EP 20: NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION

ep-20-Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Michelle: Hey there. I'm Michelle Sherrier and this is the Retail Whore Podcast, The Stories and Lessons from the life and retail. Hey, guys, welcome back. It is Wednesday. It's a brand new episode. First, I want to take a second and I want to say thank you to each and every one of you for tuning in each week. We, as. Of two days ago, hit 2006 downloads in just over four months. To say I'm blown away is an understatement. And none of this would be possible without any of you. So I just want to say thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. Okay, guys, we are now on the homestretch of Thanksgiving week set up and for heading into the busiest season that we as retailers have. And knowing how hard everyone's working and knowing how hard I am working, getting set ups done, it really it seemed like a perfect time to do this interview and bring this interview to you. I think most of us will keep going, going, going, going, going. No matter how you feel, you're sick, you're tired. You know, use your kids. You're taking care of your kids. You're taking your business. You're taking care of your husbands. You are not taking breaks and you're not resting. And it's part of what happens in retail at this time of year. And this came up because last year we were doing right before we were heading into our setups, I had a sore foot and it was like, I don't know what's wrong. I went in, had it X-rayed, and lo and behold, I had a stress fracture. And it's it was from basically most of my clients have cement floors and it's, you know, from going back and forth on cement floors and that's in good shoes. It just, you know, cement floors and pounding back and forth. You inevitably or something's going to happen. And for me, it was a stress fracture. And during this time, while I was trying to figure out how I was going to work with a boot and on a scooter, you know, setting up I mean, this was in October, so we hadn't even started Bristol Farms.

Michelle: We hadn't started any of my new set ups. Like we hadn't started anything yet. And I'm now learning how to navigate with a scooter and a boot. And during all this, trying to find other modalities to take care of myself and hopefully speed up the process of healing because there was no way I was going to be off it. And that was the direction of the doctors to stay off it. And yeah, I was that that patient saying, no, I can't, I have to work that I found this beautiful little health studio. And, you know, I'm bringing this up because I think, again, most of us don't rest and most of us don't take care of ourselves when we most, most importantly, need it. And Kelly Bloodgood has created this beautiful studio, and it was created because she hurt herself, had health problems. She was diagnosed in 2016 with Epstein-Barr and with chronic Lyme disease. And she has created this business model based on health and wellness, first and foremost of taking care of herself. And it has blossomed into this beautiful studio with other modalities such as acupuncture and cupping, Reiki, facials, you name it. She has started to introduce it with all these beautiful women that are these energy workers. And when I say beautiful feminine energy, this place literally glows. And I, I have been going there since last year when I was dealing with my foot. And I continue how? Because I've realized that I know I can only push myself so far and so long before I have a breaking point, and it usually ends up in tears. So I've learned to stop and take myself and go do some of these modalities to take care of myself. And as we're going into this holiday season, I can only hope that you all take the time and do something for yourself and try and get some rest because you cannot fill someone else's cup your customers if your cup is empty. So without further ado, here's my friend Kelly Bloodgood with her brand Well and Good Health Studio. Hey, Kelly, welcome to the Retail Horror Podcast.

Kelly: Thanks for having me, Michelle.

Michelle: Oh, my God. I'm so excited. This is a long time coming because you and I were supposed to do this two times before, and now we're doing in person. You're my first in person one. And I have to say, I'm fucking so nervous.

Kelly: It's just me.

Michelle: It's so weird, but welcome. I'm super glad that we're finally having this conversation. So a little background is your space well and good? I've been coming to you for, I want to say about a year. Yes. And it's before we even talk about it, like I will tell everyone, it is most magical space. Like I honestly like I love what I feel like when I come here because it's all the women like all of you really care like, oh, honestly, care. It's not like a fake fabricated care. It's like you honestly you all are so caring. Is that did that all. We'll get into how that happened there. So I always ask the same question first what was your first job and how old were you?

Kelly: I was 15 years old, I think I think I may have lied and said I was 16, but I worked at well, I got the job at Baskin-Robbins buy one being 15 and volunteering to dress up as the.

Michelle: Shut up!

Kelly: My friend and I and who was already working there. But she's a year older and she's like, Oh, if you want to, do you want to get in? You got to come and dress up like as a clown with me. And we're going to like there's like a little street fair going on where Baskin-Robbins was. So we went up and down all day just as clowns, and then I got hired.

Michelle: It's so weird because I started in ice cream. Well, I first my job was Wet Seal, but I went to ice cream and there's like four or five people that have all had ice cream jobs. It's so fun. It must be like the place to start when you're young. How long were you there for?

Kelly: All four years of high school. And then I even worked there, like during, like, winter break or summers, probably through, like, maybe my sophomore year.

Michelle: Were you always the clown?

Kelly: No. I only had to be the clown at one time. And then I was in. And then I could just say, no.

Michelle: Somebody else can do this. I did.

Kelly: I think I actually roped my younger brother, one of my younger brothers, into being the clown so that he could also get a job there.

Michelle: I don't even remember what the clown used to look like.

Kelly: What was the there isn't. It was just sort of like a clown. But in like the Baskin-Robbins colors of the the old days in the eighties. Like the brown, the pink, the white stripes. Yeah, yeah. I'm so happy there's not socially. Yeah.

Michelle: Although that would have some, you'd have some kind of street cred in a weird way. I mean, being the clown was like, just sort of celebrity with that. Hilarious. So tell everybody about yourself and your brand.

Kelly: Well, let's see. My name is Kelly Bloodgood, which you already know. I grew up in Northern California, came down to Southern California for college. I went to LMU and just stayed after I have three children. They're really adults now. It's weird to even say children. 

Michelle: So how old?

Kelly: 20. 19.

Michelle: And you've a 20 year old? Holy shit. Like that's. I never knew that. Oh, my God. No, I'm old. No, no, I got. You mean.

Kelly: So. Yeah. And then. What else did you want to know.

Michelle: About you and your brand. Why is it all of us that are this age? I'll say in mid-sentence. We're like.

Kelly: Oh, I'm like squirrel. So my brand will well and good started, you know, kind of through my own personal healing journey. 20 1516 I started to get really, really sick symptoms that I just like just unexplainable. And so for years I go, I was just going to doctor after doctor after doctor literally being told there is absolutely nothing wrong with me or I had M.S als like I was misdiagnosed with so many.

Michelle: Different were your symptoms.

Kelly: Oh gosh everything from burning mouth syndrome to restless leg syndrome to joint pain that I would have to crawl to the bathroom in the morning to dream fatigue. I was at that time working about a mile from my house. Yes, I drove and in the ride to work in the mornings I would fall asleep.

Michelle: Wow.

Kelly: And then I get to work and I would just suffer. All day long.

Michelle: Were you sleeping at night or.

Kelly: No, not sleeping at night. I mean, just it just insane. And I have to say, that vanity kind of saved my life.

Michelle: Because in the end.

Kelly: I put on, like, 25 pounds, and, like, I just. I know my body.

Michelle: And you're tiny, so I can't imagine 24.

Kelly: Again that much when I was pregnant with my two boys. Wow. So I. So I just was like, there is something wrong. Like, I'm not going to listen to any more. Doctors tell me there's nothing wrong with me because I know there's something wrong. And so I finally just got hooked up with the right doctors, integrative doctors, and of course, you know, not covered by insurance. I had 32 vials of blood taken from my very first blood test and came to find out that what I really suspected, that I had a thyroid condition because it runs on both sides of my family, hypo and hyper. And so I do have a thyroid condition, but it was being caused by my Lyme disease. So I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease in 2017.

Michelle: Wow. Yeah. Do, do they they I think I read in your bio that you got bit by a tick when you were a kid.

Kelly: Yeah. So I was like about ten years old, give or take a year or two. And I remember it very clearly because it was on my stomach. We were a big camping family. My dad's a high school teacher and football coach, five kids. So I don't think I ever saw a hotel until.

