I want more. (There. I said it.)

“Comparison is the Thief of Joy.”

🖤 From Jen: Grateful... AND Wanting More.

Hi BEAUTISTA fam.

This week I'm struggling (again) with gratitude — and wanting more. I know gratitude is the way. I believe that. But my overachieving brain cannot stop wanting more, and while I used to feel guilty about that, I've come to realize that both can exist. They actually serve different purposes.

Here's what I mean.

When my daughter walks in and says "this person's basement is so much better than ours" — I immediately hit her with it: comparison is the thief of joy. And it is. We compare all day long and walk away feeling less than. Like someone else is more. Like we don't measure up.

But then I also preach this: Nothing is unrealistic if someone else has it. It's proof it's possible. So, be grateful for what you have but also use what others have to motivate you to achieve more. Those things sound like they're contradicting each other... and I guess thats why I struggle between those worlds of gratitude and wanting more.

You've heard the four-minute mile story - if you haven't here it is - For years, doctors and scientists believed the human body was physically incapable of running a mile in under four minutes. Until Roger Bannister did it in 1954. And then — within WEEKS— others did too. Then more. Because once the proof existed, the belief changed. The body didn't change. The belief did. 

Comparing yourself to someone else to feel less than — that steals your joy. But using someone else's success as evidence of what's possible? That's not comparison. That's permission. 

I've talked to thousands of beauty professionals over the last few years. Students, Pro's, owners, educators. And the most common thread across all of them? Some sort of version of the belief - "I'm not good enough." Not always said out loud. But it's there. It's the reason people undercharge, shrink in rooms, and scroll someone else's page feeling smaller instead of inspired.

That false belief is lying to you. And it can be changed — because beliefs aren't facts. They're just stories we've told ourselves so many times we stopped questioning them. The work — and it is work — is flipping the script. From why me to why NOT me. From I'm not good enough to the proof exists, and I'm next. Gratitude keeps you present. Ambition keeps you moving. You don't have to choose between them.

I guess I'm also realizing in this moment is that when I shut down my daughter with “comparison is the thief of joy,” I’m stopping the thought… but I’m not giving her a way to move forward. It’s a shutdown. But what if it’s actually meant to be a signal? Because not all comparison is bad. So maybe I’d amend Roosevelt’s quote and say “Comparison is the thief of joy… unless you use it as proof of what’s possible.”

The proof exists. Decide you're next.

xoxo

-Jen Martinelli 

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🚀 The Shift: Weekly Mindset + Strategy Upgrade.

The 4-minute mile wasn’t just about speed — it was about belief.

Once one person proved it was possible, others followed. Not because they suddenly got better… but because their mindset shifted. So here’s something to try this week: Use proof as fuel — not comparison.

Pick one thing you’ve been doubting yourself on:

• Raising your prices

• Getting fully booked

• Becoming an educator

• Posting your work more consistently

• Going after a bigger opportunity

Now do this:

Step 1: Find your proof

Identify someone in your space who already has what you want.

Step 2: Study it (don’t scroll past it)

Instead of thinking “they’re better than me,” ask: What are they doing consistently that I’m not?

Step 3: Take one aligned action

Not ten. Just one.

• Post the work

• Start the conversation

• Sign up for the class

• Raise the price

That’s how belief actually changes. Not all at once — but through small moments of evidence.

Because once your brain sees it as possible, you start showing up differently. And that’s when everything starts to shift.

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🎙️ In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)

The BEAUTISTA education calendar has been packed — and if you’ve been feeling that “I’m not good enough” voice, this is where you quiet it.

Because confidence doesn’t come from thinking. It comes from learning, practicing, and doing. Here are a few classes worth tapping into:

Shades EQ Pro Connect (Redken)Become the go-to gloss expert. This class breaks down how to use Shades EQ and Shades ALK to create seamless color results while expanding your service menu and revenue potential.

Haircare: Features, Benefits & Solutions (Matrix)If retail feels uncomfortable, this one changes that. Learn how to confidently recommend products based on real client needs — not scripts — and turn consultations into revenue.

Blonding for All (Matrix)A foundational class that helps you choose the right lightener, improve efficiency behind the chair, and build a more loyal blonde clientele.

Haircare & Treatments Pro Connect (Redken)Consultation is everything right now. This class focuses on diagnosing client needs and prescribing the right treatments — which directly impacts retention and trust.

Reset Without the Redo (Living Proof)Time-saving = money-making. Learn how to refresh styles without starting from scratch and give clients results they didn’t expect in less time.

Rapid Perfection: Gelish Soft Gel TipsFor nail pros looking to work smarter. Faster application, strong retention, and high-quality results — without sacrificing artistry.

