What if one of the best investments you could make in your career had nothing to do with your actual business?

In Episode 11 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon, practice owner, and mom Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares why bringing an au pair into her home became one of the most consequential decisions she made for her business. With two young children and two working parents, reliable childcare didn't just make home life easier—it gave Lauren the security to operate, see patients, and lead her practice without constantly wondering what would happen when school closed or a child got sick.

Lauren walks through the entire experience: why a traditional nanny didn't work for their family, how the au pair program works, what it costs, interviewing and choosing someone to live in your home, navigating boundaries, and what she would do differently next time.

In this episode:

• Why childcare is a business issue for working parents
• Au pair vs. nanny
• How the au pair program works
• What an au pair actually does
• The cost of hosting an au pair
• How Lauren interviewed and selected her au pair
• Managing childcare with an inflexible physician schedule
• The mental load of being a working mother
• Setting boundaries with someone who lives in your home
• The unexpected benefits of cultural exchange
• Whether Lauren would hire an au pair again

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part FEM, MD series exploring the realities of building a physician-owned surgical practice—and the life required to sustain it.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

How do you manage stress when you're simultaneously a surgeon, business owner, leader, spouse, parent, and person?

In Episode 10 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lauren Umstattd gets candid about something she is still figuring out herself: stress management. Rather than trying to eliminate stress entirely, Lauren shares the strategies she uses to manage it while building a career she wants to sustain for decades.

From compartmentalization and communication to delegation, outsourcing, taking time away, and learning to recognize when stress is changing how you lead, this episode explores what it actually takes to keep all of the plates spinning—without expecting yourself to do it perfectly.

In this episode:

• Managing stress as a physician and business owner
• Why work-life balance may be the wrong goal
• Compartmentalizing work, family, and personal responsibilities
• Communicating when your plate is full
• Managing the stress of surgical complications
• Why vacation isn't always truly "off" for a practice owner
• Delegating without expecting perfection
• Recognizing when stress makes you more controlling or critical
• Outsourcing responsibilities at home
• Creating space for yourself as a high-achieving physician
• Building a career for the marathon, not the sprint

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part FEM, MD series exploring the realities of building and running a physician-owned surgical practice.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

What does it actually take to make a surgical practice profitable?

In Episode 9 of the Business of Surgery series, Dr. Lauren Umstattd breaks down the decisions that helped her build a profitable practice by year three, and why physicians need to get more comfortable thinking about marketing, money, pricing, and business growth.

From starting marketing before she felt ready to niching down her surgical offerings, raising prices, investing in the patient experience, hiring ahead of growth, and paying close attention to the numbers, Lauren shares the strategies that have shaped her practice.

She also talks candidly about the uncomfortable side of profitability: talking about money, making major capital purchases, investing in employees, and learning to view your business finances as objective measures of practice health.

In this episode:

• Why you should start marketing before you feel ready

• The business advantage of niching down

• Why Lauren stopped performing rhinoplasty

• How and when to raise your prices

• Why profitability matters for physician career longevity

• Investing in the patient experience

• Why Lauren hires team members before she thinks she needs them

• How to think about your practice's bank account like vital signs

• Investing in yourself, your team, and your brand

• How to evaluate expensive capital equipment

• Why Lauren refuses to discount her services

• The case for transparent pricing

• Why it's okay to build a practice that looks completely different from the traditional model

Building a successful medical practice doesn't require following the path that was already paved. Sometimes, you have to leave the sidewalk and build your own.

This is Episode 9 of the 12-part Business of Surgery series on Fem, MD.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

Running a surgical practice isn't just about patients, procedures, and revenue. It's about people.

In Episode 8 of the Business of Surgery series, Dr. Lauren Umstattd talks candidly about one of the hardest parts of owning a practice: hiring, managing, promoting, and sometimes letting people go.

She shares lessons from her own mistakes—including realizing that the best candidate for an open position may already be on your team, learning to address performance issues before they become major problems, and understanding when it's time to let someone go.

Lauren also gets into the emotional side of personnel management: the guilt that can come with firing someone, the tension between being generous and protecting your business, and why compassionate leadership doesn't mean lowering your standards.

In this episode:

• Why you should look at your existing team before hiring externally

• Why hiring slowly can save you from bigger problems later

• How to define expectations before someone starts

• When and how to give difficult feedback

• Why you shouldn't wait until resentment builds to address performance issues

• Planning for employee leave and unexpected changes

• The emotional reality of firing and turnover

• Why it's okay to let people go

• How to treat employees with dignity—even when they're leaving

• The lessons Lauren would give herself before opening her practice

For physicians building their own practice, personnel management can be one of the most difficult—and most important—parts of the job.

This is Episode 8 of the 12-part Business of Surgery series on Fem, MD.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

When you own a private practice, you're not just the physician. You're also the manager, problem-solver, employer, and sometimes the janitor.

In Episode 7 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lauren Umstattd tackles one of the hardest transitions for physician entrepreneurs: learning when to delegate.

Lauren shares how she went from personally managing nearly every aspect of her practice to gradually handing off responsibilities to a team, and why doing everything yourself can eventually become a barrier to growth.

