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Serious Lady Business is the podcast where we dive into the serious—and sometimes not-so-serious—realities of being a female business owner. Host Leslie Youngblood keeps it real about entrepreneurship as we dive into the hard lessons no one warns you about to the surprising wins that make it all worth it. Tune in for honest conversations, unfiltered insights, and stories that prove you’re not in this alone.
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read this transcript. then write a teaser post for linkedin using one of the strategies in the source files. Stephanie Stewart - Founder, CEO. The Aesthetic Method Medical Spa in Ferndale. Latest Serious Lady Business Detroit! Live tomorow at 9am EST.
This episode is packed with so many gems: building a business without a business background, leading a loyal team, redefining growth, motherhood, Detroit grit, and learning that success doesn't always mean "more." Stephanie's perspective on leadership, culture, and creating a business that serves your life—not the other way around—is one of the most refreshing conversations we've had in the Detroit Series.
Most people think growth means:
More locations.
More employees.
More revenue.
More hustle.
Stephanie Stewart disagrees.
When Stephanie launched The Aesthetic Method, she wasn't trying to build a multimillion-dollar business.
She just wanted a side hustle she loved.
Fast forward to today:
✓ A thriving team with almost no turnover
✓ A business built without investors or debt
✓ A culture people genuinely want to be part of
✓ A company that gives back to causes bigger than itself
But what struck me most during our conversation wasn't her success.
It was her definition of success.
"Growth isn't always bigger. Sometimes growth is sustaining what you've built without killing yourself to do it."
🔥 If you're a founder...
🔥 A leader building a team...
🔥 A parent trying to balance ambition and family...
🔥 Or someone wondering if there has to be a different way to build a business...
You're going to love this conversation.
🎙️ Serious Lady Business: Detroit Series
Featuring Stephanie Stewart, Founder & CEO of The Aesthetic Method
LIVE tomorrow at 9:00 AM EST.
And trust me—you'll want to hear her answer to the question:
"Are you acting like a CEO... or do you need to hire one?"
👀 See you tomorrow.
#SeriousLadyBusiness #DetroitSeries #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounder #DetroitEntrepreneur
Leslie Youngblood (00:00)
Welcome back to Serious Lady Business. I'm Leslie Youngblood, your host, feminist and founder of Youngblood MMC, a marketing media and content agency. And today I am so excited to have Stephanie Stewart joining us to talk leading the team that builds the dream. Steph, welcome to Serious Lady Business. ⁓
Stephanie Stewart (00:17)
That was a great intro. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.
Leslie Youngblood (00:21)
I always say you are doing this incredible thing. You've built this incredible team, this incredible business, but you didn't come from a traditional corporate or even entrepreneurial background. What originally drew you to entrepreneurship, Steph?
Stephanie Stewart (00:32)
Nope.
Yeah, so ⁓ I have no experience in business and not take one business class in ⁓ college or even high school for that matter. So I.
Long story short, I was involved in a car accident when I was a teenager and sustained multiple facial injuries. So I had lots of reconstructive surgery and it was a long road. ⁓ That drew me into going into the medical field. So I went to PA school. I became a PA in 2014 and went right into emergency and trauma. I wanted to give back to people that were in the same boat that I was when I was in a car accident. ⁓
just having that comfort and that reassurance from a medical provider. However, after a couple years I realized I was being burnt out. ⁓
Medicine was not what I expected it be. It was a lot of customer service, a lot of politics, and I really didn't feel like I was making that much of a difference, which is where I felt fulfilled. So I thought, you know what, I'm just gonna go work at a Derm office. Maybe I'll do some injectables. Yet no one would hire me. So I was not experienced and take one course, So I was like, all right, well, I'll just take some courses and see if...
I can do this and then I'll Google how to start my own business. And that's literally on July 10th, 2018. That's how the static method started. So I was a one man show and I had no clue what I was doing. No clue.
Leslie Youngblood (02:10)
you
I love that. I feel like that's such a familiar trajectory for a lot of entrepreneurs where you don't so many of us and even from I think it's different for the younger generations because I think they see entrepreneurs now with content creators. growing up, it's like a business owner, an entrepreneur. Like, I don't like what is that? And yet we kind of through our paths of realizing I don't want to do this anymore. Like this thing's like, what am I going to do? You're almost like thrust into it. And yet it turns out to be the exact thing that
Stephanie Stewart (02:23)
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (02:41)
you were looking for. And I'm sure you had an idea of, you know, once you started and the lights came on, you know, in 2018, what did you think success would look like for the aesthetic method back when you first started?
Stephanie Stewart (02:43)
Yeah.
Yeah,
very different than what it looks like now. ⁓ I really felt that success
was going to be, I can make enough money to be happy doing my side hustle. And my husband and I could travel, we could live our lives, and I would not really be committed to my career. I'd just be like, it is what it is, it's side hustle, it's giving me enough money to survive. That's what success looked like in 2018. Yes. I know, I was so cute.
Leslie Youngblood (03:24)
Adorable. I
love it. love it. Sure. Well, I mean, looking back, so you have this, I mean, very realistic, though, idea of what you wanted the business to be like for you, right? Because who
Stephanie Stewart (03:29)
⁓ But now it looks a lot different.
Leslie Youngblood (03:43)
I'm almost like who could imagine sometimes right like how things click and fall into place But looking back then after starting and having this initial goal What were some of those earliest moments where you realized? this is really working some we get something here
Stephanie Stewart (03:56)
Yeah. Yeah.