Across color, care, styling, and technique, one thing is clear: The professionals who keep learning are the ones who keep growing.

👉 Watch on demand and catch what you missed

(Pro tip: Pick one replay that directly supports what you want to earn or improve this month — and start there.)

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💻 Tech-Forward:

Where tech meets beauty (and your next big move begins).

AI isn’t just for content.

The smartest beauty professionals right now are using it to run their day more efficiently. Not in a complicated way. In a “this just saved me 30 minutes” kind of way.Because the reality is — most stylists, owners, and students are juggling: clients, DMs, scheduling, content, learning, life…

And the people pulling ahead aren’t necessarily working more. They’re working smarter.

Here’s how to start using AI this week:

1. Turn client conversations into scripts

Instead of overthinking what to say, use AI to help you respond faster.

Try: “Write a friendly but professional response to a client asking about pricing for balayage”

Or:“Help me explain why this service costs what it costs in a confident way”

This helps you communicate clearly without second guessing yourself.

2. Plan your content in minutes, not hours

Instead of staring at your phone thinking “what should I post…”

Try: “Give me 5 Instagram post ideas for a hairstylist who specializes in blonding”

Or:“Write 3 captions for a before/after transformation that focus on client confidence”

3. Build better consultations

This one is underrated.

Try: “Give me 5 questions I should ask a client during a consultation for color correction”

Now you’re walking into appointments more prepared — and that leads to better results and higher tickets.

4. Organize your week

If your brain feels scattered, try:

“Help me plan my week as a hairstylist with 5 clients a day, content creation, and time for learning”

You’ll be surprised how much clarity this creates.

The Real Shift

AI isn’t replacing your creativity. It’s removing the friction around everything else.

So you can spend more time:

• creating

• connecting

• growing

And less time stuck, overwhelmed, or overthinking.

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What we're learning from Hiring  Funnels: 

This week Matt and I were in New York City at SPARK — a SalonCentric industry event — and we heard the same story from almost every salon owner in the room.

They post a job. They get flooded with applicants. Half aren't even licensed. Nobody shows up to the interview. Nobody calls back. They're exhausted. We have names for this. You're either getting Catfished — fake or unqualified people applying from non-industry platforms who were never a real candidate to begin with — Ghosted — someone who seemed interested and then vanished — or you've become Burnt Out Brenda — the owner who has done this cycle so many times she's given up on hiring altogether.

And the root cause is almost always the same: posting on platforms that aren't built for this industry and have no filter for who actually responds. The data from our active BEAUTISTA hiring campaigns tells a different story.

Across our current clients, we're averaging 46 conversations per campaign with local beauty professionals — people emailed, texted, called, and followed up with. That's 46+ hours of candidate communication that never landed on the owner's plate. And out of those 46 conversations, every single person who wasn't licensed, couldn't commute, or wasn't the right fit was filtered out before the owner ever saw their name. What reaches the hiring manager isn't a pile of applications. It's a small group of pre-qualified professionals who already know the salon, understand the opportunity, and chose to pursue it.

All of it — the career page, the ads, the conversations, the vetting — done within 6 to 8 weeks. Not a months-long search. Not a revolving door of unqualified strangers. A focused, strategic campaign with a real end result.

That's not a volume problem. That's a trust and targeting problem — and a funnel solves both.

👉Book a 20-min audit with Matt → Optimize your Job ad copy

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🔥 What’s Happening:

Virtual Live Events You Don’t Want to Miss

Next Live Virtual Classes

There’s a LOT happening right now — but these are the ones actually worth your time (because they either make you more money, better at your craft, or both).

If you want to increase ticket + client retention:

BIOLAGE – Essential Scalp Certification🗓 Mar 23 @ 11AM EST

Scalp is having a moment… but more importantly — it’s becoming a revenue driver.This class helps you actually diagnose (not guess) and turn that into services + retail.

👉 Translation: better consultations = higher tickets + more loyal clients

If you want to sell without feeling salesy:

SUMMIT – Retail Revolution Jumpstart🗓 Mar 23 @ 11AM EST

Understanding how your client buys changes everything.This breaks down the psychology behind it so you can recommend with confidence (not pressure).

👉 Translation: more retail, without awkward conversations

If you want faster services + better results:

JOICO – Express Balayage for All Seasons🗓 Mar 23 @ 11AM EST

Speed + placement + grow-out strategy = this is what clients actually care about right now.

👉 Translation: save time behind the chair AND create looks that last

If you want to sound like an expert (and charge like one):

K18 – Style Lab: The Art of Repair🗓 Mar 23 @ 1PM EST

Clients don’t just want results — they want to understand why.This gives you the language + science to build trust instantly.

