Building a Successful Service Business | Entrepreneur Leslie Hodge, PharmD

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[00:00:15] Mike Koelzer, Host: Well, hello, Leslie, how are you? I am well, thanks for joining us today. Thanks 

[00:00:20] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: for having me. Hey, Leslie, 

[00:00:22] Mike Koelzer, Host: for those that haven't come across you online. Tell our listeners who you are and what are we doing talking 

[00:00:29] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: today? Absolutely. Well, I'm Dr. Leslie Hodge. I am a pharmacist and have been for 15 years, but most recently I have branched off into.

Personal styling and image consulting. And so if you haven't come across me, you may find me under Dr. Leslie Hodge, but in the styling industry, I use El Renae, which is a play off of the, um, first letter of my name, but I do spell it E L L E and then Renae. So that's the name I use in the fashion world, as they say, 

[00:01:06] Mike Koelzer, Host: Leslie, I see that the connection we have is that.

Our boilermakers from Purdue. Yes. I don't know if there's a correlation now that my name's out there a little bit more. And being from Purdue, all of a sudden it's like the university closed down. 

[00:01:26] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: No correlation, like no curl days. Isn't that something how we are on this. Just pause and be still for a moment.

And then. What do we do with all this time? That whole process of that. It's interesting. So we're 

[00:01:41] Mike Koelzer, Host: recording this right now in late April. So we've been through this for what? Uh, oh, shoot a good month or so, right. Or six weeks even or 

[00:01:49] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: something like that. Yeah. About six 

[00:01:51] Mike Koelzer, Host: weeks. I was your life changed 

[00:01:53] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: during this, you know what?

I have been continuing to work. So as people like to label us the frontline work. Yeah. I've had to really adjust to the adjustments because there are adjustments. Initially, when we first started the shutdown and the stay at home orders, the changes were daily, right? So you literally walked into it. And said, well, what, what are the rules today?

I know that may sound kind of, you know, a cliche, but it really was. What are the rules today? What are the expectations today? Um, what can we do? What can't we do? What should we be doing? And then just also being that calm, right? Because you're trying to learn and trying to stay abreast of everything. But then when you're dealing with patients and customers, you need to also be that face of.

Calm and help really guide them through this situation because it was new for everyone. No one has lived through this before, um, to this degree. Let me say that. And no one really knew what to do and how to navigate through that situation. So it's been pretty, I would say demanding emotionally and mentally.

If you think about it, the physical hasn't really caught up to me yet, but when you're going nonstop, we tend not to. We tend not to recognize the physical changes more so than the mental changes. So that's been my life for the last five, six weeks, as you say, and then just kind of creating that balance though, too.

Right? So you can't just consume everything and because you will go a little bit, um, you know, lose it a little bit. You still want to stay informed and stay abreast. So it's just been a balance with that. So your day to day is retail. Yes, day-to-day is retail. Um, and so I was part of that, you know, we, we hear about the stories.

We see the stories on TV, about the toilet paper and the hand sanitizer and the, then the, um, gloves and the mass selling now. And still, still going back to navigating through that. It helps people understand, like why, why things aren't in stock and the difference between, you know, the difference between, um, stocking them.

Your home and stockpiling, right? So there's a difference in just hoarding and people really just consuming what they could because they could. And so it, it, it was interesting, you know, it calmed down a little bit. I can say as far as on my end, but initially it was a little like, come on, people let's stop for a minute.

Let's pause. Yeah. We'll get through this and think about the other person, right? Think about the person next to you. 

[00:04:38] Mike Koelzer, Host: Take me through your graduation and your decision to be in the community versus all the other options because I'm a community pharmacist. I I've 

[00:04:53] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: been forever. That's a great question. And it's so funny because.

Well, you asked most pharmacists, you know why they became pharmacists. A lot of times you hear, because we love people. We love people. And for me, the community pharmacy sector allowed me to have that direct one-on-one interaction and contact with people. And I just love that idea. Each day being different and not saying it's not like that in any other sector, but in, in community pharmacy, you knew each day was going to be different.

You knew each interaction would be different. And I felt like having those types of experiences. What helped me not only develop as a person professionally, but also personally. So it was just a domino effect, right? Because when you're helping someone, I think that's truly the biggest gift that's not receiving as giving.

So when you're helping someone and get that understanding, get that peace of mind. It's a win-win for you as the provider, as well as the patient. And so I've just enjoyed that from day one. I still do. From, I will say maybe 2015, that desire became a little bit more intensified where I really wanted people to have that one-on-one experience and that personal experience.

And so I started my own consulting company called scripts and beyond. And that the whole focus of that, which the tagline is a pharmacist focused on you, was to have those, um, situations where people needed those extra minutes, those extra times with the pharmacist. To seek to, to speak to them about medications, interactions, um, food interactions, uh, condition and drug interactions, and just really get those questions answered that they couldn't get answered when they do come to the pharmacy window.

Right. Because most of the time people are in a rush. They have their ice cream in their car. They're just ready to go. And we know as pharmacists, we're the last. Before they get home with their medication and begin to ingest that medication. So I understood early on that there's a little bit more time that's needed.

