In this Founder Story episode, marketing expert and content coach Kate Violet visits Tona Wellness Spa in Central Florida to record a founder’s video for owner Vanessa Bayless. Kate introduces the purpose of her series – using authentic storytelling to connect audiences with entrepreneurs – and then conducts an informal interview with Vanessa. Vanessa describes the spa’s holistic services, including aesthetics, IV hydration, laser treatments, and fat‑burner injections, and explains how she built the business from the ground up after working as an IV hydration nurse and in a prison. She shares a powerful personal narrative of childhood poverty, immigration, domestic violence, and homelessness, emphasizing how those hardships forged her resilience and desire to help underserved communities. Vanessa details the spa’s layout, staff, pricing (e.g., a $30 LipoStab Plus injection), and location (2401 East Grace Avenue, Suite 24, near I‑4). The episode concludes with Kate reflecting on the power of storytelling for marketing, offering her own social‑media and content‑coaching services, and inviting viewers to apply for future founder‑story visits.
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Okay, welcome to another episode of the Founder Story here on YouTube. I am interviewing business owners and founders to ask to do their founder story for them. Why is the reason? I am a marketing expert and I'm a content coach as well. I've been doing social media for the past 5 years and I've become an expert in how to generate leads and clients with social media. That is the reason why I decided to start this series, because connecting your audience with your story is so, so important. That's why, how can I find a way to show people the stories of this business owner, of the CEOs, of these founders, and actually showcase their emotions and the reason why they started their business. And that's where the Founder Story series came out to be alive. And I'm so happy to be part of this. So if you are a business owner, if you're an entrepreneur and you are not using your social media strategy the right way, let me help you. I will be so happy to bless you. But that's something that we leave for the end of the video. But today we're here in Central Florida. So actually in one of the episodes, if you haven't seen it, that was episode number 1, I went to a spa spa, which is the Emerald Oak Spa. And one of her friends, one of her partners, reached out to me and she's like, Kate, I would love for you to do my founder story. She doesn't know I'm coming today. She doesn't know that I'm here. But I asked for her address and I told her that I might or might not come. And because of that reason, I am here today and I would love to bless her with her founder story. I would love to get to know her a little bit more and interview her. So I hope that you guys are ready because I'm really excited about the story. So let's show the BTS and let's get rolling. Okay, so it's the Deltona so it's definitely here. So let's go inside. Let's hope to find her. Good afternoon, is it okay if I'm recording? It's okay.
Yeah, okay.
I'm just looking for Vanessa, the owner.
Um, she'll be in like in 10 minutes.
In 10 minutes? Okay. All right, um, so I'm just gonna be waiting outside. Okay, don't tell her I came though. Don't tell her I came. Okay, I'll be back. All right, so she's not here yet, so we're gonna go outside and just kind of hide and wait until she comes. I'm pretty sure that's her, so let's just kind of bomb her with the questions. Hi!
Oh, hi!
Hi, Vanessa! Oh my gosh, you're so beautiful! Thank you, so are you! So, um, I decided to come to your business because I would love to— you're the business owner?
Yes, I am.
And I would love to do a founder's video for you.
Yes, I'm so excited! I know you was coming, but I didn't know why. You should have told me. I would have done my hair.
You look pretty, you look gorgeous. Thank you. All right, so is it a good time? Because I know, I don't know if you have clients or anything like that.
Know it's good before it gets packed.
Okay, all right, let's go. Yes, so hi, you are partner with Mabel, right?
I know Mabel, yes.
So because of that, I was like, let me just check my DMs, let me check the people that want me to visit. And I'm, I'm only 20 minutes, so that's why let me just visit her and do the founder story for her. So awesome, I'm really excited for that. So tell us a little bit more about you, what you do.
This is a new location here in September So I built it from ground up, and this is— I do aesthetics. I'm into the beauty and the holistics. I make you feel better, and if you have wrinkles or you need weight loss or you need vitamins, tattoo removal, spot removal, like, I'm your girl.
