The blondEST Podcast – "Burnout & Breakthroughs"

Host: Savanna Boda (with Tyler)
Date: September 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "The blondEST" offers listeners an intimate, unfiltered look at Savanna Boda’s journey through personal and professional burnout, healing, and transformation, alongside her trusted COO and close friend, Tyler. Savanna shares her experience navigating major growth in her business while confronting a deep personal reckoning, with stories, honest self-reflection, and signature humor. Listeners get behind-the-scenes insight into the launch of her new spa, lessons on self-worth and boundaries, and candid talk about mental health.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The AC Unit Saga & Construction Struggles (00:21–02:31)

• Savanna's determination: Describes her insistence on moving the AC unit during the new spa's buildout. Her humor shines as she recounts almost "burning down the building" if it didn’t happen.
  • “I don’t care who we got to fuck or suck, but this thing is getting moved.” (01:59)
• Client persona: Savanna calls herself a "dream client" but admits to standing her ground on this issue.

2. Personal Burnout, Identity, and Saturn Return (02:33–06:51)

• Crash outs and rebirths: Savanna details periods of emotional burnout, tied to her professional life and self-identity.
• All or nothing: For years, she equated her value with her business success, lacking hobbies or personal life outside “The Dallas Esthetician.”
  • “The Dallas Esthetician was Savanna Boda and Savanna Boda was the Dallas Esthetician. Like, there was no separation.” (03:26)
• Mental health breaking point: Suppressed emotions led to breakdowns and OCD episodes.
• Therapy journey: Therapy and healing trauma are major turning points; self-love is now based on who she is, not just productivity.

3. Spiritual Turns & Motherhood Moments (07:08–10:16)

• Supernatural anecdote: Humorous yet earnest tale of her son, Cyrus, seeing a “spooky man” and Savanna’s rituals to protect him.
  • “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” (08:16)
• Faith and spirituality: Savanna shares how spirituality and motherhood have re-grounded her, referencing prayers and protection.

4. Physical & Emotional Health Transformation (10:16–13:51)

• Body image & motivation: Talks about getting healthy for herself and her son, not just for appearance. Her breast reduction was physically transformative.
  • “Say you’d die for your child, but would you live for him?” (11:48)
• Self-worth shift: Now recognizes she deserves both personal and professional fulfillment.

5. Business Growth Meets Personal Turmoil (13:51–17:11)

• Simultaneous pressure: She prepared for a major business expansion for years, but personal turmoil hit at the worst time.
  • “When it’s time, like, I am mentally not there anymore because I am so focused on my personal shit.” (12:31)
• Team gratitude: Credits her team for "holding down the fort" during her healing.

6. Redefining Herself: Beyond “The Dallas Esthetician” (17:11–21:11)

• Self-realization: Savanna now sees herself as more than her career—she has hobbies, desires, and a private life.
  • “Savanna Boda is a really different person than just the Dallas Esthetician.” (15:57)
• Empowerment: Finally making decisions for herself, not based on others’ opinions.

7. Handling Online Criticism and Influence (18:34–21:11)

• Public vs. private: Grapples with being an “oversharer” turned protector of her privacy, especially post-motherhood.
• Growth narrative: Reflects on youthful mistakes as she built her online platform, distinguishing defending herself from bullying.
  • “Anyone who’s ever met me in person...I really didn’t want to like Savannah Boda… and I left a Boda bestie.” (18:58)

8. SBA Rebrand and the “Little i” Logo Debate (21:12–22:55)

• Design anxieties: Mini-breakdown over the “little i” in the new brand logo. She and Tyler debate its meaning and aesthetic.
  • Tyler: “The little eye… gives the vibe that, like, Savannah and I were sitting on Canva… and picked one.” (22:09)
• Overthinking as a symptom: Acknowledges second-guessing herself during stressful times.

9. Life Changes, Capacity, and Burnout Humor (24:05–26:40)

• Juggling responsibilities: Running the business, raising a child, managing a move, and health routines—all at once.
  • “Living is so hard.” (25:55)
• Daydreams of escape: Jokes about wishing for a break from existing, “not suicidal, but like, I’d like to just not exist… just float on a cloud and come back down.” (25:59)

10. Team Dynamics & Looking Forward (26:40–28:06)

• Work relationships: Admits strains but emphasizes her bond with Tyler (“He’s my best friend.” (27:02)), recognizing how new levels of business require new levels of growth.
• Legacy & gratitude: Honors her younger self and her journey to building a multi-million dollar business from scratch.
  • “She slayed and she ate and she brought us to a multi-million dollar business.” (27:24)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On boundaries and advocacy:
  “I don’t care who we got to fuck or suck, but this thing is getting moved.” (01:59, Savanna)
• On self-realization:
  “I only feel like I deserve love if I’m exhausted... I started loving myself for who I am and not what I produce.” (05:05, Savanna)
• On spiritual protection:
  “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” (08:16, Savanna)
• On paradigms of motherhood:
  “Say you’d die for your child, but would you live for him?” (11:48, Savanna)
• On healing and growth:
  “I thought I was so burnt out of work but really... all the stuff that I had pushed away for so long was just bleeding into my professional life.” (14:43, Savanna)
• On privacy and maturity:
  “I built my platform on being an oversharer. But then I became a mother and grew the fuck up and realized... there's things not everyone needs to know.” (17:38, Savanna)
• On overcoming imposter syndrome:
  “I was young and stupid, and I didn’t know that I was an influencer… I was very protective of my intellectual property. Almost too much so.” (19:28, Savanna)
• On business philosophy:
  “When you hold on to something so tightly, you almost suffocate it and kill it. And that’s what I was doing. And once I let go, I went to the top, period.” (20:47, Savanna)
• On exhaustion:
  “Living is so hard.” (25:55, Savanna)
  “I wasn’t gonna quit job. I was just gonna quit life.” (25:56, Tyler)

Important Timestamps

• 00:21 — AC unit and construction challenge story
• 03:26 — Loss of work/life balance and identity as “The Dallas Esthetician”
• 05:05 — Therapy breakthrough on self-worth
• 08:16 — Spiritual protection ritual for her son
• 11:48 — “Would you live for your child?” moment
• 12:31 — Coping with personal “worm infestation” while business expands
• 15:57 — Becoming someone other than just her work identity
• 18:58 — In-person encounter with fan turned “Boda bestie”
• 19:28 — Online criticism, imposter syndrome, and platform growth
• 21:12 — Logo debate and the “little i”
• 24:05 — Decision fatigue and analysis paralysis
• 25:55 — “Living is so hard” burnout humor
• 27:24 — Reflection on the early days and pride in business building

Tone & Style

Savanna’s trademark humor, irreverence, and authenticity come through in this episode. The conversation shifts fluidly from laughs about ghosts and logo fonts to raw admissions of mental health struggles and personal growth. Tyler’s dry wit and steadfast support serve as a grounding presence. The episode is confessional, candid, and ultimately hopeful—offering validation to anyone grappling with burnout or reinvention.

Perfect for:
Listeners seeking inspiration from a fiercely honest entrepreneur; beauty industry professionals; anyone navigating their own personal or professional turning points; fans of real talk with heart and humor.