We just are not able to give it in those settings. And so creating that solution to that was what led me to launch, um, in 2015 scripts and beyond, 

[00:07:18] Mike Koelzer, Host: You know, that's really interesting when you bring up the idea. Customers do not have time, because we always hear about the other side and pharmacy about pharmacists.

Don't have enough time for that. And I haven't given that much thought until you just said it right now about customers. There may not be. Learning mode when they're standing there with their ice cream melting or whatever, having to go to the next stop, you know, they don't usually come to the pharmacy with nothing else on their agenda for the day.

That's a really interesting way to put that. Let me play devil's advocate. How do you as a pharmacist get away from it? A long talker. Do you nod and slowly back 

up like I do. Oh yes. I am a nodder, a backer upper. I keep the lid on the can of worms. 

[00:08:19] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: It's so funny, you asked that because my staff kind of makes fun of me with that.

They say, oh, you tried to get out of that one. Didn't you? And, and it's funny because we have to keep things, you know, fun and engaging to our staff. Right. But I've come to recognize not all. Who is going to be, um, a time consumer for me. Right? Whether it's the conversation that has nothing to do with their medication.

Right? Absolutely not. Um, or if they want to have a conversation that they probably should be having with not just. Physician but a specialist, right? Because we've talked about this for months or years, and you still want me to tell you what to do, and I've already told you or recommended that you go and see, you know, this person that or the other.

And so yes, I absolutely am a nodder. And then I absolutely. I like that. I'm absolutely a, what's the word? What's the word I want to use? It's kind of like, 

[00:09:23] Mike Koelzer, Host: you know, those trigger words. 

[00:09:24] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: Cause you can ask a question so you can ask a question and you know, that is just going to lead down the road. And so I will just try to restrain myself and say, okay, even though I may want to know my, even though I may want to know, I'm like, today's not the day, because again, It's so much to do, right.

It's so much to do. And we, and we say that. There are times where there really is so much to do or that person who's been waiting is looking at you. And they're like, I know you are not about to keep talking to that person. I dare you to smile. I dare you to chuckle. And before all this COVID stuff, I'm a.

And so I had to learn to pull back on the hugs because then my hugs lead out. And so it's just that whole, you know, we're, we're, multi-functional, you know, professionals anyway. So I have to kind of gauge the atmosphere and the environment, and who's going to be receptive to this today. And 

[00:10:23] Mike Koelzer, Host: hopefully people will pick up 

[00:10:24] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: and you hope so, but you know, there's always.

One or two that's like, uh, they didn't get it. They didn't get that. You were trying to leave or they didn't get that today. Wasn't the day. Yeah. Usually 

[00:10:36] Mike Koelzer, Host: On the phone, I've come across these patients where they'll call and they'll say they have a question. And now what I try to do is it's usually when I'm in a hurry for something, but I'll say, OK Mrs.

Smith, tell me what your question is, because this is rather interesting what you're telling me about, but I want to make sure that through the. Information that I don't miss your question and they'll say, OK well then they'll start telling the story again. And then you say, all right, Mrs. Smith. But let me ask you again, what is the actual question?

And then they'll go on again. So then I get to the point where I say Mrs. Smith, the next word I want to hear from you is what or why or when or how or where. And then, because I said, that means that there's a question coming after that. And then they'll say again, well then I went to such-and-such. I said, yeah, but that's not one of those.

Well, it's not one of the w words I wanted to hear 

[00:11:36] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: the question 

[00:11:36] Mike Koelzer, Host: just restricted to you consulting what you feel a need to do any retail, any. 

[00:11:44] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: What I still want to do. Retail provided that the consulting was sustainable. This is what, what, what was my plan originally? The idea is to, yes. Do consulting full time.

That's what I do, but I always entertain the option of having access to retail. And I tell you why, because retail. Retail keeps you abreast of the changes quickly. Um, it keeps you abreast of what patients are dealing with day to day. And because it has been such a resource in how I develop my services and develop my resources.

It's, it's almost like. It's that conference that we go to every year that you're like, I can't miss. I have to do it. I would still want to do retail on the as needed basis. Um, something a little structured, but at least I knew I still had access. Uh, 

[00:12:49] Mike Koelzer, Host: how many hours do you think it would take to still feel that you had that 

[00:12:53] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: connection?

I would say at least. Eight and no more than 24. So that's saying a day a week just to be. Submerged in it, not totally drowned in it. Right. So it's, you're getting a taste but not, oh my goodness. I still have to go back and do this. I don't have time to do this, but it still would keep me afloat. So the 

[00:13:22] Mike Koelzer, Host: is doing great.

Then you've got some, you've got a team of this and you're doing this. You would still, almost regardless. You would still say I'm going to spend a day in 

[00:13:32] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: retail. I would do 16 hours. Now you decide what that looks like. It's that four hours to cover someone who needs to go get their kids for hours on the week, I would do 16 hours a month of retail.

[00:13:47] Mike Koelzer, Host: It feels about right to me about a day, every other week. Leslie, on your consulting service, you use Calendly. I do so for our listeners and what Leslie and I are talking about. And there's other ones out there, but we both happen to use one called Calendly. It compares your schedule on a number of different programs.