Why did you start this business? What was the, the inspiration behind it?
After COVID, it was very bad, so I started being an IV hydration nurse. So I used to go to people's homes. I used to work in a prison before, and I used to see a lot of people people passing away, and especially in the hospitals. And then I combined with IV hydration, and that's like the cure. You have to have the right vitamins so you can able to cure yourself. Then I decided to go to people's homes.
So you do IV hydration here as well?
Yeah, so the IV hydration is this way. This is my massage therapist. She's not in right now, so this is—
Oh, so you do have a lot of employees?
Yes.
What about that room?
This is where the magic happens.
Okay.
This is the pain room.
The pain room?
Yeah, this is where I do most of my laser hair removals anything at aesthetics that you don't feel good and you want to change it by yourself, this is like the room to do it.
Is there anything that we can try today?
Yeah, what you want to try?
I have everything. Can I be done like an injection, something like—
Yeah, we have the, the fat burner injection.
Yes, that one.
And this is where, um, you sit down.
Oh, this is the therapy. Okay, the IV.
Yes, therapy, holistic.
So this is not only for aesthetics but also for health as well.
Yes.
How did this vision start? I've never seen anything like that. I mean, I've seen many spas, but I think that what you're doing is so different because it seems like you're trying to help people that are going through like a really hard time. Is there a reason why you started something so beautiful?
Everybody just wants beauty. It's everything in the inside that you have to fix. So I'm like, then I became a psychiatrist. Wow.
So you're, so you're a nurse practitioner and then you're a psychiatrist and then you have— why don't you do—
I prescribe—
you're like a superhero.
So everything intertwines.
Let's keep going. You are amazing.
Amazing.
I'm in shock of like everything that you do.
This used to be like my psychiatry office, but then I grew, so I have another office. So they come to the back. This was my front office, provided like a calming environment for the patients when I do therapy.
And as well, how were you able to accomplish such a big spa with so many things?
A lot of work. And all my— the girls that work with me, they used to be my clients. They trusted me, they believed in me, and they said, I'm gonna open it. So I believe them, so I open a bigger space so we can all grow with each and they all have their own businesses and they all growing. I'm not a coach, but I have opened a lot of businesses and I helped a lot of people grow their businesses here starting with me and stuff.
Oh, so right now we're gonna do what injection?
This one is LipoStab Plus. It has B12 and it has your B6. Your B6 vitamin is very important to balance your hormones.
So how much is this one?
This one's normally $30.
Oh, that's not bad.
You're able to burn fat, you clean your liver out. Ready? Here we go. Sorry, sorry.
Oh wow, that was fast. So I think you do have a beautiful story. So can you just tell people like your location and everything that you do so people can come visit you and support you? Because I do think you have so many good things in here.
Thank you. I'm here in off 2401 East Grace Avenue, Suite 24, by the overpass and I-4, and across the street from the Orange City Mobile Home.
And this is in Florida. If you come visit to Orlando, it's probably like a 30-minute drive. So if you ever come to the parks and things, you want to get an IV, Botox, Then come support Vanessa. She's amazing. Okay, so are you ready to do your founder story?
Yes.
All right, let's go. Let's do it. So we're going to get all the equipment. We're going to put it inside of the spa and we're going to be recording her founder story. Okay, everybody, we are ready for the BTS. Let's go, Mr. Machu Picchu. We have a lot of cameras set up. We have 3 cameras. We have you guys in here on YouTube just to show you the BTS. And then we have this camera, which is the one that we do the founder story. Um, let me help you set this up. I'm going to remove this. So we got to put this soft light. What we're going to do, we're going to turn off all the lights and we're going to put this soft light right in front of her, and then we're going to put a light behind her hair so that way she has a separation between the background and her. And then we're also going to put LED panels on the side to give a little bit of color as well. So you're going to always be looking at the camera and you're going to say, my name is Vanessa and your last name, and this is my founder story.
