Medical Spa Insider

Credit card processing fees aren’t a hot topic in aesthetics, but these charges can add up very quickly in an industry with such big-ticket services. This week, Matt Rej, partner at Merchant Cost Consulting, pulls back the curtain of merchant fees and discusses how small business owners can reduce the costs of hidden or bundled fees to potentially save thousands of dollars per year. He covers:

Reducing fees without making changes to software, credit card companies or banks; Potential fees hidden within common processors such as Clover and Square; The ability to renegotiate fees, even with integrated point-of-sale or other software systems; The rate medical aesthetics clinics should be paying for credit card processing; Some common bundled fees that can often be renegotiated; And much more!

As the medical spa industry continues its extraordinary growth, interest in investing in, buying and selling practices is also increasing. Attendees of Medical Spa Show 2022 will have the option to attend the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Summit, a full-day pre-show education seminar on mergers and acquisitions in the medical spa space presented by Skytale Group. The cost is included in the price of admission, but space is limited, so be sure to sign up soon and select this course during registration. Visit medicalspashow.com/preshow for more information.

In this podcast, we speak with Benjamin Hernandez of Skytale Group to learn about:

The increasing interest in medical spas from large financial sponsors; How early to prepare and how to set yourself up for sale; What to do when you’re ready to sell; The buyer’s perspective vs seller’s perspective; What to know for a single practice looking to sell; What to know for a multi-location group looking to scale; And more!

This week, Hally Pinaud, VP of product marketing at Podium, stops by to talk all things marketing in the medical aesthetic space. She covers:

The power of online reputation management; How to arm small businesses to compete in the age of Amazon; The need to be innovative to market in the medical spa industry; Consumer research around local businesses; How small business owners feel about their prospects going forward in 2022; The consumer focus on ease of doing business, and what that specifically means for medical spas; The importance of being involved in your community; How text message marketing can be a game-changer for local businesses; And more!

This week, Taylor Siemens, NP, clinical director of Vitalyc Medspa stops by to talk about her commitment to training medical aesthetic practitioners. She covers:

The lack of training standards in medical aesthetics; The appetite for more training among injectors; The power of sharing knowledge with other aesthetic injectors; The benefits and limitations of training provided by injectable vendors; The reputation of medical spas among core doctors; The need to bring more NPs and PAs into the industry; Her upcoming aesthetic practitioner training app; And more!

This week, Mitra Silva, founder of medical interior design firm Simour Design, talks about the formula for designing a world-class medical aesthetic practice. We discuss:

Keys to medical spas that have thrived during pandemic; The importance of thinking differently and being intentional in decisions; How to decide how much space you need in your initial build; The benefits of planning for multi-functional rooms; The high cost of not maximizing your space; and How technology can help visualize design ideas.

This week, Sara Osmer, chief marketing officer, and Victoria Voorhees, director of marketing communications for SkinSpirit, stop by the show to talk all about marketing for medical aesthetic practices. They cover:

The importance of being true to the pillars of your business; Challenges and opportunities specific to marketing in medical aesthetics; How to balance promoting the brand vs. individual practitioners on Instagram; Marketing strategies for a multi-location, multi-state brand; The role PR plays in medical aesthetics; Influencer marketing in the medical spa industry; Common mistakes in medical spa marketing; and Which marketing channels are best for new practices.

In this episode of the Member Spotlight miniseries, AmSpa’s Membership Relationship Development Specialist, Michela Bailey, sits down with Dallas Buchanan, MD, and Michelle Buchanan, APRN, of Vivify Plastic Surgery. They talk about:

· How long they have been in practice;

· The size of their team and how they built their practice;

· How they defined their company culture;

· The practice’s involvement in the local community;

· Their favorite skin care treatment and favorite device;

· And more!

This week, Jay Reyero, JD, of ByrdAdatto talks about the regulatory concerns surrounding Botox parties and other offsite events in medical aesthetics. He covers:

Legal compliance trends he is currently seeing among medical spas; Compliance issues regarding IV hydration therapy; If standing orders can replace a good-faith exam for new patients; Whether Botox parties and other offsite events are legal; Regulations to think about when planning an offsite event; If a physician needs to be present for offsite events; The importance of establishing specific documented protocols for events; Whether it’s legal to have alcohol at on- or offsite events; And more!

This week, Kathy Taranto, partner at AesthetiCare MedSpa and MINT Aesthetics, talks about building an $8 million single-location medical spa, how AesthetiCare approached expansion, tips for new medical aesthetic professionals, the importance of training and more. She covers:

Her journey into medical aesthetics; How her early experience defined how she viewed customer experience; Balancing a successful medical spa with a successful training center; Her desire to help people avoid common medical spa mistakes; Treatments and devices new practices should consider; How to choose the right device; The biggest lessons for medical professionals entering aesthetics; Tips for building a high-performing team and avoiding turnover; and How COVID has changed the medical aesthetics industry.

In this episode, RepeatMD CEO Phillip Sitter and VP of Sales Chris Chomenko talk about the ways rewards and membership programs can increase retention and patient adoption of new treatments. They cover:

The value of rewards programs for small businesses; How to measure if a rewards program is working; The anatomy of a good rewards or membership program; How rewards programs can protect against increasing competition in the industry; The different value propositions of rewards programs and memberships; The psychological reasons membership programs can help medical aesthetic practices; The ways practices struggle with membership programs; And more!

This week, MaryAnn Guerra, CEO of Aesthetics Biomedical, stops by to talk about the importance of data, structure and process when it comes to doing the right thing for medical aesthetic patients. She covers:

Her journey from government health care agencies to medical aesthetics; Clearing Vivace through FDA and bringing it to market; The role aesthetics play in the mental health of aging; The role regulations play in patient safety; How RF microneedling helps medical aesthetic patients; Technical specifications of RF microneedling devices; And more!

