Episode 292: Stop Asking for Permission to Lead
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
Release Date: 11/17/2025
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
In this episode, I’m getting real about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a CEO, especially as we close out Q4. Between the external chaos, the end-of-year pressure, and the constant push to perform, it’s easy to lose trust in the one thing that built your business in the first place: your own wisdom. I’ll share why so many high-achieving women find themselves second-guessing their decisions and outsourcing their confidence to “experts,” accountants, and Facebook groups — and how to break that cycle for good. We’ll talk about what it really means to lead through...
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
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...
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
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...
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
As we round the corner to the end of the year, I know how hard it can feel to stay motivated — especially when you’re leading a business, a team, and a vision that never stops evolving. In this episode, I’m opening up about what it really takes to stay consistent and focused when your energy dips and motivation fades. I’m sharing the mindset shift that changed everything for me — the one that helped me evolve from a high-achieving entrepreneur into a disciplined, impact-driven leader. These are the habits that carried me through the highs and lows of building a business and continue...
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
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....
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
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...
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
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...
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
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_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
As a founder who’s been in business for over a decade, with a business degree, a passion for purpose-driven growth, and plenty of lessons from the school of hard knocks, I’ve learned something critical: entrepreneurship is the game of no finish lines. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it really feels like to scale a service-based business when you are the product. From the constant cycle of solving one challenge only to meet the next, to the energy-draining “owner-as-the-product” dilemma, I want to talk about the part of scaling no one tells you about, and how to...
info_outlineThe Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
Tired of attracting the wrong clients? In this powerful episode, join me and special guest, Meg Fox, PA-C, MS, for a deep dive into the art of client attraction. We're redefining marketing as the act of attracting your ideal clients, your "unicorns", who will respect your process and align with your values. Discover how to shift from a transactional to a relational business model by putting culture over everything. Meg shares her unique strategies for using empowered language and intentionality to create a business that is a "magnet" for the right people. You'll also walk away with the Law of...
info_outlineIn this episode, I’m getting real about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a CEO, especially as we close out Q4. Between the external chaos, the end-of-year pressure, and the constant push to perform, it’s easy to lose trust in the one thing that built your business in the first place: your own wisdom.
I’ll share why so many high-achieving women find themselves second-guessing their decisions and outsourcing their confidence to “experts,” accountants, and Facebook groups — and how to break that cycle for good. We’ll talk about what it really means to lead through uncertainty, how to separate your worth from your numbers, and why true leadership is built not in the planning, but in the pivots.
If you’ve been feeling the weight of decision fatigue or questioning your next move, this episode will remind you that you already have everything you need to lead with clarity, conviction, and courage.
Plus, I’ll walk you through a free resource I created, The Ultimate Practice Growth Audit, to help you pinpoint the real bottlenecks in your business and step into 2026 with confidence and direction.
Stop waiting for permission to lead, goddess. You already have it.
Resources
→ Download the The Ultimate Practice Growth Audit
→ Join the Fierce Factor Society
→ Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm
Additional Ways to Connect:
- Book a Discovery Call: Ready to scale with intention? Let’s map out your next strategic move.
Tune in now and let’s make some bold moves together.