Podcast Summary: The blondEST
Host: Savanna Boda (The Dallas Aesthetician)
Episode: Sharing One Straw
Date: October 13, 2025
Overview
In this emotionally raw and candid episode of The blondEST, host Savanna Boda and her co-host Tyler dive into the chaos and upheaval overtaking both their professional and personal lives. With vivid metaphors of sharing one straw underwater, they discuss overwhelming stress from business expansion, personal losses, and major life changes—offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep going when everything falls apart. Through laughter and tears, the episode highlights the power of resilience, authentic friendship, and the importance of facing reality rather than faking positivity.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Drowning, But Sharing One Straw ([00:00]–[01:27])
- Both Savanna and Tyler open with a metaphor for how overwhelmed they feel:
“We literally have, like, we're sharing one straw. Our heads are underwater, but we're sharing one straw to get air.” – Tyler [00:17]
- They admit the convergence of personal and professional crises: spa delays, personal relationship struggles, and general burnout.
2. Contrasting Life Stages: Joy & Hardship ([01:27]–[03:08])
- Tyler discusses finding new happiness in a personal relationship, while Savanna faces divorce and newfound single motherhood.
- The weight of multiple life changes hits Savanna:
“It's a lot. And then we're hiring people for the new space. There's always like a fucking issue with the spa... my grandparents’ health is terrible right now… I'm at capacity, you know?” – Savanna [02:15]
3. Tough Lessons in Resilience ([03:08]–[04:12])
- They find solace in accepting that sometimes it’s better for hard things to happen all at once.
- Savanna relates life struggles to skincare:
“If you want to get your skin clear... I'd rather go through three months of [treatment] than have acne for the rest of my life. And I'd rather go through a year of hell and then get my life back.” – Savanna [03:40]
4. The Reality of Burnout and Environment’s Influence ([03:58]–[05:43])
- Savanna reflects on how personal unhappiness seeps into professional life:
“You can't be happy when you don't have a happy home. And I was, like, in denial.” – Savanna [03:58]
5. The New Spa: Setbacks & Guilt ([05:43]–[07:28])
- Setbacks with their new spa space (construction delays, cabinet issues, moving deadlines) have compounded Savanna’s stress.
- Savanna voices guilt for not being as detailed as she would like:
“I feel really guilty because I feel like I haven't been as focused on the little details... I've done so much. I'm being really hard on myself.” – Savanna [06:27]
6. The Importance of Team and Friendship ([07:28]–[12:21])
- Despite the chaos, the hiring of a social media manager (Jordan) has been a bright spot.
- Savanna shares deep appreciation for Tyler:
“This man has literally been with me through it all, and I just couldn't have done it... I would be in a white padded room without you. Tyler, I love you.” – Savanna [07:42]
- They discuss the value of character over credentials when hiring and praise the dedication of their current team.
“I don't hire for credentials. I hire for... character, who you are at your core.” – Savanna [10:35]
7. The Power of Stepping Away ([10:35]–[12:21])
- Savanna highlights the benefit of travel for perspective, especially when making huge decisions:
“The ocean is where I usually feel the most at peace and calm... I can actually, like, hear my own thoughts again.” – Savanna [11:28]
- She is ready to stop running and return to work and normality, expressing hope to fully re-engage with her business and clients.
8. Mental & Physical Manifestations of Stress ([12:21]–[14:28])
- From stress hives to hair loss, Savanna candidly shares how her body is rebelling.
- She admits it's hard to “fake it” on social media, preferring honesty over pretending all is well:
“It's hard for me to fake how I feel and what I'm going through... I just can't show up in the way that I usually do.” – Savanna [12:24]
9. Parenting & Personal Stories: Cyrus ([14:53]–[19:53])
- Humorous and heartfelt, Savanna shares stories about her young son, Cyrus—including night-time mishaps involving peeing the bed.
- She details the unique marketing approach she uses to persuade him, paralleling it to her business skills:
“I'm really good at marketing. It's just all the way you present things. That's literally what I tried to teach his dad for so many years.” – Savanna [18:56]
10. Facing the Future: Unf*ckwithable ([20:09]–[21:12])
- The episode closes with a recognition of the resilience this year has forged in Savanna:
“I feel like... after this, I'm going to be, like, unfuckable with, like, I already am, but now... try me. I've gone through hell and back.” – Savanna [20:52]
- She expresses excitement for 2026 and the prospect of a new life chapter.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “We literally have, like, we're sharing one straw. Our heads are underwater, but we're sharing one straw to get air.” – Tyler [00:17]
- “If you want to get your skin clear... I'd rather go through three months of [treatment] than have acne for the rest of my life. And I'd rather go through a year of hell and then get my life back.” – Savanna [03:40]
- “You can't be happy when you don't have a happy home. And I was, like, in denial.” – Savanna [03:58]
- “I would be in a white padded room without you. Tyler, I love you.” – Savanna [07:42]
- “I don't hire for credentials. I hire for... character, who you are at your core.” – Savanna [10:35]
- “I've never gone through so much at once. And I feel like I've said that on this podcast like, a million times, but, like, this actually is the most I've ever gone through.” – Savanna [12:24]
- “I feel like... after this, I'm going to be, like, unfuckable with.” – Savanna [20:52]
Important Timestamps
- 00:17 – Sharing One Straw: Extreme stress and “heads underwater”
- 01:27 – Changes in friendship, Tyler’s happiness, Savanna’s divorce
- 03:40 – Skin metaphor & facing a year of “pure hell”
- 05:43 – Spa construction delays, guilt, and reality checks
- 07:42 – Savanna shouts out Tyler for support
- 10:35 – Philosophy on hiring and team loyalty
- 12:24 – Struggles with authenticity and mental burnout
- 14:53 – Parenting stories: Cyrus, bed-wetting, and “marketing” parenting
- 20:52 – Building unbreakable resilience for the future
Tone & Atmosphere
The conversation is direct, vulnerable, occasionally laced with humor, and refreshingly honest. Savanna and Tyler don’t mince words about the toll this year has taken, but their enduring optimism and friendship shine through even the most difficult updates.
For Listeners Who Didn’t Tune In
- Expect an honest, no-filter look at what it means to lead a business and a life through crisis.
- You’ll find both practical lessons in resilience and personal anecdotes that deepen your appreciation for the “real” people behind social media personas.
- Savanna’s dedication to authenticity—not just in aesthetics, but in life—is matched only by her willingness to be unguarded, even as she faces some of life’s heaviest storms.