But in this case, we're both talking to Google, right? Leslie, it looks at your Google calendar and it says, okay, I'm not going to make any of these times available that Google is already saying I'm busy. And then people can come in either on their handheld or whatever, and they pick a time and they can answer a question or two or something.

Alan Lee then throws an appointment onto Leslie's Google calendar. So all of a sudden you're there and something pops up four days later. What's your next step then in either of these 

[00:14:40] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: cases? Yes. So the next step is to send a welcome or congratulation depending on the situation. Um, message to the person who.

But the consultation that's auto from Carolyn Bailey. I actually do it now because I, depending on, so let me tell you a little bit about that, depending on what they tell me they want to book the consultation for, because I always ask why, you know, what's your purpose of seeking out these services? 

[00:15:11] Mike Koelzer, Host: Oh, I see.

And it's not just like a, it's not just like a multiple choice. They're writing stuff out. So you're really getting some 

[00:15:18] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: feedback, a little bit of background, so I will send a message. It's not. Too broad, but just to one, welcome them, congratulate them or take that first step. And I try to include something from what they indicated on their booking page, just to let them know, like I read it.

So I see where this would be a good fit. I see where we can talk. So I can begin thinking about how this consultation is going to go? Right. Um, and so that message goes to the. In the event of the personal styling, also in that message is a link to a questionnaire that gets very specific as far as what they are hoping, um, will be the end result of this styling consultation.

How would they describe their style now, now, excuse me. Um, what are their favorite colors, what colors do they prefer? What styles do they prefer, prefer to wear? What are they hoping for? People will begin to see them as well. Do they see themselves as now? So it really gets them thinking like, why am I going to take this time to invest in myself when it comes to my outer appearance and my image and my style?"

So I have about 10 or 12 questions, so it's not too lengthy, but it does give me a good foundation. So when we do. And we do have that complimentary consultation. We're not collecting basic information, right? We're getting down to it. This is what you told me. This is what you're hoping this will do.

Let's talk about that and why I forget 

[00:16:54] Mike Koelzer, Host: what the product is. Forget we're talking stylist or pharmacy. How do you decide is the right amount to ask right away to inch them along? 

[00:17:06] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: It's really been trial and error. So, um, the right amount of information, really, it comes from what their initial drive is.

Right? So that's the thing. And I've found this and you may agree with this too. There's a difference between selling a product and a service. And what I have found is the service industry is. You have to approach it like an investment, right? So it's nine times out of 10. It's not anything really tangible.

I can't, you can't go in and say, Hey, I want that cup. And I'm going to spend $10 because I know I want that cup. Cause I need that cup for my coffee and that's it right there. Good. But when you're happy, when you have a service, you are helping the person come to understand, not so much. Hello, you're helping them, but you're helping them understand where there is a need and how you can fill that gap for them, because they may not realize what they need.

Your services, right? They know they need a cup because they have to drink coffee. I'm just saying, if they have to drink coffee all day at work, so they know they need a cup, that's going to keep it hot or cold. However they prefer. They know they need that. But when you're selling a service, you're, you're selling how you're selling a process.

You're not selling the end result right away. Yes, the end result is you will have great clothes. You will have a wardrobe that you love. Absolutely. But what's the process of getting there because even if you have on gray clothes and you don't know how to piece them together, or they don't make you feel a certain way so that when you do put those clothes on that's, you're showing up as your best self and you're showing up as your confidence self it's about understanding that same with medications, right?

So, yes, the end result is you can have this great convenient, easy to use medication regimen, medications. Great. But if you don't understand the process as to why this medication regimen is important and important that you follow it. So that way we don't end up in the emergency room and we don't end up with another cardiovascular event, then we don't see the value.

So you're, it's different. It's totally different than that physical product 

[00:19:32] Mike Koelzer, Host: with the medicine, you can take him down like the road and people don't personalize that like, okay, I'll be in the emergency room, but you can't say it in your life. Print or online you can't say, do you want people to stop laughing at you?

[00:19:47] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: Do you want people to know you can disagree with that? You sure can. Do you absolutely want to? Do you want people to stop laughing at you? Do you want to, do you want to stop being overly. For that high level position. Do you want to be considered? Do you want to be invited to the table? Do you want to be invited into the boardroom?

Laughing at me it's different than not 

[00:20:09] Mike Koelzer, Host: being invited. 

[00:20:11] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: Why do you think you weren't invited? You mean all the time? I tried to 

[00:20:17] Mike Koelzer, Host: and say, well, they only had so many people, they could invite. I'm a laughing stock, not in the same category 

[00:20:23] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: of not being all right. It's up there though. It's very close. Let me just tell you without saying it right.

We have to convince ourselves that's not the case, but again, it really is that, um, there's a connection. You say that 

[00:20:38] Mike Koelzer, Host: about as much as you can, without saying you're being laughed at or. 

[00:20:43] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: You're being looked over. Yeah. So there is a connection between how you feel and how you show up. And that is something I always try to instill in my clients, how you feel, how you look and how you show up will determine how productive you are.

If you think about it, Mike, when you, you think about your best dress days, right. You know, you know those times where you have. Walk outside of your house and say, yeah, this is a good day. Even if you're not fashion conscious, right. You feel a certain type of way. You really do. I put on 

[00:21:20] Mike Koelzer, Host: whatever the top layer of the laundry basket I'm just wearing.