So I feel like during COVID, ⁓
We were one of the, I'm very thankful that we came out on top. know a lot of businesses did not succeed past COVID, but during shutdown, again, a really cute thought. thought we were gonna be closed for two weeks, and then it was four weeks, and then it was six weeks, and then, you know, so we ended up being, because we're a medical practice, we actually could reopen after 12 weeks. And I remember it was me, and I only had an assistant, so it was just a two-man show, and...
Leslie Youngblood (04:15)
I'm just bringing it.
Stephanie Stewart (04:27)
I remember opening my books back up, and I was booked every day for three months. And I was like, whoa. First of all, Zoom was on my side, because everybody is using Zoom, so they're all looking at their faces. I need to get my wrinkles treated, right? Yeah. Thank you to Zoom. Zoom sponsored me. I should sponsor Zoom, actually. But goals. So I was like, wow, this is really.
Leslie Youngblood (04:40)
Hmm.
Yes, Zoom sponsored by Zoom. You should. We should sponsor you.
Stephanie Stewart (04:57)
working. People want this treatment and not only do they want this treatment, but they're choosing me to do it because I feel like med spas are similar to dispensaries where they are on every single corner. And I feel like that industry is only going to continue to grow. But I also think we're going to see a mass exodus of it as well because I don't, as medical providers, we're not trained for business. And so I think once people start to get in this and realize, ⁓ shit, this is not what I thought it would be, or this is a
Leslie Youngblood (05:25)
No.
Stephanie Stewart (05:27)
lot harder. I think we're going to see some of those fall out. yeah, that was the first signs that like, OK, people trust me.
Leslie Youngblood (05:36)
That's like what an incredible feeling and not only that like they trust you they trust you with their face with like which is such you know an honor I can imagine right and you are truly like an artist and everybody has that fear that you know
Stephanie Stewart (05:43)
I know. I know.
Leslie Youngblood (05:54)
wants to get Botox or Botox curious or filler curious. It's like they don't want to be unbatched, right? And so it's like you have all those bad apples to working against you. And so like what an honor that they are all choosing you to come to when out of that really trying time to have a really wonderful thing happen, right? Like there's good things that came as well out of a really crazy time in everybody's ⁓ Truly, it's hard to believe we're
Stephanie Stewart (06:03)
Yes.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yes.
for your time.
Leslie Youngblood (06:24)
five plus years past that now, just wild. And then so, you know, as you're seeing your books fill up, you probably realize very quickly, I can't serve all of these people on my own. I need to build a team. And one of your strengths now is you're known as this founder that leads a strong team with very little turnover. How do you feel like you've been able to create that kind of culture, Steph?
Stephanie Stewart (06:25)
Yeah.
Yes. Right.
Yeah.
Yeah, so I feel like I came from, I never worked in a corporate setting. I only had worked in the emergency department, like as an adult, we'll say, right, after school. So I never was given the leadership, or I never felt cared for, or that I wasn't just a number. And I really wanted to offer that to people. And I feel like that's how I feel fulfilled too, is like, want to create this environment. People love coming to work. They feel supported. They feel fulfilled when they leave.
And I just like, I wanted to create that culture, right? So.
I don't think I really knew that early on, but now looking back, I'm like, that's what fueled me. I first started by hiring another injector, and then I trained her very quickly because we were drowning. ⁓ Then I hired a receptionist, and then I hired an esthetician. It just like snowballed from there. We're a team of 10 now, and with no plans really to grow past that, we can talk about that a little bit too. ⁓
Leslie Youngblood (07:38)
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Stewart (07:53)
For me, I like to keep things small. But to answer your question of what creates that little turnover is that I think I involve my team with not only decisions, but they feel like they are part of something bigger. They're not just a number. This is not just their job. ⁓ It is something bigger than that. And I think when you feel appreciated and when you feel part of something and you're making these big decisions, I think that ⁓
Leslie Youngblood (08:08)
Thank you.
Stephanie Stewart (08:20)
It keeps you to stay, right? I also, you've probably heard the Costco versus Sam's Club CEO comparison, but I'm like a Costco CEO. So I pay myself way less so my employees can make a good salary. I also invest in their education. A huge chunk of our revenue goes to continued education. So those have been like my strengths in keeping a team around and having very little turnover for sure.
Leslie Youngblood (08:48)
Yeah, it sounds, what do you say like that? It sounds so simple. Yes, invest in your people and involve them.
Stephanie Stewart (08:52)
Yes.
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (08:55)
I mean, I know I've been involved in organizations that do not do that. And I think that truly is one of the frustrations because people want to contribute. If they're working for you, they're all in on your vision and they want to be a part of something. And so you do that so well. But I also think what you do so well is you are all about causes, local causes that aren't just aesthetics focused and that gives people something to relate to and believe in, not just whether it's your internal team, but also your customers and community.
