Doing it Like a Pro with ASCP

[00:00:00] Shannon O'Brien: So are you looking for a little insurance to protect your skincare business? Or maybe you've heard about A S C P, but you're not quite so sure what they're all about? Well, I am thrilled to invite Maggie, who is the education program manager for A S C P. We have been friends for quite a few years now.

[00:00:20] We've done a lot together and I wanted you to get to know her a little bit. But also understand this like treasure trove of offerings that they have. And so Maggie is here with us on the episode today to really just share with you all that is available to you. Now Maggie is the education program manager for A S C P and a H P, which is the hair side.

[00:00:45] So if you're a Cosmo, they do have insurance for hair professionals, for cosmetologists, and she's the co-host of ASP's Estie Talk podcast. Maggie has been a licensed esthetician since 2006, and you're gonna hear all about that, and she [00:01:00] holds a bachelor's degree in business administration. She has worked in the spa and med spa industry and served as an aesthetics instructor and a director of education.

[00:01:09] She holds multiple certifications in laser light energy procedures. Body contouring, radio frequency, chemical, peeling, microneedling, dermaplaning, and microdermabrasion to name a few. Maggie loves herself some sugar, and she really is, um, a partner in your career here. So I wanna make sure that you can not only hear her journey, but also hear what's going on with a s p that's known and exciting that really can help you in your business.

[00:01:37] Welcome to this Sugar Show. I'm Shannon O'Brien. Body sugaring expert and licensed esthetician who's taken my own skincare business from zero to multiple six figures and has helped over 3000 students learn how to do the same. Now, let me tell you, it wasn't all that long ago that I lacked the time, budget, and knowledge needed to grow my small business as a body sugaring pro.[00:02:00] 

[00:02:00] If we were to press rewind, you'd see the many failed attempts and lessons learned that have helped me build the profitable business that I have today. One that runs on its own and gives me the lifestyle and freedom that I only used to dream of. I created the Sugar Show to hand you my secrets and give you the simple step-by-step strategies to help you do the same.

[00:02:21] So if you're a cosmetologist or esthetician, or wax professional, Who's looking to fill your books, make more money in your business, and enjoy greater balance between your work and home life? You are in the right place. Let's dive in.

[00:02:48] Okay, Ms. Maggie? Welcome back to the Sugar Show. Thank 

[00:02:52] Maggie Staszcuk: you for having 

[00:02:52] Shannon O'Brien: me, Shannon. Ah-huh as always. So we have had you on the show before. , I [00:03:00] love me some A S C P, and we're gonna talk about that in just a moment. However, I'd like to start with a little hot seat of you, and I'd like to have you talk about your journey because so many people are solos or maybe they've been doing this a really long time and they kind of like what you do.

[00:03:18] And yeah, I'd love for you to share your journey from before you were an aesthetician, kind of how you chose to be one, and how you got. This position that you're in today? Yeah. 

[00:03:29] Maggie Staszcuk: So I never knew I would become an esthetician. And, um, it ironically, I, I was in college and my mom had had an esthetician growing up, you know, way back in the nineties.

[00:03:43] Yep. And um, this aesthetician, I didn't even know she had my phone number and she called me up out of the blue one day and said, I was thinking about you and I know a woman selling her spa, and I thought of you, you should buy it. And for [00:04:00] me, you know, being this, you know, young girl in college having no idea what I'm gonna do with my life, I thought, oh my God, that sounds awesome.

[00:04:08] I'm totally gonna. Spa life is gonna be cool. It's gonna be great. And immediately I called every aesthetic school in my town who would let me go to aesthetic school over the summer, take a leave of absence so I could then go back, finish college, and then come back and finish aesthetic school so I could have it all lined up by the spa.

[00:04:33] Of course, having the money to buy the spa was not even the forefront of my mind. Right. Oh, Yeah. 

[00:04:39] Shannon O'Brien: Will magically happen, right? It's gonna 

[00:04:41] Maggie Staszcuk: magically happen. And did I buy the spot? No, but I did proceed with getting my aesthetics license and when I graduated I kind of did a little bit of everything and um, so, you know, it was like day spas.

