Sarita (00:22.434)
my introduction in just a second. As you know the theme for 2024 is all about abundance and so these chats are called abundance chats. Last year 2023 were all about self -love and the self -love journey even though that theme can be intertwined within all of this but this year we are focusing a little bit more heavily on abundance whatever that means to my guest and there's room for interpretation. So I have a beautiful guest here.
Shannon Hunter, I'm really excited to introduce you to her. She's somebody that I actually just met in person recently and we'll be talking about that. Shannon is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of extensive experience in aesthetics and in the medical industry and she's the CEO of Gray Aesthetics and she leads with a unique blend of expertise and innovation. With a bachelor's degree in health science, Shannon combines her passion for wellness with her dedication to aesthetics.
ensuring the highest standards of patient and result driven satisfaction. Her commitment to excellence has earned her recognition as one of the top 10 providers in the nation for Trilift, reflecting her unparalleled skill and dedication to her craft. Shannon, I'm so excited for you to be here with me today and this is your first episode, your first sorry podcast episode in general, interview, all the things.
Shannon Hunter (01:40.494)
Thanks.
Shannon Hunter (01:47.758)
Yeah, ever, ever, brand new. Me, thank you for having me. I appreciate it. I'm super excited to be here.
Sarita (01:52.178)
So exciting, super exciting.
Sarita (02:00.464)
Yes, me too. And we, like I said in the intro, Shannon and I actually connected through a, I don't know, would you call it organization? Like a group called Modern Day Wife.
Shannon Hunter (02:09.486)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sarita (02:15.056)
and they basically put on events all around Southern California, Arizona, I think even in Canada as well. So I've gone to a couple of their events and I am one of their podcast co -hosts, which is really cool. So it's really lovely that they actually will email a bunch of different people that are interested in their network. And then some people reach out to me and Shannon did, so I was like super excited.
Shannon Hunter (02:34.094)
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, it was really cool. It was so fun to be a part of their events too. I really loved it.
Thank you.
Sarita (02:46.864)
Yeah, it was, so this last event that Shannon and I actually met in person was in, what was it, Beverly Hills, I think, at the London Hotel, really cute, like boutiquey kind of hotel. And it was like a beauty and wellness expo. And it was spring, it was beautiful. I actually had the honor of walking in the fashion show. Did you get a chance to see it? Oh, you missed.
Shannon Hunter (02:51.118)
Mm -hmm. Yeah, the London.
Shannon Hunter (03:07.278)
Oh, that's so cool. No, I miss I was so busy. I missed everything. I didn't even get to like mingle and wander around or do anything. I was just like, go, go, go, go, go. But it was so beautiful. I saw like it set up and everything and I saw the videos but I missed it. Yeah.
Sarita (03:19.952)
Yeah.
Sarita (03:25.968)
Cool.
Oh, bummer. Well, we'll go over in a little bit about like what Shannon does and the reason why she was like really busy during the event. She'll tell you a little bit more about like her expertise and what she does. But to start off with Shannon is an Aries as well, which is exciting. So happy belated birthday. Mine's coming up on the 10th. So if you're hearing this when it drops, my birthday is already occurred. But yeah, it's just nice to connect with somebody.
Shannon Hunter (03:41.326)
Yes. Thank you.
Shannon Hunter (03:52.046)
Happy early birthday!
Sarita (03:56.112)
Thank you with the same astrological sign. So Shannon, it was really beautiful connecting with you in person and stuff. And I would love to share your where or how you got to be where you are now because it's such a really cool industry. And I haven't had anybody on my program yet that does what you do because it's very unique. And I think it's a great opportunity.
Shannon Hunter (03:56.238)
Yeah!
Sarita (04:26.066)
it's something that is all natural, which I really like as well. So if you can tell me a little bit more about the history of how you got to be where you are now and then what you actually do.
Shannon Hunter (04:36.174)
Yeah, yeah, it's kind of a crazy journey. My whole life, I always wanted my own business and I've always like done entrepreneurial stuff even when I was a kid, like I bought, I made my parents actually, I don't even know how old I was like maybe 10 or 11, buy chips and soda and I would sell them to all the construction workers in my neighborhood. So always been a go getter.
But anyways, fast forward, I put myself through some medical school. I have a bachelor's in health science. I wanted to be a doctor at one point and then my life just kind of took me on this crazy journey. I ended up doing like ultrasound and then I got into medical sales and then I was helping consult for other plastics, germs and med spas and I've been in the aesthetic industry since like...
I don't know, 2012, and I just knew that I belonged here. I love this industry so much. I'm crazy passionate about people and I really just love helping people. And it's fun to help them in this industry because you see, it's very emotional for people sometimes when they come in here and they're looking for something. Sometimes they don't even know what they're looking for, but it's something, right? And then to be able to provide them with that result is...
is the best feeling. So I was actually boxing for like the last couple years and my trainer, I would always tell him like, I had all these dreams and I wanted to do this and I want a business. And finally he was just like, do it, like go get a business license. This is how you do it. And then start your business. And I was like, what?
So I literally did it that day. I got a business license. I figured out my name. My son's name is Grayson. And so I named it Grayesthetics after him. And yeah. And then I literally just started my business. Like I had no space yet. I had no clue what I was doing. I just had been in this industry for so long and I loved talking to all the patients and like.