This week, Alexander Blinski, MD of Plump Cosmetics & Injectables stops by to talk about regulation in the medical spa industry, and the patient-safety concerns that usually drive them. He covers:

If it’s even possible to fully saturate medical aesthetics market; The lack of enough aesthetic providers to meet consumer demand; Regulatory risks for medical spa practices; The laws regarding physician-ownership vs non-physician ownership; The risks of injecting in and around the nose; RN scope of practice; If medical professionals receive training about laws and regulations; And more!

In this episode of our Member Spotlight miniseries, AmSpa’s Membership Relationship Development Specialist Michela Bailey sits down with Brandy Thompson, APRN-BC, of Prescription Beauty Medical Aesthetics. She talks about:

Her decision to move from hospital cardiology nursing to full-time aesthetics; The ins and outs of the Kentucky aesthetic community; How she educated her patient base on medical aesthetics; Her skin care routine; Her favorite treatments; And more!

In this week's Medical Spa Insider we're flashing back to our chat with Felecia Hatcher, keynote speaker for Medical Spa Show 2021. She talks about her path to success, ranging from starting her own small business to working with some of the biggest brands in the world, and more!

We'll be releasing information on the agenda and speakers for Medical Spa Show 2022 very soon, so stay tuned to medicalspashow.com for more information!

On this week’s episode, Warren Danforth, owner of Spa 35 Med Spa, talks about medical spa regulation and safety. He discusses:

The need for proactive research and guidelines to encourage practicing safety in medical spas; Whether the rules and regulations for cosmetic treatments should be different than traditional medicine; How to educate aesthetic practices on the rules and regulations so they are followed and enforced; How to determine and enforce operating standards when the aesthetic field doesn’t have board certification; and The importance of ongoing training and education of providers as the industry continues to grow and offer new treatments and services.

This week, Michael S. Byrd, JD and Brad E. Adatto, JD of ByrdAdatto take a deep dive into the legal issues regarding medical spa ownership and the specifics of the corporate practice of medicine. They cover questions like:

What is the corporate practice of medicine? Why does the corporate practice of medicine matter? Who can legally own a medical spa? What are the risks of not following the corporate practice of medicine? What is a Management Services Organization (MSO)? What is driving regulatory focus on MSOs in California? How does the corporate practice of medicine affect medical spas in Texas? And more!

On this week’s episode, Melissa Mickelson and Jessica Stellwagen, co-founders of Bodify, talk about how they built a successful medical spa practice focusing on CoolSculpting alone. They discuss:

Going into business with family; Why they chose to only offer CoolSculpting; How to build a patient base with one technology; The benefits of establishing an identity early; How to approach referrals to other medical aesthetic practices; Building patient retention through patient experience; The process of fundraising for the start-up; Overcoming fear to make decisions to grow the business; The need to constantly gain new patients with CoolSculpting; How to generate and nurture leads; And more!

This week, RepeatMD CEO Phillip Sitter and VP of Sales Chris Chomenko talk about how loyalty and rewards programs, paired with the proper technology, can level-up a medical aesthetic practice. They discuss:

How loyalty/rewards programs can help introduce new treatments to existing customers; The importance of nurturing leads and building customer trust to boost retention; The structure of a successful medical spa rewards program; How loyalty/rewards programs can move past simple discount and point programs; Ways to move patients through a journey toward more high-margin treatments; The difficulty of scaling the patient experience; and The growth potential of the medical aesthetics industry.

In the first episode of our Member Spotlight miniseries, AmSpa’s Membership Relationship Development Specialist Michela Bailey sits down with Jackie Spagnuolo, MSN, NP, of Beauty Nurse NYC, to talk about her experiences as a nurse in New York during the COVID-19 outbreak. She talks about:

First reactions to the pandemic in New York and patient reaction to the shutdown; Leaving her aesthetics practice during the shutdown to work as a frontline provider at a hospital; An average hospital shift during COVID-19 crisis; Maintaining her aesthetics practice during the shutdown with private-label products and digital consultations; The “adopt-a-health-care-professional” initiative; Methods of self-care to combat burnout; The increased demand for services during and after lockdown; And more!

Erin Hennessey, APRN, stops by this week to talk about all facets of energy-based skin treatment. In this wide-ranging discussion, she covers:

Her path from energy-based treatments for burn injuries to scar treatment to skin rejuvenation; The importance of listening to what the patient wants to improve first; Steps to take before opening your own practice; Ways she gets patients to adopt energy-based treatments; The importance of social media in marketing energy-based treatments; How to decide when to add devices to your practice; What to consider when choosing which device to add; Ablative vs. non-ablative lasers and legislative trends with regard to supervision; and Who should be able to provide laser treatments.

On this week’s episode, Neela Sethi Young, MD, pediatrician and co-founder of Jaanuu, talks about how she branched out from practicing medicine into the world of medical fashion. The discussion covers:

Her desire for more comfort and style in medical attire; The benefits of being expressive through clothing in professional settings; The need for designer clothes with performance levels of durability; How the meaning behind Jaanuu’s name guides the company’s focus; The roles clothes in a professional setting can play in mental health and positive self-image; The Jaanuu Cares and #AlwaysMind campaigns in relation to health care professionals and self-care; The importance of advocacy to Jaanuu’s mission; Lessons from COVID that changed the way Jaanuu operates; And more!

On this week’s episode, renowned dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD, discusses her experience as part of the clinical trial of the new filler Restylane Contour. She talks about:

What makes Restylane Contour different; Methodology of the FDA clinical trial; Patient response to the product; Overcoming patient hesitation about fillers; Needle vs. cannula with Restylane Contour; Benefits of participating in clinical trials; Benefits of Restylane Contour for a practice; and Tips to introduce new products to patients.

In part two of this two-part series, Ben Hernandez of Skytale Group provides a step-by-step walkthrough of the sale of a medical aesthetic practice. He runs through what to expect if you’re approached by an investment company interested in purchasing your practice including:

The typical timeline for a sale; What kind of information buyers are looking for initially; How to structure the deal; How long the owner may need to stay in the practice after the sale; Pitfalls to avoid when selling your practice; What to include in a Letter of Intent (LOI); Things to look for in an investment partner; And more!

