Beauty Business Strategies
The podcast where salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners — just like you — learn quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.
Beauty Business Strategies
Meet Jess Tergesen, Strategies' New Director of Education
In this episode, Jenn Cody sits down with Jess Tergesen, the Director of Education at Strategies, for a heartfelt conversation about leadership, empowerment, and the future of beauty business education. Jess shares her unexpected journey from reluctant cosmetology student to industry leader, her 11-year tenure at a values-based team company, and her vision for transforming how beauty professionals learn and grow.
Whether you're a salon owner looking to build a stronger team culture or a stylist wanting to step into leadership, this episode delivers powerful insights on creating businesses where everyone thrives.
Key Topics Covered
- From Behind the Chair to Director of Education: Jess's unconventional path into the beauty industry and why she stayed at one company for 11 years
- Values-Based Business Culture: What it really means to lead with values and how it shapes team loyalty and retention
- Leadership Is Not a Title: Why everyone in your business can (and should) be a leader, regardless of their role
- Empowerment Through Self-Trust: Jess's personal definition of empowerment and the growth cycle every leader experiences
- The Future of Strategies Education: A complete breakdown of N.E.X.T. Austin 2026 and the new CoLab class format
- Team + Owner Collaboration: How shared language around numbers, leadership, and culture creates transformation
- Felt Experiences vs. Taught Information: Why education should be experienced, not just absorbed
Episode Highlights
On Choosing Hair School: "I had my daughter when I was in high school and I was like, what am I going to do with my life to quickly get a job, be independent? I'm super creative and I like to talk to people. So I thought, I could be a hairstylist."
On Leadership Being a Behavior, Not a Title: "Leadership is not a title. Anybody can be a leader no matter what their tenure is, no matter how long they've worked there. I believe that people can lead at each and every level."
On Her Definition of Empowerment: "Empowerment comes from within. It means learning to trust yourself as a leader. It starts with humility, saying 'I don't know everything and I am willing to learn.'"
On Building Shared Language: "When you're anchored in your values, when everybody knows why you're doing what you're doing, it becomes easier to coach to the behaviors that are required to hit the goals."
On the New CoLab Education Format: "CoLab stands for collaborate and L.A.B. stands for Leadership, Action, and Breakthroughs. I wanted collaboration between owners and team members, and collaboration between diverse topics."
What's Coming in 2026: N.E.X.T. Austin
Strategies is launching a reimagined education experience March 2-4, 2026 in Au
To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:
Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/
The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.
Hey everyone, welcome to the Beauty Business Strategies Podcast. My name is Jen Cody, and I am so happy to be here today. I head up Strategic Growth here at Strategies, and this is my first time hosting the podcast. I'm really excited about it because I have someone here who is not just an asset to the strategies team, but a dear friend of mine, Jess Turgison, who has been our director of education for the past almost year. So, Jess, welcome. So happy to have you. And I'm really excited to sit with Jess today because she has shared a little bit of her story with me already. So, Jess, if I can ask you to take us back to the beginning, you told me that you'd never even wanted to be a hairstylist. So take us down that journey and let us know what that was all about.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Thanks so much for having me, Jen. This is exciting. First podcast, and I'm excited that it's with you that is hosting it. So thank you. Uh yeah, let's get right to the good stuff. I didn't set out to be a hairstylist. I did not think that that was the career path that I was going to choose. If you would have seen me in high school, I did not strike you as a girl that was pursuing osmatology. I just wore my hair natural. I didn't wear any makeup. I maybe got highlights a couple times, but I was not someone that screamed, oh my gosh, she's going to be a hairstylist. I had my daughter when I was in high school, my oldest daughter, Lillian, who is 16 now, had her in high school. And I was just like, what am I going to do with my life to quickly get a job, get some income, be independent, had a super supportive family, loved me through all of this. And I just had this sense about me that I had to do something to start having some sort of life income while I put myself through college. Um, and I was like, well, I'm super creative and I like to talk to people. So I think that I could be a hairstylist and went to the there were two schools in town at the time. One was a Paul Mitchell school and went in there and was like, this is where I'm going to start my career.
SPEAKER_02:Awesome. What is it that you think made you love Paul Mitchell so much?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, the my even though it was a little bit of a rocky start going into hair school, like I box dyed my hair black the week before hair school started because I felt like my hair was supposed to be like done. I got my first pedicure right before I went to hair school, like all really crazy things. Um but then my experience in hair school was incredible. All of my learning leaders, the friends that I met there. I mean, some of them were bridesmaids in my wedding, and I'm still friends with them today. Like the culture and the atmosphere of hair school was unlike anything else. I just had such a great experience. And I I had mentioned that I wanted to go to college and go to hair school to kind of support me through that journey. And what I really wanted to go to college for was social work, psychology, being a counselor, all of that. So when I was in hair school, to be able to see that you're able to serve and help people in a way that is unlike anything else that I was originally planning, but still so deeply impactful was like, maybe I am in the right place. Like maybe this is what I'm supposed to be doing. And the power of being a hairstylist and being able to serve people behind the chair is a really incredible gift in itself. So I I definitely loved my hair school experience. I did the Paul Mitchell Honors program at the time. Like I said, met some of my best friends. I had even said, like, I think I'm going to be a learning leader when I'm done with this. I immediately was just kind of bit by that education bug. Like, I see myself doing this someday.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. So that's really specific. So to actually identify at that point in your career that you might want to be a learning leader, that's kind of a powerful way to start out. So what do you think that's all about? How did that start to show itself in your journey?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I think that it was, I think it goes back to the serving thing. Like when I was in hair school, I not only got to experience like how you can serve and help the guests, but I was served and helped by the learning leaders. And to have people in your life that are so inspirational and influential when you're like impressionable, fresh out of high school, like trying to find your way, and really being able to like give people a skill set that can never be taken away from them was just something that intrigued me. Like, how can I give back, help others pour into somebody else? The culture was so great. Like it was just all things that was just like, I want to be a part of this type of thing forever.
