Why does true aesthetic mastery rely on anatomical restraint, individual proportion, and an uncompromising, patient-first philosophy? In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Dr. Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS, owner and board-certified plastic surgeon at Miller Cosmetic Surgery in La Jolla, California, and author of Authentic Beauty: Defining a New Standard for Care and Results in Plastic Surgery. Fellowship-trained under the legendary Dr. Bruce F. Connell, Dr. Miller brings over 30 years of surgical expertise to discuss why he has spent his career avoiding fleeting trends in favor of long-term patient integrity and natural results. Dr. Miller breaks down the core philosophy that the patient is the hero, and the surgeon is the guide, explaining why knowing when not to operate is as critical as surgical execution. He details how to establish pre-consultation trust, why commodifying aesthetic procedures harms patient safety, and how subtle anatomical nuances—like hyoid bone position or orbital bone support—dictate optimal surgical and non-surgical outcomes. Together, Leslie and Dr. Miller cover the concept of “perfectly imperfect beauty,” how to build a highly sophisticated practice team that acts with one voice, and why true practice branding stems from internal core values—Quality, Integrity, Safety, Service, and being a great place to work—rather than vanity metrics or social media trends.

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube  

🔗 Resources & Links 

• 👤 Connect with Our Guest Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS 

• 📸 Instagram: @millercosmeticsurgery 

• 🌐 Practice Website: Miller Cosmetic Surgery 

• 📚 Mentioned Literature: Authentic Beauty: Defining a New Standard for Care and Results in Plastic Surgery by Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS 

Remember: “Show me your incentives, and I’ll show you your results. True branding isn’t about billboards or social media trends; it’s eye-to-eye connection, deep anatomical knowledge, and showing patients you care through every single action.” — Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS 

Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, injector, plastic surgeon, or practice owner committed to upholding high anatomical standards, individual facial harmony, and patient-first ethics. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey 

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_ 

Why are so many busy, high-revenue aesthetic practices still struggling with profitability and high team turnover? 

In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Kara McClanahan, MBA, MHA, CMPE, CEO and Managing Partner of Aesthetic Practice Partners, COO of Genesis Lifestyle Medicine, and Founder of Elevate Esthetics Foundation. With over 30 years of experience spanning esthetics, practice administration, corporate medical device executive roles, and multi-site operations, Kara brings a 360- degree perspective few consultants can match to practice scaling and practice efficiency. 

Kara breaks down why practice owners often misdiagnose operational issues, focusing on top-line revenue or client acquisition when the real culprit lies in compressed profit margins and flawed staffing infrastructure. She explains how to align brand identity with practice positioning, why culture must be woven directly into standard operating procedures rather than superficial perks, and how to simplify product offerings to eliminate retail confusion. 

Together, Leslie and Kara cover the hiring and onboarding lifecycle, detailing how to write culture-centric job descriptions, why the first 90 days of employee training dictate long-term retention, and how practice leaders can cultivate future leaders from within while maintaining an active talent bench. 

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube 

🔗 Resources & Links 

👤 Connect with Our Guest Kara McClanahan, MBA, MHA, CMPE 

• 💼 LinkedIn: Kara McClanahan on LinkedIn 

• 🌐 Practice & Consulting Website: Aesthetic Practice Partners | Genesis Lifestyle Medicine 

• 📚 Mentioned Literature: Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman 

Remember: “You have to be as cognizant of the experience your team has as you are of your patients. Employees who feel valued, supported, and properly trained are the ones who stay long-term.” — Kara McClanahan 

Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, practice manager, or aesthetic practice owner looking to optimize their operational systems, improve profit margins, and build high-retention teams. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey 

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_ 

What if the stress, burnout, anxiety, and second-guessing you experience as a practice owner aren't just "part of the job," but actually symptoms of a nervous system capacity limit?In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Chris Walker, Founder and CEO of Encoded and author of The Frequency Era. Chris shares his personal journey of scaling an eight-figure business to a $20 million+ exit, only to realize that financial success didn't automatically resolve internal stress, burnout, or anxiety. He breaks down how he shifted from running faster on the corporate "hamster wheel" to fundamentally retraining his autonomic nervous system—achieving top-tier biometric health, zero anxiety, and complete autonomy over his time.Chris introduces the concept of neuro-performance training, explaining how your autonomic nervous system serves as the operating system for your life and business. He walks through why conventional recovery tools (like vacations or foam rollers) fail to increase capacity long-term, how subconscious programming dictates identity, beliefs, and intentions, and why a leader's nervous system frequency directly impacts their entire team and organizational culture.Together, Leslie and Chris detail the five tiers of identity shifts and unpack Encoded's proprietary five-step Frequency Training Cycle—Map, Imprint, Anchor, Stabilize, and Expand—offering a structured, measurable blueprint for high-performing entrepreneurs to scale their output without sacrificing their well-being.

