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A thirst quenching podcast for the girls, gays, theys, & astrology baes where we talk about anything & EVERYTHING through an astrological lens.
Hi, guys. Welcome to another episode of Tea from the Galaxy, a thirst quenching podcast for the Girls Gays theys and Astrology Baes, where we talk about anything and everything through an astrological lens. So I'm very excited for today's episode because I have two of my childhood besties here. I'm basically my sisters, Gianna and Jasmine. Hello.
Serena:Hey. Hey. So we go way back. We grew up together in Jersey, and now we're all Floridians. Oh, yeah, baby.
Serena:The main reason for this podcast episode first things first, everyone that I bring on this podcast are people who inspire me. So you guys inspire me heavily. Another reason is it's interesting because we all have Earth in our in our big three, but different planets. Like, Jasmine isn't has an Earth sun. I have an Earth moon.
Serena:G has a Earth rising. We're all, like, self made. We have our own businesses, creative businesses. We're entrepreneurs. We have a hustler mindset, and it's very on brand for people who have Earth in their big three.
Serena:That's just, like, basic stereotype earth. Earth is all about, like, stability, security. That's what motivates us. Going after the coin and being hustlers, natural born hustlers, which I feel like we all are, so that's gonna be a big topic. Also still young.
Serena:So, like, we're just beginning. We're just starting, and we also accomplished so much already. So I think this will be a really nice podcast inspiring other people. I think it'll be relatable. And, also, it'll be interesting to see the different perspectives of even though we're all hustlers, we have different perspectives.
Serena:You're an Earth rising. I'm an Earth moon. You're an Earth sun. So it manifests very differently even though it's very similar at the same time. Couple questions I like to ask everyone on this podcast.
Serena:Your age, your sexual identity, your pronouns, and your big three. So, G, you can go first.
Gianna:Okay. I'm 27. I'm shtri. My big three is Cancer, sun, Aries, Moon, Virgo rising. Oh, pronouns, sheher.
Jasmine:That bitch. Me, I am also 27. I identify as a sheher baddie. My sexual identity is very straight. I changed you a
Serena:very long time. So I'm not deviating
Jasmine:from that script anytime soon, unfortunately. But and my big three is my I'm a Taurus sun, an Aquarius moon, and a Leo rising.
Serena:What'd say? You're kind of straight? Wait. We heard that. We heard that.
Serena:With the gray way with a honey in the mix leeway. You're like you're like, I'm straight. And I'm
Gianna:like, yeah.
Serena:I know. This time I'm getting This is shining.
Gianna:You never know. I've got time to find it.
Serena:A little by curious. You know, it is a spectrum. So this is a safe space here. It's okay.
Gianna:And our beautiful love woman. But I like what Jess said. We're allies. Allies. We
Serena:can briefly talk about how we met. I mean, we grew up together, but I met both of you guys in seventh grade Yeah.
Gianna:Middle school. Recognized baddie.
Serena:Yep. In the hallway sweeping.
Jasmine:I remember vividly a maroon Abercrombie shirt and, like, long there was a horse on it. And, like, oh, Oh, that was what it yes. You remember it.
Serena:We come from a very big town. So there was three or four elementary schools. And then when we entered middle school, that's when all the elementary schools combined.
Jasmine:Mhmm. They merged. So there was, like,
Serena:a whole side of town that I didn't even know. Me walking into middle school, I felt like a new kid. That's why me and Maya became friends because Maya was new. Yeah. And then I was, like, a new kid.
Serena:I was like, who is everyone? I don't know everyone here. Met you both in seventh grade, but not because we were in the same friend group. It was, like, different friend groups. But in eighth grade, we did have a class us three together.
Serena:I don't know.
Gianna:It was
Jasmine:the cooking class. Oh. Yes. When your dad came and made the rice balls.
Serena:That class was so funny because and this is why I will never be a teacher, let alone a middle school teacher. Like We we We ran that class. He would be like, alright, kids. Like, today, we're gonna learn about, like, health. And we were
Gianna:like No. We're not. Yes.
Serena:We were like, no. We're gonna basically cupcakes him. Must. Yeah. She she was like, what?
Serena:No. And and we would all walk into, like, the kitchen signs. This portion. It wasn't even a cooking class. It was like a home economics class or something like that.
Serena:Like like, basically, like, you learned how to clean, cook. It was like Yeah.
Jasmine:Susie homemaker class.
Serena:I definitely feel bad for the teacher. I think she literally quit that year. We ran that class. We were like, no. We're cooking today.
Serena:We're hungry. The rats. There
Gianna:was a rat in the cooking class, and we all jumped on the counters.
Serena:But our fun group, like, solidified junior year in high school.
Jasmine:You just always had this inviting presence where you always wanted everybody to be together. And this group of friends that realistically, like, not everybody had things in common had were in the same friend groups that managed to, like, come together. I felt like you were always the glue to that.
Serena:Like, if you, like, wanted to be like,
Jasmine:I don't wanna be in this friend group anymore, we'd all be like, what? Like,
Serena:if I was an octopus, I had, like, a tentacle to, like, every friend.
Jasmine:Yeah. And you're always you know what's going on everybody's lives. You know how to, like, bring everybody together.
Serena:You know? I love that. I love hosting. I love bringing people together. Like, I think that's what life is all about.
Serena:Like Yeah. Honestly. Yeah. That's why it's nice that, like, half of our friend group is here in Florida. The other half is still in Jersey, but it's nice that we have each other here.
Jasmine:I always say, like, if we if I didn't have you guys down here, I don't think I would have blasted as long as I did Like, down
Serena:I wouldn't even have team down here. Yeah. I think it worked.
Gianna:Cool how we're all, like, thriving too. Yeah. Obviously, we've had our trials, but we're all doing really well in my opinion.
Serena:Oh, yeah. No. A 100%. I feel like this being down here elevated us a 100%. I feel like if we stayed in Jersey, we would be living a very average lifestyle, like, hitting a wall.
Serena:But I feel like for us personally, we needed that for growth. Yeah. But I think another reason that brought all our, like, our friend groups together, we come from very similar upbringings even though we have different, like, ethnicities. Everyone in our friend group, like, our families come from a point of struggle who brought us to the suburbs. Like We
Jasmine:had so up in there.
Serena:Yeah. So that's, like, another reason that we grab like, gravitated towards each other. Like, our family similar upbringings just, like, not having a lot and then creating a lot, bringing us to the suburbs so we could have a better education system, just overall better life. Like Yep. And that that was a lot of sacrifice, our families doing that, and I think that shaped us to who we are today, especially being that we grew up surrounded by a lot of kids who just were handed a lot.
Serena:Mhmm. So I think that's another thing too that shaped me being a hustler because it's kinda like there was a sense of needing to keep up with with the kids who were just getting everything handed to them or walking in with the Michael Kors and da da da da da. Like, we lived in nice houses, but we weren't handed things like that. Like, you had to work for that. For me, I never really cared about, like, the the clothes and the stuff like that.
Serena:It was more of I wanted to do things. And if I wanted to do things, I need to make money. We can describe, like, what our creative businesses are. So me, obviously, I have my this podcast that I'm doing. But since 2021, I launched angel fish astro, and that's basically just I do content creation.
Serena:I do readings. Oh, there was a time period where I was selling candles too. So there was a lot of different avenues. I went to side quests that I'm doing, but basically astrology spirituality business. And I'm
Jasmine:a tattoo artist. I work up in Boca Raton at an all female business. So I've been working on that since moving down to Florida. That was why I came down here in the first place to start my tattooing career.
Gianna:I'm in the beauty industry. I'm a hairstylist in Boca Raton, and I've had a couple of my own businesses. Would you
Serena:guys describe yourselves as hustlers? Because I that I view you guys as hustlers, but do you guys view yourselves as as that doing what you're doing?
Jasmine:I would say I'm an intermittent depressive hustler. Like, I think, like, I'll have moments where, like, you know me, I get manic. Like, I could, like, stay up all night and, like, sew a project, draw on my iPad, do all of these things, but then if I don't post it, did I really do it? Like Mhmm. So I I feel like there is a little bit of a disconnect in, like, how I hustle versus how I see other people in the world in my industry and, like, just any sort of creative field, like, their work out there.