Stephanie Stewart (08:59)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (09:25)
an organic extension of who you are and what you're doing? Or was that something that you thought strategically about too for the business,
Stephanie Stewart (09:33)
Yeah, you I had to navigate that early on. I hired a business coach in 2020. She's been monumental in helping me ⁓ grow my business for sure. But I remember talking to her and saying, hey, you know, I know I'm a medical provider and I know I'm doing injectables to humans. But like my passion is ⁓ animals and dog rescues and especially in the Detroit area because it's just such a huge problem here. I was like, but how do I relate the two of them? Like, how do I come on Instagram and like ⁓
appeal to our followers like, hey, I'm an ejector, but I also love dogs. Like the two just didn't match. And she's like, you can do whatever you want. You own the business. You can do whatever you want. So we started this thing called Wag Wednesday where we would post adoptable dogs or we would match donations. We'd ask people to send their pictures of their pets in. And so we just would share this on social and it kind of became something bigger than that. So we decided to
start like an annual fundraiser where it's our biggest fundraiser of the year. We have done outreach with our team. And so, yes, we are a medical office that provides medical services, but like that's our passion project, right? So it didn't, it wasn't strategically planned. I think it just kind of happened, but that fulfills me too. And I think I have this platform to make a difference now, right? We have a lot of followers, we have a lot of clients and I can match substantial donations. I can raise a lot of money.
I can get dogs adopted and fostered. ⁓ that's really been a fulfilling and something really special that I didn't think of early on.
Leslie Youngblood (11:04)
Thank
Yeah, of course. I love it. You shared there that you felt like there was a disconnect or you didn't know how you could rectify the two and your business coach was like, yeah, you can. You're the boss. And you're like, I'm the boss. You're right. I can do whatever I want. can do whatever. But we get so tripped up in our own like mental blinders or these perceptions of how we think a business owner should be or talk or or present themselves on on our feeds like they're so precious. And it
Stephanie Stewart (11:16)
Yeah.
Yeah, who cares? Right.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (11:40)
It's
like we're really hindering ourselves and that's an additional way that, like you said, sets you apart from all these other dime a dozen aesthetic offices that are just like cannabis like spaces here in Metro Detroit. It's like what makes you different? I people, think to resonate emotionally with those types of things. that's, know, again, you're cultivating relationships. It's not just a transaction, just again, a further way to build those relationships, that human connection between people is through things like
Stephanie Stewart (11:52)
Okay.
Yeah, I think
Leslie Youngblood (12:10)
that. ⁓
Stephanie Stewart (12:10)
our clients love knowing that their money is going to something bigger too. So you can go to any med spa and whatnot. I mean, these treatments that we offer are not inexpensive. They are a luxury service. So they do come with a cost. And I think
Leslie Youngblood (12:14)
them.
Stephanie Stewart (12:28)
It's like for me personally, like I would choose to go somewhere that I knew that my money was going to something bigger and not just like a revenue driving business, not that there's anything wrong with that. That's just like my personality. So we also support other women owned businesses, obviously. And that's why we're here. And then we do a lot with like women's rights and whatnot. So I think people choose to come to us for those reasons and they want their money to go to something bigger than that.
Leslie Youngblood (12:39)
Mm-hmm.
Yes, and be a part of organizations like that. I think it's so fantastic. And you also noted too about growth. Like you think about growth differently. And I love that because I think most founders equate growth with more locations, more equipment, more this or that. Tell us why you think that is and how you think differently about it, Steph.
Stephanie Stewart (12:58)
Yeah.
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah, so this wasn't always my thought process. I think in the recent years becoming a mom, getting out of like the ER burnout phase, but ⁓
So for me, growth is not bigger. It's not more. It's not ⁓ multiple locations and not a bigger team. It's honestly not even more revenue. ⁓ My what growth looks like to me is sustaining now. So when I see that my business can do the same amount of revenue that it did last year, that to me is huge growth, even though we're not increasing our numbers like that to me is growth because we're we're comfortable and we're not killing ourselves.
and we created something really substantial.
I think people get caught in seeing ⁓ social media, like med spas, and like, they're opening another location. my god, they must be doing so well. my god, they bought the newest machine on the market. my god, they're hiring again. And to me, I see that as huge red flags. I'm like, well, if you don't have enough providers to run every single machine, then you're losing money of that machine sitting there doing nothing. ⁓ I also think the bigger you get, the more locations you have. I think you lose that culture and that patient connection, which is something that is really
Leslie Youngblood (14:22)
Mm-hmm.
sure.
Stephanie Stewart (14:36)
meaningful to me and I know it's meaningful to our patients so I never want to get rid of that. And yeah you know I'm a mom now like I want to, I want to, what is this saying?
I don't want to live to work, I want to work to live. ⁓ So I think that's really important. I, a lot of women on my, we're all women company and most women on my team are young moms. So I know that means a lot to them too, that we're not constantly pushing for the next best thing.
Leslie Youngblood (14:51)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, and
that you're walking that walk, not just talking that talk because you could say, we're moms and you can flexibility, but we're opening 10 locations next year. Get ready. We got to triple our revenue and then be like, And I think that, again, that's a very common trap that.
Stephanie Stewart (15:08)
Yes. Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (15:22)
like leaders don't think about at other organizations. And like you said, I think that's a really fantastic way to look at growth because you you have a thriving business, like everything's great. And so it's like to be able to sustain that is success. It's not having to 10x the numbers all the time, especially when you have a really robust, fulfilling life with, you know, little peanuts and know how important that is. And you don't get that time back with them at that point.
Stephanie Stewart (15:40)
you.
Leslie Youngblood (15:52)
I think that's really, it must have been something unique to go through to have created this growing business and then become a mom during that same time too Stephanie. What advice would you give to women who are building businesses while also one, maybe contemplating having kids and then two, also raising young little sweet peanuts as well?
