“It has to work… or it has to work.”
That’s the mindset that carried Elaine Essen, a first-generation Ghanaian American born with sickle cell anemia, from being fired job after job… to building a 7-figure beauty business and pioneering a virtual model that’s changing the entire aesthetics industry.
In this powerful episode of Inside the Vault with Ash Cash, Elaine shares how chronic illness pushed her into entrepreneurship, how she built a thriving spa during the pandemic, why she walked away from the storefront model, and how she now earns $500–$2,000 in just 30 minutes without touching a single client.
Elaine breaks down:
✨ How sickle cell shaped her work ethic & sense of urgency
✨ Why she fired her job and created her own recession-proof income
✨ How she scaled a spa to 7 figures — then shut it down on purpose
✨ The virtual aesthetics model that earns $10K+ days from home
✨ Why most estheticians stay broke (& how to attract premium clients)
✨ The $10K mentorship investment that changed everything
✨ Estate-level sales psychology for beauty pros
✨ How she helps estheticians make $20K–$50K/month online
✨ Why your purpose will always make room for you
If you’re tired of grinding, stuck in your business, or looking for a way to create real freedom, THIS interview will open your mind to what’s possible.
🔥 Follow Elaine Essen: @ElaineEssen
🔥 Join her virtual aesthetics class — link in description
🔥 Follow Inside the Vault: @InsideTheVault
🔥 Follow Ash Cash: @IAmAshCash
👇 Comment “INSIDE” for episode notes + resources.
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00:00 – Fired again… and the moment Elaine chooses entrepreneurship
00:17 – Taking back control: “I can’t depend on jobs anymore”
00:54 – Making $500–$2,000 in 30 minutes
01:06 – Why people STILL spend money on beauty
02:15 – Welcome to Inside the Vault
02:32 – “Working harder is keeping you broke”
02:43 – From broke college student to dorm-room makeup artist
03:08 – The illness that changed everything: living with sickle cell
03:41 – Chronic pain, job loss & the push into entrepreneurship
04:51 – Winning a Shark Tank pitch competition
05:39 – Parents from Ghana not supporting entrepreneurship
07:03 – “Whoever has your ear has your future”
08:14 – Why immigrant parents fear entrepreneurship
10:01 – Explaining sickle cell anemia (in simple terms)
11:02 – The pain, the hospital trips & getting fired repeatedly
12:04 – “I have to build a business around my health”
14:46 – No cure, the stigma, and lack of medical support
18:50 – Using illness as fuel to succeed
19:57 – Building her first 7-figure spa business
21:01 – Why most people wait for tragedy to pursue their dreams
22:03 – From lashes to aesthetics school to pandemic launch
22:31 – Crossing $1M because she DIDN’T wait
23:32 – The 1% mindset & why success is “delusional”
24:26 – Closing the spa & pivoting into virtual aesthetics
25:48 – The $2K in 30 minutes model explained
27:02 – How mentorship changed her life
28:01 – Why virtual clients pay more & stay longer
29:45 – “You’re the plug & the outlet” — creating residual income
30:33 – Licensing, products & partnering with clinical brands
33:01 – Marketing: “If no one knows you, they can’t pay you”
34:01 – Why most estheticians charge too little
35:03 – Thinking with your own pockets vs charging premium
36:15 – How to make $10K+ days with virtual consultations
37:02 – Concierge skincare + subscription income
39:00 – Who makes the best clients (corrective skin issues)
40:48 – Why she teaches this model to save estheticians’ careers
41:50 – “We don’t do brokies” — sales psychology
43:01 – Imposter syndrome & stepping into purpose
44:25 – Future goals: clinics, awareness, & sickle cell funding
47:02 – Obedience, faith & why purpose pays
49:40 – “It has to work or it has to work”
51:04 – Why investing in mentorship is the real shortcut
55:14 – Delusion or destiny? The entrepreneur’s mindset
55:34 – Where to find Elaine & join her class
56:12 – Can men do this too?
57:00 – Why beauty always thrives (even in recessions)
58:42 – The affluent always spend — price becomes irrelevant
1:00:54 – Killing grind culture & choosing freedom
1:02:34 – Follow Inside the Vault / Ash Cash
1:03:11 – Closing the Vault