Jasmine:I wanna get to that point. I'm honest constantly think tanking, always have ideas, always thinking of, like, how do I better, like, my life in the future. It's just sometimes thinking all that much into the future or having that super dreamer mindset Mhmm. Crashes me out so hard where I'm like, oh, goodness. I just wanna veg out.
Jasmine:And then I do the opposite of Very Taurus.
Serena:Yes. So Jasmine has a Taurus sun and a Taurus Mars. And basically, in astrology, the sun sign is your ego. It's your identity. It's who you consciously are, so your conscious wants.
Serena:So and then your Mars sign rules what motivates you in life. Your actions, your it's kinda like the fire underneath you. How you move, how you act. Being that she has both of that in Taurus, Taurus is an earth sign. It's ruled by the planet Venus.
Serena:A lot of Tauruses are very money motivated. And another thing too, you guys both have tenth house placement. The tenth house in astrology rules career, your professional life, and a lot of people who have tenth house placements are entrepreneurs, business owners. They don't like working for another person. They like creating their own businesses.
Serena:They like being the boss. You're also you can also be very well known for what you do because the tenth house is the highest point in your chart. So Jasmine actually has her tourist placements in that. Tell Jasmine all the time. G two, when I look at Gianna's chart, I'm like, you are destined to make a lot of money.
Serena:But the thing is free will is everything. And with Taurus, Taurus I always say the statement with Taurus is slow and steady wins the race. So Tauruses move on their own time. They're stubborn. They move on how they want to move, and a lot of the time it's slowly.
Serena:Especially in Taurus, Taurus can be so one track minded and tunnel vision. It's good when you're dedicated to a project. It's not good if you're if you refuse to let anyone else help you or give any advice because you're so focused on what you think you have to do. Yeah. So that's where, like, Taurus, like, being a fixed sign, loyal, dedicated, will stick it out.
Serena:But it's kinda like be learn how to be a little bit more cooperative or flexible.
Jasmine:I'm definitely rigid when it comes to, like, I'm the one doing it. So, like, this is how I feel about it. You know what I mean?
Gianna:I definitely do feel like I was a hustler from a very
Jasmine:young age. Mhmm.
Gianna:I feel like thank god I'm at a point now where I can enjoy the fruits of my labor a little bit more. So I have a good work life balance. We can say that because it was rough at first. In the beauty industry, in any creative industry, I feel like you need to work hard. You need to work seven days a week.
Gianna:And if you think you could turn your phone off at 05:00, that's not happening. You're, like, constantly working. And I'm sure you know too, Jazz.
Jasmine:Like Yeah. A 100%. Late
Gianna:nights, early meetings, answering that That is a big thing.
Serena:Yeah. When it is I love entrepreneurship, and I love doing what I do, but you're working every single day. Like, there's there's no off time. Like, everything that you do, even when I'm not working, I'm thinking about my business.
Gianna:Yeah.
Serena:So
Gianna:Not working twenty four seven, you're probably it's gonna take longer to get where you wanna be.
Serena:It's important to love what you do. Like, I love this. So even even though I do work, like, every single day, whether it's for thirty minutes or for hours at a time, I love what I do. So I'm a big believer, and you should go after your passion.
Gianna:Beautiful thing about being a creative too. Like, we got into this because we're creative, we're artists, our minds just go nonstop as well. So yeah. Yeah. Love it.
Gianna:It's it doesn't feel like we're
Serena:Yeah. So you're a Virgo rising. So your rising sign is how you view the world. I always say it's like the goggles that you wear to navigate life. So although you're a Cancer, you navigate life like a Virgo.
Serena:Can also rule like how you look too, how you like to dress, but it's also like how you view the world. So being that you view the world through like an earth sign Virgo, like when you're an earth rising, life doesn't feel right if there's not money coming in, if you're not working, if you don't have a routine.
Gianna:Part of being an entrepreneur for me is being in control of situations.
Jasmine:Yeah.
Gianna:In control of my work and my job and my hours and the way I want things done. Mhmm. It is very, I work best on a schedule. Yeah. If I'm off schedule.
Serena:Oh, big Virgo rising things. You need to have a to do list. Like, to do the to do list is everything. Virgo's routine is everything for them. When it gets knocked in any type of way, you feel off balance.
Serena:Yeah. That's why a lot of earth risings are, like, business owners too because or have their own businesses or, like, being their own boss because they like to call the shots. They like to create their own routine. I have a Capricorn moon, and your moon sign rules who you are subconsciously. It's your subconscious needs.
Serena:It's your emotional self, your emotions, how you deal with emotions, how you retrieve emotions. Before I even learned about astrology, I mean, I was a natural born hustler since I was young. But when I started learning about astrology, I'm like, ah, this makes sense. Like, if I don't have a purpose, if I'm not working, if I do not have money coming in, I do not feel good. Like, since I was young, I'm like, I always am working jobs.
Serena:Even if I'm not working a job, I'm working Why do something. I'm doing something. Some type of side hustle, some type of like, and I need that for my emotional selves. Yeah. Like, if I don't if I don't have a purpose, if I'm not working, I'm not emotionally regulated.
Serena:Money is the motivation. Money is the motivation. Like, when you do tarot, tarot earth signs and tarot is represented by the pentacles, literally the coin. Having some type of security is very, very important for earth signs. They're not the most free spirited.
Serena:Although we can be. Like, there's other there's other things in our chart, but having earth in your big three is just like, you're never just gonna drop everything and move across the country on a backpacking trip. You know? Like, there needs to be a plan.
Jasmine:So I used to think that that was what I was But I don't think I could.
Serena:Yeah. Unless it's like there's a bulletproof plan and it's been planned for like years in advance. So that's a little astrology background of us three. So what is your journey of you getting into your creative niche of tattooing?
Jasmine:Specifically, so with me, I was at a point, I wanna say it was it was just 2020. So I was like '22. I feel like I was very much in between what did I wanna do. I was so hard on myself because I I didn't go to school or at least I tried to go to school, and I kind of flopped on that. I never really made it that far.
Jasmine:That's why I was comparing myself as a failure. Like, I didn't see myself as successful. I saw all of my friends about to graduate or have already graduated because you, like, were ahead of the curve than anybody. Mhmm. And I didn't wanna go back to school.
Jasmine:I didn't wanna work a job where I was working for the man or somebody else and, like, giving all of my energy every single day to something that was just, like, a skimpy little paycheck. And I also didn't know how to take this whatever I am good at, my talent, my creativity, whatever, and turn it into a money making business at that time. Like, I was just very torn all over the place, and I started to feel very down on myself to the point where I snapped on my mom. I remember I was like, you just don't get it, mom.
Serena:Yeah. Because Jasmine is a creative. Like, I Ruined. There's anything that Yeah. We knew, like, from an early age, it's like Jasmine was gonna do something in the creative realm.
Serena:Like, she is the the jazz The jazz. The jazz
Jasmine:of all trades. Academics, like, bored me. If there was a project where it was like, you could write an essay, you can draw a picture, or you can do a public speaking, I was drawing a picture, I was eating that shit up. Like, I was never I knew what I was never going to be, but I never didn't know what I was supposed to be. So I bent it to my mom and I was like, I I just don't think you get it.
Jasmine:I don't want a degree. I don't care about that because
Gianna:you You don't
Serena:get me, mom. I don't
Jasmine:think you get it. Like, I don't I don't wanna just work a job just for to to get, like, a good salary or to get, like, a company car. I don't care about that shit. Like, I want something that's gonna make me feel good and that I'm gonna also learn and get better at. And that No.
Jasmine:When it came to tattooing, was always interested in that, but I never really, it always felt like a boys club. It never felt like something that it was welcoming, then COVID strikes. Women owned business popped up. Boom. And I was like, hey.
Jasmine:Let's do it. Like, I always wanted to move to Florida, but I was like, okay. If I'm gonna move, I'm gonna breathe chrysalis myself, and I'm gonna emerge as a butterfly, hence my tattoo and my design that's there, is I am going to reach out. I'm going to step out of my comfort zone. I'm gonna reach out to women owned businesses.
