My son didn’t know the numbers or the stakes. He just believed I could do it.
"Sometimes we need someone else to see us clearly when we can’t."
🖤 From Jen: The Version of You They Already See.
Hi BEAUTISTA Fam,
I don’t know what has been going on with me these past few weeks, but I have been so aware of how much I rush. Rush to the next thing. The next milestone. The next level of security. The next place where I think I am finally going to feel stable enough, successful enough, safe enough. A huge part of building this business has always been wanting to create a great life for my kids. I wanted them to have opportunities. I wanted them to feel secure. I didn’t want them worrying about the things I worried about growing up.
Building a business while raising kids has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, but also one of the biggest blessings of my life. Because I built my own thing, I had flexibility. I dropped them off at school. I picked them up almost every day. I made it to MOST of the games, practices, concerts, school things, all of it. But lately I have been thinking about the other side of that also.
How many times did one of them walk into my office while I was working and my knee-jerk reaction was, “I’m working.” How many questions did I half answer while looking at a screen? How many times was my body technically there while my brain was five steps ahead worrying about something that felt so important at the time? And now they are getting older.
Matt’s birthday is this weekend, so maybe that is what sent me down this rabbit hole. I have been thinking so much about when the kids were little and all the things we used to do without realizing that eventually there would be a last time we did them. We used to have Friday Night Sundaes. We would take the kids to the grocery store and let them pick out whatever they wanted. Ice cream. Candy. Chocolate. Hot fudge. Caramel. Completely ridiculous amounts of sugar. Then we would come home, build these massive sundaes and watch a movie together. I loved those nights.
But I don’t think I understood while I was IN them that one day we just... wouldn’t do it anymore. There was a last Friday Night Sundae and I didn’t know it was the last one. There was a last time I picked one of them up and carried them. A last bedtime routine that changed without anyone announcing it was changing. A last time they needed me in some little-kid way that felt completely normal until suddenly they didn’t. And I think thats what I'm struggling with lately. I spent so many years trying to get somewhere for them that sometimes I forgot THIS was it. The movie nights mattered. Being at the game mattered. Lying in bed talking about absolutely nothing mattered.
And slowing down enough to think about all of those moments reminded me of something that happened with my son a few years ago. Matt and I were preparing for a really big meeting with a brand. We had worked on it for WEEKS. We talked about it constantly. Practiced. Changed things. Practiced again. It was one of those meetings where, at the time, it felt like SO much was riding on what happened the next morning. If it went well, we could breathe a little longer. If it didn’t, we were going to have to figure out how to pivot, and FAST. And the kids knew. They could feel our anxiety leading up to it.
That night I was lying in bed with my son doing our normal nighttime talking routine and I could barely pretend my mind was anywhere else. He started asking me about the meeting because he knew that was what I was thinking about. I told him a little about it. I told him it was a really great opportunity for us, but Dad and I had to show them our value. We had to prove what we could do. He listened. Then he was quiet for a minute. And he said, “I believe in you, Mom.” I can still feel exactly what that did to me.
I grew up with a teenage mom and dad and an immigrant grandmother helping raise me. Everyone loved me. Everyone was doing the absolute best they could. But we were SURVIVING. I worried too. I knew when the adults were stressed. Encouragement just didn’t sound the way it sounds in my house today. There was never a day or moment when someone looked at me as a kid and said, “I believe in you.” So when my little boy said it to me? Forget it. All bets were off.
My son believed in me. I was going to figure it OUT. We walked into that meeting the next morning and killed it. At the time, that meeting felt enormous. Looking back now, it was one of MANY meetings Matt and I would eventually have. There would be more big brands. More presentations. More moments where we had to prove ourselves. More meetings that felt like everything depended on them. And you know what? They never really became less scary. We just got better at doing hard because we got more reps.
Which brings me back to my son. Football is HIS thing. He has been playing for as long as someone would let him put pads on. Before tackle football, it was flag. He knows every player. Every stat. Collects cards. Watches games. Studies it. Loves it. He had a game this weekend and, like always, he wanted to play well. He prepared. Ate right. Did the work. And right before the game, I looked at him and said something that does not naturally come out of me because, again, I wasn’t really raised hearing it. I looked at him and said, “I believe in you, buddy.” And as soon as I said it, I remembered that little boy lying next to me all those years ago saying the exact same thing to me. And maybe it had absolutely nothing to do with anything, but he had a pretty amazing game. I haven’t stopped thinking about those four words since.