Stephanie Stewart (16:18)
Yeah,
yeah, that need us to pick them up from daycare when they're sick all the time. ⁓ No, yeah, yes.
Leslie Youngblood (16:24)
Yeah, right. We talked about that earlier. They're always calling to get picked up. It doesn't
change no matter if they're two or 12. It happens. Get ready.
Stephanie Stewart (16:30)
Right. So I think, yeah, I think.
The advice I would give is that there are seasons of life. And so before I had kids, I hate the term hustling, but I was able to work more. I was able to ⁓ focus more on my career and less at home. ⁓ Now I'm in a different season. I have to focus more on my kids and being home and less on the business. We are opening a new location. We are moving. So that's had some of my time, but I was still able to take a full maternity leave. ⁓
⁓ And I just know that even like even the next couple of months after the space opens and I needed more at home again I can't get frustrated because I know it's just a season. It's a season when they go to school Maybe I'll be able to focus more on the business again but I will never be able to give each aspect of my life a hundred percent and I've ⁓
come to terms with that. And so now I'm like giving myself the grace to not be 100 % at everything. And I think that's really worked well for me. And I think as women, we really have to make that decision of like, okay, what are we going to focus on now? Instead of how are going to focus on all these things at the same time?
Leslie Youngblood (17:44)
Yeah, I was just talking with a college student earlier and she is wants to go into marketing and and so she was, you know, wanting to know my journey advice or whatever. She's like, well, it looks like you are doing a good job balancing everything. And I want to be like, and I was like, no, let's first get something straight here. OK, that is that does not exist. There's no such thing as balance. I'm like, it's not real. You think I am. like, listen, like there's there's things that.
Stephanie Stewart (18:13)
No. Right.
Leslie Youngblood (18:14)
It's just not realistic. And I think to recognize that and to be okay with it. And just like you said, it is a season and whether you're a mom that doesn't want to work right now and that's okay, maybe you'll change your mind. It's okay to change your mind too. That's another thing that I told her. like, you can go into PR and decide, no, I wanna go and get my PhD. It's okay. You can change your mind. We all have different unique journeys and to give yourself the permission to and let
Stephanie Stewart (18:27)
Yeah. Right. Yeah.
Right.
Leslie Youngblood (18:44)
that weight of those, ⁓ being able to do everything at the same time to let it go because it's just, you're never gonna win. You're never going.
Stephanie Stewart (18:48)
Yeah.
Yeah, you're never
going to win and you're going to cause yourself so much more stress trying to make it work.
Leslie Youngblood (18:59)
goodness, we don't need that. The world is crazy enough without us making ourselves more stressful on our own accords. Now and so you know I know that's easier said than done. How do you decide, Steph, what opportunities to say yes to and what to leave on the table?
Stephanie Stewart (19:12)
Yeah.
Yeah. I used to say yes to everything because I was like, yes, we'll donate this. Yes, we'll be at this event. Yes, I'll come to your networking thing. I don't know if this is what you want to hear. But you told me to be myself, so I'm going be myself. Yeah. Yeah, I honestly, I say no to pretty much everything right now because of the season I'm in. So.
Leslie Youngblood (19:26)
That I do. I bet I do.
Stephanie Stewart (19:37)
I honestly get like a high of saying no. pick like the only things I say yes to are things that I feel good doing. If there's like even this little inkling of like, Ooh, that doesn't, when am going to have time to do that? Or Ooh, that's going to cause me a little bit more stress than I want. Like it is a no for me. ⁓ So I only say yes to podcasts that I'm passionate about. ⁓ I only say yes to certain events that ⁓ I want to go to, you know, and that I'm going to be leaving my family to go to too. So. ⁓
I say no a lot. However, I will say if you're listening to this and you are a new business or you are trying to go grow, it's okay to say yes to everything too. You know, again, these are seasons. So I think you have to ask yourself, what is the goal and what season am I in? And that will determine whether you're going to say yes or no to things.
Leslie Youngblood (20:18)
Hmm.
Yes.
I love that. And I also feel like the high of saying no should be like a book title or an article in the Atlantic that you should write or put on Reddit, Saf. Because it's true. It really is true. we can it can be so hard, right? Because we want to do everything. And you probably want to go to those events and support every wonderful organization. Right. But why make it's a sacrifice of yourself and maybe even your business? Like that doesn't make any sense. And so to look upon it in that regard, you know, versus again, like
Stephanie Stewart (20:32)
I know it's good. I know. Yeah, it is. Yes.
that. I'll a say.
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (20:58)
leave that wait, let it go, you don't need to do that. And so, know, saying yes can be a mistake when you get to be in a season that it won't work. What are some leadership mistakes that you see business owners make when building?
Stephanie Stewart (21:14)
Yeah.
Yeah, so.
I've made this mistake multiple times. It's ⁓ hiring fast and really not taking the time with the interview, even though it means you're going to be drowning for a minute. So I hired fast because I needed someone to be another provider here. And instead of like doing our normal interview process where it's like a five step process and it might take, you know, six to eight weeks to go through that whole process before we can pick someone.
Leslie Youngblood (21:22)
Hmm.
Stephanie Stewart (21:45)
because I was like, I need this person now. And I think ⁓ what I've learned now is that the time.
that I actually wasted hiring that person, onboarding that person, then having to let that person go, ⁓ that was more time spent than that initial six to eight weeks sacrifice, right? So ⁓ definitely hire slow. Definitely take your time with the interview process. And if you need to bring back that person, because you were just unsure, keep bringing them back. Like, I'm sure that person would want you to know that you're making the best decision for them as well, versus just guessing. I just did it recently.
