ep. 041 • Watching The Work Pay Off w. Alyssa Corbin

Alyssa Corbin: And the moment I got to watch my marketing work, like, watching somebody like a post on another page and then like a picture in that post and then like something on my actual page and then go follow me on TikTok and follow me on Instagram and lik my TikTok video and. I'm like, I'm just over here like- literally just see everything like falling into place. And that person booked with me about a week and a half later, she booked two sessions back to back – one for boudoir and one for like, henna with her bestie. But just being able to like, literally watch the hard work pay off and like putting in the time and doing the things.

Chelsea Stevenson: Welcome to the Hennapreneur podcast – the exclusive podcast of its kind dedicated to giving you an honest look at the realities of making a living as a henna professional. I'm your host, Chelsea Stevenson, a tea-loving, shoe-collecting mother of three in constant search for the most popping pair of earrings and the perfect shade of red lipstick.

I'm also a professional henna artist and business strategist who went from barely being able to piece together a fluid design to being the owner of the most celebrated henna boutique in my city. I'm on a mission to help henna professionals to harness their skills and grow vibrant, profitable businesses that they absolutely love.

If you want to make more money with your art, you are definitely in the right place. Let's get to it!

Hey, hennapreneurs! 

Welcome to another episode of the Hennapreneur podcast.

I am so excited to share this very special, very fun, and very inspiring episode with Alyssa Corbin of the Glitter Bee. 

Now, if you don't know Alyssa, she is one of our favorite people over at Hennapreneur. You can always tap in and see her inside of the Hennapreneur.com/community over on facebook. 

If you didn't know, Alyssa is also a participant to Hennapreneur PRO – my 12-month program where I teach all the things business, design, marketing strategy, et cetera, to help you learn to build your own thriving, profitable henna business. 

I had the opportunity to touch base with Alyssa earlier this year to do a quick check-in and see how her business has grown from spring to spring, looking from 2021 back to 2020, and just to kind of get a pulse on the way that her business was growing and changing over the months that she'd been inside of the program at that point. And I absolutely loved the insight and the growth that she was experiencing, so I wanted to share it with you today as well. 

So grab something to drink, kick your feet up, and be prepared for lots of laughs.

Alyssa and I, we just really enjoyed ourselves and I hope that you enjoy this just as much. 

All right, let's jump right in! 

Okay. So let's let's start from the top! 

Like, if we could, let's start from the top. I kind of want to set the stage for anybody who's just hearing from you for the first time, right? So could you tell, like, tell us about-. 

Tell me about your business last year. Like this time, last year, what was normal for The Glitter Bee? 

Alyssa Corbin: Definitely, this was the off season. So like, I was doing random pop-ups at local breweries and stuff like that, but not a whole lot and not expecting very much. I was definitely like a spring through mid winter jam 'cause I did- I'm all festival work, pretty much. And I would do the occasional birthday party. I was doing corporate events more often at that point. Things were going well. But it was mostly face paint and it was mostly event based. And so, this time last year I was sitting, like, twiddling my thumbs, not realizing that the bottom was about to dropout, like everybody else.

Chelsea Stevenson: And that's like the worst. Oh, that's like the worst thing. 'Cause like, it really was., I feel like this time last year, even for me, it was like, okay, festival season is about to come up. Like, all of the applications and whatnot were in. And at that point, you're just kind of waiting to finalize the calendar.

Alyssa Corbin: Yeah, and I was booked for stuff through October at this point last year. So like, I was ready. Like, I knew it was going to be like my year. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah. So like, okay. When-. Because, obviously, like we're looking back over 2020, and around this time or within the next, like, two weeks from now, you heard from the world saying, "By the way, we're going to close for 14 days to flatten the curve." It's like, we're now about to celebrate the one year anniversary of that announcement. 

So for you, keeping that in mind, like, with having the background of COVID and everything that was happening, just all of the disruptions that we had in our industry worldwide, what was your head space around your business when you started to look forward into, like, the remainder of the year?

Like, what was your thought process of that? 

Alyssa Corbin: Well, my first-. Like, I immediately tried to pivot into retail sales because I knew I had things and like, I'm an artist in other ways. Like I paint just random, like I do magnets and I do stuff out of felt and I make glitter and so all these other things. So I just leaned real hard in those directions and started doing like birthday boxes for kids who couldn't have birthday parties because COVID 'cause I just felt so sad for them and I just-. I was-. You know, early on, you're just kind of waiting it out 'cause they keep telling you that it's not going to be that much longer and everything's going to be fine. And then, there's this despair that sort of sets in at the end of the festival season that never started. And it was just like, yeah. 

So there was not a whole lot of like, I kept trying to pivot, like, what can I do now? What can I do now? Just to not disappear. But yeah, no real direction as to like, how are we going to pull this out if this doesn't go away?

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah. You know, I think that that was the unknown of it. Like, obviously, none of us have been through a pandemic before so it was kind of like, I think it was challenging for everyone to, at that point, look down the barrel of this very unknown gun and make a decision on whether or not you were going to stick around or not. And I love though, like, hearing from you that you were open to pivoting from the jump, because I feel like a lot of people instead were just like, "Oh, the world's closing. I'm just going to close too," and I was like, "That's what we're not going to do. That's what we're not going to do," like, you know? But like, you had a choice. Everyone had to make that choice.

And so to hear that was your first thing, too. It's like, "Okay, how can I pivot into something else that's going to make sense for me and allow me to still serve my audience even if it's not what I normally would do"? Like, I love that. I love that. 

