SPA HIVE

Still figuring out what to sell this holiday season? Julie Pankey and MaryAnn Sessine share how small business owners can turn a best seller into a gift people are excited to give, add perks to gift cards, and make holiday shopping easier for their customers. They pull from real spa examples you can adapt whether you sell products, services, or experiences.

Is fear holding you back? Julie and MaryAnn get honest about aging, imposter syndrome, fear of judgment, and starting over, with hilarious detours into mice, Sasquatch, and childhood Santa encounters. This Halloween episode of SpaHive Podcast explores stepping outside your comfort zone and doing things scared. Plus, download the free SCORE Goal Planner in the show notes and build your own game pla...

Great marketing gets attention. What happens next determines whether customers buy and come back. Julie and MaryAnn unpack what actually makes us spend, why complicated online booking loses business, and how customer service can turn an exciting purchase into a lasting disappointment. From shopping carts to spa appointments, this holiday sales think tank comes with one challenge: be your own custo...

Can you be ambitious and still want a slower life? Julie Pankey and MaryAnn Sessine unpack slow living, work life balance, and the pressure to make success look effortless. From cozy morning routines to the real tradeoffs of growing a business, they explore time freedom, flexibility, and choosing opportunities that fit your season of life. Plus, Julie shares why getting fired from a law firm turne...

Tired of being told to take the high road? Julie and MaryAnn unpack people pleasing, setting boundaries, and the uncomfortable difference between keeping the peace and avoiding conflict. From workplace tension to friendships and family drama, they explore how to speak up without being cruel and stop confusing kindness with putting up with everything. Plus, download the free SCORE Goal Planner in t...

:Overthinking your social media posts, sitting through endless meetings, or spending longer choosing a show than watching it? Julie Pankey and MaryAnn Sessine unpack how perfectionism and decision fatigue make business and everyday life harder than necessary. From small business marketing to the nightly dinner debate, this SpaHive Podcast episode asks: What would the easiest version look like? Plu...

You have three months left in the year. So what are you actually going to do with them? Last week, Julie and MaryAnn looked back at the goals they made in January. This week, they’re taking the ones that still matter and figuring out how to actually make them happen before December 31. Enter: the Q4 Hail Mary. Julie brings one of the goals she’s been talking about for years: finally doing somethin...

What happened to all those goals you were SO sure about back in January? September has a funny way of making you look at the person you thought you were going to be this year versus the person you actually became. This week on SpaHive Podcast: Business + Life Unfiltered, Julie and MaryAnn are checking back in on their 2026 goals. The ones they accomplished, the ones they’re still chasing, the ones...

September has that back to business energy. New routines, new planners, new goals, new motivation…but what about the things we need to STOP doing? This week on SpaHive, Julie and MaryAnn are talking about the work habits they’re leaving behind this fall: multitasking, rescuing everyone, reminding grown adults about their deadlines, letting one email or text hijack the entire day, and taking owners...

Is September actually a better time to reset your life and goals than January? This week on the SpaHive Podcast, Julie and MaryAnn are officially entering September… although they definitely do not agree on whether summer is actually over. They’re giving summer a report card, sharing their best decisions and most ridiculous moments, debating early sunsets, talking planners, Tai Chi walking, cottag...

What are you ready to stop feeling guilty about? In this episode of the SpaHive Podcast, Julie Pankey and MaryAnn get honest about guilt, work life balance, leadership, boundaries, self care and the pressure to do everything the “right” way. Recording separately and answering the same three questions, they share the things they officially refuse to feel guilty about anymore, from paying for conven...

Would you rather have twice the revenue or work half the hours? In this episode of the SpaHive Podcast, we explore decision making in business, entrepreneurship, and everyday life through a fast-paced game of Would You Rather. From spa ownership and team building to time management, revenue growth, and work-life balance, we challenge each other to choose between the trade-offs that every business...

Why can we make some of life's biggest decisions in minutes...but spend 45 minutes deciding where to eat? This week on the SpaHive Podcast, Julie and MaryAnn are talking decision making: the things they decide instantly, the ridiculously small choices they overthink, gut instinct vs. research, decision fatigue, and why having MORE options may actually make it harder to choose. Plus, Julie and Mary...