In part one of this two-part series, Ben Hernandez of Skytale Group gives some insight into the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) side of medical aesthetics. In this episode, he reflects on the surge of outside financing looking to enter the industry, and he answers a host of questions, including:

What are your options when you’re ready to sell? Why is the M&A market so hot in this industry? What is driving more established medical spas to sell? Why is the industry so attractive to buyers? What are buyers looking for in a medical aesthetics practice? How are medical spas valued and how much could owners get for their practice? How does building a strong leadership team increases a practice’s value?

What does the abbreviation “PA” mean to you? Grace McLauren, PA-C, has extensive experience in internal medicine and women’s health, as well as more than 20 years of experience as a PA in the aesthetics space. She joins us this week to talk about the recent AAPA House of Delegates vote to change the title of the profession from “physician assistant” to “physician associate.” She covers:

North Carolina’s recovery from quarantine; The background for the name change from “physician assistant” to “physician associate”; The role of a PA in a medical practice; Why the AAPA voted to change the name; Response to the reactions from physician associations; Benefits of independent practice for PAs; Why practitioners shouldn’t be using the new designation yet; Requirements to become a PA; and The shortage of PAs in medical aesthetics.

This week, Kipper Doughty, co-founder of Job Snob—a medical aesthetic job board and recruiting agency—stops by to share her perspective on aesthetic recruiting, the current job market for injectors and tips for the hiring process. She covers:

The lack of industry resources for hiring and staffing; Recruiting vs. job boards; What goes into medical aesthetic recruiting; The job market for injectors looking for placement; Experienced vs. new injectors; Pain points and solutions for the hiring process; What to look for when hiring injectors; Common compensation questions; and How to find candidates.

This week, Melissa Rogne talks about starting her single-location medical spa in Fargo, North Dakota, building it into an 11,000 square-foot, multi-million-dollar practice, and selling to a private equity group to become president of a new multi-state brand. She talks about:

How she built huge volume in a small market by creating demand in her community; The importance of understanding what resonates in your market; The marketing strategies that worked best as she grew her practice; Her keys to rapid growth; Her approach when deciding to sell; Being contacted by private equity representatives at Medical Spa Show 2020; The process of the purchase of her practice; and Her plans moving forward as part of a new, multi-practice brand.

This week, Mary Beth Hagan of Titan Aesthetics stops by to talk about the shortage of qualified injectors in the medical aesthetics industry and tips for practices looking to find and retain new practitioners. She covers:

Whether there are enough injectors in the industry to cover the growing demand for services; Various factors that are leading to increased demand; The challenges of finding experienced injectors; Three things new practices looking to hire should focus on; Three skills that mark a good aesthetic injector; Important steps to take when hiring and onboarding new injectors; How much you can compensate injectors while still being profitable; And more!

This week, Nicole Chiaramonte joins us to talk about the world of medical spa ownership. She touches on topics pertinent to both new owners and medical spa professionals looking to make their exit, including:

How she grew to 14 locations in nine states; How her philosophy of “profits with integrity” has led to her success; What she looks for in a partner when investing in a medical spa; How much medical spas are worth in the market right now; What is driving private equity investor interest in the industry; How owners should approach their exit plan; Advice to help get ready to sell; The importance of compensating appropriately; And more!

With the recent spate of bills in states across the country allowing more practice freedom for PAs we wanted to flash back to one of our Greatest Hit episodes with two of the industry’s power PA’s: Maegen Kennedy of Windermere Dental and Medical Spa and Lily Nizam of Alabama Surgical Arts. Hear how these PAs are navigating the medical spa world and finding success and opportunity around every corner.

Original air date: December 5, 2018

This week, Ryan Metcalf, SEO manager for DoctorLogic, talks about search engine optimization (SEO) and medical aesthetics practices. He shares some takeaways from the recent Google I/O conference as well as shedding light on topics such as:

Common website red-flags Google may penalize; The complexities of blogging for SEO; The risks of duplicated content; How to structure web pages to rank higher in Google searches; The most common things businesses are not doing to optimize their SEO; The importance of Local Group searches and how to rank in them; Search lessons learned from COVID; And more!

This week, David Prokupek, CEO of Ideal Image, discusses how one of the biggest brands in medical spas weathered the COVID-19 shutdown and his outlook on the industry going forward. We cover:

How Ideal Image was able to cope with COVID and come out successful; How strategies emerged to gather leads, even when the clinics were closed; The tremendous potential of medical aesthetics; Methods that they use to gain customers faster than the industry is growing; How launching a membership plan impacted their bottom line; Treatment areas with the biggest growth potential; Comparing the growth of medical aesthetics to other industry verticals; The most important KPIs for individual clinics; And more!

Dr. Kay Durairaj joins us live from the Medical Spa Show 2021 for a wide-ranging talk about the current state of medical aesthetics and the future of the industry. We discuss:

The explosion of demand for medical aesthetic treatments; The lack of enough injectors to satisfy client demand; The scarcity of adequate training available to satisfy injector demand; The amount of training a new injector should have before considering themselves as qualified; The need for artistry in aesthetic medicine; How to get comfortable on social media; The need for consensus on proper safety guidelines; And more!

Carole Foos, CPA, of the OJM Group, has been advising medical practices about their tax situations for many years. On this week’s episode, she talks with us about:

New tax laws to be aware of; New credits from 2020; The outlook on changes due to Biden tax proposals; If can you still apply for the Employee Retention Credit if you took a PPP loan; What to look for when looking for a business accountant; How to make the best use of your CPA; How can changing laws might affect your income; And more!

Text ampod to (844) 418-1212 to receive a free book on wealth management and planning from OJM Group.

