Behind the Needle

At 21, Kara Roberts was in nursing school when a hit-and-run accident nearly took her life. She walked away with multiple spinal fractures, a shattered pelvis, and a traumatic brain injury. What she didn't walk away from was the calling that experience gave her.

In this episode of Behind the Needle, Kara Roberts, nurse practitioner and founder of Áine Healthcare, opens up about the accident that changed everything, the grueling hours she worked to build her practice from nothing, and the philosophy that now drives how she treats every patient who walks through her doors.

This episode is perfect for anyone building something from scratch, working through their own hard chapter, or looking for proof that the worst moments don't have to define you.

In this episode:

• How surviving a near-fatal car accident at 21 shaped Kara's approach to patient care
• Why she built Áine Healthcare on a cash-based, insurance-free model without sacrificing accessibility
• The strategy behind launching with telehealth before opening two physical locations
• What it took to work up to 400 hours a month for nearly two years to self-fund her practice
• Her ongoing work in the cardiothoracic ICU at Massachusetts General Hospital and what it taught her about critical care
• Her role as secretary for AmSpa's Arizona chapter and how she supports the local provider community

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Áine Healthcare: https://ainehealthcare.com/

Join AmSpa: https://www.americanmedspa.org/benefits/

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Áine Healthcare: https://www.instagram.com/aine.healthcare

Kara Roberts: https://www.instagram.com/kara.roberts.np/

AmSpa Arizona Chapter: https://www.instagram.com/amspa.arizona.chapter/

Most med spa owners went to school for aesthetics or medicine, not business. So when it comes to marketing, scheduling, payroll, and payments, they're often left guessing, and guessing gets expensive.

Skya Jones is the Sr. MedSpa Education Manager and in-house MedSpa Consultant at Boulevard, where she sits at the intersection of industry strategy, customer education, and experience design, partnering with internal teams and medspa operators nationwide to build the systems and culture that turn good spas into unforgettable ones. With nearly a decade of experience in medical aesthetics and beauty, she has managed and consulted across medspa and retail beauty businesses, and is a recognized speaker and contributor passionate about advancing the conversation around growth, retention, and operational excellence. At the core of everything she does is a simple belief: the most powerful thing a medspa can invest in is the client experience.

This conversation covers how Boulevard's platform was built by industry veterans sitting at real front desks, and how features like their new AI receptionist and revenue-protecting scheduling tools are changing the way med spas operate.

In this episode:

• Why med spa owners often feel overwhelmed by daily operations, logistics, and marketing, and how their training didn't prepare them for it
• How Boulevard's education team, built from salon, barbershop, and spa veterans, works directly with clients and Boulevard's product teams to solve real problems
• Why Boulevard's founders built the platform by sitting at front desks and working alongside assistants and payroll managers
• Why the platform automatically reorders services to prevent scheduling errors, like booking a facial too soon after a neurotoxin treatment
• Who Boulevard is actually built for, and why it becomes a stronger fit once a med spa grows past one room or adds a second provider
• What med spas can expect from Boulevard's data migration process when switching over from another platform

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Boulevard: https://www.joinblvd.com/

Get a Boulevard Demo: https://www.joinblvd.com/get-a-demo

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Boulevard: https://www.instagram.com/joinblvd

Most people fear starting over. Natalie Galanin has done it three times.

In this episode of Behind the Needle, Natalie Galanin, owner of Resurface Studio in Sitka, Alaska, shares how she went from studying marine science on the Big Island to becoming one of Alaska's most in-demand estheticians. 

Natalie opens up about what it took to start over in a state with far stricter licensing rules than Hawaii, how those restrictions actually led her to a specialty she loves, and why holistic, lifestyle-driven skincare has become the backbone of her business. She also gets into the realities of running a studio in a town that swings from nearly 3 million tourists to a winter ghost town, and why she believes authenticity, not polish, is what actually grows a client base on social media.

This episode is for anyone who's had to rebuild from scratch, question the rules they were taught, or figure out how to build a loyal clientele in an unconventional market.

In this episode:

• Natalie's path from marine science student in Hawaii to full-time esthetician
• Building and relocating her first studio in Hawaii, and the lessons learned from starting over in a new neighborhood
• The personal loss that brought her back to Sitka, Alaska, and how quickly her books filled up once she reopened
• The surprising differences between Hawaii's and Alaska's licensing restrictions for estheticians
• How losing access to microneedling and dermaplaning led her to specialize in acne through Face Reality certification
• Her holistic approach to skin health, including diet, stress, sleep, and Alaska's common vitamin D deficiencies
• Why authentic, personal content outperforms product-focused posts on social media

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Book with Resurface Studio: resurfacestudio.co

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Resurface Studio: https://www.instagram.com/resurfacestudio/?hl=en

She lost her husband, had nothing left, and went back to work two days later. Not because she was fine. Because she had a daughter watching.