👉 Translation: more trust = more yes’s

If you’re an esthetician (don’t skip this):

Elaine Sterling – Consultation Mastery

This one is different. It’s not just technique — it’s how you think during a consultation.

👉 Translation: better consults = higher tickets + better results

If you want to build a HIGH-value niche:

PUREOLOGY – Bridal Hairstyling & the Business🗓 Mar 24 @ 1PM EST

Bridal isn’t just styling — it’s positioning, pricing, and client flow.

👉 Translation: fewer clients, higher revenue

👉 Explore the full class lineup anytime at beautista.com/classes

(And if you’re reading this as a salon owner or educator — send your team. One class can shift an entire culture.)

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👀 Watch This Space

(Jobs Worth Seeing)

👀 Watch This Space 

Mirror Mirror Salon | 📍 Erie, PA

Hairstylist

Salon Assistant / Front Desk Coordinator

There's a detail about Mirror Mirror Salon that says everything you need to know about it: the plaza it sits in is called Vendetti Commons. That's the owner's name on the building. Julie Vendetti has been doing hair in Erie for over 22 years. She didn't just build a clientele — she built a community, a team, and eventually, a place with her name on it. The salon's legal name is Mirror Mirror, A Salon Story. That wasn't an accident.

When a car literally crashed through the front of her salon in 2018, the story that made local news wasn't the damage — it was that her stylists immediately pulled clients out of the way. That's what 15 years of building something real looks like.

Now she's on BEAUTISTA with two openings — one for an experienced stylist ready to build, and one for someone ready to learn from the inside.

✂️ Experienced Hairstylist

• PA-licensed, 2+ years experience

• 50–60% commission

• Paul Mitchell products

• Full or part time, flexible scheduling

View this opportunity →

🗂️ Salon Assistant / Front Desk Coordinator

• Great for newly licensed or early-career beauty pros

• Hands-on mentorship in a working salon

• Learn how a successful book of business is built

• Full or part time, hourly

View this opportunity →

The vibe: Eight stations. Tight-knit team. Professional without being stiff. "Grow Your Career Inside a Salon That Feels Like Home."

👉 Apply with your BEAUTISTA portfolio and explore what it looks like to build a career rooted in impact.

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🎤 Educators Wanted: Your Dream Role Just Went LiveReady 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.

🔗 Pureology 

🔗 Kerastase

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🔦 BEAUTISTA Spotlight

Eden Rule | Houston, TX 

Esthetics | Ogle School – Stafford

👉 Explore Eden’s portfolio on BEAUTISTA

For 18 years, Eden Rule stood at the front of a classroom. She taught. She directed theatre. She poured herself into students, into stages, into the kind of work that shapes people.

And then, at 42 — mother, grandmother, and career educator — she decided it was her turn.

Eden enrolled at Ogle School – Stafford in September 2025 to pursue her Esthetics license. She showed up with the same energy she gave her students: 100% attendance, a 4.0 GPA, Top Client Count, Top Campus Retail Sales, and a resume of certifications that would make a seasoned pro blush — Dermalogica, Face Reality Acne Expert, Dermaplaning, Advanced Brow Mapping, Pro Power Peels, and more. She graduated with Honors in February 2026.

She didn't just go back to school. She went back to win.

And she didn't wait to start building. While still in school, Eden became a GROWTH Hair Supplement Partner — one of the brand partnership opportunities available to BEAUTISTA members. She's already in motion before most people have talked themselves into starting.

That's what it looks like when you stop asking if you're ready and just decide to go. Eden says it herself on her BEAUTISTA canvas: "The world is your stage… shine bright in all that you do." Coming from a theatre director who walked away from 18 years of certainty to bet on herself — that's not a quote. That's a commitment.

👉 Explore Kayla’s portfolio on BEAUTISTA

Want this for your students?Reach out to jeneanne@beautista.com and we’ll show you how to make it happen.

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💫 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

We're Teaming Up with Modern Salon Magazine — and This Is Just the Beginning

If you've visited the BEAUTISTA News page lately, you may have noticed something: Modern Salon is already showing up. Industry stories, trends, education — curated and living right inside BEAUTISTA.

That's not a coincidence. It's the start of something.

What this means for you as a BEAUTISTA member:

• Industry news and trends from Modern Salon, delivered where you already are

• More visibility for the work you're doing

• A seat at a table that used to be reserved for the big names

This is the kind of partnership that puts BEAUTISTA members in rooms — and publications — they should have been in all along.

Stay close. More announcements are coming. 👀

👉 Check out the BEAUTISTA News feed →

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💌 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.