[00:04:54] Eventually I went and worked for a doctor. I dabbled a little bit with a, um, [00:05:00] naturopath and they had chiropractor, massage, acupuncture. Nine yards and eventually made my way back to the school I graduated from and worked my way up. I was a night instructor, then eventually became full-time day instructor, and then eventually was director of education, and that's where I learned about A S C P.

[00:05:24] So A S C P as the director, I was having them come in and speaking to all of the students, not just about insurance, but how do you build your business? Why is retail important? Talking about all the resources that they had available. Mm-hmm. and. as the instructor for that particular class. It was kind of nice just to have that second voice, you know?

[00:05:46] Mm-hmm. . And they were hearing from someone other than me. And when you're the student, you need that, right? You hear your teacher's voice Wa wa all day long. Yeah. . So having that guest is always good. And they were always really [00:06:00] motivational. So when I left the school and I was at the school for about seven or eight years, I, it, it, it was random, you know, I had stayed in touch with all the people at A S C P and they happened to be looking for somebody.

[00:06:13] And at the time it was someone who could build and promote their advanced aesthetics program, which was new to them. . Mm-hmm. . So that's how I made my way to A S C P started that program and now I have become the education program manager. So that's, that's how I got into the corporate side. Made my way from aesthetics, just working in the small little treatment room, and now eventually A S C P.

[00:06:39] Shannon O'Brien: I love this and I love. Thinking about this industry as a whole, right? And so you went in thinking, oh, I'm gonna own this day spa. Oh wait, no. Uh, now I'm gonna do this. Oh wait. And you just kind of kept following the journey of, okay, this door is opening. I'm gonna take a look in here. Oh wait, I took a look and I'm [00:07:00] maybe owning a day spa isn't for me quite yet.

[00:07:02] Okay. I'm gonna shut that door and I'm gonna keep going and pushing forward. I love that. So I think. Some people in our audience might think, oh, I have to go and do facials. Right. You know, I get my aesthetic license, I have to go out, I have to be solo, and I have to run a business. Right, right. And that's not necessarily the case.

[00:07:20] Maggie Staszcuk: No, it's not. There's so much opportunity out there. Yes. 

[00:07:23] Shannon O'Brien: In so many ways. Be it, um, with a vendor. Be it with an, as an educator back at your school, um, finding your way to A S C P. Maybe you write articles, maybe you totally become a blogger, you know of beauty. Like there's so many things that you can do and.

[00:07:42] You know, I think about my own journey, and when I was in school, if you would've told me that I would be the queen of sugaring hoo-ha . I just said, wait, what? What is sugar? I don't get this. You know, I'm gonna do what? Like if you, you're, you know, 20 years later you could look back and go, Yeah. I never thought I'd [00:08:00] be here.

[00:08:00] Yeah. You know? So what were you initially going to school for in college? 

[00:08:05] Maggie Staszcuk: It, it was business. Business Administration was my major. Okay. Where'd you go? And, uh, I went to Stevens College. So small liberal arts school. It's a Missouri. Okay. And, um, I actually started out with a fashion major and my plan all along was, I'm gonna move back to Colorado and no clue what I'm gonna do with a fashion major.

[00:08:27] Colorado, you know, so then switched to business and even then, you know, was thinking, what am I gonna do with my, my business degree? And that's when I got this call to, you're gonna own a spa? Go and buy this spa. I was like, ding. You know, the universe was calling to me , 

[00:08:43] Shannon O'Brien: right? Oh, and you know, of course you would know how to run a spot immediately, right?

[00:08:49] Like, yes. What? When we're young, we just have so much we can do it. 

[00:08:55] Maggie Staszcuk: Yes, exactly. No inhibition. 

[00:08:58] Shannon O'Brien: Run a day spa, no [00:09:00] problem. I'll just put hundred thousand dollars into it. Right? Know that I just have in my back pocket. Exactly. Yeah. , and I'm so glad you didn't do that because you know what? I've known you for a while now and I love that you have that education brain.

[00:09:14] you have the business brain, but you have that education brain that's like, how do I help people get a topic? Mm-hmm. and how do I help them understand so they can increase their business? Yeah, but you have to have, I mean, it is not easy to be an educator. No, it is not. No. And a lot of people think, oh, I'll learn X skill and then I'll teach.

[00:09:36] Right. 

[00:09:37] Maggie Staszcuk: It's not that easy. No, no. It is not easy at all. Right. No, no. Um, a lot of factors that go into that. 

