Ep. 170 Reset & Rise: The Story Behind Glow & Grow Esthetics Academy with Ann Casarella

What happens when a global pandemic disrupts your life plans and shuts down the company you’ve worked at for 16 years? If you’re Ann Casarella, you turn the pause into purpose—and open your own esthetics academy.

This week on MissionCTRL, Ramon, Jorge, and Maggie sit down with Ann Casarella, Founder of Glow And Grow Esthetics Academy in Danbury, CT. Ann shares how losing her corporate job and having to cancel her wedding during Covid became the catalyst for her greatest career pivot yet. With nothing but a pen, paper, and a dream, she and her husband mapped out what it would take to start a skincare school from scratch—and made it happen.

They unpack how Ann went from receptionist to national educator at a top spa chain, why Connecticut’s licensing changes opened the door for her business, and how she designed her academy to feel like home for her students. From choosing premium international skincare brands to building a curriculum that blends theory with real-world experience, Ann’s mission is clear: elevate the industry by empowering the next generation.

This episode is for anyone thinking about starting a business, changing careers, or finding new purpose in unexpected pauses. Ann keeps it real about the emotional and logistical challenges of entrepreneurship—and why your business plan needs to evolve like a living, breathing thing. Whether you’re in beauty, business, or just love a good comeback story, you’ll want to tune in for this inspiring, no-fluff conversation on resilience, reinvention, and glowing from the inside out.

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Find full episodes of Mission CTRL on Anchor, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and our website.

Mission CTRL aims to ignite the innovative spirit inside us all through providing budding and successful entrepreneurs and community leaders with a platform to share their stories and inspire others. Tune in every Wednesday and catch up with the team at Peralta Design as we unleash the origin stories behind some exceptional leaders, share marketing/branding insights, and navigate the ever-changing currents of pop culture.

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