SPEAKER_02:That's amazing. And you know what? I can tell you, since I do know you personally, that shows the way that you want to pour into other people. And I love what you said about giving people a skill set that you can't take away from them because it's so powerful to be able to provide that for someone. And you're a great person to do that. So I'm pretty happy that you decided to become a learning leader. And I want to talk to you about the years after Paul Mitchell, because you worked at one company for 11 years, and that is something that is not very common in this industry. So I would love to hear about what kept you there and what about that environment specifically helped shape who you became and what your philosophy is in the industry.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I just want to make sure that we're we were clear about something. I wrote down I wanted to be a learning leader. And you could say I am a learning leader, but I never actually became a learning leader after school. It was just a dream that I had of mine. I had a really traditional growth path after that, as far as kind of bouncing around some other salons to try to like find my home, which then led me to where you're talking about that I have spent the last 11 years at up until January of this year when I took over the position of director of education. And that's at Glance Spawn Salon, is where I spent that time. And yes, unheard of. What made me stay for so long was the culture, the leadership, the team members. I mean, the growth opportunities, the education. Like there is, I probably could do an entire podcast just on that because it was, I feel so incredibly grateful and blessed for my time that I was there. Um, had wonderful mentorship, had opportunities and doors opened for me that I probably would not have been opened for me otherwise. And bottom line over everything, team was great, leadership, great, opportunities, great. Bottom line of everything, it was a values-based business. So, I mean, uh, Andrea, who owns the company and Glance, I mean, it was very much rooted in our values, living out our values every day, serving the community. And it really just spoke to everything that I fell in love about the industry at the very beginning, just serving others at the very core. And uh it really has shaped a lot of how I feel about giving back to others, helping people make values-based businesses, what that really means, and making sure that I'm staying true to myself on living out my own values. Uh at Glance was also where I met strategies. So yes, uh, Glance is a team-based company, and I am thankful that we went to all of the conferences and you know, did all of the education and it just was the door, I feel like just opened and you know, like those funny things, like lights shining down. I feel like I feel like there's a lot of owners and businesses that feel that way about strategies. And even myself as a team member, um, that's how I felt about them as well through my experiences.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I'm gonna go back for a second to what you said about um it being a values-based business and do a whole podcast on that because I say that's definitely something we should do. Let's get Andrea on here and speak about it because I know from my conversations with you, I have continuously asked you, you know, tell me more about this culture at glance, because they definitely had something special. Um, yes, 11 years is unheard of. It's not something that we see anymore as the norm in this industry. And the fact that you guys were able to really live out that values-based business together as a group and as a team is really something that I think we can definitely explore on another podcast. But for now, what I would love to hear is since they did introduce you to strategies, yeah, what would you say is your most memorable moment from a strategies class that you've taken? I'm sorry to put you on the screen.
SPEAKER_00:Oh my gosh. Yes. Okay. There are a lot of memories, and I could talk about that for a long time too. I feel like the community and all of the people that I met in all of the classes over the years was really impactful and still having relationships and conversations with them while I was still at Glam, and even now, like it's so fun to be in rooms with people that are passionate and on the same mission as you. So I feel really privileged that I was able to go to all of those things with the team and just absorb all of that knowledge with really high-level thinkers. I remember one specific moment. If you can't just already tell by this, I can get really passionate and really fired up really quickly. And I remember sitting in a class one time in Connecticut, back at the old, old location. And anytime they were talking about anything, I was like having to sit on my hands because I was like, I just I want to talk, I want to raise my hand, I want to contribute to the conversation. And similar to the Paul Mitchell experience where I was like, I want to be a learning leader, I felt really called as well to grow in some way with strategies from a long time ago. And I just feel like I have always wanted to be able to impact people on a larger scale. And Strategies has done such a beautiful job of being able to integrate the team culture that I'm passionate about and being able to help people with the values-based businesses, the team-based business model, all of that stuff. Like it just felt like a very natural thing for me to step into uh with people that I've really looked up to and admired for a long time over the years. Wow.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. I love that everything that you just said. And so it may make my next question seem easy because what I want to know about is you had a decision to make, right? You were working behind the chair, and then you were presented with an opportunity to come work as the director of education with strategies. So can you tell us a little bit about what that journey, what that decision was like, and then what that journey has been like?