Why did they have SO much power over me that night? It wasn’t because my son suddenly gave me someone to do all of this for. I was already doing it for him. For both of my kids. They were a huge part of the reason I was putting myself through all of that pressure in the first place. I think it was something different. I was scared. I was questioning whether we could pull it off. I knew everything that could go wrong. He didn’t. He just looked at his mom and believed she could do it. And for a minute, I got to borrow his certainty about me.
There is actually psychology behind that. Encouragement from someone whose opinion matters to us can strengthen our own belief that we are capable of doing something hard. And we also know that people can find an incredible amount of motivation when what they are doing is connected to someone they care about. I think the combination of those two things is what hit me that night. I was already doing whatever it took trying to build something FOR my kids. Then one of those kids looked at me and basically said, I see you. I trust you. I think you can do this. Now it wasn’t only about whether I believed in myself. I HAD to be the mom he already believed I was. THAT was fuel.
It was like getting a charge right when I needed it.
We underestimate how much fuel we can give each other. Think about someone on your team who is about to teach their first class. The assistant taking their first client. Your friend starting over. Your partner walking into a huge meeting. Someone applying for a job they think is a stretch. The person who has done ALL the preparation but is still quietly questioning whether they are good enough. We say, “You’ve got this.” “You’re going to do great.” “Good luck.” I say those things too. But But “I believe in you” feels different. It is not just encouragement about the thing you are about to do. It is someone showing you the version of YOU they already see, even when you can’t see that person yourself yet. Capable. Strong. Ready. Someone who can handle this. And when it comes from somebody you love or respect, you almost feel responsible for living up to that version of yourself. That is what happened to me. My son had no idea about the numbers. He didn’t understand the pressure behind that meeting. He didn’t know the strategy or the stakes. He just believed his mom and dad could do it. And for that moment, his belief in me was stronger than my fear.
It was only because I have been slowing down lately, thinking about Friday Night Sundaes and bedtime talks and all of these little moments I didn’t realize were ending while I was so busy racing toward the next thing, that I remembered exactly what those words had done for me. They had been sitting there in my memory all these years, but I don’t think I had ever stopped long enough to understand how powerful they were.
Then this weekend I looked at my son before his game and said them back to him. “I believe in you, buddy.” And saying it felt almost as good as hearing it had all those years ago. Because there is something pretty amazing about getting to GIVE somebody that charge. To look at someone you love, someone on your team, a friend, your partner, an employee, and remind them of the version of themselves YOU already see. Especially when they are nervous or doubting themselves or about to do something that feels really big.
That is what is different about “I believe in you.” It isn’t just, “Good luck.” It is almost like saying, I already know who you are. I already know what you are capable of. You don’t have to prove it to me first. Now go get it.
Who in your life needs that charge? Your child. Someone on your team. Your friend. Your partner. The assistant taking their first client. Someone starting over. Someone stepping into something bigger than they have ever done before. Someone who looks completely confident from the outside but is quietly questioning whether they can pull it off. Tell them. "I believe in you."
My son gave me those four words years ago. I carried them into that meeting. I probably carried them into more hard moments than I even realize. And then years later, without planning any of it, I gave the exact same words back to him before he walked onto a football field. That is what I can’t stop thinking about.
You never really know what somebody is going to do with the belief you give them. Maybe it gets them through the meeting. Maybe it gets them through their first day. Maybe they remember it years later when they are scared again. Maybe one day they turn around and say the exact same thing to somebody else. Maybe even back to you.
And I think that is what all of this slowing down has been reminding me. I spent so much time rushing toward the life I wanted to create that I didn’t always realize how much life was happening in all of those little moments along the way. The movie nights. The bedtime talks. The football games. The conversations I probably thought were ordinary at the time. They weren’t.
So yes, keep building. Keep going after the next thing. I know I will. But slow down enough to notice what people are giving you along the way. And when you can see something in someone that maybe they can’t see in themselves yet, don’t just think it. Say it. You might be giving them four words they carry for years.
xoxo,
Jen Martinelli
🚀 The Shift: Weekly Mindset + Strategy Upgrade.
Say the Words.
This week, think of one person in your life who might need a little extra belief right now. Your kid. Your partner. Your friend. Someone on your team. Someone doing something hard.
And just tell them: “I believe in you.” No speech. No explanation. No advice. Just the words.
Sometimes that is enough to give someone exactly the charge they needed. And you might be surprised by the charge you get from saying it too.