Leslie Youngblood (22:13)
Mmm.
Stephanie Stewart (22:22)
a new practice manager, because ours is moving to a different role. And I was really, really on the fence about two people. And honestly, I just kept bringing them back and they're probably like, why are we on round fucking seven? I was like, I just need to know. And I know I made the right decision now. So ⁓ definitely high or slow. think another thing with growing is ⁓ it is very hard to have hard conversations, but I
Leslie Youngblood (22:34)
⁓
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Stephanie Stewart (22:52)
⁓ know now that every hard conversation I've had has been 100 % worth it and I don't regret.
having those hard conversations at all. do quarterly reviews with ⁓ every person on my team and we're just one-on-one and it's their time to talk to me, to answer questions, to talk about goals and their next steps. But ⁓ sometimes those meetings are something I don't look forward to. So we have to have hard conversations of like, hey, I need you to do this better. Or like what's going on? You're not performing like you used to. And so those hard conversations are so tough and I dread them every single
time ⁓ but they always work out. The result is always worth it and I would say to people growing too if those conversations become easy or it becomes easy to terminate someone I would ⁓ encourage you to ask yourself like if you're in the right business still you know.
Leslie Youngblood (23:35)
Yeah.
Yes.
Ooh, there's so much good stuff there, Steph. I think that is so refreshing to point out because again, think employees have this perception of, my reviews and like they read it.
then they don't realize that you dread it too. Like it's not easy for you as a boss to be like, I'm gonna tell you how you need to improve and blah, blah, blah, blah. But like you said, but the hard conversations are always worth it. You will never look back and regret a hard conversation that you had, especially with employee that you care about and want to see grow and thrive. And again, one of those blinders, those mental blinders that we put on that I think can prevent a lot of people from building
Stephanie Stewart (24:10)
yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (24:38)
the good teams that you have been able to build. And I think that is just so refreshing and honest and true. And I hope everybody listening really takes that to heart ⁓ because it's not easy. But if it was easy, everybody could do it. And if it's easy, like you said, you need to take a hard look at yourself and I don't know what you need to do. You become a robot.
Stephanie Stewart (24:39)
Yeah. Right.
Yeah. Yeah, if I ever
find, you know, terminating someone easy, whoa, like I'm, I'm upset with that person I've become, you know, that's not who I want to be.
Leslie Youngblood (25:07)
Yeah. ⁓
What a good, good point too. I love that. I love that. Now for someone focusing or someone building a team for the first time, what are a few things they should focus on right away?
Stephanie Stewart (25:15)
Yeah.
Sure. Yeah,
so I think there's nothing wrong with growing slow. ⁓ I pride myself on having no debt, on having had to never borrow money from the bank, from people, from investors. ⁓ I...
have ⁓ been able to afford everything we've done since day one and that was eight years ago. But the reason I can do that or could do that and still continue to do so is because I didn't grow faster than I could serve, if that makes sense. So I was a one man show because that's all I needed. And then I hired an assistant because that's what I needed. And then I hired one more injector. And so it was slow growth. It wasn't
my God, now we need a team of 10. We need 10 treatment rooms. I mean, I literally started working out of a dental office. I rented a one room, ⁓ like suite in that dental office. And I saw one patient a day, maybe like, and that was like being open one day a week. Like I'm not kidding you. And so, ⁓ but I just kept going and just growing slowly. And then ⁓ that has really worked out for me. ⁓ The other thing I will say
is, ⁓ I mean, this is kind of like service based, but don't buy equipment that is not being used. So I see that a lot in my industry that might not apply to all industries, but I see that a lot where people want the newest technology, the newest machine, ⁓ but then there's not even a person to like be utilizing that machine and like having revenue come from that machine. So I know that doesn't apply to everybody, but that is something that I've seen specifically in my industry.
Leslie Youngblood (26:59)
Yeah, well, I think that whether you are in the aesthetic industry, whether or you're in a creative industry, like, do you really need to buy that camera? Or if you're going to buy that camera, make sure you're going to use it. What's the ROI of buying this new equipment or upgrading this particular piece? Can you make do for the time being? Like, do you have the, you know, the structure in place to actually utilize that and get the most return out of it as well? And yeah, it's fun to buy new stuff, especially for the business and to see the potential.
Stephanie Stewart (27:06)
Yeah.
Yes. Right.
Leslie Youngblood (27:29)
have the structure in place I can't you know then really that's a bad business decision right? You're not a good leader. Yeah.
Stephanie Stewart (27:34)
100%. Yeah.
I was going to say something else and I forgot what it was. I don't remember. Sorry. Continue on. Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (27:41)
No, I have a question too to come
back to, know, when you said my first hire was an assistant because that's what I needed. And so somebody might, a different injector or different person in your shoes might have hired an additional injector and not like an assistant. How do you know who you need, Stephanie?
Stephanie Stewart (28:00)
tough question.