SPEAKER_00:Well, let me just share from a hairstylist perspective first. Like anybody that has done hair for any length of time to walk away from behind the chair and say goodbye to guests that have become, you know, like your grandma and your mom and your sister and your best friend was really, really hard on me. I mean, I I think that the relationship that hairstylists have with the people that visit them and that they get to take care of is a really magical relationship. So that was it was emotionally tolling to walk away from that. I cried literally almost every day that I had to say goodbye. Um, like it's not goodbye forever. We can still get coffee, but you know, no more scalp massages. So that was that was really difficult to me from a hairstylist perspective. Sure. Then the tears just were continually flowing to leave a team, uh, an owner that I that I still call a friend and a mentor, friends that I have like literally grown up with since my 20s. You know, it was just it was not a decision that was made easily or lightly. I mean, it was a lot of prayer that went into this. And uh I really don't know how else to say it. Besides, I I really feel like I was just called to have a larger like when I when I said earlier that it was like I wanted to make an impact on a larger scale, I feel like this was like, I do want to do this. I believe so strongly in this industry, in the teams, in the stylists, in the young people like me that are in hair school that just have no clue what they're doing and like just did this on a whim to the people that knew that they've wanted to do this since they were five, to the learning leaders, to everyone in this industry. Like, I just want people to know that there is like such great, fruitful careers that they can have fun and have joy and live out there all of their wildest dreams. And I feel like stepping into this role at Strategies has really opened the door to be able to speak to so many owners and team members through coaching that it's just been so awesome to hear everybody's story. So it was not an easy decision. I love, love, love my glance family, and I have eternal gratitude for everything that I learned and was provided with there. And I really look forward to being able to just carry out the mission, talk to more people, and make impacts on people's lives, honestly.
SPEAKER_02:Wow, that honestly is really beautiful. And I know that I can speak for all of strategies when we're all super happy that you decided to say yes and that you felt called to do this because I think you're an incredible person for the job and your your heart and your passion for what you do shows up in every single thing that you do. And I've feel I feel personally um really blessed to be able to have watched that kind of unfold in real time. So what's interesting to me is you come from a team member perspective. So, what does it mean to you to be that team voice at the table when it comes to educating?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I mean, even just taking the meeting that we had this morning, Jen, kind of talking about owners' perspectives and team members' perspectives, like it has always I really believe that there would not be companies without team members to work in them. So to be able to have the voice of the team member, have that perspective still of the team member is honestly not something that I take lightly. Like as we're designing systems and education and events and like literally every single thing that we're touching as a company, it's it really is an honor to be able to have that team member's voice at the table each and every time because I believe in the team. I believe in the owners leading the teams, and I believe in each and every team member that they can have leadership qualities, they can accomplish their wildest dreams, they can find companies to work for, like I did, that support them in their education journey, in their opportunities, that are values-based businesses. Like I just believe so strongly in the team member that um I'm I'm excited to always have that at the table with us.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and that actually leads really well into your philosophy that I'd like to speak about because um we can go back to we Jess and I had a meeting this morning, if you couldn't tell. So we go back to that meeting, you actually said in there that everyone is a leader, right? Everyone has that um the ability and the opportunity to be a leader. It's not a title, it's a behavior. So can you unpack unpack that a little bit for us? Like what does that actually look like in practice?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I thank you for saying that. Leadership is a is not a title. Anybody can be a leader, no matter what their tenure is, no matter how long they've worked there, no matter what their title is. I mean, it does not matter who you are in the company. I believe that people can lead at each and every level. And I believe at strategies, we have an obligation to be able to provide tools, resources, and education to be able to create leaders in those environments. So the thing is, and and like we we really were talking about, we can owners most of the time are one person or two people. Like owners aren't like this giant team of six, seven people that are leading an independent salon spa, med spa. So when when we are speaking to the owners and building leadership skills, which is crucial and not going away by any means. I mean, all of that support is still there. And there has to be equal, if not more, support, education, tools, resources, systems built for the team members. Because for every one owner that we're talking to, we're talking to two, three, four, fifteen, twenty-five, sixty team members. And I really feel like a lot of this is full circle to me. I mean, it really still just goes back to being that new person at the Paul Mitchell school, being like, you can do anything being nurtured in that culture to think that there are no limits on your growth. And I want, I want all team members to be able to feel that too. I want them to trust themselves as leaders. And I don't really see it as owner leaders leading teams that are just getting dragged behind. I really see it as like we're raising leaders, owners and team leaders all at the same time because that's the only way that companies are ever going to be able to reach that like elusive next level of growth. Like we have to grow everybody. Everyone has an equal responsibility within that growth. And I think when we unlock that, which we're starting to through a lot of the new education and just kind of the twist on some of that, I think that that's where some magic in this industry really is going to come to life. Because I and I I just get so excited about this because I believe in all of the team members. Like I know that they can achieve greatness. And if we give companies the tools and resources that they need for owners to be successful and team members to be successful, it's like untarted territory, I feel like.