Michelle: I was going to do. And you probably book it myself. Yes. That's why I.

Kelly: Love room service. So I yeah. So we were I don't know if we were just hiking for the day or camping. I'm not totally sure exactly which state it was in, but it was West Coast because I had never been I had not been past the Rockies until after 22 years old. So I was on my stomach. I remember just kind of freaking out about it. My dad asked somebody for a match and and he just put the match close to it and the tick released and hopefully I'll have it released, who knows? But really not a.

Michelle: Problem any more Lyme disease. And then after.

Kelly: That I look back now and I see I see it all and it makes complete every my whole health history now makes sense. Yeah from my first symptoms were when I was about that age was paralysis of my hands and my face my hands would go like this like into like almost like lobster claws and I could not open them. And the first time it happened, we were at a lake and my dad thought I was having heat stroke. So they just put me in the shade. Go off, Kelly.

Michelle: You can sit over here. And eventually.

Kelly: It did remedy itself, but it had nothing to do.

Michelle: With your face, did you? Yeah. So I'd almost have.

Kelly: Like, Bell's Palsy, so. And I still get it once in a while. People think I'm slurring, so. Wow. But it's. It's just the Lyme or.

Michelle: I've been drinking too much. You decide. Oh, my God. I can't believe it. It's still. It's still so you get diagnosed. So did you not bring up. I was bit by a tick. Blah, blah, blah. Can you check for this or didn't even.

Kelly: I actually lied to my doctor.

Michelle: Wow. I think I actually told him.

Kelly: As we're going through like 35 pages, 32 pages of of my lab reports and he's like.

Michelle: Have you you told.

Kelly: Me that you hadn't been bitten by a tick? And I said, I lied to you because I just figured it was like around ten. Like, there's no possible way that that could be affecting me now. And he's like, Well, it is surprise. I'm like, Oh, shit.

Michelle: I mean, not that it.

Kelly: Made any difference. I mean, I've told other doctors that I had been biotech and they just dismissed it. So I think with this doctor, I was like, Oh, we don't even need to go there, you know? And so then as I, you know, just as I got older, I look back, you know, just different things happen. One one major thing was both my boys were two months premature. I could not carry full term. And the doctors actually told me that that it must be because I have a small uterus, which I have never heard of, ever.

Michelle: So the baby's coming early is part of lyme.

Kelly: Well, because my body just could not.

Michelle: Handle it. Oh, yeah. Were they twins? Yeah. No, they're so both of them.

Kelly: But they're okay. Yeah. And it took me almost three years to get pregnant. The first.

Michelle: Time I went.

Kelly: Through a bunch of fertility testing and everything. And so my husband at the time. My ex husband. We we during that process, we had talked about adopting like we were not going to just we weren't going to do IVF. We're going. Just adopt and like that. So easy. Just adopt. And so then the doctors thought maybe it was stress I was teaching. Oh, actually, at that time, I was teaching eighth grade English. And so stress and Lyme disease do not go very well together.

Michelle: Yeah, I would go family.

Kelly: Life and Lyme disease. Doesn't go. Together. And so I took a year off of teaching to try and get pregnant. I was pregnant within two months.

Michelle: Wow.

Kelly: So obviously my job was kind of stressful.

Michelle: Yeah.

Kelly: So I. Yeah, and then and then I got pregnant again the second time right away. And then Jack, my second son, started coming even earlier. So I had to be on bed rest for three months with a baby.

Michelle: Oh, my god.

Kelly:  And then he ended up coming two months early. Anyway, they both spent a. Month in the hospital. Wow. And had to get both of them tested to see if they carry Lyme.

Michelle: Does it run?

Kelly: It can't be passed in in utero.

Michelle: Wow. Do they.

Kelly: Have. No.

Michelle: God? So now. Now you know what's wrong?

Kelly: Yes.

Michelle: So what?

Kelly: So now. I am. Just researching as much as I can for alternative treatments. Because there is no pill, there's no cure. Every. Every treatment for Lyme disease is experimental. What works for one person may not work for the person sitting next to them.

Michelle: My stepsister had it in college, I think, and I think her whole first year at college, she was at home sick in bed. Yeah, if I remember right, I.

Kelly: I spent almost two years in bed. The only things I got up for were to I didn't even drive my kids to school was to go to doctor's appointments.

Michelle: Oh, my God, what a life.

Kelly: And even then, I'd oftentimes I'd have to get driven. Yeah, it was not a life. I was just existing. So I have three children. I have like a zest for life. I loved my life. Like, I was. Not I wasn't that person who ever even took it for granted. And so in researching how to heal myself, it led me to light therapy and lymphatic drainage, basically keeping my immune system up and inflammation down. So. Infrared sauna. Red light therapy. Lymphatic drainage. Manual or machine based. And everything was up in Santa monica. Brentwood, LA. There was just nothing around here. So, you know, about a year of doing that. And oftentimes I'd have to Uber up there because I couldn't even drive myself. I was just like. Somebody's got to open up. Something in the South Bay.

Michelle: So you. So you started, like, testing out these treatments and going to them in Santa monica and what what was happening? How were you?

Kelly: Oh, my God. It was literally the first time I went and I was driving home and I could not believe the just the difference between the person who drove there and the person driving home. Wow. I was like, it's like somebody had given me a caffeine shot. Like I was just.

Michelle: So explain to people because I know everyone's like, What the hell is this? And I already have people that are like, You're so granola. Like. Crystals and red light. So explain to people what these these treatments are.

Kelly: So infrared sauna is really about the light very different than your traditional sauna, which heats the air in the room. And it does help you detox a little bit because you're sweating and it helps you relax and that's kind of it. So with an infrared sauna, again, it's about the light and not as much about the heat, but because infrared light is the heat source of the sun can create a sauna out of it. So infrared sauna is great. It raises your heart rate as if like you ran 3 to 6 miles, you can burn up to 600 calories. Just lying there. Lying there. Yeah. It's literally my work, my my favorite. No impact workout. So yeah. So you can lose burn calories just lying there and it reduces inflammation in the body. So boost your immune system. It is full body detoxification. The light is being absorbed by our major organs and flushing everything out through our sweat as well as going to the bathroom.

Michelle: So I heard it gets is it like 140 degrees or something?

Kelly: The yes. That's the general. The medium temperature on my pod. Yes.

Michelle: But you don't feel like you're sitting in 140 degrees.

Kelly: You do not because it's heating you from the inside out. Yeah. So that's why you can tolerate it also because it is heating you from the inside out. You also don't even you don't the heat doesn't have to be as hot as just like a traditional sauna. And then we have red light. And red light is different than infrared light. They do some similar things, but they mainly do different things. I have like an entire book on Red Light Alone, and that's just a very quick 20 minute treatment. You don't want to do it for more than 20 minutes because it does work on a cellular level. It goes in the light, goes into our cells, stirs up our mitochondria, which is like the energy powerhouses of our cells. So it has cellular health benefits, but if you do it too much, then you can have cellular damage. Oh, yeah, that's right. It's just a 20 minute treatment and then presto, therapy, which is which is machine based lymphatic drainage, which is one of my favorites because it's just feels like a continual hug.

Michelle: Yeah.

Kelly: Lymphatic drainage is really important for people and a lot of people don't even know that they have clogged systems. But everything is it's lifestyle. And you know, the foods that we put in our cells and and just moving can help your lymphatic system as well. But most of us don't do that. So with press of therapy, it's boosting your lymphatic system. It's also full body detoxification. It is boosting your immune system, your metabolism, your digestive system, your circulatory system. It shapes and tones the body. And it's just super relaxing, too.

Michelle: So now you're doing all these treatments and you're starting to feel better and you're starting to connect the dots that this is is there one that was giving you more more benefit, or are they all combined as three? Are they all working together?