What's on. And I always wonder why I'm wearing the same things over and 

[00:21:29] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: over. Because they're always on top with easy access. Right? I'm happy when I walk 

[00:21:34] Mike Koelzer, Host: out with clothes on 

[00:21:37] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: and the neighbors are too, right. The reality is some people understand the correlation between that, you know, how they feel. And how they dress and how they show up.

So those are the people that are my ideal clients, right? Those are the people who are ready to, Hey, I want to show the world what I am filling on the inside. That I'm bold. I'm so powerful that I am ready for the next level. I'm ready to branch off into this. And to that I want what, how I show up on the outside to reflect that 

[00:22:09] Mike Koelzer, Host: crap?

I didn't know. There was a correlation. Here you go. 

[00:22:14] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: There is a correlation. 

[00:22:17] Mike Koelzer, Host: All right, wait a minute. Hold on a second. Hold on a second. Let's back up, you graduated in 2004 from prediction. 10 years later, you start your consulting business. 2015. Bring me through business wise, the shift then from consulting with pharmacy to consulting with.

Was that an inner need? Was it like, uh, I don't like where the pharmacy thing is going on or I'm bored. I mean, where was the shift and where is this shift? You know, that's something that we're always creating. Take me through that shift of, of the pathway, of how things went with the pharmacy consulting and then why the shift into clothing.

And I can tell that you're very passionate about it. And so it's no wonder to me why you're doing it, but take the listeners through that. 

[00:23:16] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: So I've always been into fashion style. We'll use those terms interchangeably, or I've always been into image, right? Um, I've always understood that how you show up is how people will treat you.

How people will interact with you. I've always had that correlation. I've always had that in mind. And so even with working in the retail setting and guessed the white coat is, you know, our uniform. We understand that, but I've always been that person who went the extra step. I've always been into dressing up.

I used to wear high heels too. So I will come through the front door. I would have on high heels and I would wear them to work. I'll leave that there. And I'll come back to that in a second. So one year it was a team effort to get all the management team to paint the, um, employee lounge, right? So they went to all the management to paint this lounge.

They wanted it to kind of be a service to the, the hourly or. Well, I found it interesting that no one asked me. Okay. So we talk about the left out and I'm on, I'm a management. Why wouldn't they ask me so fast forward, one of the managers came and said, Hey, did you check out the, um, lounge is complete. I said, yeah, why didn't you guys ask me?

He said, we weren't going to ask you so you can come back there and painting your high heels. So I laugh and I'm like, really? Yeah, we see you every morning coming in here, we asked you to come paint there. You wouldn't have done that. But what he did know, as he looked over the window is I had a pair of Rockports that I kept in the pharmacy and I would change it to my Rockport's to work the day.

But I would come in and leave out in my heels because that was my attire. So, you know, people usually didn't look over the counter back then, you know, so he, all this time and the, you know, the, the managers were all male. They're always like, they were like, you wear high heels. We weren't going to ask you to come and paint.

And so again, I say that is. This is kind of like an image protector, right? So good. If that means I'm, I don't have to do the dirty work, absolutely thinking I wear high heels all day. That works for me. That works for me, but I have always been into style. I've always been into it. Um, and I've done it for, you know, friends, family, colleagues, and I just.

Really wanted to do it. Um, it was kind of pushed. I got a mentor and a coach here recently, and she was like, why what's one thing you would do if you were in pharmacy, what's one thing you would do. And I said, hands, why did you get the mentor 

[00:26:20] Mike Koelzer, Host: or the coach? I think that it was after you had already started your 

[00:26:25] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: Actually I've been working with her now for about, oh my goodness.

Almost nine months. I got one because I knew there was more. Now this is going to sound very, you know, broad, but I knew there was more that I was supposed to do that wasn't necessarily pharmacy. I just knew I had a passion and I'm a, I'm a big reader and I'm a bit, I love listening to different, um, podcasts and one of a Bishop TD Jakes books, he talks about.

Um, whatever keeps you up at night, whatever keeps you up, whatever keeps you turning the page. There's a reason for that. And I'm telling you, I will turn the page. I will stay up all night looking at different things that are associated with fashion and style, and I am drawn to it. And even when no one else is paying attention, I'm like, what are you looking at?

I'm like, did you see her coat? We're watching the movie, but I'm looking at how the actresses are dressed, how they, you know, um, act towards our dress, what shoes they paired with it. I'm looking at that. And yes, I'm paying attention to the show or the movie, but I'm also looking at the wardrobe. When the question came to me during one of our coaching sessions, what's the one thing you would do in one thing.

Without outside of pharmacy, um, that you would love to do. I said, be a fashion stylist. " I love to get people ready. I love to get people, um, that, that was that wild moment. And it's still like pharmacy to me, this, that, that aha moment, like, oh my goodness. I look amazing that aha moment, going back to pharmacy, when people understand what happens when you don't take medications correctly.

Aren't compliant and you don't follow up with your, your, um, lab results and you don't follow up with those other doctor's appointments, those aha moments when they get it, that they're also a part of their health and wellness journey that I had. The moment I live for that I love that I love being a part of that.

