Welcome to Growth Diaries by Zenoti, where success stories of the beauty, wellness, and fitness industries come to life. Hosted by Sudheer Koneru, Zenoti’s visionary founder and CEO, this podcast offers a front-row seat to candid conversations with trailblazing entrepreneurs. Discover how they built thriving brands, tackled growth challenges head-on, and turned ambition into reality. Each episode delivers unfiltered strategies, behind-the-scenes stories, and actionable insights from leaders ...
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How Marilyne Gagné turned $5000 into a 75-clinic beauty success
40:13
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40:13When Marilyne Gagné opened her first clinic in Sherbrooke at age 30, she wasn't chasing industry domination; she just saw doctors struggling to manage the business side of medicine and knew she could help. What started as a single clinic with a hands-on founder answering phones has grown into Dermapure, Canada's largest network of premium aesthetic…
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How Shabana Karim created the UAE's top beauty brand
36:15
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36:15When Shabana Karim launched The Nail Spa in Dubai in 2002, she wasn't thinking about scale. She just wanted to create a better experience for women like herself. What began as a single-location nail spa quickly evolved into House of Enspa, a multi-brand beauty empire with nearly 20 luxury locations and over 500 staff. In this episode of the Growth …
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Why Matt Maroone left music for the skincare industry
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50:23In an industry often driven by quick wins and trendy treatments, Silver Mirror Facial Bar exemplifies the value of a long-term approach. The result? From a single location in New York, it has grown to a successful multi-market business. What's their secret? In this episode of the Growth Diaries podcast, host Sudheer Koneru is joined by Matt Maroone…
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Berkowits unplugged: Inside Arpit Goel’s brand-building mindset
39:46
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39:46What began as a modest clinic founded by his parents is now a 17+ location strong brand built on trust, tech, and tenacity. In this episode, Arpit Goel, CEO of Berkowits Hair & Skin Clinic, shares the inside story of the brand’s evolution—from its humble roots to becoming a go-to name in India’s fast-growing aesthetic market.Arpit discusses how he …
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Shane Evans on building a wellness retreat empire from one painful moment
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43:53After a back injury left her in constant pain, Shane Evans set out to build the wellness experience she wished existed—affordable, consistent, and high-quality self-care. In this episode, the Co-founder & CEO of Heights Wellness Retreat (formerly Massage Heights) shares how she turned personal pain into a 100+ location brand. From launching a disru…
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Inside the growth story of Blo Blow Dry Bar with Vanessa Yakobson
1:16:33
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1:16:33In this episode of Growth Diaries, Sudheer Koneru (CEO, Zenoti) dives into a conversation with Vanessa Yakobson, the visionary behind Blo Blow Dry Bar’s explosive growth. Vanessa opens up about her non-traditional path into beauty, the bold bets that paid off, and how staying obsessive about guest experience and consistency helped shape Blo into a …
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How Dave Mortensen went from college dropout to industry leader
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50:51How do you take a single gym concept and scale it into a 5,000+ location global franchise? In this episode of Growth Diaries, Dave Mortensen, Co-Founder of Anytime Fitness and Purpose Brands (previously Self Esteem Brands), shares his journey of disrupting the fitness industry with a 24/7 gym model and a relentless focus on culture, execution, and …
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From Bartending to 18+ Locations—Kyla Dufresne’s Growth Story
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37:08Kyla Dufresne shares how she turned bartending tips into a beauty empire. She reveals her scrappy, grassroots marketing tactics, the power of community-driven growth, and how introducing laser hair removal transformed her business. Kyla also dives into franchising lessons, leadership insights, and the importance of brand culture in scaling a compan…
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How two sisters built a thriving beauty brand from scratch
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43:33Sisters Manda Mason and Lauren Vesler turned a gut feeling into The W Nail Bar, a thriving beauty brand built on clean beauty, employee care, and exceptional customer service. With no outside investors, they scaled their business while staying true to their values. In this episode of Growth Diaries, they share their journey of bootstrapping success…
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How Molly Lyons turned facials into a skincare revolution
