The Sugar Show

Shannon "The SugarMama"
  • 4.9 (76)
  • FASHION & BEAUTY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

If you’re building a business as a cosmetologist, esthetician, or wax professional, chances are you LOVE helping people feel beautiful in their own skin. But at the same time, you find yourself lying awake at night worrying where your next client will come from, wondering if you’ll be able to make rent this month, and wishing building a business didn’t feel so gosh-darn hard.Lucky for you, you’re in the right place.Your host and body sugaring expert Shannon O’Brien has taken her own skincare business from zero to multiple six figures simply by adding sugar to her treatment menu, and has helped over 3000 students learn to do the same.As a licensed esthetician, award-winning spa owner, national speaker, and spa consultant, Shannon is here to simplify the process and connect you with the right resources and education to build a profitable, self-sustaining skincare business so you can provide better services for your clients, make more money in your business, and enjoy greater balance between your work and home life.Join us each week and get your hands on the cutting-edge education you need to turn your skincare business into a smooth operation in no time!

  1. 11/02/2025

    How We’re Building A Stronger Future For Sugaring Through Education, Community, And A New Product Line

    Send us a text What if your sugaring career felt as smooth and controlled as your best mold and flick? We’re opening the door to our next era with a five‑pillar approach that blends smarter education, thoughtful products, real community, and a future‑focused plan you can actually follow. From a revamped basic certification to a hands‑on method that finally syncs your brain and your hand, you’ll hear how we’re simplifying technique, boosting confidence, and turning consistency into client loyalty and revenue. We talk candidly about what’s buzzing across the industry—why SugarCon left us energized, the power of collaboration over competition, and how intimate retreats sharpen both skill and mindset. You’ll learn how seasonality and humidity guide paste selection, why a calming duo can rescue reactive skin, and where our new Love2Sugar Collection fits: pastes for control and flow, plus a clean pre‑ and post‑care lineup with soothing and ingrown solutions designed for predictable, gentler results. It’s brand‑agnostic on purpose, so you can test, compare, and build a backbar that works for your climate and clientele. Most importantly, we map a path you can personalize: a six‑month commitment to skill building, a clear target for 2026, and a “sweet 16” vision that shapes your legacy—whether that means mentoring, opening a second location, or simply owning your city’s sugaring scene. We’re also sharing how we’re handing off our shop to create more room for teaching across California, Colorado, and beyond, with opportunities to train, travel, and even join our educator team. Ready to stop juggling and start focusing on the work that moves the needle? Hit play, grab a notebook, and design the career you’ll be proud of. If this conversation sparked ideas, subscribe, share it with a sugar pro who needs a boost, and leave a quick review to help more pros find us. Your next six months start now—what will you commit to? If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    32 min
  2. What Clients With Anxiety Wish Estheticians Knew (ft. Daria, Just Breathe Confessionals)

    10/05/2025

    What Clients With Anxiety Wish Estheticians Knew (ft. Daria, Just Breathe Confessionals)

    Send us a text What if the best service you offer isn’t a technique, but how you notice? We pull up chairs in the Sugar Mamas lobby with Daria—our social media lead and podcast editor—to explore sensory needs, anxiety, and the small choices that turn a treatment room into a safe room. From the rose scent that reads “too much” to the steam that feels like suffocation, Daria shares what many clients never say out loud and how simple, specific check-ins can change the whole experience. We dig into intake forms as living documents—beyond meds and allergies—adding clear questions about scent tolerance, temperature, music volume, lighting, hot towels, and step-by-step narration. You’ll hear how to read ultra-quiet clients without guessing, create Plan B product options, and take notes that matter so each return visit starts from care, not trial and error. We also talk practitioner honesty and boundaries: how to set a calm tone on low-social days, stack your schedule to reclaim real rest, and choose tiny resets that protect your energy without hurting your business. Daria also introduces Just Breathe Confessionals, her new reflective podcast about anxiety, heartbreak, and the messy process of becoming. She explains how speaking truths out loud softens shame and why caregivers—esthetician, sugar pro, or massage therapist—need self-love and community to sustain the work. If you’ve been looking for practical, trauma-informed client care, sensory-friendly skincare tips, and smart burnout prevention for beauty professionals, this conversation meets you where you are. Listen now, subscribe for more human-centered esthetics, and share this episode with a pro who could use a gentler way to care—for clients and for themselves. Have a question or a sensory tip that works in your room? Drop us a note and join the conversation. If you’d like to check out Daria’s podcast, Just Breathe Confessionals, you can find her on Instagram @justbreatheconfessionals and listen anywhere you get your podcasts. If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    51 min
  3. Protecting Your Sweet Business: Trademark Tips with Joey Vitale