What was for you, like, the biggest challenge? Because obviously 2020 came with- it came with a lot. So like, what was the most challenging part of weathering the year for yourself, like, inside of your business and otherwise? 

Alyssa Corbin: Really, the uncertainty of just not. And, you know, as someone who does this, who's already working this way full time, like, there was the whole CARES Act thing and like, are we going to have a thing? Is there not going to be a thing or we're going to be able to survive? Am I going to have to give up just to be able to survive and go take somebody else's job who doesn't have, you know, a very particular set of skills to use in some other way. [inaudible] in my eye. That's awesome. That's fine. That's fine. Right? That's how we-.

Chelsea Stevenson: I hope there was a safe amount of essential oil in there. 

Alyssa Corbin: There was. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh Gosh. 

Alyssa Corbin: Um, but yeah, just not knowing. Just all the not knowing. And I feel like I'm in a place now where I'm positioned to know just enough to be okay at any given time.

Chelsea Stevenson: I love that. I love that. It's funny that you bring up the CARES Act because there were so many things round that, like, obviously for public sector, but then also for small businesses. Like ,the things that were available and then sometimes weren't available. And like, there were some hoops that you have to jump through and like, all of that was a lot. And I found it interesting watching our industry not take advantage of many things, because a lot of the people inside of our industry also didn't have their businesses properly set up. And that was really that was a frustration for me to witness as I'm like, you guys! Like, you wanna-. You want to have-. If you're going to do this and be serious about it, like, you have to formalize the things so that when stuff happens – and obviously nobody could have anticipated a pandemic – but when stuff happens, whether that's wanting to go for a business loan somewhere, or being able to apply and receive grants from the government or elsewhere, like, you had to have certain paperwork in order. But that's just an aside. Like, that's-. I struggled with that a lot 'cause it was like, there were resources. They weren't the greatest resources. Please understand, this is not a hoora for the Cares Act at all, but like, there was something and I think it was really hard for a lot of hennapreneurs and other businesses, you know, in the creative industries that weren't able to really take advantage of them just on that strength alone.

So I think for what I've heard, is this was a an opportunity for a lot of people to realize the importance of formalizing their gig and really leaning into their system. Umm, anyway! So that's my little tangent. 

Alyssa Corbin: I think the tendency around a business that works in informal settings is to kind of keep things informal and I know I never really thought about it. Like, there were some things, obviously, like keeping track of how much money I was spending and how much I was, or was not making. But even that I didn't really start doing until I'd been doing it at least on the side for two and a half, almost three years.

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's a big deal, but I think you're right. I think as creatives, anyway, I think that it's not always intuitive to us. You know, we tend to be a little flighty, and that's super generalizing, but it's a real thing. We have artsy brains and it's easy, I think, to overlook, but whatever.

So, I'm like-.

But I just, it was hard. It was hard to witness because it was like, oh my gosh, there were things that were available and not everyone was able to take advantage of them just because of that and the Cares Act and all of that. It's just, that's a whole other thing, but-. 

So tell me about like, so tell me about you, because obviously despite the obvious obstacles that we have inside of our industry, you still chose to invest in working with Hennapreneur and I'd love to know like, why, especially given the fact that there was all this uncertainty, like, what was it about Hennapreneur PRO that made you go like, 'yeah, that's the obvious next step for me, that's where I need to be'?

Alyssa Corbin: Honestly, I think that part of it was that like, I've known for a long time this is what I'm supposed to be doing, in general. Like, I'm supposed to be doing this kind of work. I'm not supposed to be working someplace for somebody. And there was a time when that was where I was supposed to be, and I stayed until I couldn't anymore. But even just in the regular Hennapreneur Community group there was so much that you gave away that I was like, if this is the free stuff, like, what do I get if I pay for it? And then the success that you were still having during all the chaos, like, if I'm gonna learn the stuff that I don't know from somebody, I need it to be somebody who obviously knows what they're talking about 'cause they're doing it. 

With no business background at all, I built my business in two different places from nothing. And if I could do it successfully without the tools, like how much more could I do with the tools? 

And so that was really the whole thing. And I'm like, I know that, like, as much of it is uncertain, like, COVID, can't last forever.

Like, I refuse to believe that this is life forever. And so knowing that if I can put my tool belt on now, when things are kind of like wonky and weird and make it when things do start to level off, I'm going to hit the ground running and be unstoppable. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh, I love that perspective. Like, I'm obsessed with that perspective, because I think that's the difference between people who are like-. Okay, I feel like people are like, oh yeah, I'm in it. Like, I'm ready. I really want this. And that it's easy to say, but it's the action, right? Like, taking the action, that's what separates one group from the other. And so there are a lot of dreamers, not always are there, a lot of doers. 

And I think that the difference between the two, when you're hit with a circumstance like 2020. I love that, like, we can use 2020 as a whole, like, now.

Alyssa Corbin: It's all-encompassing. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Yes. Like, when you're hit with a 2020. You know, like, the dreamers, they don't have-. There isn't enough behind it. Like, there's not enough. I don't want to say it doesn't mean enough to them, but kind of that's what it is. And I don't say that with judgment, you know? I don't say that with judgment, it's just that the motivation isn't there in the same way.

And the person who really feels called to their work and to their craft is going to look at, even in a situation like a 2020, you're still like, okay, how can I make that? Like, all right, I have a little more time or I have a little more space or yeah, this looks crazy right now, but also like this is a good opportunity to do something so that when things aren't crazy, I'm super set. 

