Esthetician Podcast; Business tips for Estheticians
The Esthetician Podcast is for solo estheticians and spa owners who are overwhelmed, overworked, and trying to build a profitable business that does not completely depend on them.Hosted by Kari Jo Patterson — esthetician, spa owner, and business coach with 20+ years in the industry — each episode helps estheticians stop guessing, understand what is actually happening inside their business, know what to fix first, and build stronger systems, higher profits, better retention, and more freedom.After building her esthetics business from a solo practice into a profitable spa and eventually selling the company, Kari now teaches estheticians how to grow with more...
The Hidden Cost of Building a Successful Esthetician Business
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What does it really cost to build a successful spa business? Kari Jo Patterson shares the beginning of her personal journey from solo esthetician to building a luxury spa with a thriving team, a 4,000-square-foot building, and a business she eventually sold.
But behind the success, she was slowly losing herself. In part one of this series, Kari Jo shares how she built her team, why she chose employees over booth renters, and how ambition and success began to shape her identity in ways she didn't recognize until later.
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Where Is All Your Money Going? Profit First with Mike Michalowicz
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You're bringing in money, but where is it all going? In this episode, Mike Michalowicz, bestselling author of Profit First, joins Kari Jo Patterson to explain why so many estheticians struggle to keep the money they earn. You'll learn how overspending on inventory, everyday business expenses, and poor cash flow habits can drain your profits—and how the Profit First method uses separate bank accounts to help you control spending, pay yourself, and build a more profitable esthetician business.
If you’re booked but not maki...
Should You Quit Your Esthetician Business or Keep Going?
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Thinking about quitting your esthetician business? When clients are inconsistent, money is tight, or you're feeling burned out, it can be hard to know whether you should keep going or walk away.
In this personal episode, Kari Jo Patterson announces her decision to end The Esthetician Podcast and shares what building and selling her successful spa taught her about ambition, burnout, and knowing when it's time for a new chapter. Learn the question she believes every struggling esthetician should ask before making the decision to quit.
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Why You’re Making Money but Not Keeping It as an Esthetician
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You’re bringing money into your esthetician business, so why does it feel like there’s never enough left to pay yourself? In this episode, Kari Jo shares one of the biggest mistakes she made as an esthetician: overspending on back-bar products and supplies without realizing how much of her revenue was disappearing.
You’ll learn how to create a simple back-bar budget based on your service sales, the 7% target Kari Jo used in her own business, and how to track your spending so you can stop making...
Why Your Esthetician Clients Don’t Come Back (Even When They Loved the Facial) — with Joey Coleman
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Your client loved her facial, told you she’d be back, and then disappeared. In this episode, Kari Jo sits down with Joey Coleman, author of Never Lose a Customer Again, to break down why happy clients still don’t return—and how to build a client experience that keeps them coming back.
You’ll learn the eight phases of the client journey, why the time between booking and the first appointment matters more than most estheticians realize, how to reduce buyer’s remorse, create a memorable first visit, guide clients toward reb...
What to Focus on First in Your Esthetician Business
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If you’re trying to grow your esthetician business but keep jumping between social media, pricing, new services, rebooking, and everything else, you may not need another strategy—you may need to focus. In this episode, Kari Jo Patterson explains how to identify the biggest bottleneck in your business, use your numbers to decide what deserves your attention, and stick with one thing long enough to know whether it’s actually working.
If you’re booked but not making money, you need to start with your numbers.
Downlo...
How to Use AI to Get More Esthetician Clients to Rebook
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What if AI could help you remember every client follow-up and get more clients to rebook? In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson explains how to build an AI assistant for your esthetician business that helps you track the client journey, improve the client experience, and stop clients from falling through the cracks—so you can get clients to come back, make money, and grow without trying to remember everything yourself.
You’ll learn how to diagnose your current client journey, build your AI system step...
How to Grow Your Esthetician Business Beyond Yourself with Adrienne Dorison
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If you’re doing everything yourself in your esthetician business, you may be the thing keeping it from growing. In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson talks with Adrienne Dorison, co-author of Clockwork, about how to delegate, know when to hire, create simple SOPs, and build an esthetician business that can grow beyond you.
