Podcast Summary: The blondEST – "How Did We Get Here? | Part 1"

Host: Savanna Boda (The Dallas Aesthetician)
Date: December 15, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this candid, vibrant episode of "The blondEST," Savanna Boda sits down for an intensely personal and behind-the-scenes conversation about her whirlwind year—marked by professional expansion, confronting personal challenges like divorce, and navigating her ever-growing business. Savanna opens up about leadership struggles, her creative process, mental health, and the importance of authenticity—all filtered through her trademark blend of unfiltered honesty, humor, and heart.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life Updates & Personal Reflections (00:00–04:30)

• Savanna describes a chaotic, emotionally packed week: hosting a charity event, speaking at a conference, celebrating her son’s birthday, and moving her spa into a new location.
  • "I had the most stressful, chaotic week of my life. Charity event. Spoke at a conference. Cyrus's birthday. On top of, like, moving into the spa." [00:20]
  • She expresses pride in “not crashing out” amid upheaval, despite the stress.

2. Internal Drama & Texting Styles (01:15–02:13)

• Conversation touches on workplace miscommunications and generational differences in texting tone—especially between Savanna, her mom, and older colleagues.
  • "Her texts come off so mean." – Savanna [02:02]
  • "My mom only texts me 'OK, yes.'" – Co-host [02:09]
  • This segues into a discussion about boundaries in personal and professional life.

3. Team Dynamics & Expanding Roles (02:25–11:01)

• Savanna announces her (co-host Tyler’s) boyfriend Ryan is joining the team, initially as an executive assistant but now taking on project management.
  • Playful discussion about relationship dynamics in the workplace:
    • “So I’m stealing your boyfriend.” – Savanna [03:11]
    • Lighthearted banter about being “outnumbered” at work.
• Reflections on their tight-knit team transitioning from a small crew to a staff of 12—and the impact on company culture.
  • "We went from a team of five, six including me, to a team of 12, like, overnight and increased our square footage by four." [09:06]
• They note the business is experiencing growing pains but are optimistic about team bonding and finding the new normal.

4. Savanna’s Leadership Philosophy & Management Challenges (10:03–12:03)

• Savanna shares her evolution from being a “hands-off boss” to needing to be more active and present with a larger staff.
  • "I have to be a little bit more hands on. Which I’m not really particularly excited for...I don't really like managing people." [10:17]
• She outlines her management style: prefers self-motivated team members and values clear boundaries—especially about cleanliness and workspaces.

5. Overcoming Adversity: The Old Spa vs The New (12:03–14:13)

• Hilarious recollections of their old spa space’s limitations and “traumatic” maintenance issues—like unaddressed water damage:
  • “It was a crater from hell in our ceiling...Honestly it looked like art...it looked like a pussy.” – Co-host [12:12]
• Pride and gratitude for the new facility.
  • “It’s a privilege.” – Savanna [13:00]

6. The “Extra” Mentality & Why It Works (13:31–15:08)

• Savanna embraces her “absolutely extravagant and extra” approach to business, stating it's a driving force for her brand’s success.
  • “That’s why I am where I am in life...I have good ideas and I do things that people have never done before.” [13:49]
• Humorous moment discussing her specific requests, even down to the mints at the front desk:
  • “I said I would prefer, if possible, that they were pink and white shapes.” [14:49]

7. Creative Process, Workflow, and Prioritization (15:08–17:31)

• Savanna and her team grapple with balancing structured planning (“9 to 5 mentality”) and Savanna’s bursts of creative energy.
  • “I function when I want to. Tyler functions, you know, nine to five, okay? I go through creative burst and work ethic burst.” [15:14]
• Savanna admits her prioritization style is chaotic, and her to-do lists make every item feel equally urgent.
  • “There’s a list of 40 things to do, and every single thing has 100% importance.” – Co-host [16:57]
  • Savanna: “If it wasn't important, I wouldn't do it.” [17:10]
• They acknowledge the tension between structure and inspiration in team workflow.
• Memorable quote on creativity:
  • “Creativity doesn’t have a 9 to 5. You can’t say, oh, yeah, I want to be creative at 11 o'clock today...I get downloads. Like, the universe, God, I get downloads. And I'm like a genius in that moment.” – Savanna [18:47]