Sarita (06:27.12)
I love it.
Shannon Hunter (06:38.894)
just helping them in before and afters. Like results is, I've always been results driven. I've been in sales my whole life. So obviously like results are number one. And so I knew that in my business, I wanted results to be number one. And then I just like had some couple of bumps on the way. I actually had a location before that turned out to be not our location, but it was a blessing in disguise. Cause now we have this beautiful location in Newport beach. And then yeah, we just.
We're here. It was a crazy journey.
Sarita (07:13.616)
Oh, that's so amazing. That's really neat. And I want to go back to what you were talking about with, well, I love the name. I didn't realize that. That's really cool that you named it after your son. So it's like honoring him. How old is he, by the way? Four? Oh my gosh, such a cute age. That's a great age.
Shannon Hunter (07:22.126)
Thank you. Yeah.
Yeah, he is four and a half. He's big too. He looks like he's probably five or six.
Sarita (07:37.904)
Oh, funny. I want to go back to what you were saying when you were commenting on how you really love the transformation and seeing the emotional result of somebody. I believe that I've had, yeah, I had somebody last year who was a nutrition coach and actually saw weight loss coach and things like that. And it was one of those things where you can actually visually see the thing. And so I've had other people,
Shannon Hunter (07:48.078)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Hunter (07:58.35)
Yeah.
Sarita (08:07.858)
on my program where they're like, where there may be like spiritual coaches and things like that. And so like you don't necessarily like visually like see, you can't take a picture, you know, before and after sometimes you can, but you know, and so the result is still the same because it's like you see the person as like a different. So what does it give you like as a provider to that? Like how does it like, what does it provide you to help?
Shannon Hunter (08:16.366)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sarita (08:37.778)
you keep going in when you see like a transformation like that in somebody.
Shannon Hunter (08:40.43)
Yeah, I think that in general, God kind of created us to be these like nurturers and giving back and you know, not necessarily with money, but with our time too, like just giving back, right? We were created to connect and give to people. So in my whole life, I've always felt the best being able to connect with someone and whether it's like the simplest advice like on diet and exercise or how to tie their shoe like
anything, it could be anything, even like when I used to drive around as a rep, I would always carry snacks and water in my car and just being able to give someone who had nothing water and something to eat, like that just always felt good. So when it came to my business, you know, results is a part of obviously what we do, but having that emotional connection with my clients and hearing their story and then being able to provide them with a result.
And then like seeing their face just so happy and sometimes emotional and then having them tell me like, you actually listened to me. Like you didn't try to oversell me. Like you paid attention to what I needed and then you just gave me exactly that. And even if I can't give you that, like I'm happy to refer you in the right direction. But I feel like that is really like what drives me, like makes me so happy. And it is why Gray Aesthetics is here today. My staff is all on the same page. We...
We care about everyone that walks in here, like all walks of life. We just really care about people and giving them the result that they're looking for. Even if it's just therapy.
Sarita (10:17.36)
I love that. I love that. And that's, you know, and I love that you are bringing that experience to people because...
for somebody that may be listening to this who doesn't live in like Southern California who is not like I mean we have a we have a different lifestyle here right we're very much into like nutrition and wellness and emotional well -being and all the things and when I go to other cities and other places it's like not the same and so when I know people have this vision or experience or like kind of this story in their head about what Southern California is they do
Shannon Hunter (10:34.286)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (10:44.366)
Mm -hmm.
Sarita (10:56.882)
And I've talked to people like this because I used to be one of those people I used to I grew up in the Midwest. I was like, oh, yeah, they're all
Shannon Hunter (10:57.294)
Yeah, me too, I know. Yeah.
Sarita (11:04.688)
Okay, so you know, so they have this like kind of story in their head that like Southern Californians are kind of like superficial and they're just like yogis and all into their own thing and right like they we just have we kind of have this image that is portrayed but in reality and so when I've like when I first stepped in like a medical spa or one of those a place an aesthetics place I had the conditioning or belief that it was gonna be like oh you're like a doctor's office basically.
Shannon Hunter (11:09.294)
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (11:31.63)
Yeah.
Sarita (11:34.642)
oh you're just a patient you're coming in you're just getting your treatment bye -bye you're just a number right and I think that's what I really love about even the medical profession in general people are starting to recognize that yeah there's a story behind the face and behind the body and behind like you know the the actual experience of the person and everybody does want to be listened to.
Shannon Hunter (11:37.262)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (11:47.278)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (11:55.662)
Yeah, absolutely. I think that's why people are moving towards like holistic doctors as opposed to the traditional medical doctors. You know, they have to and unfortunately like there's so many great MDs out there but they have to follow a regimen. They have to follow a protocol and that protocol doesn't fit the human being anymore. Like we don't want to be a number and stamped you're on your way. Like we are all different. There's no cookie cutter medication for everybody. Like there's no medical pathway for everybody.
And so I think it is great that more people are stepping out and going to these wellness centers and going to holistic doctors and people that have the time to sit there with them and just, you know, listen. And I feel like when people actually listen, some people might be coming in there for one thing, but they don't even need that. They need something else. And then if you're paying attention to that, they're like blown away, like, oh, wow, yeah, you're right. Like, I do need that. So I agree.
Sarita (12:50.864)
Yeah, just like what you were saying is like sometimes it's like a therapy session for the person, for the patient that just needs to come out and like unload a couple things that maybe they're going through at the moment.