This week, Patrick Urban, president at Merz Aesthetics, and Mary Trout, chief commercial officer of Candela Medical, join us to talk about the recent partnership the two companies have entered into and how they plan to serve medical aesthetic practices and their patients. They discuss:

· The state of the industry after the quarantines;

· The outlook for medical aesthetics going forward;

· What quarantine has taught us that will aid future growth;

· The power of building bridges and creating partnerships between companies;

· Packages developed between Merz and Candela to holistically address aesthetic patient needs;

· The trend of patients wanting more procedures per visit;

· The importance of training and support beyond the initial sale;

· And more!

In part two of this two-part series on overcoming medical spa disasters, Jessica Wright of Rejuvenate Austin talks about how, just as she was coming out of dealing with closures due to COVID-19, she was faced with the ice storm that crippled the state of Texas and shut down her practice once again. She talks about:

The importance of having emergency closure protocols; How she prepared beforehand when closure seemed certain; The ways she adapted when the closure extended longer than anticipated; How to build a “disaster fund” and how much someone might need; The benefits of good hiring when disaster strikes; Her preferences when bringing on new injectors; And more!

COVID-19 had a huge impact on medical aesthetic practices across the country, forcing business owners to overcome unprecedented circumstances. For some, however, quarantine was not the only catastrophe to strike. In part one of this two-part series on overcoming disasters, Marria Pooya of Greenwich Medical Spa talks about a fire that devastated her flagship location, how she was able to adapt and move forward, and the keys to building a foundation that can withstand enormous, unforeseen challenges. She covers:

How the lockdown affected her four-location business; The ways it managed to survive, restructure and move forward from quarantine; The fire that completely destroyed the company’s flagship location; Recovering from the loss of equipment, property and server data; The importance of having dependable leadership team during crisis; Meeting sales goals across multiple locations while maintaining patient care; How sticking to core values plays into resiliency, longevity and success; Her plans for growth and outlook on the future; and The most essential KPIs she looks at every day.

As the Medical Spa Show 2021 inches closer, take a quick listen back at one of the fun and interactive events from last year. Join AmSpa for a “podcast roulette” recorded with special guests “Botox Josh” Davis, RN BSN, owner of Whisper Wood; Kelly Gibbs, RN, BSN, CANS, founder of Beauty Co.; Shelby Miller, DNP, FNP-C, founder of RUMA Aesthetics; and Anil Rajani, MD, owner of RajaniMD. In this completely raw and unedited recording, our guests open up and get real about some of the sexy and not-so-sexy things about their daily lives.

WARNING: This is NOT the podcast to listen to in the car with your kiddos!

This week Steve Blanner, VP of sales for Wynn Las Vegas, joins Medical Spa Insider to talk about how quarantine affected Las Vegas and the safety steps Wynn Las Vegas is taking as tourism, gaming and live conferences resume. Listen in to hear about:

How Wynn is working to maintain the iconic Las Vegas experience while maximizing guest safety; The safety measures in place around the property, in general and specifically for large live events; What might be different this year for live events compared to past years; If there are vaccination requirements to participate in live events in Las Vegas; The new onsite COVID-19 testing lab at Wynn Las Vegas; The onsite vaccination center at Wynn Las Vegas; And more!

The Wynn Last Vegas is hosting this year's Medical Spa Show. Visit www.medicalspashow.com for more information.

Catherine Maley, MBA, has been a part of the explosive growth of medical aesthetics for decades. This week’s Medical Spa Insider dives into her extensive knowledge of marketing and practice management to pin down the best practices for attracting and retaining patients in the modern medical aesthetic marketplace. Listen in to hear about:

Common misconceptions about medical aesthetic marketing; The most common business needs for plastic surgeons that approach her for help; The challenges of having to be everything in order to compete in today’s world; What modern patients are looking for when they search for aesthetic services; The importance of consistency for customer service and the patient experience; How to cultivate a patient for life; And more!

Terri Ross of Terri Ross consulting returns this week to talk about how quarantine and COVID-19 affected her consulting business and caused her to pivot into one of the greatest opportunities she’s ever had. Find out about the important metrics you need to track in your business and how her new Aesthetic Practice Accelerator (APX) platform puts all of that information within easy reach. Listen in to hear:

Takeaways Terri has learned from aggregated benchmark data from her customers and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons; The differences between practices that thrived through quarantine and those that didn’t; The importance of knowing profit per treatment and revenue per hour per provider; The dangers of the “mentality of discounting”; and; Life lessons she learned in 2020.

Stay all the way to the end for a promo code to save on her new APX platform.

This week, we’re checking back in with the nurse practitioner duo Alexa Nicholls Costa, NP, and Alexandra Rogers, NP, of LexRx. They talk about managing their quarantine year, maintaining and building their hyper-focused injectables-based brand and the importance of keeping their brand identity as they grow. Listen in to hear about:

How they surpassed their year-over-year numbers in 2020, despite a four-month quarantine closure; The key to the success of their private label skin care line; The benefits of organic media vs. advertising and sponsored content; The market research they considered when they began considering new locations; The rationale behind the LexRx “Team House” in Nantucket; What they look for during the hiring process; How to maintain brand identity while expanding to multiple locations; and What they’ve learned as business owners in the two years since the last time they were on the podcast.

This week, Dr. Robin Patel, professor of microbiology and director of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic, returns to answer questions about the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccines rolling out across the country. She covers:

Putting the vaccine into perspective: How impressive was speed of research?; Whether the rush to market sacrificed safety and research into side-effects; Reasons to take the vaccine; What effectiveness rates mean with regard to the various vaccines; How worried should we be about COVID-19 variants; If you can still transmit COVID-19 once vaccinated; If you should still get vaccinated if you’ve already contracted COVID; Whether other allergies give you higher risks with this vaccine; and If people should try to choose one vaccine over another.

This week, entrepreneur and motivational speaker Felecia Hatcher talks about her path to success, ranging from starting her own small business to working with some of the biggest brands in the world. She covers:

Having the vision and courage to build something from nothing; The motivation required of successful entrepreneurs ; Moving past the urge to quit in the face of adversity; Understanding your value proposition; The importance of value-based pricing; How to make the shift from being a hustler to being a CEO; The power of understanding your target market; What problems are you solving for your customer; and Setting and defining your business goals and intentions.

