The metric I stopped chasing (and why)
- Jen Martinelli
- Aug 11, 2025
- 12 min read
"Attention is borrowed; Influence is earned.
🖤 From Jen: Clicks are not influence.
I was in my backyard reading Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO this week when I highlighted this: you can have attention and still have no influence. The next morning a podcast hit the same topic. Then I hopped on calls with BEAUTISTA Growth Leader Jon, then Matt, still chewing on it.
Jon said, “Remember that creator with millions of followers who launched a tee and sold… 37?” I didn’t. He told me the story. She had 2.6 MILLION Followers, launched a T-shirt line and sold 37 shirts!!!!! Was it trust? Offer misalignment? Probably both. Either way, it wasn’t a reach problem. It was an influence problem.
It made me look at our world—students, pros, schools, brands—and name what we’re actually trying to do: influence. Influence decisions. Influence culture. And, when you hit a wall, influence the influencer—the owner, educator, brand manager—who’s guarding the door.
A student says yes to a mentorship.A guest rebooks without a discount.A school chooses a new path for their grads.A stylist applies because your culture felt safe.
Clicks are the crowd noise. Influence is the moment someone quietly changes their mind.
I thought about our friend Daniel Mason Jones this week (He hosted a BEAUTISTA x L'Oreal HeadUp Webinar on Boundaries on Monday) —and how he handles every conversation (even the hard ones) with love and clarity. That’s influence too: making people feel safer, braver, clearer in your presence. The internet remembers how you make them feel... and thats why Daniel has influence; influence with his social audience, with his guests and most importantly with his team.
If your audience is small right now, don’t wish it away. Small is where you can still hear every message, reply with care, and explain your work like you would to a friend. That’s how trust stacks. And trust travels.
My scoreboard this week: less “How many saw it?” and more “Who decided because of it?”Followers are rented. Influence is earned. And earned things last.
And here’s the unglamorous bridge between attention and influence: consistency. As Alex Hormozi (successful founder turned investor, bestselling author, speaker,) would say, track inputs you control—reps shipped, DMs answered, proof shared—not the outcomes you don’t. Pick a cadence you can keep for a year. Say your core promise until you’re bored of it; that’s usually when people start to hear it. Proof over polish, again and again. Consistency is the key to finding influence.
Whether you’re building from zero or rebuilding after a peak, aim for influence first. Reach follows.
xoxo
-Jen Martinelli
🚀 The Shift: Weekly Mindset + Strategy Upgrade.
From attention → influence (in 15 minutes a day)
1) Change the scoreboard (weekly)
Pick 1 decision you want to influence this week:
Students: book a mentorship call
Pros: 3 rebooks
Schools: 5 campus tours
Owners: 3 qualified applications
Brands: 5 creator opt-ins
Track Decisions Made ÷ People Reached = Influence Rate (not likes).
2) Run the Daily 10-Minute Loop (inputs you control)
One Proof (5 min): Post something that builds trust: a 30s client story, before/after with process, culture moment, student win, or a boundary script you used.
One DM (3 min): Reply thoughtfully to 1 person (voice note or short vid beats text).
One Invitation (2 min): Clear next step: “DM ‘Link’ for my booking link,” “Tour our campus Friday?” “Apply with a 60-sec intro.”
3) Use the 1-1-1 Template (any post, any channel)
One line: your promise (“Healthy blondes without the damage.”)
One proof: receipt (result, testimonial, clip).
One ask: specific action (book, tour, apply, DM keyword).
4) Make it specific to you
Students/Pros: Link your BEAUTISTA portfolio; add “Book” on profile; invite DMs for fit.
Owners: Swap static “Team” bios for team BEAUTISTA links; end every reel with “See portfolios + culture guide—link in bio.”
Schools: Share a weekly student win + tour invite; add “Portfolio Lab” to tours.
Brands: Seed 10 micro-creators; measure creator decisions (sign-ups, trials), not impressions.
5) Consistency > perfect
Pick a cadence you can keep for 12 weeks: e.g., 2 proofs + 5 meaningful replies + 2 invites/week. Post it even if it’s 80% pretty.
6) Your Influence Scorecard (weekly, quick)
Inputs: proofs posted | replies sent | invites made
Outcomes: decisions made | influence rate | top DM insight to act on next week
🎙️ In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
The Webinar That Had Everyone in the Chat Saying “PREACH!”