Brandie Henderson did not build Morph Aesthetics from a place of comfort or stability. She built it from the wreckage of sudden loss, driven by the kind of clarity that only comes when you have no other choice. In this episode of Behind the Needle, Brandie shares the story behind one of Scottsdale's most recognizable aesthetic practices, what it cost her to get there, and why the name Morph means exactly what she intended it to.

This one is honest, personal, and for anyone who has ever had to build something from a place of loss.

In this episode:

• How unexpected widowhood became the catalyst for building Morph Aesthetics and what those first days looked like
• Why she went back to work two days after losing her husband and what kept her moving forward
• The meaning behind the name Morph and what metamorphosis represents in her own life and career
• How she structured her practice around complete financial self-reliance and why she refuses to depend on outside investors or other providers
• What her role as an Allergan trainer involves and what she focuses on when teaching other injectors
• Why she believes authentic connection during consultations is her greatest clinical strength
• The training program she built for new nurses and why she thinks the industry's standard education is not enough

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Morph Aesthetics: https://morphaesthetics.com/

Training Courses: https://morphaesthetics.com/nurse-training-course/

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Morph Aesthetics: https://www.instagram.com/morph_aesthetics/

Brandie Henderson: https://www.instagram.com/brandie_henderson_aesthetics/

Most med spa owners know how to build a beautiful client experience. Far fewer know what their numbers are actually telling them.

Jaci North is a CPA and fractional CFO who works inside multiple med spas at once, and she has seen the same pattern repeat itself: talented, driven owners who are quietly terrified of their own financials. In this episode of Behind the Needle, Jaci breaks down why that fear is costing practices real money, and what it looks like to replace avoidance with a financial system that actually works for growth.

If you have ever closed your bookkeeping software before the numbers could stress you out, this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• What a fractional CFO actually does and why it is changing how small med spas access financial expertise
• How to understand gross profit, operational profit, and what the "job" of profit really is inside your business
• Why financial mindset matters as much as financial literacy, and how to stop avoiding your own data
• The levers med spa owners can pull to improve margins without burning out their teams
• Why Jaci treats marketing as an investment and what trackable ROI actually looks like

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

North & Ivy: https://northandivy.com/

Grounding Point Assessment: https://northandivy.com/grounding-assessment

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Jaci North: https://www.instagram.com/jacinorth/

Most injectors learn anatomy from a textbook. Adriana Medeiros learned it from a cadaver lab, and she will tell you there is no comparison.

In this episode of Behind the Needle, Adriana Medeiros walks through her path from med-surge and pediatric dialysis to aesthetics, what it took to open her own practice after NP school, and why she believes aesthetic medicine demands the same level of rigor as any other clinical specialty. She also opens up about cadaver lab training and the anatomical realities that textbooks simply cannot prepare you for.

This episode is for every injector who got into aesthetics because they genuinely care about patients and every practice owner trying to build something that lasts.

In this episode:

• How a career spanning med-surge, acute care, and pediatric dialysis shaped her approach to aesthetics
• The "unreasonable hospitality" philosophy behind her practice and what it looks like in action
• The follow-up facial program that grew her business
• Why she invested in cadaver lab training and what studying real human anatomy revealed that no course could replicate
• The argument she makes for treating aesthetics with the same seriousness as any other branch of medicine
• What she hopes her children take away from watching her build something from nothing

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Book with Lux Lab Aesthetics: https://luxlabaesthetics.com/

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Lux Lab Aesthetics: https://www.instagram.com/luxlabaesthetics

Most people assume laser hair treatments and permanent hair removal are the same thing. According to electrologist and business owner Kristi Kay, they're not even close.

In this episode of Behind the Needle, Kristi Kay, owner of Electrolysis & Co., discusses the often misunderstood world of permanent hair removal, the science behind electrolysis, and why it remains the only FDA-recognized method of permanent hair removal.

The conversation expands beyond hair removal into one of the fastest-growing areas of aesthetic medicine: hair restoration. Kristi explains how Electrolysis & Co. approaches hair loss through comprehensive consultations, lab testing, and advanced technologies like TED Hair Restoration. 

This episode is packed with practical information for anyone considering hair removal or looking for answers about thinning hair before it's too late to intervene.

In this episode:

• Why electrolysis remains the only FDA-recognized method of permanent hair removal
• The biggest differences between electrolysis and laser hair reduction
• What the electrolysis process actually looks like and what patients can expect
• Common misconceptions about permanent hair removal
• Why early intervention is critical when it comes to hair loss
• How hormone imbalances, vitamin deficiencies, COVID, and GLP-1 medications can contribute to hair thinning
• What patients should know before starting a hair restoration journey

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Book with Electrolysis & Co.: https://www.electrolysisandco.com/

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Electrolysis & Co.: https://www.instagram.com/electrolysisandco/

Success in aesthetics isn't just about technique, business strategy, or social media. According to Nina Traster, it starts with loving what you do.