This week, Jessica Nunn of Skytale Group dives into the ins and outs of finances in the medical aesthetic space. In this wide-ranging discussion, she covers:

How data can help predict the future of your practice; Knowing your numbers in order to be proactive instead of reactive; Things you need to think about when starting up a new medical aesthetic practice; What to focus on when growing and scaling your practice; Ways to improve practices that are already doing well; Common financial mistakes that business owners make; Basic financial reports business owners need to understand; And more!

On this week’s episode, Christopher Surek, DO, talks about how the Academy for Injection Anatomy goes above and beyond to hone injectors’ knowledge of anatomy, skill with injectable treatments and ability to manage complications. He covers:

Developing his passion for head and neck anatomy; His perspective as an injector, plastic surgeon and anatomist; The benefits of cadaveric dissection injectable training; Developing new ways to view and understand anatomy; How the hands-on course helps to understand the three-dimensional anatomy of the face; A quick breakdown of facial layers and his approach to teaching; and How use of ultrasound can lead to better injectable results.

This week, George Baxter-Holder, ARNP, DNP, CANS, and chair of the AmSpa Aesthetic Safety Council (AASC), joins us in a wide-ranging talk. He covers:

The AASC looking at the practice guidelines with fresh eyes; The priorities when fine-tuning the practice guidelines; Determining the intent of practice guidelines; Looking at the practice guidelines as a position statement rather than a policy statement; Coming to a consensus on minimum standards for medical aesthetic practices; Trying to define “medical director,” including training and qualifications; The resiliency of medical spa industry during COVID-19; His involvement with the Academy for Injection Anatomy; and The benefits of getting a hands-on, 3D view of anatomy for injectors.

See here for more information on the AmSpa Aesthetic Safety Council.

See here for more information on the Academy for Injection Anatomy.

This week, AmSpa legal coordinator Patrick Armstrong O’Brien talks about legal trends he’s seeing in proposed bills that would affect medical aesthetics across the country. These include:

What independent practice means; States increasingly moving toward independent practice for APRNs; Some states that are considering allowing PAs more independence; Trends regarding “cosmetic practice licenses” for minimally invasive procedures; The recent California LVN board investigation and what it may mean for aesthetic practices; And more!

This week, Cathy Christensen, COO of AmSpa, joins Alex to discuss the results of the AmSpa 2020 Medical Spa Industry Short Survey – COVID-19’s Impact. In this conversation they cover:

The recent death of Dr. Paymon Simoni due to COVID-19; Medical aesthetic practices that had to permanently close; Medical aesthetic practices that had to permanently lay off team members; How federal aid impacted medical aesthetic practices; Revenues in 2020 compared to 2019; The relative resilience of the non-surgical medical aesthetics industry; How these numbers impact the outlook for the future; And more

View more information about the survey at americanmedspa.org.

View and download an infographic summary of the results here.

This week, Jessica Wright, MD, of Rejuvenate Austin, stops by to talk about her journey from practicing medicine at a busy urban trauma center to life in medical aesthetics. She talks about:

Succeeding during the pandemic; Why she got into medicine; Why she got into aesthetics; Going from hospital surgeon to business owner; Balancing work and personal life; Advice for people looking to get into aesthetics; And more!

Alex Thiersch, JD, founder and CEO of AmSpa, is joined by Christin Trujillo of Skytale Group and Patrick O’Brien, JD, AmSpa’s legal coordinator, to discuss the new round of federal stimulus and assistance for COVID-19 relief. They will look into the individual programs and measures found in the bill and how they might affect your medical aesthetic practice.

Brandon Robinson, owner of Skin Body Soul and investor in OrangeTwist, takes over the podcast this week to interview Alex Thiersch, JD, AmSpa’s founder and CEO. As we close out a tumultuous 2020 and head into a new year join us for a look back at the history of the American Med Spa Association as Alex reveals:

How he first became interested in a legal career; The legal case that got him into medical aesthetics; The beginnings of AmSpa; The idea behind AmSpa’s Medical Spa & Aesthetic Boot Camps; How the Medical Spa Show came into being; How Covid-19 and lockdown changed the focus of the association; His outlook on the future of the industry post-pandemic.

This week, we’re back with Christie Hutchinson, RN, MBA, talking all about OSHA. She answers a number of compliance questions, including:

What is OSHA? Where do majority of OSHA complaints come from? What are the most common OSHA violations? What are minimum compliance standards for light-emitting devices? What do you do in case of an OSHA investigation?

This week, Christie Hutchinson, RN, MBA, does a deep dive on the nursing scope of practice in aesthetic medicine. She discusses:

The initial consult and what counts as the practice of medicine; How standing orders affects what RNs can and can’t do; The importance of protecting your nursing license; Standard operating procedures and their place in medical spas; and Where you can find information on “who can do what” in a medical practice.

This week, Brandon Robinson, owner of Skin Body Soul and investor in OrangeTwist, talks about the business outlook for the medical spa industry during and potentially after the COVID-19 pandemic. He covers how investment interest in the industry has actually increased over the past several months and reveals his thought process as he expanded his business over the course of 2020. He talks about:

Ways the pandemic has proven the business model of medical aesthetics; How the “stickiness” of the industry has become apparent to investors; Why and how he managed to expand during pandemic; Where opportunities can come from during and after lockdown; The importance of knowing your numbers, knowing your model and sticking to your guns; Protections you can build into lease agreements to give yourself confidence to take risks; Predictions for when industry will get back to full capacity; and His reflections on 2020.

AmSpa CEO Alex Thiersch and COO Cathy Christensen sat down with Terri Ross of Terri Ross Consulting to talk about what it’s like being a female entrepreneur in the aesthetics industry, and how medical aesthetic practices can scale their business to seven figures with simple sales training tools. Terri shares her tips on the benefit of performing longer consults, how you can invest back into your business, role-playing tips for your front desk staff and much more!