    09/07/2025

    Protecting Your Sweet Business: Trademark Tips with Joey Vitale

    Send us a text Trademark attorney Joey Vitale returns with game-changing news for sugar professionals looking to protect their businesses in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Since our last conversation, the legal landscape has transformed dramatically, creating both new challenges and powerful opportunities for beauty business owners. The digital revolution has made starting a business easier than ever, but this accessibility has created unprecedented challenges for legitimate entrepreneurs. Joey reveals how AI tools like ChatGPT often provide misleading legal advice, guiding users toward solutions they want to hear rather than legally sound approaches. For sugar professionals navigating trademark waters, this underscores the vital importance of expert guidance. The most exciting revelation? Google has introduced a blue verified checkmark feature in Gmail that gives trademarked businesses a significant marketing advantage. Only companies with registered trademark logos can access this verification, which helps ensure emails consistently land in primary inboxes rather than spam folders. This represents a seismic shift in how digital platforms are beginning to recognize and reward legitimate businesses through trademark registration. Joey also shares invaluable insights about strategic naming for beauty businesses. Rather than selecting obvious industry terms (which are likely already trademarked), successful brands are increasingly choosing distinctive, unexpected names that allow for memorable visual identities. This approach not only improves trademark availability but creates more distinctive branding that stands out in a crowded marketplace. Whether you're just starting your sugaring business or looking to protect an established brand, this episode offers concrete strategies for navigating the complex world of trademarks. Joey outlines multiple pathways to protection, from DIY approaches for those on tight budgets to comprehensive legal services for businesses ready to invest in full protection. Ready to take your sugar business to the next level? Discover why trademark protection has evolved from a legal precaution into a powerful business advantage that can transform how customers find and interact with your brand. Joey Vitale's Book: Legally Legit. https://a.co/d/gqwnnyF Free Call Page: www.indielaw.com/call  (If you mention Shannon or the Sugar Show podcast and move forward, they’ll get $300 off any package) If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    35 min
  4. Mentorship Over Competition: How Kate Sprouse is Changing the Beauty Game

    08/03/2025

    Mentorship Over Competition: How Kate Sprouse is Changing the Beauty Game

    Send us a text Kate Sprouse stumbled upon sugaring while teaching at a holistic aesthetics school, and something about this ancient hair removal technique captivated her completely. "Once you touch sugar," she explains, "once I held it, once I got certified, I started playing around with it at home. I sugared any friend or family member that would come around, and I was like this is it? This is the ticket?" Fifteen years later, Kate's intuition has proven remarkably accurate. Her Portland-based business, Sugar Me, now boasts two thriving locations and recently claimed the coveted "Best Hair Removal" title across all techniques in Portland's 2024 citywide competition. This recognition feels especially meaningful as it signifies sugaring's emergence from relative obscurity into mainstream awareness. What truly distinguishes Kate's business model isn't just her singular focus on perfecting the sugaring craft, but her revolutionary approach to team building. Rather than viewing employee departures as failures, she's created an ecosystem where team members can flourish under her guidance and eventually open their own studios—with her full blessing and continued support. "I've kind of created a business model where they come, they work, and if they wish to, then they can go out and do their own business as well. And that cycle has kept rolling through," Kate explains. This philosophy of abundance—believing there are always more than enough clients for everyone who does quality work—challenges conventional business wisdom but has created a tight-knit community of sugar professionals in Portland. For those considering entering the sugar world, Kate offers simple wisdom gained from her journey: recognize that success is "a marathon, not a sprint," appreciate each chapter of your professional development, and understand that business ownership requires entirely different skills than being an excellent practitioner. Want to experience this unique approach firsthand? Visit Sugar Me in Portland, where Kate and her team continue redefining what professional mentorship looks like in the beauty industry. If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    41 min
  5. Balls, Backs & Body Parts: Smooth Talk with the SugarMama & Sugar Daddy NYC