And I think that's kind what separates the two packs. And it's been interesting to watch for sure, over the past year, like, how that's played out in all industries, honestly, with businesses, in general, seeing who decided to stay, and who was like, no, like, I'm throwing in the towel – which I understand as well.

For you, like what has been the biggest game changing thing that you've learned while inside of the program? 

Alyssa Corbin: I don't think it's necessarily any one thing that I've learned so much as the way that it's been delivered in like these bite-sized approachable bits and pieces. And I started actually looking at other things in my life that way. 

Like this feels too big, let's break it down and see, like, how little can we make this and move through it. I feel like I'm cheating because I keep getting to check boxes feeling like I didn't really do it. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I love that! You have no idea how much I love that. I'm like, oh my gosh, there's so many things though, right?

Like there are so many things inside of running a business, inside of running a household, having a marriage, taking care of yourself, like, all of those things – it's a fricking lot. And let's be real, a lot of that is put on to our shoulders as the women inside of those spaces and experiences. 

And so, like, it's easy to be overwhelmed, but like, if you can have the system where you're like, okay, let's break this thing down and like, let's break it down again and the next thing you know, it's approachable and it doesn't feel so intimidating and it feels like, okay, I'm making progress; even if it's small progress, it's progress. 

Alyssa Corbin: Yeah. And you know we've had some serious personal chaos here over the last few months, and sometimes it's as much- like, it's helped in moments as small as, okay, go find a pen. Just go find a pen. Come back and talk to yourself once you find a pen, you know? 

Chelsea Stevenson: Yes, oh my God. I love it so much. It's such a good takeaway. Like, it's such a good takeaway because this is applicable inside of business and life, in general. I think it's a mindset shift, for sure. For sure. And it opens you up, I think, to more capacity. Like, when you are standing next to that massive- when you're standing next to a big ass pile, like you feel really incapable, but when you can approach things and it's like, okay, I can do that. I can manage that, then it's so much easier. Next thing you know, you look down and it's like, I've scaled this mountain and I didn't even realize it. 

Alyssa Corbin: Yeah. And there are some lessons too, like in some of the modules within The Accelerator that I have, like, I can see myself dragging my feet because it's the one that makes me nervous. I'm like, ooh, that sounds like it's going to be about... and I really don't want to have to try and do that because it's going to be super hard. It's going to be so dumb. And then I get in there and I'm like, okay, this is stupid easy.

You explain it in such a way where I feel so silly for having waited, like, however long I waited on that particular time do something. And sometimes it's not even what I thought it was.

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh my God. I love it. That's hilarious. 

Oh gosh no. No. But then, oh... 

Alyssa Corbin: It's alright. I'm super capable. 

 I got this.

Chelsea Stevenson: I love it. I love it because I talk a lot about the importance of treating our businesses holistically. And like, you can't attack just business. You have to approach the life component as well, which is, like, that's part of why we have coaching and such inside of the program and furthering that, adding to that, when putting together things inside of Hennapreneur I always ask myself if what I'm creating is going to empower the person who's on the other side of the screen. Like that's-. And sometimes that's personal empowerment. Sometimes that's financial empowerment, some type of-. Like, the way that that looks-. Whatever that, um, the outcome is may vary but I always ask, is this content going to be empowering for them? And if it is great, I'll keep going with it. And if it's not, that's like when I know that this is not one of my greatest ideas and I toss it. And um, for you, 

I'd love to hear, like, what has been the most empowering thing that you've experienced since working inside of the program. And this could be in any way.

Alyssa Corbin: The most empowering thing was the website, though, for sure.

Chelsea Stevenson: Tell me about that. Yeah, tell me about that. 

Alyssa Corbin: Well, the fact that the template is laid out in such a way that you walk through the entire process of changing absolutely everything at least once. So then when you want to change it to what you want, like, you already know exactly where to find it and exactly how to do that thing and it made it easy enough that like, I have this big, beautiful website and people actually comment on it. Like, they're like, "I love your website. Did you do this?"

I almost feel like I have to tell people, like, there was a template. There was a little walk through, but I put it all together. 

[inaudible] 

Yes, I did. Please don't ask me to do one for you.

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh my God. 

Alyssa Corbin: But also like that kind of permission to be a bad-ass without needing permission to be a bad-ass. That's also been a big thing for me. That's really cool. And I did raise my prices. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I'm loving it. I'm love it. I love it. When you say "permission to be a bad ass", like, what does that mean for you?

Alyssa Corbin: Just being able to-.

Feeling like I have a seat at the table, and not necessarily, like, even just like the henna community table, but like-. 

So I started doing, uh, a city over, they have a creative community fund where they help small businesses. And I think a lot of it is like back in business classes, similar to what's in The Accelerator, but less henna-centric, obviously. And it's a really cool group. And they've started doing, like, two Wednesdays a month, they do an entrepreneur coffee hour via Zoom. And so I've done the last two and it's been really cool. 

I'm meeting people within the local entrepreneurial community who do things, like, we can benefit from each other and stuff, but I wouldn't have felt like I had a place there when I was just a face painter or when I was, you know, having done the things that legitimize my business, I can now come to the table feeling like a legitimate business owner with people who own legitimate businesses as opposed to party businesses, or... yeah. Um, and not doing party work right now, but still doing work as well, like also makes it feel like I'm not just somebody you're going to see at parties and not just the person that's going to pop up under your tent at the beach orchard or whatever. Like, I'm part of people's routine at this point. And that feels really cool. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I love that so much. Like, okay. So there's-. I feel like, for me too, I've experienced that a lot where you'll go into professional quote/unquote "professional spaces" and already, I feel like we're super othered in those spaces because we're in the creative niche. And then like, as soon as you mention body art, it feels like the whole room is a little bit like, "Okay?" 

