Maybe someone found a safer way to complete a task. Maybe someone saved five seconds in the process. None of those changes seemed like a big deal on their own. But thousands of tiny improvements, repeated every single day, transformed the company. That's Kaizen. Not giant leaps. Just 1% better consistently.
Think back to cosmetology school. Nobody graduates because they nailed one perfect haircut. You get a little better with every mannequin. Every guest. Every color formula. Every mistake. Nobody notices the tiny improvements while they're happening. Then one day someone says, "You're amazing." What they didn't see were the hundreds of little improvements that got you there.
None of those 1% improvements seem life-changing on their own. But make enough 1% improvements, and six months later you're a completely different person. Businesses work the same way. Leadership works the same way. Relationships work the same way. Life works the same way. I've stopped asking myself, "How do I make this perfect? or even "How do I make this great." And now I ask, "How do I make this 1% better?" It's amazing how much lighter that question feels.
So if you've been staring at a project that feels too big... Don't solve the whole thing today. Just make it 1% better. If you've been waiting for the perfect time to start something... today isn't about starting perfectly. It's just about being 1% better than you were yesterday. I've found that's how extraordinary things are actually built. Not all at once. One tiny improvement at a time.
Perfectionism isn't the enemy. It's what pushed me to care deeply, work hard, and strive for excellence. But I've also learned that perfection becomes a problem the moment it keeps you from taking action. If there's one thing I hope you take away from this, it's this... Don't spend so much time trying to perfect Version 1 that someone else gets to Version 20 before you.
They aren't ahead because they're smarter. They aren't ahead because they're more talented. They're ahead because they were willing to learn sooner. Keep your high standards. Keep caring deeply. Just don't let perfection steal your reps. Make it 1% better. Then do it again tomorrow.
xoxo,
Jen Martinelli
🚀 The Shift: Weekly Mindset + Strategy Upgrade.
Stop Chasing Perfect. Start Collecting Reps.
Big goals can be overwhelming. Become a better leader. Grow your business. Build your confidence. Get healthier. Create better work. Our brains naturally ask, "Where do I even start?"
This week, don't ask how to solve the whole problem. Ask yourself one simple question: "How can I make this 1% better?" That question changes everything.
Instead of trying to become an incredible leader... Have one better conversation.
Instead of trying to fix your business... Improve one process.
Small improvements don't feel impressive in the moment. But they compound. Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. That's how confidence grows. That's how businesses grow. That's how people grow. This week, don't chase perfect. Chase 1% better.
🎙️ In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
Another week, another lineup of incredible education from the industry's leading brands. Here's a look at just a few of the free classes our community attended.
🎨 Redken | Shades ALK Pro Connect
Artists explored Redken's newest alkaline demi technology, learned how to confidently formulate with Shades ALK, and discovered new ways to elevate color services while increasing revenue.
📱 Pureology | Social Media for Revenue Growth
Learned how to turn social media into a business tool by creating authentic content that attracts the right clients, increases bookings, and drives retail sales.
✨ K18 | Style Lab: K18 and the Art of Repair
Explored repair techniques for every hair texture while learning how to integrate K18 into color, cutting, and styling services to improve results, boost client satisfaction, and grow revenue.
💇 Living Proof | Styling Lab: Smooth Styling
Mastered techniques for creating sleek, glass-like finishes while learning how to choose the right tools and products for every hair type.
🌟 Color WOW | Building Beyond the Chair
A masterclass on personal branding, social media, and building demand beyond the appointment—helping stylists grow both in the salon and online.
💎 Magic Sleek | Mastering the System for All Hair Types
Discovered consultation strategies, customization techniques, and pricing approaches to confidently add a high-value smoothing service to the salon menu.
✂️ Bonika Shears | Shear Knowledge
Learned how to properly care for professional shears, avoid common maintenance mistakes, and extend the life of one of a stylist's biggest investments.
Missed one? No worries. Many classes are available on demand, with new live education added every week from the brands you know and trust.
(And if you're a salon owner, school leader, or educator—share these with your team. One class can change a service. A habit of learning can change a career.)
💻 Tech-Forward:
Where tech meets beauty (and your next big move begins).
Don't Ask AI for a Poop Brownie 🍫💩
Imagine asking AI for the world's best brownie recipe. A few seconds later, it hands you one. The problem? It's a poop brownie recipe.