    06/01/2025

    Balls, Backs & Body Parts: Smooth Talk with the SugarMama & Sugar Daddy NYC

    Send us a text What happens when the Sugar Mama meets the Sugar Daddy? A frank, educational, and surprisingly hilarious conversation about the specialized world of male body sugaring! Shannon welcomes Armando Gualtieri, founder of The Sugar Daddy - New York's premier sugaring studio exclusively for male anatomy - to share insights from his thriving practice. Armando's journey from massage therapist and theater artist to sugaring specialist began with his own painful waxing experience (colorfully described as feeling like "someone had punched me in the butthole"). After discovering the magic of sugaring, he built a thriving business with an all-male staff focused on professional, expert care for clients with male anatomy, regardless of gender identity. His approach fills a crucial gap in the beauty industry, creating a safe space where transgender, non-binary, straight, and gay men all receive specialized care without judgment. The conversation delves into professional considerations unique to male sugaring - from handling spontaneous physical responses to understanding the wide variations in service requests. They discuss how male clients tend to be exceptionally loyal, following instructions meticulously and maintaining regular appointments, though they often need simplified home care routines. Armando shares his expansion plans beyond sugaring into facials, body treatments, and hair growth services, recognizing opportunities to introduce men to skincare they might not otherwise seek. For practitioners interested in male sugaring, this episode provides invaluable insights from two industry leaders. Shannon and Armando are developing specialized training through Love to Sugar, promising to elevate standards across the industry. Whether you're a sugaring professional looking to expand your services or simply curious about this specialized practice, you'll appreciate their candid, professional approach to a topic rarely discussed so openly. If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    46 min
  6. Georgia's Sweet Success Journey: A Sugar Pro's Path to Prosperity

    05/04/2025

    Georgia's Sweet Success Journey: A Sugar Pro's Path to Prosperity

    Send us a text What happens when a traumatic waxing experience leads to entrepreneurial triumph? Meet Georgia, a sugar professional who transformed her small-town Wisconsin beauty practice into a thriving business supporting her entire family. Georgia's journey began with a horrifying waxing incident during her pregnancy that sent her to the emergency room and took months to heal. Searching for safer alternatives, she discovered sugaring—but found no practitioners within hundreds of miles. This gap in the market sparked her determination to become the solution her community needed. Starting with just $500 and a borrowed massage table, Georgia built her business jar by jar until she became the "sugar queen" of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Her success has allowed her husband to stay home with their children while she supports the family through her passion for natural beauty treatments. The conversation shifts to a hot topic affecting sugar professionals everywhere—the rise of laser hair removal franchises and at-home devices. Rather than viewing these developments as threats, Shannon and Georgia discuss how to reframe them as opportunities for collaboration. They explore the unique benefits of sugaring that laser can't replicate: effectiveness on all skin tones and hair types, natural ingredients, and the irreplaceable human connection that comes with the boutique sugaring experience. For beauty professionals wondering how to navigate this changing landscape, this episode offers practical strategies: focus on skin benefits rather than just hair removal, create memorable experiences that laser clinics can't match, and build referral relationships with other beauty providers. As Shannon reminds us, "Lasers might be having a moment, but sugaring is a movement"—one rooted in holistic care, personal connection, and inclusivity for all bodies. Whether you're a seasoned sugar pro or considering entering the field, this candid conversation provides both inspiration and practical guidance for sustainable success in the evolving beauty industry. If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    1h 2m
  7. Sweet Success: Building a Sugaring Empire with Sarah Herbst