[00:09:43] Shannon O'Brien: Sure, sure. So thank you for being in that hot seat for a minute, because I think some people don't understand, like, how, how do you become, You know, an education program manager for A S C P, like that's quite the title.

[00:09:55] Yeah. You know, like how did you do that? So thank you for kinda sharing that with us. Cuz I think [00:10:00] sometimes people come on these podcasts and they think, well how the heck did they get their job? I want their job. That's cool. Yeah. So thanks for sharing that with us. My pleasure. Of course. So, like I said, we've known each other a while now and seen our businesses kind of, you know, expand especially in the pandemic and, and grow and take avenues that we never thought.

[00:10:20] And when I was first with A S C P, I think I shared this in the first podcast, it was. Gosh, probably 21 years ago that I started with A S C P and I would pay my money and I think it was like the same. I cannot believe that you guys have kept the price basically the same since I started. Yeah. Hasn't changed.

[00:10:40] Hasn't changed. But in the beginning it was just, that was the option to get your insurance. Mm-hmm. , you could go with one of the other big like gen general companies. But A S C P was really the only specialized company that I found, and the price was so reasonable. I remember 21 years [00:11:00] ago thinking, okay, I've gotta save money each month so that I can get insurance.

[00:11:04] That is how it started for me. And then as I grew with you all and started to understand what you all had to offer, my mind is blown that the price is the same and all that you have grown to. Yeah, so it really helps me to understand like, it's not about the money for s p, it's about the education and the help and the encouragement and the love and the awards and all of the things that you really all provide a little solo sd, like me, you know, that was just, I actually owned my little day spawn like Tahoe at the time, and you know, I was kind of hoping no one would trip and fall in my place and the right thing to do was get insurance.

[00:11:47] Great and fast forward 21 years. Now, not only is the right thing to do to protect yourself and with insurance, but you come with this like Santa sack of stuff to [00:12:00] help me in my, in my business. 

[00:12:02] Maggie Staszcuk: Yeah. Yeah. It's so important to us that we keep that price the same. It doesn't increase. Yeah. And and you're right.

[00:12:09] I love hearing that Shannon. Um, that is our mission. It. Of course, we want people to be insured and protected. Sure. But it is about helping them to grow their business. Yeah. And elevating them as individual estheticians. 

[00:12:25] Shannon O'Brien: Well, you've hit the mark and hit it out of the ballpark, my friends, because I, I'm, I'm blown away with what you have to offer and so I wanna talk about that a little bit because like I said, we talked about it a couple years ago and things have even changed in the last couple of years.

[00:12:40] Again, no price change. In fact, little side note, uh, we do have some special little links inside our app that will give you a little bit of a discount even on that, uh, on that amazingly low price. Um, But it's not about price. So let's get to, to what's in your Santa Sack of [00:13:00] items that have changed since the last time we talked?

[00:13:03] It's, I don't know that they've changed. They've just grown. Yes. So you have always had a library of materials that people can use. In fact, inside the app we have the sugaring. Consent form that A S C P put together. And so you can find that inside the free Sugaring app. But you have consent forms, like links to consent forms for every possible thing known to man that you could do inside your skincare business.

[00:13:29] We do, 

[00:13:29] Maggie Staszcuk: yes, a ton of consent forms. They are there for the member to access and use as a template, a guide. You can copy, paste, whatever you wanna do with. They're there for the member. We have people take them, upload them to their digital platform. If they have one, you can print them. Um, bottom line is that we recommend your clients are, um, having a consultation, agreeing to the treatment and signing off.

[00:13:56] Um, it, it of course, is not going to protect you [00:14:00] from being sued or prevent you from being sued. But certainly having those forms really goes a long way, if ever. Unfortunately it does come to a 

[00:14:08] Shannon O'Brien: situation like that. Yeah. It helps you to have that conversation for sure. Mm-hmm. for sure. So in addition to the, the intake forms, I mean, that's like the baby, one of, one of the little side things that you all have.

[00:14:20] Uh, I love the on-demand library that you have because Yes, as you know, we have some sugaring videos in there, but you have so many. Really great videos from gurus all over our industry, really talking about different areas, and you'll be increasing that as as we move forward here. 

[00:14:40] Maggie Staszcuk: Yes, always adding to that library.

