The more I focused on the hard, the harder it got.

Jen Martinelli
Oct 25, 2025
10 min read

“Where your focus goes, energy flows. Where your energy flows, results show.

🖤 From Jen: What you focus on GROWS.

Hey BEAUTISTA Fam,

I say this to my kids all the time: what you focus on grows. “She was mean.” “They didn’t invite me.” I always come back to the same thing—change your focus, change your day. I’ve said it so much I almost forgot there’s science behind it.

Your brain has a tiny filter called the RAS (Reticular Activating System). Think of it like a bouncer at the door. You tell it what matters, and it lets more of that in. That’s why when you like a certain car, you suddenly see that car everywhere. OR if you are pregnant you suddenly see pregnant people everywhere. The cars and pregnant people didn’t multiply—your focus did and your RAS is now looking for those things.

So if you keep staring at drama, your brain will serve you more drama. If you point it at progress—kind clients, cleaner foils, better systems—it will start spotting those, too.

Here’s the nuance I live by:

If it’s in your control focus on taking action towards fixing the problem.If it’s not in your control→ change your focus.

Either way you are changing your focus.

This week, I’m telling my kids (and myself): pick your focus on purpose. One sentence in the morning—“Show me chances to ____”—and then catch three tiny wins before bed. It’s simple, but it works. I used to say and i'm bringing it back - "Show me how easy it is."Because for some reason we focus on the hard and see more hard. What we feed grows. And I want us feeding the good.

xoxo

-Jen Martinelli

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🚀 The Shift: Weekly Mindset + Strategy Upgrade.

Focus Is a Muscle — Train It Daily

Your brain’s RAS will find whatever you tell it to look for. Most people feed it fear, stress, or comparison. But focus is trainable — and it only takes a few reps to start rewiring it.

1️⃣ The Morning Cue

Before you touch your phone, give your brain its assignment.Say out loud:“Show me how easy it is.” (or insert your own focus)It tells your filter to search for ease, solutions, and flow instead of chaos.

2️⃣ The Midday Reset

When something goes wrong (client cancels, traffic, tech glitch), pause and ask:“Is this in my control?”If yes → take a tiny action toward fixing it.If no → change your focus. Move your body. Change your state.

3️⃣ The Night Recap

Before bed, spot three small wins you’d usually ignore —a kind client, a system you tweaked, a quiet moment you actually enjoyed.Write them down or say them out loud. That’s how your RAS learns what to multiply tomorrow.

Feed the good.What you focus on grows — so aim that lens on purpose.

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🎙️ In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)

How Much Does an Empty Chair Really Cost a Salon Owner?📰 BehindTheChair.com • Featuring BEAUTISTA Premium Customer Kip Dodson

Even award-winning salons struggle with the same problem: empty chairs that drain thousands in lost production every week. In this new Behind the Chair feature, Kip Dodson — owner of A Moment’s Peace Salon & Day Spa in Franklin, TN — shares how he transformed his hiring process using BEAUTISTA’s Beauty Talent Funnel™.

💬 “I’d look at 40 resumes and maybe not get one hire. The no-shows were constant.”Ninety days after switching to BEAUTISTA, Kip’s team filled two chairs, dropped no-shows, and built a system that attracts stylists who actually fit his culture.

Read how he did it → How Much Does an Empty Chair Really Cost?

Why It Matters:One empty chair can cost $2,000–$4,000 a week in lost production. BEAUTISTA helps owners stop the leak — and hire through story, not spreadsheets.

Curious what your empty chairs are costing?👉 Try the Empty Chair ROI Calculator

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💻 Tech-Forward:

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

AI Search That Works Harder Than Google (or TikTok)

If your brain has a RAS filter, think of AI search as your digital one. Instead of getting lost in endless tabs or doom-scrolls, you can train AI to bring you exactly what you want—fast.

Try this prompt:

“Act as a search expert for beauty pros. I’m a [hairstylist/barber/esthetician] in [City] specializing in [services]. Find 5 of the most current, credible, and creative ideas for [topic—ex: fall hair color campaigns, client retention, or IG caption trends]. Summarize each in 2 sentences and explain why it matters for my audience.”

Why this matters:AI search filters the noise. It pulls signal — not scroll traps. Instead of spending hours looking for ideas, you spend minutes executing them.

Pro Tip:Build a “Focus Board” in Notion or Notes. Save your favorite AI search results there — ideas, inspo, captions — so you train your digital brain to look for progress, not panic.

Because what you search for grows, too. 💜

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What we're learning from Hiring Funnels:

We see it all the time — salons invest in attracting the right people, but when high-intent, qualified applicants finally come in, there’s no playbook for what happens next. That’s where the ball gets dropped.

The truth is, speed and consistency make the difference between hiring momentum and ghosting. Once BEAUTISTA delivers applicants who are excited and aligned, you need a clear process to move them through fast — from that first text to the offer.

Here’s a simple 48-hour playbook to help you keep the energy (and the candidate) alive.

