Inside Aesthetics

Episode 222 hosts Marissa Dennis, a Nurse Practitioner from Kelowna, Canada. 

Marissa has been injecting since 2015 and is the owner of Onyx Beauty Lab. She also founded Medical Aesthetics and Injection Academy (MAIA) that help train new injectors from all over Canada. 

'The Business of Injecting' episodes host injectors to discuss all aspects of their business. We analyse their struggles and challenges, difficult decisions, friction points, financials, staffing, hiring, firing and other topics relevant for aesthetic business owners.

In Chapter 8, we explore:

• Marissa's career prior to becoming an injector
• The pros and cons of working for someone else
• Why she chose to open her own clinic
• How working a brand expert can help clarify your business identity
• Her business strategy when she started her clinic
• Her approach to finding staff
• How to price yourself
• Why she set up her training school MAIA
• The minefield of marketing

SPECIAL OFFER!

Get 15% off in person and online training opportunities with MAIA! Click here to browse the courses and use the code 'IA23' before checking out to apply the discount.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

If you enjoy listening to IA every week and would like to help support the podcast in a small way, we have a simple donation option: Buy us a coffee

IA PATREON:

Did you know that we have an online injectable education & business support platform called IA Patreon? Get access to the following benefits:

- Access to five main IA Whatsapp groups (General, Injectables, Skin & Devices, Business & Regenerative Aesthetics) + three country specific groups (Australia, USA and UK)

- Weekly IA Injectable Hints & Tips (Patient assessments, injecting videos & other injectable education)

- Weekly IA Business Hints & Tips (Videos of business hints and experiences)

- Weekly Instagram Hints & Tips (Optimise your profile, content planning, how to use Instagram features and more)

- IA Business Insights (Zoom recordings of David doing business coaching with our IA Patrons)

- Periodic IA Zoom sessions (Join other IA Patrons for live injectable & business sessions)

- Access to our IA Library (Clinical papers, books & other resources)

- Re-watch our IA Webinars (Eight webinars recorded during the pandemic with global experts)

IA Patrons can also access:

Business mentoring opportunities with David (additional cost, limited slots)

Shadowing opportunities in clinic with Dr Jake (additional cost, limited slots)

SUBSCRIBE TO IA:

Subscribe to IA on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to IA on Spotify

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Follow IA on Instagram

Sign up as an IA Patron

Visit the IA website 

Contact IA

Apply to be a guest on IA

DR JAKE SLOANE:

Follow Dr Jake on Instagram 

Dr Jake's website

DAVID SEGAL:

Follow David on Instagram

OUR GUEST:

Follow Marissa on Instagram

Episode 221 hosts Dr Askari Townshend (Cosmetic Physician & an entrepreneur from London, UK)

Like all cosmetic injectors, Askari needed a clinical management software to run his practice and database. But he couldn't find anything suitable for his needs. And so he embarked on building his own CRM system called 'Collums'. This proved very successful and future developments were planned to take Collums to the USA and other markets.

But just three weeks ago out of nowhere, agreed funding for future investment in the software was pulled, leaving the future of Collums on a knife edge.

00:00 Introduction 01:54 Dr Askari Townshend 03:19 Karri's career journey 05:16 Columns funding shock 09:44 What Columns actually is 11:56 Building the software 14:01 Why other CRMs fail 16:30 Pricing and perceived value 26:58 Using software to compete 31:33 Retention over acquisition 37:20 Columns marketing automation 41:23 Onboarding With Discovery 42:39 Prioritizing Real Needs 43:31 Targeted Messaging That Helps 45:28 Avoiding Opt Outs 47:10 Automation Rules Done Right 48:05 SMS Fees And Hidden Costs 50:04 Training Time To Competence 51:43 Data Quality And Setup 54:11 Business Acumen And Metrics 57:32 Consultancy And Planning Gap 61:50 Building Product Without Bloat 64:28 Why Features Take Time 68:53 Funding Pulled New Strategy 73:06 Runway Investors Expansion 76:38 Founder Advice And Humility 80:09 Community Wrap And Outro

ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 221 hosts Dr Askari Townshend, a Cosmetic Physician & an entrepreneur from London, UK.