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43:13From stock markets to skincare, Molly Lyons took an unconventional path to entrepreneurship. In this episode, she shares how her personal struggle with acne led her to leave a corporate career, earn an MBA, and become an esthetician—against all odds. Molly launched Oasis Face Bar, a fresh take on skincare that ditches the traditional spa model for …
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From basement to breakthrough: The inspiring story of MD Esthetics
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47:53Discover how Michael and Daniella Petro turned a passion for aesthetics and patient care into the thriving MD Esthetics brand. From their early days in a basement to becoming a trusted name in medspas, their story is one of innovation, resilience, and a commitment to helping people age gracefully. Learn how their use of the golden ratio, teamwork, …
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Kyle Jones on growing iCRYO into a wellness powerhouse
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49:30Explore the incredible rise of iCRYO, one of the fastest-growing wellness brands redefining health and recovery. In this episode, Kyle Jones, the driving force behind iCRYO, shares how he turned a single location into a global movement focused on enhancing healthspan. Hear about his devotion to authenticity, teamwork, and servant leadership, and di…
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Ben Crosbie shares DRIPBaR’s journey to transforming wellness
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31:51Ben Crosbie shares the remarkable journey of THE DRIPBaR, a franchise that has expanded from 5 to over 100 locations in just two years. Ben discusses the strategic use of franchising to drive rapid growth, the innovative personalized IV therapies offered, and the importance of building strong systems and teams. He emphasizes the role of data in dec…
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The secret to great haircuts and happy employees with Jayson Rapaport
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38:01What does it take to transform a barbershop into a Texas icon? For Jayson Rapaport, co-founder of Birds Barbershop, it meant resilience, community, and a bold vision to make haircuts more than routine. Despite being turned down by 20 banks and opening to no customers, Jayson focused on empowering employees and fostering local connections. This comm…
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Ink to Impact: How Removery is redefining tattoo removal
31:33
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31:33Explore the fascinating story of Removery, a global leader in tattoo removal, and discover how the brand grew from humble beginnings to over 150 locations across the US, Canada, and Australia. Hear from Jo Kelton, COO of Removery, as he shares insights into their innovative use of technology, data-driven strategies, and the creation of the Removery…
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How Anthony Tjan turned MiniLuxe into a beauty industry game changer
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54:31Join us as we sit down with Anthony Tjan, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of MiniLuxe, to explore his extraordinary journey of reshaping the beauty services industry. Anthony dives into how MiniLuxe pioneered fair wages, team equity, and purpose-driven business practices, all while harnessing innovation to transform traditional models. Discover t…
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Jenny Abraham on her journey from nurse to entrepreneur
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51:49Join us as Jenny shares her remarkable story of founding Face-to-Face Spa, a franchise that has reshaped the skincare industry with its unique approach and dedication to excellence.Discover how Jenny's background in healthcare fueled her passion for skincare and led her to innovate and build a thriving business empire. She opens up about the challe…
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Van Council differentiates his brand using the "purple cow" concept
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49:05Van Council discusses building his successful salon chain, emphasizing employee development, customer service, and expansion strategies. He highlights continuous learning, specialization, and maintaining high standards. Van shares insights on creating a family-like culture that retains staff for decades and adapting to industry changes. Growth Diar…
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Glowbar’s Rachel Liverman on raising capital and cutting facial fluff
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43:33Zenoti CEO interviews Rachel Liverman, a third-generation esthetician whose journey is deeply rooted in her family's legacy. Her grandmother was a trailblazer in professional skincare, founding The Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics. Rachel’s journey in the beauty industry spans over a decade, climbing the ranks and honing her craft. Just nine …
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Milk + honey founder on joy, passion and integrity
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46:33Meet Alissa Bayer, the inspiring founder of Milk + Honey—a brand born in Austin, Texas, back in 2006. What started as a modest 2,500-square-foot spa has blossomed into a flourishing chain with over 100 treatment rooms across 10 locations, and a reputable line of hyperclean beauty and wellness products available at top retailers like Whole Foods. Mi…
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