Not because the entire recipe is bad... But because AI pulled ingredients from everywhere. Some came from incredible bakers. Some came from people who have no idea how to bake brownies. AI mixed the good with the bad and confidently handed it back to you. That's how AI works. If you don't tell it what great looks like, it has no way of knowing. It predicts. It averages. It mixes.
That's why the best marketers don't ask AI to "write me an email" or "create an Instagram post."
They first teach AI what excellent looks like.
They build what's called a swipe file—a collection of ads, emails, websites, social posts, headlines, videos, and landing pages they admire. Not because they're going to copy them, but because they want AI to study the frameworks behind why they work.
💡 This Week's AI Prompt
Start a folder called Swipe File. Every time you stop scrolling because something grabs your attention, save it. Once you have 5–10 examples, upload them into ChatGPT and use this prompt:
"These are examples of marketing I believe are exceptional. Analyze them and identify the frameworks they have in common. What hooks, storytelling structures, emotional triggers, writing patterns, offers, and calls to action make these effective? Teach me the framework—not the copy. Then create an original marketing campaign for my business using those same principles while keeping my unique brand voice."
The best AI users don't just write better prompts. They teach AI what excellence looks like first.
What we're learning from Hiring Funnels:
You Don't Have a Career Page. You Have a Career Form.
There's a question we've started asking salon owners in sales conversations: What does your career page look like?
Most of them show us a page with a form. Name, email, years of experience, upload your resume.
That's not a career page. That's a job application. And for the candidates you most want to hire, there's almost no difference between that and a dead end.
Research on digital job applications consistently shows that more than 60% of candidates — Gen Z in particular — abandon the process the moment they hit a long form or a resume upload. On mobile, that number climbs higher. They don't fill it out and leave.
But here's the part that gets overlooked: even salons that drive real traffic to their career page are pouring into a leaky bucket. The traffic problem and the conversion problem are two separate problems — and most beauty businesses have both.
The deeper issue is what the page doesn't say. Before a candidate fills out anything, they want to know three things. we call them the 3 B's:
Will you believe in me?
Will I belong here?
Who will I become here?
Those aren't resume questions. They're culture questions. And a form doesn't answer them. Your recruiting isn't losing people because they don't want to apply. It's losing them because nothing in the process told them why they should.
The opportunity — the video, the story, the culture — has to come before the action. That's what converts.
If you've never run those numbers, we built something for that.
Plug in your average service ticket, your daily client count, and how many weeks you've been waiting. The number on the other side is usually the moment salon owners stop thinking about hiring as an expense — and start thinking about it as the most urgent investment they can make.
🔥 What’s Happening:
Virtual Live Events You Don’t Want to Miss
Next Live Virtual Classes
Your next breakthrough could be just one class away. Here's what's happening live this week on BEAUTISTA:
🎨 Mizani | Curl Haircutting Foundations
🗓 Monday, August 3 | 11:00 AM EDT
Master Mizani's signature Aircut system and learn five glide techniques designed to create shape, movement, and premium textured hair services.
✨ OLAPLEX | Transform Your Business: The Business of Backbar
🗓 Monday, August 3 | 11:00 AM EDT
Turn every appointment into a higher-value experience by mastering consultations, treatment menus, and retail strategies that grow salon revenue.
🤍 L'Oréal Professionnel | French Blending with Jack Howard
🗓 Monday, August 3 | 1:00 PM EDT
Learn the modern approach to seamless grey blending from one of the industry's most recognized color experts.
🎓 Pureology | Color Care Certification
🗓 Monday, August 3 | 1:30 PM EDT
Become the color care expert your clients trust while learning strategies to increase client retention and retail sales.
💚 Biolage | Essential Product Immersion
🗓 Monday, August 3 | 4:00 PM EDT
Deep dive into the Biolage portfolio and learn personalized consultation techniques that build loyalty and retail confidence.
🏆 OLAPLEX | Total Transformation: Pro Difference Scalp to Ends
🗓 Tuesday, August 4 | 11:00 AM EDT
Learn a premium treatment protocol that restores hair health, increases repeat visits, and helps grow service revenue.