Boundaries = Happiness: How to Stop Overcommitting & Start Setting Boundaries w/ Daniel Mason-Jones & the Head Up Mental Health Initiative.
Hundreds of beauty professionals, students, beauty businesses and educators showed up live—and the chat blew up with 💬 “YESSS,” “AMEN,” and “This hit me hard.”
Key Takeaways:
The 3 boundary mistakes that keep you broke + burned out
Why raising your prices starts with raising your standards
Scripts for handling no-shows, energy vampires & “Can you squeeze me in?” texts
The truth: If you're not setting boundaries, you’re not charging what you’re worth
🔥 From the Chat:
“Clients will run over you if you don’t stand firm in your energy.”“Stylists are the worst at eating right—myself included.”“I don’t run for my body. I run for my mind.”
Whether you’re behind the chair, leading a team, or still in school—this session was a masterclass in protecting your peace and claiming your worth.
Pro Tip: Watch it with your team or class—it’s team building and life changing.
👉 Join the Boundaries Micro-Community » (free for BEAUTISTA members): https://connect.beautista.com/spaces/19600363/chat
First post to drop: “What’s the one boundary you’re committing to this week?
💻 Tech-Forward:
Where tech meets beauty (and your next big move begins).
📲 1. AI-Powered Career Tools Are Replacing Resumes (And It's About Time)
Hiring is moving skills-first. Employers increasingly want proof of work (video, portfolio, links) over bullet points—which is why rich, linkable profiles are becoming the norm in creative and service roles. That’s the broader market shift we’ve been talking about for years (Matt + I riffed on it in our video 6 months ago), and it lines up with the wider move to skills-based hiring across industries.
Hiring managers decide in under 7 seconds. A clickable portfolio keeps you in the running while a static doc disappears.
We’ve been beating this drum for years—and we broke it down in this quick riff 6 months ago: resumes block us from finding great talent. Portfolios reveal it.
👉 Watch my 2-min convo with Matt: Watch the clip here
Make it real: Open your BEAUTISTA portfolio → hit Print Resume → hand out the PDF with the auto-generated QR code. When they scan, they see your videos, photos, and DMs—instead of a dead-end doc. Because your career should look as good as your work.
🎥 2. Reels Are Now 2x More Likely to Reach New Clients Than Posts Independent platform data shows Instagram Reels continue to outperform photos for reach and impressions, making them a discovery machine for beauty pros. Batch a few 20–30s transformations each week and keep it simple.
Pro Tip: Use the “Remix” feature to add your reaction to trending beauty vids.
💬 What We've Learned from Hiring Funnels
This week: Stage 2 = Drive intentional traffic, not random clicks.
Salon Today Top 200, multi-location, premium salon came to us saying: “Applications are slow.” Within days of turning on Stage 2, they messaged:
“We’re already in the teens for candidates. I’m blown away.”
“How did we go from almost no leads to way more—and actually qualified?”
“That simple iPhone video you cut—hook first, quick highlights—worked. Brilliant.”
Mini playbook (30-minute start)
Record a no-frills leader video; lead with why your team wins.
Drive to a portfolio apply (not “upload resume”).
Add 3 pre-qual questions to filter noise and create micro-conversations
Retarget watchers and DM engagers with a calendar link.
Want us to map your Stage 2 in under 20 minutes? ✨ Want to see how this could work for you?
He’ll walk you through what’s working—and what’s broken—in your funnel.
🔥 What’s Happening:
Virtual Live Events You Don’t Want to Miss
📅 AUG 11 @ 12PM ET — The Culture Code: How to Build a Team that Grows Together
🎟️ Save Your Spot → Register Now
This isn’t “another webinar.” It’s a front-row seat with Jen Groover—the entrepreneur and performance coach SUCCESS Magazine dubbed a “One-Woman Brand.” She’s built and licensed multiple companies, gone from QVC stages to Fortune 500 boardrooms, and is featured across Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Inc. When leaders need to fix culture and momentum, they call Jen.
People don’t leave “the brand.” They leave the culture—the manager, the norms, the vibe. And when they do, it’s not just sad… it’s expensive: empty chairs, rehiring time, training lag, client churn. If you’ve felt that sting, this session is for you.
The Culture Code: How to Build a Team that Grows Together
In 60 minutes with Jen, you’ll learn how to:
Design your Culture DNA (values you can actually hire, coach, and fire by)
Hire for fit, not just skill—so drama drops and retention rises
Create psychological safety without lowering the bar
Institutionalize wins with simple rituals that keep people bought in
🎟️ Save Your Spot → Register Now
✨ Exclusive VIRTUAL Mastermind with Jen GrooverOnly 30 spots.
Only $250. (Yes, you read that right.)
This is the first-ever BEAUTISTA Mastermind—designed by demand and led by one of the best to ever do it.
🧠 Jen Groover has been called a “One-Woman Brand” by SUCCESS Magazine, has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and INC, and has coached CEOs, brands, and Fortune 500 teams on leadership, performance, and mindset.
We’ve personally paid $700+ to be in this same mastermind. But we’re bringing it to YOU LIVE via Zoom for just $250—because this community deserves access.
✅ 4 powerful Live Virtual sessions
✅ Real coaching, real accountability
✅ Bring team members at no extra cost
🎯 Leave with a plan, clarity, and momentum.
📍Reserve your seat now — when these 30 spots are gone, they’re gone.
🌟 Partner Perks:
Career-Changing Collabs You Shouldn’t Miss
GROWTH (Free Starter Kits for the next 30)
Hair loss isn’t niche—it’s normal. More than half of women will experience noticeable hair loss over time, which means nearly every salon has guests quietly dealing with it.
That’s why we’re excited about GROWTH—a hair wellness supplement line positioning itself as clean, clinician-backed, and designed to support fuller, thicker-looking hair over time (they even highlight trials and expert endorsements on their site). If helping clients with thinning is part of your world, this is worth a look.
Perk: After last week’s webinar rush, GROWTH is extending the FREE Starter Kit offer to the next 30 people.
👉 Claim yours: https://beautista.com/register/growth-giveaway-2025
- Learn more about the brand and see before and afters at: growthhairsupplement.com
Why this matters for salons
Opens a trusted, non-gimmicky convo your clients already want to have
Adds a wellness revenue stream without feeling salesy
Pairs naturally with scalp health services and hair-loss consultations
👀 Watch This Space
(Jobs Worth Seeing)
A family trade, passed hand-to-hand.
Shear Images 📍New Market, MD Now Hiring: Hairstylists
Owner Hannah grew up in a line of hair pros and barbers. Twenty-five years later, she’s still behind the chair—building a salon that feels like home and mentoring the next wave the way her family did for her.
It’s a “grow here” culture.
They actively hire apprentices and stylists and route candidates through a modern, portfolio-first application (yep, through BEAUTISTA). That’s not just a job post—it’s a signal that education and progression matter here.
Community shows up for them—because they show up for community.From what they publish publicly (specials/updates), you see the small-town, big-heart DNA: a professional space with a neighborly feel where clients stick and careers compound. (Their site highlights the team and service mix—not just “open chairs.”)
Why this role hits differentIf you want a salon that pairs real mentorship with modern recruiting and a loyal guest base, Shear Images is that sweet spot—steady, supportive, up-to-date, and very human.
Ready to take a look?View the opening and apply via your BEAUTISTA portfolio. (Portfolio link = faster conversation, not just another résumé.)
🎤 Educators Wanted: Your Dream Role Just Went Live.
Ready to teach, inspire, and represent iconic brands?
💥 Educator roles at Pureology, Redken, and Kérastase are now LIVE on BEAUTISTA.Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a rising educator, this is your moment.
🔦 BEAUTISTA Spotlight
Keliana Fermahin
From the Summit Salon Academy Tacoma classroom to the Redken stage
In June 2024, Keliana (who was still a student) was flown to Redken Symposium (expenses paid) to work behind the scenes with Sam Villa—after winning a Redken mentorship through BEAUTISTA. Not someday. Not “when she’s done with school.” Now.
Every time I watch these videos I get teary eyed... and since text wont do it justice here are the videos - see for yourself.
🎥 Mentorship announcement: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8XiAqkJway/
🎬 Hear from Keliana: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9VgS4MxUWP/
👏 Watch the audience cheer for her on stage: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9drax2spXT/
🖼 See her portfolio: https://web.beautista.com/canvas/keliana-fermahin
Why this matters: Keliana attends a BEAUTISTA School, (shout out to Summit Salon Academy - Tacoma) which gave her both the opportunity and the tools to seize it—portfolio, badges, and a platform brands actually review.
For students & pros: Keep your portfolio current. Lead with why. Let your work speak before you walk in.
For schools: Put your students on the path to stages like this by leveraging their BEAUTISTA Portfolios.
👉 Want this kind of experience and impact for your students?Reach out to jeneanne@beautista.com and we’ll show you how to make it happen.
💫 Have a story about how BEAUTISTA helped or inspired your career?We want to feature you. Email us at hello@beautista.com to be spotlighted in an upcoming issue.
💡 BEAUTISTA Tips & Tricks
🏢 For Beauty Businesses: Fix your “Meet the Team” (it’s costing you clients + recruits)
People book with people—not logos. And yes, candidates stalk your team page before they apply. The problem? Most “Meet the Team” pages go stale the week they’re published: old bios, outdated certifications, broken booking links, zero proof of work.
Here’s the fast fix:
Link to portfolios, not static bios. On each profile, add two buttons: View Portfolio (BEAUTISTA link) and Book Now (your booking link). Your pros keep portfolios current—no developer needed.
Lead with proof. Pull 3 specialties, badges/certifications, and a 10-second intro video from each portfolio. Replace paragraphs with scannable credibility.
Make it recruit-ready. Add a line under the grid: “Want to work with a team like this? View our openings (Link to your BEAUTISTA career page).” Candidates will judge your culture by the quality and consistency of these profiles.
Track it. See views on every View Portfolio and Book Now button so you can see who (and which stylist) drives conversions.
Put it on a cadence. Quick monthly sweep: verify links, swap in 3 new looks per stylist, refresh badges after education days.
Want help turning your team page into a conversion + recruiting asset?
🏫 For BEAUTISTA Schools: Turn your status into enrollment momentum.
Students don’t want “career prep” that ends with an outdate resume. They want a tech-forward program that helps them market themselves from day one. Use your Official BEAUTISTA School status to make that crystal clear.
Plant the flag. Put the BEAUTISTA window cling on your main entrance and snap a photo for socials. Caption idea: We’re an Official BEAUTISTA School—where portfolios replace resumes and opportunity is built into the curriculum. Tag @BEAUTISTAofficial and use #BEAUTISTASchool so we can amplify it.
Make it visible online. Add the BEAUTISTA badge to your homepage + Admissions page with a short line: Our students build digital portfolios, earn badges, and learn to market themselves—no old-school résumé class required.
Create a tour moment. During every campus tour, do a 90-second demo: open a student portfolio → hit Print Resume → show the QR that opens video, photos, and messaging. Parents “get it” instantly.
Spotlight outcomes. Post a weekly “Student Portfolio of the Week” reel. Keep it simple: 3 clips (before/after, portfolio scroll, quick intro), CTA: Apply. Train where your work gets seen.
Equip Admissions. Hand prospects a one-pager: What You Get as a BEAUTISTA Student: portfolios, badges, mentorships, and real industry access. (Want a ready-to-use template? Email jeneanne@beautista.com and we’ll send the media kit.)
Activate industry. Email salon partners your BEAUTISTA status and invite them to browse student portfolios before career day. It sets a higher bar and improves matches.
What to say (steal this)
“At our school, resumes aren’t the finish line—your portfolio is. You’ll graduate with work you’re proud of, a link you can share, and a reputation already forming.”
“People book with people. Your BEAUTISTA portfolio humanizes you and helps you get hired faster.”
🎓 Need Help or resources? Email jeneanne@beautista.com and she will get you set up.
🎓 For Students, Pros, & solopreneurs
Your BEAUTISTA Portfolio = Your Website
People book with people—not logos. Your BEAUTISTA portfolio already does what a website should: shows your work, your vibe, and how to book you.
Do this today (5 minutes):
Open your portfolio and edit your portfolio to add your online booking link in the online booking section.
Copy your portfolio URL and put it everywhere (IG bio, Linktree, email signature, QR at the station).
Hit Print Resume to get the auto-QR PDF—great for events and new-client packets.
Why it works
Your photos + video intro build trust fast.
One click to book removes DM tag—no more “are you taking new clients?”
It’s a living link you can update anytime—no clunky website required.
🗣 Your Take - this one’s for the Students and pros
Vote here 👇 – We'll share the results in the next TRIMM.
📊 Last weeks results
💌 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.
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