🎙️ In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
Missed a class this week? No problem. There was A LOT happening, and the replays are waiting for you on demand.
L’Oréal Professionnel | Tech Talk Masterclass with Jacob Khan
Cut + color came together LIVE from the NYC L’Oréal Academy. Jacob Khan and Aly Davis broke down pixies, shags and bobs paired with iNOA Red, plus formulation, foiling, color melting and ways to increase your service ticket.
Redken | Lift & Tone Pro Connect
Build your blonding confidence with Blonde IQ and Redken’s lightener portfolio, including how to choose the right lightener for different blonding scenarios and create more consistent results.
Summit | Solopreneur to Entrepreneur
Ready to grow beyond doing EVERYTHING yourself? This class gave independent stylists a roadmap for building a team, creating systems and making the shift from working IN the business to working ON it.
Booksy | CONTENT → CONNECTION → CLIENTS with Bailey Lavender
This wasn’t just about social media. Bailey connected your online presence to the consultation, client experience, trust and the relationships that create better clients and a more sustainable career.
Redken | Shades ALK Pro Connect
Go deeper into NEW Shades ALK, Shades EQ and Redken color science, with foundational formulation knowledge designed to solve common color challenges and expand your service menu.
Pulp Riot | Renegade Blonde: Lightening + High Speed Toner
Lighteners, high-speed toners and modern blonding techniques designed to help you work smarter while creating bold, high-impact blonde results.
Matrix | Haircare: Features, Benefits & Solutions
Learn how to match haircare to different client concerns and naturally weave retail recommendations into consultations, treatments and styling.
L’Oréal Professionnel | Dia Essentials
Acidic or alkaline demi? Learn when to use Dia Light versus Dia Color for glossing, toning, grey coverage and high-shine, low-commitment color.
Keratin Complex | Texture Masterclass
Customize your smoothing services across different textures, from frizz control and curl enhancement to relaxer transitioning, protective styling and more.
Matrix | Color De Pelo Para Todos
En Español. Get into SoColor, Super Sync and Tonal Control, including formulation and when to choose acidic versus alkaline demi-permanent color.
Pureology | Hairstyling: Sleek Blowouts
Master the viral glass-hair finish with tension, sectioning and techniques for creating that glossy, ultra-sleek blowout clients are asking for right now.
Mizani | Texture Haircare Essentials
Learn how to assess curls, coils and waves, create personalized regimens and turn better texture knowledge into stronger client loyalty and retail.
Endure Beauty | Lash Lift + Tint
For our esthi + lash pros. Learn how to create consistent lift and tint results while protecting natural lashes, plus how this add-on can support rebooking, bundling and revenue.
R+COLOR | HYPERMATIC Speed Date
TEN-MINUTE demi color. Learn how HYPERMATIC creates tonal deposit in 10 minutes or less, plus how to choose the right lightener for different blonding and toning needs.
(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).
Would Your Career Page Make YOU Want to Apply?
We launched something new on BEAUTISTA this week that I want every business owner to play with. The BEAUTISTA AI Hiring Grader is LIVE.
Drop in your website and our AI looks at your career page through the eyes of a potential candidate, gives it a score and shows you what could be stronger.
Because here is the problem with grading your own career page: you already know the story.
You know why people stay. You know what the culture feels like. You know what makes your team special. You know the opportunities someone can have if they build their career with you.
But is any of that actually coming through on the page? A candidate can only react to what you SHOW them. Can they see the people? Can they understand the culture? Do they know why this opportunity is different from the salon down the street? Can they picture themselves there? Is there enough there to make them want to take the next step?
That is what the grader is looking at. You know all the reasons someone should want to work for you. The grader doesn’t. It only sees what you actually PUT on the page. And that is kind of the point.
TRY IT: Run your career page through the grader. Get your score. Then look at the feedback without defending the page in your head. :)
What is ONE thing you could make clearer, more human or more compelling?
TRY THE FREE BEAUTISTA AI HIRING GRADER →
What we're learning from Hiring Funnels:
The Click Isn’t the Finish Line.
We spend a lot of time thinking about getting the right person to SEE the opportunity. The ad. The post. The email. The job listing. But getting someone interested is only the beginning.
Once a beauty pro thinks, “Hmm... maybe I would work there,” they start doing their homework. They look at your website. Your Instagram. Your team. Your photos. Your reviews. Where you are located. They want to know what kind of clients you have and what it might actually FEEL like to work there.