You’ll learn what to hand off first, how to stop believing clients will only come to you, and how better systems can give you more time to focus on getting clients, making money, and...
You Started Your Esthetician Business Before You Were Ready. Now What?
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This episode is sponsored by JuvPen Microneedling.
New estheticians are often told to go solo, start an esthetician business, and focus on getting more clients—but what if you opened your business before you had enough experience? In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson explains how to build expertise, earn client trust, improve retention, and make money as a solo esthetician by getting really good at solving one specific client problem.
She also shares why education and experience can matter more than ma...
How to Do Microneedling Correctly: A Guide for Estheticians with Bree Holt
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If you’re an esthetician offering microneedling—or thinking about adding it to your esthetician business—how do you know what needle depth to use, what products are safe during treatment, and whether you’re being too aggressive?
In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson sits down with Bree from JuvPen to break down microneedling for estheticians, including needle depth, overtreating, contraindications, treatment products, healing, device quality, consumable costs, and what to look for when choosing a professional microneedling pen. You’ll learn how to create bet...
How to Build an Esthetician Website That Gets You More Clients with Makena Delaney
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Is your esthetician website actually helping you get clients—or is it just sitting there? In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo talks with Makena, founder of Makena Creative, about how to build an esthetician website that establishes credibility, attracts the right clients, and helps your esthetician business make money.
You’ll learn what pages your website needs, common website mistakes that can turn potential clients away, which website platforms to consider, how your branding affects what clients are willing to pay, and the basics of making your...
How to Get More Client Referrals as an Esthetician
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Your clients love you and keep rebooking—so why aren’t they referring their friends? In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson explains how to build a simple esthetician referral system that helps you get clients without automatically discounting your services.
You’ll learn how to capture referrals, review them during your CEO time, thank clients in a way that fits your brand, and use your numbers to decide what you can actually afford to give away. If you want to make money, grow your esthetician business, and turn h...
Where Is Your Esthetician Business Losing Money? Find Your Biggest Profit Leak
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Are you booked but still wondering where all your money goes? In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson explains why most estheticians don't actually have a marketing problem—they have a diagnosis problem. Learn how to identify profit leaks, improve client retention, make smarter business decisions, and build a more profitable esthetician business without working more hours.
Today's Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by Zolie AI Receptionist.
Your next client could be calling while you're in...
How Estheticians Can Build Financial Freedom Outside the Treatment Room with Mel Abraham
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What happens if you get sick, burn out, or simply don't want to work behind the treatment room anymore?
For most estheticians, the income stops.
That's because we've built businesses that depend entirely on our time. The moment we stop working, the money stops too.
In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson sits down with CPA, wealth strategist, and USA Today bestselling author Mel Abraham to discuss how estheticians can begin building true financial freedom—without working more ho...
How to Know If It’s Really Time to Hire Your First Esthetician
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Are you feeling overwhelmed and wondering if it’s finally time to hire another esthetician? In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo explains why most estheticians don’t actually have a hiring problem—they have an operations problem.
Learn the simple order every esthetician business should follow before adding payroll: automate with technology, buy back your time with part-time help, and hire employees only when they’re ready to truly own part of the business. You’ll discover how better systems create more freedom, reduce overwhelm, and help you b...
Why You’re Doing Everything to Get Clients… But It’s Still Not Working
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This episode is sponsored by GlossGenius.
The more successful your business becomes, the more time it can take to run it. GlossGenius helps beauty professionals simplify booking, payments, client communication, marketing, and more—all in one place—so you can spend less time managing your business and more time serving clients.
✨ Use code KARIJO to get 50% off your first two months of a Premium GlossGenius plan: http://glossgenius.com/
Why are you not getting esthetician clients even though you’re posting...
How to Create an Esthetician Membership That Generates Recurring Revenue with Paige Vandy
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If you’ve ever wondered how to create a membership that actually works, this episode is for you.