Have you seen, like, The Lion King where, like, Zazu is walking down when they're singing "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" and like, him and Nala walk down to the zebras and they're like saluting them and then, like, Zazu goes to walk down and like, they turn around and give them their [inaudible]. Like, I feel like that's the experience that you have in networking meetings. 

"So... Sarah Lawyer, here's so-and-so, they have a yoga studio.. Here's Chelsea, she'sa henna artist." And then like, everyone's just like, "eeeh..." 

Oh my gosh. And it used to feel super disempowering to me. Like, I would dread going into those spaces because I'm like, I don't have the energy to defend my business. Like, to defend what I'm building here. Like, that I deserve to be here. So to know that you now are entering those spaces and that you feel really good about that and that you feel like, "Yeah I deserve to be here because I have a legitimate business," that makes me so happy. You have no idea.

Alyssa Corbin: And there was one this morning and there was like, I'm listening to one of the, like-. So they'll have two featured entrepreneurs each time that will talk about whatever topic they want to talk about. One guy, and he's got a really great idea and I like what he's doing, but like, I'm better equipped than he is.

Like, the way that he was talking about, like, they were like asking him about how he's going to market the app that he put together and all this other stuff. And he was kind of like, "Oh. Um, you know." 

And I was like, well, I would know how to answer that."

Chelsea Stevenson: I love this! It's so funny because you know what I hear? Like, and I've heard it from multiple people. It's like, once you get with Hennapreneur like, you become like a, mmm and you start to look at things like, I'd whip that into shape. I don't know about that. All right. You do you, homie. Oh my gosh. Oh, that's so funny. 

No, I love this though. And it's amazing to me and it makes me so happy to hear, you know, that you're feeling super empowered in those ways and that you do feel well equipped. Like, that's the point. That's the point. I'm like, I want you to be confident in your ability and also competent in the systems that you have and like the strategies that you have, and you don't have to ever come to a blank page. You always have, like, a roadmap that's there for you, so that it's like, "Okay, what do I need to tackle? Now let's freaking go do it." 

So, okay. 

So tell me about your business right now. What does it-. What does The Glitter Bee look like right now?

Alyssa Corbin: It looks like people-. ,Like strangers coming to my house for henna on purpose that found me online and looked through my online booking stuff. And one of the repeat customer that I've had that has been here twice now and brought her daughters last time – so fun – she's also a hairdresser and a photographer, and she's already talking about collaboration.

There's a website that she has done images for already that heard about me on her page and now wants to add images 'cause it's a- it's like, I think it's kind of like a virtual book club kind of thing where you can sign up to read books, chat about it with people. You know, like a book club. That was super redundant, but the idea of hennaed hands on books, like either books about culture or art, or I was like or The Henna Artist, which is like a trending book right now, but you know, it's fine. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I don't want to point the obvious here. [inaudible] I've got you all.

Alyssa Corbin: I have a copy. It's fine.

But she wants to do packages for- but because she does hair and does makeup and does photography, she already does, like, boudoir and maternity shoots where she also does their hair and makeup. And so she also wants to put together a package where she does their hair and makeup, I do their henna, and then she takes their pictures and everything's beautiful. So that's super exciting, too. 

I started making my own henna bombs and lip shimmers and got rave reviews about the lip shimmers, so I'm going to launch those as a real honest to goodness product in the next week or so. So yeah. I'm not even-. And I'm not even really sure how that happened. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Okay. So I have to, like, I have to pause right here because I saw the rave review from one of your customers with the lip shimmers. So like, tell the people, how did that happen?

Alyssa Corbin: I started making my own henna bombs and I posted pictures on my Facebook page of the henna bombs that I'd made with a little write-up about what they were for and what they are and how they're not lip balm. And I got a bunch of people asking about lip stuff and I was like, "It's not lip stuff," but this particular person actually sent me an email asking me if I could do those in bulk and if I would consider doing lip stuff for these, like, subscription boxes that she does. And I was like, "I mean, the recipe is pretty close to lip stuff so I guess I could." And so I did a couple of test batches just to see, and once I got the consistency I wanted, I packed them up and then she bought 20 of them, and then posted a video about how awesome they were. And they're super fun. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I was like, hold up. This is like, this is the meanest testimonial I have ever seen. I'm like, Alyssa's out here slaying on Instagram. And it's like, "Hey y'all, so I don't know if y'all ever heard of Alyssa over atThe Glitter Bee, but she makes these lips shimmers and I just have to tell you-" and like, she's putting it on and she's like, "And also, I love it so much, I'm going to give some away," and she's like, literally, doing a giveaway purchase from you because she loved it that much and I just-. I was like-. You have no idea. I was over here, like, Netflix binge with popcorn, like, like the, you know the football hands? Like hands up in the air "Yeah! They're #1!" It was so dope to see her make that review for you. And not only was she leaving a review, she's also saying to the world, like, I believe in this so much, like, here, I want to give you guys some too, which was wild to see.

Alyssa Corbin: She wants candles and coffee mugs also. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Wow! How did it feel when you saw that? Like, when you get the tag on Insta and I'm sure you're like, what am I being tagged in? Like, How did it feel to see that? 

Alyssa Corbin: Well, like, she had said that she would do a review and that she does product reviews however often, but I had no idea that it was going to be, like, that kind of a review.

And I didn't know-. Like, I knew I liked it, but you know, I'm not real picky and it was comfortable. But yeah, the fact that she really loved it, it felt really good because like, I made something awesome that somebody really, you know? 