I think it's what I'm struggling with most of the time. like ⁓ when I knew I needed another injector, it was because I was so overwhelmed with patients. And then I was losing patients because I wasn't able to get them in and keep up with them. So that's why I knew I needed another provider. ⁓
I'm at a point now where I hire out a lot of professional partners. So I'm not doing the HR. I'm not doing our bookkeeping. I'm not doing our legal stuff through chat. Even no chat didn't exist back then. ⁓ So I call them professional partners. So we have a fractional CFO. We have a legal team. We have a fractional HR person. So I've been able to hire. ⁓
Leslie Youngblood (28:38)
Yeah.
Stephanie Stewart (28:49)
those people because I hated doing the stuff that I was doing then. I couldn't focus on what I was good at, which was injecting. ⁓ The other thing too is our practice manager pretty much runs the show. mean, ⁓ she runs the business, so I'm able to focus on the clinical side of things and be an injector because that's what I love. It brings out my creativity and I'm good at it, not to do my own horn. Thank you. ⁓
Leslie Youngblood (29:11)
Wow, are. Shoot it.
Stephanie Stewart (29:16)
I'm the happiest when I'm actually injecting. So I knew that I needed a practice manager or to build someone up. ⁓ That's also something I want to touch on ⁓ because I knew like it wasn't worth my skills to be focusing on that.
The other thing I'll say about how to build a good team is that I promote from within. And so our practice manager, who is my number two, I mean, she's running a multimillion dollar business and she started as a receptionist and she's just worked her way up.
Leslie Youngblood (29:37)
this.
love it.
Stephanie Stewart (29:47)
she's really, really impressive and she's worked really hard. But I promoted her within and I even hired her own business coach and kept investing in her education. So would say that's a piece of advice to really look at your people and see what they can be good at. And on the contrary of that, like don't keep making someone do something that they're not good at or don't want to do. One of our providers hates social media. She just hates it, but it drives business. But I've done everything in my power to like remove it off her plate.
Leslie Youngblood (30:02)
Yeah.
Thanks.
Stephanie Stewart (30:17)
because she just hates it, you know, and why am I gonna keep making her do something that she's not good at, she doesn't like to do it, and she dreads doing it, right?
Leslie Youngblood (30:26)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, makes, yeah. Why would you do that when there's, yes, there's other things and ways to harness their zone of genius, right? Like your zone of genius. I can't remember. Is that Atomic Habits or is it Zone of Genius book? There's a book written about that, right?
Stephanie Stewart (30:33)
Yes.
I don't know,
but I love Atomic Habits. Great book.
Leslie Youngblood (30:42)
Atomic
happens, yeah. Gosh, man, I can't remember. It's like a term from a book, but it's like your zone of genius is where you excel and you get bogged down in all the other things as a business owner that don't allow you to play in your zone of genius. And then your business doesn't grow the way that you want it to because of course you didn't start an aesthetic treatment business to do paperwork or to hire because that's not what you love. But when you become a business owner, you do have to deal with that. And so can you, you know, hand off some of those things that will allow
Stephanie Stewart (31:03)
No? Yeah. Right.
Leslie Youngblood (31:12)
you to play more in your zone of genius and I think that's super important to take and then to also to build up your employees and to understand what they're good at, what they like to do. Don't force upon them something that is not the right fit for them. And I think then too, I know I've personally had conversations where people will say, well then if I get them, if they're too good, then they're going to leave, right? Or I'm going to invest in them only to leave.
Tell us why that's a silly way of thinking.
Stephanie Stewart (31:42)
Yeah,
yeah, for multiple reasons. So I don't want an employee that I don't want the best for. So if I
Leslie Youngblood (31:44)
Yes.
Stephanie Stewart (31:56)
If I hire someone and I don't, if they get an amazing opportunity to leave and go somewhere else and I don't want that for them, like then I don't want them as an employee, right? Like I want the people that I care so deeply about that I want the best for them as a person. ⁓ So yeah, that's the way I think, you know, if anyone were to leave, like our practice manager, she's moving out of state, but she's going to be like a remote position for us. And ⁓ she's my number two. I, you know, she's been
so monumental and it's been really tough to let her go. But I wouldn't want her here if I didn't want to see her succeed in that new location and do what she wants to do. So there's that. ⁓ And then, yeah, it's always a risk. It's really always a risk that they're going to leave you. But ⁓ I think it speaks volume if you're worried about that. Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (32:52)
Yeah, that's very true. Very true.
think it's a worry that, yeah, it's like a fruitless in itself. you you said you want what's best for them. And I wrote, like you and you have to think you're the best. So I'm what's best for you. Right. It's like, and I want you to stay here and I want what's best for you. And that's why you create these incredible opportunities and build out the team. And then if they find something that is maybe a better fit for them or they have to go, you know, move or write, like we have so many different paths.
Stephanie Stewart (33:05)
Mm-hmm.
Leslie Youngblood (33:22)
and in seasons, like right to come back to seasons of our lives like and to know what's from it is tough but to know that also what a wonderful thing to know that you have.
Stephanie Stewart (33:22)
right.
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (33:33)
watch them grow and help them become this incredible professional that then they're carrying forward and playing it forward, right? Like as well to go out and to continue all the good that they've learned from you to take that and put it out into the world and on and on and on and on must is also something that should not be negated in any way, shape or form. Yeah, I bet. I'm sure. Yes. Right. Well, and that's the thing. That's like the dream is to have
Stephanie Stewart (33:41)
Yeah. Right.
in.
And I try to make it really hard for them to leave, right?