Like all cosmetic injectors, Askari needed a clinical management software to run his practice and database. But he couldn't find anything suitable for his needs. And so he embarked on building his own CRM system called 'Collums'. This proved very successful and future developments were planned to take Collums to the USA and other markets.

But just three weeks ago out of nowhere, agreed funding for future investment in the software was pulled, leaving the future of Collums on a knife edge. We explore:

• Askari's background
• The challenges of creating clinical software
• Why there will never be a perfect clinical management software for injectors 
• Why software is so expensive to develop
• The mismatch between this cost and what injectors are willing to pay to run their practices
• What happened with his investor 
• What the future holds for Collums

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

If you enjoy listening to IA every week and would like to help support the podcast in a small way, we have a simple donation option: Buy us a coffee

IA PATREON:

Did you know that we have an online injectable education & business support platform called IA Patreon? Get access to the following benefits:

- Access to five main IA Whatsapp groups (General, Injectables, Skin & Devices, Business & Regenerative Aesthetics) + three country specific groups (Australia, USA and UK)

- Weekly IA Injectable Hints & Tips (Patient assessments, injecting videos & other injectable education)

- Weekly IA Business Hints & Tips (Videos of business hints and experiences)

- Weekly Instagram Hints & Tips (Optimise your profile, content planning, how to use Instagram features and more)

- IA Business Insights (Zoom recordings of David doing business coaching with our IA Patrons)

- Bimonthly IA Zoom sessions (Join other IA Patrons for live injectable & business sessions)

- Access to our IA Library (Clinical papers, books & other resources)

- Re-watch our IA Webinars (Eight webinars recorded during the pandemic with global experts)

IA Patrons can also access:

- Business mentoring opportunities with David (additional cost, limited slots)

- Shadowing opportunities in clinic with Dr Jake (additional cost, limited slots)

SUBSCRIBE TO IA:

Subscribe to IA on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to IA on Spotify

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Follow IA on Instagram

Sign up as an IA Patron

Visit the IA website 

Contact IA

Apply to be a guest on IA

DR JAKE SLOANE:

Follow Dr Jake on Instagram 

Dr Jake's website

DAVID SEGAL:

Follow David on Instagram

OUR GUEST:

Follow Askari on Instagram

Episode 220 showcases our hosts Dr Jake Sloane, David Segal & a guest appearance from our new Marketing Manager Kendel Young.

In an already congested social media world, Meta has launched a new app called 'Threads'. In just a few days it became the fastest downloaded app ever, even beating ChatGPT and boasting over 100 million users by week one.

But is an app that has seemingly been created to take on Twitter also relevant to aesthetic businesses?

00:00 Introduction 01:42 A23 Conference Plans 03:08 Patreon Free Trial 04:06 Threads App Explained 07:03 Twitter vs Threads Debate 08:48 Using Threads for Clinics 15:28 Early Results and Metrics 17:26 Kendall Joins In 18:20 Meet Kendall Marketing 18:52 Threads Strategy Basics 20:00 Where Patients Actually Are 22:31 Referrals Versus Social Media 24:47 Brand Voice On Threads 26:49 Text Versus Visual Content 27:58 Claim Your Threads Handle 30:04 Missing Features And DMs 31:44 Instagram Broadcast Channels 35:48 Threads Engagement Predictions 38:14 Wrap Up And Contact Info

ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 220 showcases our hosts Dr Jake Sloane, David Segal & a guest appearance from our new Marketing Manager Kendel Young. (This was a totally unplanned chat where we hit the record button in our studio after a team meeting!)

In an already congested social media world, Meta has launched a new app called 'Threads'. In just a few days it became the fastest downloaded app ever, even beating ChatGPT and boasting over 100 million users by week one.

But is an app that has seemingly been created to take on Twitter also relevant to aesthetic businesses?