[00:14:42] We have over 300 videos in the library currently, and every year we're adding to that library. And you said it, we reach out to all the gurus in the industry and have them provide not just technique videos, but there's information on business, skin [00:15:00] physiology, marketing, product knowledge, you name it, and we try and source that content and add it to the library.

[00:15:07] Shannon O'Brien: Girl, and I'm looking at the list here. You have not only that, you have marketing materials, you have a website builder, you have career success resources with business startups, revenues, compensation calculators. I mean, there's literally so much in there, and we talked about that on the last podcast. So if you have not heard those details, feel free to tune back into that one.

[00:15:29] We'll put that in the show notes, but let's talk about the latest. Resources that you have. And let's start with The Skin Pro App. Tell us that. 

[00:15:40] Maggie Staszcuk: Yes. Oh, I love the Skin Pro app. This is a huge resource to not just professionals, but also for students. So this is an app that you can access download to your phone.

[00:15:51] I will know it. It is a web app, so you're not gonna find it in the app store. You can download it direct from our website, and it is giving you. [00:16:00] Information on both conditions and ingredients, and that information is going to include treatment room considerations, contraindications, definitions. There's over 50 skin conditions and over 100 ingredients currently in the app, and then we are working on 2.0.

[00:16:17] So again, always adding to the content that we have available. So if you find yourself. In the school clinic as well as the treatment room. You see something you're not quite sure. Maybe that client tells you they have been diagnosed with something you don't know. If you should proceed with your treatment, you can quickly look it up on that app and confirm your knowledge.

[00:16:39] Shannon O'Brien: I wish I had that 20 years ago when I was in school and even when I was doing facials back in the day. And there's definitely things that as a sugar pro that we see, and you know, this is part of your membership is that you can just pull this up and say, uh, what is this that I'm looking at here? So, yeah, I love this.

[00:16:55] Thank you for doing that. And then talk about the, um, the pocket suite. [00:17:00] 

[00:17:00] Maggie Staszcuk: Yeah, pocket Suite. So we have partnered with Pocket Suite. You get this for free as a member. And this is online scheduling. All of our treatment forms are also uploaded into Pocket Suite. You can, um, allow your, uh, clients to do online booking.

[00:17:17] Um, Payment collection. Um, you can set all of the settings and parameters in your Pocket Suite membership. So if you wanna have a cancellation policy, if you wanna collect credit card information, um, this is all what Pocket Suite has to offer, and it's an amazing benefit for our members who are working to build their business.

[00:17:40] I love 

[00:17:40] Shannon O'Brien: this. 

[00:17:41] Maggie Staszcuk: Yeah, it's a 

[00:17:42] Shannon O'Brien: great benefit. , again, I wish we had this 20 years ago. We had to get all the pieces and parts and try to figure it out. Like I being an aesthetician now, there's so many resources available and I love that if you are really working your business smart. You use [00:18:00] resources like this, you don't jump on TikTok or YouTube and try to look up a skin condition, right?

[00:18:06] Totally. This is where you need to go. If you are a serious professional, yeah. Hundred percent have insurance to protect you. You have resources available to you and really as a student and, and even as a 20 year vet. There is no reason why you shouldn't be, you know, opening this sack of goodies that you guys have and really partaking in in all of this.

[00:18:28] So thank you so much. And of course, there's always that. I get e-newsletters from you guys. I listen to Estie Talk podcast. I still listen to it, and I've been doing this for 21 years. There's always things that we can learn, and of course, our favorite is the magazine. Yes. 

[00:18:44] Maggie Staszcuk: Uh, love skin deep. It is award-winning.

[00:18:47] Mm-hmm. , this is coming out four times a year and, um, you can't beat it. It, there are a lot of members that tell us that it is their Bible. So always new information to be learned. [00:19:00] Tips and tricks, trends in the industry. Um, we have highlighted a lot of new authors, um, over the years with Skindeep. So great things to learn and I think it's also really motivat.

[00:19:12] Shannon O'Brien: Oh, it's, so, it really just does wrap its arms around you and say, you know what? We don't have a lot of time. We're in the treatment room, and if I can at my break, have a snack and just get down to the nitty gritty and read the magazine or read the, um, newsletter, or I see a skin condition, I can pull up the app like it's just so nice.