My name is Vanessa Bayless. I am the owner of the Tona Wellness Spa, and this is my founder story.
Why you started this business, and I want you to say not the technical stuff, not the money stuff, but mostly like Who do you want to help?
I like to help my community, especially the underserved population.
So you're going to say it again, and you're going to say, "I started this business because—" I start—
oh, you're okay. I started this business because I enjoy helping people.
What are the biggest struggles that you have come across?
I lived in poverty, almost was evicted, shelter many times, no food, no, no Can you explain us a little bit more? My mom was— she dropped out of school in middle school. She ran away from domestic violence. My stepdad almost killed her, so she decided to move to the United States with no money, no nothing. We lived on food stamps, and she got kicked out. And I remember it was— I was 5 years old. It was snowing. I was eating snow. I was hungry. I didn't eat for a whole day. We were just Just looking around to see, walking for like 2 hours.
So you were 5 when that happened? Yes. How did that make you be the woman that you are today?
It showed me to be strong, to be confident, to don't depend on nobody, to fight for what you want.
And you move your hand. This is my story and I would love to serve you.
This is my story and I would love to serve you.
You're so pretty, oh my God! You're such a sweetheart. God bless you, Mama. You have such a beautiful heart. So we are done recording the beautiful story for Vanessa. I was about to cry with how many beautiful things she said. But this is the whole meaning about marketing. This is the whole meaning about storytelling, about truly putting yourself out there and putting who you are and everything you've been through so people can connect with you. You have created— she has created such a beautiful business. She's such a beautiful entrepreneur. And putting her story out there just to realize that they might be 1,000 spas, right? 10,000 spas, but there's only one her, one story, and that's what people really connect with. And I really do believe that she's making such an amazing job here in Central Florida by helping people with IVs, with vitamins, with shots, with injections, with not only the, the outside but with the inside as well. And I think that is so beautiful because of everything she's been through. So I'm going to leave the founder story at the end, but again, if you would like for me to visit you and do the founder story, you can apply at kateviolet.com and will definitely come and visit you unexpectedly. And also, if you are looking for social media management services or content coaching, marketing coaching, you know me, I'm the expert. You can book a strategy call also at kateviolet.com, and I would love to see you there. So thank you guys. Don't forget to subscribe and like, and I will see you in the next episode. Now enjoy Vanessa's founder story.
My name is Vanessa Bayless. I am the owner of Daytona Wellness Spa, and this is my founder story. I started this business because I enjoy helping people. Coming to the United States when I was 5, I lived in poverty. I remember I was eating snow. I was hungry. I didn't eat for a whole day. My mom passed by a bar and she met my stepdad that took us in. We lived with a total stranger for like 10 years of my life. And then I was in high school, 9/11. We was in the Bronx and that happened in Manhattan. I just saw every— all my friends His parents died, like, right on camera. So the teacher cut the TV, class got dismissed, and everything was dark, foggy in the city. Had to walk home, like, 30 minutes. Nobody want to give me a ride. And one split second, every teenager there that was going to graduate just lost their parent. We just did a pact that we were all joining the military and fight back. Once I graduated, joined the military, I always found myself in Hawaii. And I just ended up in a combat zone, and a lot of people died. And at 19, I earned a Combat Action Patch right in direct fire. I had just got back from deployment. I became pregnant. I had to give birth to a baby that had passed away. Being a young mother, having to bury a child when being 19 years old, being, being homeless, Having no food, going through school like on our own, it made me the woman I am today. And through all my experiences, this is what made me open Deltona Wellness Spa. Not just beauty, it's also mental, holistic, from the inside. It's all one, so I can help you guys. I have treated over 20,000 clients, clients from cancer, hospice care, kids. I enjoy teaching everybody and giving them all my help, and we all grow together and we all push each other. It's just a team makes a whole village. This is my story, and I would love to serve you.