And so even with styling, I love when people. Come in thinking one way or I'm just going to put this on. I'm like, well, no, you can just sit up here, put this pop, you know, pull your collar up here. Maybe put this underneath, add this bracelet. Totally different. Look. It's like, oh, like the angel singing. Um, that's just what I'm drawn to.

[00:28:43] Mike Koelzer, Host: I know the value of like one outside. Coach or one outside comment, but then after it's done, everybody wants to be a Monday morning quarterback and say, well, you know, it's easy for me just to say, well, why don't you just do, why don't you just do that? I need someone to tell you, but you probably did, if you didn't get that coat.

So explain the power of that coach. Why were they able to turn that on for you to now become El Renee versus what you're doing? W what did it take? 

[00:29:17] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: The accountability and the help of getting out of my own way, right? Because just like you said, yeah, I could do that. Yeah. I can, I can go start that I can, I know the process, but we can, we can just stay with our thoughts and stay up with them.

As long as we allow ourselves to. Right. But when someone comes along and says, well, if this is what you desire, why haven't you done it? If this is what you've been thinking, why haven't you taken the first step? Um, it has really been just that accountability piece. And I thought that. Years ago. And it's so funny.

It just came on last night. Um, you know, being a Gary Chicago Bulls fan, the last dance aired last night with Michael Jordan and the Chicago bulls. And I've always thought to myself the greatest of all time. If he had a coach, right? And then we start thinking about the greatest athletes. They have coaches too.

They know what to do. They know how to get out there and shoot the ball, throw the ball, hit the tennis racket, hit the tennis ball with a tennis racket. They know that, but they still need someone to push them through, to kick, to get them out of their own way, to get them out of their comfort zone, to get them out of thinking.

From thinking to doing, and that's what a coach and a mentor did for me. It got, they, she moved me from thinking about it, to actually doing it and putting the steps in motion and getting the process going, because I will tell you, um, we're, we're, we're doing this now. This is April. You couldn't have told me this last April that I will be telling you that I have a personal stylist and image consultant.

Company and that I have clients and that I'm, you know, after we're done here, I have a client. Like you, you kind have told me that it would have been in my head. Like, ideally I would like to say that, but to actually be able to say it and to actually be able to say that I'm doing it. It's self-fulfilling and it's just another part of the brain.

And being fulfilled before 

[00:31:29] Mike Koelzer, Host: your coach, had you known that this was a possibility? I mean, you probably, I imagine different things could have gone through your hand while I'll open up a clothing store or write a book on this or I'll do this was the consulting part, something you visualized not saw yourself doing, but at least you knew of that before your 

[00:31:51] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: coach and want to say yes.

I'm going to say I saw it, but they, right. I think I saw it as, oh, that'd be nice too, Hmm. I could do that. But as far as putting in the work and putting in the, um, you know, just getting started, I don't know when that would have happened. Right. I think I would've just been content with operating on my own terms.

Hey, I'm sure I'll make a friend here or there. Oh, someone's, you know, Having a baby shower or an event I'm okay with. I don't mind doing it, but to do it to the point of, yes, you need to book a consultation, let's have this discussion, you know, then there's the payment. Then these are the services being rendered, never to that degree.

And even now, Mike, I'm thinking even broader, like. Okay. If you can do that, that's just one aspect. What about if you tapped into this? What if you, you know, began, um, your own accessory line, right? Because if you're styling people, they need accessories. Why not have your own L Renae accessories, whether it's belts, bracelets, whatever the case may be.

I'm still thinking. So. Yeah, this is the beginning. It's like, it's, it's like a key opening, you know, the lock to your thoughts and really just allowing you to really, um, embrace them and then act upon them. Right? Because we think about a lot of stuff all day long, but it was just something that I didn't think would grow, grow as fast as it has.

And then now it's just like limitless. There's so much more to do. Is it 

[00:33:31] Mike Koelzer, Host: coincidental that your first step or one of the larger steps into the styling came with the same sort of business pattern? Like we talked about, about Calendly, it'd be a service, someone signing up maybe for a consultation, this and that was that by chance, or did you think they've already done this?

I can mold it to that. 

[00:33:53] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: I think it was, I think it was a combination. I think I saw. Well, what has worked with a personalized service because they do mirror each other, right? You have this personal life. Um, you're, you're getting people to an end result, right? Um, so you create what the end result looks like, but now we need to do the process to get there.

So why not do the same steps? Why not still have the consultation? Let's first see if this is really what you want to do. Um, and if I can help you, because you may have. A totally different idea of what a personal stylist does or image consultant does, then what I can do or willing to do. So having that conversation with patients and clients.

For the pharmacy consulting business, they may have a different idea of what a personal pharmacist is. And I can share some of those stories for days. I'm like, no, I don't do that. You know, I don't, I don't deliver the meds to you. I don't do anything with meds. You know, I deliver information. I deliver IF you know, I always say I dispense education.

I dispense information. I'm not dispensing medication. So it's just having that, that, um, conversation to make sure we're on the same, have the same understanding. Why not mirror that and then have the process. So yes, I would say how I structured scripts and beyond is how I structured. Who's your stylist and image consultant, as far as the process, as far as the onboarding, and then as far as the, um, end result, which is the person being, having that aha moment.