SPEAKER_02:Magic, right? Magical. Yeah. Yeah. So this is something that I know in my own experience, um, it can be really difficult. And I think this is this is a sticking point for a lot of owners because as a prior salon owner, and we work in strategies with a lot of owners, right? We hear people say that they want their team to think like owners.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And it does create this shared mentality, if that can happen, but that's really not an easy thing to do. So, what is it about that shared language and having that shared mentality around things like purpose and profit and leadership that really does create that magic? How can how can we do that with strategies?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, the great, great question. My mind immediately went to two different places. So I'm going to kind of explore both of them. Please. Really hard for a team member to think like an owner if they're never invited into the opportunities to be able to do so. So that's that really is first and foremost. How can we cultivate cultures, owners, business practices where those conversations have room to flourish? So that's that's the first step. The second part of that question, I feel like, is when you're trying to have like that shared financial language, that shared leadership language, like how are we selling more retail? How are we getting more people in the door? Like all of those to make sure that we're on the same page. When you're anchored in your values, when everybody knows why you're doing what you're doing, it becomes easier to coach to the behaviors that are required in order to hit the goals. So if you if one of your behavior, if um, one of your value words is gratitude, like it can't just be a word on the wall, right? Or something that you get talked about maybe just at Christmas time. Yeah. Like if one of your value words is gratitude, how are you as an owner leader living that out to your team members? How are you coaching around the word gratitude? And how are you tying things back? And I'm just using gratitude as an example. I mean, it really could be anything as far as respect, empathy, artistry, you know, I mean, whatever feels authentic to your business. But when you can start to coach to values, it also becomes less personal. Like you need to do this. Why aren't you doing that? It's like, hey, we've agreed that at this business we adhere to these values and principles. And in order to live out what we have agreed upon, these are the things that we need to do. Um, so I mean, that probably could go really, really deep. So I'll just, I'll just kind of set it nicely on the table there so we can come back to that. But inviting team members to the room and making sure that you have defined values to be able to coach them to so we can all be moving in the same direction and everyone knows where we're going and why we're going there. That's my distilled version.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, that's so so yes. Let everyone know where we're going and why we're going there. Perfect. Yes, yes. Okay, so let's dig into strategies education a little bit because you've been a part of it. I've been a part of it for many years, me probably a little bit further back than you. Um, but strategies has a long history of really good education. And I've heard you say in the past, like you're over sitting at the desk for three days straight. So I would love for you to share with our audience what does like education look like when you're now the person designing it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I really feel like education should be a felt experience and not just a taught situation. I really think that I I want to be able to provide educational journeys for people, educational experiences for people, and not like just I'm coming and I'm sitting in a classroom and I'm just absorbing information. I think that the information is great. The information is vital. You have to have the information. And in the way that we're designing education moving forward, we're designing it in a way that a lot of the information flow can be given on the Strategies Academy, which I'm also excited to talk about, but given in a little bit more of a virtual way. So that way when we're spending our time together in some of the upcoming classes, which I know we'll talk about that too, but that that time can be super intentionally curated to be personalized to each and every business. So when we're talking about concepts like retention, productivity, when we're talking about some of those tried and true strategies, things that have been taught and proven to work for the last over 30 years, we can be doing them in a way that's really activity-based, really personalized, really forming a sense of community with the people that are in the room. There's people want to be in community with others. So I think really being able to capitalize on that in-person education time in a way that we can create that felt experience is what's going to be move strategies education forward while still staying true to the philosophies that they have always had.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, I love that. And I think it kind of leads supernaturally to this class experience that you've created called a collab, right? Yeah. Tell us a little bit about what that looks like, feels like, and what that experience is like.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, I am a wordy kind of girl. I like plays on words. I like everything to have a reason. You'll you'll almost never see anything that doesn't have like, well, I need this because of this, this, and this. So collab stands for collaborate. It's a play on words of collaborate and then lab. So a collab. And then lab stands for leadership, action, and breakthroughs. So when when we think about the word collaborate, I wanted that to mean two different things. I wanted that to be collaboration between owners and team members. And I wanted that to be collaboration between diverse topics. So if we were going to be talking about numbers, I wanted to make sure that we were also talking about leadership. If we were talking about retention, I wanted to make sure we were also talking about training. And these are these are just examples of like I wanted, I wanted to make sure that when we are traveling, spending money, going away from our families and our companies and all of these things, I wanted to make sure that the information was like top-level information and it was covering more of like the whole business approach and not just singular lane approach. Um so it how this sparked me is I was in a in a class in Connecticut this year and it was a financial class and it was, you know, taught by Dennis, which is everyone's favorite. So I mean, it was a it was a stellar class. And I just sat there thinking, wow, if the owners were in this room with Dennis and the team members were in this over here room with me, I think that this could be on like anything anyone's had before, to be honest. Because I'm like, if Dennis could talk owner talk, let's learn the PL. We got to be financially responsible. We have to learn business literacy. Owners need that is their leadership responsibility and the role that they are in to be a financially sound leader. Right. Team members also need to know a level of that. But the team members have a very different role as leaders when it comes to being a part of a financially healthy company. It is all about the behaviors, it's all about the systems, it's all about the why. What is their impact? What's their part of the puzzle? And it just was like if we really could break this apart a little bit and talk team talk and owner talk and then bring them together to talk to them together that they could all have this shared information where the teams are hearing from the owner talk and owners are hearing from the teams, and we're able to get back to that puzzle piece that we talked about about 20 minutes ago, which is the shared language, the shared language around financials, the shared language around leadership. Where are we going and why? And does everyone understand what it looks like and takes in order to get there? So the the co all of our in-person classes are now considered collabs: collaboration, leadership, action, breakthroughs, high energy, felt experiences, and um really like a modern take on business education for the beauty industry.
