Episode 102: Difficult Conversations With Employees
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
Release Date: 04/04/2022
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
If you’re craving clarity in a noisy industry, if you want to grow without sacrificing your sanity, if you’re committed to excellence and hungry for sustainable, grounded success, this episode is for you. As we wrap up 2025, I’m sharing the real, unfiltered thoughts I’ve been wrestling with behind the scenes, observations from a year spent sitting with small groups of founders across the country, breaking bread, and talking about the realities of leadership in our evolving industry. And what I’ve seen is this: We are living in an era of performative success. Visibility is being...
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In this episode, we’re continuing the conversation from part two of our Female Founder Forum with three incredible founders—Gabrielle Hudson (Onyx Medical Esthetics), Lauren Grandanetti (Sunday Skin), and Morgan Kraut (MK Esthetics). Together, we’re diving deeper into what it really takes to design, price, and scale a membership program that drives loyalty, profitability, and lasting impact. We’re talking about the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts that transform memberships from a discount plan into a true growth engine for your business. You’ll hear how these women built...
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In this special episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast, I’m bringing you Part 1 of our Female Founder Forum, where I sat down with three powerhouse women in aesthetics—Lauren Grandanetti of Sunday Skin, Morgan Kraut of MK Esthetics, and Gabrielle Hudson of Onyx Medical Aesthetics—for a raw, unfiltered conversation about building loyalty programs that actually work. We’re talking about the truth behind memberships, what makes patients stay loyal, and how to design programs that build community, protect your margins, and grow recurring revenue without discounting your value. This...
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In this episode of The Fierce Factor, I’m unpacking the truth about loyalty programs, and why so many in aesthetics are missing the mark. We’ve been sold the idea that memberships and loyalty programs are the secret to patient retention. But here’s the reality: most are designed backwards. They rely on discounts, lock patients in with contracts, and create operational chaos — all while eroding profit and burning out your team. I’ll share what the world’s most trusted brands, think Costco, Starbucks, and Peloton, understand about loyalty that most aesthetic practices overlook....
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Loyalty programs are everywhere in aesthetics, but most of them are built backwards. In this episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the industry’s most misunderstood business strategies: loyalty and membership programs. While consultants and conferences love to hype memberships as the silver bullet for retention, the truth is, loyalty isn’t built by locking patients in, it’s earned by investing in them. I’ll share how to design loyalty programs that actually drive growth, protect margins, and inspire long-term patient relationships, not...
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Lately, I’ve felt the weight of uncertainty pressing in from every direction. Maybe you have too. The world feels unsettled, people are anxious, and as leaders, we’re left asking: What does this mean for my business? In this episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast, I’m opening up about the “elephant in the room”—the fear and doubt so many of us are facing—and I’m sharing the five strategies I’m leaning into to lead KLC through these times of external friction. From thinking bigger than my current circumstances, to upgrading my inner circle, to reframing obstacles as...
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As we head into the final quarter of 2025, it’s worth the reminder that the decisions you make now will directly shape your results in 2026. With economic headwinds, from tariff-related inflation to tighter financial conditions, leaders in aesthetics and wellness must double down on smart strategy, not distraction. In this episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast, Kaeli shares why retail is one of the most underutilized yet powerful revenue streams for aesthetic practices. You’ll hear: How retail can create predictable, high-margin income—even in uncertain times The three most effective...
info_outlineToday we are going to discuss the oh so dreaded reality of having difficult conversations with employees.
So often as leaders we question our ability to cultivate an environment where our employees respect our authority and let’s be real, actually like us and WANT to work for us. It’s sort of this tug and pull between needing to set boundaries, hold employees accountable, and yet also inspire them to take autonomous and passionate action to move the needle in our business without us telling them what to do.
Today’s topic is so important because performance management is like the speedometer for your business. It’s critical to develop a consistent practice for managing poor performance and dealing with scenarios that are below expectation in a timely, orderly, and unemotional manner.
My goal for this episode is to help you understand the following three parts:
- What needs to be in place to establish clear expectations with employees
- Where performance management goes wrong & mistakes you could be making
- How to have an un-emotional conversation with an employee about poor performance
Tune in to learn more and uncover my five checkpoints to designing a practice for consistent, relative feedback!
PS- If you’d like to learn more about accessing our performance management training and tools, you can head to the www.klcconsultants.com/join to get on our VIP list for access to our free resources, newsletter, tools, and more.
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