8. Mental Health, Divorce, and Rediscovering Herself (17:31–29:34)

• Savanna opens up about her ongoing divorce, and its toll on her mental health and capacity to manage work.
  • “I was at capacity. I was beyond capacity. Like, I was literally one brain cell was, like, shriveled and trying to, like, function.” [21:45]
• She describes finally making the leap to leave a long, unhealthy marriage, and coping with mixed feelings of freedom and stress.
  • “I'm the happiest I've ever been. I'm the most stressed I've ever been, but I'm free.” [22:54]
• Emotional honesty about feeling like a “prisoner” in her life and home, masking struggles from the public, and gradually regaining her personality:
  • “It started to affect every aspect of my life. It affected who I showed up as a mother, as a friend, as a boss, as an esthetician. I felt like a prisoner in my own life and the own home that I had purchased. And I just didn't see a way out." [27:20]
• The difficult but necessary decision to end the relationship for herself and her son, highlighting the dynamic of control and lack of even basic friendship.
  • "The relationship was...about control...It certainly was not romantic in any way. Not even a friendship." [28:52–29:02]
• Vulnerability about never having experienced a healthy relationship and the fallout from that.
  • “I’ve never had a healthy relationship, which is, like, really sad. It’s gonna make me cry.” [29:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Growth:
  "I never thought I would be at this point, like being a solo esthetician to now. It's wild." [10:17]
• On Work-Life Balance:
  “This year’s been a lot for me. Like, I don’t think if I...wasn’t going through a divorce I probably would have handled things a lot better.” [21:51]
• On Surviving Change:
  "I just don't think there's ever a right time to do anything. Like, you just have to do it or you're just gonna keep putting it off. And I'm a really big believer about taking action and not just saying you're gonna do something, like, actually do it." [22:54]
• On Creativity:
  “Creativity doesn’t have a 9 to 5...I get downloads. Like, the universe, God, I get downloads. And I'm like a genius in that moment.” [18:47]
• Humor on the Old Spa:
  "It was a crater from hell in our ceiling...Honestly it looked like art...it looked like a pussy." [12:12]
• Self-Awareness:
  "I know I’m crazy. Yeah, I am very self aware." [14:37]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:20 — Savanna recaps her overwhelming week/life updates
• 03:01 — Team expansion & playful office dynamics
• 09:06 — Rapid staff growth and space challenges
• 10:17 — Savanna on leadership & management adjustments
• 12:35 — Comedy gold: Recalling the old spa's water-damaged ceiling
• 13:31 — Embracing an “extra” approach to business
• 14:49 — The mint debacle: creative control in action
• 15:14 — Clashes between creative bursts and structure
• 17:10 — Prioritization struggles: everything feels urgent
• 18:47 — Savanna's creative “downloads” and workflow
• 21:45 — Juggling divorce, motherhood, business, and public life
• 22:54 — Hard-won freedom after divorce
• 27:20 — Effects of personal struggle on all aspects of life
• 28:52–29:02 — The relationship was about control, not love or even friendship
• 29:02 — “Never had a healthy relationship” moment of vulnerability

Tone & Language

Savanna and her co-host maintain a blend of raw honesty, humor, and self-awareness. The tone is casual, intimate, and relatable—with frequent turns toward the comedic, even as they tackle heavy themes. Candid confessions (“I know I’m crazy”), pop-culture references, inside jokes, and sincere vulnerability are central to the episode’s appeal.

Summary

This installment of "The blondEST" is a deeply personal exploration of resilience, leadership, and authenticity. Savanna Boda bravely shares the behind-the-scenes realities of business expansion, the pressure of being a boss, and the toll of unhealthy relationships, while still keeping the conversation engaging, humorous, and relatable. For anyone building a business, contemplating life changes, or craving real talk about the messiness of growth, this episode is both inspiring and grounding.