SPEAKER_02:I think one of the things that you said that just the fact that you have these play-on words and it really everything is so intentional. There's nothing that's being shared, nothing that's being put out there that does not have a really solid intention behind it with an outcome that people can experience, right? A transformation that will happen in their business, whether it's at the team level, at the leadership level, and then collaboratively all together. It really is a beautiful way of educating that you've put together. So thank you for that. I'm excited to see where it's all going to go because 2026 is almost here and it is a big year for strategies education. So why don't you take a moment now to let us know what is launching and what should people get really excited about?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, thanks, Jen. I feel like 2025 was really a building year for strategies. New owners, Brett and Barbara, lots of changes within the company, you joining the team and strategic growth. We had some other people join the team, me in education, like it really has taken a year to intentionally develop what is to come. And all of that is really coming to life in March, is a huge kickoff event. I'm I like can't even talk about it with my whole face just smiling. My cheeks are gonna hurt. You're so excited. It's a it really is a kind of a relaunch of Strategy's Education, but it is not for us. It is for you guys. Like we have poured our hearts and souls into creating the perfect blend of content for you guys to come to Austin, Texas, March 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and feel the sunshine on our skin. Hopefully it's sunny down there when we're there, and get some education that is just a new step forward in a new direction. So everything that we've been talking about team talk, owner talk, inviting teams to hear the owner language, creating that shared financial language between each other, the leadership development that everyone's a leader, no matter what their title is. I have two more things written down, John. I'm gonna reference this real quick because after that meeting this morning, I was like, I have, I have so much. Um the other thing is like culture is our client experience, what we feel, they feel. We're really combining the concept of client retention and team retention. I truly do not believe that they can be taught in silos. I think that we have to start thinking about it as this is a collective retention thing. And at the core of that is the culture of your company. So really hitting the retention piece just from a completely different angle that I'm uh Barbara and Michelle are teaching that one. I'm really, really excited for that content. And then uh system structure support. There's there's a training course all about just how to get clarity around your business. So that was like this was very typical, Jess. I was just like, I would like to just take one step step back for a second. Perfect. No, the the whole thing is called next. And it it that also is a play on words, obviously. So the the the content for the class was designed around the word next. And the there is a numbers track, which is going to be taught by the fabulous Dennis and a great teammate that went through coaches training with Jen and myself named Aria. So it will be Dennis and Aria that are teaching the numbers. And this is all going to be around the behaviors and the systems that drive the numbers. So instead of leading with the number, like we need to sell more retail, we need to lower our product costs, we need to book more hours, instead of leading that, leading with that, entering from a different perspective of what are the behaviors and systems that we have control over that can influence that number. And how do the owners play into that? And how do the team members play into that? And how can we combine both of those so they're both moving in the same direction? I'm really, really excited for that one. Great. Uh, the the E stands for empowerment. So that is going to be taught by the fabulous Melanie and Keisha. And this is really hitting leadership hard. So this one is all about the leadership, it is not a title. And really, it's gonna have a little bit of meditation from our teammate Robert, and it's gonna be a really personalized journey to each and every one of us because we have to grow ourselves because when we grow individuals, we eventually all rise, right? So this is really taking an inner look at where's our responsibility in this and how can we grow?
SPEAKER_02:It's great.