Most estheticians think memberships are simply monthly facial plans, but memberships can become a powerful way to create recurring revenue, build stronger client loyalty, and reduce the pressure of relying only on appointments.
In this episode, Kari Jo Patterson sits down with membership expert Paige to discuss how to build a thriving membership community, improve member retention, create an onboarding experience that keeps people engaged, and avoid the biggest mistakes business ow...
How to Track Your Esthetician Business Numbers So You Know What to Fix
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In this esthetician podcast episode, Kari Jo helps a spa owner figure out why her esthetician business is growing but still feels unclear. They talk about tracking weekly numbers, improving rebooking, getting clients through referrals, and using business data to make money instead of guessing what to fix.
If you’ve ever said, “I don’t know my business numbers,” this episode is for you.
Today’s episode is sponsored by GlossGenius
Earn more and get your time back with GlossGeniu...
Should You Simplify Your Esthetician Service Menu?
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Most estheticians think they need to offer more services to grow.
But in reality?
The bigger your treatment menu gets, the more confused your clients become.
In this episode, Kari Jo breaks down why clients don’t actually think in treatments — they think in problems. You’ll learn how to simplify your treatment menu, organize your services into phases, and create systems that make clients feel more confident saying yes.
This episode is for estheticians who:
- feel overwhelmed by their menu
- struggle with c...
How Estheticians Should Actually Use Their Email List with Dawn Richardson
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Are you collecting client emails but never actually using them? In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo sits down with Dawn Richardson from Flowdesk to talk about how estheticians can use email marketing to grow their business without relying only on Instagram. They break down what to send your email list, how to stay personal without sounding salesy, how to segment clients, and how email marketing can help increase bookings and client retention.
If you’re an esthetician who feels stuck constantly posting on social media, this episode will he...
Why Your Facial Clients Aren’t Rebooking — What Estheticians Should Fix Next
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Most estheticians think they need more clients.
But what if the real problem is that the clients you already have aren't coming back?
In this episode, I sit down with Katie, a lash artist and esthetician who recently moved her business and is trying to grow her facial clientele. Like many estheticians, she thought she needed more marketing and more new clients.
Instead, we uncovered something bigger.
We talk about why tracking your rebooking percentage matters, how to create a client journey that keeps clients...
122: How Estheticians Can Stay Busy During Slow Season Without Discounting Everything
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In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo breaks down why so many estheticians feel stressed every fall and winter — even when summer felt busy. Learn how to use promotions, referrals, add-ons, and numbers tracking to create a repeatable esthetician business system that helps you make money, stay booked, and stop guessing what to fix. If you’re an esthetician trying to get clients, increase revenue, and prepare for slow season before it happens, this episode is for you.
If you’re booked but not making money, you ne...
121: How to Price Your Esthetician Services Without Losing Clients
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In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo sits down with pricing expert Nina Tulio to talk about how estheticians should price their services, raise prices confidently, and stop giving away treatments for free. They break down price-per-minute, undercharging, discounts, add-ons, Groupon, deposits, and how to build a profitable esthetician business without losing clients. If you’ve ever felt booked but not profitable, this esthetician podcast episode will help you understand your numbers, make more money, and stop guessing what to charge.
You can find Nina Tulio he...
120: Why Your Facial Clients Don’t Come Back (And How to Keep Them Returning)
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In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo talks with a six-figure esthetician about client retention, rebooking, slow seasons, and how to keep facial clients coming back. They break down why gift card clients disappear, how mailed newsletters can help estheticians stay booked, and why tracking numbers is essential for growing an esthetician business and making more money consistently.
If you’re booked but not making money, you need to start with your numbers.
Download my FREE “Diagnose Your Business” tracker in the show notes a...
119: What Actually Makes a Facial Feel Luxury to Clients
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Most estheticians think luxury means pretty branding, expensive facials, or being extra nice to clients. But true luxury is actually about systems, leadership, and removing stress from the client experience. In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson breaks down the difference between hospitality and luxury and teaches estheticians how to create a high-end esthetician business that clients trust, return to, and willingly pay more for.