And this is something I think we underestimate in recruiting.
Candidates are checking YOU out too.
So here is something I want every owner to try: pretend you are thinking about working for your own business.
Start wherever a candidate might start. Maybe they saw your opportunity on BEAUTISTA. Maybe an Instagram ad introduced them to you. Maybe a friend sent them your name.
Now go investigate yourself.
Can you easily find the business? Does the Instagram link work? Is the location obvious? Does the website feel current? Can you see the team? Can you get a sense of the culture? If you decide you ARE interested, do you know what to do next?
None of those things by themselves seem huge. But recruiting is a journey made up of a LOT of little moments. We are learning that the goal isn’t only to create interest. It is to make it easy for that interest to keep moving forward.
And if you havent already check out our ai Hiring Grader.
GRADE MY HIRING →https://beautista.com/hiring-grader
Not running Premium or boosted yet? 👉 Book a call with Gavin.
🔥 What’s Happening:
Virtual Live Events You Don’t Want to Miss
Next Live Virtual Classes
A LOT is happening next week, so I pulled out a few worth putting on your radar. Cut + color, business, scalp, styling, lashes and some seriously fast color innovation.
OLAPLEX | Healthy Hair Express: 3-Minute Revenue Driver
Monday, October 19 | 11:00 AM ET
THREE minutes. Learn how to turn a standard cut or style into a premium treatment experience with a quick repair + hydration service designed to add value for the client and revenue behind the chair without blowing up your schedule.
Color WOW | Intro to Let’s Get Reels
Monday, October 19 | 12:00 PM ET
The team behind social accounts with more than 1 million followers is breaking down the actual mechanics of scroll-stopping video: lighting, positioning, transitions, filming, editing and building a recognizable personal brand.
Design Essentials | Autumn Elegance: Bridal + Event Hair
Monday, October 19 | 10:00 AM ET
Fall wedding season is HERE. Learn long-wear bridal and formal styling, ways to incorporate seasonal elements and how to adapt current trends for everything from the aisle to the afterparty.
Andis | Mastering Clipper Over Comb
Monday, October 19 | 11:00 AM ET
For our barbers + short-hair specialists. Build confidence with clipper-over-comb, remove bulk, create smoother transitions and use the technique across different lengths and hair types.
Mizani | Wash & Go Hairstyling Made Easy for Curls
Monday, October 19 | 3:00 PM ET
Simplify Wash & Go styling with techniques for better curl definition, less frizz and longer-lasting results, plus how to customize product layering and at-home recommendations for different curl types.
Biolage | Essential Scalp Certification
Tuesday, October 20 | 11:00 AM ET
Scalp is becoming a SERVICE category, not just a product conversation. Learn how to analyze common scalp concerns, build personalized regimens and turn better scalp knowledge into stronger consultations, client trust and revenue.
Endure Beauty | Brow Lamination + Tint
Tuesday, October 20 | 11:00 AM ET
For our esthi + brow pros. Learn brow lamination and tint techniques while looking at how a high-impact add-on can support rebooking, service bundling and higher client value.
And yep... they’re ALL FREE on BEAUTISTA.
(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
Remedi Spa | Massage Therapist + Nail Technician
📍 Staten Island, NY | Full-Time or Part-Time
Sometimes the hardest part about making a move isn’t whether you can DO the work. It’s wondering if you are going to have to start all over again when you get there. That is what caught my attention about Remedi Spa.
Remedi is an established, busy day spa in Staten Island, and they are currently growing their team with openings for both a licensed Massage Therapist and Nail Technician. Their careers page specifically says new team members can step into an existing clientele and busy schedule, which is a pretty big deal when you are considering a move.
This also isn’t a spa built around one type of appointment. Remedi offers massage, nails, facials, brows + lashes and other wellness services, along with memberships and packages designed to bring guests back across multiple services. That means you are joining an environment where relationships and repeat visits are already part of the business.
And when I dug into their client reviews, the same words kept showing up in different ways: comfortable, cared for, knowledgeable, attentive. That matters because BOTH of these roles are so personal. Whether you are working with someone through therapeutic massage or sitting across from them during a nail service, people remember how you made them feel.
For the Massage Therapist, Remedi is looking for someone who can personalize treatments, build lasting relationships and help guests work toward their individual wellness goals.
For the Nail Technician, they are looking for someone who brings artistry + attention to detail across manicures, pedicures, gel and enhancements while creating the kind of experience that keeps clients coming back.