Shannon Hunter (12:53.582)
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (13:01.87)
Yeah, my client literally today that I had right before you, she was so cute. She came in and she's like, wow, you know, I came in here for the skin tightening treatment, but I got a therapy session out of it. And that was like, that was better. Like, I'm like, me too. Like we have so much in common. And it was just, I was like, this is why I'm here. I love, I love all of it. It's so cool.
Sarita (13:25.328)
That's so beautiful. Yeah, I feel like that when I go get my hair done, like with my with my hairstylist, like it's so it's so fun to be able to have those connecting experiences. I believe that's really imperative. I mean, definitely with men, there's like work to be done in that area because they're not socially conditioned to like talk, talk, talk and hang out and do all like the things right with with women. Like it's just been part of our like innate culture for like, you know, since the dawn of time where we like need to connect, we need to.
Shannon Hunter (13:26.19)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (13:40.846)
Yeah.
Thanks.
Shannon Hunter (13:54.254)
Yeah.
Sarita (13:55.282)
have like community we need to have like those things and so it's like it fills up our soul it fills up my soul I should say from my own experience it fills up my soul every time I'm able to connect with somebody which is part of the reason why I do this podcast because it's like so fun to be able to have these moments and yeah it's just imperative.
Shannon Hunter (14:06.574)
Yeah, absolutely.
Shannon Hunter (14:12.974)
Yeah, that's actually one of my favorite things about my previous job when I was out in the field meeting all these doctors and working with all the med spas and derms and stuff like that. Like meeting them was 90 % of the fun part of my job. Like talking to them, listening to their story, how they built their business, how they went through the trials and errors and just having that connection with them. Like that was always like the best part. So then now that I'm here, it's still my favorite part. I actually did a personal,
Sarita (14:39.28)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (14:42.926)
There was like this personality test that I did, or actually not even, I guess it was a personality test, but it's called The Strength Binder 2 .0 and it's a book that you can buy. And then you take this like quick little quiz online and then it tells you like your five strengths. And one of my five strengths was relationship builder. And I was like, oh yeah, that makes sense.
Sarita (14:49.904)
Oh cool.
Sarita (15:04.24)
Love it. I love those resources that we have. There's so many like tests you can take like online. It's really neat. What was it called again?
Shannon Hunter (15:07.086)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (15:10.958)
It's called Strength Finder 2 .0. And it comes in a book. At the back of the book, there's like a little code and you enter it on the computer or you take the test on the computer and then it gives you the five strengths. And then the book has every strength in there and you just pick out your five and you read about it. So I read a lot of business books my whole life. I've always been interested in this field, but it's cool because in general, most people want to work on your weaknesses. Well, like if you're, if you suck, you don't want to feel like you suck all the time.
Sarita (15:16.656)
Strength Finder 2 .0.
Shannon Hunter (15:39.886)
So when you have this book, you're working on your strengths and then you build those up and whatever those strengths are, you should pursue. Not like it's nice to improve yourself and maybe you lack somewhere, but it was a blessing for me. And it was also a confident booster because I was a maximizer, which means I maximize my time really well. And I am, I'm an activator. So whenever I want to like figure something out or I want to do something like start this business, I'm an, I need to do it or it's gone.
And then my relationship builder, like I love building relationships. And then another one was like communicator and I don't even remember what the other one was, but it was nice because I was like, oh, I am all those things. And now that I can focus on that, I can find something that suits my lifestyle that will make me like improve instead of being like, man, I suck at this job. But.
Sarita (16:32.24)
Yeah.
I love that it's really, when you take those tests, it's like really reconfirming like, Oh yeah, I am a bad ass bitch. Like, I love it. Yeah. And in the, cause I've been in the personal development community for a little while now, spiritual community. And I like how it has been transitioning a little bit in that way where people are recognizing that focusing on your strengths is actually better because we've had this like old conditioning. I remember that.
Shannon Hunter (16:35.694)
Yeah. Yeah, I'm awesome.
Sarita (17:03.41)
as a kid growing up and sports coaches and things like that, it's like, you know, focus on your weaknesses and try to get those weaknesses strong and stuff. It was just the mentality of like, oh, your muscle is weak, so build it up, right? When in reality, yeah, everybody has certain gifts that it's like, take those gifts and run with it. And that's been my entrepreneurial journey when it comes to this podcast and other things that I've done where I've just been like,
Shannon Hunter (17:04.718)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (17:15.022)
Yeah.
Sarita (17:33.33)
okay like learning as I go and kind of figuring out okay all right this this is this is what I'm like good at this is what I am good at but I don't like doing and I can pay somebody else to do it yeah
Shannon Hunter (17:34.126)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (17:40.462)
Yeah.
Seriously, I'm like admin work.
Sarita (17:48.943)
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, it's definitely a trial and error, which is actually segues into my next question. You were saying how you were taking boxing, by the way, that's awesome. Like boxing is such a great like, you know, outlet and that your boxing coach was like telling you to get, you know, the LLCs you can like, you know, and you were like, oh, I'm just going to make this happen like today, which is amazing.
