In Episode 86, we sit down with Heather Zade, BSN, MSN, CRNP-BC, Founder & Medical Director at Adora Aesthetics, for a raw look at managing the controlled chaos, feeding an insatiable appetite for learning, and getting comfortable with taking risks. Heather shares her journey from her injecting friends & family out of her home to becoming a renowned injector, practice owner, and creator of her own trademarked lip technique. While we all know it’s not easy to climb your way to the top of a competitive field, and Heather approaches obstacles with flexibility and an innate awareness of the risk / reward payoff. She’s happy to admit that it’s not always picture perfect- something so few rarely do- but it’s her faith in herself and that things will work out as they should that has made this accidental CEO a bonafide business owner who has yet to take her foot off the gas. She’s in a place so many find themselves- it’s time to grow and scale, but how can we recreate the brand in a second location or scale without losing the details that make us who we are? For Heather, that’s easy! She’s intentionally built strong leaders who can fill the gaps when she’s out with a sick child, speaking at an event somewhere in the country, or who can take the reins when a new location opens its doors. As she transitions into this next phase of growing her practice and Adora Academy, all while training on behalf of manufacturers, her signature lip technique is opening doors and firmly planting her flag among the innovators and thought leaders in the industry. She won’t tell you it was luck or a stroke of genius that led her to building and trademarking her technique. No, it was hard work, a lot of curiosity, late night research and trial & error that created this novel approach to lips that nearly eliminates pain, significantly reduces needle sticks, and delivers a beautiful lip. Sounds like a win-win-win!We pack a major punch into this episode, but here are a few of the highlights: - Practice Growth: What it’s really like to transition from injecting in your living room to owning an 11,000 square foot practice with 15-16 employees- Innovative Techniques: Get the full scoop on the injection technique that has changed the lip game and put her on the map as the "Lip Queen."- Training and Education: How does she make time to train injectors & run a business and still contribute to ongoing education in the field?- Business Insights: 1. The importance of having full appointment books before expanding2. Why Heather avoids financing equipment and waits to purchase in cash3. Her approach to inventory management, staying involved in all aspects of the business, and a cautionary tale about delegating too much too soon4. Team Building: Her approach to retaining top talent by offering growth opportunities and prioritizing staff happiness.- Work / Life Balance: What’s that? Heather gets real about the sacrifices you must make to do it all. No matter where you are in your journey as an injector or Practice Owner, Heather’s perspective on what it takes to achieve success and the reassurance that you must trust yourself and step out on faith to move forward is a lesson for all. If you are eager to see Heather’s approach to lips and hear more of her story, join us Aesthetic Next 6.0 where Heather will perform her technique during the Sunday Showdown and lead a session on managing adverse events with lip injections. Find out more about Heather: Heather’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/injectorheatherzade/Adora Aesthetic: https://adoraaestheticsmd.com/Adora Academy: https://adoraaestheticsmd.com/injector-training/