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

🔗 Resources & Links

• 👤 Connect with Our Guest Chris Walker

• 💼 LinkedIn: Chris Walker on LinkedIn
  

• 🎙️ Podcast: We Are Encoded Podcast on Spotify
  

• 🌐 Website: https://encoded.ai/
  

• 📚 Mentioned Book: The Frequency Era by Chris Walker

Remember: "Nobody is broken. Nobody needs fixing or healing. There are just things inside of you that you haven't trained yet. Upgrade your nervous system frequency, and your life and business will follow." — Chris Walker

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, practice owner, or entrepreneur looking to expand their nervous system capacity, break free from burnout cycles, and lead with emotional sovereignty.

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey__

Enjoyed This Episode?

What does it take to make the jump from a decade of executive leadership to founding a nationwide regenerative aesthetics brand built on transparency and provider trust? 

In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Nathan Connolly, Founder and CEO of INVO Aesthetics, a Philadelphia-based regenerative skincare and hair restoration company launched in December 2023. Nathan brings a professional basketball career and a decade of executive leadership to medical aesthetics, building INVO on a foundation of grit, coaching, and operational discipline. 

He breaks down why INVO chose a strictly physician-dispensed model over direct-to-consumer shortcuts, how e-commerce discounting erodes provider trust, and why brand longevity starts with protecting practice margins. He also details the science behind INVO's flagship "skin minimalism" approach, combining growth factors, proteins, peptides, and exosomes into targeted, multi-benefit formulations that reduce step fatigue for both facial rejuvenation and hair restoration. 

Together, Leslie and Nathan cover the mindset shift from executive to founder, the evidence-based case for exosomes amid industry noise, and why an open-ended return policy and transparent communication remain the most powerful tools for earning provider trust. 

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube 

🔗 Resources & Links 

• 👤 Connect with Our Guest Nathan Connolly 

• 💼 LinkedIn: Nathan Connolly on LinkedIn 

• 🏢 INVO Aesthetics LinkedIn: INVO Aesthetics Company Page 

• 📸 Instagram: @invoaesthetics 

• 📘 Facebook: INVO Aesthetics on Facebook 

• 🌐 Website: https://invoaesthetics.com/ 

Remember:  

“People don’t rise to the occasion; they fall to their level of preparation. Bring effort, attitude, coachability, and accountability every single day, and success will follow.”  

— Nathan Connolly 

Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, practice owner, or aesthetic entrepreneur looking to embrace skin minimalism, strengthen provider relationships, and lead with intentional accountability. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey 

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_ 

What does it truly take to build a decade-long aesthetic brand while balancing clinical innovation, international training, and a high-performing squad? 

In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Amy Lynn Birkenstamm, RN, CANS (popularly known as "The AMY"), ER-nurse-turned-aesthetic-pioneer, Founder of Glo Derma Aesthetics and Wellness, Creator of Baby Glow Threads, and Founder of Glow Academy. Returning to the podcast nearly five years after her first appearance, Amy reflects on celebrating ten years in business and breaks down the mindset required to navigate massive industry growth with resilience and grit. 

Amy shares her personal story of stepping away from an 11-year ER trauma nursing career during a dark personal period, splurging on her very first Botox treatment, and discovering a profound human connection that ignited her entrepreneurial journey. She discusses how she used that spark to launch Glo Derma in 2016, scaling it from a solo concierge operation into a multi-faceted aesthetic powerhouse. 

Together, Leslie and Amy dissect the true psychology of patient care—explaining how to move past surface-level physical requests to uncover what clients are seeking emotionally. They explore the clinical necessity of saying "no," the development of Amy's proprietary protocol, The Art of Reversal (using ECGL PRF to restore tissue after hyaluronidase dissolution), and the foundational steps practice owners must take to build robust operational infrastructure, prevent burnout, and cultivate an authentic, high-value network. 

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube     

🔗 Resources & Links 

• 👤 Connect with Our Guest Amy Lynn Birkenstamm, RN, CANS 

• 📸 Instagram: @amybirksrn 

• 💼 LinkedIn: Amy Lynn Birkenstamm on LinkedIn 

• 🌐  Website: https://gloderma.com 

Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, injector, or aesthetic practice leader looking to elevate their operational infrastructure, master patient psychology, and lead with authentic clinical authority. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey 

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey__ 

What happens when a veteran medical aesthetics executive goes through a personal health crisis in the middle of a multi-million dollar acquisition, only to pioneer the next major category in clinical wellness? 