Chelsea Stevenson: Yes. Oh my gosh. It was, it was fun. It was fun for me to watch. So I was like, I knew it had to have been, like, everything for you to see this and be like, "I did that. You right!"

Alyssa Corbin: It was so late and I was sitting on the couch with my husband, I was like, "Listen! I think she loves me!" 

Chelsea Stevenson: The world's going to try this! The world, you hear me? I love this so, so much, like it honestly-. When I saw it, I was like, "This is amazing!" And I just, I did the whole happy dance. It was a lot. But no, no. Okay. 

So if you were to-. If you were to say, because obviously that's like, that's a big one, but like, if you were to say-. If we could quantify the top three of your biggest business wins that you've accomplished over the past year, or since joining the program, like, what would you say that those had been for you?

Alyssa Corbin: Having an almost completed fricking business plan feels pretty cool. Still existing at all, at this point, feels like a win because there aren't- I'm not seeing anything from the other people in the industry that I have worked with in the past for the last I don't know. Like, nobody's doing anything. And the moment I got to watch my marketing work. Like, watching somebody like a post on another page and then like a picture in that post and then like something on my actual page and then go follow me on TikTok and follow me on Instagram and like my video. And I'm like, I'm just over here like-. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Come to mama! 

Alyssa Corbin: Literally just see everything falling into place. And that person booked with me about a week and a half later, she booked two sessions back to back one for boudoir and one for, like, henna with her bestie.

Chelsea Stevenson: I love that. 

Alyssa Corbin: But just being able to like, literally watch the hard work pay off and like putting in the time and doing the things, um, yeah. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I feel like if you haven't experienced that before, it almost sounds too good to be true.

Alyssa Corbin: It does. You never would have convinced me that was going to happen. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah. Yes! Listen, I'm telling you like, it's-. And oh my God, like everyone – I shouldn't say everyone – but like, there are so many people out there who are like, that's too good to be true. But literally, when you watch it happen, like it is a game changer. It changes the way that you look at your business. It changes the way that you look at the time you've invested in building that business. It changes the way that you look at the decisions that you make around that. Like, all of the hard work. 

I think that business, oftentimes, is so romanticized. And I, I think that so often it's like, oh, we just look at the outside and that looks like it must be so fun and so easy and so, like, so blah, blah, blah. And it's just so nice and wonderful, but-. And that's a whole 'nother rant about like, 'it can be easy' 'cause I do believe that having a business can be easy when you have the right systems in place. And so, when you're actually building those systems, it's a lot of fricking hard work. 

So when you finally have that moment where you do get to see the person literally come through, some random stranger, like you said, like, the comment, then go to the page, then the following, and then next thing, there's the booking confirmation in your email inbox. That feels really good. 

Alyssa Corbin: Yeah. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah. 

Alyssa Corbin: Especially when they double-booked themselves, like-. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Hello! Like, [inaudible] the money thanks. 

Alyssa Corbin: And then she came back by three nights later to pick up henna balm because she forgot to buy some. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh my God. I didn't even know that part of the story. 

Alyssa Corbin: I forgot to share that. 

Chelsea Stevenson: [inaudible] Just slide that in. [inaudible] I love this so much. These, like, these are the wins though that I do. I feel like, often it's like, it's too good to be true. It sounds like a, I don't know, sounds like a lie. Sounds like pretty things that are said that make you want to come and hang out with us inside of PRO and it's like-.

Alyssa Corbin: Like infomercial type stuff.

Chelsea Stevenson: It's like Chelsea's the best used car salesman. And I'm like, no, dude. Like, this is a real thing. It's a real thing. So I love, love, love, hearing that, you know, how that experience was for you. 

Alyssa Corbin: It makes going into doing those things, 'cause I don't love the social media part. Like, I don't love building content, I don't love writing captions or any of that stuff, but seeing it work, makes it go- it makes you go into that differently too. And it's like, okay, this is obviously worth the time that I'm spending to put it together because people are seeing it. They're paying attention. And that's honestly, ,like if I were to look back, I think I can probably say pretty confidently that at least on my Facebook page, I have at least a hundred more likes than I did when I started. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Love. Love this. I mean, it is like building: building the community, building that reach organically. When you learned- I think was a thing that, obviously, inside of the program, I don't teach Facebook ads, like, because that's a whole- that's a whole different skillset. But when you get to a place inside of your business where you're ready to start to run those ads, having solid organic marketing practices in place is the easiest way to have ad campaigns running later that are super efficient and effective at getting you bookings but without breaking the bank. 

And so I feel like a lot of times people come in and go, like, "I want to do the marketing. Can I just-. Wouldn't it be easier for me just to pay?"

 And I'm like, "No, you need to know how to build that audience and to connect with your clients and connect with your market. And once you got that consistently and that sales are coming from that, and you're able to communicate with them properly, then you can go on and expand into other things."

And what I'm hearing from you is, like, obviously when you're doing that marketing work at first, it can feel like, almost like a waste of time, frankly, when you first start doing it, because it's like, I'm speaking into the abyss, I spent all of this time curating this caption and this image, and I got nothing. I got crickets back. 

Alyssa Corbin: Nobody cares. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah, no one cares, right? Exactly. Exactly. But like, when you do the work behind the scenesalso to really- to learn how to craft that message effectively and make it such that your audience enjoys hearing from you and they literally enjoy hearing, like, they're looking forward to your next post, that's a whole different experience. And then it's- it doesn't even, it doesn't feel like sales, it doesn't feel like marketing and like, the air quotes. It feels like showing up and just having fun with your people. And I think that in that, like, I don't know, one, you see more sales and two, it feels more approachable doing that work. 