    04/06/2025

    Sweet Success: Building a Sugaring Empire with Sarah Herbst

    Send us a text Sarah Herbst's remarkable transformation from a struggling single mother to the "million-dollar sugarist" reveals what's possible when passion meets perseverance. Fourteen years ago, Sarah was living with her mom, jobless with a newborn baby, when she encountered someone performing sugaring at a spa. The elegant technique captivated her immediately - not just for its beauty benefits (it cleared up her eczema) but for the profound human connections it facilitated. "When someone walks in the room to get a Brazilian with you," Sarah explains, "it's almost like they tell you things that they've told no one else. You bond with this person in such a special way." This realization became the foundation for her business philosophy when she eventually opened Sugar Bar in Ohio. Her success didn't come overnight. Sarah candidly shares how she cried during her first attempts at sugaring and couldn't afford formal training initially. She developed her skills through relentless practice while building relationships with clients who valued both her technique and her authentic care. When opportunity arose to create her own business environment, she took the leap despite doubts about being "cut out" for ownership. Today, Sarah manages two locations with thirteen employees, having strategically grown by one staff member per year initially. What makes her business model particularly meaningful is her commitment to hiring single mothers and women in recovery - creating opportunities for others facing challenges similar to those she once navigated. "If you have happy employees, you have a good business," she emphasizes, a philosophy that has clearly served her well. Sarah's latest venture, SugarCon, represents her gift back to the sugaring community. This first-ever convention dedicated entirely to sugaring professionals takes place June 29-30 in Cleveland, bringing together brands, educators, and practitioners from across the industry. For anyone passionate about sugaring or contemplating their own entrepreneurial journey, Sarah's story demonstrates that success comes not just from technical skill, but from genuine connection, community building, and lifting others along your path. If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    41 min

  8. 03/02/2025

    Future-Proofing Your Business: Lessons from Life's Curveballs

    Send us a text What would happen to your business if life threw an unexpected curveball your way? Join me, Shannon, the Sugar Mama, as I share the poignant moments of losing my mother and the challenging task of closing my childhood home. This personal journey has taught me invaluable lessons about the importance of being prepared, both in life and business. I explore the necessity of having a trust, keeping organized records, and ensuring that someone can seamlessly take over your business if you're unable to run it. This episode serves as both a wake-up call and a guide to securing your life's work against unforeseen circumstances. Through heartfelt reflection, I'll walk you through the critical components of a comprehensive business continuity plan. From crafting a detailed operations manual to training potential successors, I focus on pragmatic steps to future-proof your business. It's not just about maintaining the daily grind; it's about effective management and safeguarding your hard work. Inspired by my mother's passing, I urge you to have those tough conversations now to avoid chaos later. Join our monthly live business coaching if you need a starting point. Let's take proactive steps together to ensure your business thrives, even in your absence. If you’ve connected with or been inspired by this episode in any way, leave us a review and let us know your biggest takeaway - I’d love to hear how you embrace Sugaring For All!! And while you've got your phone out, make sure to follow us on Instagram @Love2Sugar. If you are interested in our business planner you can find the SugarBoss Planner here --->https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/love2sugar The link to our Monthly SugarBiz Blueprint: https://www.love2sugar.com/offers/cMhp76LA/checkout Cheers to your Sweet Success!

    20 min
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4.9
out of 5
76 Ratings

About

If you’re building a business as a cosmetologist, esthetician, or wax professional, chances are you LOVE helping people feel beautiful in their own skin. But at the same time, you find yourself lying awake at night worrying where your next client will come from, wondering if you’ll be able to make rent this month, and wishing building a business didn’t feel so gosh-darn hard.Lucky for you, you’re in the right place.Your host and body sugaring expert Shannon O’Brien has taken her own skincare business from zero to multiple six figures simply by adding sugar to her treatment menu, and has helped over 3000 students learn to do the same.As a licensed esthetician, award-winning spa owner, national speaker, and spa consultant, Shannon is here to simplify the process and connect you with the right resources and education to build a profitable, self-sustaining skincare business so you can provide better services for your clients, make more money in your business, and enjoy greater balance between your work and home life.Join us each week and get your hands on the cutting-edge education you need to turn your skincare business into a smooth operation in no time!

Information

  • Creator
    Shannon "The SugarMama"
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Love2Sugar
  • Show Website
    The Sugar Show