Like I get it and it's worth it. And now I feel better about myself and I'm able to go out here and, you know, um, duplicate this over and over. 

[00:35:36] Mike Koelzer, Host: What were the negatives that stood in your 

[00:35:41] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: why? The biggest thing was in this really for, I will say both is getting people to understand the value. Um, so we'll talk about the pharmacy consulting business.

Most people, when you ask them what a pharmacist does, they always think about us in the white coat, behind the big calendar, and can't get access to us. Right? So helping people and painting the picture for people to see. No, we can come from behind the camera. And actually I can take off the white coat and we can sit at this table and you are the focus and helping people understand that and, and getting them to see why this is valuable, why this is going to impact not just your life today, but can literally change the course of your life.

That was the hardest part and really getting people to. Uh, differentiate between what I can just go talk to the pharmacist at, you know, the local store, you know, I won't say brands or anything. I can just go talk to them. Okay. That's fine. But what happens when you have that question a week after starting a new med, do you go back to that pharmacy or do you wait for your doctor's appointment, which is scheduled for 90 days or 180 days later.

So it's getting them to see that. So I really, to me that was a, it was a negative, but it was a growing, it was a growing, uh, Season, because I was able to really. Really helped define what people thought about pharmacists and really getting them to see like, aha, yes, I can use you. I can utilize you. I do need to include you on my health care team.

You know, I always start off. Um, I shouldn't say always, but most of the presentations I do, I'll ask people what their healthcare team consists of and very seldom do. They include pharmacists. They don't think about that. Right. But. It's so important. I have to, again, um, communicate the importance and what we bring to the table because people really don't know.

They just think of us as one dimensional pill, bottle label, and hand it to them. I'm like, no, the wealth of information that we have 

[00:37:51] Mike Koelzer, Host: style-wise. Did you believe that the whole time, or did you have to raise your belief in what value you had? It 

[00:38:00] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: has increased, as I've said it, I think I knew it, but I didn't know how to put it into practice and I really didn't realize how valuable and ultimately people have to put a price on it.

I, I, exactly I didn't. And even now, um, I'll get comments that say. You need to charge way more than this after we're done right after we're done, but you need to charge way more than this. I'm not really like it? And I always ask why, why do you think that? Right. Because you know, most people don't have this limitless income, but they're like, just how I feel now, how, you know, what I, now I know what I'm able to do.

Um, what I'm empowered to do, um, all from working with you. And so it's like, Hmm. Okay. Thank you. You don't take that into consideration. They say other things, but I don't think that I really understood the value. I really don't and even, and each client helps me raise that each time. Right. It's just like, okay.

You know, kind of finding your rhythm too, right? Because again, the question came to me last year. If he can do anything that is not related to pharmacy. And the second part of that question was. And if you could do it for free, what would you do? And I like styling, like, because I had not put a value on it. I like styling easily, hands down.

I love pharmacy. So I don't wanna, I don't, I don't, I have to say this and it's not to, you know, try to sell people on. I love pharmacy. I really do. And I love the impact that I have had. I know I've had, um, in my career thus far and. Oftentimes, I will do those things for free in the sense of, you know, medication consulted with people who I know cannot afford it, or don't even understand the value of it.

Absolutely. Because I love it. And so that's the same, even with styling. Right. Um, you know, people have asked, can you help me connect? Absolutely. I'm not thinking. Okay. I can help you as soon as I, you know, see, okay. Receipt on my phone, I'm not thinking that way. I'm thinking, how can I help you? And so it's, it's, it's different.

And that's why, that's why I think it's becoming successful because I'm not thinking about transactions. 

[00:40:26] Mike Koelzer, Host: So Leslie, we talked about how much would you still be in the pharmacy? Should you want to be in it? So now I have to ask the same question about L Renee. It gets bigger and bigger. When do you drop all the pharmacy stuff off 

[00:40:45] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: my.

I know, I know Mike, I can't, I'm telling you, pharmacy is not negotiable for me. We're 

[00:40:56] Mike Koelzer, Host: going to come through the backdoor. Alright, so where's L Renee L Renee, the brand in 10 years.

[00:41:07] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: Ooh, that's good. Um, L Renae, the brand is, uh, Wow. It's some product that is definitely top of mind. When you think of stylists, when you think of influencers, when you think of, um, notoriety. Absolutely. 

[00:41:34] Mike Koelzer, Host: That's you? Yes. And do you actually have a product in 10 years? 

[00:41:39] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: Absolutely. Yes. Is it?

The fifth, it's a physical product. So I don't, I'm leaning toward, um, accessories cause that's, that's my signature. And I think about what changes the whole dynamic of an outfit over a tire is, is accessory belt clutches , it's jewelry. It's uh, Yeah. Those things that we, those ad-ons. Right. So you have your outfit, but I'm going to come in and add the L Renae ad-ons and you are now you're ready.

Yes. 

[00:42:16] Mike Koelzer, Host: All right. But also you're the image of it too, though, right? I'll rename the product and then Al Renee. Yeah, Mitch. Right. All right. So at some point here, when you're known for this, at some point there quickly, Leslie, you lose a ton of stuff because now you're in a high rise in Indy. You grab like the 25th floor, 26 and seven, but your 25th, that's where the bigger window offices and so on.