Shannon Hunter (17:58.542)
Thank you. Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (18:08.718)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Hunter (18:12.654)
Yeah, yeah, it was crazy. So he's kind of in like a similar position. So he was a boxing trainer for years. And then he had an idea, him and his partner had an idea to open up this place called Box House and build this community of boxing and not probably traditional boxing, but to make it so everyone felt comfortable and safe going in there. And it wasn't like a sweaty gym. It was this very chic, cute boxing gym. So like all the Newport moms go there.
Sarita (18:18.896)
So cool, eh?
Shannon Hunter (18:41.806)
And you go there and it's such a beautiful community. Everybody who was like looking for friends or looking for that outlet or just wanted to like kick some ass or like sweat, like whatever your thing was that you went in there, they ended up like building a whole motherhood of friends and like all kinds of stuff. It was really cool. But so he started from, you know, just being a single trainer to building this beautiful gym. And now they're franchising it.
and it's called Box House, it started in Newport Beach, but he was my trainer before he started that, so I got to see him block them, and him and his partner, they just took the leap of faith, you know? Like, it's true, you'll never get anywhere unless you really try and you take that leap, and until you take the leap, you have no idea what life is gonna hand you, like, I had no clue what the F I was doing, like, I cry every day for two years!
Sarita (19:14.32)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (19:36.851)
building my business and trying to figure out all this shit. And like, I'm lucky that I had the support system. Like my fiance is, he is so amazing. I literally wouldn't be here without him. And then I have a consultant who like holds my hand and helps me with operations because I feel like I'm really good at relationships and I know how to like, I guess, sell in a way, but running a business, like I never ran a business. I don't know how to like hire people. I just like, oh, I really like.
Sarita (19:39.856)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (20:06.642)
I feel like you would fit in here. So having that support system and stuff and like putting the things in place is really crucial, but you just got to take that leap. And it started with me boxing. Okay. That's funny. I was like, maybe she forgot to ask it.
Sarita (20:20.24)
Oh yeah. That's so cool. What a cool story. You actually answered my question. That's hilarious. So the one that I was going to ask you, but no, what it.
No, that's exactly the question I was going to kind of go forward with. But yeah, such an innovative idea about like the boxing thing and seeing you were able to see like him grow. And I'm sure he's been able to see you grow. And what's coming to mind with like the entrepreneurial experience and it's not it's not my own original like thought or idea, but it's like building the plane as you fly. Like just it really is you're just really figuring like shit out as like as you go. And and you're right. Like it's a very.
Shannon Hunter (20:51.442)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Hunter (20:56.722)
Yeah.
Sarita (21:01.614)
It can be a very tumultuous journey, but it's also a very rewarding journey in itself. I was posting about that just recently in my stories where I was like, I have never been pushed so hard than I have in the last three years of my life. Just going through not only my healing, but just kind of figuring out my identity with this podcast. And then I've done some coaching as well and what that all means and having it all come together.
Shannon Hunter (21:12.786)
Oh, I know.
Yeah.
Sarita (21:31.534)
and we've been socialized to believe like we need to be in like a certain box especially as a woman like it has to be look like this like my business needs to look like is there's such if you think about it business is a very like kind of it is a very masculine idea like
Shannon Hunter (21:34.386)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (21:44.818)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sarita (21:48.428)
a business endeavor. I mean, like businesses, I mean, they've been around for centuries, but they've been very like, it's been very like a masculine approach. And I think just recently within the last couple of decades, honestly, like women have not only become business owners, but just like push the boundaries of like, okay, what does it mean to be a business owner? Just because my male counterpart does it this way doesn't mean like I need to have that same exact structure.
Shannon Hunter (22:15.122)
Mm -hmm. Yeah, absolutely. I think sometimes it's a little bit easy I don't want to say easier for men but it comes more naturally because they're such power drivers and not all women are like we're more nurturers so it's I feel like for me it's finding that balance to like be a power driver but still have my like ethics and morals not that they don't but like
Sarita (22:18.382)
you
Shannon Hunter (22:37.266)
You know, it's a hard, it's very hard running a business and making tough decisions and hurting people's feelings even though you don't want to. Like you wear all these hats as a woman and a mother anyways, and then you get a business in the mix and you're like, oh, this is me. This is the new me. Yeah.
Sarita (22:54.38)
I know how much more of this, right?
Right. Which goes back to like what I was saying about the belief that it not only needs to look a certain way that we need to put ourselves in these box. I think I don't know if you have read Marie Forleo. I think that's how you pronounce it. She did the figure out a book. I forgot what it was called, but really good. But one of the things that she was like saying in her book was how she's like a multifaceted entrepreneur and that she has like her
Shannon Hunter (23:17.778)
Okay.
Sarita (23:30.542)
dance background and she's got like business background and she or not even business sorry like dance background and some other backgrounds and she just kind of went with things and like ran with it and she was like how does my dance like incorporate into like all the things that I am right in the structure and I was having this conversation with one of my friends who's like she's an interior designer she has like a real estate license she's also like wellness consultant she does all these things loves feng shui and she's just like
Shannon Hunter (23:41.17)
Yeah.
Sarita (24:00.462)
I've been conditioned to think like all these things are separate, but it makes like it comes all together in me uniquely, you know? So it's like, you can make like the belief that your business or who you are, you're like all over the place. Oh my God, she's a scatterbrain. Like she's all over. Like what does she stand for? I stand for me. Like, you know? Yeah, yeah.
Shannon Hunter (24:03.73)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (24:15.026)
Yeah, exactly. Try living a day in our life. It's hard. People, you know, my whole life have always been like, oh, you're so lucky. You're so thin or you're so fit or you're so lucky. You're this or your skin is so perfect. You're so lucky. Like, I am literally not lucky. If you knew what my childhood was like or growing up and like I moved to California when I was 21, 22 years old with literally $300 to my name.
and my car packed full of my clothes and my dog. Like, I had no idea where I was going. And then I worked out every single day of my adult life to get a fit body. And then my skin is a lot of work too. Like, I know I'm maybe lucky because now I own a spa and I don't have to pay as much to do this to my skin, but I still have to pay to do this to my skin. Like, I'm still like habitual about my skincare. I still do microneedling religiously, like.
I'm obsessed with our tri -lifts. I actually don't even get fillers because I have tri -lifts. So like all of the stuff that everybody goes through that thinks that we're lucky and not just us, but even people in general, like it's not luck, it's hard work and in his blood, sweat and tears. And like to get there, if you can put in the work, like anybody can get there. And like how you were saying with your friend who, you know, was had a dance background and now she's an entrepreneur, like,
I've seen literally strippers and drug dealers give up their crazy life and start crazy successful businesses. But it's because that's they were a hustler then and now they're a hustler with the business that they're doing now. So it's like anybody could really do it. They just have to put in the work for it. And I didn't realize how hard it was going to be. Like I knew it was going to be hard, but this is definitely the hardest thing next to having a baby.
that I've ever done, but it's also the most rewarding and I literally wouldn't change it for the world. And even if I don't think I'll fail, but even if that happened, like I would get back up and do it again a hundred times.
Shannon Hunter (26:16.69)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sarita (26:17.74)
I love that perseverance. That's so true. That is so true. It like really does condition you to become like a better version of yourself. Definitely. Yeah. Our stories are so slimmer. What a trip. Okay. So you said Ohio. Is that where you're from? Idaho. Okay. Oh girl.
Shannon Hunter (26:23.506)
Yeah, absolutely.
No.
Idaho. Yeah. Uh huh. Idaho. Cold.
Sarita (26:38.124)
So I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and that's so interesting because at 22, I threw everything in my car and I only knew like one person when I moved out here. It was one of my friends from college and she just on the fly because I had a job kind of lined up in Texas because I thought that's where I was going to move. And then her family was like, had said, hey, like we're they're moving to they're moving from Tulsa over to San Diego.
Shannon Hunter (26:46.93)
Mm -hmm.
Sarita (27:08.078)
and she was like, hey, why don't you come and hang out for a summer in San Diego, maybe you'll fall in love with it, whatever, you know? And I was like, sure, okay, let me do that. So I threw everything in my car that I thought I needed for a good three months, which wasn't a lot. I threw everything in my car and took a couple days and I drove out here, literally fell in love with it as I drove into San Diego. It's so gorgeous and I was like,
Shannon Hunter (27:12.306)
Yeah, that's where I moved to.
Shannon Hunter (27:30.226)
Oh, I know it's so pretty.
Sarita (27:37.9)
Yeah, within, I mean, because I didn't get a job until maybe like a couple months in, so I was like laying on the beach and I was like, this is the lifestyle. Everybody just lays on the beach all day. The California dream. That's not reality. But I mean, granted the beach is in like a five minute walking distance for me, like it's, I love it and I do live kind of the California dream in essence. But yeah, I fell in love with it. So I feel you right there about like, and I same thing.
Shannon Hunter (27:39.954)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (27:43.954)
A California dream!
Sarita (28:07.854)
didn't have a lot of money and it was just like navigating a new place like not knowing where I was going and trial and error like a bunch of different things. So yeah.
Shannon Hunter (28:11.25)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (28:15.826)
That's literally my first spot when I moved back down. Well, so my family's all from here. I grew up, I lived here until I was like first or second grade and then we moved up to Idaho. But when I moved back down here, it was San Diego also and I loved it so much that I was like, I'm gonna do whatever it takes to stay here. And luckily I still have family down here because my amazing cousin Jennifer allowed me to live with her for a couple of months.
I had a place in San Diego, it fell through and then so I was lucky enough to stay with her for a couple months till I got back on my feet. But it's crazy because I literally came here with nothing, with no idea what I was doing, put myself through college, did all this stuff and now fast forward all these years later, I'm a business owner and I'm like, I trip out sometimes because life is just, I'm actually lacking on Monday because I'm getting ready to sell my house and I never thought that I would sell this house.
my first house and I wanted to gift it to my son but it's very true when they say God has a plan for you because you can't always make all the plans that you want to make and then you know that's just life and so I laughed about it after I cried and I'm like you're right God like I just gotta like go with the flow but what a blessing that I even have a house to sell so I look at it that way but life is crazy.
Sarita (29:11.66)
Wow.
Sarita (29:36.46)
Yeah, it is. And I love how the reframe of it, that's something that I have been conditioning myself to just kind of like do that when I when I think of something we can think of something in like a scarcity mindset or reverse it for an abundance. Like, I got to do this. But I'm like, oh, I'm grateful that I like, especially when I get under the weather or something and I'm like, oh, my God, it just like throws a monkey wrench and like all my plans and blah, blah, blah. And but then I think I flip it and I'm like, you know what, I'm grateful.