Leslie Youngblood (34:01)
a job that you love so much and fulfills you and you can make a living off of and so right like when you create those things people don't want to leave so it makes perfect sense. ⁓ Now I want to pivot to some Detroit questions because this is our special Detroit series staff and and I love that you guys at TAM have a slogan Detroit never looks so good too so you're the perfect right trademark uh-huh and Detroit has a strong culture of entrepreneurs independent businesses
Stephanie Stewart (34:22)
Trademarked. It is trademarked.
Leslie Youngblood (34:31)
What has it meant to you to build your company here?
Stephanie Stewart (34:34)
Yeah.
⁓ I was, short story real quick, was ⁓ accepted to Michigan State. had a roommate was going in blind, wanted to go to a party school. And I know.
Leslie Youngblood (34:45)
Go green.
I went to Michigan State. Yeah. I did. Too much. ⁓
Stephanie Stewart (34:47)
I know. Oh, great. Well, I hope you partied in it because I didn't end up going there. I
ended up getting a full ride to Wayne State and I was so mad about it. And but like looking back, like how amazing. Right. So it was an academic scholarship and they really wanted people to come start coming into the city more. And this was in 07. So Detroit was looking dark these days. So my parents were like, honestly, stuff like make you know, they always supported me.
Leslie Youngblood (35:03)
Yes!
Mm-hmm.
We're home.
Stephanie Stewart (35:17)
I
make the best decision for you, but you should really, really consider this. And I'm like, fine, I'll go to Wayne State, but I'm going to live downtown. And my parents are like, OK, fine. And I remember pulling up on move-in day as a freshman. And Detroit was rough back then. It was pretty rough. And my mom was like, you can't stay down here. And I was like, absolutely I can. And I learned so much about myself, about the world living in the city. ⁓ Just like, I learned so much. So from early on, I mean, I was 17 when I started.
Leslie Youngblood (35:40)
Wow.
Stephanie Stewart (35:47)
college, like I just felt like this connection with Detroit because it taught me so much and I knew that Detroit needed people like me. So my husband's actually from Boston and when we had talked about you know where we want to live and where we want to grow our family. ⁓
Leslie Youngblood (35:53)
Mmm.
Stephanie Stewart (36:05)
He feels very passionate about Detroit too because he says, Boston doesn't need people like us, but Detroit needs people like us. And that has like always stuck in my mind that like Detroit does need young entrepreneurs and people that believe in the city and people that are passionate about supporting one another. ⁓ You know, established cities like Boston and New York and stuff, don't, they don't need people like us.
Leslie Youngblood (36:27)
That's so true. my goodness. And I love that.
Because Wayne State, what an incredible school. No, she's like, right? Like, but when you're looking, and I think still some kids sleep on Wayne State, and it is a beautiful campus, an incredible school. There is a mom of one of my son's friends in first grade, and she was actually a professor at MIT out in Boston. And she now is a professor at Wayne State. And she was telling me Wayne State is miles better than MIT. She loves Wayne State on a level that she never loved MIT before and loves each, right? And I'm like, ⁓
Stephanie Stewart (36:34)
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (37:02)
This warms my heart on so many levels. Like, can you broadcast this from the rooftops? And I just think, yeah, right. And I love Boston. Boston is such a great city. I was actually shocked how much I loved Boston when I went to Boston. But of course, Detroit is home and has our hearts. ⁓ And I just think it's so cool to kind of, you know, to see the progression of the city and changing the perception of it. But, you know, obviously we still have ways to go, but it is so cool ⁓ when others feel that.
Stephanie Stewart (37:09)
Yeah. Great. Yes.
Leslie Youngblood (37:31)
It must've been so great for you to have this partner that was like, yeah, Detroit needs us. You're like, you're right. my God, thank you so much. It's amazing.
Stephanie Stewart (37:35)
Yeah, yeah, I know. And it's just so
cool to watch the city grow and do what it's done because it was not like it is now in 06, 07 or 07, yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (37:47)
Mm-hmm. Sure.
Yeah, you're on the ground floor of that because I remember one was a Super Bowl in like 2004 and it was 2006. Okay, yeah, so that was real, real.
different than the Detroit that we have today, ⁓ which is just incredible. And I think something really important too is Detroit has this history of innovators and founders and doers like yourself. And still we have this community of...
Stephanie Stewart (38:03)
Bye.
Yes.
Leslie Youngblood (38:19)
small businesses and tech, you we have new lab and, and, know, all like the things and what's going to be the next thing Detroit is known for. I really do believe in, you know, entrepreneurship and small business growth being that for us. How has the community here supported your growth as a founder Steph?
Stephanie Stewart (38:22)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, so we are not in the city limits. I do live in the city limits though, so I will take pride in that. I do pay my city income tax, ⁓ but we are located in Ferndale and
Leslie Youngblood (38:40)
I'm sorry.
Stephanie Stewart (38:47)
I'll speak to Ferndale specifically because that's what I've had the most experience with. But ⁓ Ferndale is such a really great inclusive community. There's a ton of small businesses located here. They're huge on LGBTQ, women's rights, ⁓ just like being kind humans. And so we felt the love from our neighbors at our small businesses, but we also offered them so much because we are so thankful that they welcomed us. And so we always, you know, donate what we can to their
causes or ⁓
schools that are doing auctions. We always try to support our ⁓ local business owners, but we felt really welcome. And I think one of the things on my website, what says like we're an inclusive Med Spa, not an exclusive Med Spa, because it is like a luxury thing that we offer. But I want people, no matter where they come from, to feel welcome when they come in. ⁓ So whether they are transgender or they are part of the LGBTQ community, that they feel really
Leslie Youngblood (39:33)
Yeah.