So like, okay. 

So obviously, like, that's all professional stuff. Can we talk personal for a second? Like, because in the program, we tackle both sides. And so for you, what's been the biggest personal wins that you've experienced since joining. It's been a real confidence builder for me.

Alyssa Corbin: Aside from being able to field questions from people and know that I legitimately have the answers to whatever they might want to know about what I there's been so much more time spent on video, which currently is pandemic stuff. But partly also because you make us do it. I'm a mirror of waiter. And like, I have been for most of my life. Like, if I can just not look, I'd rather not. But I think everybody is probably, you know, the Zoom tunnel where all you can do is stare at yourself while you're talking or doing weird stuff or making weird faces or whatever while everybody can stare, even though they're probably all staring at themselves too and it doesn't matter. This is the cycle. 

Chelsea Stevenson: You're preaching. You're preaching on Zoom and like, you have no idea. Like, yeah... 

Alyssa Corbin: But it's not as uncomfortable anymore. And some of that has been bred from just, you know, have it and doing it more often. But I do feel better about what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. And just feeling more capable, in general. Like, if I can be this close to thriving now, like, how much greater is it going to be when things, whatever? It's just, yeah, like, I can do stuff. I can do big things. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I can do all the things! Hell, let's do it! I'm so here for that. Oh my God. That makes me so happy! Yes! 

So, like, if you kind like looking back at 2020 you, would 2020 you at this time last year, or prior to coming into the program, whatever, would 2020 you have believed that any of this would be happening right now? Like, could 2020 you have forecasted where you are today?

Alyssa Corbin: Forecasted? No. Like 100% 

Chelsea Stevenson: Umm, believed it, maybe. It 

Alyssa Corbin: would have been like, 'okay?' But like, couldn't like, I can maybe buy that. Like... but yeah, I never would have forecasted. No. 

And even just a couple of months ago to see where I am at this point, because like I said, things, just like, really since just before Thanksgiving, like, it's been chaos until just a few weeks ago. And so even then just being able to see this far was almost impossible, much less see this far and see this much light at the end of the tunnel.

Chelsea Stevenson: I love that. Honestly, like, it's so funny because like inside of the–. I pay attention and I'm like, I'm the ultimate stalker. It's so bad. Like, in some ways it's so bad. But it also is so good because I pay attention and I do, I pay attention to who's doing what inside of the program, because when you show up for you that I feel that much more invested in showing up for you as well, right? And like, I remember pre-Thanksgiving when things were really rough, right? Like, you guys had so much going on, like, inside of the house and your husband's surgery and like all of the things, like it was a lot. 

Alyssa Corbin: Yeah. 

Chelsea Stevenson: And I feel so proud and happy and inspired honestly by you, because like, you were still there on every single co-working call. Like, there's not been a call that you missed. Like, you were still there doing the thing. And I'm like, I, and I could see it from my, like, even as a third party. I'm like, things are rough. She is juggling a lot and still, she's showing up and she's very dedicated to her business and still showing up and she's doing the work. And like, I can see her progressing through the modules on the back end, or like, I'm... told I'm a total stalker. But like, yeah. But when you see that it's like, you gained a lot of my respect. Like, not to say that I didn't respect you before 'cause I loved you before, but you gained my respect in a new way seeing that, too. Because I do–. Um, going back to that whole like romantic sentiments that we have around business ownership, like, once you start to get into it, it can be a lot. And especially when you have other things going on, like, it's so easy to just be like, I don't feel like posting on Instagram today, so I'm just going to not, I don't feel like, doing the coursework. I don't feel like getting on this coaching call and be like, I don't feel like doing it and just not. And it would be understandable. Still, like, you've pumped through swinging. And so, there was a, it was, it was like the gates of the universe just opened up or like, alright, next thing you knew, like, you had a home studio and like people were booking and even that was wild. Could you share? Because obviously I know, but like for them, what was that like for you?

Alyssa Corbin: It still feels a little bit shady. I probably am not supposed to. A little bit not supposed to so it feels a little sketchy. There's an element of adventure.

Chelsea Stevenson: My in-home business that may or may not be operating. 

Alyssa Corbin: Yeah, so, you know. But I had a room that I could use at a spa. And I had not had any clients since like, October. And so I was literally just taking up space in their business. And they had asked me, "Hey, can you come pick this stuff up?" And I was like, "Oh."

But I was like, I still need to be able to do the things. And I still want it to be able to do boudoir sessions for Valentine's day. And if that means somebody needs to lay flat, like, I need a space for that. And so it really started with ordering a massage table for myself. And then I was like I gotta put it somewhere. And my workroom is like, I can't bring strangers in there. There's no way they're going to feel like it's a safe space.

So, that's where the magic happens and it's pretty freaking magical in there, but not in the ‘fun with strangers in there’ way. 

And so I looked at my husband at one point because we had a queen size bed in the guest room. It was like a full size. Like, a full queen size bed with box spring, the whole nine. And um, not cool for bringing people and just being like, "Hey, lay down. Take off some of your things and I'm going to draw pictures on you. It'll feel really good." 

So, I couldn't be that girl. So I got a massage table and told my husband that I maybe needed to turn the guest room into a studio and there's this really nice lady whose mom needs a bed on this buy nothing page on Facebook, and can we just give it to her? 'cause she had a stroke or something. And so, you know, really, we're doing a nice thing for somebody else.

And he already knew it was coming apparently.

