What if confidence isn’t something you’re born with — but something you earn through the hardest seasons of your life?
In this powerful episode of Her Unshakeable Confidence, Simone and Olivia sit down with Emily Kendel — aesthetic business coach, founder of Spa Project, and former celebrity makeup artist. They unpack her extraordinary journey from growing up in poverty to building and selling a successful med spa.
Emily opens up about breaking generational cycles, navigating two divorces, raising five children, and facing her youngest daughter’s devastating prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida. Additionally, she shares how faith, curiosity, resilience, and taking action — even when she didn’t feel ready — shaped the confident woman and business leader she is today.
They also dive into the realities of running a med spa, the chaos of wearing every hat as a business owner, and why most entrepreneurs struggle. Often, it is not because they lack talent — but because they lack systems.
If you’ve ever questioned your identity, struggled to balance ambition and motherhood, or felt like you had to be confident before taking the leap — this episode will remind you that confidence is the reward for courage.
✅ Actionable Takeaways
Confidence Is a Result, Not a Requirement:
You don’t need confidence to start — you gain confidence by taking action through difficult moments.
Focus Before You Expand:
In business, more services don’t equal more success. Master your fundamentals before scaling.
Know Your Numbers:
Revenue means nothing without profit. Understanding cash flow, pricing, and expenses is critical to sustainability.
Systems Create Freedom:
If you want to scale or build a team, every step of your client experience must be documented and repeatable.
Align with Your Values:
When your decisions reflect your core values — in motherhood, marriage, and business — peace and clarity follow.
Your Kids Are Only Little Once:
Ambition matters, but presence matters too. Build a life you won’t regret looking back on.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 — Introduction
02:10 — Growing Up Poor & Finding Identity Through Looks
07:45 — From Aesthetician to Celebrity Makeup Artist
15:02 — Breaking Cycles & Becoming a Young Single Mom
20:10 — A Prenatal Diagnosis & Open Fetal Surgery
27:35 — Losing Identity in Motherhood
32:40 — The Chaos of Running a Med Spa
42:50 — Why Systems Matter in Service Businesses
43:07 — What Confidence Really Means
44:38 — The Best Advice Emily Ever Received
✨ About Emily Kendel
Emily Kendel is a highly experienced aesthetic business coach, consultant, speaker, and founder of Spa Project — an aesthetics training program and community for med spa owners.
With over two decades in the beauty industry, Emily began as a licensed aesthetician before becoming a celebrity makeup artist for television and film. She worked with high-profile talent including Morgan Freeman.
After building and scaling her own med spa from the ground up, Emily discovered her true passion. She now helps service-provider-owned medical spas make strategic decisions, understand their numbers, implement systems, and build profitable, sustainable businesses.
Her work now focuses on guiding overwhelmed med spa owners through three core phases — mastering operations and finances, strengthening sales and communication, and scaling through strategic marketing.
Beyond business, Emily is a mother of five who believes curiosity, faith, and courageous action are the true foundations of unshakeable confidence.
Connect with Emily Kendel:
Facebook Group: Emily Kendel LinkedIn: Emily Kendel Instagram: @emilykendel Website: spaproject.com
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