🥇 L'Oréal Professionnel | Metal Detox Certification
🗓 Tuesday, August 4 | 12:00 PM EDT
Earn your certification while learning how to eliminate metal buildup for more predictable color results and healthier hair.
(And if you’re reading this as a salon owner or educator — send your team. One class can shift an entire culture.)
👀 Watch This Space
(Jobs Worth Seeing)
👀 Watch This Space
Coterie Salon & Spa |📍Robbinsville Township, NJ
OPEN ROLES
(Full-Time or Part-Time)
Some salons are built around services. Coterie was built around a feeling.
That line from their BEAUTISTA profile immediately caught our attention. Founder Angela didn't just create a salon. She set out to build a place where creativity, wellness, and genuine connection could exist under one roof. Today, that vision includes a full-service salon, spa, beauty bar, rooftop event space, and even an in-house café, creating an experience that's as memorable for the team as it is for the guests.
What really stood out to us wasn't just the beautiful space. It was the investment in people. Whether you're a seasoned Nail Technician or newly licensed, Coterie emphasizes mentorship, hands-on education, career development, guaranteed earnings during onboarding, and a clear path for long-term growth. They even talk about future leadership and ownership opportunities for team members who want to build more than just a job.
We also loved hearing directly from the team in their career video. They talk about collaboration over competition, creating a workplace where people genuinely support one another, continue learning together, and build careers they're proud of. After more than 30 years in business, that's a culture that doesn't happen by accident.
Why we think this is a GREAT place to work:
🤝 A culture rooted in mentorship, collaboration, and belonging—not competition.
📚 Ongoing education with in-house coaching, technical training, and outside education opportunities.
🌱 Clear opportunities for long-term growth, leadership, and even future ownership.
☕ A truly unique environment featuring a salon, spa, rooftop event space, and Arvo Café—all designed to create an unforgettable experience for both guests and team members.
If you're a Nail Technician in the Robbinsville area looking for more than just your next job, this opportunity is definitely worth a closer look.
👉 Apply with your portfolio + watch the video to experience the space for yourself
🎤 Educators Wanted: Your Dream Role Just Went Live
Ready to teach, inspire, and represent iconic brands?
💥 Educator roles at Pureology, Matrix and Kérastase are now LIVE on BEAUTISTA.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a rising educator, this is your moment.
🔦 BEAUTISTA Spotlight
Elizabeth Barrick
📍Chico, CA
🎓 Paris Beauty College
Some beauty professionals never stop learning. Elizabeth Barrick is one of them.
With 25 years in the industry, Elizabeth has built a career that spans behind the chair, behind the podium, and inside the classroom. She has served as an instructor at multiple beauty schools, including Paul Mitchell The School, where she became Head of Education at just 24 years old. She's also educated for Zotos International, taught at industry events, led in-salon education, and continues to fuel her passion for sharing knowledge with others.
Today, she owns her own salon studio, specializes in vivid color, extensions, precision cutting, and textured hair, and is actively seeking opportunities to continue doing what she loves most—educating.
One line from her portfolio really stood out to us:
"I'm from an era where influencers were educators... motivated to share, educate, and love to see people succeed."
That says everything.
Elizabeth reminds us that the best educators never stop being students. They're always learning, always evolving, and always finding ways to pour that knowledge back into others.
Why she caught our attention:
🎓 25 years of industry experience spanning salon, education, and stage work.
🏆 Former Head of Education at Paul Mitchell The School by age 24.
🎨 Expertise in vivid color, extensions, precision cutting, and advanced color techniques.
❤️ A genuine passion for education, mentorship, and helping others grow.
We're proud to feature Elizabeth this week and can't wait to see where her next chapter takes her.
👉 Connect with Elizabeth, explore her portfolio, and follow her journey on BEAUTISTA.
Want this for your students?
Reach out to hello@beautista.com and we’ll show you how to make it happen.
💫 WE WANT TO FEATURE YOU
Have a story about how BEAUTISTA helped or inspired your career? Email us at hello@beautista.com to be spotlighted in an upcoming issue.
💡 BEAUTISTA Tips & Tricks
💌 Pass It On
Know someone who needs this kind of real talk in their beauty journey?
Share The TRIMM with a fellow BEAUTISTA and help them grow, too.
Last week's newsletter can be viewed here.
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