Many states are re-imposing restrictions on businesses, as the COVID-19 pandemic has surged in many parts of the country. Join AmSpa Founder and CEO, Alex Thiersch, ByrdAdatto Partner, Renee Coover, JD, and AmSpa Legal Coordinator, Patrick O'Brien, JD, as they review and discuss the new restrictions in Illinois, California and elsewhere, and how they may impact your medical aesthetic practice.

As 2020 has gone on it seems stressors have only increased. This week we're reaching into the archives to help you manage an increasingly stressful world. Wendy Collier will offer things you can do each day to give you a break from feeling worried so you can be your more positive self. This includes a powerful daily practice you can do first thing each morning that will make a BIG difference in your entire day.

This week, board-certified plastic surgeon Robert Whitfield, MD, talks about his journey overcoming both professional and personal hardships due to COVID-19. The pandemic has affected Dr. Whitfield in both his practice and in personal life, as he lost his father to the illness during the lockdown. He touches on several aspects of dealing with this reality, including:

A medical professional’s perspective on losing a family member to COVID; The difficulties of losing a loved one during lockdown; How other team members have also lost close family members; Preparing to re-open while dealing with personal loss; Dealing with “COVID fatigue” among patients and community members; Lessons learned from months of virtual consults; And more.

This week, Hermine Warren, APRN, DNP, CANS, talks about some lessons she’s learned during the COVID-19 outbreak and gives a detailed analysis of AmSpa’s Guidelines for Non-surgical Medical Aesthetic Practices. Listen in to hear a discussion about:

Processes and procedures learned during COVID-19 that will endure post-quarantine; Benefits of using cannulas for injectable procedures; The importance of standards and a standardization of rules; The need to clarify scope of practice for advanced licenses beyond just NP; The risks of publishing guidelines that may eventually become law; Whether the guidelines do enough to support RNs; The need for references and citations in the guidelines; And much more.

New York-based dermatologist Paul Frank, MD, caught COVID-19 in the early days of the outbreak. He joins AmSpa Founder Alex Thiersch, JD, to discuss his personal journey with the disease, how it affected his health, how it affected his practice and how he predicts it will affect the medical aesthetic industry. He talks about:

How living through COVID-19 changed his perspective on business; The importance of focusing on the practice of medicine within the business of medicine; His outlook on the post-COVID-19 future of medical aesthetics; If millennials continue to drive growth as the economy slowly recovers; and Practicing profitably while maintaining legal compliance.

This week, Connie Brennan, RN, BSN, CANS, CPSN, CPC, talks about her lifetime journey of learning in medical aesthetics, focusing on her current goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. She talks about:

The benefits of being an RN vs an NP; Reasons why and why not to take the leap; How to choose a school; Challenges of expanding aesthetic education; How to grow the ranks of aesthetic nurses; And more!

Heather Rypien, RN, CANS, was last on the podcast mere weeks before the nationwide COVID-19 shutdown. Check in on how the closure affected her practice, how she approached re-opening, and the lessons she learned from quarantine that she plans to implement in her practice going forward. Hear about:

What patient flow has been like since re-opening; How customer behavior has changed; What precautions she is taking for her patients and her team; and

Her outlook on the future.

This week, Paul Edwards stops by to demystify human resources (HR) and give you concrete examples of how building your practice with your team first can lead to success for your practice. Listen in to hear about:

The COVID shutdown from an HR perspective; The strategies involved in growing employees into difference-makers; The importance of defining your company culture; How to approach revenue transparency as part of company culture; Interview questions to ask when finding a culture fit for your practice; Most common COVID-related HR questions; and The difference between law and rule-making, and caveats to many rules passed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week, Kevin Harrington, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, talks about the ins and outs of injector training. He gives his views on how much training people should get before injecting for the first time, the value of manufacturer training courses, and things to look for when choosing a training course. Listen in to hear about:

The importance of understanding the “why” behind medical procedures; How “certified” courses might not mean what you think; Why aesthetics should be considered its own medical specialty; What makes a good injector; and more!

On this week’s episode, listen in to gain some insight on the complex decisions that go into interpreting medical spa law. Alex welcomes Michael Byrd, JD, and Brad Adatto, JD, of the law firm ByrdAdatto to speak about:

Challenges regarding regulators and legislators not fully understanding the industry; Challenges of laws being different in different states; Navigating “grey areas” in the law; Finding a balance between nursing board, medical board and legislature opinions; The most important aspects of compliance; Why it doesn’t matter if “everyone else is doing it”; and Why it’s less daunting than it seems to be legally compliant

This episode also includes a quick preview of Season 2 of the firm’s podcast, Legal 123s with ByrdAdatto.

This week we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes in the archive. Shelby Miller, DNP, FNP-C, founder of RUMA Aesthetics, known on Instagram as @Aesthetic_Injector, explains how you can replicate her journey by having the right intentions, finding the right mentor, and immersing yourself in education, training and networking with your peers. "The second you become overconfident, you become dangerous."

This week, Danielle Smith, NP,-C of smith & co gives us a glimpse under the hood of her business as a solo practitioner who focuses solely on injectables. She gives an in-depth description of how she bucks many business rules of thumb in order to maximize her efficiency and create a plan customized for her particular business model. Listen in to learn the answers to the following questions:

How do you maximize the efficiency of your time? Why should you potentially say No to new business opportunities? How vital is administrative support, really? Do you really need to answer the phone immediately?

This week, Alex Blinski, MD, busts the myth that you can’t make money on injectables and talks about how his brand, Plump, was built with injectables at the center—not as a loss-leader. He also talks about business coming out of the COVID-19 closure, whether he thinks the spike in interest is sustainable, and lessons he’s learning from the pandemic that will inform his business going forward.