We explore:

• What Threads is exactly
• What Twitter is traditionally used for and who was using it
• How Threads is so similar to Twitter - but why it also has a massive advantage
• What the basic functionality of Threads is
• How a text-based app feels different compared to visual mediums like Instagram
• Whether this can lead to more authenticity and a better connection with your followers
• Why you shouldn't replicate your other social media content on Threads
• How to sign up to Threads

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

If you enjoy listening to IA every week and would like to help support the podcast in a small way, we have a simple donation option: Buy us a coffee

IA PATREON:

Did you know that we have an online injectable education & business support platform called IA Patreon? Get access to the following benefits:

- Access to five main IA Whatsapp groups (General, Injectables, Skin & Devices, Business & Regenerative Aesthetics) + three country specific groups (Australia, USA and UK)

- Weekly IA Injectable Hints & Tips (Patient assessments, injecting videos & other injectable education)

- Weekly IA Business Hints & Tips (Videos of business hints and experiences)

- Weekly Instagram Hints & Tips (Optimise your profile, content planning, how to use Instagram features and more)

- IA Business Insights (Zoom recordings of David doing business coaching with our IA Patrons)

- Bimonthly IA Zoom sessions (Join other IA Patrons for live injectable & business sessions)

- Access to our IA Library (Clinical papers, books & other resources)

- Re-watch our IA Webinars (Eight webinars recorded during the pandemic with global experts)

IA Patrons can also access:

Business mentoring opportunities with David (additional cost, limited slots)

Shadowing opportunities in clinic with Dr Jake (additional cost, limited slots)

SUBSCRIBE TO IA:

Subscribe to IA on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to IA on Spotify

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Follow IA on Instagram

Sign up as an IA Patron

Visit the IA website 

Contact IA

Apply to be a guest on IA

DR JAKE SLOANE:

Follow Dr Jake on Instagram 

Dr Jake's website

DAVID SEGAL:

Follow David on Instagram

Episode 219 hosts Professor Syed Haq (Cosmetic Physician from London, UK)

Syed divides his time between preventative medicine & aesthetics. He has previously been an advisory board member for Ipsen, Allergan Aesthetics and is a Hugel Aesthetics KOL for Letybo.

In this mini series 'The Tox Talks', we feature expert injectors who have significant experience in using botulinum toxins. These episodes explore our guests experiences using particular brands, the evolution of their injecting techniques and we get special insights into the subtle nuances of getting the best out of toxins.

In chapter 6 we focus on a newly-launched product called Letybo (Letibotulinum Toxin A), a toxin produced by Hugel Aesthetics. Letybo is also known as Botulax and has been used in the Asian market since 2009.

00:00 Introduction 01:04 Tox Talks Chapter Six Introduction 02:15 New Toxin Release Discussion 03:33 Meet Professor Syed Haq 04:55 Professional Background and Research 09:10 Interest in Skin Aging and Inflammation 10:59 Role as Key Opinion Leader Explained 13:31 Evolution of Neurotoxins in Aesthetics 18:27 Manufacturing and Safety Considerations 21:18 Letybo and Botulax Overview 26:25 Clinical Trial Evidence and Comparisons 30:08 Practical Use and Patient Selection 33:29 Injection Techniques and Variability 36:15 Common Causes of Treatment Differences 38:45 Injection Depth and Needle Choice 40:13 Placebo and Nocebo Effects 41:37 Dosing Strategies and Clinical Patterns 42:46 Frontalis and Lower Face Treatment Doses 47:06 Managing Patient Expectations 48:53 Explaining New Toxins to Patients 52:09 Pricing and Business Considerations 61:45 Unit vs Area Pricing Debate 64:07 Clinical Practice Preferences 68:49 Final Thoughts and Wrap Up

ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 219 hosts Professor Syed Haq, a Cosmetic Physician from London, UK.

Syed divides his time between preventative medicine & aesthetics. He has previously been an advisory board member for Ipsen, Allergan Aesthetics and is a Hugel Aesthetics KOL for Letybo. 

In this mini series 'The Tox Talks', we feature expert injectors who have significant experience in using botulinum toxins. These episodes explore our guests experiences using particular brands, the evolution of their injecting techniques and we get special insights into the subtle nuances of getting the best out of toxins.