Jasmine:I wanted to work underneath somebody that I could view as a role model, that somebody that I can see they came from a certain point and they got here and I if within this certain amount of time, I could get there too. I reached out while I was on bed rest in New Jersey drawing, like, my portfolio. I didn't even get the job. I moved I drove down here to have an interview. And then I had an interview and I was like, I will work for free for and as long as this means, like, I can grow at something and give myself this opportunity that I thought I couldn't have otherwise, I and it changed my life.
Jasmine:Like, after that, it was tattooing only. Like, head down doing that, trying to learn that, trying to understand that industry. Exsell at it? Yeah. I don't like to fail.
Jasmine:Like, I don't like to do bad work or do bad artwork. Like, I want to push myself and always be better. It's always every single day you do work, you look at it, and you're like, oh, I could do this better next time. And I love that about it. That's, like, always challenging me.
Serena:And that's generally something that the more that you do it, just the better that you get. Like Mhmm. And Jasmine crushed it. Like, you crushed it. Like, the the growth and how fast was crazy because and you literally see it on my arm too.
Serena:Like, Jasmine tattooed me a lot. Even, like, your apprentice tattoos on me are fucking good. You know? Yeah. No.
Serena:You crushed it. Like, I feel like a lot of people, it takes them a very long time to get at the level that you're at now, and it's only, like, up and excelling from here.
Jasmine:So to the wolves, baby. Like, everybody has a different apprenticeship experience, and I feel like
Serena:because you're tunnel vision focused. Like, you moved here, and that's
Jasmine:what you were really focused on. Like, there's so many talents of people out there. Like, am I even good at this? Should I even be doing this? I don't I don't wanna put something on somebody's body forever that's not going to be of the highest caliber of but practice makes progress.
Jasmine:Like, I persevered through that. There was days where I would cry, and I'm like, I don't think I should do this.
Serena:Earth signs are definitely perfectionist. Like Yeah. I I know with my craft, I do not like putting it out half ass shit. It's all or nothing. Perk of that is what we do is of a very high caliber and very dedicated, determined.
Serena:Like, you know that you're not gonna get a half ass service product from us. But the downside can be procrastination because I know, at least for me, having a Capricorn placement too, if I'm not gonna put something out as a 100%, I don't wanna put it out at all. If it's not gonna be a 100%, I don't even wanna start it.
Jasmine:I'll reschedule it.
Serena:Yeah. It's not like my problem
Gianna:with social media. I don't like one thing in the picture, and I'm like, I'm not posting this.
Serena:Virgo rising. So a thing with a Virgo is Virgos are very meticulous. They're very detail oriented. That's like a very big thing with Virgo. A lot of Virgo placements are like party planners, wedding planners, like researchers, you know, things that really get down to the nitty gritty and you have to, like, look at a lot through, like, a magnifying glass.
Serena:So that's something that I always realized about you because Yeah. You'd be like, what which one which picture should I post? And it's like It's like I'm like, wait. What's different? What's different about it?
Serena:Where's Waldo?
Gianna:Yeah. Literally.
Serena:I've been like that. So how did you get into your creative niche, which is? Hair. Do you doing hair?
Gianna:So I got into it. I started at a very young age. I was the girl that was, like, box dyeing her hair in middle school. She knew. Or remember when
Serena:we We all ate. The Kool Aid. The Kool Aid dip. Yeah. My mom wouldn't let me dye my hair, so I used to get the Kool Aid and dip it with the red tips.
Gianna:But, no. I feel like it runs in the family too, the creative side, at least on my mom's side. So my mom used to do hair. My uncle owned a few salons around. And I think just growing up in that environment, in that business, seeing success and them being able to do that and raise families.
Gianna:It's a fun career. It's laid back. And I feel like I just had a natural talent for it. You do.
Serena:Oh, like, no. For real? Like, how she be doing hair and at the speed too? Yes. The speed and the quality.
Serena:I think that's what makes you stand out for everyone else down here. Like, why and why you have so many loyal customers too because it's like, you know, you're gonna get good quality, but also in a timely manner too. Yeah. Because I've at salons, like, back in Jersey, and I'm there for, like, daily holiday.
Jasmine:What the fuck?
Gianna:They, like, my clients pack snacks. They're like, I didn't even get to eat.
Serena:We're doing Uh-huh.
Gianna:Yeah, girl.
Serena:We're doing Yeah. I think a 100% that's what makes you stand out. The whole squad
Jasmine:blew up once you, like, were doing hair and you had your own spot, and we could come and visit you. Like, you were always hooking it up with the new hairdo. I appreciate that.
Gianna:Of course. I got you guys.
Serena:I got my hairstylist. I got my my tattoo artist. Like, shit.
Gianna:Don't fuck with it. Then also, I feel like I was so my mind was so weird growing up. I was never really a school girl. When I applied myself, I did really well in school. But as far as going to college, that's just not something I saw myself doing.
Gianna:And it's funny because I either wanted to be a doctor or do hair. Doctor.
Serena:Why doctor? Why did I never know that?
Gianna:Because I feel like it ties into like helping people and making people feel good. Like, I like people. I like talking to people. I like connecting with people. Now I'm the hair doctor.
Gianna:But
Serena:I will say, though, being a Virgo rising, so like what I said, you have that the tenth house with the placements in the tenth house of career. So being a Virgo rising, you have a Gemini tenth house and you have your Gemini Venus basic in there. Basically, that means is a good career for you. Gemini is an air sign. It's chatty.
Serena:It's talkative. It's connecting with people constantly social connection, constantly learning new things, absorbing information. That is definitely a career that fits you, like, some a career where you're socializing with people all
Gianna:the time. And that's, like, honestly, I'll get back to that, but I feel like a big part of it too is, like, I struggled with my confidence very young too. And, obviously, in the beauty industry, you're making people feel good. It always made me feel good. So I think that ties into it where it's good exposure therapy for me too.
Gianna:Talking to people, standing in front of a mirror all day, connecting with other women, like it kind of helps me get out of my shell because I can be pretty introverted sometimes too. That was my biggest struggle in this career, but it's helped me so much Yeah. In that way. Yeah.
Serena:Yeah. And then having Venus there too, like the planet of beauty, definitely doing something in the beauty realm or working with women. Your career is literally helping people feel beautiful.
Gianna:Yeah. I love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything, and I feel like it's very rewarding at the end of the day Yeah. Just the connections I make. And I feel like all my clients are, like, my my homies.
Gianna:Mhmm. I'm gonna say, like Like, I'm hanging out with my friends all day.
Serena:Yeah. So it's cool. So cutting into our childhood because obviously, I feel like your childhood shapes your relationship with money, how you view money Okay. Being a hustler, your hustler mentality. I know for me, my childhood definitely shaped me for sure, but I feel like I was born hustler.
Gianna:Out the womb.
Serena:Out the womb, baby. I remember being seven years old, and every summer I would run lemonade stands and iced tea stands. I was, like, seven years old in The Bronx. Like, yeah, that'll be $5. Yep.
Serena:And I'm counting money. I don't even know how to spell my name yet. And I would have, like, my brother, my sister, and my cousin, like, work for me. I'm like, make it. I'm like, we got three iced teas and a lemonade.
Serena:My first job, I was a babysitter. I was 12 years old. Oh. But that's young. Like, was a baby babysitting babies.
Serena:Yeah. But I was always, like, mature. Like, I feel like and I was one of the oldest girls in my neighborhood. And by the age of 15, I was babysitting six different families. So I was just always making money.
Serena:As soon as I turned 16, I remember I started applying to jobs. The first job I got was being a cashier at a frozen yogurt shop. I was still babysitting on the side too. And I started working at Villa Laura, a pizzeria restaurant. And at a certain point in my in my life, I was literally working three jobs and doing school.
Serena:Like Yeah. But I I kinda stopped the babysitting because I was focusing more on the jobs. So I was working cups, Villa Laura. Once I realized the money that you make as a server, I was like, fuck cups. Still in the restaurant industry until this day.
Serena:No. What happened with cups was my boss hated me. This is another thing that I deal with authority, like a problem with authority. And I'm not even disrespectful, but just growing up, there would be certain teachers that didn't like me. Cause I always had the attitude of, if I don't like this, I'm not going to
Jasmine:do it.
Serena:I'm not going do it. If I think that rule is stupid, I'm not going to do it. If I don't want to learn about this, I don't wanna learn about this. I don't care. So granted, I was always a good student, but there there were some teachers that didn't like me for no reason.