In this episode:

• What physicians underestimate about running a business
• How to decide what to delegate
• Why repeatable tasks should come off your plate first
• What Lauren still refuses to outsource
• Delegating without losing oversight
• Empowering employees to make decisions
• How to audit roles as your practice grows
• Why one-on-one employee conversations can transform a business
• Protecting your time for clinical work, creativity, and growth
• Why you can outsource tasks—but not understanding your own practice

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part FEM, MD series following the real mechanics of building and running a physician-owned surgical practice.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

Luxury healthcare isn't about marble countertops or expensive furniture.

It's about making every patient feel seen, cared for, and confident—from the first phone call through recovery.

In Episode 6 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the philosophy behind creating a premium patient experience. Drawing inspiration from brands like Ritz-Carlton, Hermès, and world-class hospitality, Lauren explains why thoughtful details, genuine human connection, and exceptional follow-through matter more than flashy amenities.

Whether you run a medical practice, own a business, or simply want to create a better customer experience, these principles apply far beyond surgery.

In this episode:

• What luxury patient care really means
• Creating a premium experience from the first phone call
• Building trust before surgery
• Why thoughtful details matter more than expensive ones
• Designing an unforgettable patient experience
• How to say "no" to the wrong patients
• The importance of postoperative communication
• Creating memorable moments that patients never forget
• Lessons from Ritz-Carlton, Hermès, and world-class hospitality
• Why word-of-mouth is your most valuable marketing strategy

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part summer series on FEM, MD, where Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the lessons she learned building a thriving physician-owned cosmetic surgery practice—from startup through long-term growth.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

How do you get patients to find—and trust—you before your practice even opens?

In Episode 5 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the marketing strategy she used to build a thriving physician-owned practice. From documenting the journey before opening day to creating educational content, embracing authenticity, and thinking long-term, this episode is a roadmap for physicians who want to grow their practice without relying on traditional advertising.

Lauren explains why social media isn't about selling—it's about becoming the trusted resource patients already know when they're finally ready to seek care.

In this episode:

• Why social media is the most powerful marketing tool for physicians
• How to build trust before patients ever meet you
• Creating content that attracts the right patients
• Why consistency beats perfection
• Overcoming the fear of being on camera
• Marketing your practice before you open
• Growing organically across multiple platforms
• Local marketing ideas that actually worked
• Why documenting your journey builds trust
• The long game of physician branding and practice growth

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part summer series on FEM, MD, where Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the lessons she learned building a thriving physician-owned cosmetic surgery practice—from startup through long-term growth.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

The success of your private practice depends on one thing more than almost anything else: the people you hire.

In Episode 4 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares her approach to hiring, building culture, and creating a team that patients genuinely love. From choosing your first employee to conducting working interviews, investing in staff, and knowing when it's time to let someone go, this episode is an honest look at the leadership side of physician entrepreneurship.

Whether you're opening your first practice or leading an established team, these lessons apply far beyond medicine.

In this episode:

• Who should be your first hire?
• Building a private practice team from scratch
• How to interview and evaluate candidates
• Why working interviews matter
• Hiring for attitude over experience
• Creating a strong workplace culture
• Investing in employee growth and retention
• Giving raises, CME budgets, and meaningful benefits
• Difficult conversations and firing with integrity
• Why micromanagement destroys great employees

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part summer series on FEM, MD, where Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the lessons she learned building a thriving physician-owned cosmetic surgery practice—from startup through long-term growth.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

What does it actually take to build and operate your own ambulatory surgery center (ASC)?

In Episode 3 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the realities of designing, building, and running a physician-owned surgery center—from navigating state regulations and construction delays to sourcing equipment, building the right team, and creating an exceptional patient experience.

Rather than focusing on theory, Lauren walks through the practical lessons she learned while opening her own ASC, including the mistakes, unexpected challenges, and decisions she would make again.

In this episode:

• Should you open your own ambulatory surgery center?
• The advantages of physician-owned ASCs
• Building an operating room from the ground up
• State regulations and accreditation
• Construction challenges and project management
• How to save money on surgical equipment
• When it's worth investing in premium equipment
• Designing a luxury surgical experience
• Hiring your first surgery center team
• The realities of owning and operating an ASC

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part summer series on FEM, MD, where Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the lessons she learned building a thriving physician-owned cosmetic surgery practice—from startup through long-term growth.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com

Thinking about starting your own private medical or surgical practice? Where do you even begin? This is business 101, basics for the modern physician.

In Episode 2 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lauren Umstattd breaks down the financial and operational foundations of launching a physician-owned practice. From loans and lines of credit to pricing, startup costs, and creating a premium patient experience, this episode is a practical guide to the business skills physicians rarely learn during training.

Whether you're a medical student dreaming about entrepreneurship, a resident considering private practice, or an attending ready to build something of your own, this episode offers an honest look at what it really takes to get started.

In this episode:

• How to finance a private practice
• Loans vs. lines of credit
• Building your first business plan (pro forma)
• Managing startup expenses
• Buying equipment without overspending
• Pricing medical and surgical services
• Creating a luxury patient experience
• Why physicians can succeed as entrepreneurs
• Learning from other surgeons and business owners

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part summer series on FEM, MD, where Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares the lessons she learned building a thriving physician-owned cosmetic surgery practice, from startup to long-term growth.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com