📞 Once You Get an Applicant — The 48-Hour Playbook (with next steps)Goal: Contact in 0–12 hrs → Phone screen in 24–48 hrs → Technical scheduled within 3–7 days → Offer/Decline within 24 hrs of technical.

🕐 Day 0 — Within 0–2 Hours (yes, that fast)✅ Text + Email + Voicemail = Triple Touch

Text (recommended first):

“Hi [Name] — this is [You] from [Salon]. Loved your BEAUTISTA portfolio! Can we do a quick 10-minute intro call in the next 48 hours? Grab a time here: [Calendly link]. If you prefer text, reply with two times that work. 💬”

Email: same message as text + link to your Career Page.

Voicemail (if you call): “Loved your portfolio — sent you a text and calendar link to make it easy.”

📅 Send a Calendly Link - 10 minute intro call (what it is + why)Calendly is a simple scheduling tool that shows your open time slots and books automatically — no back-and-forth.Set it to a 10-minute “Intro Call” with:

SMS + email reminders (24 h + 2 h before) — Calendly handles this for you
5-minute buffer time
Zoom or phone auto-inserted

📞 Immediately Post Phone Call

Send a thank-you text and a Calendly link for the next step (e.g., technical or shadow day).
Add them to your “Currently Interviewing” status in BEAUTISTA.
Set a reminder to follow up within 24 hours if they haven’t booked.

☎️ Phone Screen (within 24–48 hours of apply)

Immediately after call (same day):

If moving forward: Text + Calendly link for Technical/Working Interview (30–60 min)
“Great talking, [Name]! Let’s book your technical. Grab a time here: [Calendly]. You’ll bring a model or we’ll provide one—details in the confirmation.”
If not now: Send “Nurture” text (keep door open). Move to Nurture Pool.

Timeframe: Technical should be scheduled within 72 hours of the phone screen, held within 3–7 days.

💇 Technical / Working Interview (hold within 3–7 days)

24 hours before: Auto reminder (Calendly SMS)Right after technical (same day):

Update status to Interviewed
Decide path and act within 24 hours:

A) If YES → Offer Pending (send same day)

Text + email: “We’d love to move forward. Expect an offer email today.”
Send Offer Packet: role, pay structure/range, start date options, training plan (30/60/90), required docs.

B) If MAYBE → Second Look (schedule within 3–5 days)

Book a shadow block or brief second technical (focused on one skill).
Keep them warm with a quick text: “Holding a spot for you on [date/time].”

C) If NO → Nurture (same day)

Kind decline + future invite: “Timing/fit isn’t right now. We’d love to keep you in our talent circle for classes/shadow days.”

✍️ Offer → Accept (within 24–72 hours)

If no reply in 48 hours: send a friendly nudge.
Once accepted: move to Hired and send Onboarding Schedule.

Onboarding essentials (send within 24 hours of acceptance):

Start date + Day-1 schedule (tour, paperwork, mentor intro)
30/60/90-day training outline (key skills, models/classes)
What to bring + dress code + parking
Point of contact + first-week check-ins

🧹 If No Response (any stage)

+24h: Quick bump text with link
+72h: “No worries if timing isn’t right—want me to check back next month?”
Tag: Waiting on Applicant → move to Nurture Pool in BEAUTISTA

👉 See what every empty chair is costing you → Employee Loss Calculator

👉 Book a 20-min audit with Matt → Get your traffic plan

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🔥 What’s Happening:

Virtual Live Events You Don’t Want to Miss

NEW: BEAUTISTA Classes Hub (Live)

We just turned on a single place to see what’s next: BEAUTISTA → Classes. You can filter by time of day and brand—and we’ll be loading September drops here.

What’s coming (sneak peek themes):

Blonding for all curl patterns
Color care certification (retention win)
Salon profit & team growth playbooks

Brands you’ll see: REDKEN, MATRIX, BIOLAGE, PUREOLOGY, SUMMIT x BEAUTISTA.

Be first to grab a seat > https://beautista.com/classes

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Next Live Virtual Class

The Salon Hiring Disruption: What’s Working Now—And What’s NextMonday, Nov 10 • 12:00 PM ET • Free • Live Online

Hiring shouldn’t be this hard.Resumés are outdated. Job posts get ghosted. Interviews? Half the time, no one shows up.Meanwhile, the best beauty pros are skipping job boards entirely—and showing up with video portfolios, purpose, and data to back it up.

So why are we still hiring like it’s 2012?

This exclusive webinar brings the Data Driven 2025 stage conversation straight to your screen—what’s actually working right now, and what’s next for salons that want to stay ahead.

You’ll walk away with:✨ A new hiring playbook built for today’s beauty landscape✨ How AI, video, and performance data are reshaping recruitment✨ The 3 biggest hiring mistakes owners still make—and how to fix them✨ What to look for instead of resumés to attract talent with culture fit and staying power

Who it’s for:Salon/spa owners, hiring managers, and leaders who want faster, smarter, and more human hiring.