A few benefits worth knowing:
Full-time OR part-time opportunities
Flexible scheduling
Existing clientele + a busy spa environment
Competitive compensation
Ongoing education + training
Employee discounts on services + retail
A professional, supportive team environment
Opportunity to build long-term client relationships
A spa with memberships + multi-service packages that encourage repeat visits
If you are already licensed in one of these specialties and thinking about your next move, don’t just read the job description. Look at the business. Look at the client experience. Look at whether you can picture yourself building relationships there.
That is exactly why we built BEAUTISTA opportunities this way.
CHECK OUT Remedi Spa →
🎤 Educators Wanted: Your Dream Role Just Went Live
Ready to teach, inspire, and represent iconic brands?
💥 Educator roles at Matrix and Kérastase are now LIVE on BEAUTISTA.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a rising educator, this is your moment.
🔦 BEAUTISTA Spotlight
FEATURED PORTFOLIO: Robert Channelle
📍 Jacksonville, FL | Professional Stylist + Educator
Okay, Robert has been in this industry for more than 30 YEARS, and his BEAUTISTA portfolio is basically a walk through an entire career in beauty.
Stylist. Educator. Salon owner. Product developer. Brand leader. Mentor. He has built and maintained a clientele averaging around 100 clients a week, led education for national and international beauty brands, created his own professional haircare and makeup lines and worked with celebrities including Nia Long, Eve, Jazmine Sullivan and Foxy Brown.
And then he jumped into our BEAUTISTA community and started TEACHING. :)
Robert posted a transformation taking naturally dark, textured Level 2 hair to an icy Level 10+, but he didn’t just post the finished photo and say, “Look what I did.” He explained the WORK behind it.
Porosity. Elasticity. Existing pigment. Hair integrity. Moisture. Bond-building. Maintenance. And probably the most important part, knowing when the hair should NOT be pushed any further just to get the result you want.
He said:
“The goal isn’t just to get it blonde. It’s to keep it beautiful, manageable, and as strong as possible.”
YES.
That is what 30+ years in this industry looks like. It isn’t only knowing how to create the result. It is understanding WHY you are doing what you are doing, knowing when to stop, and then being willing to teach somebody else what you have learned.
And Robert’s portfolio backs ALL of that up. His licenses. His education. His video. His career history. Decades of work. You don’t have to wonder who he is professionally because he actually SHOWS you.
I also want more of THIS in our community. Don’t only show us the after photo. Tell us how you got there. What was hard about it? What did you use? What did you learn? What would you do differently? Teach each other.
Robert, after 30+ years, you are still learning, creating and sharing what you know with the next generation. Keep it coming. :)
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
💡 Your Content Should Make Someone Feel Like They Already Know You
If social media has started to feel like, “Post the hair. Write a caption. Hope someone books,” watch Bailey Lavender’s Booksy class on demand this week.
Bailey isn’t teaching this from theory. She is a hairstylist, educator, owner of The Lavender Rose Salon & Spa and a creator who has built an audience of roughly 3 million on TikTok. Her salon-life content regularly gets hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, of views. And when she taught CONTENT → CONNECTION → CLIENTS at Premiere San Antonio, it was one of the sessions called out among the standing-room-only classes.
But I don’t think the lesson is “go viral.” The lesson is CONNECTION.
Bailey’s class starts with this idea: “Connection is the service, not just the hair.” And I think every beauty pro needs to hear that. Social media is often the FIRST part of someone’s experience with you. Before they ever sit in your chair, they are deciding: Do I like this person? Do I trust them? Do they understand people like me? What would it FEEL like to be their client?
That means your content cannot only be beautiful finished hair.
Let people hear how you think. Explain why you chose that formula. Talk through a consultation. Tell the story behind the transformation. Share the funny parts of salon life. Teach something. Show your personality. Show how you care for people.
Bailey has built an enormous audience doing exactly that. Her content feels like you are getting a peek into salon life with her, not watching another perfectly polished ad.
TRY THIS: Open your Instagram and look at your last nine posts. If someone had never met you before, would they know anything about YOU or what it would feel like to sit in your chair? Or would they only know what your work looks like?
Your next post doesn’t have to be prettier. Make it more human.
Then go watch Bailey’s class because this one is much bigger than learning how to make content. It is learning how to turn attention into trust, trust into connection and connection into clients.
💌 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.
Want to catch up on last week's newsletter? Click here.
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