In chapter 6 we focus on a newly-launched product called Letybo (Letibotulinum Toxin A), a toxin produced by Hugel Aesthetics. Letybo is also known as Botulax and has been used in the Asian market since 2009. 

We explore:

• Syed's training and career to date
• His role as a consultant for several pharma companies & most recently Hugel Aesthetics
• His insights into how the use of toxins has changed over the years
• The science behind Letybo
• The difference between vacuum dried & freeze dried toxins
• Some of the key outcomes of the Letybo clinical trials
• Syed's thoughts on a toxin's protein load & the incidence of toxin resistance 
• Why the market needs more toxins
• Comparing units of different toxins - is this too simplisitc?
• How Letybo is reconstituted
• Why the depth of a toxin injection matters
• How a variety of factors can contribute to variable results 
• How to introduce a new toxin choice to your patients 
• What needles & syringes he prefers to use for toxins
• His thoughts on charging for toxins per area vs per unit

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

If you enjoy listening to IA every week and would like to help support the podcast in a small way, we have a simple donation option: Buy us a coffee

IA PATREON:

Did you know that we have an online injectable education & business mentoring platform called 'IA Patreon'? Join IA Patreon and get access to the following benefits:

- Join our five main IA Whatsapp groups (General/Social, Injectables, Skin & Devices, Business & Regenerative Aesthetics)  + three country-specific groups (Australia, USA and UK)

- Get weekly IA Injectable Hints & Tips (Patient assessments, injecting videos & other injectable education)

- NEW! Get weekly IA Instagram Hints & Tips (Optimise your profile, content planning, how to use Instagram features, etc)

- Get IA Business Hints & Tips (Videos of business hints and experiences)

- Get IA Business Insights (Zoom recordings of David doing business coaching with our IA Patrons)

- Join our IA Zoom sessions (Bimonthly Zoom sessions focussing on injectable & business topics)

- Access our IA Library (Clinical papers, books & other resources)

- Re-watch eight IA Webinars (Recorded in the pandemic with global experts)

IA Patrons can also access:

Business mentoring opportunities with David (additional cost, limited slots)

Shadowing opportunities in clinic with Dr Jake (additional cost, limited slots)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Subscribe to IA on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to IA on Spotify

Other IA links:

Follow IA on Instagram

Sign up as an IA Patron

Visit the IA website 

Contact IA

Apply to be a guest on IA

Dr Jake Sloane:

Follow Dr Jake on Instagram 

Dr Jake's website

David Segal:

Follow David on Instagram

Our guest:

Learn more about Syed

Episode 218 showcases our hosts Dr Jake Sloane & David Segal.

As injectors and clinic-owners, we don't always get things right. And even when we do, our patients don't always see it that way. Complaints can vary from mild nuisances to full blown medicolegal nightmares. They will always occur in some form and they can cause significant anxiety for businesses and injectors alike.

00:00 Introduction 04:55 Podcast Topic Introduction Complaints 06:19 Why Patients Complain 09:28 Expectation Versus Reality 12:33 Emotional Reactions to Complaints 18:16 Learning From Complaints 23:53 Identifying Red Flag Patients 27:02 Cumulative Stress and Patient Experience 30:22 Reading Body Language and Anxiety 32:25 Experience Versus Technical Skill 35:37 Making Complaints an Opportunity 37:39 Clinical Versus Business Complaints 41:39 Silent Complaints and Lost Patients 45:36 Encouraging Patient Reviews 54:57 Telehealth Versus In Person Reviews 58:53 Policies and Complaint Processes 59:49 The Karen Factor and Difficult Patients 61:04 When to Stop Treating a Patient 65:18 How to Handle Google Reviews 67:48 Fake Reviews and Competitor Risks 69:26 Complaints and Legal Risk 72:19 Refunds and Insurance Considerations 74:23 Using Waivers and Legal Protection 76:00 Preventing Complaints Before They Start 79:56 Asking for Feedback and Reviews 82:22 Turning Complaints Into Growth 85:07 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts 87:43 Wrap Up and Outro

ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 218 showcases our hosts Dr Jake Sloane & David Segal.