SPEAKER_00:The the X is stands for experience. And this is a little bit, this is the retention course that I was talking about with Barbara and Michelle and taking a look through the lens of the feelings and behaviors and systems that we want to create around our retention. And then there's training, which I'm teaching that I'm so excited about with uh my teammate Steve. And and this is really about how can we create a cycle of training within a company that creates clarity, consistency, and confidence in team members and in owners, whether you're implementing something big or you're implementing something small. There has to be that clarity, consistency, and confidence in every piece. So it's really taking a hard look at that. Um and then we have a guest presenter as well. Sydney Lopez is coming to join us and she's doing her what she does best, social media for the beauty industry. So there's going to be five separate classes for the next event in Texas. I hope you join us. That's great.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you, honestly, for sharing that with us. Um, I want to touch on the fact that we did mention earlier that Strategies has 30 years plus in this industry, right? And a lot, a lot of education that has been in existence. And I've heard you say that we're not throwing away 30 years of education. We are evolving it. So can you touch on that a little bit? Like, what does that evolution look like? I know you explained the classes, but can you speak about like what that evolution was like for you and for us?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, great, Jen. Thanks. I love the word evolution because to me that means it is not starting over and starting from scratch. It's taking a really intentional look at what has worked, what's our strong suits, what has impacted the most businesses over the years. How can we continue to strengthen that? And ultimately, how do we combine this rock solid education that we've had in a way that creates healthy, freedom first businesses for owners to be able to have? So it is truly just an evolution. Every company needs to modernize, every company needs to have little pivots, every company needs to continue to raise the ceiling beams of what they're trying to create in order to make room for new, bigger, greater. So strategies really just is on a journey of evolution. I think you said it best. Um, I got really passionate about next. So I just I want to kind of circle back to how is the rest of education going to look? Yeah. Because strategies for the most part has been in-person classes, which are great. And some online, some power hours, some sort of uh virtual education has happened as well. Strategies is now having now has Strategies Academy. So learning.strategies.com. If you don't have an account on there, I really recommend you going on there and looking on there. There's already some great stuff loaded. There will be four new classes launching in quarter one of 2026 on there that are direct reflections to the concepts that are being taught at Nex in Texas. So we have a numbers class being brought on there in January. We have a retention reimagined class being brought on there. We have a from manual to movement training course that's being brought on there, and then an empowered and activated course. So really big, robust courses are being launched at the beginning of the year that I have had a lot of fun creating. And here's the good news, Jen. Are you ready for this? I think I don't know. When you don't even know, when someone buys a ticket to an in-person class, they're getting the academy course complimentary within that box. Oh, amazing. Yeah. So brilliant. When we're talking about having an informational foundation base before coming in person to elevate the felt learning experience, that's how we're providing that. We can't just expect people to come with that level of knowledge. So every time that you purchase an individual collab, like uh the numbers game and retention reimagined, and there's a train the trainer, there's some really, really cool stuff that's coming. There's another leadership retreat, there's a team uh empowered and activated that's a little bit of like a team retreat. There's so much coming. And when you when you purchase any one of those in-person collabs, you're getting the corresponding academy course with it included in the ticket price. That's amazing.
SPEAKER_02:So then if somebody does purchase um a ticket to a class, do they get access to that online material right away, or does it come after the class? How does that work?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, great question, Jen. So, like I said, we're still kind of a little bit in the building phase. So we have, I wanted to make sure that I was fully transparent with all of our customers and the people that we do business with. So there will be a very informational document that shares when all of the courses are going to be launched. So it shares what is going to be launched in quarter one, quarter two, quarter three, and quarter four, and then into quarter one of 2027. So when you purchase your collab, which that calendar set, all of those dates are there, all of the in-person classes are set. And you'll then be able to see when the corresponding course drops. And on that drop date is when you'll have full access. That's great.
SPEAKER_02:So people can get in there, and we will for everybody, we will put that link to learning.strategies.com in the show notes. Um, but people can get in there now and really plan out their entire 2026 functional calendar for them, for their teams, in person, virtual, they'll know everything that's happening. So that's that's great. Yeah, awesome.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and uh it was all the drop calendar was designed really intentional that you you will always have access to the online material at least a month in advance of when you would be coming in person. So you would be able to cycle through some of that online academy information before you come see us in person. So everything is really tailored to a, I don't know, exceptional user experience, I guess.
SPEAKER_02:Seriously, because I can say for myself, I've been to so many classes, not outside strategies, any different classes I've ever taken, um, personal development, business development. And how often have you sat in a class and you're like, oh, I wish I would have had known some of this ahead of time, you know, or just been able to prep yourself a little bit. It really does make a difference. And everybody has different learning styles. So you really are catering to all of the different ways to maximize the experience for people. So yeah. Well done. Very, very good. Yes.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, takes takes a team. Everyone at strategies has been so like you don't even know the people that you need until they're there and you're like, oh my gosh, I'm so, so thankful for you. And I'm I've been really blessed with just a lot of great voices and ideas and and mentors on the team as well that have been able to um help guide me on this new new path that I'm on.
SPEAKER_02:That's so great. I'm really, really excited to see what the future is going to be like for Strategies Education and for you. So on that note, I would love to get some real talk with you for a minute.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:What is one thing that you wish every business owner understood about building a company that's going to be profitable, that's going to be sustainable? What do you wish they really knew?
SPEAKER_00:I think that the baseline of that is. Leadership and not leadership top down. Leadership side to side, top down, bottom up, like leader, whole business leadership. And within that is is culture.
SPEAKER_02:For sure.
SPEAKER_00:Within that is culture because leadership designs what the culture is. Okay. Um. And I think that when you can unlock that is when everything else becomes a lot easier to move forward.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. One of those things where almost like you were saying, you don't know, you don't, you don't know the people that you need until they're in front of you. Yeah. It's the same with this, right? Sometimes you don't realize until things start happening how important it was to actually get to that point. Yeah. So let's talk about the word empowerment. I know that's a word that you love too. And it's a word that gets thrown around a lot. And you and I have had a lot of conversations about empowerment. So I would love for you to share with us like what does empowerment actually mean specifically to you?