Shannon Hunter (29:49.426)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (29:54.514)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (29:59.378)
Yeah.
Sarita (30:06.414)
that like I can actually have time to rest and that I don't have like all the responsibilities that you know maybe I had before or whatever like my life is a little bit more of ease so like I can actually take time to rest like things like that just to be able to have that comfort to help yourself feel a little bit better so yeah love it.
Shannon Hunter (30:07.122)
Yes.
Shannon Hunter (30:11.218)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Hunter (30:16.722)
Thank you.
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (30:25.234)
Yeah, I agree. It's definitely how you look at things, I think in general. You can look at the crappy things that are thrown at you or you can look at like how normally I feel like I'm 37 now. Every time I've had something horrific happen in my life, other than like awful trauma, like it's always been a blessing in disguise. Like even me going through my divorce two months pregnant, like what a blessing in disguise that I'm not stuck with that.
person miserable, probably both of us for however long and then my son is seeing a horrific relationship. And now fast forward, we co -parent really well. It just, we weren't good for each other. So there's always a silver lining, I think. And it really is important like perception and like how you think of it. Cause if you focus on the bad, you're going to get bad. And if you focus on the good, like really it will start to feel good. You'll be like, man, that sucks. But like it's, it is what it is.
Sarita (31:23.756)
Yeah, I feel like that's kind of a good interpretation for at least me. This is what I see as like maybe abundant living is being able to see the benefit and how it like how the universe, how God, how higher power is working in your favor like all the time. Like has I truly believe that now actually. So for me, like I grew up in a very like Christian household and then I deterred from it when I got out here to
Shannon Hunter (31:37.426)
Mm -hmm.
Yeah.
Sarita (31:53.71)
California and I just been and then I got back into it again Circumstances that had me like go back to the back to church and things like that and then like I retracted from that for a little while and then So I actually went to church on Easter for the first time in like forever forever And it was like it was just really it was really magnificent being with other people that were you know worshipping and like being in this like place where it was We're just like out of vibration
Shannon Hunter (32:08.402)
No, I didn't. Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (32:16.018)
Yeah.
Sarita (32:23.63)
Like I use a lot of woo words because like that's my approach. But it was just really amazing being around people that were like...
just feeling like spirit, right? Just feeling the spirit, feeling whatever spirit it is you want to call it, like feeling the spirit. And so it was very uplifting. And then I was just kind of like, you know what, Sarita, like this is this is an abundant experience because you are sitting in like a huge auditorium with a lot of other people that are just having a uplifting, like vibrational experience, right? And you don't like I don't need to be so detached from it because I was like, this is what I needed. So I was like,
Shannon Hunter (32:34.546)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (32:42.29)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (32:52.594)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (33:00.53)
But even if you're not going to church every Sunday, it doesn't mean that you're not doing things or that you don't have a relationship with God or you're not a Christian or you're not Muslim or you're not whatever you are, you know, like it doesn't mean that you're not there. You have that relationship with the higher power. I think it's kind of unfair when people are like, well, what church do you go to? Or like, when do you go to church? And for me, we go every Sunday, but that doesn't make me like, that's not my relationship. Like that's not who we are. Like there's so many things I'm.
Sarita (33:02.126)
really beautiful so like
Sarita (33:08.716)
Right?
Shannon Hunter (33:29.554)
I'm praying and I'm meditating and I'm praying with my son at night and I'm doing all those steps so like I understand I feel sometimes I detach from it too and I have this like emptiness in me but at the end of the day it doesn't mean that like you're any different or your relationship wasn't there.
Sarita (33:49.516)
Yeah, no, I agree. And I've had like, I've had a...
relationship with a higher power for a long time but it was refreshing to like actually have that experience with like other people as well because it was like okay i haven't had that other than in like women's circles or when i'm like meditating in or having a breath work class or in a yoga class and things like that so it was like it's really amazing how you can find that like abundance literally like everywhere right like i love it love it love it
Shannon Hunter (33:57.522)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (34:16.53)
Absolutely. It's cool walking into a room being like, oh, I feel it.
Sarita (34:23.885)
Yeah, yeah, it was very, very powerful and it was exactly what I needed for like the day. So it was really cool. I want to go back to something that you were saying that I think is, um, uh,
really important for people to understand where it's like you were saying how some people were seeing you and being like, oh, it just comes easily for her. Like that she's had an easy life. And I found myself, especially, oh my goodness, social media does this. And I fall in a social media trap all the time. I will see somebody, an influencer, somebody that's doing really well in their business or in life or whatever and just be like, oh, they have it so much easier, blah, blah, blah. You don't know.
Shannon Hunter (34:43.89)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Hunter (35:04.05)
Yeah.
Sarita (35:04.846)
the story behind the picture, you don't know the story behind the reel or the TikTok, all the things. And I really like what you said where it was like, like you put in like energy and effort into the things that are like really important to you. And what I was hearing when like you were talking about it, what I was hearing was like, okay, when you are committed to like yourself and you're committed to like your self love, your self care, your like wellness and all the things, right? Those things like the working out,
Shannon Hunter (35:33.426)
Mm -hmm.
Sarita (35:34.766)
and taking care of your skin and like the the hydration and like the meditation all those things they become second nature right because it's like they're almost like a I don't want to say no -brainer what is it what's the word I'm looking for like a non -negotiable basically.