If you’re booked but not making money, you need to start with your numbers.
Download my FREE “...
How to Get Clients Without Instagram as an Esthetician (Beginner Ads Strategy with Jana Bishop)
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Posting on Instagram can start to feel like a second full time job, and the worst part is the fear that if we stop, the clients stop. We wanted a more honest conversation about what it looks like to grow a beauty business without living on social media, so we brought on Meta ads expert Jana Bishop to break down how Facebook ads and Instagram ads can create real breathing room, not just more noise.
We get practical fast: why boosting posts is tempting but usually overpriced, what the Meta Pixel...
117: How to Grow Your Esthetician Business with Systems (Increase Revenue & Get More Clients)
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We coach Sam, a Winnipeg sugaring salon owner, through the real barrier behind her goal to double revenue: leadership systems that make performance visible. We lay out a simple daily numbers routine that turns rebooking, retail, and sales into clear metrics instead of emotional guesswork.
• Sam’s path from COVID lockdown launch to expansion and a second team member
• why “double the revenue” often points to a leadership gap
• balancing a friendly culture with clear employer-employee lines
• using systems to remove emotion from raises, feedback and hard talks
• making team p...
116: How a Virtual Receptionist Helped Me Stop Working 24/7 as an Esthetician
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Still answering client messages at dinner?
If your phone never stops… your business doesn’t either.
In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, I’m sharing the one thing that completely changed my business, helped me stop working 24/7, and gave me boundaries with clients again: hiring a virtual receptionist.
If you’re an overwhelmed esthetician who feels like you’re doing everything yourself, this episode is for you.
We’re talking about:
• How to stop answering client messages all day
...
115: How to Grow Your Instagram and Build a Website as a Esthetician with Guest Madelyn Furlong
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Are you posting on Instagram but still not getting enough esthetician clients?
In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo sits down with marketing strategist and website designer Madelyn Victoria to talk about what actually helps estheticians get found online, build trust fast, and turn followers into booked clients.
If your Instagram bio is unclear, your pinned posts are random, your website feels overwhelming, or your content looks polished but still is not converting, this episode will help you see what needs...
114: Why You’re Not Getting Clients as an Esthetician (Your Message Is Confusing)
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If you’re posting consistently but still not getting enough clients as an esthetician, this episode is for you.
In this Business Breakthrough Audit, Kari Jo helps Kristina uncover why her esthetician marketing isn’t converting and how unclear branding and messaging can confuse potential clients. They talk about niching down, becoming known for one thing, building authority online, and creating a clear esthetician business message that helps you get more bookings.
You’ll learn:
• Why the clearest message wins in esthetician marketing
• How unclear branding hurts client boo...
113: 1099 vs W2 for Estheticians: How to Pay Employees Correctly
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In this episode of The Esthetician Podcast, Kari Jo Patterson explains esthetician payroll, 1099 vs W2 classification, employee pay structure, payroll taxes, and how to hire employees the right way in a beauty business. If hiring feels scary because you don’t understand payroll, this episode breaks down the systems, commission structure, and tax setup that help estheticians grow profitably.
• Why fear around payroll usually comes from not understanding it
• How a 1099 misstep creates a structure problem and brand risk
• What an IRS audit teaches about penalties and misclassif...
112: You Can Be A Great Mom And Entrepreneur
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If your books are slow, it’s usually not because you aren’t working hard enough.
It’s because you’re focusing on the wrong things.
In this episode, I sit down with one of the coaches who helped me during one of the hardest seasons of my business, when I had built a full schedule but still wasn’t making money and felt completely overwhelmed.
We talk about what actually gets clients, why so many estheticians stay busy but don’t grow, and...
111: Booth Rent vs Employees: Why Your Spa Isn’t Making Money
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We audit Brooke’s esthetics business and draw a hard line between landlord and employer, then map the math and mindset that stop hidden subsidies and unlock real freedom. Clear steps follow: price booth rent by true costs, make shared services opt‑in, or pivot to W‑2 hiring.