And so, guest room became a home studio and within a week of having it put together, I think, I had my first appointment. And it was with a stranger. 

Like, it was somebody that I did not know who had seen my work on somebody that they knew. And she booked an appointment and turns out that in this little podunk town there's at least one person who used to live in England and used to go to [inaudible] to visit family and Bahrain to visit family and so grew up getting henna regularly as a kid. And she's the one that brought her daughter the other day. So that her daughter could have her first henna experience because it was so special to her. She was so just super cool.

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah. I feel like, like you open the doors and then–. And it wasn't even that you'd open the door. It's like, literally, I think you were still putting, finishing touches on the space.

I love it so much. Like, oh my gosh, it's wild. I think sometimes when we open ourselves up to possibility, like just being open to possibility and it's like here, the possibility just kind of blends in your lap and the possibility to just kind of, I can't say landing a lot because it was a lot of work that, that obviously went into getting here.

But once you get to a place you're like, okay, one, yes, I'm doing this. And I like success is not an option. It's what I'm doing. I am successful in this doing and just being open to receiving that. Literally, it was like three days in a row that you were like, I got a booking, it was phenomenal to watch. Like to watch happen with you. And so that was another I'm like, I–. 

Alyssa Corbin: You know what else is so super dumb about it? Is that it also happened, the timing of it lined up, exactly when I finally started being very intentional and very specific about, like, praying for my business, and like, regardless of where you lie faith-wise, like, if you're a praying person or if you're meditation person or if, you know, intention or whatever, like, that focused, very specific, like, the fact that like, almost as soon as I started doing that. And I was just kind of like, "How long ago would this have worked?"

Chelsea Stevenson: Guy upstairs? I'm just sayin'. Oh my gosh, I love it because you're right. I think it does. It comes down to that being intentional. And you're like, okay, whether it, like you said, whether you're praying person, meditation, like, manifesting, whatever, faith, whatever, like, it's all the same. It's being there and being intentional and being open to those things coming. Like, I genuinely believe that there is an energetic exchange that happens when we are doing anything in life, right? In anything. But there's certainly an energetic exchange as it relates to business. Not just in the communicating with our audiences, but even down to the transaction that the literal transaction, the exchange of money for service, there's another set of systems that happens there.

And sometimes I think this is going to sound super woo, but this is what it is. I'm like, y'all will just have to suffer me, okay? I'm like, there is this energetic exchange that happens and sometimes we can block that energetic flow with sometimes it's out. Sometimes it's fear, sometimes it's hesitation in ourselves, whether like around, around our own confidence and our own ability.

And sometimes when I say fear, it's not even fear of getting it wrong. It's sometimes fear of getting it right. 

Alyssa Corbin: That's me. That's been me my whole life. I'm afraid it's going to work and it's going to work too well. And I'm not going to be able to keep up. And then how many people I'm going to disappoint when I can't actually do it, even though I probably could, but I can't, but I can't.

I see, and I relate to that a lot. Like that's for me too. It's so funny. The other day when we were on a coaching call and you were like I like I'm having all these successes. What are the odds that is to say, what if it succeeds? And I was like, it's not a fluke, like it's not a blue, like this is literal, first of your labor, but it's so true.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Identify with that a lot because that's my preferred flavor of fear is fear that it's going to work well. And then what happens when the bottom falls out? Because surely that's, what's going to happen. Surely I'm going to disappoint the entire world and have to like dig a hole and bury myself in the sand.

And that's, so it's sometimes that's enough to kind of keep us from our things. But then when you make that intention around, okay, I'm ready for this. Let's do it sometimes. Just that last listen, it's almost like a flip of a switch and it's like, all right, let's do it then. Now that you, I love that you shared that.

Chelsea Stevenson: So I have like a follow up question. And then I'll, and then I'll get out of your face. But like, now I'm like, oh, now I want to know. I want to know. So for you, like, now that you... I lied, I have two more questions, but this question... whatever. So. It is what it is. So, when you having that perspective also that like fear of it working. Now, you've got a push, obviously, push through that. Things are working, your business is growing. Do you still feel... like now, do you still feel like 'ooh, maybe the bottom's going to fall out' or do you feel really... do you feel capable and confident with, like, the systems and frameworks that you have in place now to be able to sustain that? 

Alyssa Corbin: So, I have total confidence in the systems.

Yeah.

Chelsea Stevenson: I understood that 

Alyssa Corbin: But I'm still mildly terrified. And every time I have somebody coming that hasn't been here before, I'm like, oh, this is going to be the one that like, doesn't like what I do. Or like, I'm not going to like what I do and they're going to know that that I didn't like it and it's going to be this whole thing. And yeah. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Has that happened? 

Alyssa Corbin: Not yet, but it's still so new, Chelsea.

Chelsea Stevenson: I'm like, it's not gonna happen. 

Alyssa Corbin: We're still waiting. 

Chelsea Stevenson: There's always an experience where something goes a little off track, but my thought is that's not... like, let's be real. You're amazing. Your people are giving you... they're making freaking video testimonials, okay? Like, they're coming back and they're repeat clients. They're repeat clienting. I'm gonna make that a verb. Like, and they're giving you good feedback. They're giving you good feedback on social. They're giving you feedback as, you know, as you're requesting them to share their experience. And that says a ton. I don't know. I'm just so happy for you. 

Alyssa Corbin: Well, and finding out that the one lady came from an hour away.

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh yeah! Yeah. That was huge! 

Alyssa Corbin: That was really big for me. And she... because, remember, like, there was a paste issue and it didn't stay on because it was on her hip. But we taped it. She got a beautiful stain the second time. And the one her hands came out beautifully. And she loved, loved, loved it. And so...

