EP 08. If you get your nails done regularly (guilty), this episode will make you think before booking your next appointment. I chat with Dasha Minina, a licensed nail tech, beauty brand founder, and now tech entrepreneur, to explore the often-overlooked world of nail health and beauty service certification. Dasha is on mission to clean up the beauty services industry—literally! We talk about the risks most consumers overlook, the truth behind licensing (or lack thereof), and how Dasha’s tech platforms, Licensify and BeautyAList, are raising the standard for safety, hygiene, and accountability. But don't worry, we get into practical ways you can protect yourself while still enjoying your beauty treatments.

What You'll Learn:

• The hidden dangers lurking in your nail salon
• What to look out for before sitting down for your next manicure or pedicure
• Why proper licensing is so critical for beauty service professionals
• How Dasha's platforms will transform the ways consumers find and connect with beauty professionals
• How the beauty services industry s quietly being deregulated—and what that means for us, the consumer
• How mindset shifts can help you pivot in entrepreneurship and lead to successful outcomes
• How to handle rejection (as a woman in business!)

Resources:

• BeautyAList – Platform for finding and verifying licensed beauty professionals
• Licensify – The beauty licensing verification tech tool that Dasha built
• Maxus Nails – Dasha’s award-winning natural nail care line
• Book mentioned: Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman by Gail Evans

Guest Bio

Dasha Minina is a licensed nail technician, beauty founder, and tech entrepreneur on a mission to transform safety standards in the beauty industry. After creating the award-winning Maxus Nails product line (featuring a strengthener worn by Angelina Jolie), Dasha recognized deeper issues within the beauty sector. This led her to develop Licensify, a verification tool that automates licensing in the beauty industry, and BeautyAList, a certification program designed to raise the standards of nail salons, spas, and beauty services. With multiple patents under her belt, Dasha is dedicated to educating consumers about safety standards while elevating professionals who prioritize proper training and protocols.

Liked this episode? Share with a friend and follow Well Done wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an episode!

Connect on Instagram:

• Follow the show: @thewelldonepod
• Follow Kat Vong (me, the host): @iamkatvong

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Email me at:

kat@thewelldonepod.com

EP 07. This is probably the most personal thing I've ever shared. With Mother's Day just behind us, I've been reflecting on the nine months since my mom passed—and the complicated, emotional, and even spiritual journey I’ve been on since.

In this solo episode, I open up about the decline of my mom's health, the moment I realized I had to begin letting her go, and the unexpected ways I processed my grief—from psychedelic journeys to Buddhist rituals and breathwork—and the ways I'm connecting with my mom today.

This is an honest reflection on love, loss, guilt, and healing—for anyone who’s lost someone and is still trying to make sense of what it means to move forward.

You'll Learn:

• What it looked like to begin letting go before my mom passed
• How psychedelics (psilocybin) helped me connect with my emotions and release grief stored in my body
• What Chinese Buddhist death rituals taught me about honoring a loved one
• How breathwork helped me move through the guilt I was carrying
• The signs—from numbers to pineapples—that reminded me my mom is still with me
• Why grief might never go away, but love never does either

Resources

Book mentioned: Signs by Laura Lynn Jackson

Meditations by Joe Dispenza

Liked this episode? Share with a friend and follow Well Done wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an episode!

Connect on Instagram:

• Follow the show: @thewelldonepod
• Follow Kat Vong (me, the host): @iamkatvong

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Reach out to us at hello@welldonepodcast.com

EP 06. What if your daily skincare routine could be the most grounding part of your day? In this episode, I chat with Nick Gavrelis, founder & CEO of iero Beauty, and former SVP of Global Product Development at MAC Cosmetics, to explore how your beauty routine can become a ritual rooted in intention and energy. Whether you're a beauty enthusiast, brand builder, conscious consumer, or just looking for ways to incorporate more moments of pause into your busy life, you'll be inspired by Nick's philosophy on the power of beauty to transform.

What You'll Learn:

• How former MAC exec and iero Beauty founder Nick Gavrelis thinks about artistry, identity and the future of beauty
• How to turn your skincare and beauty routine into a five-dimensional ritual
• The role of crystals and ancient botanicals in modern skincare
• The energetic link between color, scent, touch and emotional well-being
• The power of intention to shift your mood for the entire day
• The next wave of beauty innovation that honors ritual and sensorial experiences

Resources:

Connect with Nick and learn more about iero Beauty: ieroBeauty.com

Follow on Instagram: @iero.beauty

Learn about PACT Collective

WATCH this episode on YouTube

Guest Bio

Nick Gavrelis is the founder and CEO of iero Beauty and the former SVP of Global Product Development at MAC Cosmetics, where he helped shape some of the brand’s most iconic products. Drawing on his background as a makeup artist, product innovator, and passionate advocate for energy-based wellness, Nick launched iero as a sacred blend of performance skincare, ritual, and emotional connection. His 5D approach to beauty—rooted in Efficacy, Aromatherapy, Chromatherapy, and Mindfulness Cues linked to Ritual—is reshaping how we care for ourselves from the inside out.

Liked this episode? Share with a friend and follow Well Done wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an episode!

Connect on Instagram:

• Follow the show: @thewelldonepod
• Follow Kat Vong (me, the host): @iamkatvong

Have a topic suggestion or want to nominate a guest? Reach out to us at hello@welldonepodcast.com