In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Amber Edwards, Founder and CEO of EncorVita Health. With over 25 years of senior executive leadership across iconic brands including Allergan, Galderma, Alastin Skincare, Sinclair, and MiraDry, Amber brings unmatched commercial clarity to one of the largest untapped frontiers in aesthetics: evidence-based menopause and perimenopause care. 

Amber shares her personal story of navigating debilitating menopausal symptoms at the height of her corporate career and explains how that experience sparked the creation of EncorVita Health—a company built to bridge the gap between aesthetics, hormones, and longevity. She breaks down why the traditional medical system consistently dismisses perimenopausal women and how aesthetic practices are uniquely positioned to become the primary “well-woman” hubs of the future. 

Together, Leslie and Amber cover the operational blueprint for integrating women’s health into an aesthetic practice—moving beyond direct-to-consumer noise to deliver rigorous clinician education, customized patient care packages, standardized compound formularies, and seamless EMR integration without sacrificing clinical integrity. 

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube    

🔗 Resources & Links 

👤 Connect with Our Guest Amber Edwards 

• 💼 LinkedIn: Amber Edwards on LinkedIn 
   

• 🌐 Website: https://encorvita.com/ 
   

Remember: "You can have life all over again and even better. Start, build confidence and competence, and go full speed ahead on what is right for the patient." — Amber Edwards 

Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a practice owner, medical director, or clinician looking to expand their clinical offerings, elevate patient longevity, and master the future of women's health in aesthetics. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey 

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_ 

What happens when a high-performing clinician steps away from medicine entirely to build an empire, only to return years later and completely redefine clinical education on her own terms? 

In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Alexis Bowhay, PA-C (widely known as the Orlando Injector), an elite practitioner at the Village Institute of Plastic Surgery, national clinical trainer for Evolus, and an award-winning next-generation leader in medical aesthetics. 

Alexis walks through her career reinvention, detailing her pivot from the burnout of cardiology to managing multiple gym locations for a decade, before ultimately returning to medicine to build a name in medical aesthetics. She shares the humility it took to step backward as a medical assistant, just to secure top-tier clinical mentorship under Larry Blevins and double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Danny Soares. 

Now an accomplished author of a four-part clinical textbook series, Alexis addresses the dangerous trend of weekend certificate “mills” and explains what true visual mastery requires. She also gets into the strategic art of “intrapreneurship”, explaining how driven providers can build a strong personal brand inside someone else’s practice without needing to own it. 

Together, Leslie and Alexis explore what it takes to build authority in public, how to move past the “cringe” of early content creation by focusing on education over entertainment, and why cultivating a fiercely supportive system at home is the foundation for long-term clinical and personal growth. 

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube   

🔗 Resources & Links 

• 👤 Connect with Our Guest Alexis Bowhay, PA-C 

• 📸 Instagram: @theorlandoinjector_ 
   

• 🌐 Website: https://www.theorlandoinjector.com/ 
   

• 📺 YouTube: Alexis Bowhay on YouTube 
   

• 🌐 Practice Website: https://www.plasticsurgeryinflorida.com/ 
   

• 📚 Mentioned Literature: The Work by Emma Grede | Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 

Remember: “Start, be imperfect. Messy, clean it up along the way. Find your resources, find your tribe, and just go full speed ahead on anything that is burning inside of you.” — Alexis Bowhay, PA-C 

 Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with an injector, practitioner, or healthcare entrepreneur looking to replace industry shortcuts with clinical mastery, intentional leadership, and unapologetic self-awareness. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey 

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_ 

What happens when you strip away the social media filters and look at medical aesthetics through a lens of clinical grit and a non-negotiable standard of care? 

In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Whitney Carlson, MSN, FNP-C (widely known as the Alaska Beauty Nurse), an established injector, national clinical trainer, and the founder of Skin Confident a seven-figure independent practice in rural Alaska. Whitney shares her 18-year nursing trajectory, from pediatric care to assisting in facial plastic and Mohs dermatology surgeries. She explains how entering the industry long before the social media boom anchored her philosophy in healthcare principles rather than passing internet trends. 

Now a business owner and mentor, Whitney reflects on the identity shifts required to transition from a heart-forward clinician to a business owner and leader. She talks about navigating hard clinical moments, managing a growing team, and why true authority is earned through reliable patient outcomes and deep community trust not follower counts. 

Together, Leslie and Whitney cover the operational friction points of the aesthetic industry, the concept of mitigating “emotional debt” through reliable SOPs, and how to stay grounded when the lines between social media perception and clinical reality blur. 

