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#22: Inside the Brick & Mortar Mindset | A Live Panel On Navigating The World of Brick-and-Mortar Entrepreneurship

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

#22: What does it take to build a thriving brick-and-mortar business in today's world?

In this special live episode of VDEOMKR, Carly celebrates four years of The Good Vibe Studios by sitting down with three powerhouse owners who know exactly what it means to keep the doors open, lead teams, adapt through challenges, and create spaces people genuinely want to return to.

From navigating rising costs and hiring the right people to embracing risk and protecting personal priorities, this conversation is packed with honest insights for entrepreneurs at every stage.

In this episode, we cover:

  • The realities of owning and operating a brick-and-mortar business
  • How to leverage digital marketing to drive in-person experiences
  • What founders look for when choosing new locations
  • The importance of systems, training, and creating a consistent customer experience
  • How each panelist approaches hiring and team development
  • Lessons learned from scaling multiple locations
  • Why community and human connection are becoming more valuable than ever
  • Setting boundaries and learning when to say "no"
  • Daily non-negotiables that help founders stay grounded
  • Ways consumers can intentionally support local businesses

Meet the panel:

Michael Roviello – Co-Founder of Optimyze, a wellness company focused on human optimization through therapies like breathwork, cold plunges, red light therapy, and recovery modalities. Optimyze has grown to four locations across the Valley.

Brooke Graves – CEO of Kaleidoscope Juice, a local juice and smoothie concept that has expanded to 8 Valley locations over the past 14 years. Brooke shares candid insights on leadership, motherhood, and building systems that support long-term growth.

Alex Bradberry – Founder of The Sparkle Bar, a beauty concept that has served the Scottsdale community since 2015. Alex opens up about resilience, reinvention, and creating experiences rooted in connection and confidence.

Whether you're dreaming of opening your own physical space, currently running one, or simply craving a behind-the-scenes look at what brick-and-mortar entrepreneurship requires, this episode delivers equal parts practical advice and inspiration.

About Studio Sessions:

Studio Sessions is a monthly live event hosted by The Good Vibe Studios, bringing together creatives, entrepreneurs, and industry experts for real conversations around creativity, business, and growth. For more information, visit www.thegoodvibestudios.com.

To watch the show click HERE

To connect with Michael Roviello click HERE

To connect with Brooke Graves click HERE

To connect with Alex Bradberry click HERE

To connect with Carly Gilleland click HERE

To follow The Good Vibe Media click HERE

To visit The Good Vibe Studios click HERE

Produced by The Good Vibe Media

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IN THIS EPISODE

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TRANSCRIPT 🔗

WEBVTT
00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:18.079
I'm Carly, founder of the Good Five Media, a woman-owned and operated video production agency and a creative studio space.
00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:28.079
Every week I'm Video Maker, I sit down with filmmakers, creators, and creative entrepreneurs for these honest conversations don't typically hear.
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The late nights, the pivots, the breakdowns, the shapes, the breakthroughs.
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These are the conversations and stories that make people like me and so many other creatives need to hear.
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This is a space for growth, for lessons, for community, a place where we learn from each other's real, unfiltered journeys.
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This is Video Maker.
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Let's get rolling.
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Welcome to another episode of Video Maker.
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If you're watching this on YouTube, you will see that we are in the studio with a live studio audience.
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Tonight is actually one of our very special studio sessions.
00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:08.799
We host these once a month.
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The last Wednesday of every month, we have a studio session where we bring in speakers to talk on a particular topic where we think would add so much value to our creative community.
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And tonight's extra special because we are celebrating our studio doors being open for four years.
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Congratulations.
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Yeah.
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Really, really proud.
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And the three sitting next to me have had massive influence and have inspired me so much in you know owning and operating and just keeping the wheels going on a brick and mortar business, which is exactly the topic that we are talking about tonight.
00:01:46.640 --> 00:02:02.400
So if you're interested or you know, maybe had an idea of opening a physical space yourself, or maybe you have one and you're feeling in the trenches, or you just need a good dose of motivation and inspiration, I know you're gonna gain a lot from this conversation tonight.
00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:06.879
So without further ado, let's introduce our amazing panel tonight.
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Michael, I think I'll have you guys introduce yourself if you don't mind.
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Uh let's have you share your name, maybe a fun fact about you that the public might not know, and then share your business and um the locations that you have, like where they are, where they can find you.
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Michael, let's start with you.
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Okay.
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Okay.
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Hi, everybody.
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Uh thanks for inviting me.
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Um, my name is Michael Roviello, and I'm one of the founders of Optimize, uh, Mind Body Breath.
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We started our first location in 2019 when we opened up the doors.
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We are a human optimization facility.
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We have a wide variety of different therapies ranging from cold plunges to saunas to red light therapy, compression, PEMF, sound beds.
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We teach breath work.
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And we've been yeah, in business since 2019.
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We have four locations right now in the valley.
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Our original one was in Arcadia, and then we opened up a Tempe location just a few years later in 2021, right in the middle of like COVID and you know everything that was going on.
00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:15.039
But actually, that turned out to be a great opportunity that we could talk about later.
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Um, a few years later in 2024, we opened up uh a North Phoenix location, and then recently um one in McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale.
00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:25.120
Okay.
00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:26.639
So we got four locations.
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Um one interesting fact um about me, I used to do helicopter search and rescue for the US Navy.
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So I my office was flying helicopters all over the ocean and traveled pretty much all over the globe doing rescue missions and all kinds of stuff, anti-submarine warfare and uh special warfare combat search and rescue.
00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:53.840
So the stories you haven't showed.
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I got some good stories.
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I got some good stories, and thank you for your service, Tio.
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But Optimize really is uh Nikki and I have a non-negotiable Monday meeting.
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We call it our CEO, COO, non-negotiable Monday meeting, where we sit at Optimize and we try not to talk about work.
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We try to like literally just optimize to set ourselves up for um a successful week.
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So you truly are like ever since you've opened, been my sanctuary of health and optimization.
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So thank you.
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Yeah, you've been with us since day one.
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Since the very beginning.
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Even before we Yeah, I was I was cold plunging in his business partner's um backyard in a freezer before they opened.
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Yeah, so I'm OG.
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Big fan of Optimize.
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So thanks for being here.
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Thank you for inviting me.
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Brooke.
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Hi, I'm Brooke.
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I own Kaleidoscope Juice.
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It's a local juice and smoothie concept.
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We have eight locations in the valley.
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Uh we opened 14 years ago.
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Uh, I guess the fun fact about me, it's the only job I've ever had.
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Uh so we started when I was, or I started when I was um just out of college.
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And the company has grown um quickly, but also, you know, had its own issues, which I'm sure we'll all dive into.
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Um, but I love what I do, and I have a one-year-old daughter who's probably like the the best part about me and my new like driving force for the business.
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So it's shifted everything about me.
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So that is my little spiel.
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But thank you for having me.
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I'm excited to hear about you guys.
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Congratulations.
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Thank you.
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Yeah.
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OG in the valley.
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For sure.
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Great job.
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Thank you.
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Yeah.
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And just like so inspiring too.
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Like, I mean, Clementine.
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I hope it's okay.
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I share.
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Yeah, you can share her name.
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It's fantastic.
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It is fantastic.
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And truly like to see Clementine grow with you and with the business and how you I mean, you just inspire me so much as a mom in business, operating all that you do.
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I genuinely like am so grateful to know know you on that side because you have helped me keep my will spinning and keep going.
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Our morning walks with our kids, screaming, but very fun.
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Through it.
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Alex.
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Yes, hello.
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Um, my name is Alex Bradbury.
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I'm founder of the Sparkle Bar.
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We've been in business and had a brick and mortar since 2015.
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So we'll be 11 this year.
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Um, we're based in Old Town.
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We have a single location, but we'll be expanding coming up here into Copper Club, which is a membership club, and then into other locations.
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So our growth looks a little bit different, more like a store within a store, um, because growth can look very different in a lot of different ways.
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So I'm super honored to be here and sit alongside such an esteemed panel.
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Um, some fun fact about me.
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I'm an only child.
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I feel like that's something that's very unique, and I think something that's like a Malcolm Gladwell kind of uh outlier about entrepreneurs.
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Um, I feel like it's my superpower, though.
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I'm also a mom of two daughters.
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My oldest is 15 and just finished her first year of high school, which is crazy.
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Um, and my youngest is 12.
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So um yeah, I'm I'm excited to be here and impart any any guidance, knowledge, information I can about the world of brick and mortar.
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Yes.
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If you ever need your makeup done, sparkle bar is is where you go.
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Like I should say that that is an interesting fact.
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I'm actually not a makeup artist.
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That's not my I'm the I'm the the archetype and not the the first, the operator.
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So yes.
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Yes, so good.
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Thank you.
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Thank you all for being here.
00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:22.319
Okay, before we dive into the real juicy questions, I want to just like warm us up with some rapid fire.
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Now, when I say rapid fire, I mean quick responses, right?
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The last time we've done these, I'm like, okay, we'll start off with rapid fire and I ask a question and then it like turns into a whole like spiegel.
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So I will preface that quick.
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She define rapid.
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And I'm actually looking at the first question and I'm broke.
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I'm like, oh, this isn't gonna be a quick one because just don't ask me that.
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Because I'm like, I've actually done coffee runs with you.
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And then the question is, what's your go-to caffeine order?
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And I will preface this with saying, like, we'll do our morning walks and we'll go to kaleidoscope.
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And she's like, Oh, do you want a coffee or a drink or whatever?
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And I'm like, okay.
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She's like, Do you trust me?
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I'm like, I fully trust.
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And she's like a chemist back there, like a little bit of this, little bit of that, da-da-da-da.
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And somehow I like feel actually magical that whole day.
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So you do have some Mary Poppins stuff going on behind the cue.
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Illegal drugs.
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Yes.
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Thank you.
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Um, okay, so first one is your go-to caffeine order.
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Who wants to go first?
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For me.
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Yeah, we're oh, I'm so simple.
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I just go with straight up black coffee, nothing in it.
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Super boring, but that's what I like.
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I love it.
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All right, Brooke.
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I'll go with my first drink of the day because I have multiple.
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So my first coffee of the day is always the same.
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I do um a plain black coffee, but I add collagen, and I also add inostatol, lactoferin, and then methylated B vitamin.
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And then that's just like my intro.
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Intro.
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Love it, intro drink.
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Um, I'm pretty simple.
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I also will do black coffee, like no room.
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Um, if I'm getting exciting, I'll add honey to my coffee.
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Um, but that's about it.
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Love it.
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Okay.
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What is one thing every business owner can implement to improve customer experience?
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One thing.
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Systems.
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Yeah.
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Operations, yeah.
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Um aside from what they've mentioned, I think uh maintaining that human connection.
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Yes, for sure.
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For sure, especially nowadays.
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What is a dream collaboration you want to have with a brand or a person?
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Dream collaboration.
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Anyone can spit out first if you got an answer.
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I have several.
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Um I like, I mean, what I do love most about the ability to have a brand like mine is that we can play in a lot of different spaces.
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So everything from like Kith to Supreme to Siegelman Stables to Chill House, Glossier, like there's lots, and I think that there's lots of ways that we can do all of that.
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So love that.
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Just a few.
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Mine was really just like my dream person, so it has nothing to do with my business, but Celine Dion.
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So love.
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Okay.
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I would say it's Wim Hof because we were inspired by Wim Hof.
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We started teaching the Wim Hof method.
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That's how we got into the business that we're in right now.
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So he was our inspiration.
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And he was supposed to come to Arizona.
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Everything was all set up.
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We were gonna do a big retreat with Wim Hof and his organization in like northern Arizona in 2020.
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But obviously, everything got turned upside down, so he never got a chance to come to Arizona.
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But it would be really cool to have him come and like hang out at the center, and so many people are inspired by him to meet our customers.
00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:48.799
Yeah, that would be my uh dream collaboration.
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Yes, it's gonna happen.
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I see it.
00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:56.240
Okay, what tasks eat the most time every week, most of your time?
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What's like a task that needs the most our time?
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Email.
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Email, I'm gonna go.
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Email is yeah, is there's so many emails.
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I think that takes up the most damn time.
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And just really sorting through like what to pay attention to and what is just like someone trying to market to you.
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And you know, people use really uh interesting subject lines, so they kind of hook you in and just to realize that you just need to move that to the trash box.
00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:29.120
That's true.
00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:30.559
I would say banking for me.
00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:34.799
Yeah, but yeah, a lot of banking, a lot of driving to the bank.
00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:40.559
But I do we I mean I do cash deposits, so it's just the most time consuming.
00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:45.120
But yeah, but um, I think the yeah, the operational piece.
00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:59.840
I mean, there's you're always putting out some little fire, whether it's like IT related or you have to deal with, you know, uh an event or something, there's always something that you have to address, and it the challenges are different every day, but you just have to maintain a level of of readiness.
00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:02.559
Yeah, yeah, that's so true.
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Okay, this is about employees.
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What is your biggest green flag in an employee?
00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:11.360
Honesty.
00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:17.759
That's a tough one.
00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:24.559
I mean, I would say, you know, you can teach a lot, but one thing you can't teach people is uh how to care.
00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:32.080
You know, you can teach them the skill set, you can teach them uh all kinds of things, but you can't teach people to care and love what they're doing.
00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:34.000
So that's a green flag.
00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:39.919
When I can really see somebody's passionate and they really care, um that to me uh goes a long way.
00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:41.679
Yes, so true.
00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:45.759
I I would say the same thing because what we do is so just personal.
00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:59.519
Um it's very important that we can teach you how to apply makeup, but uh at the core, what we do is help people see themselves differently, and it's important that others are able to reflect that kind of light and and help others see themselves in ways that they haven't seen themselves.
00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:01.120
Yeah, so good.
00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:05.759
All right, this is the last one, and this will be a one-word answer.
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Finish this sentence.
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Owning a brick and mortar business is exciting.
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Hard.
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Old school, old school, baby.
00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:21.440
All right, I love it.
00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:24.000
Uh thank you guys for warming up with that.
00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:31.200
Um, okay, we did have our um audience ask some questions when they bought tickets to come to tonight.
00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:36.639
And so we've got a few of those sprinkled in as well, and there's a good variety.
00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:40.480
So we're gonna cover a lot of ground and probably bounce all over the place.
00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:43.200
Um, so hopefully everyone will follow along.
00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:52.000
Um, the first question that I have, I'm really excited to see what how you guys respond is how do you leverage digital in a brick and mortar business?
00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.240
How do you leverage digital?
00:13:55.919 --> 00:14:04.000
We just brought on social media this year, and so obviously, almost being like well over a decade-old brand, should have done it earlier.
00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:14.480
Um, but we view our social media, it's obviously free, you can do ads, but we view it as our direct mouthpiece to our customer.
00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:24.639
So we think of digital, when I say digital, I really say Instagram is probably our main source, but Instagram and TikTok, it is like our billboard for ourselves.
00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:33.360
So I would say if you have a business, even if you are a business owner and you're starting a new business, you are the face of it.
00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:42.480
So you need to view your social media like a diary and start tracking every single thing that you're doing as your diary and holding on to it and then like regurgitating it.
00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:53.840
Because a lot of people love social media and it gets kind of hyper repetitive when you're posting the same thing over and over, but you can't replicate authenticity when somebody loves what they're doing.
00:14:54.000 --> 00:15:01.039
So I always say, like, when we talk about our product, what it's good for, what we're making, and then I've had to get more activated in it as well.
00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:05.200
It's just because you want your product to be a living, breathing being.
00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:10.159
So that our digital for us is like it creates kaleidoscope as its own person.
00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:11.440
Yes, totally.
00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.120
How active are you in it?
00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:20.480
I fortunately have a great team that I outsourced and hired, uh, Lindsay at Bay Creative.
00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:23.759
So she's fantastic, she's local, and I've known her for quite a while.
00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:27.120
And we've worked together with her on projects for our summits.
00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:32.559
Um, she does a structured tier for us, but it's basically post, you know, strategically.
00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:48.559
However, I do have somebody who's in-house more marketing social media who does that connecting line because I never wanted uh outside media company can do a great job at shooting a product, but somebody that lives and breathes our brand can actually tell the story of our product.
00:15:48.879 --> 00:16:07.279
So I go to everything and I'm in all of our meetings and I'm, you know, uh at every shoot, but I like having somebody else whose sole job is to know like the voice brand with me to make sure that I don't miss anything because some you know I'm doing other stuff and I'm up and I'm down and I'm running late or picking up my daughter.
00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:09.279
So it's she's pretty dedicated in that.
00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:10.320
Yeah, so good.
00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:11.360
How about you guys?
00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:16.720
How do you guys utilize um and leverage digital for your brick and mortar?
00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:17.919
We've done the same thing.
00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:20.879
We we started out with Instagram very early on.
00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:25.279
We did more on Facebook back in the day, but Facebook kind of faded a little bit.
00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:31.440
Uh we've been like heavy on Instagram since day one, and it's brought us a lot of traffic.
00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:36.799
A lot of people have a hard time um really figuring out who we are and what we do.
00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:44.720
And so video has been amazing, and also we're always trying to share uh what types of things that we can solve for people.
00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:52.399
So testimonial videos or people just sharing their experience, the outcomes that they're getting uh were really powerful for us and still are.
00:16:52.639 --> 00:17:01.120
Uh but also just kind of giving people some insight on like what the vibe is, how the studio looks, uh, what to expect.
00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:10.400
I think that's really important because if you're thinking about coming in to Optimize, you know, there's like two things that sometimes prevent people from walking in the door.
00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:17.279
One is the cold plunge, like, oh my god, I've never done a cold plunge, like I don't know how I'm gonna do in that experience.
00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:22.720
And so there's always a little bit of fear, and also uh being in a bathing suit in front of strangers.
00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:24.480
Yeah, you know, I knew that from day one.
00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:26.640
I'm like, that's gonna be a barrier to entry.
00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:36.319
And so, how can we create an environment where everyone feels welcome, you know, and comfortable, regardless of where you are in your health and fitness journey?
00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:39.119
And um that's always been really important.
00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:51.039
So the people we hire, uh the ambiance, the music that we play, the way we treat people when they walk in all helps to kind of uh remove that barrier so they feel really comfortable in the space.
00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:52.559
Yeah, so good.
00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.599
Alex, do you have any?
00:17:54.079 --> 00:18:00.559
Um, so you know, we have a very similar type of business in that people come into the sparkle bar in a very vulnerable state or they're like not wearing makeup.
00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:08.880
And so we have to create that same level of comfort so people can visually see that when they come in, they'll have an experience that's exceptional as well.
00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.240
So we try to tell that story on Instagram, of course.
00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:19.200
We have been using a lot of like Claude and ChatGPT to really get ahead of optimization on that level.
00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:24.720
Um, we are on LinkedIn because a lot of our clients are doing a lot of corporate type of things.
00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:31.119
So we just try to make sure that whatever audience we're in front of we're telling a relevant story that resonates with them.
00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:34.960
But you know, I I oftentimes have too much that I don't post.
00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:48.720
So I'm in the space like Brooke where I'm actually having conversations with people who can like do the thing, just post for me, um, which kind of frustrates me because as the person who's not the makeup artist, that's the only way that I've been able to stay connected to our audience.
00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:51.599
So I have a little bit of resistance to give that up, so we'll see.
00:18:51.759 --> 00:19:02.880
Um, but I currently work with people like the Cronkit agency, so like universities, um, who've been really helpful to help us stay very topped into different markets from all age demographics.
00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:06.240
So I try to be re resourceful and creative and you know stay in there.
00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:07.599
Yes, so good.
00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:13.839
Okay, I'm gonna switch gears into more of like the brick and mortar space itself.
00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:26.079
So with rising costs of products, materials, rent, etc., how do you continue to provide a quality product or service while retaining your customers?
00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:33.119
Let's talk about rising prices and how you're managing that.
00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:38.000
Well, for us, in a way, who wants to go first?
00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:48.400
Unlike the food business where you know you're buying products say weekly um and you're seeing that cost go up, we provide services.
00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:52.079
Yeah, so like it doesn't impact us as as much.
00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:57.200
I mean, we have retail products, of course, too, and we have seen like changes in in that price.
00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:23.599
But overall, um we have services, so the services are there, and it hasn't impacted us as much, but rising prices impact customers, you know, and then they start to feel the squeeze, whether it's the gas prices and all the things that are going on now, and so that sometimes then translates into where they're gonna spend their money and you know what's priority and those types of things for sure.
00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:24.880
I I I would echo that.
00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:34.160
We're in the luxury business, and so we're definitely the first thing that typically will come off of the disposable, you know, spend budget.
00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:41.119
Um, but you know, we you you have to just get creative and adapt and resourceful.
00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:48.880
So for us, that looks like creating, you know, attractive uh packages that our clients maybe haven't experienced and tried.
00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:53.279
But I think we're in the same boat as everyone where you're just kind of ebbing and flowing, and that's what you have to do.
00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:59.839
You have to just be like water and fluid and roll with it because that's you have to just be flexible.
00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:00.319
Yeah.
00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:05.279
Uh we deal with it in food, it's literally day by day.
00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:15.440
So if you which it happened before inflation obviously went up, you could have all of spinach get completely washed out, and then you're looking at spinach at a triple cost.
00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:23.759
So we're an active God company where a lot of our product overnight can be ruined, and then our turnaround has to be quite quick on it because our shelf life is five days.
00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:32.079
So I've actually it's not something that scares me as much as other brands because I'm so used to it, which is a blessing and a curse.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:44.319
But I try to always decide what my main key points of my product are gonna be, and it's sourcing integrity of you know who I'm purchasing with and who I'm working with, and then also where what I know the customer wants.
00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:49.440
So I'm not gonna remove a product that I know is super popular because the cost went up so much.
00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:59.759
I usually eat it, and I'm doing that because I have all these people who have come through my doors every single day for 10 plus years, and they've stuck with me through it, so I can eat it for a season or a few.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:05.599
Weeks, it's not a long-term solution, but I'll go to something else on the menu and I'll say, okay, can I lower this?
00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.400
Can I take this off?
00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:10.799
Can I not order it in order to have my customer base be satisfied?
00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:20.480
So there's no way you can make everybody happy, but within food service, there's ways to meet your customer, keep your brand integrity, but you have to be willing to shift your menu.
00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:22.400
So it's the same thing in services.
00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:30.240
You just have to be able to remove a certain flavor of a green juice in order to keep the gold juice that you know will always people will always be looking for.
00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:30.880
For sure.
00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:32.000
Always adapting.
00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:38.319
We were literally just talking about this the other day, where it's like the only consistent thing that we have in this business is change.
00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:47.359
Like we have to be adaptable in order to keep this business, you know, thriving and serving our customers to the best ability.
00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:49.200
Thank you guys for that.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:56.400
Um, let's talk about how you streamline and systemize training for your new hires.
00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:59.680
Because I know you all have, I mean, a different operation.
00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:07.680
But let's talk about, let's like move into you know, new hires, and I want to talk a little bit about team and employees too.
00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:12.160
So let's start with how you, you know, kind of create those systems for training.
00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:18.640
So we went with a company called Trainual, which is like an online platform, which was like a step up from what we had.
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:26.319
Everything was just like random documents that I'm like, I know too.
00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:27.359
We tried.
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:44.960
It was just like random documents and binders of uh, you know, SOPs, and then we went to an online platform that tracks like their progress and also tracks um, you know, you can upload videos and tutorials and have everything live in one platform.
00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:46.240
That's been really helpful.
00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:51.440
So we'll essentially have people go through that process before we start like in-store training.
00:23:51.599 --> 00:24:21.920
So instead of like the shadowing and all the yeah, the in-store on-the-job training, and so that kind of gives them some knowledge so that when they start to go through the process of on-the-job training, then they could, you know, ask questions and a little bit be more informed because we have a lot to educate people on, because there's certain people uh that cannot do some of the therapies, you know, pregnant, cardiovascular issues, people with uh insulin pumps, um, pacemakers, so there's like a safety concern there.
00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:39.200
And then, of course, like I've been to so many wellness places over the years, and the one thing that always frustrated me was there'd be, you know, someone at the front desk, they would check you in, they would kind of let you utilize the services, but they didn't really know how the services worked.
00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:57.839
And so that was one thing that I always wanted to improve, like in our business, to have like subject matter experts where you feel like you're getting good information, they are helping to ask like good questions, learning about the person, and then connecting the dots of how these therapies can assist.
00:24:58.000 --> 00:24:59.599
Because we have a wide variety of people.
00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:08.640
We have athletes, we just have like everyday, you know, moms, dads, people who just working, but then we have people who come in, they have autoimmune diseases.
00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:25.039
We've had a lot of cancer patients over the years, you know, people dealing with some serious injuries and uh ailments, and so not necessarily being a doctor in that in that in that uh instance, but being able to share, you know, what's happening in the body and how these therapies connect.
00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:33.759
Yeah, so there's a lot of training that goes into it, and that's always been um a challenge and something that we've done pretty good at, but we can always get better.
00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.960
Yeah, for sure.
00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:36.000
Yeah, I'm curious.
00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:37.200
Training?
00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:39.039
Yeah, lots of training.
00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:42.960
So we have completely restructured my business within the past nine months.
00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:45.759
I have an operator now who's very seasoned.
00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:52.480
So our operations training is um essentially we what we've always done, I call it like a kaleidoscope college.
00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:59.440
So I've created if you have anything on our menu, it's in detail what it's used for, why we have it, why it's in certain items.
00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:02.000
So I do kind of the why behind everything.
00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:04.000
And we also then have the structure.
00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:08.960
So it takes uh a full seven days to go through our training and it's all on site and it's all in person.
00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:12.160
So you learn about the history of the company, how we started, why we started.
00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:15.119
It's again like a little college course in a week.
00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:18.559
Um, and different roles have different training levels.
00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:26.000
So our um entry-level kind of juice barista position, it's gonna be the full seven days learning to make everything on the menu.
00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:27.440
We separate that out.
00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:33.039
Uh, they do obviously standard traditional HR onboarding that you're gonna have at any business first day.
00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:40.720
And then when you go into our guest experience leads, that's gonna be your front-facing person that's almost like a manager in a store, but they're not doing any scheduling.
00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:43.599
They're strategically in the store to make sure that you have a great experience.
00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:47.759
So they know more in depth on the medical-related stuff for our products.
00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:56.880
So I have built out like a smoothie, I keep saying college because I tell the girls, I'm like, view this as going and getting a certificate.
00:26:57.119 --> 00:27:13.200
And when we do refreshers on items, so that level of experience lead is going to be able to help you not diagnose or treat, but if you're coming in for a specific ailment, they can guide you in a better way, comparative to somebody who's an entry-level onboarding.
00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:16.640
And there's usually somebody always on staff that's a guest experience lead.
00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:22.559
And then they also simultaneously are the ones who are also responsible for any type of health inspection.
00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:28.480
So, legally in food service, you have to have somebody who's served, safe, certified on schedule at a restaurant at all times.
00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:32.000
So we have that that we pay for them to all go through training as well.
00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:47.759
And then up from that, we have our area managers, and so our area managers are going to be individuals that are doing everything from um scheduling to running our payroll through our new operations lead, and they're doing percentage of sales.
00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:54.079
So we're giving them specific key markers and entry points, and we're trying to train these young women to become operators.
00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:59.920
So that's a big thing where I always say, like, kaleidoscope may not be your forever, but it'll be the best first job you've ever had.
00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:03.359
I always say health and wellness is something you take with you for the rest of your life.
00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:10.079
So even if you're working for me for a summer job all the way up to a management career level, you'll be able to take care of yourself.
00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:21.680
You'll be able to do basic, you know, math and needs that I unfortunately I don't think are taught in school for uh labor, labor percentages, your taxes, all that kind of stuff.
00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:29.200
So I like to think that our training is actually quite extensive and our onboarding is extensive, but it it goes through phases in our company.
00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:30.720
Yeah, it's incredible.
00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:31.599
Beefy.
00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:33.279
Yeah, new levels, new devils.
00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:33.759
Yeah.
00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:40.720
I think that's like something that I've learned is that there have been so many iterations of our workbook and how we've onboarded.
00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:46.960
Um, we've recently went through the trademark process for our certification, which is how we're now certifying incoming makeup artists.
00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:57.119
So rather than training people through the studio and bringing them on as W-2 employees, we are now converting that to be their own business owners.
00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:01.200
So the training happens through our own system.
00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:05.920
We utilize Gusto for our HR and payroll, so that helps us to onboard on that side.
00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:10.960
Um, and then a lot of it happens hands-on in studio because our service is so high-touch.
00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:13.759
So really just showing them how to do things our way.
00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:19.359
Um that's part of what I think has helped us to maintain such a strong reputation and that same consistent experience.
00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:24.559
So, as we're now growing, that replication is super important because it has to be consistent.
00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:30.720
The thing people love about Target is that when you go in there, it's like everything that you know, like Starbucks is over here, guest service is over here.
00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:34.720
So that's the goal and objective as we are even growing and scaling now.
00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.279
Yeah.
00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:36.960
Yeah, so good.
00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:42.240
What has been the most unexpected area of growth for you as an entrepreneur?
00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:47.200
There's a lot, I know.
00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:50.640
Unexpected area of growth.
00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:56.000
I can answer mine pretty quickly.
00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:56.400
Yeah.
00:29:56.799 --> 00:30:07.519
I would say after having my daughter, I used to be so work-oriented, and I went to school for forever to grow the company, and I love that.
00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:12.480
But when I had my daughter, I had a serious mental shift of what am I doing this for?
00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:18.960
And so the biggest growth that I had was in my marriage and me as a person and growing as a mom.
00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:22.400
That's a good one.
00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:25.920
I don't even know where to start.
00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:35.440
I mean, I feel like uh entrepreneurship truly is the biggest uh self-discovery growth opportunity that you can have in life.
00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:36.640
I mean, it's taught me so much.
00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:38.000
I mean, where do I even start?
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:42.559
I think that what I've learned about myself is the amount of resilience that I have.
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:46.559
Um, because I've been put through a lot, I feel like the last decade.
00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:48.400
My 30s were rough.
00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:56.079
And so um, but I feel grateful because every every challenge that I've faced has taught me something about myself.
00:30:56.240 --> 00:31:05.039
It's equipped me in ways that I didn't expect, it's given me capacity for things that I didn't know that I had, which reminds me that everything that I've gone through is part of something bigger.
00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:10.000
So it just, you know, um I'm I'm proud of all the experiences that I've had.
00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:12.319
I wouldn't change them because they've made me who that I am.
00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:18.079
And while it's been difficult, I am truly grateful, especially to be here right now because I wouldn't otherwise.
00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:30.400
So I um started out like growing up in Queens, New York, and I had you know random jobs, did different things, and then immediately when I was 20, I went into the US government.
00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:38.960
So it was my first time working for the government, and that was uh I would say my first career uh working in the government for the US Navy.
00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:47.519
And so I worked for the government and I kind of learned how you know government work is the mentality, it has its own vibe, you know, how people move up.
00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:54.240
A lot of people are like looking forward to retirement, and you know, everyone's just got like that retirement in in mind at all times.
00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:57.680
Even when you first start, you're like, oh, I've got to get my 20 in and I'm done.
00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.920
Um, and then immediately after my military career, I moved into big corporate.
00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:03.680
And so I worked in the corporate environment.
00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:17.599
I started out as an entry-level employee, I worked my way up to manager, worked my way up to director, worked my way up to senior director, so I got to play the corporate game and learning about different departments, and I was in operations, so you kind of learn about all departments.
00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:23.599
You had a network with HR, accounting, finance, you know, all the different areas, marketing.
00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:28.480
And so I got to touch and really learn what the corporate environment's like.
00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:34.640
But I always kind of fantasized about being an entrepreneur, but I was scared to do it because of the risk associated.
00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:37.519
I was so used to like a steady job.
00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:48.720
You go to work, you work these days, you get paid every two weeks, you get your 401k, you got your insurance, like all of those uh things that make you feel you know comfortable and safe in its own way.
00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:55.119
And so taking the plunge to dive into the world of entrepreneurship where you have to do everything.
00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:59.599
When I was a senior director of operations, like you just made a phone call, like my computer's broken.
00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:06.720
They would send somebody over, they would fix it, you know, or we need some marketing assets for some initiative that we're doing.
00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:11.680
Marketing would go work on it, ask you a bunch of questions, and then they would deliver it to you.
00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:17.680
As you know, you know, working as an entrepreneur and a small business owner, you have to do everything yourself.
00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:24.640
So I've grown a lot uh in that sense of just being able to uh take on that risk.
00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:36.319
And the game that we play, especially opening up new locations, is a game of risk, you know, because you're always leveraging money, you know, you're fronting money to make money back, and you know, there's timelines uh for that.
00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:38.720
And so you're trying to hit those goals.
00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:49.119
So yeah, I've just learned how to step into you know that risk and like surrender a little bit, and also the dynamic of the people that I've worked with.
00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:59.839
Um I went from training rescue swimmers on how to jump out of helicopters and shoot machine guns, you know, to, you know, nurturing people.
00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:19.519
Like it really brought out this nurturing side of me uh to just be so delicate and caring and to take people through an experience and build rapport and you know, guide them through something scary, you know, if they're like worried about cold plunging or they're dealing with a lot in their life, you know, stress, trauma.
00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:22.960
I mean, all that stuff comes out in our centers, you know, we've dealt with a lot.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:43.199
So it's yeah, I've I've learned a ton, and it's been an interesting journey of, you know, uh military government work, really like climbing the ladder in the corporate world, and then now climbing the ladder in the world of entrepreneurship, which I feel like business is a sport, and that's why you know people play it for so long.
00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:46.000
It's an interesting sport that you can kind of play until you're dead.
00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:51.119
Yes, we are playing, we are deep in that game.
00:34:51.360 --> 00:35:09.199
Um, I'm glad you brought up that risk too, because I feel like one thing when I remember, you know, four years ago when we opened this space and I had no fucking clue what I was getting into, but I I did have that passion and that vision and that grip, but I had never done anything that was like such a high overhead expense.
00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:09.519
Right.
00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:20.079
So a few months into the studio, I'm like, oh fuck, well, we gotta figure out how to keep paying the bills here when no revenues coming in because it's a brand new concept to the valley.
00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:29.840
Um so I'm curious from each of you, knowing that you guys do have multiple locations, um, can you take me back to those first few locations if you can?
00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:41.679
Or even, you know, currently in some of your newer locations, what were some of the things that were going through your head as you are initially looking into opening that space?
00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:49.519
What are like non-negotiables, like instant things that you are looking for when you're going to open your physical space?
00:35:49.840 --> 00:36:01.039
Well, for us neighborhood, of course, we want to be in a good neighborhood where feel like people can afford the services, um, got good touch points where people are driving by and can see us.
00:36:01.280 --> 00:36:03.280
Um, all those things are really important.
00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:06.639
I mean, you know, I've learned a lot over the years.
00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:09.199
Now I'm just like, all right, where's Whole Foods building?
00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:11.760
Yeah, where's lifetime fitness going?
00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:16.000
I'm gonna go where they're, you know, because they have all these people, it's a big corporation.
00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:19.599
They have research teams who really dig in and do all that stuff.
00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:22.159
Where we're just like, oh yeah, that looks like a cool spot.
00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:24.079
Yeah, you know, we'll put a place there.
00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:28.159
Uh so you learn a lot uh through that process.
00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:31.119
But also, yeah, neighborhood.
00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:40.320
I mean, we built our A Tempe uh location was pretty strategic because we had so many people driving from all over the valley when we opened up our Arcadia location.
00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:48.159
We were the first people to do this in town, and it was like this new thing where people were really getting excited about um natural health.
00:36:48.239 --> 00:36:54.880
There was like this big movement in natural health, and people were like, I want to get off medications, I want to, you know, find other resources.
00:36:55.119 --> 00:37:04.880
And so we had people driving from East Mesa, Anthem, the West Side, Goodyear, and they were all coming to Arcadia, but that's not sustainable.
00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:06.239
They weren't gonna continue to do that.
00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:09.840
I mean, it's like 45 minutes each way, but they were happy to do it.
00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:19.280
So we knew that we needed to like get our footprint in the East Valley, and so we picked a place that was strategic because it was in Tempe, but it's on the border of Chandler and Mesa.
00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:24.079
So we're like, oh, we can get Chandler and Mesa, you know, Tempe all in one location.
00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:28.320
And so that uh was a smart move and has served us well.
00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:36.000
But you know, when you build something new, you want it to be beautiful, you want all the bells and whistles, you want the best furniture.
00:37:36.239 --> 00:37:43.199
We would hire people or get consulting from interior designers, and they had great taste but expensive tastes.
00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:46.400
They're like, oh, that desk would look fabulous in your studio.
00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.840
I'm like, how much is that desk?
00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:48.960
Oh, that's like four grand.
00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:49.679
Oh, okay.
00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:51.920
Yeah, you know, I think I'll build something.
00:37:53.519 --> 00:38:12.719
Um so uh yeah, so that's one thing I felt like a lot of other places made big mistakes on where they just spend so much money on front up front on the build-out, and then now they're stuck with the cost of that and everything else they need to run their business, you know.
00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:25.920
And that's something that we've done really smart, where we like we built it nice, and then little by little we just add pretty stuff and make improvements and do things as we can, so we're not just like stuck with that bill.
00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:29.280
We can actually make the improvements as the revenue goes up.
00:38:29.599 --> 00:38:31.360
So hopefully that answers.
00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:32.480
That was really good.
00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:55.199
I'm curious too, especially for Brooke, because I know that you've opened some, you know, more stores in re the recent years, but what are some things that have changed that have been, you know, kind of like an evolution in the newer stu stores that you've opened where you're like, oh, I learned this from this store and I'm gonna incorporate this a little bit more different in the next one.
00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:56.480
Square footage.
00:38:56.719 --> 00:39:00.559
So before COVID, we always looked at our seating area.
00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:04.400
And after COVID, you realize you do not need that big of a seating area.
00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:09.599
So I try to stick around 900 to 1000 square feet, and I won't go above it.
00:39:09.679 --> 00:39:12.079
So you also have to be around negotiating that.
00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:13.840
So I have to do mental math.
00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:17.119
I know exactly price per square foot, what we can afford when we go into summer months.
00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:19.039
So we're highly seasonal.
00:39:19.119 --> 00:39:25.360
Uh, our product is expensive, and so a lot of our customer goes out of town for three months out of the year.
00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:36.320
And that that is great, but I have to be prepared for summer, and I always know that I have to be able to pay rent May, June, July, not just the popular months.
00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:36.719
Right.
00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:42.480
So square footage is really important, negotiations, hiring a really good lawyer who can teach you how to understand leases.
00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:49.920
So before we went off of vibes, you know, this looks cool, this looks great, um, I could totally see us here.
00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:56.719
Uh it worked out, thank God, for some locations, you know, in the beginning, and we were very blessed and fortunate that it did.
00:39:56.960 --> 00:40:00.960
But you have to get really strong in understanding what CAMS means on a lease.
00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:06.079
You have to get strong in understanding what a 5% rent increase is going to look like every single year.
00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:08.719
And a lot of people, when they sign a lease, don't realize that.
00:40:09.039 --> 00:40:15.199
So just because you sign a lease at$32 a square foot doesn't mean it stays at$32 a square foot until the end of time.
00:40:15.360 --> 00:40:19.440
And to your point on build-outs, what is important to get you open?
00:40:19.679 --> 00:40:22.079
So I have a lot of stuff that I have to follow to code.
00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:24.480
So we do a lot of things with the health department.
00:40:24.639 --> 00:40:28.559
So I have to say, what exactly do I need in order to get us open coding-wise?
00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:32.400
So I have to do floodlights, which are the ugliest things ever.
00:40:32.719 --> 00:40:35.599
But you need floodlights in order to legally have a food establishment.
00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:41.440
We don't turn them on when we're making products or we would be blinding people in the store, but I legally have to put them in.
00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:44.719
That's a couple thousand dollars that nobody literally sees.
00:40:45.039 --> 00:40:48.559
So just little things like that that I build in the back of my mind on price.
00:40:48.639 --> 00:40:56.400
So when I go in for, again, somebody being wallpaper or paneling, I'm like, I would love to have that, but I have to put in floodlights.
00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:59.440
So we're gonna do the cheapest option for everything else.
00:40:59.679 --> 00:41:08.800
And we've been fortunate that we've been open for over a decade at a few of our locations that I'm going mechanic, making little tweaks and changes because of foot traffic.
00:41:08.880 --> 00:41:12.480
It's food, people are gonna spill, they're gonna sit down on the furniture.
00:41:12.559 --> 00:41:15.760
We do a lot of replacements, so you just have to view it as nothing is forever.
00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:22.239
So don't buy something in a brick and mortar ever that you're like, I love this piece because it will get broken.
00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:22.800
Yeah.
00:41:23.039 --> 00:41:28.159
So just don't have any type of emotional attachment to anything you put in the store because somebody will break it.
00:41:28.320 --> 00:41:31.760
So just, you know, that is probably my biggest thing.
00:41:32.239 --> 00:41:33.599
Yeah, that's good.
00:41:33.760 --> 00:41:34.800
Anything you want to add?
00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:36.159
I mean, that's all.
00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:39.920
I mean, I think also being open to different types of like how you same.
00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:41.760
We had to, we right-sized ourselves.
00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:43.119
We had too much space.
00:41:43.360 --> 00:41:46.639
The way that our service is priced, we don't need that many chairs.
00:41:46.719 --> 00:41:54.159
And so I think something that I learned is to take any ego out of everything and do what you need to do that is best for the business.
00:41:54.239 --> 00:42:05.599
And so as we're growing, that looks more like a Fred Siegel kind of um layout where we're a store within a store versus having our own lease and doing our own build-out again because I've done it once and I never want to do it again.
00:42:06.079 --> 00:42:06.639
Yes.
00:42:07.199 --> 00:42:08.239
Well, we're the opposite.
00:42:08.400 --> 00:42:11.199
We actually have to, we've continued to get bigger.
00:42:11.519 --> 00:42:22.559
You know, our first location was about a thousand square feet, and then the second one was fifteen hundred, and then the third one we went over two thousand, and the one we got in Scottsdale is even bigger.
00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:26.079
But is that from like feedback that you're getting from customers too?
00:42:26.239 --> 00:42:29.360
Like for all your or what's the reason of going bigger?
00:42:29.920 --> 00:42:31.599
Well, it's just more options.
00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:41.440
So, you know, everything that we have in our locations is one expensive, you know, red lights are expensive, especially to build out the rooms, the saunas are pricey.
00:42:41.760 --> 00:42:45.039
I mean, one of our cold tubs alone was$26,000.
00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:48.800
You know, we have a PEMF chair that's like$25K.
00:42:49.440 --> 00:42:54.559
So um the to answer your question, really comfort, right?
00:42:54.639 --> 00:43:01.679
So that people have space and room, and then adding multiple bathrooms, multiple red light rooms, because we have flow, you know.
00:43:01.840 --> 00:43:09.360
So if you don't have any saunas available after they get out of the compression therapy, then there's a bottleneck there.
00:43:09.599 --> 00:43:17.679
And so we were like learning about all our bottlenecks with our original location, especially with one red light room at Arcadia and like only one uh restroom.
00:43:17.920 --> 00:43:25.920
So when we we just learned through each one, we're like, okay, we need to be a little bit bigger, and then also providing like different unique experiences.
00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:29.840
There's so many new technologies that are coming out in our space.
00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:32.960
Everyone's trying to sell me like some new gadget all the time.
00:43:33.360 --> 00:43:39.760
You know, there's so many gadgets, uh, you know, whether it be like oxygen chambers, all kinds of cool stuff.
00:43:40.000 --> 00:43:41.119
And I would love it all.
00:43:41.440 --> 00:43:42.960
We just don't have room for it.
00:43:43.199 --> 00:43:49.760
And a lot of times, you know, the custom there's always education, you gotta educate the customers on it too.
00:43:49.840 --> 00:43:59.760
You know, if you don't if you don't um sell it yourself, like the company who sold it to you, like they're not just gonna come to your center because.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:03.199
Because you have this and we learned that very early on.
00:44:03.519 --> 00:44:09.199
You know, the m the the the folks who sell these products are really good at like setting wrong expectations.
00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:16.400
But we've found our niche and we've kind of gone with you know the staple, sonical, plunge, red light, all the basics.
00:44:16.880 --> 00:44:18.000
So we just keep getting bigger.
00:44:18.719 --> 00:44:19.039
Yeah.
00:44:19.440 --> 00:44:20.079
Which is great.
00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:25.039
Okay, I've got two more questions and then we'll open it up if anyone else has some questions that they want to ask.
00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:34.000
I'm curious, like looking ahead to the future, what's one prediction for brick and border businesses that you have for the next like five years, so to say?
00:44:34.159 --> 00:44:39.679
What do you see for the future of our local brick and mortar businesses?
00:44:41.519 --> 00:44:44.000
It's commonly referred to as the third space.
00:44:44.239 --> 00:44:53.280
I was just gonna say people, yeah, you just everybody wants a place to go and meet people and hang out.
00:44:53.440 --> 00:45:02.480
And with the world being so digital, there's gonna be a revolt, I think, in two years of they'll still be posting, but you need somewhere to post that you're going.
00:45:02.559 --> 00:45:18.559
So a lot of the time we have people take a lot of pictures and videos in the store, which is great, but people just want human engagement, and it will continue to get it's great, your spaces are getting bigger, and that's a testament to how much people want to get out of their house.
00:45:18.960 --> 00:45:23.280
And so just having a space that people want to go to and just talk to another human.
00:45:23.440 --> 00:45:29.119
So I'm hoping that it will be quicker than two years, but I think that we're already seeing it.
00:45:29.199 --> 00:45:34.719
People just don't want to be at home in front of their computer anymore, even though they it seems like they are a lot of the time.
00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:37.039
It they truly do want to be out socializing.
00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:38.000
Yeah, I agree.
00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:39.760
Yeah, people are zoomed out.
00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:47.519
I mean, almost every person that I speak to works from home, hybrid, some office, some home.
00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:50.400
Everything's on Zoom, all the meetings are on Zoom.
00:45:50.480 --> 00:45:51.760
People just do Zoom for everything.
00:45:51.840 --> 00:45:53.440
I'm like, you could just call me.
00:45:53.599 --> 00:45:53.920
Yeah.
00:45:54.800 --> 00:45:56.639
Do I really need to be on Zoom right now?
00:45:56.880 --> 00:45:58.960
Can I just like talk to you while I'm driving?
00:45:59.440 --> 00:46:01.440
Um I can't stand that.
00:46:01.679 --> 00:46:12.480
Um, but um, yeah, and I agree, like people want connection and they want somewhere to go, and they need to get out of their head and like back into their body.
00:46:12.719 --> 00:46:23.920
And that's one thing that we help solve is by getting people back in touch with their body and out of the logical, analytical, thinking mind, computing all day, and uh that's always a really nice break.
00:46:24.159 --> 00:46:25.840
And we can't really do that online.
00:46:25.920 --> 00:46:34.079
I mean, we could teach breath work online, there's a lot of things you can do online, but when you meet people in person, it's just a different experience.
00:46:34.559 --> 00:46:41.360
And when you you know feel through heat and cold and all the things that we offer, it's just a different experience.
00:46:41.599 --> 00:46:59.599
So yeah, we're we we love community and ultimately we hope that more people revolt and like really want that in-person time because we've we've outsourced, you know, so much into the digital world that it's gotten kind of crazy now.
00:47:00.239 --> 00:47:01.679
I'm curious your perspective.
00:47:02.000 --> 00:47:02.639
I'm I agree.
00:47:02.880 --> 00:47:08.159
We get to see it all the time because a lot of the women who come get ready are going to the same thing, so it's a lot of fun.
00:47:08.320 --> 00:47:12.000
I like to describe us as the female equivalent to the barber shop.
00:47:12.320 --> 00:47:24.559
Um, it truly is a space where you're not just gonna get your makeup done, you're having a conversation, you're gonna talk to the girls, you're gonna learn about your new favorite press juice, this new workout, this you know, where you need to go, do a cold plunge.
00:47:24.639 --> 00:47:32.880
Um, so it's a lot of fun to get to partake in those experiences and to curate that kind of environment where people can come feel seen, welcome, invited, and have that experience.
00:47:33.199 --> 00:47:34.000
Yes, so good.
00:47:34.159 --> 00:47:36.639
Okay, last question before we open it up to our audience.
00:47:36.800 --> 00:47:40.960
What's one thing customers can do to better support local businesses?
00:47:42.239 --> 00:47:49.840
Ooh, um me and my fiance, Lauren, we were in Sicily last year, and uh it was my first time in Sicily.
00:47:50.559 --> 00:47:51.920
A little storytelling here, but I'll try to remember.
00:47:52.239 --> 00:47:52.480
I love it.
00:47:52.559 --> 00:47:52.960
We love stories.
00:47:53.440 --> 00:48:01.039
And um one of the things that impressed me the most about Sicily is that I did not find one corporate anything.
00:48:01.679 --> 00:48:11.199
Everywhere we went was a mom and pop, um, coffee shop, bakery, restaurant, and in those types of environments it's different type of service.
00:48:11.280 --> 00:48:14.559
You know, the people tend to care, especially if it's a family business.
00:48:14.960 --> 00:48:18.960
And you can tell just by the way they treat you, the service that they provided.
00:48:19.199 --> 00:48:30.239
And we left like so inspired that I'm like, I want to spend all my money, you know, here in the United States on like people that I know, people who are local, people who've like built something, grassroots.
00:48:30.639 --> 00:48:33.679
And I just think that's that's really important.
00:48:33.920 --> 00:48:35.840
And so that was really special.
00:48:36.079 --> 00:48:38.800
I don't know where I was going with that regarding your question.
00:48:39.360 --> 00:48:40.559
But I was on the right track.
00:48:41.039 --> 00:48:44.000
I know I was like, what's one thing customers can do to better support local?
00:48:44.239 --> 00:48:48.719
Yes, just at the end of the day, like pay attention to where you spend your money, you know.
00:48:48.960 --> 00:48:51.679
Everyone's like, we hate corporate, we hate corporate.
00:48:51.760 --> 00:48:57.760
You see it all online, but all they do is support the corporate businesses and like it makes no sense.
00:48:58.159 --> 00:49:05.199
Um and everyone knows somebody, in a sense, that owns a restaurant or a coffee shop or a juice place.
00:49:05.360 --> 00:49:11.199
Uh, so spend your money there, you know, support those people in your local neighborhood because we're tribal people, you know.
00:49:11.280 --> 00:49:21.039
Uh we should uh continue to really like um nurture our communities and our areas that we spend our time in, and I think that's really important.
00:49:21.199 --> 00:49:29.840
We've gotten away from that, and the big, you know, corporations have kind of come in and um you know they've taken a lot of small businesses out.
00:49:30.000 --> 00:49:32.800
So we have the choice on where we can spend our money.
00:49:34.480 --> 00:49:45.840
Um to piggyback off of that, I would say every single one of us are marketing agents, so I am intentional that when I talk to other people, I will bring up my friends' businesses.
00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:47.039
I'm gonna do it right now.
00:49:47.280 --> 00:49:54.159
So I have two really great friends here, one of which owns a beautiful um SPF wearable.
00:49:54.239 --> 00:49:56.559
It's called Eclisse, and it's stunning.
00:49:56.719 --> 00:50:02.000
She designed it and makes the product, and it is scarves, dresses, skirts, tops.
00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:03.599
It's beautiful, it's local.
00:50:03.920 --> 00:50:08.480
And so obviously, everybody in Arizona needs to protect their skin, but you can get it all over the US.
00:50:08.719 --> 00:50:16.800
And then my other friend, Caitlin, she is starting her own business called Poudreaux, and it is revolutionary in the body brush space.
00:50:16.960 --> 00:50:18.559
So they're launching in two weeks.
00:50:18.719 --> 00:50:19.840
So it's huge.
00:50:20.079 --> 00:50:22.480
Yes, it is, it's huge, it's great.
00:50:22.719 --> 00:50:25.440
But um basically that is the whole point.
00:50:25.679 --> 00:50:29.840
I always try to highlight people I know and what they're making.
00:50:30.000 --> 00:50:40.320
I'm friends with a lot of really amazing, inspiring people, and they support my business, which obviously, yes, shop local, but talk about them, talk about it, and be excited for them.
00:50:40.480 --> 00:50:40.719
Yes.
00:50:40.960 --> 00:50:41.360
I like that.
00:50:41.519 --> 00:50:42.800
Yeah, I love that so much.
00:50:43.119 --> 00:50:44.880
Alex, anything all of that.
00:50:45.039 --> 00:50:54.079
Um, I think I have have a personal connection to almost every single person that's come through the sparkle bar, and that's because we've been very intentional about building that ecosystem.
00:50:54.239 --> 00:50:56.800
I like to think of it like throwing a little pebble in a pond.
00:50:56.960 --> 00:51:03.679
Like when you do that, the ripples of impact that can be reached as a result of just effort is huge.
00:51:04.000 --> 00:51:08.400
So yes, talk about them when you're on social.
00:51:08.639 --> 00:51:11.599
Like please comment on the post, send it to a friend.
00:51:11.760 --> 00:51:14.320
Those very simple actions really do help the reach.
00:51:14.400 --> 00:51:18.880
And we spend a lot of time and effort and energy to try to get the messages out there.
00:51:18.960 --> 00:51:21.280
So in a sea full of noise, it's very helpful.
00:51:21.360 --> 00:51:25.039
Um, it's true, when you spend local, more of your dollars stay local.
00:51:25.199 --> 00:51:37.519
And so it's just something I make a concerted effort to do as well because I know the people that I'm spending my money with and how that's going to impact not only their families but their team and just the residual impact that has.
00:51:37.599 --> 00:51:39.440
And when it's personal, I think it's meaningful.
00:51:39.519 --> 00:51:46.159
And so I hope that everyone just looks at every business owner as like a person behind the business who's trying to do something awesome for their family.
00:51:46.400 --> 00:51:47.679
Yes, so good.
00:51:47.840 --> 00:51:52.000
Okay, I'd love to open the floor to some questions in the audience.
00:51:52.239 --> 00:51:58.800
If you do you want to ask a question, please tell us your name and give us if you've got a business, tell us a little bit about it.
00:52:00.719 --> 00:52:02.000
Let's go, Julie.
00:52:02.239 --> 00:52:04.000
Okay, well, we're gonna bring you a mic really quick.
00:52:04.159 --> 00:52:04.480
Oh, okay.
00:52:04.639 --> 00:52:05.519
So that way we can hear you.
00:52:05.840 --> 00:52:06.159
Thank you.
00:52:06.239 --> 00:52:06.960
Just like this.
00:52:07.280 --> 00:52:07.599
That's it.
00:52:07.760 --> 00:52:08.000
All right.
00:52:08.079 --> 00:52:09.039
My name's Julie.
00:52:09.119 --> 00:52:11.920
I own the House Bream Project in Arizona Gifting Co.
00:52:12.159 --> 00:52:16.000
So we're like a corporate gifting brick and mortar in Old Tent Scottsdale.
00:52:16.239 --> 00:52:18.960
My question for you guys, and also thank you for tonight.
00:52:19.039 --> 00:52:19.679
It was really inspiring.
00:52:19.760 --> 00:52:21.599
I came in like yawning and being like, I'm so tired.
00:52:21.679 --> 00:52:23.840
And now I'm like, okay, I have so many ideas.
00:52:24.079 --> 00:52:29.679
My question is like, what's one non-negotiable for you every day as the founder of your business?
00:52:29.840 --> 00:52:34.239
I feel like sometimes I have to like reinvent the wheel every day to like amp up my employees and my customers.
00:52:34.320 --> 00:52:40.159
Like, what's one thing that you're like, I'm doing this every day to make sure that I have a successful day or get through the day.
00:52:40.400 --> 00:52:41.119
That's a good idea.
00:52:41.360 --> 00:52:45.199
Like a personal thing that we do for ourselves or for our business?
00:52:45.599 --> 00:52:46.559
Either or.
00:52:47.119 --> 00:52:48.239
Maybe both or both.
00:52:48.480 --> 00:52:49.440
Yeah, maybe both.
00:52:49.840 --> 00:52:51.760
Well, I gotta center myself first.
00:52:52.000 --> 00:52:53.039
That's like really important.
00:52:53.119 --> 00:52:55.360
And I also have to practice what I preach.
00:52:55.599 --> 00:53:02.400
You know, I'm in the business of health and wellness, and I um I think it's really important for me to lead by example.
00:53:02.719 --> 00:53:18.719
And so I'm always uh essentially trying new things, using the therapies myself, like letting my team know, and and also my customers know that you know I'm a practitioner of this process, so I that's like really important to me.
00:53:19.119 --> 00:53:30.559
Uh, but also for me, because everything is so digital and so distant, and I feel like people are growing further and further apart, I make it a point to visit my locations every single day, pretty much.
00:53:30.880 --> 00:53:48.639
And I like that FaceTime with my team members so that I can check on them, see how they're doing, see how life's going, all the things that like are outside of the everyday business, just to have that personal connection, just to know that like I care and uh support them.
00:53:48.880 --> 00:53:50.800
So that's really important to me as well.
00:53:50.960 --> 00:53:52.639
So I I do a lot of driving.
00:53:52.960 --> 00:53:54.159
I love driving.
00:53:55.760 --> 00:53:56.400
Yeah.
00:53:56.719 --> 00:54:07.360
Um, I always have some sort of movement, so I will work out, walk, um, any take like a class at workshop Pilates that I've done with Carly before.
00:54:07.519 --> 00:54:09.119
Um, I have to move.
00:54:09.280 --> 00:54:15.519
It is the only way that I will be a pleasant person and all facets of business and at home.
00:54:15.760 --> 00:54:17.840
So I do that every single day.
00:54:18.079 --> 00:54:38.800
And the most important thing that I do for work every day is I will I go through all of our reviews, feedback, anything that comes in through social or our square, and I make a point to reach out if we have well, we usually always have some sort of positive amongst some negative too, but I will reach out to the individual and tell them the positive review directly from me.
00:54:39.039 --> 00:54:42.159
So it's we have a staff of over 75 people.
00:54:42.320 --> 00:54:46.639
So I know that I'm not gonna be able to have a touch point with each of them every single day.
00:54:46.800 --> 00:54:57.519
So I try to make it known that I do see when really great things happen, because usually you only hear the bad news, and you usually get bad news from your boss if they're coming in for a review.
00:54:57.599 --> 00:55:01.039
So I try to make it a point to reach out and um personally thank them.
00:55:01.360 --> 00:55:04.400
Are these like customer reviews, like online, Google reviews, stuff like that?
00:55:04.559 --> 00:55:05.599
Yeah, square feedback.
00:55:05.679 --> 00:55:10.320
So we have square software and we can have direct access with our customer and they can respond to each transaction.
00:55:10.559 --> 00:55:11.760
Yeah, that's good.
00:55:12.079 --> 00:55:19.039
I am uh so something that I do every day, and this is my neighbor, so I'm super grateful to be surrounded by so much community.
00:55:19.199 --> 00:55:20.000
This is awesome.
00:55:20.239 --> 00:55:25.039
Um, we I I try to spend time, I go outside in the morning.
00:55:25.199 --> 00:55:31.599
I if nothing else, I like literally get up and just go stand outside, usually around 4:30 or 5 in the morning before my kids wake up.
00:55:31.679 --> 00:55:37.199
And that's so that I can truly just like get the first sunlight and just start being thankful.
00:55:37.280 --> 00:55:46.159
And I know it sounds very cliche, but as somebody who's been through like the ringer this last year, it has been my saving grace to like just my feet wait, like work.
00:55:46.239 --> 00:55:59.119
I can get out of bed, I'm in my own bed, I'm not in a hospital bed, I can open my eyes, I can go outside, I have agency, and that helps me to really like equip myself in a positive way for like everything is good because I have like so much to be grateful for.
00:55:59.199 --> 00:56:04.719
So now it's up to me to like do what I want to do with this life that I have and this gift and make it happen.
00:56:04.960 --> 00:56:05.360
Yes.
00:56:05.599 --> 00:56:06.320
I really like that.
00:56:07.119 --> 00:56:08.000
And sister.
00:56:08.400 --> 00:56:16.000
I've done the same too, like, you know, as a business owner and entrepreneur, I mean, you get a wedgie every now and then, you know.
00:56:16.320 --> 00:56:20.079
Yeah, wedgie, noogie, right?
00:56:20.639 --> 00:56:23.760
Um you know, you get punched in the mouth quite a bit.
00:56:23.920 --> 00:56:38.239
And so I've really like leaned into my faith and like having more conversation, like asking for help that's like outside of mentorship and asking for help outside of like just other business people, you know, that's more like spiritual.
00:56:38.480 --> 00:56:41.039
Yes, and uh that's been something I've leaned into a lot.
00:56:41.760 --> 00:56:46.159
Very Jesus teek the wheel, like yes, just take it for sure.
00:56:46.400 --> 00:56:47.519
Yeah, that's good.
00:56:47.599 --> 00:56:48.239
It's all good.
00:56:48.320 --> 00:56:49.199
Thank you for that question.
00:56:50.719 --> 00:56:51.519
Kayleigh.
00:56:53.519 --> 00:56:55.199
We all need a good wedgie every now and then.
00:56:57.360 --> 00:56:58.480
Yeah, keeps you humble.
00:56:58.800 --> 00:57:11.039
Yeah, so this one might be slightly controversial, so you don't have to like say specifics, but what's the last thing you said no to, either in your personal life or your business, to protect yourself or your business?
00:57:12.480 --> 00:57:12.960
Events.
00:57:13.119 --> 00:57:14.800
I get invited to so many events.
00:57:15.039 --> 00:57:17.760
Yeah, thanks for not saying no to this one.
00:57:19.119 --> 00:57:20.480
Not this type of event.
00:57:21.280 --> 00:57:29.760
But like I get invited to a lot of events of people who are hosting some sort of wellness activity, and so they want us to be there to like have cold tubs.
00:57:29.840 --> 00:57:56.320
And you know, for me, um, those events can be fantastic and really great, but we had to be way more selective because there's lots of options, and you know, you drive there, you pay employees to be there, you buy you know five, six hundred pounds of ice, you know, you spend a good portion of your time there, and sometimes it doesn't turn into sometimes just good PR, like getting the name out there, which is okay, but sometimes it doesn't necessarily turn into more people coming to our studio.
00:57:56.559 --> 00:58:06.079
So we've had to be like way more selective on who the right demographics are, what are the type of events that are important for us to be at, and so I had to say no quite a bit.
00:58:06.400 --> 00:58:07.760
Yeah, that's a good event.
00:58:08.639 --> 00:58:11.199
I have to say no to a lot of events as well.
00:58:11.280 --> 00:58:20.159
We get asked, it's uh a huge lift to pay for people to be there and make products, you're paying someone to make the product, it's nothing's cheap, obviously.
00:58:20.320 --> 00:58:28.159
Right, but I would say more on a personal level, I am just like really in my mom era, so that's like not helpful from a business perspective.
00:58:28.320 --> 00:58:47.679
Um, but I have made the conscious choice that I want to be a present mother, so I say no to a lot of trips for girls for birthday parties, and I say no to a lot of medical conferences, which I really I'm more so getting back into them, but I will only do them locally, and those fill my cup intellectually.
00:58:47.920 --> 00:58:53.679
But I am so cognizant that I want my daughter to grow up and remember me being there.
00:58:54.880 --> 00:58:55.519
Yeah.
00:58:56.480 --> 00:59:05.599
Um so I something that I used to kind of like be a good gauge for me is that everything I say yes to is a no to everything else.
00:59:05.840 --> 00:59:15.119
So when I'm deciding on what I'm going to say yes to, it's I'm just very discerning, especially as somebody who knows how like limited time is.
00:59:15.280 --> 00:59:19.840
I'm not willing, and it's the only the currency that even the richest man can't buy back.
00:59:20.000 --> 00:59:22.639
So with it, I'm going to be very selective.
00:59:22.719 --> 00:59:29.039
Um, so I find myself saying no a lot of times, even if it's just to be at home by myself, because I just don't want to or need to be everywhere.
00:59:29.199 --> 00:59:36.000
But events are tricky because people don't realize that when you're asking somebody to come to an event, there is a whole bunch of hard costs associated with that.
00:59:36.159 --> 00:59:39.360
Just because I'm gonna say yes for free doesn't mean my team is saying yes for free.
00:59:39.519 --> 00:59:41.599
So we have to pay people for all of that effort.
00:59:41.760 --> 00:59:43.760
Um, and that's something I've learned along the way.
00:59:43.920 --> 00:59:47.039
So um, but you know, when it makes sense, absolutely do it.
00:59:47.119 --> 00:59:48.559
But that's that's probably the biggest one.
00:59:49.199 --> 00:59:51.599
Do you guys also get sorry to interject here?
00:59:51.679 --> 00:59:55.199
Like, people want to meet for coffee to pick your brain every day.
00:59:55.280 --> 00:59:55.920
That's like the biggest.
00:59:56.239 --> 01:00:08.079
And I'm like, well, if you want to watch my kid, yeah, that that was an interesting thing that I entertained like early on, and then after time, I'm like, people are basically asking for free consulting.
01:00:08.159 --> 01:00:12.880
Yeah, they want to like know how I built my business so that they can do something similar.
01:00:13.119 --> 01:00:13.599
Exactly.
01:00:13.840 --> 01:00:17.679
And uh, you know, I've put myself in some bad situations, of course.
01:00:17.760 --> 01:00:27.760
You know, you live and you learn, and I'm still like I still get those, and I'm just like, I would never reach out to someone and ask for free consulting, but people are interesting.
01:00:27.920 --> 01:00:40.639
Um I've had to say no to a lot of coffee, pick your brain, kind of learn everything about your business, everything that you've like worked through, and so that I can try something similar, you know.
01:00:42.000 --> 01:00:43.440
I'll add to something too.
01:00:43.599 --> 01:00:57.280
I think like saying no to people that come to you for like exposure type thing, like when we open the studios, it's like we just need to get people in the door, you know?
01:00:57.599 --> 01:01:07.280
So there could be like an influencer or someone that like on the outside, you're like, oh, they have X amount of followers and this and that, but like you don't really know who they are.
01:01:07.599 --> 01:01:16.320
And they come to you and they're like, Oh, can we get like free studio time or can we get basically your business service offers, whatever it is for free?
01:01:16.639 --> 01:01:30.960
Um and those ones that we've said yes to in the past like haven't brought much to us, but it was when we had more like intention and structure around like doing our curated content days.
01:01:31.039 --> 01:01:56.480
Like we we've given away free studio time for sure with intention for marketing purposes and exposure and this and that, but you owning more of that like control in who is giving you the exposure rather than someone that's like it's always when they ask you, oh, for free time, free, you know, services and stuff, that it usually doesn't bring the exposure that you're the deliverables I need.
01:01:56.639 --> 01:02:03.360
I will say though, I I don't necessarily enjoy people asking me just for like to have coffee for questions, but I am into mentorship.
01:02:03.440 --> 01:02:03.599
Yeah.
01:02:04.000 --> 01:02:08.480
Definitely into like mentoring younger people who are aspiring to be business owners.
01:02:08.559 --> 01:02:09.920
Yeah and definitely do a lot of that.
01:02:10.239 --> 01:02:16.639
That's one thing that we actually because this actually just came up recently where someone reached out, hey, can I pick your brain type thing?
01:02:16.880 --> 01:02:27.440
And rather than saying yes or whatever, we have our membership, our maker membership here, where every the first Monday of every month, I'm here to literally connect with all of our maker members.
01:02:27.599 --> 01:02:36.639
So I was like, well, you'd be a perfect person to like join into our membership because A, what you're building, you know, it you could utilize a studio space in so many ways.
01:02:36.800 --> 01:02:42.880
But B, if you want that one-on-one time to pick my brain, join the membership and come to our Maker Mondays.
01:02:43.119 --> 01:02:43.440
Yes.
01:02:43.679 --> 01:02:50.719
And and if they don't, then that tells me the clearest answer, you know, of like their motives or whatever it may be.
01:02:50.960 --> 01:02:51.840
Yeah, that's a good topic.
01:02:52.159 --> 01:02:58.079
Like, if you're a business, yeah, if you're gonna pull something from me, if you want to take that value from me, you can pour in.
01:02:58.239 --> 01:03:00.320
There needs to be like an equal exchange here.
01:03:00.400 --> 01:03:03.360
And I felt like that was a you know fair option.
01:03:03.599 --> 01:03:07.920
Yeah, and if you know me, like at the center, if I'm at the center, you will get my time.
01:03:08.079 --> 01:03:08.800
You will get time, yeah.
01:03:09.039 --> 01:03:09.920
You will get my time.
01:03:10.079 --> 01:03:12.800
I give a lot of my time to the people that are at the center.
01:03:12.960 --> 01:03:13.280
Yeah.
01:03:13.440 --> 01:03:15.679
Um, especially, you know, our customers.
01:03:15.840 --> 01:03:18.320
And so I'm like, I'm at Optimize every day.
01:03:18.400 --> 01:03:21.360
I'm actually really easy to compare this, I'm really easy to find.
01:03:22.559 --> 01:03:23.840
Yeah, I'm really easy to find.
01:03:23.920 --> 01:03:30.880
And there's been so much amazing networking that has gone on there, relationships, business relationships, friendships.
01:03:30.960 --> 01:03:33.199
We have five marriages and one child.
01:03:33.840 --> 01:03:36.800
Like came out of Optimize, which I never expected.
01:03:37.440 --> 01:03:42.000
Um, so there's been so much beauty there, and I'm like, be part of the community.
01:03:42.159 --> 01:03:49.119
Yeah, you will naturally meet people, always let people know who you are and what you do, because it's kind of like a hub for the wellness community.
01:03:49.280 --> 01:03:58.159
And if you're in that, if you're a coach of some sort, personal trainer, whatever it might be, you are going to meet people and you're going to pick up clients if you do it smartly.
01:03:58.320 --> 01:04:02.320
Um, but back to like what you're saying is like I'm easy to find.
01:04:02.400 --> 01:04:05.440
Yeah, I'll give you my energy, you know, but be part of the process.
01:04:06.159 --> 01:04:06.559
Yeah, for sure.
01:04:06.800 --> 01:04:07.440
I really like that.
01:04:07.599 --> 01:04:07.920
Yeah.
01:04:08.159 --> 01:04:09.920
Okay, do we have another question?
01:04:11.199 --> 01:04:11.840
You sure?
01:04:12.079 --> 01:04:13.119
Any more questions?
01:04:14.559 --> 01:04:15.360
Okay, let's go.
01:04:15.519 --> 01:04:16.639
We got one more question.
01:04:17.119 --> 01:04:19.679
This can be a speed round, another rapid fire.
01:04:19.920 --> 01:04:36.159
Um, okay, coming from like the brick and mortar space when you're thinking about employees, and let's just say you're maybe starting from scratch or a small team or whatever, what do you think is like the most important hire from like the operator to customer service to marketing, like specifically for a brick and mortar?
01:04:36.960 --> 01:04:38.960
If the goal's growth, of course.
01:04:39.280 --> 01:04:39.920
Yes.
01:04:40.639 --> 01:04:41.840
Mine's operations.
01:04:41.920 --> 01:04:43.599
That was a painful lesson I had to learn.
01:04:43.760 --> 01:04:50.480
Um, we hit a revenue which was amazing, but I was told with two arms, two legs, one person, the wheels will fall off.
01:04:50.559 --> 01:04:55.519
And once we hit that, I could not operate and be our COO and CEO.
01:04:55.679 --> 01:04:57.679
So I had to strategically hire a COO.
01:04:57.760 --> 01:05:03.679
I would say that is the most important person that you have that understands the business side of the business.
01:05:03.840 --> 01:05:08.400
You can be creative, you can have all these amazing ideas, but if you cannot execute them, nobody can see them.
01:05:08.880 --> 01:05:15.920
So I've had to scale back in the past year, but in order to grow it the way I want to grow it.
01:05:16.079 --> 01:05:18.800
So my operator, I hired a recruiting agency.
01:05:18.960 --> 01:05:26.239
I would say if you can do that, it helps you take a little bit less time because you're gonna have to fire fast.
01:05:26.639 --> 01:05:31.679
You will have really great people who will come in, but they'll be really great at the interview.
01:05:31.840 --> 01:05:34.960
And it's amazing, and they're probably very passionate.
01:05:35.039 --> 01:05:39.519
And that's where I used to say I would hire people who are super passionate about what we're doing.
01:05:39.679 --> 01:05:45.679
You need to hire people who are super passionate, but also honest in where they're at with what they can do.
01:05:45.840 --> 01:05:50.320
I'm very honest in where I'm at and what I can do with my time, what I can do with my skill set.
01:05:50.400 --> 01:05:55.199
And so you have to be able to see that and hire outside of it.
01:05:55.280 --> 01:05:58.239
And an operator, a true operator, will be able to do that with you.
01:05:58.320 --> 01:05:59.760
And a lot of CEOs, a lot of entrepreneurs.
01:06:00.400 --> 01:06:13.039
Are creative and it's a beautiful blessing, but it's also a curse because you want to do everything and you have this feeling of if somebody else does it, they're not going to be able to speak my voice into existence.
01:06:13.280 --> 01:06:18.480
They will, if you have the operator that is actually getting the message out for you.
01:06:18.559 --> 01:06:25.360
Because a lot of CEOs, a lot of entrepreneurs are so excited, but they're also like on to another topic every day.
01:06:25.440 --> 01:06:35.920
I could do 8,000 things a day, but I won't get the actual deliverable out that I need done because I'm hopping on a call, being like, Yeah, I can make a smoothie for this company tomorrow.
01:06:36.159 --> 01:06:38.800
And then my team's like, no fucking way.
01:06:39.039 --> 01:06:40.320
Like we're not doing that.
01:06:40.559 --> 01:06:42.159
So operator.
01:06:42.800 --> 01:06:43.760
That's good.
01:06:44.400 --> 01:06:45.119
I would agree.
01:06:45.280 --> 01:06:56.960
I mean, I feel like I'm I'm at the stage too where I need that person, and my business is a little bit different because we perform a service, but then there's a whole business side of it because there's an artistic component and then business.
01:06:57.119 --> 01:07:01.599
So I think that the challenge is not hiring early and or fast enough, right?
01:07:01.760 --> 01:07:05.679
Or like soon enough to where you're being pulled in all directions.
01:07:05.760 --> 01:07:09.280
So I would say someone to execute on all of the ideas.
01:07:09.679 --> 01:07:12.079
Keller Group is who I used for a recruiting agency.
01:07:12.159 --> 01:07:12.559
She's local.
01:07:12.719 --> 01:07:13.280
Keller Group.
01:07:14.000 --> 01:07:14.400
She's great.
01:07:14.480 --> 01:07:15.119
That's a good flag.
01:07:15.280 --> 01:07:15.440
Yeah.
01:07:15.679 --> 01:07:16.000
Yes.
01:07:17.760 --> 01:07:23.760
Our uh the way we run our businesses, uh, we run really lean, so we'll have one team member in the center.
01:07:23.920 --> 01:07:35.440
And so if you don't hire the right team member, I mean it can sync, you know, or elevate your business, you know, depending on um how they interact with the customers.
01:07:35.760 --> 01:07:50.639
And so they wear many hats, and that's always been like an obstacle for us because they're customer service, they are sales, they are providing the experience for the people, they have to keep the place organized and clean.
01:07:50.880 --> 01:07:52.079
And so they wear a lot of hats.
01:07:52.159 --> 01:08:01.519
So we've always found that you know, someone might be really strong in sales and really strong in customer experience, but they don't want to like you know, keep the place tidy.
01:08:01.760 --> 01:08:09.440
And so just trying to find that person that kind of can check all the boxes has always been tough for us.
01:08:09.679 --> 01:08:24.399
Uh so having a really good manager that uh really cares about the business that's willing to um lean into personal development and growth and learn is really always been really important for us.
01:08:24.560 --> 01:08:25.520
So good.
01:08:25.680 --> 01:08:26.479
Thank you guys so much.
01:08:26.640 --> 01:08:32.720
Before we wrap up, can we um have you guys share maybe something that is coming up for you in your business?
01:08:32.960 --> 01:08:40.720
New location, a new product, a new event, something that's worth sharing, and then how people can stay in touch with you and support your business.
01:08:41.840 --> 01:08:42.640
Alex, you go first.
01:08:42.880 --> 01:08:43.119
Okay.
01:08:43.199 --> 01:08:47.520
Um, so you can follow us at at the Sparkle Bar everywhere.
01:08:47.760 --> 01:08:50.159
Um we have some exciting things coming up.
01:08:50.319 --> 01:08:56.479
We are opening a new location at Copper Club, which, if you're here locally in Arizona, is off 36th Street in Indian School.
01:08:56.560 --> 01:08:59.600
So we'll be able to service our uh Phoenix client soon.
01:08:59.840 --> 01:09:04.000
And we launch our trademark certification program, which I'm very excited about.
01:09:04.079 --> 01:09:16.880
It means that we'll be able to deliver our same experience globally, um, which is exciting because now our clients who've come to love us here can experience us in Philadelphia, New York, Tokyo, wherever you need your makeup done.
01:09:16.960 --> 01:09:18.479
So we're looking forward to what that looks like.
01:09:18.800 --> 01:09:19.199
So good.
01:09:19.520 --> 01:09:19.840
Thank you.
01:09:20.479 --> 01:09:20.960
Congrats.
01:09:21.199 --> 01:09:21.520
Thank you.
01:09:21.760 --> 01:09:22.319
Love that.
01:09:22.880 --> 01:09:36.399
Uh, most recent thing coming up that I'm proud of, it's we're partnering with Phoenix Children's Hospital, and we're going to be having our smoothie in the hospital for all the doctors and patients at Phoenix Children's for the month of June.
01:09:36.720 --> 01:09:39.359
So I hope that you're not there for a negative reason.
01:09:39.520 --> 01:09:47.439
But should you so happen to be at Phoenix Children's, they do have an actual it's stunning cafeteria that anybody can go to and um have lunch at.
01:09:47.680 --> 01:09:50.239
We have our product in in the hospital.
01:09:50.319 --> 01:09:55.520
It's my first time working with um a hospital for a medical collab, so I'm very excited.
01:09:56.560 --> 01:09:57.439
I'm so proud of you.
01:09:57.680 --> 01:09:58.319
That's huge.
01:09:58.800 --> 01:09:59.119
Thank you.
01:09:59.359 --> 01:10:00.560
Oh, and where can people find you?
01:10:00.880 --> 01:10:04.159
Oh, at Kaleidoscope Juice on social media.
01:10:06.720 --> 01:10:11.680
Uh for us, it is working with uh veteran organizations and first responders.
01:10:11.920 --> 01:10:31.279
So we've made uh relationships with fire departments uh around the valley, and so now we have like waves and groups of these firefighters that are coming to utilize the services, and we've been doing a lot of work with uh men's groups, women's groups, first responder groups, uh veterans groups, and we're also doing a lot more events.
01:10:31.439 --> 01:10:39.680
A lot of our customers have been asking for like social events because they kind of meet each other at Optimize in passing when they're doing their sessions.
01:10:39.840 --> 01:10:47.279
So now we're opening up like Saturday evenings where we're gonna be doing like mixers, music, more social, more networking.
01:10:47.439 --> 01:10:53.119
We even had a singles event uh a few months ago, uh place where people can can meet each other.
01:10:53.600 --> 01:10:56.159
Because there's marriages and babies happening at Optimize.
01:10:56.479 --> 01:10:58.000
Wellness is a common denominator, right?
01:10:58.560 --> 01:11:06.239
Yeah, because a lot of people say, like, I want to meet my person, you know, I want to meet somebody, I want to meet somebody like-minded, and they don't want to go to the bar, maybe they're sick of the apps.
01:11:07.119 --> 01:11:16.720
And so we're just opening our space up for those opportunities and having somebody else kind of curate the experience, and um, it's it's been really interesting.
01:11:16.880 --> 01:11:19.119
So we're doing more of our own events.
01:11:19.439 --> 01:11:21.520
Can you spell optimized so people can find you?
01:11:21.760 --> 01:11:21.920
Yep.
01:11:22.079 --> 01:11:24.800
O-P-T-I-M-Y-Z-E dot me.
01:11:25.039 --> 01:11:26.239
You can find us on social.
01:11:26.880 --> 01:11:29.119
Um, yeah, we're pretty easy to find.
01:11:29.279 --> 01:11:30.239
Find us on Google.
01:11:30.560 --> 01:11:31.039
Awesome.
01:11:31.279 --> 01:11:31.760
So good.
01:11:31.840 --> 01:11:34.479
Well, thank you all so much for being a part of this episode.
01:11:34.720 --> 01:11:36.000
So grateful for each of you.
01:11:36.319 --> 01:11:36.720
Thank you.
01:11:37.039 --> 01:11:37.279
Thank you.
01:11:38.560 --> 01:11:39.119
Yay!

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