Wellness trends are everywhere...but are they actually making life better? Julie and MaryAnn continue their conversation from last week's episode by diving into some of today's biggest viral trends, including Social Wellness, 90s Summer, Sardine Girl Summer and BookTok. Together they explore which trends deserve the hype, which ones they're skeptical of, and why sometimes the best ideas aren't new...

Every week there's another beauty, wellness, or lifestyle trend taking over social media... but are any of them actually worth trying? In this fun episode of SpaHive, Julie Pankey and MaryAnn rate today's biggest viral trends using one simple system: Buy It, Borrow It, or Leave It. From Glass Skin facials and Fisherman Aesthetic fashion to Bed Rotting, eco friendly salon hair recycling, and some v...

The days are long... but somehow summer still flies by. This week on the SpaHive Podcast, Julie and MaryAnn are checking in halfway through summer and asking a simple question: Are you tired... or fulfilled? From spontaneous adventures and sunrise hikes to pumpkin spice debates and boat trips, the conversation explores why some days leave us energized while others leave us completely drained. They...

In this rapid fire episode, Julie Pankey answers real world leadership questions on communication, feedback, team culture, trust, accountability, and managing employees. From handling difficult conversations to avoiding micromanagement, you'll walk away with practical leadership strategies you can apply immediately. Whether you're a spa owner, manager, entrepreneur, or team leader, this episode is...

Are you leading your team...or accidentally becoming the bottleneck? Many business owners and managers believe being the person everyone depends on is a sign of great leadership. But what if it's actually holding your team and your business back? In this episode of SpaHive Business + Life Unfiltered, Julie Pankey and MaryAnn explore why the best leaders make themselves less needed by building conf...

:Last week, we bought your spa. This week... we're buying into your leadership. Every business eventually reflects its leader. If your team depends on you for every decision, problems keep resurfacing, or you constantly feel overwhelmed, this episode is for you. Julie Pankey and MaryAnn continue their leadership series with a practical leadership audit designed for spa owners, entrepreneurs, and m...

n this episode of SpaHive Podcast, Julie Pankey and MaryAnn walk through the exact process they'd use to evaluate a spa from the moment they pull into the parking lot. From curb appeal and client experience to team culture, retention, operations, and profitability, they're sharing the hidden signs that separate thriving spas from struggling ones. Whether you're an independent esthetician, spa owne...

This month for SpaHive Book Club, we read You Deserve To Know by Aggie Thompson and let's just say... Julie and MaryAnn had very different reactions. From shocking plot twists and suburban secrets to unreliable narrators and friendship dynamics, we're unpacking everything that kept us turning pages. Did the ending work? Did we see the twists coming? And did we actually read the same book? Spoiler...

Feeling busy but not fulfilled? Julie and MaryAnn explore the 3 simple things that make life feel bigger: new experiences, creativity, and real human connection. A thoughtful conversation about happiness, presence, and creating a life you'll actually remember.   Don't Forget to join the Spa Hive Book Club- pick up your copy of our latest pick! https://a.co/d/03DK9zR6

This week, Julie and MaryAnn explore whether modern life, constant scrolling, AI, content creation, and convenience culture are making us less curious, less creative, and more disconnected from the experiences that spark innovation and joy.   Check out the Spring Spa hive Book Club Pick - https://amzn.to/4ob8EeS

Would YOU book your own business right now? In this episode, Julie and MaryAnn walk through a simple 5-step online presence audit to help business owners identify the hidden website, branding, social media, and AI-related mistakes that may be costing them clients. Learn how to build trust, improve your digital first impression, and create an online presence that actually reflects the experience yo...

Are Millennials really too emotional… or did Gen X just teach everyone to “tough it out”? In this hilarious and surprisingly relatable episode, Julie and MaryAnn unpack the real differences between Gen X and Millennials—from burnout, parenting, and workplace culture to trauma talk, email etiquette, wellness trends, and why everyone suddenly has an Oura Ring.