But now no longer are you talking to the little pieces? You're having meetings with your head of marketing and your head of distribution and your head of international sales and your head of, you know, this and this, and then you fly off for all this. And you're not even talking to your clients anymore, except if it's through scalable things like your TV show.

And you are a 3d hologram, this and that, you know, where you're dressing people and all that stuff. So unless you put a damper on this, there's not even time to talk to your fashion people anymore. And to see that. Aha moment face to face. You no longer can see that because you're just on the 25th floor. You can no longer see the aha moment of the pharmacy anymore because you think your style customers are a little now think about the little, little people back in the pharmacy.

You're huge, but the aha moment that you mentioned that you love, you know, it's there. You can see it's there because of the billions that you're counting, but you haven't seen that aha moment now in like six years since like 2024. So now what do you do? Pharmacy's gone. You're not even working face-to-face with fashion people and seeing their eyes light up.

You're in this big building in Indianapolis on the 25th floor. And then you call me up and you say, Mike, I should've thought I should have thought more about that, how big I wanted to get, and I should have listened to those questions. Should I hang on to the pharmacy or not? When do you drop all that? Got to think about these things.

If you're really going to get huge, when you get huge, you're gonna lose the little people. They'll say Mike wants to do a follow-up podcast. Mike. Yeah, you're the pharmacist. And you'll say what's, what's a pharmacist. Oh my 

[00:44:41] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: goodness,

Mike. Okay. So I love, let me just say this. I'm loving this conversation. Um, it's very thought provoking, and this is why. This is a question you asked earlier, why did I get a coach for this very reason? Right. Because I have not thought that far. Right. I still think again, I will have the ability to do what I want to do, but I haven't thought about the exponential growth like that.

Like to hear you say that. Like, I can't wait to replay this. Right. Just to hear the things that you were speaking and I'm like, wow. Oh, wow. Yeah. I haven't thought that 

[00:45:33] Mike Koelzer, Host: I've always thought about that. It's like, what if someone gave me like millions of dollars and I had a bunch of pharmacies, the reason I say that to you, because I've thought of that myself just, well, what I want to be only seeing fellow business people instead of customers in 

[00:45:53] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: that.

Yeah. Let's see. I, I like, I think connection is at my core. I think when I, um, Think about who I am connecting to people is a big part of me. So, and I don't mean connecting in a superficial way, not just to say we talked and we had a conversation and we had a business transaction, I mean, really connecting with people.

So I think that I desire that. That need is there. And I, I just, even going back to what you were saying, I'm like, wow. Like I hadn't thought about it to that grant on such a grand scale, but like you sure, there's not a way I could still. You know, pick up a shift to be, you know, with people like there is no way we could work that in like, in my head, I'm thinking about that and you probably 

[00:46:49] Mike Koelzer, Host: could, but it would cost you.

Let's just say you're at that degree, you'd be paying to do that. Like, you'd be losing, you'd be losing like a million dollars every time you traveled somewhere to spend the day doing. Okay. Now here's the trick I was playing on. Yeah, let's scale that back a little bit, but at least you could dump pharmacy.

At least you could still get that beautiful interaction from people. So let's say, I say, no, let's not do the 25th floor. Let's stop things a little bit before that still allows Leslie to see the aha moment is the aha moment enough in stock. Or are you still gonna say, you gotta go back to 

[00:47:36] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: pharmacy? Let me say that Leslie right now still wants to go back to pharmacy.

Like I still have that, that love for pharmacy. I do. Um, That's why I say right now, because you're right. Like you just got me thinking, you know? Um, but right now, yes, it's still that, that love. Absolutely. And I say that in a sense, I understand the power of one, and I understand that one question, that one interaction, that one confirmation can literally change the trajectory of someone's life.

And I loved being a part of that. Yeah, that's it. I love being a part of that. And so, you know, even if it's not in the community setting, even if it's not that, you know, we talked about earlier, you know, that four weeks, four hours a week, even if it's just, Hey, um, I'm sending someone your way, they need your help.

They are overwhelmed right then I'm good. You know what I mean? Like it's, I think that I still want to stay connected. 

[00:48:55] Mike Koelzer, Host: You talk about changing someone's life, you know, that's because truly, you know, um, truly by that interaction, you, you, you truly can change their whole life. 

[00:49:08] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: Absolutely. Right. And it's not just them.

Like we understand that one change and how that impacts everyone, that they're connected to everything they're connected to their family, their friends, their community, their church, like your one interaction just changes that completely. 

[00:49:29] Mike Koelzer, Host: What's your fear moving forward? Um, or don't you have one. 

[00:49:37] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: I do, I do, actually I do.

I'm just trying to think of how to word it. Um, um, my biggest fear right now is letting go of what's always been, um, it's so easy to stay where it's familiar. It's comfortable. It's , um, easy. Um, you don't have to think about it has challenges, but not necessarily challenging for you. Right. You know, we can, we, there's a difference.

I've learned. There's a difference. The things that challenge you and things that are challenging. Um, so really that's my fear right now. That's what's putting out there being very transparent. See, what's on the other side, but fearful of what's on the other side. Right. And people can say that, oh, just go and see it's okay.