This is a conversation about raw determination, structural leadership, and what’s possible when patient care in medical aesthetics is driven by vocation. 

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube  

🔗 Resources & Links 

• 👤 Connect with Our Guest Whitney Carlson, MSN, FNP-C 

• 📸 Instagram: @alaskabeautynurse 
   

• 💼 LinkedIn: Whitney Carlson on LinkedIn 

• 🌐 Practice Website: https://www.skinconfidentalaska.com/ 

Remember: “Being seen and being trusted are two very different things… There is no helicopter, babe. You gotta work.” — Whitney Carlson 

Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with an injector, practitioner, or healthcare entrepreneur looking to bring deep clinical intentionality, operational transparency, and authentic grit into their daily practice. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey 

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey__ 

What happens when your dream creative career leaves your analytical brain starved and your passion diluted? In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Vinny Sathe (known widely as Nurse Vinny), an emerging authority in medical aesthetics, an Allergan KOL, and a leading practitioner at Skin Spirit's premier Denver location, for a look at the intersection of high fashion, rigorous science, and clinical authority. Vinny shares his journey from a high-profile publishing and marketing career at Condé Nast in New York City to an accelerated nursing program. He explains how his early musical training and formal education in fashion design shaped a different way of looking at the human face; not just through a medical lens, but through a structural framework of form, space, light, and materials. Now a mentor and clinical leader, Vinny reflects on the identity shifts that came with his career pivot, how to ethically and responsibly navigate AI tools in practice, and what it takes to build a personal brand within a luxury institutional name like Skin Spirit. Together, Leslie and Vinny explore the hidden pressures of the aesthetic industry, the danger of overfilled, homogeneous results, how to rebuild trust with patients who've been let down elsewhere, and why the next generation of injectors must confidently reclaim medicine in medical aesthetics. This is a conversation about visual craftsmanship, clinical depth, and what's possible when patient care in medical aesthetics is held to a meticulous, high standard.

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube      

🔗 Resources & Links 

👤 Connect with Our Guest Nurse Vinny 

• 📸 Instagram: @nursevinny (Reach out directly for private training or clinical networking inquiries) 

• 🌐 Website: https://www.skinspirit.com/ 
   

Remember: "Aesthetics describes how we perceive something. We need to start curating our perception of ourselves in every aspect." 

Enjoyed This Episode? 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with an injector, practitioner, or creative entrepreneur looking to bring deep intentionality and a luxury experience into their daily workflow. 

🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  

(Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  

📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_ 

What does it take to build authority in business when the odds and your age are against you? In this episode of the Diamond Hands Podcast, Leslie Tracey talks with Audrey Neff, Chief Marketing Officer at Aviva Aesthetics, about industry influence, scaling medical practices, and the industry's shift toward private equity and corporate ownership. Audrey broke into medical aesthetics at 22 and became one of the market's most recognized speakers and a top 3% podcast host. She shares how mentorship shaped her early career, the hard truth of moving from a startup to private equity, and the mistake of separating sales, marketing, and retention. Leslie and Audrey also dig into why running a clinic like a pro sports team, and refusing to keep toxic, high-revenue producers, is the real secret to scaling a business from $1 million to $5 million. They cover the wave of private equity hitting aesthetics in mid-2026, current valuation multiples, and a founder-friendly alternative that lets med spa owners tap into corporate purchasing power while keeping 100% ownership of their business. Audrey leaves practice owners with a clear playbook for protecting and growing what they've built.

🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube     

🔗 Resources & Links 👤 Connect with Our Guest Audrey Neff 🌐 Website: https://www.avivaaesthetics.com 🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audreyneff/ “You don’t get anywhere phenomenal in business or life without surrounding yourselves with people that are specific experts in that specific craft.” — Audrey Neff Enjoyed This Episode? If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow practice owner or entrepreneur navigating scale, team culture shifts, or corporate transitions. Audrey’s approach shows what actually protects a practice’s value alignment, systems, and culture. And if you’d like to connect with your host, Leslie Tracey (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty): 📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_ If you understand brand, story, and distribution, you can build anything in this industry.Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly strategy for aesthetic founders & healthcare CEOs:🔗 https://www.leslietracey.com/Work with my team at Diamond Hands Media:🔗 https://diamondhandsmedia.com(Healthcare video marketing, executive brand strategy, and branded patient journeys for leaders who want to dominate their market.)––– My Book –––Be Intentional or Be Irrelevant🔗 https://a.co/d/fE8DuQoSource paper: https://arxiv.org/html/2510.14223v1