SPEAKER_00:Yes. I like I'm just gonna be really vulnerable in this moment and say a lot of things that I'm working on and developing are new to me as well. Being in this position, being in a new mindset, I'm putting myself out there every day to learn something new, think of something new, and be really poured into by mentors within strategies and without outside of strategies. And so I have done extensive work on my definition of empowerment because it's a word that I've always loved. And it just doesn't feel like when I hear people using it, it doesn't feel like it's hitting the spot in my heart that it needs to hit. So the the people that were at the leadership retreat this summer, which like, shout out to the OGs that came to that, because that was an amazing experience. But yes, empowerment has uh extenuating circumstances, and you have to be in the right culture and the right environment, and there's things that go into that. Okay. So I'm I'm not discounting that version of empowerment. I believe that empowerment comes from within, and that means learning to trust yourself as a leader. So I'm really working on the journey, the growth cycle of a leader. And and that it starts with humility, saying, Hey, I don't know everything and I am willing to learn. The second part is more important than the first part. So being willing to learn. And as soon as you say, I'm willing to learn, and you take that first step, you're immediately in the growth cycle. And as you start putting foot in front of foot in front of foot, you're you're growing. You're you're growing in whatever skill, whether it's cross-stitching, baking, leading a business, communication, whatever you've decided to say, I'm willing to learn, you're now growing. And as soon as that happens, there's this sneaky little voice called imposter syndrome that's like, why are you doing this? Why do you think that you can be the doctor of education? You know, there's this, there's this negative self-talk that's like, you're not good enough, you're probably not going to do this. Do you know what you're doing? And it's up to you as a leader. I mean, this obviously can go so deep, but it's up to you as a leader to be able to quiet that voice and to continue putting foot in front of foot in front of foot. And when you do that, you reach a stage of empowerment. You reach an internal stage of trusting yourself enough to quiet those voices on your own to be a leader. And it is a growth cycle that you could, it's not linear, it's a continual circle of growth. And as soon as you say, hey, I trust myself a little bit more to do that, I know I can do that. The next time that you do it, it becomes easier. And you trust yourself a little bit more. And the next time you do it again, it becomes a little easier. And then eventually you're the one that's teaching it. But it it all started with the first step of saying, Hey, I trust myself to do that. And to me, that it's an it's an internal empowerment that that comes over you.
SPEAKER_02:I love that you tie it to self-trust. That's a big, big thing for me. And I know that um I believe all of our growth comes from lighting that fire, right? The fire of self-trust within us. So thank you for that explanation. Yeah. Um, I would love to let people kind of get to know you a little bit more as a person. And so, for those of you who don't know, Jess is the mom of four children and a great mom at that. And in addition to your four children, you are leading this rebrand and building out all of this education. And I'm sure life gets stressful and life gets hectic and busy. So share with us what works for you when you need to stay grounded in your purpose and you need to stay grounded in your vision.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Um, at first, when you were like, let's get personal, I'm like, I like long walks on the beach and my favorite colors. Pink. Yes. I have four kids. Um, Lillian, like I said, is 17. Bridger is in middle school. I have a daughter, Ellie, uh, who is a fourth grader, and then I have a six-year-old. So I kind of have all ends of the spectrum. I love, love, love my role as a mom. And I'm married to my husband, Denver. So I'm eternally grateful also for his support as I pour myself into all of this work that I feel so passionately about. And yes, things get full, things get loud, things get busy. My entire life is pretty much just like you can't see behind me right now. But if you've ever been on a coaching call with me, my wall says adventure because I just really feel like every day is an adventure. And every day you have the choice to find the glimmers of joy in every single day, whether it was a hard day, a bad day, a good day, a great day. There always is some sort of glimmer. And it is up to you to be able to find those. Um, to really keep me grounded. I mean, you'll hear me say sometimes, Jen, after a meeting, or like after we talk after a meeting, I'm like, oh, I just need to go for a walk. So I definitely feel like just getting out and moving a little bit does something great for my mental state to stay grounded. All of the shower thoughts, I feel like there's if the moms that are listening to this, like when you put your kids in water, it like changes the state of them, right? So anytime they're having a meltdown, give your kid a bath, take them swimming, whatever. I feel like the same thing is true for adults. Like if you just need to like, I need to let my mind just go. Um, and I I love reading, I love writing, I love doing art projects with my kids. I mean, if I am not working, I'm definitely just with my family and my husband doing sports and activities and all of the things that every other career-focused, busy mom is doing right now.
SPEAKER_02:And I think that you really find a beautiful way of striking balance in your life because, you know, four children have four different schedules and lots of things going on, plus a husband, plus um your career. So there's so much going on. And I love how you are able to remain so balanced in that. And what I love even more about that is how that shows up in the content that you are pouring into other people. Because it's be, in my opinion, it's because of a lot of that deep inner work that you've done yourself that you're able to come at your life and your career the way that you are able to right now. And you are now passing that on to other people because we do at Strategies have a lot of people coming to us that feel overwhelmed and scattered, and they're not grounded, and they're they're not sure how to communicate with their teams, they're not sure how to not bring their work home with them, they're not sure how to grow as a person so that they can be the leader that they are meant to be. And you are a beautiful example of that. And I love that you're taking that personal experience and pouring it into what you are passing on to others. So thank you for that. That's really, really special. Um, and when I think about that and your content, my next question for you would be when someone does experience this new education that you're putting out there, what is the feeling that you want them to walk away with?