Serena:My boss at my first job didn't like me for whatever reason. I started seeing what restaurant money is like, became addicted to it. Two weekends, the restaurant was filled. I was making a couple $100. I made a week of working at cups.
Serena:The paycheck was, like, not even 100. So once I saw that I can make what I make in two weeks in one night. Can. I was like, oh, addicted. I'm locked in.
Serena:Then I started selling things around the house on eBay. I was always making money.
Gianna:Mom's like, where's my face?
Serena:Yeah. No. Literally. Because Sold on. I'm like I'm like, you still use this?
Serena:No? Alright. Granted, we lived in a really nice house, but my parents were very frugal with how like, their money went toward maintaining the house and saving up our college funds. So I will say that was, like, a great thing that my parents did, and I wanna do that for my future kids as well. But because so much money was going towards good education, we didn't have the little things.
Serena:New clothes or whatever, that was only coming around Christmas time, or, like, we you would get a couple new outfits at the beginning of the school year. There would be times where Like, cereal tonight. I'm like, the best three nights. Again? I'm like, the best three nights, mom.
Serena:My mom also wasn't wasn't a cooker. She didn't really have left to cook, but she'll cook, like, once in a blue, but she was like I think it's just in my blood. Like, my dad, he was just he is still a very hard worker. Like, sacrifice was everything, and I think he instilled in me. Like, if you want something, you gotta go after it.
Serena:Also, like, the freedom that money gave too. Like, I feel like once I got my own money, I'm like, oh, I can spend it however I want. I can go out and do things, and that's how I was able to keep up with everyone. Like, I feel like in high school, I was doing things. That's because I was making money to do to do those things.
Serena:My grandparents came here from Italy in the sixties. I was just always something that, you know, I saw. Hearing the stories of, like, my grandparents coming here from Italy with nothing but a baby and, like, a couple of sausages, like, working my sauce my grandfather was, like, laying tile for, like, fucking quarters. And then seeing that the house that they live in now in the Bronx is just a very inspiring story, full of hard work. So I think it's just something if you want something, you gotta go after it.
Gianna:My family also my grandfather came over from Italy with nothing and was working three jobs and also built an empire that way. So I think that just trickled down also into the family. Most of my family, they're entrepreneurs. They have their own businesses. My dad's always had his own business and I started really young working with him.
Gianna:So he had like restaurants and delis. He's in the food industry. So I was I was up in that cash register. I was a little ass kid walking over giving you your food. So I started really young.
Gianna:I like how you said like with the freedom that it gave you. Like, you have your own money, you have your freedom, you can do whatever you want. There was a point though, I feel like
Serena:Yep.
Gianna:I grew up lucky. I feel like my parents did a lot for us. Mhmm. Mom was able to stay at home, my dad worked really hard, and he never really said no to me until he did.
Serena:I know. How dare he?
Gianna:So there was a point when I was moving around a lot where the business wasn't doing so good and things happened within my family and we pretty much lost everything. So I feel like that was also a big turning point for me and what clicked with me when you're so used to getting everything you want and everything handed to you, and then it gets all stripped away from you.
Serena:Yeah. You're kinda like,
Gianna:damn, you know? So I never wanted that to happen for myself and I feel like it was kind of a security thing. Like I wanted to have my own money so I felt safe with that. So those things don't happen to me. It was a blessing because, you know, you learn a lot.
Gianna:You build a different relationship with money and finances, and you understand that money comes and goes. And you can be rich one day and lose everything the next or vice versa, have nothing and become rich. Yeah.
Jasmine:Yeah. You have to plan for it.
Gianna:Yep. So it's nice being in control in that way too.
Serena:Perspective is everything. As an adult now, looking back on our childhood and having to work for things or watching our parents go through the financial struggle. My family's from the Bronx. They moved us to the suburbs. That was a lot of sacrifice.
Serena:That was a lot of saving money, and that was a lot of we can't live a life a certain way, and I feel like we can all relate. Also, it taught us not to be spoiled, that we have to work for our own success. Right. And I wouldn't have it any other way, to be honest. Like, sometimes it's like you wish you could get things handed to you, but I feel like it created such a different mindset for us.
Serena:Like
Jasmine:Like a hard exterior, like, realistically, I I think about that all the time how much I'm I'm so torn because, like, a part of me wanted to resent, like, seeing kids be able to go to school. Parents that had a college run for them, my dad used to be like, you just finesse fast. Fuck.
Serena:What
Jasmine:do finesse fast? For me, I just felt like I always had to Alright. Go for what I wanted. My first taste of, like, real good money because I worked at Monroe Village. I wasn't making anything.
Jasmine:Mhmm. But my first taste of good money was when I worked at Castle Couture. Mhmm. That commission check. Yeah.
Jasmine:Commission. Outgoing personality,
Serena:and I was like, I
Jasmine:could sell you a dress. I could sell you two dresses. It really changed the way I viewed money because, like, that paycheck was so delicious for a high school teenager.
Serena:Well, that's how I felt like working in restaurants too. Like, I was looking at everyone working their minimum wage jobs, I'm like, y'all sleep. Y'all sleeping. Like, get on get on something else, babe. There there's more money to be made elsewhere than every restaurant I worked at.
Serena:If I was training someone, I'm like, I'm teaching you the ways to make the most money. That's like similar to like sales commission. Like, you wanna make more money, you gotta hustle more. So
Jasmine:You gotta you gotta learn how to talk the shit and you gotta just like sell people on the idea of, like, I'm helping you. Want the best for them, and you also, in return, want the best for your business. The thing that really highlighted and made me, I guess, who I am today is obviously the way I was brought up with my dad, the way he spends his money. He had a very great job, and it paid him well and was able to move up to the suburbs. But coming from having nothing and having the ability to have everything and wanting it all at once and not really living within your means or really not understanding, like, your surroundings.
Jasmine:It's like, oh, I wanna buy a motorcycle. I wanna buy this new car. If they say I can't have it, I'm a buy two just to show them I can have it. That kind of, like, in your face fuck you. The way he spent money always got me feeling like you need to be a little bit more reserved, so that's why I'm like that with the my finances.
Jasmine:They have a nice life, yes, but they could have had such a better life.
Serena:So learning from your parents' mistakes was a big inspiration too.
Jasmine:Yeah. Like, it's like, it was an inspiration to see that they came from nothing and got the things that they wanted, but it was also, like, when you have everything and you put too much into wanting more and more and more and it crumbles underneath you that foundation, like, always kept me very frugal with my money. And then the second thing for me is also, like, having a mom who had a husband who was a provider. I never as a woman, I always like, I hide my money away. Like, I want to be able to provide for myself first and foremost.
Jasmine:I don't wanna rely on my husband create a life for me and then rely on that for the rest of my life because, god forbid, it didn't work out. I would kick myself in the ass. So that was huge for me too in the sense of, like, I want my own stability. I want my own financial independence, and I want to be able to use my money to work for me in a way that is going to give me the best possible future.
Gianna:I feel like I can relate to that. A lot of the women in my family are stay at home moms and are stuck. Yeah. And that's just never a good feeling. So definitely the independence.
Serena:I can also relate to that too. I mean, it wasn't until I really got out of my relationship with my ex boyfriend of almost six years where that mentality really switched for me. I mean, I was always a hustler. I was always, like, you know, wanting to make money. But I think growing up with women just always being at home and thinking that, you know, that was the ultimate goal.
Serena:I also had that mentality too. It wasn't until I went through a really bad breakup where I was like, no one is coming to save me. Like, I gotta create this for myself. We obviously have our own journeys of our business. We made some business mistakes.
Serena:We had some really amazing accomplishments. Mhmm. Going down, taking us down memory lane of all that for you guys. Do you want me to start or do you what do you wanna say? Okay.
Serena:So for me personally, after that heartbreak, the six year heartbreak, I really honed in on astrology. Before that, I started learning about astrology, like, couple years prior, but it wasn't until the downfall of that relationship where I really had a spiritual awakening. And I really just honed in on astrology. I made my life astrology. 2021, I started the angel fish TikTok where I did content creation, and that was literally just for fun.
Serena:Like, I just love talking about astrology. I love teaching people about astrology. But I did have a goal in 2020 during COVID. I really, like, learned about creating a business and combining it with astrology. And with, you know, having so much free time, every single day, I was just thinking about how I could make this a business.