Shannon Hunter (35:39.378)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (35:47.858)
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, definitely comes part of like your daily habits. But sometimes I fall apart. Sometimes I don't do my self care. Sometimes like right now I'm probably the chubbiest I've ever been. Going to the gym is...
Sarita (36:07.18)
Don't say that. By the way, she looked amazing, y 'all. She is amazing, and you look amazing right now, but you look extra stellar in that beautiful dress you're wearing, and you're in your high heels, and you're giving services. I was like, wow, what a badass. You weren't in scrubs, you were like, too big.
Shannon Hunter (36:07.954)
I'll take it.
Shannon Hunter (36:14.802)
Oh, thank you.
Shannon Hunter (36:21.746)
My feet hurt so bad, they still hurt for like since Friday.
What?
Sarita (36:29.708)
I bet, yeah. Tell us a little bit about that because I had the pleasure of observing one of the treatments that was at the expo. It was really cool. I actually saw one of the women like laying down and she was getting like this facial treatment that was with I'm guessing like a like face tightener. I'm not sure but tell me a little bit more about like your just a couple of your favorite services especially that one because I would you know.
Shannon Hunter (36:34.322)
Thank you.
Shannon Hunter (36:47.131)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (36:53.051)
Yeah, yeah, that one's super cool. So that one's called Trilife by Luminous and that one is like our bread and butter here. Like it's our favorite treatment and we were the first and only in Orange County for probably a year and a half and now a couple other people have the device, which is super exciting. It's been out for a little over two years and we've had it for about that long.
What it is, it's radio frequency, muscle stimulation, and RF microneedling. And so all three of those paired together are like FTA cleared as a non -surgical facelift. So lots of skin tightening, lots of lifting. As you saw that girl that was laying down, we were doing muscle stimulation. So it kind of re -plumps up the cheekbones. We divide the jawline, and then that does a little bit of a lift. And then the radio frequency is like significant skin tightening. When you do the neck area, we can shrink fat cells, which is really cool. So you get like...
no more turkey neck they call it. You can do it on the body. We have really cool body contouring for it. It helps a little bit with cellulite on the legs. You can literally do anything with it, which is why it's my favorite device in here. And then we also have hydrofacial and peptides for wellness. We have hormone therapy. We test everybody for nutrition, hormones, vitamin deficiency.
food sensitivities, we can do all that stuff also. And then we do have like a more holistic approach. Like there's a lot of treatments in this office that we won't do just because for one, like we don't believe in it, but also I think that there's better non -invasive options. And so that's kind of like what we're about. And we believe on healing people from the inside out and beauty does come with it. And like if you're dieting and exercising and keeping hydrated, your skin is going to reflect that, right? So we try to.
you know, do meal plans and stuff like that. Like we really have like a full rounded approach to it. And then, yeah, so the, the trial is super exciting and that's what you got to witness. And it's kind of cool because you get an instant lift right away or you get instant skin tightening. One session is not going to be like the above all, but we recommend at least doing five treatments of that, but it's a really cool device. And the fact that,
Shannon Hunter (39:08.507)
This world today is all about instant gratification. So that kind of provides it, but then it provides the long -term gratification. It's really good for preventative and rejuvenating. So it's amazing.
Sarita (39:24.268)
I love it. Yeah, it looked super, it looks actually really relaxing when, when she was laying there, she was like, oh, like all it just in, in Zen mode. I thought it was really neat. And I love that. I love having those resources available. And I love that those resources, like communities and locations, like what you're doing is you're providing that experience for people, but that it's also so much more in plenty now. Like you were saying, like,
Shannon Hunter (39:25.403)
Yeah, it is actually.
Shannon Hunter (39:29.915)
Yeah, you're like, this is like a massage.
Shannon Hunter (39:50.619)
Mm -hmm.
Sarita (39:54.222)
you're the first one and now there's like a couple other spas that have like the same thing and so it's become like it's become more I don't want to say mainstream but I want to say accessible yeah recognize and accessible to people and people are understanding the
Shannon Hunter (39:55.355)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (40:00.923)
Yeah.
Sarita (40:11.372)
the importance of it as well, like taking care of, yes, I love that beauty comes from within, but also it does take like energy and effort to do that, right? So I love the experiences that are available for people now. There's so many, like more of them. So that's like really exciting.
Shannon Hunter (40:16.027)
Yeah. Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (40:26.011)
Yeah, and I think a lot of people, especially like the people that we see, they come in here and they're like, I don't want surgery. Like I want a facelift, but I don't want to go through the knife, you know? So it's so cool that our industry has so many different non -invasive options now. Like before it was just nip and tuck and like send you on your way. Now we have so many things to rejuvenate your skin or lift your face or tighten your muscles or build muscles even. It's super cool. So yeah, it's exciting.
Sarita (40:38.636)
Yeah, I don't wanna, yeah.
Sarita (40:58.572)
Yeah, which also I'm thinking as well is like when the old...
Shannon Hunter (41:02.427)
Thank you.
Sarita (41:03.18)
way of doing it like the nip and tuck you did feel more like a number patient like you're in and you're out whereas like you are like you're seeing somebody like over and over again so yeah you're not getting the instant gratification but you're getting the long -term results and like the long term but also for like your own mental wellness too because you get to like be with the same people the same consultation like the same consultor and like seeing people that are going to be like part of like a little like community that you've built people that are regular.