SPEAKER_00:I mean, it probably goes back to just a little bit of that self-trust. Like everything that I'm creating has some element of leadership development and empowerment development within that. Like I'm really wanting everyone to feel like I am capable. I can do this, I can take the next step. I maybe can't run the marathon, but I can take the next step. I can have the next conversation, um, whether that's an owner or a team member. Like I just I think that you brought up a really good point. Like a lot of my experience, I mean, I am pretty young, like a lot of my experience has come from motherhood and and raising kids and just the I want people to believe in themselves. I want people to believe in the visions that they had when they opened their business. I want team members to believe in accomplishing great things. Like I know that that lives within each and every one of us. And I think that the way that the education is being developed going forward, with all of the smart stuff built into that, all of the things that you need to know to have healthy businesses, with a beautiful blend of just heart and and and self-trust woven into that.
SPEAKER_02:Love that. Um, okay. Is there anything else that I didn't touch on specifically that you want to share with us? I have a few more questions, but I want to make sure we hit all the points that you want to hit.
SPEAKER_00:Um, I think I'm good just continuing to roll with your your questions, Jen.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. All right. So we are going to start wrapping up soon. So I want to know if somebody is listening to this or watching this, because we're on YouTube also. So if somebody is watching and listening to this and they're thinking, hmm, maybe strategies is something I want to look into. What would be your conversation with them?
SPEAKER_00:I would say don't wait. Like we are we are people that have walked the walk in some sort of way. There is we have a team of business owners that can personalize with where you are. We have team member voices that are in the room. We we have and some are currently in the trenches. They are salon owners still currently. They are building businesses, they are facing some of the same challenges. So I want people to know that we are with them in what they're feeling. I also want to the the second thing is we are on a mission to build healthy businesses, healthy employee-based businesses. So I don't know anybody that is looking at any sort of business model that they have and thinking, I want an unhealthy business. Right. I mean, if you want to have a healthy, financially sound culture on point, leadership top down and around, strategies has the tools, resources, and education that you're going to need. And I am so on fire, along with the with the strategies team, to just be able to deliver things in a way that is just like, let's do this thing. Like, let's change the industry. Like, I'm I'm one of those crazy people that are just like, I actually think I probably can change the world. So I have no doubt. It just is like, let's let's do this thing. I want to, I love everyone that I've been able to meet in my coaching journey. I love all of the stories the other coaches share about their impacts that they've been able to have. Like we truly want to be able to give the smart and give the heart to every single owner and team member and service provider, anybody that that calls us, emails us, messages us on Instagram. Like we want to be there with them.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, for sure. And I think something special that Strategies has is when you were talking about all of the different ways to experience what you're putting out there, right? There's the online academy, there's the in-person classes. Um, so there truly is something for every user experience. Yes. And what makes that so special for me is that when somebody interacts with us, maybe they just want to test the waters, right? And start off looking at some, we have some free classes on the academy. Yes. So they can take some of those free courses, just get their feet wet a little bit, get to know who strategies is. And then there is always for every single person that comes through our, you know, virtual doors, there is always the opportunity for a high-touch, high-level experience. We don't ever want anyone to be feeling alone in this, right? Everybody has, like you said earlier, people crave community and growing in community. And I love that what you've created allows people to do that at their own pace, at their own budget, at their own um, you know, emotional bandwidth, because that comes into play also. How much can I take on right now? And we truly you've delivered something for everyone. So, my last question for you, and it is an important one. When you think about everything that you have shared with us today, for the people who are maybe listening for the first time or haven't been so familiar with strategies before, what is the one thing you want them to remember as they leave this podcast?
SPEAKER_00:First and foremost, that I believe in them. As cheesy as that sounds, I believe in everybody that's listening to this, because you had to have sought out this podcast for a reason. So whether that was for inspiration, that was for business growth, that was for just to hear what is up, I want to let you know that I believe in you and the work that you're doing. And I, on behalf of the entire strategies team, we all would be honored to be able to walk that journey with you. I think that between coaching, between education, Jen did a really great job from all of the entry points and really meeting people where they're at. We we want to help, we want to support, and we want to be on that journey with you. And we want to cheerlead, we want to hold you accountable, we want to coach, we want to educate. Like we just we want to be there with you. And um, I know the entire team would just be extremely honored to be able to be on that journey with you.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you. I appreciate that. Um okay, Jess, thank you so much for truly truly sharing your heart, your vision, your passion. Um, really, your words of wisdom, everything that you shared today was so incredibly valuable. And I can't wait for everybody to experience all of the amazing value that you are bringing forward in uh strategies education. So thank you for being here.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, thank you. The entire strategies team bringing all of the education forward. Yes, for sure. Yes. Thank you so much for having me. Oh, my pleasure.
SPEAKER_02:So thank you guys for tuning in. Uh, you can find us here every other Tuesday. Not me personally, but someone will be here leading the conversation every other Tuesday. And if you have any questions at all, you can reach us at strategies.com. And the academy is at learning.strategies.com. All of those links will be in the show notes for you. And until next time, have a good one. We will talk to you.