Serena:And I started off as candle making. So I would make crystal candles because I wanted a product. I felt like I needed to get my name out there before I could just provide services. Like, who the fuck am I? No one knows knows who I am.
Serena:I'm gonna do astrology readings. I was doing content creation online to create a brand for myself to put my name out there. And so people could trust me because you're not just gonna get an astrology reading just from anyone. There has to be a sense of trust there and that you know what you're talking about before you book a reading. So did a whole bunch of content creation, was making the crystal candles.
Serena:Love your crystal candles. I like, I still wish that I was doing the crystal candles. I mean, I'll eventually get back into that. This isn't no, like, 99¢ tin can candle. If I'm putting my name on something, it is going to be a 100%, like, beautiful.
Serena:I wanted it to be a piece of decor, like art, like, I this wasn't no, like, cheap ass shit that I wanted to put out there. And I loved it too because it's like my creative outlet. It was similar to, you know, I like baking. I like cooking. So it was like that that similar, like, outlet for me.
Serena:And so started putting out my crystal candles. I created my website in 2021, angel fish astro. I sold jewelry. So she's still wearing that jewelry. That that was good quality necklaces.
Serena:Like, that should not it does not make your neck green, does not tarnish. Hello? Sold butterfly anklets. That was a downfall because they could break ankles. So I had to take that off the website.
Serena:So I was selling, like, products and still making content. After maybe a year, I started offering readings because I wanted to get more confident. People are in a very vulnerable spot in their life, and that's why they go to seek out astrology readings. I'm almost like a therapist. I do have a background in psychology and anthropology.
Serena:So, I mean, that does help. But I feel like I always had a natural, like, instinct for being there for people, giving advice. Yeah. I love observing observing human behavior, and astrology just made me view people in a whole different reality, a whole different realm. I stopped doing candles, started focusing on the on the readings.
Serena:I was doing good. When my videos on TikTok would blow up, I would get more readings. It wasn't anything crazy, but it was nice that people were noticing me. In the 2023, I wasn't working. I quit my job because I was supposed to move back to Jersey.
Serena:And I'm like, let me do my candles again. Let me dive into the spiritual community in South Florida because at the time, I was only living here for only a few months. And a goal of my moving down to Florida was to also extend my reach of clients because in Jersey, felt like I was hitting a wall. Like, social media was helping. That was getting more people from all over.
Serena:But with the candles, it was only it was almost like, you know, you you only have so many friends of a friend who's gonna buy your candle. So that's kind of why I stopped. And I'm like, if I want to extend my reach, I need to move. But the first few months of me living in Florida, you know, I I really being in a toxic relationship, I wasn't posting barely. I really wasn't focused on my business.
Serena:So that was a a little downfall of Angelfish Astro, my relationships affecting my business for probably around, like, eight months at that time. I I wasn't focused.
Jasmine:But you bounced back so heavy. You went into your markets. You hustled.
Serena:You grinded. But I will say I feel like that was a bad business mistake at that time. Pro, I did meet people, and I did put my name out there, and that was a big goal. Con, I put myself in debt doing that because that was not the right timing for that move. I should have saved more money.
Serena:I should have been working and not unemployed at that time. And there was just a lot of other things that I had to pay for, like, a down payment on a car. I was moving, and I wasn't working. So I was just charging everything on a card. Mhmm.
Serena:In my mind, I'm like, I have so much free time. I can do this now. I can do the markets. I can make the candles. So, you know, I charged everything on my credit card, the the candle supplies, the down payments for the markets, the tent, the everything, the table, the bad business mistake because that was just not the right time for it.
Serena:Good in a way. I put my name out there and it was nice to meet people.
Jasmine:And you learned from it.
Serena:Learn from it. That's the thing with the business mistakes too. You you know, you never start a business and you're successful right away. No. No.
Serena:Never ever ever. If I learned anything, it's to do something like that, to put out a product, you really need to buy in bulk. I wasn't buying in bulk either. So there were some markets where I would make a profit, but overall at a as a whole, I didn't make my money back. But the downfall of that, because I'm like, yo, I'm in debt.
Serena:Like, I gotta make money. The hustler mentality turned on again, and I started booking more readings at the time. Then I'm dedicated to the readings, working multiple jobs. The readings actually helped me pay everything off. So now I'm more dedicated, more focused on the on my readings and my content creation.
Serena:Do I want to eventually go back to candle making? Yes. When I have my own space, when I have more money to invest, more in a more stable spot, like, you know, like what you say, scared scared money doesn't make money. Mhmm. But you also have to be smart.
Serena:Like, you can't do everything at once. You do have there is a sense of needing to be in a more stable position in your life if you are going to make an investment. And I was fresh out of a toxic relationship. I was moving apartments. I was getting a new car, and I wasn't working.
Serena:Like, that was just not the right timing for it at all. Another thing that I learned at being in this business, social media is everything. Like, especially nowadays. Like, you and you have to brand yourself. Like, everyone is their own brand now.
Serena:And then I had a mini another mini spiritual awakenings last summer when I decided to go sober. And then in a meditation, I this idea for this podcast came up. Another business thing that I learned is you always need to pivot. I I was getting to a point where I'm booking readings not as many not as much as I need, and I felt like my follower count on TikTok was it was stagnant. So now I'm like, alright.
Serena:Need to pivot. Something else needs to happen. Mhmm. And, yeah, the this
Jasmine:this Challenge and a new thing to and it also, like, fuels your creative passion, and it's a passion project. As you said, like, you wanna, like, put everything into this now and see how that goes because you already learned how to work with your rest of your schedule and do your TikToks. I wanna know, like, piggyback off you because, like, the one of the mistakes that I made as well is not necessarily always comfortable putting up my own money to do anything. Like, I don't wanna risk and but with scared money, don't make money. No risk.
Jasmine:No reward. And that kind of mentality that I had kept me from growing fur further and putting more effort into any project that I really, like, did as a hobby to start and tried to turn it into a business. You were always doing things. I mean, I was always doing, like, arts and crafts and stuff like that, but I would put in, like, I love the creative, like, work work and the action of doing the thing. And then when it comes to promoting, putting it out there, like, look at me.
Jasmine:Look at what I can do. I'm so bad at it, and that's one of my biggest mistakes. Like, I go to other people for assistance. Like, I've gone to you several times, help me edit a video. I don't know what I'm doing.
Jasmine:Like and if I had that combination of, like, your talent with that and my talent with what I'm really good at, I would be I feel like unstoppable. I'd be out there in the world. My name would
Serena:So Jasmine has started a lot of things. She did bad luck workshop, which was Are we going to work?
Jasmine:Get an upcycling. Upcycling. I would, like, raid my closet.
Serena:There was another one, like, was it Shagadelic? Shagadelic shop was supposed
Jasmine:to be my little, like, drop ship thing when that and every single time I see a wave that I feel like I can catch, I try to get on it, I swear. I just feel like some people know how to surpass that speed bump. That is and and for me, I get very discouraged, so that's one of my biggest mistakes. And with tattooing, at least, I was able to surpass that speed bump. Like, the initial, oh, I don't know if I'd be too good at this.
Jasmine:Like, is it worth paying $1,500 for a new machine? Is it worth, like, not getting paid for months at a time and then, like, just practice? But I saw the return on that versus with, like, clothes and stuff like that. It became such a saturated niche. That is a deep love of mine.
Jasmine:I used to be a fashion design major, and then I had to quickly realize, like, maybe this isn't the field that I should be trying to always make money from. Maybe it's something that I should just do for enjoyment and then let people see that, and then eventually that will come.
Serena:So then you pivoted to tattooing. Yes. And then Well, I pivoted I
Jasmine:did a little side break, and I was I thought I was gonna be a teacher. So I did a little
Serena:Oh, yeah. Tying to the teacher thing, well, that was a form of, like, you being creative because you wanna be, like, an art teacher, but I think that was your your earth placement screaming at you because being a teacher just brings so much more stability. Like, you have a stable income. You have the benefits and stuff like that. So I feel like that was, like, the what was motivating for you, and everyone else around you was like, Jasmine, you are a creative.