Oh my God. Hello! Because you're taking excellent care of your customers. Like, you're taking care of your clients and it shows. I think, like, it shows when people are invested and they really want to serve and it builds trust with your audience. And so, like, even a case like that where it wasn't ideal, right? Like, it wasn't necessarily complaint, but like, if there was an imperfection in what happened and the exchange that was had, and then you had still someone who was like, thrilled to come back and like, been thrilled to receive, not even that, but just the additional services from you. They're, like, pretty amazing. And to drive that distance, that length to come and make it happen, like, that speaks to all the value that you're providing your community. And I love it. I love it. Okay. 

Pretty sure I'll see her again. Pretty sure. 

I'm positive you're going to see her again. 

Because she was like, "So I didn't bring any extra cash this time because I just didn't think to do that, but I'm going to remember." And like, all but left me with one of these.

Chelsea Stevenson: I think that you will, for sure. Like, that exchange was such a beautiful exchange. And honestly, it was a beautiful exchange in so many different ways. Like, from the front end and her coming and booking and whatnot, her being the stranger and like, all of that wonderful and phenomenal for you as you're getting this thing up and off of the ground. But also, I think that there's a lot of beauty and opportunity and mending things with clients, if something does go off, uh, and so for there to be like this minor derail, and literally, it was a minor derail, but you approached it with such grace that I think that it was like a no brainer for her to have continued trust in you.

So like, I am, I feel like [inaudible] I'm just saying I put money on it. Like, because I just think about today, in today's world, a lot of businesses won't go out of their way to even respond to a customer service email, let alone to really care. You know what I mean? 

Yeah. 

So anyway, okay. So I'm going to keep to my word.

I've got one more question for you. What is your next big win on the 2021 horizon? Like, where or how do you hope to see your business grow from here from what you've established thus far. 

Alyssa Corbin: I want to do these collaborations and like, I just feeling really good about the photography, collaboration and the having that door open for more maternity sessions because I love doing belliesl. Like, I love the bellies. It's my favorite. Yeah. There's just something so special about those. And so I'm hoping that I will do more of those as well. So–. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I love this! Collaboration all the way, dude. Like, especially now being more active inside of your local professional communities and such, like, it's amazing some of the different business owners that you can just meet and you're like, maybe before I would have never even reached out and now it's like, here's a list of different ways that we can work together. Let's pick one and go be awesome together. And like, cross-pollinate our audiences and all of this. I love it.

Alyssa Corbin: I would also like to, and this is like totally outside of the henna part of things, but I really would also like to do another mural.

Chelsea Stevenson: Yeah.

Alyssa Corbin: I want to do. And like, I love tiny things, so that's kind of outside my scope, but something that big, like wall-sized. Like, you can fit so many tiny things.

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh, my God! I would be obsessed. Okay. So I went to Puerto Rico recently, and while I was there, one of, like, there's an Instagram artist, or I shouldn't say 'an Instagrammer'; she's an artist on Instagram who, like, I don't know if the city commissioned her, I believe–. There's so much street art in Puerto Rico, but there was this like, long link of wall around– who knows what was behind the wall. It could have been like one of those, like, a tow lot or something. Who knows what it was, but there's this massive long wall and they commissioned her to come out and do wings. Like, you know the wings that you pose in front of for Instagram? 

And I just imagined, like, seeing it, and of course I pose in front of all of them because I had to do it for the 'gram. Like, I can totally see you out there doing it. And I–. When I saw it, I was like, 'this had to have been so fun for her'. Low key, though, if she had tiny things up in the wings, like, I would have lost my mind. Oh my gosh.

I can just imagine you doing a mural and it being phenomenal at the grand scale, but then even more when you get to see the details. Your tiny [inaudible] are so cool to me. 

Alyssa Corbin: Yeah. I did one in my old preschool that I worked at here–when I first moved here before I started doing this full-time–of All the Places You'll Go. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Oh! 

Alyssa Corbin: Like the hot air balloons and like the crazy, like, castle-y weird buildings. So fun. There were a few tiny things in there. 

Chelsea Stevenson: I love the tiny things. Those are the–. I'm telling you, one of my favorite things inside of your designs is when I spot your tiny things. Oh my gosh. 

Well, I mean, okay. So I have to know because now I'm exceeding my question limit. Like, I have to know now. I'm like, so is painting a mural, like, have we started to break that down into small things? Is that a–. Do we have, an action plan? 

Alyssa Corbin: Not yet. It's one of those things that has, like, just within the last, like, it's just kind of bubbling around and like, it's just now starting to kind of percolate a little. So I will start breaking it down. But with the number of small businesses that I'm connecting with, like, the opportunity for opportunities is pretty intense. And even window painting, I think I would like to get into. I think that would be fun, too. 

Chelsea Stevenson: Obsessed. I love this so much. Oh my gosh. 

Well, thank you, Alyssa. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me about all the stuff inside of your businesses and whatnot and suffering my extra questions. Oh, you have to tell the hennapreneurs, if they want to follow you, check you out, if they're in your area and want to come get henna done, all of that, where can they find you online?

Instagram is @GlitterbeeVA, as in Virginia. I'm the same way on TikTok and just Glitterbee.net is my website. 

Beautiful. All right, lady. I will let you go. Thanks again so much for this. This was super fun!

Alyssa Corbin: Absolutely. 

Chelsea Stevenson: And see you in the Inside Circle.

I've got a serious question for you, hennapreneur. 

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