[00:19:32] To have that. In fact, we're gonna link that app inside our app so that if people are wanting a skin condition, you know, to look at a skin condition, they can go directly to that. Um, especially if that's awesome. They're a member. I think that would be great. We didn't think about that. We should do that.

[00:19:45] Yes. I love that link to our app. Um, I'm writing that down now. Uh, so really, truly. The success that you're seeing in your members is, I would venture to guess that it affects the amount of claims [00:20:00] there are. If you circle back to the insurance piece, there's probably a lot less. Injury, accidents, all of that kind of stuff.

[00:20:08] Because you're really preparing aestheticians to, to raise the bar on their business. Yeah. 

[00:20:14] Maggie Staszcuk: Well, you know, we are trying to raise the bar and help them build their business, and I would hope there's less claims, you know, um, that the estheticians are educated, prepared, and they're, they are, we're building them to be solo entrepreneurs.

[00:20:29] For 

[00:20:29] Shannon O'Brien: sure. For sure. You know, I love. A S C P has taken something so simple in theory, insurance policy, and literally just taken that as the core and just like exploded everything around it. So, I mean, you, it's, it's a must have. I've been, I've been a member for 21 years. It is a must have for me. It is a must have for my Sugar [00:21:00] pros and for anyone else in the industry very genuinely.

[00:21:03] And I can't thank you enough for continuing your mission and your team. So make sure you thank them for me as well. I think I do each time I chat with you guys. Thank you, Shannon. Yeah. For, for really like taking us to the next level, you know, because it is so nice to see. Companies that get it. Yeah. You know, I mean, it's not about like trying to make money off of us.

[00:21:26] Oh, let's raise rates, let's, you know, we've got all these estheticians. If we just raised our rates, you didn't raise rates, you added value. 

[00:21:33] Maggie Staszcuk: Yeah. Well, you know, we are more than just insurance. We are trying to build a community of estheticians who are passionate about their industry. Yeah. 

[00:21:44] Shannon O'Brien: Yeah. And you've done.

[00:21:45] So thank you for the team take thank you to the team and I really look forward to, we talked about this before the show started. I'm really looking forward to seeing you all more. Yeah. You know, we've been in lockdown. I feel like we've been behind these microphones for a while. Really kind of trying [00:22:00] to help people virtually.

[00:22:02] And we are back. We are back. I have an action I about that. Where, where will we see? You're gonna 

[00:22:07] Maggie Staszcuk: see us everywhere. I think we have about seven trade shows lined up this year. The first one is going to be Premier Anaheim coming up in April. And one of the things we're doing differently starting this year is that we're going to have a Booth presence.

[00:22:21] So we haven't done that in about five years, but we're really excited about it. Yeah, and if you're at any of the shows, come by and see us. We're going to be, like I said, premiere. All of the locations A B S I E C S C I spa. Um, if you're attending any of these shows, you're gonna see us announcing it across all of our channels.

[00:22:41] But, um, look for us, tag us on social and we hope to see you. I love it. 

[00:22:46] Shannon O'Brien: I love it. And I will be. You live and I cannot wait to hug you because it's been way too long. We have been, like I said, behind these microphones and we have, it's, we've been in Denver and I've been in Sacramento, and we just haven't had a chance to, to raise a glass together, and we'll do that [00:23:00] for sure when you're in, in the area.

[00:23:02] And so, Audience, I gotta tell you, if you ha, if you're not convinced now, , you never will be. Uh, but to be genuine, this is just been a great partnership for us and for me personally as an esthetician and, uh, and as I have now a group of friends at A S C P too. So, I look forward to seeing you all live, and I look forward to all of you audience experiencing sweet success with sugar, but also with a S C P.

[00:23:32] I love that Maggie. She is a dynamic force in our industry and her team is amazing at A S C P as well. So as promised, if you check in the show notes, you will see a link to our free sugaring app. We will link directly to the app that they have and all of the benefits that you have, uh, with. A S C P and also if you are in the Sugar Tribe, there is an extra discount.

[00:23:57] So jump inside the app into the Sugar [00:24:00] Tribe and not only will you have access to our whole LO library of sugaring classes, but you ha actually have access to as Scps deeper discount in there as well. So I look forward to seeing you all next week on the next episode of the Sugar. And I hope you have a fabulously sweet week.