• current mix of booth renters and one employee front desk
• landlord vs team expectations and legal boundaries
• freedom trade‑offs of booth rent compared to W‑2
• California wage rules and retail commission approach
• calculating true rent, utilities, triple net, maintenance reserve<...
110: How to Get Gen Z Clients as an Esthetician (And Keep Them for Years)
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Your next twenty years of bookings are already shopping, posting, and obsessing over their pores—just not in your treatment room yet. We pull back the curtain on Gen Z’s beauty mindset and show exactly how to win them with clarity, access, and authentic social design.
We start with a frank look at where their money goes and why marble floors and “luxury” branding turn them off. Gen Z grew up on smartphones, filters, and constant comparison, which fuels anxiety and second-guessing. That’s why sprawling menus and premium packages feel risky...
109: How Estheticians Can Grow a Team Without Burnout with Carly Kenyon
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We share how Carly grew from solo esthetician to a team of eight, scaled revenue by over 600 percent, and avoided repeat burnout by installing strong systems, clear policies, and firm boundaries. Practical steps show how to capture every lead, reduce cancellations, and transition clients to your team with confidence.
• using Instagram as a consistent client acquisition system
• online booking, automated forms, and reminder timing
• monthly payment plans for high-ticket treatments
• call-capture to recover missed and abandoned leads
• cancellation policy with deposits and one-time grace
• transitioning clients from founder...
108: Booked One Week, Dead the Next: Fix This
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Ready to stop chasing clients and start leading them? We kick off 2026 by reframing the way estheticians walk into every consultation: calm, clear, and confident, as if the bills are already paid. That single posture shift changes everything from rebooking rates to retail conversions, because clients can feel the difference between pressure and leadership.
Harmony, a registered nurse and advanced aesthetician building a multi-practitioner space in a tiny market, opens up about a familiar challenge: more services and longer hours, but profits that don’t scale with effort. We dig into th...
107: Esthetician Models Strategy: Why Your Clients Aren’t Rebooking
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We share the system that turns models into momentum, lashes into stability, and scripted consults into stress-free rebooks. The aim is simple: use repeatable services to buy time, then build authority so facials and premium treatments stick.
• why repeatable services stabilize cash flow
• how to script a consult that sells early
• when facial models help and when they don’t
• using lashes to fund skill-building and training
• turning feedback into authority, not discounting
• guiding clients into higher-value services
• hiring timing once your niche fills
• practical steps to pre-fr...
106: How Estheticians Can Sell Confidently Without Feeling Pushy with guest Nikki Rausch
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Selling doesn’t have to feel like pressure. When clients worry about sounding rude and pros worry about being pushy, everyone hesitates and outcomes suffer. We brought in sales strategist Nikki Roush to show how permission-based selling turns awkward moments into clear next steps, so estheticians can lead with confidence and clients can say yes without friction.
We break down Nikki’s five-step Selling Staircase—Introduction, Create Curiosity, Discovery, Proposal, and Close—and show how to climb it one invitation at a time. You’ll hear how to spot buying signals in real co...
105: Winter Dry Skin Tips Every Esthetician Can Explain to Clients
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We break winter skin myths and show how education, not heavier moisturizer, drives results and rebooking. Angela brings a science-first lens to hydration, oils, TEWL, and ingredient order, plus practical scripts you can use today.
• framing winter dryness as environmental stress and TEWL
• using travel and water quality to explain sudden changes
• the sponge analogy to sell proper hydration layers
• why HA needs damp skin and smart pairing
• ceramides as barrier signals without clogging
• treating dry-acne with thin, aqueous layers and ice
• product order: water-based first, occlusi...
104: Niche Clarity: Pick Your Mission
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Stop posting everything and selling nothing. We dig into the real reason clients skip past broad menus and show how choosing one focused niche turns confusion into trust, trust into confident pricing, and confident pricing into predictable bookings. You’ll hear why “results” is an empty promise without a plan, how to spot the signs your current niche doesn’t fit, and the one question that instantly validates whether you’re ready to own a specialty right now.
I walk through the skill inventory I use with estheticians to uncover hidden advantages...