👉 Save your seat — Register now

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🌟 Partner Perks:

Career-Changing Collabs You Shouldn’t Miss

GROWTH (Extended!)

Quick reminder: we’ve been loving GROWTH, the hair wellness line that helps you start real conversations about thinning and post-summer shed. They offered FREE Starter Kits to the next 30—and kept the offer going after hitting 30 because demand was so strong. It’s still live (limited extension).

Why salons care

Opens an easy, trusted convo your clients already want to have (thinning, shedding, post-summer stress).
Pairs naturally with scalp services and at-home care.
Adds a wellness revenue stream without feeling salesy.

How to roll it out (5 minutes)

Add “Scalp + Growth Consult” to your menu (10 mins).
Print a QR at the front desk → links to your recommended kit.
Post a 15–30s “how I use it” clip to your BEAUTISTA portfolio + IG.
Train one simple script: “If thinning is on your mind, this is the starter kit I trust—want me to text you the link?”

👉 Claim your FREE Starter Kit (next 30): https://beautista.com/register/growth-giveaway-2025

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👀 Watch This Space

(Jobs Worth Seeing)

👀 Watch This Space — FunkyZen Salon

Job Opportunity: Hairstylist (Full-time or Part-time)📍 18635 N Eldridge Pkwy Suite 400, Tomball, TX 77377, USA

Why This Salon Stands Out

Founded in 2023 by Jesse Cougot — a stylist and published poet with 20+ years of craft — Funky Zen mixes elevated artistry with calm, intentional design.
Boutique four-chair studio built for creative freedom: black-and-white walls, curated music, incense, bold color against minimalist backdrop. Everything is designed with both vibe and craft in mind.
Proud partner of KEVIN.MURPHY — commitment to premium product, sustainability, and advanced technique.
Culture: stylists who want freedom, community, design-driven space, and real education (not just trends).
Location: easy access in Tomball. Humble size but high intentionality — perfect for stylists who want to create, not just churn.

Who We’re Looking For

Minimum 2 years behind the chair, strong technique + steady clientele or model-book
Passion for hair as craft and expression (color, finish, experience)
Team-minded but independent: thrives in a boutique space where your work and voice both matter
Desire for schedule flexibility, creative input, and professional growth with support

What’s On Offer

Commission-based pay (details to be discussed)
Full or part-time roles available
Hands-on product education with KEVIN.MURPHY and advanced opportunities
Calm, elevated space — for stylists who prefer intention over chaos
Join a team where artistry is valued and each guest experience is elevated

Your move:

Apply with your BEAUTISTA link so they can see your craft (not a word doc resume).

👉 View the opportunity on BEAUTISTA

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🎤 Educators Wanted: Your Dream Role Just Went LiveReady 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.

🔗 Pureology

🔗 Redken

🔗 Kerastase

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🔦 BEAUTISTA Spotlight

Erin H. Maybin — Brooklyn, NYBoard Certified Colorist • Educator • Writer • 20 Years in BeautyView Portfolio →

Some portfolios are just pages. Erin’s is a career in motion.

She’s a Board Certified Colorist, educator, and writer—someone who’s been behind the chair, in classrooms, and on advisory boards—but what makes her BEAUTISTA profile stand out is how it keeps evolving with her.

Erin treats her portfolio like a living resum and creative diary—updating it as she grows, learns, and reinvents her craft. It’s proof that your portfolio isn’t just for getting your first job. It’s for every season of your career.

From students to seasoned pros, your BEAUTISTA portfolio is where your story lives—your proof, your progression, your purpose on display.

So whether you’re learning your first foils or leading teams like Erin, remember:Your portfolio grows with you. Update it. Evolve it. Let it speak for who you’re becoming.

👉 View Erin's BEAUTISTA portfolio

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.

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💡 BEAUTISTA Tips & Tricks

💡 BEAUTISTA Tips & Tricks

Your BEAUTISTA Portfolio = Your Website

Forget complicated websites — your BEAUTISTA portfolio is your digital home. It’s your online résumé, booking hub, and brand showcase all in one.

🎓 StudentsWhen you hit the floor, make it easy for guests to book you. Add your online booking link (Vagaro, GlossGenius, Square, etc.) right to your BEAUTISTA portfolio and share it on social. You’ll start learning real-world marketing skills before graduation.

💇 ProfessionalsClients book with people, not just salons. Keep your portfolio updated with fresh photos, services, certifications, and your booking link. Treat it like your personal website — the link you drop in bios, QR codes, and texts to clients.

🏫 SchoolsEncourage students to market themselves early. Their BEAUTISTA portfolio doubles as a digital portfolio and learning lab for self-branding, storytelling, and building a professional presence.

🏢 BusinessesUse BEAUTISTA as your Meet the Team page. Link each stylist’s BEAUTISTA portfolio so clients can see real work, certifications, and specialties — not just headshots. Traditional team pages go stale fast; BEAUTISTA portfolios stay alive with fresh content, social links, and videos that actually convert browsers into bookings.

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