This week, Nicole Norris, MD, gives a soup-to-nuts rundown of how she built her practice from serving a town of 20,000 people to drawing patients from 50 miles away or more. She talks about the importance of knowing her demographics, and understanding the marketing channels that are most successful in her area. Key conversation points include:

Making the jump from family medicine to medical aesthetics; Building personal relationships with patients; Advice to new medical spa owners; Small market success during COVID-19 and beyond; …and much more!

Though many medical spas were not able to survive the shutdowns due to COVID-19, other practices that were able to re-open experienced a spike in business due to pent-up demand. As we move forward, how can the industry build upon that interest? Glenn Morley and Elizabeth Holloway of BSM Consulting talk about how to best make use of data in a medical aesthetic practice and the numbers they’re seeing from practices around the world. They also dive into what the best leaders are doing to see their practices through these uncertain times, and how transparency with employees can be a key to success.

This week, triple-board-certified dermatopathologist Gretchen Frieling, MD, talks about her journey into medical aesthetics. In this wide-ranging conversation, she delves into the importance of trusting your gut when deciding your next move and how cohesive community can benefit everyone in the industry.

George Baxter-Holder, ARNP, DNP, CANS, joins us this week to talk about his unconventional path toward a career in medical aesthetics. He also discusses how aesthetic treatments are about much more than what’s on the surface and answers some important questions about his interactions with his patients:

How can you build a real, long-term relationship with your patients? How does understanding how your patients view themselves help you treat them? How can you help patients beyond the treatment room? How can all of this lead to better outcomes in your practice?

Listen in to find out.

Jackie Spagnuolo, RN, BSN, and Kelsey Spector, LE, chat with AmSpa’s social media team about what it takes to build a devoted following online. Aly Boeckh and Michela Bailey, AmSpa’s marketing gurus, join AmSpa Founder and CEO Alex Thiersch in asking these young influencers to share their insights on Instagram, TikTok, and being authentic and approachable in a digital world.

Rob and Carol Trow, co-founders of DermaConcepts, exclusive U.S. distributor of Environ Skin Care, talk about how they built their business with sustainable growth while fostering a family-like company culture. They offer advice on how they built their company over the last 25 years to both new and established entrepreneurs.

This episode covers:

How they build and retain a high-performing team; How those philosophies improve customer loyalty; and The importance of long-term planning for the growth and success of a business.

Candela’s CCO, Mary Trout, and medical director, Konika Patel Schallen, MD, join us on this episode of Medical Spa Insider for a wide-ranging discussion. They cover how Candela has weathered the COVID-19 storm and touch on worldwide data they're collecting as practices return to business operations. They also cover general medical spa best-practices regarding treating patients and bringing devices into a medical spa.

What has consumer demand been as practices re-open? How are medical spas practicing safely? What are common business mistakes that medical practitioners make when opening? How do you choose a device for your practice? What is "consultative selling" and how can it benefit your practice, both when choosing a vendor and when interacting with patients?

Robin Patel, MD, director of infectious disease research at the Mayo Clinic, returns to speak about the current state of COVID-19 in the U.S. She covers transmission risk and how we can mitigate the spread of the disease, and outlines what the medical landscape might look like in the months to come.

Additionally, Paul Edwards, CEO and cofounder of CEDR HR Solutions, talks about some of the practical realities of re-opening during COVID-19, such as:

Protocols and procedures he sees in practices that maximize the health and safety of team members and patients; Where small business employees are commonly catching COVID-19; If employers can and should test employees for COVID-19; What to do if an employee tests positive; What to do if an employee doesn’t want to return to work; And more.

This week Steven Dayan, MD, FACS, speaks on the early days of medical aesthetic marketing and how he was able to pioneer many of the techniques that are commonplace today including establishing a web presence and authority marketing to the consumer. He also goes over his research regarding The Subliminal Difference – explaining how subtle changes can create dramatic results – and he talks about the nature of beauty vs attraction, and which one aesthetic providers should be most concerned about addressing.

Dr. Dayan is a professor and researcher has published over 130 articles in medical journals and 5 books. He is a NY Times and USA TODAY Best Selling Author. His accolades include the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation’s Leadership Award and “Top Doc” recognition by numerous organizations including Castle Connolly and U.S News & World Report.

He is a member of American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery (AAPFRS), American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons (ASDS) and serves on the Board of Directors for the Facial Plastic Surgery society as well as on the board of multiple medical journals including, Facial Plastic Surgery, Aesthetic Surgery Journal (ASJ), Cosmetic Dermatology and New Beauty Magazine. He is the current Co-editor of Modern Aesthetic Magazine and Web Editor of Facial Plastic Surgery Aesthetic Medicine.

He has authored 5 books, and is currently filming a 10 episode pilot series with Dr. Paul Nassif that is scheduled to air summer 2020. But it is in his role as an adjunct professor —teaching a popular undergraduate course: The Science of Beauty and Its Impact on Culture and Business – that his NYTimes Best Selling book Subliminally Exposed is based.

This week, Lori Robertson, MSN, FNP-C, talks about staking the success of her practice on the outcomes of her patients first. She goes over her focus on treatment efficacy and patient satisfaction over profits, and how she uses a team-based incentive structure to show appreciation without relying on commission for individual providers. She also talks about steps she’s taking to ensure the safety of her patients and her team as the country re-opens after COVID-19 shutdown, and how her patients have responded.

This week our panelists discuss new information about the PPP loan forgiveness application, and new interim rules introduced in the PPP Flexibility Act.

Panelists include:

Alex Thiersch, JD, Founder and CEO, AmSpa Michael Byrd, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto Ben Hernandez, Partner, Skytale Group Patrick O'Brien, Legal Coordinator, AmSpa

In this episode, Cameron Hemphill, CEO of Growth99, talks about techniques he sees that are allowing medical spa practices to both survive and thrive in the current climate. He talks about the importance of recurring revenue services and online sales, as well as how the innovative use of digital marketing can create market leaders today and in the future.