In this episode of Behind the Needle, Mike sits down with Nina Traster, physician assistant and owner of iConcierge Med Spa in St. Petersburg, Florida, to discuss the role passion has played in her career. From working full-time in family medicine while building her aesthetics practice on nights and weekends to growing a thriving business of her own, Nina shares why genuine excitement for the work has been the driving force behind her success.

This episode is for anyone building a career, growing a business, or searching for work that energizes rather than drains them.

In this episode:

• How Nina balanced family medicine and aesthetics while building her business from the ground up
• The moment she decided to transition into aesthetics full-time
• Why loving your work is one of the best defenses against burnout
• The benefits of a patient-centered, concierge-style practice model
• How she manages a high-volume schedule while maintaining quality patient care
• The systems, preparation, and delegation strategies that keep her practice running smoothly
• Why continuous education is essential in the rapidly evolving aesthetics industry
• Her advice for new injectors looking to grow their skills and confidence
• Why staying focused on your own patients and your own journey matters more than social media competition

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Book with iConcierge: https://iconciergemedspa.com/

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

iConcierge Medspa: https://www.instagram.com/iconcierge_medspa/

Long before she became a nurse practitioner, Brittany Bunjovac was the kid leading a protest for healthier school lunches. 

That same passion for understanding the connection between nutrition, wellness, and long-term health eventually led her into aesthetics, hormone optimization, and preventative medicine.

In this episode, Brittany shares how a serious complication from a nose filler treatment sparked her interest in aesthetic medicine, why she pursued becoming a nurse practitioner to gain more autonomy in patient care, and how she built BBUN Beauty Injectables and Wellness around a philosophy of treating root causes instead of chasing symptoms.

In this episode:

• How Brittany's childhood passion for nutrition shaped her career path into wellness medicine
• Why she left traditional nursing behind to become a nurse practitioner and business owner
• The difference between reactive healthcare and proactive wellness care
• How she helps patients uncover root causes instead of simply treating symptoms
• Her approach to hormone optimization and why "normal" lab values don't always mean optimal health
• The personal hormone challenges she faced and how they impacted her physically and mentally
• The growing popularity of peptides and the risks associated with purchasing them online without medical supervision
• The role of aesthetics within a larger wellness and longevity strategy

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Book with BBUN Beauty: https://www.bbunbeauty.com/

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

BBUN Beauty: ​​https://www.instagram.com/bbunbeauty_aesthetics_wellness/

Brittany Bunjovac: https://www.instagram.com/bbunbeauty_fnpinjector

She turned a front-row seat to plastic surgery into a thriving injecting career, and now she is one of the most education-driven aesthetic providers in Southern Arizona.

Megan Mallory started in aesthetics in 2013 as an aesthetician, became a laser technician after moving to Arizona, and eventually went back to school to become an RN. Now she runs Canvas Skin Clinic in Oro Valley as a full-time injector and business owner, closing in on her Nurse Practitioner degree with about six months left. She does all of this as a mom of three, with her husband in her corner.

What drives Megan is a belief that most patients are skipping the most important step. Before the filler, before the laser, before any of it -- the skin has to be ready. Her whole practice is built around that idea, and this conversation gets into why she thinks the aesthetic industry too often puts the cart before the horse, what it actually takes to build a treatment plan that lasts, and how real patient education changes outcomes in ways that no single in-office treatment ever could.

In this episode:

• Why Megan built her entire practice around a "skin first" philosophy and what it actually means to prime the canvas before you ever pick up a syringe
• The real difference between medical-grade skincare and what is on the shelf at the drugstore, and why it matters more than most patients realize
• The conversation she has with almost every new patient about what their at-home routine looks like and how that shapes everything that comes after
• How she thinks about sequencing treatments and why rushing a patient into injectables before their skin is ready can actually work against the result
• How she approaches treatments in the Arizona summer heat, which lasers she pauses on and which she keeps running, and why patients with melasma or deeper skin tones need extra consideration in high-heat months
• Where she sees Canvas Skin Clinic going after graduation, and the vision for expanding into integrative, holistic medicine without losing the intimate feel her patients count on
• What post-care protocols tell you about a provider before you ever sit in their chair

Resources + Links

Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/

Book with Canvas Skin Clinic: https://canvasskinclinic.com/team/

Follow

Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/

MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/

Canvas Skin Clinic: https://www.instagram.com/canvasskinclinic/

Megan Mallory: https://www.instagram.com/megmalloryaesthetics/