As injectors and clinic-owners, we don't always get things right. And even when we do, our patients don't always see it that way. Complaints can vary from mild nuisances to full blown medicolegal nightmares. They will always occur in some form and they can cause significant anxiety for businesses and injectors alike. 

In this episode we delve into how we can do better at improving our communication bwetween ourselves and our patients. We explore:

• Why patients complain
• Real complaints vs annoying patients
• Dealing with a 'Karen'!
• 'Silent complaints' - the patients who don't come back
• How to dissect a complaint without emotion
• How and why you should ask for feeeback from your patients
• Google reviews - the pros and cons
• Malicious reviews and what to do about them
• The implications with refunding a patient
• How to tackle complaints amongst your injecting team
• How to politely 'fire' a patient
• Learning from complaints

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

If you enjoy listening to IA every week and would like to help support the podcast in a small way, we have a simple donation option: Buy us a coffee

IA PATREON:

Did you know that we have an online injectable education and business mentoring service called IA Patreon? Get access to the following benefits:

- Access to five main IA Whatsapp groups (General, Injectables, Skin & Devices, Business & Regenerative Aesthetics)  + three country specific groups (Australia, USA and UK)

- Weekly IA Injectable Hints & Tips (Patient assessments, injecting videos & other injectable education)

- NEW! Weekly Instagram Hints & Tips (Optimise your profile, content planning, how to use Instagram features, etc)

- IA Business Hints & Tips (Videos of business hints and experiences)

- IA Business Insights (Zoom recordings of David doing business coaching with our IA Patrons)

- IA Zoom sessions (Bimonthly Zoom sessions focussing on injectable & business topics)

- Access to our IA Library (Clinical papers, books & other resources)

- Re-watch 8 x IA Webinars (Recorded in the pandemic with global experts)

IA Patrons can also access:

Business mentoring opportunities with David (additional cost, limited slots)

Shadowing opportunities in clinic with Dr Jake (additional cost, limited slots)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Subscribe to IA on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to IA on Spotify

Other IA links:

Follow IA on Instagram

Sign up as an IA Patron

Visit the IA website 

Contact IA

Apply to be a guest on IA

Dr Jake Sloane:

Follow Dr Jake on Instagram 

Dr Jake's website

David Segal:

Follow David on Instagram

Episode 217 hosts Deborah Farnworth-Ward (Entrepreneur from the Gold Coast, Australia)

Deb is the founder of Australian Skin Clinics (ASC) franchise, growing from 1 to 60 locations in just five years. She is an MBA graduate, a Certified Franchise Executive and a serial entrepreneur.

She has an incredible vision and passion for the aesthetics industry where she has immersed herself for 15 years. We learn how her career prior to aesthetics helped her vision, managing large multi-disciplinary healthcare organizations including pharmacies, GP services, surgical facilities, dietetics and counseling services.

00:00 Introduction 01:03 Meet Deborah Farnworth-Ward 03:08 Founding Australian Skin Clinics 06:51 Early Career in Retail and Healthcare 09:18 Moving to Australia and Buying the First Clinic 11:53 State of the Aesthetics Industry in 2007 15:35 Surviving the GFC and Preparing for Growth 17:40 Simplifying Services and Business Model 28:42 From One Clinic to Franchise Expansion 32:44 Choosing the Right Franchisees 37:24 Building Clinics in Shopping Centres 40:28 Recruiting and Training Injectors 43:41 Salary vs Commission Models 45:38 Developing Staff and Education Programs 47:42 Managing Risk and Treatment Scope 49:49 Revenue Shifts in Skin, Laser, and Injectables 51:50 Competition and Market Saturation 55:22 Opportunities for New Clinic Owners 57:36 Why Many Solo Clinics Struggle 70:30 Handling Staff Leaving and Database Risks 79:09 Consultation Style and Patient Communication 86:34 Future of Chain Clinics and Corporate Ownership 95:25 Final Business Advice and Industry Outlook

ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION