Do you think, within your industry specifically, is it collaborative, or is it every person for themselves?

I’d say there’s a strong theme of community over competition, especially among younger generations. I see that a lot, and I love it. But it depends on who you talk to. Luckily, everyone I’ve spoken with in my field is incredibly nice and helpful, eager to support and encourage others. I think this is because clients are drawn to personality. As the saying goes, “the energy you put out is the energy you get back,” and more people are recognizing that. This is why the community-over-competition approach is becoming increasingly prevalent, which I appreciate.

Welcome to the show, Elise! I’m thrilled to have this conversation and learn from you. Let’s dive right in. Did you always want to be a business owner? What motivated you? How did you know it was time to “press go?”

Actually, no! For the longest time, I had no idea what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. Going through aesthetics school, I realized that business ownership was something I could do and found intriguing. However, it wasn’t until last year, when my finances plummeted, that I thought, “Okay, we could potentially make more money here.” I was also extremely burnt out from my other job. The idea of having two jobs—one providing a good income and the other allowing me creative freedom—was a dream come true.

That’s fantastic! So, you went to aesthetics school. Tell us more about your business and what you’re doing now.

Right now, I focus on acne clients, helping them clear their acne and maintain clear skin. This is crucial because there’s no cure for acne; the goal is management and maintenance. I also concentrate on educating clients about their skin and skincare routines. I essentially empower them with knowledge, saying, “This is what you’re doing, this is what you could do. Now, use this information to make your own informed choices.” I also incorporate chemical peels. And I have many future plans in store!

Tell us! What can you share?

(Laughing) I know, right? I have a bad habit of getting incredibly excited about a project, and then, if it doesn’t go perfectly, I drop it. So, anyone on my Instagram or my clients might ask, “How’s that project coming along?” and I’ll say, “Oh, I actually dropped that last month.” But this current project, I can’t discuss yet—I’m committed to finishing it. It’s creating a digital product, essentially an online guide to skincare basics. It’s designed for anyone who knows nothing about skincare, covering cleansers, serums, what to buy and avoid, and how to identify your skin type and conditions.

That’s cool! I love how much you focus on education. In Utah, aesthetics is a competitive field.

Oh, yeah. There are tons of people offering facials, waxing, eyebrows, and lashes. It’s a huge industry here. I love that my focus is on education rather than just, “Come see me.” It’s more than just income for me; I genuinely care about my clients. Having a specific niche (acne) also sets me apart. Do you think this has increased your business, or sometimes hindered it?

It’s definitely increased my business. I use a program called Face Reality—I love them! Their system is excellent, combining education with affordability, which I really appreciate. However, many estheticians in Utah use Face Reality, so there’s competition within the acne client niche. Acne has really propelled my business. I mostly work with acne clients, which I absolutely love. It’s made it much easier to acquire and retain clients and differentiate myself within that specific niche.

I think so too. In the design world, niching down is crucial. I initially focused solely on health, wellness, and beauty clients, but that’s not entirely true anymore. My niche is less industry-specific and more based on my design style. I had to shift my mindset to focus on my approach and the end product rather than the client’s industry.

I’ve seen photographers do the same—focus on their style rather than just saying, “I do weddings.” It’s about, “This is my style. I do documentary-style weddings, brand shoots, family portraits, etc.”

Totally! Before the show, in our Instagram DMs, you mentioned struggling with imposter syndrome before booking this podcast.

Oh, big time! First, thank you for booking anyway—for doing it scared! That’s huge. Second, do I experience imposter syndrome more as a business owner or in my practice?

That’s a great question. Right now, it’s more as a business owner. I know my stuff—I’m well-educated in this field. So, it’s more about confidence issues and my personal insecurities than any lack of expertise.

You mentioned lacking a business degree or marketing background. Where do you think this stems from? Many on this show share similar experiences—they never planned to be business owners; it just happened.

I think it stems from everything, honestly. It goes back to confidence. If you’re confident in yourself, it translates into your business—it becomes confident and focused. Working on myself has helped immensely. But starting my business last year was probably the wrong time. I had significant health issues, including jaw surgery. For about half the year, I didn’t market myself because building client relationships is crucial, and I couldn’t provide consistent service. So, I took a six-month marketing break. Now, getting back into it, it feels like year zero or year one all over again. Even though it’s been a year, it feels like I’m just starting. There’s some imposter syndrome tied to that.

I totally understand. I thought last year would be my year one, then my fiancé, Bryson, had a 10-month deployment. I thought, “Perfect timing! Ten months to grind.” But I had zero motivation—deep sadness. He returned in October, and October to December was chaotic with moving and settling in. I launched my website in December. So, while I have a year under my belt, it really feels like my business is four months old. It was a trial run, a two-week tester, then down for the count, and now back at it.

Totally. As a business owner, what you put in is what you get out. It’s exciting but daunting. You can get into these mental gymnastics before sleep, going over things endlessly. You have to put it in a box, put it aside—which is impossible.

Exactly! How do you balance amazing ideas and projects without burning out? Do you set yearly goals, have systems in place?

(Laughing) I’m the most disorganized person ever! It’s terrible as a business owner. I’m very impulsive. I cycle through intense motivation and excitement, working constantly, neglecting sleep and food, planning amazing things, then crashing from burnout or overwhelm. I become paralyzed by the pressure for perfection. It’s a cycle of highs and lows. I’m still figuring it out.

I relate! Women are cyclical—each week is hormonally different. I’m trying to balance avoiding burnout at the end of the month while embracing the high motivation of other weeks. It’s a rollercoaster! I wish there was a drink or supplement for balance—no burnout, no overwhelm, just balance!

(Laughing) Just testosterone to be a man. To have the same energy every day. That would be fantastic! When I’m ovulating, I think, “This must be what it’s like to be a man!”

(Laughing) I feel like I sound like a man-hater in every episode, but I’m not! I’m just jealous! It’s so true—they seem to have it easy. Waking up feeling the same every day, feeling normal?

It’s not funny, but it’s true! One week, I’m crushing an hour-long HIIT class; the next, I just want yoga. It’s all tied to your cycle. I’m trying to accept and work within that, but it’s challenging—for food, workouts, and as a business owner. There’s got to be a way to use this to my advantage. If you could figure out how to tailor business and mental planning to your cycle, you’d make a fortune! Content creation might also benefit from this approach.

Maybe it’s just the prep work. Maybe this won’t work, but that was a long tangent. As a skincare expert, what advice do you have?

It’s simpler than people think. Don’t trust everything online; don’t assume a celebrity with clear skin is an expert. The key to balanced, healthy skin is hydration. Hydrate and protect your skin—it helps with aging, acne, eczema, and more. I tell my oily clients this all the time: even if your skin feels greasy, hydrate and protect.

Our wedding is in five weeks, and the stress is insane! It’s affecting my skin—I get hives easily, stress-related I think. Last night, I criticized myself, wondering if my goals are unrealistic, if social media has warped my perception of what my skin should look like.

I think it’s both. Social media affects us all—comparing ourselves to others’ perfect bodies, businesses, or faces. But it’s also good because you know what’s possible. I don’t believe in limitations. If you want something for your skin, let’s explore every option to get as close to your goals as possible, even if it takes longer.

Since you provide ongoing client care and education, do you set goals with clients? Have you had to tell someone something isn’t possible?

Yes, if I can’t help them, I refer them elsewhere. For example, I don’t offer microneedling or lasers yet, so if a client needs those, I’ll get them to a point where they’re ready for that and then refer them.

Regarding referrals and competition, do people in your industry collaborate, or is it cutthroat?

There’s a strong theme of community over competition, especially among younger generations. It depends on who you speak with. Everyone I’ve met is incredibly supportive. I think clients are drawn to personality. At my waxing job, we have ten estheticians, and each has a different clientele based on their personality. “The energy you put out is the energy you get back,” and more people are recognizing that.

I think there’s room for everyone to win. The clients who want to work with you will be different from those who work with someone else. I see this in web design—a million designers exist, but who works with me is different from those who work with a developer. I never get upset if a client chooses someone else—I’m happy they found someone who’s a better fit. I want clients to be 100% confident in their choice.

Do you ever think you could have done something differently with a client?

Yes, recently, a wedding planner in Spokane chose someone else because they offered more SEO in their package. I have SEO experience, but I’m not offering it now. I could have highlighted that, but SEO might not have been her top priority. Many clients don’t even know what SEO is. For some, it’s the cheapest option, which will never be me. Freelancers offer cheaper options, but that’s not for me. I focus on building relationships and client comfort. It’s a big investment, often during a stressful time. If they’re comfortable financially, they’ve probably been burned before. My priority is client comfort and confidence that I’ll deliver excellent results.

Regarding your health issues and jaw surgery, you shared some on social media. I thought, “You could use that as content!” But it’s personal; you don’t have to share everything. I struggle with balancing personal and professional content on Instagram.

My Instagram is a mess! I filmed my jaw surgery but haven’t posted it beyond stories. Again, it’s perfectionism and confidence. I have tons of YouTube videos and podcasts saved, but I hate them—they’re not perfect. I’m working on my storytelling, making sure my thoughts are clear and concise. My high standards prevent posting, but it’s good because it’ll prepare me for consistent posting. Finding the balance between building familiarity and trust with clients through frequent posting and maintaining privacy is hard. My boyfriend helps; he doesn’t want me sharing everything, providing a good balance.

The storytelling aspect is interesting. I recently heard a speaker talk about storytelling on Instagram. I’m similar to you—I can create content, but sharing it is debilitating due to perfectionism. I want the story finished before sharing it, but that’s impossible with social media. It’s always a work in progress, which makes me uncomfortable.

I feel that. My business’s one-year anniversary was March 4th, and I didn’t want to post about it. I wanted a complete story, not a halfway point. The first year was a trial year; this is my true first year. To make a post summarizing accomplishments felt disingenuous. Yes, I accomplished a lot, but it was more about learning. It’s about learning what I want for my business, what it stands for, and how it resonates with me and clients. The full story isn’t there yet; it will constantly change. It’s about sharing that evolution, leading to the next chapter.

I compare myself to course creators, which is random. I have to step back and realize that’s not how my business operates. Their storytelling often feels fake—they’re not necessarily experts; they’re just selling a narrative. It feels like an MLM. Utah is an incubator for that—I’ve been approached multiple times in grocery stores.

(Laughing) A major side note! Do you compare yourself to or admire anyone in the industry?

Yes! Many local estheticians. I don’t want to copy, but they’re so cool! Their ideas are unique. It’s more admiration than trying to steal anything. I try to emulate their approaches while adding my own twist. It’s hard, but like artists who draw inspiration and add their style, I do the same.

This has been amazing! Tell us where people can find you, how to book, any promotions.

My Instagram is @desertghostaesthetics (aesthetics is spelled with an “ae,” not “e”). My website is desertghostaesthetics.com. I’m in South Jordan and do 50% virtual and 50% in-person appointments.

Awesome! Thank you so much!

Thank you for having me! Follow me on Instagram @flourish.boundary to stay updated!