Shannon Hunter (41:19.515)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (41:23.675)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (41:29.467)
Yeah, absolutely.
Sarita (41:33.134)
and things like that so it's it is like people do pay for experiences like that's like the way of the thinking now I believe like people are paying for the actual experience versus like and then the actual like procedure or whatever it is like you know for me like a yoga class or something like that the the experience like the
Shannon Hunter (41:36.443)
Yeah.
Sarita (41:57.324)
Icing on the cake in other words is like, oh, like I'm getting a little bit more fit, right, when I do my yoga class. But like I'm paying for the actual experience of having like a yoga class with other people and during breath work and stuff like that. So yeah.
Shannon Hunter (41:58.843)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (42:02.619)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (42:07.323)
Yeah, absolutely. I agree. And I feel like our society is very much like machines now are built to be in that experience. Like look at Instagram. You can't even have a life that is exciting if you're not competing with these craziness on Instagram. Like it's definitely a different time in our world. And a lot of people were like on Zoom meetings and stuff like that. So I think that people definitely look at things a little bit differently and everything's a little more elaborate than it used to be.
Which also is kind of a curse, I would say, but I mean, for us, we just try to make you your best version of your best self. And I think that everybody is beautiful and that we don't need Instagram to tell us what we look like. That's why we're not very plasticky and overfilled and stuff here. We don't specialize in that. Other people do and they do great. And some people look amazing that way. It's just not what we do. But yeah, I think that it's just like...
Sarita (42:53.707)
you.
Shannon Hunter (43:03.378)
you know, knowing yourself, loving yourself. And it's cool that we have these experiences. Like, I like going to the cute, bougie, chic things, like, but I also like to just be casual and not have to get dressed to the nines. Like, I don't want to wear heels 24 seven. I'm very simple, I think. And going to these events is so fun, but it's also like a lot of anxiety trying to prepare for them and like be looking your best and everybody's looking at you when you're like, hi. But yeah.
Sarita (43:08.907)
Yes.
Sarita (43:21.259)
No.
Shannon Hunter (43:32.946)
Yeah, but I've not always been like super raw and I've never really cared what people think about me. I mean, I care about my reputation, but I've never been like, oh my gosh, they don't like me. I'm like, okay, like I don't even know you. Yeah.
Sarita (43:33.739)
Yeah, on display.
Sarita (43:49.643)
Yeah, moving on. Yeah.
Yeah, no, I love that. And you, I mean, you wouldn't have been a guest on my podcast if you were like a nip and tuck type of person anyways. Like, so like I like this whole podcast, I call it a wellness and healing podcast. So it's like anything wellness, we're talking about physical wellness, emotional wellness, spiritual wellness, wealth wellness. Like we're talking about all the things and healing is a big part of the journey of what we were told to be to like what we really are claiming to be as like, you know, especially as women.
Shannon Hunter (43:55.89)
Thank you. Appreciate that.
Shannon Hunter (44:05.362)
Yeah.
Shannon Hunter (44:18.514)
Yeah.
Sarita (44:22.573)
And so yes, everything wellness and healing on this podcast. So it's like perfect that you're you're a guest on this so You're welcome so um kind of going back to the whole like abundance thing and I know we had talked about this before like you pray with your son I think that's so amazing that you're like getting him to recognize the importance of having a relationship with a higher entity and all that and then how like how has abundance
Shannon Hunter (44:24.146)
Love it.
Yeah, thank you.
Sarita (44:52.493)
And you kind of talked about this a little bit, but in your business, in your life, in your relationships, how has abundance showed up for you? And what does it mean to you? And there's no wrong answer, obviously.
Shannon Hunter (45:03.698)
I know it's funny because before this I was like hmm what does it mean like it's hard sometimes when someone asks you what something means because you know what it means but to verbalize it is a different thing but yeah.
Sarita (45:18.091)
How does it feel to you? I mean even if you want to go into like the feeling how does abundance feel to you?
Shannon Hunter (45:20.818)
Yeah, it feels like emotional, amazing, like all the feels, all the vibes. For me, I feel like abundance is, we're always putting in, and I teach my son, like before we go to bed, like you said, like we pray and we always say what we're thankful for. And I think gratitude is like huge part of abundance for me anyways. So I...
have all these goals. I've been goal oriented my whole life because I've been in sales and that's like what they train us to be like. But just I think naturally I'm like that too. Like if I don't have a goal that I'm working towards, I don't feel like I'm really relevant. So maybe not relevant, but like I don't feel like secure, I guess. So anyways, for us or for me, I love giving thanks for everything, whether it's like a coffee that I was able to get today or like.
Sarita (45:48.363)
Yes.
Shannon Hunter (46:14.034)
man I got like five patients today or they really opened up to me or we hit ourselves goal and then you know in my personal life like I always want a healthy relationship for my son for me and his father for me and my fiance for him and his ex -wife like I just am so big on doing that so I feel like putting out all these goals or you know asking what abundance you want to
calm, like putting that in the air and praying it to God. Like, I feel like that is like kind of the abundance that I'm trying to receive. And then to solidify it, I feel like giving thanks for every little thing.
Sarita (49:03.582)
Thank you guys.
Sarita (49:15.998)
What is going on? The computer is like... oops.