Kelly: Yeah, I think for me it is the combination of I, I added red light here. I had not done red light anywhere else. I couldn't find it except for like in a facial or something like that. But full body red light was very hard to find. But I would say the combination of three for me is key. If I had to just choose one to do for the rest of my life, I would probably choose the sauna oc the infrared sauna.

Michelle: So now you're. Now you're realize. You don't want to try to sound Monica anymore.

Kelly: That's just a really long way when you're chronic. Even if you're not chronically ill. So when?

Michelle: So now? Now you're looking. So now you're looking to open a business. Like how have you. Have you owned? Like what? From. From from Baskin-Robbins. Til post college. What other. What what are their jobs? I mean, we're a schoolteacher. Yeah. So now, was there any business in there or wellness that you did prior to that that you so now you're literally just necessity is the mother of invention is right.

Kelly: After my divorce, I worked I was the operations manager for a medical spa. That's probably like the closest I got to seeing how a business runs. And I kind of feel like I earned my MBA there because. Like. I pretty much learned how to do everything I needed to do to open up this business. So I felt pretty confident in terms of opening. Up a business.

Speaker2: Probably maybe looking back like maybe I shouldn't have felt so.

Kelly: But I think ignorance is bliss. You know what I.

Michelle: I'm the first to say just I mean, this podcast just junk because honestly, if you don't I've always believed the sink or swim method method of like you may not know how to do it. You either are scared and you stay back and you stay there and you never make them or you just go, fuck it. I'm just jumping and you jump. Yes. And that's and I kind.

Kelly: Of had a say, fuck it, Michelle. Because. I was sitting there, you know, this is now three, four years ago and I'm like, I had just turned 50 and like had not gotten out of bed. For. Like two years. And I was like, okay, I need to work. I have three children and I but who is going to hire a 50 plus year old chronically ill?

Michelle: Wow.

Kelly: And so I just I had to go for it, like I just had to.

Michelle: Necessity is the mother of invention. Yeah.

Kelly: Someone asked me a couple of weeks ago someone who's interested in opening up a business and said, Would you do it again? And I was like, Oh, that's like kind of an unfair question because. Yes, because I love well and good so much, but I'm on the other side of it now. Like I, I know everything I've gone through to get to this place and it's been hard.

Michelle: The business part of it or the health part of it?

Kelly: All of it. Yeah, all of it. But at the same time, those didn't seem monumental at the time because I was just going through it. Like I wasn't sitting around thinking about, Oh God, the contractor is taking three extra months. You know, it just was like, this is just what I had to deal with at that time. Looking back on it, I'm like, Oh my God, how did I. Get.

Michelle: So did you start out in this place or did you have something smaller? Because this is a pretty big space.

Kelly: Yes. This is this isn't the space. That I was necessarily looking for in my mind. But when I walked in, because this used to be a medical spa, so all the treatment rooms were already built out. And I was sort of like, oh, okay. And then I can grow. I can figure out what to do with other rooms and it just kind of just sort of happened.

Michelle: When did you pull the trigger to do this?

Kelly: It was September. 2000. 18.

Michelle: Well. So you're before the year?

Kelly: Well, yeah, about a year and a half before that, but I was actually open for about six months before the pandemic hit.

Michelle: It's we'll get to that in a second. So you you decide to make the jump now. How and because I think a lot of small business owners, the the pieces of equipment that you own, the red light therapy and the infrared are not inexpensive. It's not like opening a retail store and you have inventory, which is you could have $50,000 in inventory. But I'm assuming some of this equipment is. Yes, upwards towards that. And it's like you have multiple rooms that you have with these pieces. Did you start with one piece of equipment or two or all three?

Kelly: And then the first things I purchased were the pods. And, you know, I just try to figure out how I was going to make this happen because I wanted to do the treatments that I had been doing, but under one roof, because a lot of places, like some of the places I had to go to, different places to get infrared and then another place to get lymphatic drainage and.

Michelle: Then a one stop shop.

Speaker2: For care. And so I started with the pods and bought two of those then. And those. Yeah, they're expensive.

Speaker1: So do you. Really big because I mean, because I know a lot of entrepreneurs listen to this and it's like, how do you. Did you have fun? Did you have stuff saved up for because you obviously hadn't been working? Like, how do you take on financially? Something like that?

Kelly: Yes, I am. I will say I was pretty fortunate in my divorce selling our house and just kind of saving my money, a.

Michelle: Little nest egg.

Kelly: And I figured I could take that money and just continue to live and not work. Or I could take that money and.

Michelle: Make it make money.

Kelly: Invest in myself, trust in myself, and do something that I've always wanted to do is to work for myself. So I just said, Well.

Michelle: That's biting the bullet. I mean, it's one thing to open your own thing, but that kind of that kind of investment, it's like.

Kelly: People thought I was insane, especially.

Michelle: Oh, sure.

Kelly: As I, you know, I was still sort of in bed as all of this was coming together. Like this was like really built me and my laptop in my bed.

Michelle: Was the was putting it together, putting added stress on your your system. I mean, it seems like it's one is hand in hand the.

Kelly: Other far too. I just kind of it. Was it was stressful. But at the same time, I'm going to be very honest, being in bed, being chronically ill with, you know, with an illness that has no cure was frightening. That was that was that was the most frightening thing in my life.

Michelle: I can't even imagine.

Kelly: Everything else was like, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Yeah. And I also I needed purpose. I had no purpose for so many years. I just. And I didn't want my. Kids to see me like. That. Yeah. You know, I just. I wanted to be the role model that I used to be. And, you know, I couldn't even, like, make them dinner for their birthday. I mean, like, I missed recitals, I missed some games I missed.

Michelle: I can't I can't imagine. I mean, I've been very lucky touchwood with my health, but I can't imagine because I'm so A.D.D. and I'm so like I had knee surgery and I think I was at home for a day and then I was like, you know, calling jobs like, I'm going to go to work. And my then husband was like, Are you insane? Like, you just got out of the hospital from Minnesota. Oh, my God, I. I feel fine. I'm just going to. I can't sit here anymore. It's like Jesus.

Kelly: Like I went home. Had someone say. I was getting better and kind of getting back out into the world. And this woman said to me, she's like, oh, my God. Like, I could never I could never stay in bed. I'm like, it was not a choice.

Michelle: I'm just kicking back, you know, watching Netflix eating bonbons.

Kelly: Yeah, I watched, like, Game of Thrones three times through in one year.

Michelle: I just can't I mean, what do you do? I mean, that's like, digressing, but I just I.

Kelly: Say what you do is you dream big and you start working towards it. And that's what I did. I would just like there came a time where there's just sort of a shift and I just started to research, like opening a business, looking for space around here, checking out infrared sauna pods because there's not that many companies that make them. And and and so that kind of took. My mind off of my day in, day out.

Michelle: Just really did give you purpose. Yeah.

Kelly: Oh, this saved my life, for sure.

Michelle: So how long did it take to. Did you have any additional building out to do here? Or is it like floors and just.

Kelly: I did ceilings. I did not replace the floors. That would be something that I would like to do if I stay in the space and then, you know, painting, getting just everything, everything that's in here had to be brought in here, purchased and brought in here. So I look sometimes I walk. Around, I'm like, How did everything get in here?

Michelle: I think, you know, it's so funny. Everyone I talked to has put together these businesses and built these brands. And like you had Sammy, who was my intern, started a company, Mommy made encapsulation, and she was doing it with a brand new baby while working for Anthropologie, where, you know, your hours when you're in Anthropologie work at like four in the morning until like three. And then she's built in this company where you're on call 24 seven, like somebody has a baby, there's no time. She has to get up and out of bed and drive to whatever hospital pick it. And she said, like, I just don't know how I did it, to be honest. And there's something about that that hustle and that drive that you you will do whatever it takes to get it done. And it is kind of shocking when you look back and go, damn.

Kelly: Well, what's what's the same? Like, if you want something done, give it to a busy person. Yeah. I also think if you want something done, give it to a busy female. Yeah. I mean, I just, I, I love my boys, but I just, you know, women would get shit done. Yeah, we just do that type-A. Yeah. I just. I just think it's our nature.

Michelle: Yeah. So you now you have the two pods. How long were were you one? How did you get the word out? Because, I mean, we're sitting in your office right now and it's on her. Is this from PCH? Yeah. And we're right on the corner of Hermosa Pier. And it's very it's like your second floor, so it's not like your street level. Like, how do you get the word out? Because you have like some you've got Eric Fonoimoana that comes here and you've got pro volleyball players that come like you've got a lot of celebrity athletes that come through. Like, how do you how did you build that? How did you build it?

Kelly: Well, first, I think, you know, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, the South Bay is a very you know, we're in LA, but it's a very you know, as you know, it's a small bubble.

Speaker3: It is completely the bubble. What it is. Yeah, it is the bubble.

Kelly: And everybody kind of knows what's going on around here. And I've been living here for over 30 years. I've raised my children here. So a lot of it was word of mouth friends or just people I met through here who just I'm amazed at my clientele. Like I have the best clientele on the planet.

Michelle: Yeah, you have.

Kelly: Like.

Michelle: Quite the roster.

Kelly: Kindest, nicest people. They want me to succeed. Like, they're just. It's just it blows my mind. And and then I did hire a PR person who helped tremendously. Tremendously. She got me on some podcasts, got some articles written about me, and so that helped.

Michelle: Was that?

Kelly: Erika Yeah. Erika Yeah. So I just so that kind of happened and then got some influencers in here and then it just sort of just kind of took off.

Michelle: How did the info because I'm fascinated by the influencer thing. I know one of my clients Lit concept worked with a really big influencer and you know, she did her picks in their store and it's they are like once that one up, I think on her website they were starting to see orders immediately. Yeah. So how, how do you in the wellness community, how do you find an influencer and how what what benefit did that have for you?

Kelly: So the nice. Thing is like so I kind of have my list of influencers like wellness influencers obviously are.

Michelle: I give up a few names.

Kelly: Are the people like Krista Stanton, she's her Instagram is I don't know if this is how it's pronounced but Bracco body and there's a few others for actually for girls girls women came in together and it was set up through a client of mine. And Paige also has Lyme disease. And but she graduated college and she was working for. Like doing PR and stuff. So she's like, Hey, I want to bring I want these women to come in. And I was like, Bring them in. I can. Do whatever. And she gave me her name. So I had already been following, I think, two of the four. And then they are all wellness related. What like Carissa is mainly. Food. What's that? Food, diet, whatever. And then Tori and another one, they were fitness. And then the fourth was she's more like body image, which I love because I don't want like this isn't just for a place for.

Michelle: To lose weight.

Kelly: Yes, exactly. Exactly. That's actually one. Thing that I have tried really hard to kind of stay away.

Michelle: From mentioning the weight. Loss thing.

Kelly: Yeah, because it's like we can be healthy at any weight.

Michelle: I know. I think that well, especially here in the South Bay, it's like it is land of the beautiful people. And it's I think growing up here or being just a female like in an area like this, it's I think it's brutal on your I mean, really and now getting older, it's. Like it's fucking hell. Like, God damn like. I mean, God love like the Super Hotty Girls and the G-strings. But it's like, och yeah. And I honestly like, I, I have to have conversations in my own head of like, you're 55. Yeah. Like, you don't look like a 55 year old, but reality situation is you're 55 and you had that time of being the girl, not energy drinks. My mom would have killed me. But you know how? Being a girl and a bikini. Rollerskating down the strand on 4th of July with all your friends like you've had that time.

Kelly: What you're supposed to do then? Yeah, but in our fifties.

Michelle: Well, there's still some 50 years.

Kelly: They're not going to see that.

Michelle: But the self image, I mean, I think it's great that you kind of that's not the focus. I mean, to me, I don't even think about to me it's like I always think about this as wellness because yeah, you know, I come here for and we'll talk more about how you've had the addition of these other other. Now I'm losing my mind. Other treatments. Yeah. So now, now that you have the influencers, like was it instant? Like did they post on their Instagrams right away and just see an instant jump?

Kelly: They were the, the four of them actually. They also brought a friend in, Amy, who is I think she designs bathing suits. They they were just they were so lovely that they even came back in the next day as actual clients. And and then a couple of them have been back since. But they were posting and they, they were very thoughtful and intentional in their post. It wasn't just like, hey, I went here. Yeah. And I think I went from like, I don't know, under 1000 followers. I mean, yeah, probably like 700 followers to about 1400 in just like two weeks.

Michelle: And do you do you have you seen because I know like followers are one thing, but are you seeing finding like sales from that and people coming in and it's.

Kelly: Because everybody. Who comes in, I'm always like, how did you hear about well and good, especially if I don't know.

Michelle: You. Yeah.

Kelly: And and like I was just blown away by the amount of people who were like, oh, I saw it on Chris's Instagram, saw it on Tori's and Grandma, I saw it on, you know, Britney's Instagram. Now, with that being said, I've had some influencer influencers in here that did absolutely nothing, like literally.

Michelle: Nothing. So do they come to you or do you reach out to them?

Kelly: I have only had my PR people reach out to them. I'm trying to think if anyone has reached out to me.

Michelle: So you've reached out to some that have turned out to be duds?

Kelly: Yeah. And then there's the few people that I've reached out to like La Scott on K or the radio. She, she lives around here and she was following me and I was following her and she had sent a message like, Oh, I've been wanting to come in. And I was just like, Please come in. I'd like to give you some free services. And if you post about it, awesome. And I've gotten kind of better about like if you are coming in here for free services, this is kind of now I know.

Michelle: This is what we ask.

Kelly: This is what I would ask.

Michelle: So for people that are thinking about doing this, would you say structure it? Like if you reach out, these are the guidelines, call them in parentheses like please.

Kelly: Yeah, definitely. And like Lara, she like her posts. She did Facebook, Instagram, I like so many and she sent me like all the copy that she was going to be writing. And I was just like, Oh my God. Like, this seems. Like a lot of work legit. You should just pay for service. Yeah. So it's been, it's been pretty amazing. But with the influencers again. Can be a hit or miss.

Michelle: Because, you know, like I said, like I, I hate to say it because I think that a lot of business owners are age and especially in retail, there's a lot of us and and what I one thing I saw during the pandemic was once we were shut down, those who did not embrace Instagram embraced Facebook going live like all those all those social media channels literally were dead in the water. And I still say this is the weird universe's way of like how it cleaned out old school retailers and all these new up and coming. And I, you know, I said to Alisa, who's my social, I said to her, I'm like, I need to find somebody to do Tik Tok for me. And she's like, Really? Tik Tok? I'm like, I'm not going to do the dancing bullshit all that, but I recognize the value. I don't want to be a TikTok star, but in order for anybody to push their business, I think you have to be open to the influencers. Tik Tok and Tik Tok for me is going to be like how tos the voice over or like those really pretty like fast moving all the photos of your different work. Like that's what it will look like for me. But I know for sure at least it was like, Oh really? I'm like and I even like my husband I think was like, I don't know and I don't know anything. And even the kid who's working for me and AJ and I said, You know, I don't want to be. It's not about me being an influencer. Like, it's really just so my brand stays current.

Kelly: Yeah, yeah, right. Right. And during the pandemic, it was, I think there was like a three month period that I was just down. I was like, Oh my God, my dream is already done. I think everybody was like, Oh, yeah. I mean, trust me. And I, I, in some ways, I ended up being in a better position, starting because I, I had not planned on living off of this business for some time, and I had put that into my initial plan. And so in some ways I was better off. But then I started to really get back into the social media. And for me with social media, like I can post just pictures of beautiful women and guys and it's like, come get healthy and whatever. But for me and I think a lot of my background being a high school English teacher is like, I want to educate people, and so I try to be as informative as possible.

Michelle: That's really important.

Kelly: I think it's super important. I'm not here to be flashy. I am in it like this is my life from here on out and and I really wish I had known about all. This stuff before I got sick. But so I had to embrace that and I'm like, we did some educational videos with some of my practitioners because, you know, a lot of people don't understand energy healing.

Michelle: I mean, so we'll get into we're going to get into that.

Kelly: So I had.

Michelle: To do some videos, which.

Kelly: I am, Oh. The last thing I want is my picture. Taken and.

Michelle: I really don't.

Kelly: Have somebody videotaping.

Michelle: Me talk. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? I 100%.

Kelly: So I had to embrace that. And I have. So I think you just have to kind of find your comfort level.

Michelle: But don't you think also sometimes you have to kind of go outside of your comfort zone like and I truly think like the greatest jumps you're going to make personally and business wise are risks. And it's, you know, you have to go outside your I mean, God like I'm.

Kelly: Going to say going on my very first podcast was more frightening than opening. Up. Oh, my God. I was. I was a wreck. I was shaky.

Michelle: It is weird. I mean, it's it's I'll admit, like now it's so natural, I think. And that's part of that's just who I am. Like, I just do it as a conversation and like I, I do some questions, but I've realized, like, this conversation, like it happens so much more of a natural conversation instead of it being like a Q&A session. Yeah.

Kelly: Which I definitely prefer because I'll listen to little bits of like previous podcasts or whatnot that I've been on and I'm just like, Kelly. Like, stop. Talking when they're talking because I'll be like, Uh huh, yeah. Like that's what I do conversationally. And then I'll be on another. Something else will come up and and I just do it again.

Michelle: So now you've got, you've got your pods. You're starting to build the brand when pre or post COVID. Did you start introducing the other modalities of wellness?

Kelly: Us pre pre COVID which was.

Michelle: The first.

Kelly: So so I had buy my three machine based treatments the red light, infrared sauna and presto therapy and. As well as. Skin care. Skin care was like just an up and down. I bought like this amazing, amazing machine, and it literally sat in a closet for a year.

Michelle: What did it.

Kelly: Do? Cause it's the diamond glow, which you've had, but I could not find the right esthetician. And so what I was looking for in a person was somebody who is very holistic, who understands the mind, body, spirit connection, that it's not just the perfunctory service that you're providing, that you put stuff on people's faces, get stuff out of their pores some other way. You know, thanks so much. That it really needed to be much more of an experience and it just wasn't happening. Wasn't happening. Had someone in here just that was just a. Bad, bad energy do not match. And then Kayla came into my life.

Michelle: I love that girl so much. She's she's Kayla. So I've got the diamond glow facial twice. She is so soft spoken and honestly is so genuine. I mean, all their girls are so beautiful. And the fact that they're so incredibly quiet, they have a quiet nature about them that is just so genuinely sweet. Yes. It's it's not the I'm the super hot girl and, you know, but it's it's everything. Because I hate to say it in the wellness world and I know a lot of people in the world as well, but and people in the crystal world and metaphysical, there are a lot of crazy people out there. And, you know, everyone's their own brand of crazy. Yes. But I find by far and large sometimes that the people that are the most, quote, holistic and the most whatever are some of the I don't want to say crazy, but just like they they there's tendencies there where I'm like, aren't you supposed to be like, all woo woo and like loving and love the energy and Mother Earth and yeah, and it's like, but those girls like you have and we'll get into the second thing, but it's she's just like has that beautiful energy about her.

Kelly: Yes, she does her energy, her soul, her kindness, just it's like and I met it's interesting because all the practitioners are who are here. I've met through other people who I love and admire. So I did not I posted once and that was really bad. So I took.

Michelle: Like like an ad.

Kelly: Yeah. For an esthetician. I was like, oh no. This is like, I mean, people just emailed me and I could already tell, like, it was a good worship.

Michelle: Where did you just go? Wondering, where did you put your ad? Indeed. Yeah. Yeah. There are. Goddamn. The amount of crazy ass like you, you you send out. Like I'm looking for an esthetician and you get back I'm sure resumes of I am I've worked on cars I view this like yeah but are you in stitches?

Kelly: I had a lot of guys who wanted to give me massages. Oh, my God. Why did I accidentally place a personal app? I better check my wording. I was like, Hey, baby, thanks for the sex. Yeah. So, yeah. So I just decided I'm giving it up to the universe.

Michelle: That's a good philosophy.

Kelly: They will come when they come. And Kayla arrived and you know, even before Kayla was the my Reiki masters intuitive healers acupuncture cupping with I had Madison Isabelle, Maggie and Abby all here.

Michelle: So you already had. Yeah tell people.

Kelly: What I would say in the first couple of months, like all my machines were set up and then within the first couple of months of starting getting going, I had all these practitioners. Once I got rid of like the bad energy, negative energy of the one person who wanted to partner with me who is also an esthetician. Once I finally listened to myself because I was. Having stomachaches. And just said, No, this isn't going to work out. I can't even tell you what the universe brought me.

Michelle: See, I'm all about people think I'm a crazy ass because I'm all about the universe and I truly 100% like every fucked up thing that's happened to me. Like, you know, lost my store as a Fred Segal. There. I truly believe the universe. And I say this all time universe puts obstacles in your way, and it's like they are there for a reason. And you either ignore it.

Kelly: Yes.

Michelle: Or you. And it's like not like I recognize these signs right away. Like it will be years later. I know. Years later, like, yeah, okay, I get that. And now I'm like so grateful for all of the failures or obstacles I've had because it's led me to where I am now. Right, right. But it's true. The universe man wants. It's like it just all shows up at once.

Kelly: And once I knew, like, I really just wanted this to be a place that people walked in and were like, Oh, yeah, that they could come in feeling shitty for whatever reason mind, body, spirit, or all three of them happening at the same time. And that they could leave just with the sense of like Zen at the very least, that they could just have some downtime in their day.

Michelle: I, I came to you, I think I was, it was post-show setup or something. Yeah. And I, it was before I broke my foot, but I, you know, from standing on my feet all day and like, you know, I'll hit like 13,000 steps in a day on someone's cement floor. So it's like my I'm so jacked up. But I remember coming here and I'll admit, like, I was like, okay, 600 calories, I can do that. But I was shocked. How much.

Kelly: Come for losing calories. For the rest.

Michelle: I was shocked how much of a difference it made on my joints, the red light therapy or the infrared therapy like that really was like I even said to my friend who's in New York, like, who has chronic back, I'm like, you had to find one of these in New York because it is it was life changing. And within between that and acupuncture and cupping those three modalities like the difference of my joints is night and day. And I so I was like, Oh my God, this beautiful, blissful place. And then you started adding these other things. And then it was like, Now I come to you for cupping and love her and facials. You had said one other healing modality.

Kelly: Intuitive, intuitive healing.

Michelle: So what is explain that because I know there's a lot of people are like, what's that. Woo woo thing to.

Kelly: Explain? But for me, I have always been into psychics and mediums and all that. Like, I just I've always loved the other world. So that's why I think it's very easy. It's much more easy for me to accept this kind of stuff because I'd already been interested.

Michelle: Oh, this is Madison. Yeah. Okay.

Kelly: Yeah. So. So I get hooked up with Madison through my PR girl, and so Madison is going to give me a reading. We were actually in this room at like I don't think there anything in this room at the time. So I'd bring in two chairs. We're sitting here and within the first 5 minutes I was just like, Can you please come work here? So basically she uses her psychic abilities and hers are very homed in on our.

Michelle: She's a medical medium.

Kelly: Yeah. So medical medium. It's just hard to call her a medical medium because there is a guy who calls himself a medical medium and I really like him. I read his books and whatnot, but he kind of stole that name. Well, he didn't steal it, but he's.

Michelle: Got a trademark, so he. Can't use it. Yeah. Yeah.

Kelly: So medical intuitive, intuitive healer, psychic. Like, it's all kind of the same thing. So with Madison, she within like the first 5 minutes, I may tear up, tapped into a childhood trauma of mine that nobody on this planet but me and maybe three other people have ever, ever, ever known about. Wow. And I was just like, oh, my God. And like, my tears just came right up and she's like, Oh, we don't have to talk about it. I'm like, Oh, no, clearly we do. Clearly we do. And she's like, You have had anxiety ever since this happened. And I'm like, yes, like I my entire life I would wake up with a baseline anxiety. It was just there when I woke up and it was there when I went to sleep, you know, and I've been on antidepressants. I've tried, like, pretty much everything. And it just, you know, it just never went away. And she's like, okay, I'm going to clear this out. And she does this. I don't know actually what I know.

Michelle: I can't explain it either.

Kelly: And she's like, you know, and we're only like, now, 10 minutes into my hours. I really come out of here like, I need a glass of wine. So she's like, you know, in seven, just check. You're just constantly check with yourself in the next 7 to 10 days because you're going to you're going to feel completely different. She's like, I, I cleared the anxiety from that out of you, and I think I was like. Day three, I woke up, I'm like, Damn, I feel good. Not even like remembering. I had a session with. Allison. And then like the fourth day I woke up and I'm like, What is different? Like, what is different? It's just so weird. Like, by the fifth day, I was like, Oh, my God. Like, the anxiety is gone. Like, wow, gone. And I remember calling Madison. I'm like. Oh, my God, oh, my God. Like, it's only day five. But I felt different after, like, day three. And I'm like, it's like. But I'm sitting here, like, waiting, like, when's it going to come back? She's like, it's never coming back. I cleared the anxiety from that trauma, and it has never come back.

Michelle: That's crazy. And I know. People would.

Kelly: Laugh. My yeah. Got off my antidepressants like it is insane. I've had my kids all meet with Madison.

Michelle: Wow. Yeah. So now so you have basically your wellness bubble of medical medium acupuncture, cupping.

Kelly: Reiki.

Michelle: Reiki, facial the pods. So you the part of the business plan for this, these are not they're not on staff and they're not here 24 seven waiting for people to come and they book. So they come in and book their rooms.

Kelly: They're independent contractors. So whether they bring in their own clients and use the room or they're well and good clients, that's how they get their clients.

Michelle: So I think for a lot of people that have spas or wellness like are looking to build their brand, this is one of those this is one of those avenues. If you have an additional room. You could. Make this where it's not. Because I think everyone thinks they have to shoulder the payroll and they have to shoulder.

Kelly: Yes. I mean, that's the nice thing is like basically other than me, everyone else is independent.

Michelle: What scheduling do you use programming so pro because I know that people will ask what the and you're able to schedule all their treatments as well as. Yes that's.

Kelly: Amazing. Yeah. Took some creative a little bit of creativity on my part because I have people that I schedule for and then I have rooms that I scan for.

Michelle: Like a lot of balls. And that took me a minute. I mean, me and my ad, I don't think I could do that. Like.

Kelly: How do I do this? Oh, you just make like the rooms are people, you know. So yeah. And what's. The thing too is like. My like a huge. Shift in my wellness journey was when I stopped just focusing on my body. Because when you're healing, yes, you're healing from that specific trauma, you know, Lyme disease. But you really need to heal from everything that's ever.

Michelle: Happened to you.

Kelly: I mean, you really do. And that's where the really the holistic part came in for me, is when I started doing work on myself, you know, whether it was through Reiki or acupuncture or cupping or intuitive healing sessions or whatever it was that I was doing meditation, all that kind of stuff was, is when I saw the biggest shift.

Michelle: I love and so that. So now knowing all these modalities and I come rolling through and I'm like, you really should be selling crystals and stuff.

Kelly: Yes. So, yes. You are really the person who got me into crystals. Thank you very much.

Michelle: So tell me about the shift in your business now that you've because you I mean, you have you have this giant bookcase and you didn't have very much on it. And and I'm like, you have you know, you have people rolling through here every day, like, yes, you should bring something in. So how how has that changed your business now? Yeah. And people coming in and.

Kelly: Well, it's interesting because I like retail was just like sort of the last thing on my list of things to do. And then I feel like you really lit that fire under me and got me really excited about some stuff and told me a couple of different wholesalers to look into. And then I started looking. It was like, Wow.

Michelle: There's a lot out there I love.

Kelly: Like, I love all that stuff. I love going to those types of shops. And I was like, yes, instead of like, you know, just lotions and body scrubs. There's so much more out there in terms of of things to provide, in terms of wellness.

Michelle: That all play back into hair.

Kelly: Exactly. And what's funny is that, you know, all of the paths that I have on the different tables for like lymphatic drainage to this acupuncture, Reiki slash cupping table all have crystal bio pads on them. And so then I bought some books and started doing some more research on crystals and, and what I felt like people, people who know crystals love crystals. Then my kids started getting to.

Michelle: Oh, funny. Yes.

Kelly: And so I love having like people walk in and they're just like, oh, my God, there's there's so many. Cool. Things in here. And I have people who come in because they have to get birthday presents for people, whatnot. Like it's like they're, they're really great gifts. I think if you purchase that with an intention, I have a lot of astrological crystals, meditation crystals. I kind of find my crystals here, kind of not necessarily for beginners, but they're very user friendly. Yeah, they come with instructions of if you're going to meditate with these stones, put do this with them, do this with them, think of this, that kind of thing. I even have like a jar, which I love this one. It's a manifestation kit. It has like a little candle in there. It has. Like, who makes that? That's a big question.

Michelle: Is it? Ark Made you sell a.

Kelly: Lot of Ark Made. And I don't think it's Geo Central. Geo Central.

Michelle: I'll take a look. I think I got him off.

Kelly: Probably off of fair.

Michelle: They have some great stuff. I mean, I think the you know, I know the crystals seem weird people, but it is like I brought them into the pharmacy and it's like the pharmacy, you know, it's it's a pharmacy. It's and I brought them in as a test and it was so crazy to see how many people gravitated to it. And then I started adding tarot cards and I started adding angel cards and and those sold. And then I started adding like, it's blown up to this giant crystals section. But what I realized, though, in in times of last presidency, there's a whole lot of unknown and there's a whole lot of fear and anger. And I think as a country, it it it definitely tossed up a lot of stuff that people weren't ready for. So people, I realize are always looking for something to make them feel safe and or if you're sick or unsure. That's what I really realized people were gravitating to. And it's like for me, I do too. But if you meditate with crystals, the properties of that. But I mean it is and it's amazing to see the. Jump in business from those. But for here, it's such a it was always to me, such a perfect match with what you guys were doing.

Kelly: My infrared sauna pads are lined with tourmaline and jade, you know, so, like so now we like every single room here has crystals or stones somewhere in it.

Michelle: So what is now? I'm like, what does Tourmaline and Jade do in the beds?

Kelly: So when the light and heat hits them, it creates the negative ions is then absorbed by our body, which has like a whole host of health benefits. But when it comes to crystals, the majority of people we don't know, like I for years, I'm like, I don't get crystals, like, what do they do? But then when you start to read about them and you understand like quantum physics and the concept of like we are energy.

Michelle: They run, they run phones. There's crystal. I mean, it's.

Kelly: It's just it's mind. Blowing to me that like not everybody. Has some. In their house. Yes. And now I'm like buying crystals to ward off EMF. Yeah.

Michelle: Well those are I mean, it's like anybody that follows like Lu story and Aubrey Marcus and those guys who are all Biohackers, I mean, they're all about that, you know?

Kelly: Yeah. I mean, now my kids all have what do I want to call it? They have tourmaline and they have a few other things. And I'm like, You need to have these by your laptops at all time. If you're going to bed with your phone next to your head, I. Want you to put the crystals there.

Michelle: Which I do, and I'm really bad about that. Like, that's one thing I've got. I think they're tourmaline cubes for energy use at each quarters of my bed. But I mean, it's like it's I've become the crazy crystal. Like, I mean, granted, I work for crystal people too, which I hopefully you're going to have a chance to work with Ashlynn from your house. And then I have Rob Paradise. But like my, the entire dashboard of my car is filled with crystals. And like somebody said, aren't you afraid of getting an accident? One of those putting your eye out? I'm like, No, they keep me.

Kelly: Safe, to be honest. I'm not going to get in an accident. But like when it comes to the crystals that I'm so thankful that you hooked me up with, Ashlan, because again, my whole thing about educating and people don't know about don't really know that much about crystals. And it also because like I have the crystal bible and that is overwhelming because there's a lot of crystals. And so we're going to have her come in and teach a workshop just like basically crystals 101.

Michelle: She is amazing. I, she she is hands. I mean, she's a friend, but she's a client, but she has the most beautiful soul. So when you put something out looking for a teacher and I was like, I don't know why I didn't think about this before, so I but when you meet her like she, there's something about her energy that is just like it's it's hard to get. I mean, there's just something about her. She's amazing. So I think that that that I'm super. So are you. Yeah. So you do events here as well and you do like what's the one you did? You're doing manifestation one or you did.

Kelly: Had a couple of weekends ago a manifestation workshop that was incredibly powerful, like I was, I me as a participant, even though I own the business, I was blown away.

Michelle: So you'll have you reach out to people like Ashlan and you'll charge X amount for to do and you'll have these private events basically and teach people.

Kelly: Yeah. Pretty much. So everything from my practitioners here to also experts outside of here bringing people in to do classes or workshops. So everything from Reiki circles to manifestation workshops to we're going to have a cookout ceremony. I don't even know.

Michelle: I was going to say what is that?

Kelly: I don't totally know. But I said yes because it just sounds awesome. Yeah. To we're going to have a next week of gotcha training.

Michelle: Oh, I think that's if phenomenal.

Kelly: I have this $45.

Michelle: Gotcha. Now you're going to sell them at the same time, right?

Kelly: Yes. Actually, Kayla has a she has a back stock of of.

Michelle: Just want to make sure you're getting that that hand in hand sale.

Kelly: I'm going. To. I've had it sitting in my drawer for over a year now and I.

Michelle: Don't yeah. My sits on the counter I don't know.

Kelly: Either videos and I'm like, oh.

Michelle: No, no. Yeah, there's somebody I follow. She's a clothing line, jewels. And she goes to a Korean spa. And I love watching her her stories because she'll video the facial going on and watching the movement. And it's it's so beautiful. And it's from what I understand, it's like it's to drain the lymphatic from your face.

Kelly: Yes. And it tones your muscles underneath, like, lifts. And it's like it's it's it's amazing. I mean, I had Kayla do it on me a few weeks ago, and I was pretty puffy that day. I just I was very puffy, actually. And afterwards I was. Like, Oh my God, my cheekbones. Are back. Like, I'm so happy. I'm like, okay, we need we need another one of these workshops.

Michelle: How many events do you have a month? I mean, they seem like they're kind of ramping up.

Kelly: Yeah. So. Like about three a month. I always, always have. Jennifer Schaffer, who's a psychic medium.

Michelle: She I want to come to that so.

Kelly: Bad. So her next one is on the 27th. She is phenomenal. And she I mean, you can talk to dead loved ones. You can ask about your future. You can ask about your present, your past. I, I get to sit and witness it every month and it just blows my mind.

Michelle: I want to go, you know, unfortunately this month we start installing Bristol Farms Christmas at like one and three in the morning. So my bedtime will be five and 6:00 at night. So that event will be a little late for me. But you do them every month, though.

Kelly: Yes, every month.

Michelle: Oh, I'm so going.

Kelly: So for me, I just I love sitting and just being just watching and listening to her work because.

Kelly: It gives people.

Kelly: Such peace of mind. Yeah. You know, especially during COVID, like there's been a few that we've had that been kind of intense because people lost parents or loved ones to COVID and but they got to talk to them. And that's just to me, it's just.

Michelle: I've wanted.

Michelle: I.

Michelle: I, I so wanted I so believe in that and I so want to do that.

Kelly: So if you're if you actually sit and really have an experience with the true psychic medium, I do not understand how you don't believe in the afterworld. Like, I just I.

Kelly: Don't know how much more proof you could.

Kelly: Meet, you know? I just don't.

Michelle: Yeah, I will. William May. My grandfather is the one that's like. I know, like, things that happen and things that where I could have been in an accident. I know. It's so like the swipe of hand of my grandfather, that is. Yeah, they're like watching.

Kelly: Over, I would say.

Kelly: All of my practitioners who have been here and are still here. All are of the consensus that. We are being watched over 24 seven and we need to talk to them, whether they're just or angels or guides or loved ones that have passed on, that we really need to utilize them and we don't enough.

Michelle: It's funny. So I did the styling for energy Muse's first book, Crystal Muse. Oh, and there I forget because it's like. It's like, almost like a recipe book of different rituals to do with crystals. And one of them was, I think, with the parent that had passed or something. And I had told Heather and I said, Do you remember? I remember this one movie when I was a little girl and I still refer to this. It was a Shirley Temple movie and her grandparents had passed away. So the scene, it's a black and white movie and the scene is her grandparents sitting at a table and they're kind of like they were mid eating and they're just sitting at a table and and all sudden she starts talking about them and all sudden they're up and they're moving around and it's like that. That energy gave them energy. So up in heaven, they're like moving around and they're alive again. And because she was talking about them and as soon as she stopped talking about them, they stopped moving wherever they were and their house and heaven and that that is always, always, always stuck with me. Yeah.

Kelly: There's like, it's just it's so amazing. And I just, I for me, with doing this type of work, it it has also because when I was sick, I just I got to admit this, because I've heard other people with Lyme and I'm sure with other chronic illnesses, I was like so afraid to fall asleep at night because I didn't think I was going to wake.

Michelle: Up really.

Kelly: Like I was.

Kelly: Consumed.

Kelly: With death. And even after the two years I was out of bed and doing this, I still had a really difficult time falling asleep because I just was like, This is the night. I'm not going to wake up.

Michelle: I'm not going, oh, my God.

Kelly: And doing this more kind of metaphysical kind of work, I'm totally like my obsession with it is gone. And I'm totally like.

Michelle: Live life in the moment.

Michelle: Now, live.

Kelly: Life in the moment. And when you're gone.

Kelly: Just come on back and.

Michelle: You're not really gone. Like, I'd like to think that. I mean, granted, I want it happens.

Kelly: I'm literally there. Right here.

Michelle: Yeah.

Kelly: Just on a different plane.

Michelle: Yeah, you know.

Michelle: I love that. Yeah. So now I'm going to ask you. One of your second to last questions. Where do you see? Well and good in ten years. Ooh.

Kelly: I would love my like. Really. I mean, my ideal is standalone building and basically every single possible wellness treatment on that you could think of is there in one form or another. I want to have, you know, practitioners being able to rent space. I'd love to have, you know, like a, like a juice bar, you know, kind of a kind of a sauce cafe type thing. I'd love to have an apothecary. Like, I really need an apothecary. Yeah. Yeah. Because you got you really kind of stirred some juices.

Michelle: That's what I do too.

Kelly: Like a big open space that people could rent for yoga, for meditation, for any sort of group activity, and then even add even more wellness, you know, like I don't do cryo.

Michelle: Okay.

Michelle: Yeah, that would be. That's a big one.

Kelly: Yeah. It just never came up when I was doing the research for me. I've researched it, I've looked at the benefits. I just personally.

Kelly: Do not want to be.

Michelle: Cold. I can't handle.

Michelle: Cold.

Michelle: Like and I think it's Ann Green, she gets in it on, on, on Instagram and I'm like.

Michelle: Why do you don't look freezing like it looks so exciting leading up to.

Michelle: God damn I just like I mean.

Kelly: Like you're in there for like, like 2 minutes or something.

Michelle: I don't get it. But I mean, they say the wellness properties of it are supposed to be amazing. Yeah.

Kelly: And so there you go. I would love to be able to do colonics. Like, I'm like, I do still.

Kelly: Go to that.

Michelle: I totally believe them. And I know people are going to be like.

Kelly: What is she talking about? And here's the thing. It's like, do not wait to get ill.

Kelly: To get into all this stuff.

Michelle: Yeah.

Kelly: You know, just like dip your toe into it. Like, come to a sauna. You don't have to do it.

Kelly: You don't have to.

Kelly: Buy into everything. And the other thing too is like, I'm not selling anything. Like, I'm literally not selling anything. I'm here to educate people on what these things do. And if it works for you, it works for you. And if it doesn't, it doesn't. I mean, I don't know why it doesn't.

Kelly: Yeah, but that's mindset.

Michelle: Yeah. I wouldn't say I think a lot of people are like, you know, I just and one I'm afraid of doctor. So I've always gone to a, a holistic approach because I'm just afraid of doctors now.

Kelly: No, I am. Yeah.

Michelle: I mean, I literally like I'm literally like I had a dentist appointment this weekend and I went into it thinking I'm OC and I literally, like, I almost had an anxiety attack in the middle of it and it wasn't, it was just getting my fucking teeth clean. Yeah, but it was like it's been so long that it was like I had to get shot up. But no, I mean, it was like, yeah. And I just looked at the and it's my best friend's brother.

Kelly: So I opt for the gas now.

Michelle: I told them when I left, I'm, I, I'm just, I, I told them when I left them all. I'm just going to say this now that I am going to want the gas because I've gone in there, I've had Dave go with me because I broke a tooth. And I mean, this is my best friend's brother. Like, I know this is.

Michelle: Somebody I grew up.

Michelle: With, like, but I'm still so petrified. So I'm, I said to him, like, I'm just telling you now, I want the gas next time, which I.

Kelly: Just put it in my permanent file.

Kelly: They're like.

Kelly: Okay.

Michelle: So it's always. But I guess from that fear, I have sought out other modalities of promise and I honestly like, I kind of prefer that as opposed to take a pill. Like even when I, when I broke my foot, I was really surprised that the doc was like, I'm going to give you a prescription for Norco. And I'm like, No, no, no, no, no, I don't need it. Oh no, it's not a big deal. I'm like, No, I don't want Norco. Like, it's like I am petrified that he's like, it's not a big deal, just and the nurse is looking at me like, you know, looking at him like she doesn't want it. And she's like nodding her head. Yeah, I, I, that to me is not all doctors do that at all, but that to me it's like I have a stress fracture. I don't think I need Norco. Like, that's not I'm going to go get some red light therapy.

Kelly: Yeah.

Michelle: And I came in, I think that week that I broke.

Kelly: It and I.

Kelly: Think too is like, you know.

Kelly: It's okay to live with some.

Michelle: Discomfort, you know what.

Kelly: I mean? Like, we don't need to numb every part of our lives.

Michelle: That's what wine.

Michelle: Does.

Kelly: So I have I actually have a lovely sprained ankle right now.

Michelle: Oh, my gosh.

Kelly: I, I was at the Hollywood Bowl over the weekend, and, you know, stuff happens.

Michelle: You roll down the.

Kelly: Stairs and people are like, Oh, should we go to the E.R.? And I was like, Yeah. And then I was like.

Kelly: No, I don't need to go.

Kelly: The air. I'm gonna get in a pot. I'm going to do red light. I'm going to do my. And yeah, and I stayed off of it for three days. I iced and did some treatments and it's like.

Michelle: Acupuncture for that's like, yes, kick ass. I did acupuncture with my broken foot. And it was I mean, it was amazing. I mean, I swear I will stand on the mountaintop and talk about acupuncture til the cows come home.

Kelly: And the thing, too, is like, I think knowing your body and knowing like when you really do need medical attention, like, I knew, och, I'm going to rest for three days, I'm going to be icing it, I'm going to do some treatments. And if it's still not better, you know, if I'm not going in the right direction, then I'll go and get some x rays, see if there's a fracture or something.

Michelle: It's not like if you snapped it, you're like, Nah, I'm just going to go get some put some.

Kelly: Ice on it and stick it out.

Michelle: I'll give you a little red light therapy.

Kelly: Yes. When it comes to like.

Michelle: That sort of.

Kelly: Acute physical.

Kelly: Trauma I'm going straight to here.

Michelle: Yeah. So I could I could already see people like, oh, you're not proponent of doctors.

Kelly: That really wouldn't be.

Speaker2: Awesome to see. Not hotels. Well, hotels, but hospitals, like, with, like crystal like a crystal shop and just like having crystals in the rooms.

Michelle: Yeah. I mean.

Kelly: Would just be.

Kelly: Amazing.

Michelle: It's so it's, I don't think it's not being done, but it's certainly not mainstream at all whatsoever. Yeah. My last question is what is answer your previous question, what you're going to be in ten years. Yeah. Do you want the big. Yeah.

Kelly: And I would like to see more well and goods even if they're not well and goods but more of these types of things popping up.

Michelle: Would you be open to franchising? Definitely, because that's what I think. Like there's very few places that I, I am all about. Like, yes, you should be like rock paradise, I think should franchise for for sure. I mean it's they have the crystals, they are the wholesaler. They I mean, something like this for sure. I think you would be.

Kelly: Well, I think you're welcome. Anyone out there listening?

Michelle: This is why I'm now like pushing for franchising. What is any advice for a spa or wellness brand store? What is any advice you would give them about expansion?

Kelly: Okay. Yeah.

Kelly: You know, I see a lot of spas who are who are getting more into the wellness. I think the thing is, to your research, I've seen I've seen businesses, small businesses purchasing equipment. That's $40,000 for a red light.

Michelle: But wow, it's light.

Kelly: It's literally comes from the sun. It's literally.

Kelly: So they're not 40,000 machines.

Kelly: They're not. They're not. So I would do your research and there are certain things that you need from a red light device. You know, you want to check the nanometers, you want to check the the lumens, you want to make sure that the output is strong. But other than that, like.

Kelly: It's their light bulbs, they're really.

Kelly: Light bulbs. So yeah. So I think doing just do your research, definitely try them out. Like don't go to a trade show and be like, Oh, that looks cool and everybody looks interested in it. And I think I'll get one just like, you know, see if it fits with your clientele and see if it fits with you. Because for me, it's like, if I didn't truly believe in these things, I, I can't sell. Like, I cannot.

Kelly: Like, I just can't.

Kelly: And I don't like too. So that's why I like to educate and I like to share. Like, these things are amazing treatments, everything from the Reiki to the red light, and I believe in them. So if you don't believe in it, don't buy it and do your research so that you just aren't strapped with a $40,000 machine.

Kelly: Because like that was I don't.

Kelly: Know who's going to buy it when you go out of business.

Kelly: Yeah, you know.

Kelly: I wouldn't even buy it for 10,000.

Michelle: Well, thank you so much for doing this, because I know you're busy. You closed the space down for us to do this. And I.

Kelly: Am all well and good super cause.

Michelle: It's I'm super grateful for this, so. Thank you. And that is a wrap. Thank you all so much for joining me on today's episode. I really appreciate it. And be sure to tune in every Wednesday for more stories and lessons from a life in retail. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram at the retail whore podcast, and you can find us online at theretailwhorepodcast.com