Serena:Like, you Yeah. Do something else. These kids You can your paint. Because at the end the day, you can even be an art teacher, but there's a certain certain curriculum that you need to follow. Yes.
Serena:It's like, you would think you have all this freedom, but you don't.
Gianna:Yeah.
Serena:Yeah. So we were like, nah. You're too creative to, like, be something like that. So then you But I've over that.
Jasmine:Doing. I started my apprenticeship. I worked at the first tattoo studio I ever worked at for three years. I loved it at first and then slowly came to realize that just because you put woman owned business on the front of it doesn't necessarily mean that it's like this, like, sorority and, like, everything's, like, a friendly everybody's still out for themselves. Everybody's still like, if it you're working
Serena:for something else, it's cutthroat. Cutthroat. You can
Jasmine:put on this persona that you are, like, a welcoming and kind person and that your business is all inclusive and everything is, like, wonderful and go lucky, but the actual, like, environment that you're working in isn't actually the healthiest for you. Mhmm. And I think it took me a while to learn that where I was at was very comfortable, and I didn't, like, really wanna leave because I was comfortable. But once I made the decision, like, that was in part one of the best decisions I made and, like, a a good positive about what I did for myself. I the put like, putting me on.
Jasmine:I appreciate the start you gave me.
Gianna:It was a stepping stone.
Jasmine:So my biggest mistake was feeling like I could do it on my own because I learned that there is different avenues and a lot more that goes into having a tattoo shop and being the boss than just, like, showing up to work and, like, having clients. There's all
Serena:So when you say do it on your own Yeah. Almost three years into you tattooing, you decide Jasmine decided to open her own tattoo studio.
Jasmine:Yes. But it was like a it was like a personal studio. It's something that I saw I noticed a lot of artists were doing at the time. They like, they didn't need to work in a shop and do like splits with the whoever was the shop owner. You could just have your own personal suite, pay your like a small rent weekly see a certain amount of clients, and then you're making that surplus of money for yourself as opposed to putting it into somebody else's business.
Jasmine:The downside of that is now you are the boss of one. There's no other person supplementing that income. So, like, you can't take any days off. And I was also doing that simultaneously while still working at the previous shop just in case I didn't make enough money doing the side thing that I still have money to eat. You know?
Jasmine:So I was trying to burn the candle on two ends. How long
Serena:did you have it open for?
Jasmine:I would say, like, less than a year realistically, maybe, like, six to eight months. Because also, it was a zoning thing. Make sure you check your zoning if you wanna have a tattoo studio because somebody basically promoted to be, oh, we have these beauty suites, $300 a week. And I was like, oh my god. Affordable, clean.
Jasmine:They renovated it. It's amazing. Like, it's really close to where I live, but it was in an area that you couldn't even have a tattoo studio. I just assumed because there were so many tattoo studios in Hollywood that it would be acceptable, but in that specific area, it was not zoned for it. So I couldn't even technically legally be there.
Serena:It was like a tattoo speak easy straight up, like for
Jasmine:the homies only. And then, like, also, like, close clients that I could I chop. It really isn't the best and safest way for you as the artist. Like, you wanna make sure you have your own back.
Serena:Oh, that studio was open for a little less than a year. What would you say was the downfall of that that caused you to be like, alright. I need to close this down, not continue this for right now, and shut it down, and just continue working at a studio?
Jasmine:I started realizing that I was seeing it more as a chore and not as, like, an opportunity anymore at first, like, this the the process in decorating and setting things up and, like, creating an aesthetic, like, that interests me. And doing my tattooing and working and going and doing pop ups and stuff, that interests me as well. But to keep that, like, fulfilled that clientele that's always going to be coming in and be able to make the rent, if I'm just taking the rent out of my weekly paycheck, it wasn't worth it anymore. And that was, again, the burning the candle at two ends.
Serena:It definitely had a lot of potential. Remember her grand opening was such a fun event. It was like a three day grand opening. It was a tattoo of tarot thing. Yeah.
Serena:I was doing like little oracle reading. She was tattooing. I wanna say like from an outsider looking in and like from your best friend looking in, I think you were just struggling with burnout. I think you weren't willing to risk putting all your eggs in just that Yeah. Basket and trying to juggle both, I think, was really hard.
Serena:One, two, I don't think you had enough of a clientele yet being that we're not from Florida.
Jasmine:As well as not really putting enough effort into my social media when I had the chance. It really wasn't until I started working at Beauty plus Ink that I started having more of, like, a welcoming and praising, like, attitude towards social media. Kind of I'm getting out of my shell a little bit with that, and I think that's something that looking forward, I'm a little bit more optimistic towards. I need to be putting myself out there more. I'm not a shy person in person.
Jasmine:Please. I'm not shy. But when it comes to, like, putting myself on a recording and showing you the process of, like, me through the camera, that is my biggest disconnect, and that was a mistake that I had in the past that I don't wanna allow to could translate into my future because without that, I think I have the potential to be so much greater than what I am right now.
Serena:I really like that you made the decision to leave where you're previously at to go into Beauty plus Ink because I think them showing you, like, kind of the reins and the ropes of the social media Mhmm. Is definitely was like a nice learning lesson and accomplishment like for you too because it just we're just in a social media age now. It just is what it is, especially when you're providing a service or entertainment or whatever. Like, some people will even just wanna book with you because you are you. Yeah.
Serena:And that's like a big thing with branding yourself too. So I think, like, where you're at right now, even if it's not forever, like, I think it was the next good stepping stone. And I really don't want you to ever look at your business studio as a failure. I think it's just a learning lesson. You learned, like, what you can do, what you like, what you don't like.
Serena:Maybe you just realized that, you know, this is just not for right now. Maybe later. I need there's other things I need to do. Step up my social media, meet more people.
Jasmine:My favorite quote, my this is one of my dad's quotes is that what you've learned can no one take away from you. And that is like always with me like, now I know about zoning. I know about all of the supplies, how much they cost, how to put them in a spreadsheet. I know the ins and outs of that. I think my future goal, like, one of my biggest future goals is to really travel outside of where I currently am.
Jasmine:Like, moving from Jersey to Florida gave me such a bigger reach. So being able to have a job that allows me to pick up and go wherever Yeah. Is an amazing way to, a, see the world's travel. And, like, it's not even just The United States. Like, tattooing is everywhere.
Jasmine:It's huge. And people will travel from anywhere to like, if
Serena:they love your work. That's another reason why social media is good. Like, for me, it was getting that reach of people from all around the world booking with me. Yeah. And the same thing with you.
Serena:Yeah. To be able to go worldwide with it, mister worldwide.
Jasmine:To be able to go, like, outside outside of what I already know and see how to put myself out there more meeting and mingling with people.
Gianna:That's what
Jasmine:I look up to. It's, like, the baddies in the industry that are supportive, that are Yeah. And that we can just mingle and chat. Mhmm. Very friendly.
Serena:Pivoting to Gianna, what was your business, roller coaster, ups and downs, stories?
Gianna:Okay. So I started doing hair when I was 18 right out of high school, and I was in a salon for the first year. I brought in 6 figures for the salon my first year. I'm so Whoo.
Serena:So happy for you.
Gianna:And, honestly, there were a lot of incentives and things like that that were promised but never delivered. So for me, the main reason I left the salon, if you're a business owner, treat your employees. Right? Because I feel like I just was not treated well where I was. Mhmm.
Gianna:So moved on my own with my business partner, and we moved into a studio. We outgrew that studio, moved into a bigger studio, and we did great. We were growing. That's one thing. I feel like you're never gonna feel a 100% ready, but you have to just go for it and you learn as you go and you figure it out.
Gianna:If your back's against the wall, like, you're gonna figure it out. Mhmm.
Serena:Yeah. So your first studio was like, what, two chairs in it? Yeah. Like, one small rental suite. Yeah.
Serena:They literally outgrew Yeah. The studio. Like, they then you moved into a bigger studio where there was more chairs.
Gianna:It was just, like, more space for us. And we had an assistant at that point. 2020. And then 2022, we moved into a bigger one. Mhmm.
Gianna:And then two years ago, opened the salon. What year was that?
Serena:2023.
Gianna:Opened the salon in Boca. That was a big risk, because the studios are easy. They come set up to go. Everything's done the plan.
Serena:That was a huge investment. Yeah. That was, like, different level, like, type. Like, literally had good place. Yeah.