Stephanie Stewart (39:49)
welcome because we felt so welcome being in Ferndale here. So, yeah, thanks.
Leslie Youngblood (39:53)
love that. That's one I
just, I wish everybody was like that. And they're not. But that's good because you are special and just speaks to what an incredible special person and business owner you are. Of course. Of course. Thank you. So when people think about Detroit entrepreneurship, what do you wish more people understood about the women building businesses here, Steph?
Stephanie Stewart (40:04)
Hey, I appreciate that.
⁓ so many things. I think that what you see is only like the tip of the iceberg. You know, what we see on social and ⁓ what is conveyed, you know, in our marketing and whatnot is only like the tip. Just... ⁓
Leslie Youngblood (40:19)
Thank
Stephanie Stewart (40:35)
just know that like if you are in Detroit or if you're looking from the outside in, you're looking at a Detroit entrepreneur, like know that we like the Lions, like we have so much grit, like we are not giving up. ⁓ We will do everything in our power to keep going because that's like the culture we were. I was born here. That's the culture we were born into. Like we are hardworking. A lot of our parents were blue collar and worked in factories. And so ⁓ or even if it wasn't our parents, it was like our friends, parents or neighbors and whatnot. And so
Leslie Youngblood (40:45)
Hmm?
Stephanie Stewart (41:05)
We saw what hard work means and I think if you're an entrepreneur in the city, you're ⁓ probably not like a nepo baby. You're probably ⁓ not given a trust fund. You have seen how hard, ⁓ how the hard work that your parents and neighbors and stuff have had to go through. And I think that has really been a good example for what we need to do to succeed here.
Leslie Youngblood (41:14)
Yeah.
Yeah.
There really is truly something special about the Detroit grit unparalleled. I think it's something that has just created so many incredible leaders and doers in general, whether it's musically, right? Because I think a lot of times when you look at all the music artists that have come out of Detroit, it takes a lot of grit to make it in the music world, right? And that just exemplifies, you know, there. But to just see how special it is exemplified through fantastic businesses and women running businesses, too. think that is...
Stephanie Stewart (41:44)
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (42:02)
love it makes me so happy obviously right love it
Stephanie Stewart (42:03)
Yes. Yes. And look at who runs our state. mean, like we have a ton of women leaders in our state and I'm happy to call
Michigan and Detroit home for sure.
Leslie Youngblood (42:12)
Same, same, same, same, same, same, same. ⁓ So, know, Serious Lady Business is about the real stories behind building a company. What's something about entrepreneurship that people don't see when they look at successful businesses from the outside stuff?
Stephanie Stewart (42:28)
Yeah, good question. ⁓ I think I want to answer this with a quote ⁓ that was told to me one time. Well, it wasn't even a quote. It was my business coach. And she said, Steph, you need to start acting like a CEO or hire one. And I was like, fuck.
Leslie Youngblood (42:46)
Shit!
Stephanie Stewart (42:48)
I can't afford a CEO. ⁓ I think, yeah, shit. So I have to show up. have to be that
CEO. And so I think that's how I would answer the question. Just like if you're sort of acting like a CEO or you got to hire one.
Leslie Youngblood (43:05)
and
⁓ I mean, I just, I mean, there's nothing that is like shots fired like in the best way because yeah, yeah. ⁓
Stephanie Stewart (43:12)
I know, mic drop. I know. I know.
Yeah, I still,
I mean, I remember where I was sitting when she told me that. I remember like what I was doing that day and I was like, oh my God, am I not cut out for this? So I think, you know, when you're seeing business owners, specifically female owned or specifically female business owners is that you have to realize like they have to make that choice. Like either they're going to be that CEO or they're going to be hiring one. And I think that's important to know.
Leslie Youngblood (43:24)
Bye!
Yeah, you're here. I got you back. ⁓ We'll edit that right out. yeah, mean, that is just, I love that so much. I feel like that's the perfect mic drop to wrap up this episode. Steph, I would love for you to share where our listeners can follow up with you and connect with you outside of the podcast. We'll make sure to put these in the show notes as well.
Stephanie Stewart (43:46)
Did I lose you? Okay. it's trying to reconnect. Okay, I got it. Okay.
Yeah.
Sure, I'm a true millennial. Instagram is my go-to still. So it's the aesthetic with an A method on Instagram. I'm trying to be better at TikTok. I know, I know, but we can be found at ⁓ the Detroit Injector on TikTok. And then our website is theaceticmethod.com.
Leslie Youngblood (44:27)
And we again will make sure to drop those in the show notes. Steph, thank you so much for taking time to chat some serious business with us today. It was a pleasure. You are incredible. We love everything that you're doing, everything that you stand for. Just keep on keeping on. We are just going to be cheering on from the sidelines too.
Stephanie Stewart (44:31)
No, thank you!
Thank you.
Thank
you. And thank you for creating this platform. We need more people like you.
Leslie Youngblood (44:47)
more lady podcasters out there telling the stories that we want to hear. And yes, it's an honor for us to be able to have this platform and to share stories like yours and to have you join us. Thanks so much, Steph. Thank you.
Stephanie Stewart (44:49)
Yes.
Yes.
I agree. What a privilege. Thank you.
Close