And you're a pharmacist and you can buy this when you're used to certain things. Operating a certain way. It's like the fear of the unknown. Right? Um, so my thing is changing that silencing that fear, it's really stepping out on the faith that I have and seeing what happens and being okay with that. You know what I mean, being okay with that.

So that's to get out of my own way, going back to the whole accountability and overthinking things, getting out of my own. And really exercising the faith that I know I have, that I encourage others to use and really doing it for myself. That's that's the thing right now, 

[00:51:33] Mike Koelzer, Host: you hear about people who have really gotten successful, define that, however you want to, but they've always gotten successful usually through failure and, and people can talk a lot about, well, failure is great because it teaches you how to blah, blah, blah.

It's like no. One of the reasons failure is great is because you can't go back to that. It's not there. And so you only have one direction to go in your other business when bankrupt or the pharmacy salaries dropped in half, or COVID shut you down or something like that. So a lot of times you don't move in a certain direction unless that direction there's nothing there 

[00:52:10] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: anymore.

It's all about our perspective on it, right? So we can say failure, or we can say the lessons that we learned and I choose to say a lesson, right? We learn what to do, what not to do, but I think too, for me, going back to, um, being fearful and it hit me when you said it, the, one of the biggest fears I have is being where I am.

A year from now wondering what could have been that's fair. Okay. That's the, you know, I said earlier, you couldn't have told me last April one, we wouldn't be having this conversation, obviously, but to that, I will be telling you that I, you know, launched a styling company and have had clients in this building.

I couldn't have, I don't, I wouldn't have been able to tell you that, but the fear now, the fear of man, what if I hadn't done X, Y, and Z. What could have happened and this year is going to go by anyway. I always tell people that, and I tell that to students, the time's going to go by anyway. So once you choose to do it.

It's on you, right? You can either just say comfortable, go with the flow, or you can take that risk. You can take that risk on yourself. You can invest in yourself, take, you know, bet on yourself, whatever words you want to use, but it's that fear of not doing that. Right. And coming back next April. And you're like, so Leslie, how has the year been?

I'm like, oh, Same old, same old still blah, blah, blah. And having pursued, not one thing that I know I have the desire to pursue or could pursue, or have been working on from fear of what, if it doesn't happen the way I want it to or what if it doesn't succeed? Like that's the fear, that's where the coach comes in.

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And it's really, if we think about it, The culture is only, and I'm not saying it's going to be dismissive, but the culture is only helping magnify. What's already inside of you, right? She's not coming in and saying, oh, you want this? Let me give you this. Here you go. No, she's helping you peel back those layers to what's already hit.

Whether you hit it yourself or it just hasn't bloomed yet, she's helping pull back those layers of what you're already capable of doing. And so with that, that's how you can get from behind yourself in your thoughts and, and, and the, the what ifs because no, what else will drive you crazy? Right?

What else will literally drive you crazy and will keep you stagnant and keep you at the same place you were. Six months ago, nine months ago, a year 

[00:55:12] Mike Koelzer, Host: almost. I told this to someone and they, they disagreed with this, um, delineation of the two terms, but it's almost like there's like a teacher and I don't mean the teachers that really get involved, but there's a teacher that's teaching something in one direction versus a coach.

That's kind of pulling it out of. You 

[00:55:31] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: now, pulling it out. Absolutely. Absolutely. And that guidance, and then still that accountability is huge because if you say you're going to do something I don't know about you and you know, there's science behind writing down your goals and writing down things. But when you tell somebody you're going to do something, it makes it a little bit more difficult to not do it because you've already put it out there.

Like you told me you were going to write that book. And you're like, oh, I did. Oh, I did. Got it. I told her that I was going to write that book. I have to do it right. It's so it's, it's still what you want to do, but it's that extra push of you holding me accountable. Like me, when is the book launch?

When is the book released? It's that reminder of that thing that's already broken inside of you. 

[00:56:17] Mike Koelzer, Host: Where are we a year 

[00:56:18] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: from now? Okay, well, you're going to put it out there. I have to put it out there. So a year from now, I will be telling you that I only work. Retail 16 hours a month. And that, um, scripts and beyond is still booming.

Still speaking, still getting clients, still changing lives. One person at a time. And I will tell you that El Renae has her accessory line and it's launched and selling well in a year, in a year. Good for you. Yes, that's what I will tell you. Are you going 

[00:56:56] Mike Koelzer, Host: to have anything for old folks? Oh, my 

[00:56:59] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: goodness. I'm 

[00:57:01] Mike Koelzer, Host: asking, I'm asking for a friend.

[00:57:03] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: I asked him for a friend, come on about a week. We could get some things going, get some things, some accessories 

[00:57:10] Mike Koelzer, Host: that leaves one. Lovely pleasure talking 

[00:57:13] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: to you. Yeah, it was great. Thank 

[00:57:15] Mike Koelzer, Host: you. I can see that passion as you talk about it and it'll be right there where you expect it to be. 

[00:57:20] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: I appreciate that. I received that.

Thank you. My RA, Leslie, we'll talk 

[00:57:23] Mike Koelzer, Host: again. Looking 

[00:57:24] Leslie Hodge, PharmD: forward to.