This episode’s guest is Mitra Silva, founder of medical interior design firm Simour Design. She covers how she takes ​patient experience, safety and comfort into account when designing medical aesthetic practices. Her specialized team of designers create intentional healing spaces within medical spas, surgical centers and all areas of health care.

Reunited and it feels so good! Join the incredible women from Medical Spa Show 2020’s All-Star Medical Spa Owners panel as they discuss their lessons learned and experiences during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as their thoughts, methods and tactics for re-opening. Hosted by AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex Thiersch, JD, and featuring:

Shawna Chrisman, ACNP, MS, BC, FCCS, Destination Aesthetics; Anna Churchill, Synergy Face & Body; Lynn Heublein, Skin Spirit; Melissa Rogne, Rejuv Medical Aesthetic Clinic.

Our panelists review the release of the SBA’s new loan forgiveness rules for the Paycheck Protection Program. Topics include re-hiring and paying employees, what costs can be forgivable, safe harbors, exceptions, and what questions still remain. They will also discuss the potential changes which may be coming in the House’s PPP fix bill as it heads to the Senate and how it could affect borrowers. Panelists include: Alex Thiersch, JD, Founder and CEO, AmSpa Michael Byrd, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto Ben Hernandez, Partner, Skytale Group Patrick O'Brien, JD, Legal Coordinator, AmSpa

Gabe Lubin, founder and CEO of Cartessa Aesthetics, speaks about his motivations for building Cartessa and his philosophy on creating devices for medical spas. He talks about what to consider when buying capital equipment and how to make careful decisions about adding treatments to your practice to achieve long-term success.

The panel gives an overview of updates to the Paycheck Protection Program, including the release of the loan forgiveness application.

Panel:

Alex Thiersch, JD, CEO and Founder, AmSpa

Michael Byrd, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto

Brad Adatto, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto

Ben Hernandez, Partner, Skytale Group

Patrick O'Brien, JD, Legal Coordinator, AmSpa

Listen in as Jeff Segal, MD, JD, weighs in on coronavirus: what we know, how to stay safe and steps to take as states begin to re-open. How careful do we need to be in our homes and in our businesses, and how long might this situation continue?

Panelists—including experts from AmSpa, ByrdAdatto and Skytale Group—review new information from the last two weeks regarding the Paycheck Protection Program. They cover new guidance on loan forgiveness, the recent statements from the IRS about whether the PPP money is tax-deductible and other challenges with the fast-changing nature of the program.

Panelists:

Alex Thiersch, JD, Founder and CEO, AmSpa

Michael Byrd, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto

Brad Adatto, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto

Patrick O’Brien, JD, Legal Coordinator, AmSpa

Ben Hernandez, Partner, Skytale Group

Alex Thiersch, Founder and CEO of AmSpa, talks with Alisa Lask, VP and General Manager of Galderma. Listen in to hear:

How is Galderma is dealing with this crisis from a general standpoint? How Galderma is helping its small business clients? What insights does Galderma have about the impact of the virus on the aesthetics market? What plans does Galderma have to stimulate the market once we can reopen? Will interest for aesthetics procedures will still be strong post-COVID-19? What message would Galderma like to send to medical spas during this time?

The governor has allowed Texas medical practices to re-open, but what does that mean for Texas medical spas? Alex Thiersch, JD, Michael Byrd, JD, and Brad Adatto, JD, run through additional challenges that medical aesthetic practices might face from a regulation and enforcement standpoint.

Learn from Sarah Hamilton and Ashley Stepp of Sarah Hamilton Face in Liberty Lake, Washington, how retail has made a big difference during this difficult time and how Millennial clients are the drivers of huge retail spends, as well as other tactics for success during the downturn.

In this special episode of Medical Spa Insider, join Alex Thiersch and panelists Christie Hutchinson, QCC Healthcare Consultants; Brad Adatto, Michael Byrd and Renee Coover, ByrdAdatto as they go over what medical spas need to begin the process of reopening their businesses.

Read AmSpa's re-opening checklist here.

Download AmSpa's re-opening toolkit here.

Mary Beth Hagen, Founder and CEO, of TITAN Aesthetic Recruiting chats with Alex Thiersch, Founder and CEO of AmSpa, about aesthetic injector salaries, what makes a quality injector, and all things surrounding aesthetic recruiting and placement.

This week's update on the Paycheck Protection Program discusses recent program updates. Additionally, the panelists talk about the program being refunded, provide some guidance on loan forgiveness, and touch on the states that are beginning to re-open for business.

Panelists:

Alex Thiersch, JD, CEO and Founder, American Med Spa Association

Patrick O'Brien, JD, Legal Coordinator, American Med Spa Association

Michael Byrd, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto

Brad Adatto, JD, Partner, ByrdAdatto

Ben Hernandez, Partner, Skytale Group

Beto Casellas, CEO of CareCredit, and Bill Reiner, chief security officer of Synchrony Financial, talk about the coronavirus outbreak and what it takes to lead a company during uncertain times. How do you react to crisis? What steps do you take to communicate with your team? What can you do to keep everyone safe, both now and as states begin to come out of shelter-in-place?

The CARES Stimulus bill and its PPP program is a fluid situation. This podcast will cover the new updates with the program since last week and will provide insight how to get the most support possible from the CARES Stimulus bill for your medical spa. Are people getting funds? What should you do now that funding has run out?

AmSpa's Founder and CEO, Alex Thiersch, JD, shares 8 tips that could be key to the success of your medical aesthetic practice. This episode includes full audio from the first section of AmSpa's new Virtual Boot Camp. Visit americanmedspa.org/virtualbootcamp for more information.

The CARES Stimulus bill and its PPP program is a fluid situation. This podcast will cover the new updates with the program since last week and will provide insight how to get the most support possible from the CARES Stimulus bill for your medical spa.

Heather Rypien, BSN, RN explains how she was able to help build a practice making five-digit sales daily on injectable treatments. Note: This podcast was recorded the week before the widespread shutdown due to coronavirus.