Serena:Watching her, like, build the business.
Gianna:Yeah. We had literally built out the business from the ground up. It was an office space, so Yeah. There was nothing ready for us there. Designed it, built it out, and I was there for not even a whole year.
Serena:Yeah.
Gianna:Damn. That was my baby too.
Serena:And then you left what? July 2024?
Gianna:Yeah. Last year, my my mental health was so bad. And I remember I was sitting with my grandfather and my dad, and they were just, like, looking at me. And my grandfather was like, you look sick. Like, what is going on?
Gianna:What's wrong with you? And I'm like, I told him, honestly, I'm just having a really bad time at work. I'm not happy. I'm working way too much. I'm not getting along with some of the girls there.
Gianna:And he told me, like, get out, basically. Yeah. He's like, businesses, you're they're gonna come and go. It's not worth it. Get out.
Gianna:And that was, like, nice because, you know, you put everything into something. You invest so much money into something, and you kind of feel you can't leave.
Serena:Yeah.
Jasmine:Yeah.
Gianna:So hearing that from someone who's done it on his own, it was kinda like, vouchsuring. Like, I I could breathe. I was like, okay. I don't need to be stuck in this forever. Like, my mental health is very important, and, you know, that's one thing I learned this last year.
Gianna:So, yeah, last year was really rough
Serena:for me. Do you have any advice for people that are opening a business with a business partner? Because, ultimately, I feel like if you were to run that business by yourself, it would be completely different. I think having the business partner was a big downfall.
Gianna:Yeah. I feel like, you know, maybe in the beginning, the intention was good. I would like to believe that. But I feel like any type of business partner, you have to just be careful because it's two people who want things their way. Yeah.
Gianna:Yeah. End of the day.
Serena:Yeah.
Gianna:So yes, you have your freedom to do what you want, but you're always gonna butt heads or have different ideas or wanna do different things. Not everything is always gonna 100% align. So that's the reason you have to be careful because it could cause friction, it could cause tension, and I feel like it ultimately caused competition.
Serena:Yeah. Yeah.
Gianna:There was competition, and it kinda felt like she wanted me to do good, but not as good as her. Mhmm. You know? Mhmm.
Serena:So And that's hard energy to work in the same environment when you're
Gianna:Yeah.
Serena:Yeah. You're two different artists working in the same business, but at the end of the day, you're tied to the same business. So it should be if I'm eating, we're all eating. It shouldn't be like, I wanna eat more than you and kind of have you starve. It's like Horrible.
Gianna:It was heartbreaking. It was really hard for me. I never wanted that to happen, but, you know, at the end of the day, nothing's lasts forever.
Jasmine:Yeah. What you said, like, pulling the cord and, like Yeah. Knowing that that isn't a hit on you or your ability to do. It's just to save you from a potential risk that could have affected your mental health, your financial well-being, like, trying to keep a boat afloat that was sinking from like, had poles poked in it.
Serena:Like, you weren't yeah. Bro, when you invest so much money to make the decision and the rest to leave it, that is not an easy one. Like, that that was your livelihood. What? This is my livelihood.
Gianna:No. It was everything. Like, I definitely put myself in debt. I lost absolutely everything. It's very interesting because I was talking about it earlier with them, like, don't regret it.
Gianna:Mhmm. Yeah. I'm super happy right now. Mhmm. I feel like it was worth losing everything just to be at peace mentally.
Serena:So how did you pivot for, like, if anyone is watching and they realize that they made a business investment, they opened up a storefront Yeah. Or even a business with a partner, and now they're in a position where their mental health is taking a toll because of the people that they work with, but they feel like they can't get out because they invested so much money. Like, they don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Like, how did you pivot out of that? Because you didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Serena:Fast forward a year later Here. You're happier than ever.
Gianna:Well, one thing about me is you won't catch me tripping.
Jasmine:You're a junior pro. You'd be doing Yeah.
Serena:She she'd be doing it.
Jasmine:It was like that. Three or four salon suites that you had already toured. Yeah. Already knew their price points and you were ready to go.
Gianna:Like, I was kind of pre planning it. That's the
Serena:average mood.
Gianna:I was looking at places. I was making phone calls. Like, after a long day of work, was going out, going to salon, seeing where I wanted to be. And I packed my shit up one night, and the next morning, I was at a new place. Yeah.
Gianna:So I don't know. I think you just have to understand, like, you there's always gonna be an outlet, especially for us creatives. Like, we can find work wherever we go. Yeah.
Serena:You pivoted. Explain a little bit more on what you
Gianna:So I'm booth I'm renting. Yes. So, basically, I have my own space within a bigger space. Because, obviously, with losing everything and being in debt Mhmm. To be transparent with everyone,
Jasmine:I
Gianna:can't just open something else right away. So I'm very blessed I was able to find a salon, work with a really talented woman. She took me right under her wing. I'm so grateful for Andrea. I just pay rent.
Gianna:I run my own business. I have an assistant who's amazing and it just worked out for me so well. So I don't know, am really lucky but I definitely hustled in that way. Yeah. I did whatever I could to find the best situation, the best case scenario and just keep myself afloat.
Gianna:But you just have to have faith. Like, my clients follow me wherever I go. They're they always say, they're like, if you need to do my hair on top of a ski mountain, like, I don't give a fuck.
Jasmine:I've been full side with highlights in my hair.
Serena:Like That is, like, the biggest thing. Like, you had loyal people coming to you. That it was almost like even when you said to us that you were leaving, like, I wasn't even in an ounce worried about you. I just wanna make sure you were getting your money back from that investment. I was sad that that was your baby.
Serena:Yeah. But I was like, bro, you got so many people riding for you that anywhere you go, all those people are gonna follow you.
Gianna:Yeah. I got nothing back. And I've always kind of been that person too. Like, hands clean, take it. I don't give fuck.
Gianna:I'll just figure it out. Like, thank God I'm blessed in a position where I was able to do that. Obviously, it sucked and it did backtrack me, but it was worth it. Yeah. So I don't know.
Gianna:I guess also, if you have a business partner, sure you have documents, lawyers, things signed in advance. God forbid something like this happens. Who's getting what? How do you handle that situation? Because we didn't do any of that.
Gianna:We didn't think it would ever get to that point. And also having an accountant, running your numbers, helping you have your business and finances organized is so important too because I feel like the first few years on my own, I was not organized. And as an entrepreneur, like, you have money coming in every day without spending that money. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Gianna:Yeah. So that's another piece of advice I would give. And then also what I learned, working at a salon with women has been a blessing for me. You wanna surround yourself with people who are more passionate about your business and more educated about whatever business you're in because you learn so much from those people and they work hard for you. Yes.
Gianna:Like even my 21 year old assistant Sofia, she's so passionate, she's so meticulous, she's she's such a hard worker. I got so lucky with her. I learn from her every single day. Mhmm. Yes.
Gianna:So you definitely you're
Serena:opening Making sure you're surrounding yourself with like minded people,
Gianna:for sure. A good environment, treating your people right is so important, and you'll make your money back. You'll you'll just get that back from the universe.
Serena:Our future business goals,
Jasmine:I just wanna see what else is out there. You know, like, I'm happy where I am. I have a home base. I have, like, my life here settled. I've been here for five years.
Jasmine:I want to take that and run with it in other places that I've never been.
Serena:Would you ever open your own storefront again? Have people work under you? Or you wanna do more like a teaching route? Do you see yourself not even doing tattooing forever?
Jasmine:I see myself having so like, a bunch of different options, and I feel like as I approach it, if I feel like I have information I wanna share to the masses, I can go the course route. I can make money off the side like that, and that can just be on the Internet letting itself run. I could also have my own business. Like, I think where I'm at currently, I I know that wouldn't be for a few years. I think I would like to do a few years of traveling and then grow that, like, media base, grow that brand of myself.
Jasmine:So I want to be just in a in a specialty where, like, you come to me for this. And, like, I
Serena:do see you for that.
Jasmine:Yeah. And that takes time with a practice. Like What is your specialty? I like fine line florals. What I think is very important about tattooing same thing with hair is there's always a trend.
Jasmine:Right? Like, everybody wants a bob cut. Everybody wants a this. Like, right now, that is the trend. I want to be at a point in artistry where I can create something that it becomes a new trend.
Jasmine:Something that's authentically mine that I draw. I'm not screenshotting off Pinterest and throwing it on somebody. I wanna do something that they come to me and they it's happening now, which is a beautiful thing. Like, people are like, oh, I love your work. Like, what creative freedom.
Jasmine:Do whatever you want. And that's really, really nice. I wanna get to the point where, like, everything's from my brain. Everything's just knowing how to draw a flower from scratch and knowing how it flows on the body and then just free handing on it.
Gianna:Yeah. It's gonna make you stand out because also in this industry, we have to like, what makes us stand out? There's a million hairstylists, million tattoo artists.
Serena:Yeah. Why do
Gianna:you wanna come to me? Your CIA.
Serena:People wanna sit with you. Yeah. Specialty in your craft, but also your personality. Yep. Like, that is just a big thing too.
Serena:Like, that is what is going to make you stand out to the masses too. Like, people wanting to come to you and work with you because they love you. Going the course route, I'm a big believer. I think we all have crafts. And going course route, you can never go wrong with that.
Serena:Like, for a side hustle, for side money, for that I don't think that's something to dedicate to unless you're, like, open your own tattoo school. To create
Jasmine:that network base, that's my future goal is to be I don't wanna just know five artists in Florida, and that's it. Like, I wanna know, like, and be known at some point
Serena:or another. I literally just watched a TikTok, and a girl was saying she was like, as a woman, you need to these days, you need to have at least five streams of income. Her job, social media course, teaching people how to do a craft that only you know how to do, branding yourself your own brand. Real estate. There's only a handful.
Serena:Fifth one. That'll bring
Jasmine:you fulfillment, that'll bring you joy, that you'll wanna continue to put your energy into. And once you learn how to, like, let that seed grow and it's, like, already on its own, you can start focusing on the next thing. So Mhmm. I'm at now is, like, focusing on the current basis of, like, get doing good work, having good interactions with clients. This is my first full year working at, Beauty plus Inc in October.
Jasmine:So after my first full year, that was when I was like, okay. I would really like to be going, like, one week every other month somewhere else and seeing if I can generate, like, walking clients and make appointments in another state and also see if that's a potential place I would like to leave live one day. And if it's a
Serena:hot spot for tattooing, if it's a
Jasmine:place where me and my partner would thrive, still open in the back of my mind, there's something maybe better out there. So I wanna confirm that Yeah. Before I settle down anywhere.
Gianna:I feel like my future business goals and plans right now is to just build up my finances again. Yeah. Stay a little bit consistent with what I'm doing and perfect work on, like, perfecting my craft. While you were talking about it, I feel like education would be something I would be interested in Yeah. A little bit longer down the line.
Gianna:Mhmm. Or maybe owning something on a smaller scale again, but in a position where I'm not really behind the chair. I'm more managing and Mhmm. From that aspect. Also, being in the hair industry for so long and owning my own business for so long, I've realized that hairstylists have a big overhead with their business.
Gianna:So, yes, you'll have more income coming in, but it's a lot of hard work and a lot of money is going out as much as is coming in. Yeah. So product and everything. Yeah. I feel like that's some good business advice too.
Gianna:Whatever you're getting into, you wanna make sure you're passionate about it, but also making sure it's a good investment Mhmm. In the long term. So I don't know. I've always been into my fitness, you guys know. So I've been thinking about opening some type of pilates studio, gym, something like that where it's almost more of a passive income.
Gianna:Like you have that big initial down payment build out, but it could kind of make money for you without being there. Or, you know, eventually buying a house, renting it out, investing in real estate. So I'm kind of thinking bigger. I love what I do, but I'm trying to see like what are my next steps because right now if I'm not working, I'm not making money.
Serena:Mhmm. Yeah.
Gianna:So yeah, just trying to be smarter with my financial decisions, my business decisions, and and growing in that way.
Serena:Yeah. I think what you do. Yeah. And I think what's really beautiful and, like, a big pro, you already opened up a business. So you have that experience already.
Serena:You know, like, kind of what to do and what you shouldn't do. So even if you wanted to open a business that wasn't with hair, that's something completely different. Yep. You have that experience already. Blueprint.
Serena:The blueprint.
Gianna:Yeah. Owning your own business is not for the week. It's not easy. It's a lot of work, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but it's very rewarding. I'm so
Serena:proud of us. Yeah. I'm proud of you, ladies. I think the goal is to be our own boss, like Yeah. And be a boss bitch and to create an empire.
Serena:We're doing.
Jasmine:Yeah. And right now, it's the hustle. Like, we're hustling now to have that. I feel like I don't wanna sit here and be like, oh, I know everything about the tattoo industry and business aspect and everything like that because, like, you just heard me five, ten minutes ago say how, like, I didn't I burnt out after, like, a couple of months, and there's people that have been in business for twenty five plus years. Like, that is a goal to reach, and I'm currently working my ass off.
Jasmine:I'm currently taking several people a day, working long shifts, doing full tattoo days, and everything like that so that I can have that and build it for myself.
Gianna:Yeah. Goal is freedom at
Serena:the moment. Yes. A 100%. And I yeah. That is that's always been my goal.
Serena:I never ever saw myself working a nine to five, and I refuse to succumb to that. I think that, like, my freedom is the ultimate goal. And, like, a big reason I wanted to start this podcast was not to come off as we're no no it alls. If anything, we're very humble in how we speak, we're we're not know it alls at all. Not know it alls.
Serena:We're not know it alls. Can't relate with that. We're relatable, but it's not like we're we're new people up in here talking about, you know Yeah. We don't know what we're talking about. We're very seasoned in what we're doing.
Serena:Like, I've been in astrology for, like, eight years. You've been tattooing for five. You've been doing hair for, like, ten. So this is just the journey of business. It's it's like this.
Jasmine:Yeah. Realistically, like, we're here. Like, we're, like,
Serena:we're not new, but we're not pros.
Jasmine:We're, like, just in the beginning phases. We're still so young. Like, I feel like there's this, like, level of expectation on us, and that is we don't expect somebody else to handle it for us. We don't want somebody to be like, oh, don't worry about it. You don't have to work anymore.
Jasmine:Like, we want this. We want Yeah.
Serena:We're passionate. Yeah. We wanna work for it.
Jasmine:We are driven, and we wanna look one day and be like, yo.
Serena:Did you made it? Patience is key. I think, especially like a lot people in our generation and the coming generation, they want it now. Mhmm. Like they're very impatient.
Serena:And I think it's a good quality in a way that it makes you like not settle, but also patience is everything and letting things age like fine wine and learning, knowing with age comes wisdom. And Oh, yeah. That is just, you know, a big thing. I feel like we've learned a lot there, but there's still a lot more to learn. Like, we're in that nice in in between.
Jasmine:And if you're young and you feel yourself, like,
Serena:I feel like I have
Jasmine:to go to school or I feel like I have to do this because that's what other people are doing, really stop yourself and think, I could do this right now. Like, the thing that you always because that was what my mom said, Brett, when I started tattooing. If you do the thing that you always said you can't do right now, you'll be done, like, learning about it at this point, and you'll you can move forward. But if you wait ten years to do something, now it's ten years later, and you wish you would have did it five years
Gianna:ago. Yeah.
Serena:Just do it. Yeah.
Jasmine:And try it. And then if you did it and you didn't like it, then at least you got it out of the way before you spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in school, or you spend, like, your life hating somebody else or go for it. We are very proud of you, and we love you so so much.
Serena:And I think you're doing
Jasmine:an amazing job. And I think you Thanks
Serena:for having us. Yeah. Thank you for coming on.
Jasmine:Having this is, like, such a nice window into your soul, into the souls of people that you genuinely love and care about. This is just your beginning. This is our beginning. Can't wait for
Serena:a new surface of a new pivot. And yeah. No. This is me just alchemizing everything that I've been through. And what helped me with, like, my healing journey is hearing other people's stories as well, like relatable stories.
Serena:This is a real life shit with real life people. I wanna hear about real people shit. That person was in my shoes, and this is how they did it. This is how they handled it. And if they did it, I can do it too.
Serena:So I think that is, like, a big purpose of this. So thank you ladies for coming on this podcast.
Jasmine:Love you.