Medical Spa Insider

This week, AmSpa President and CSO Cathy Christensen speaks with Cy Wakeman, drama researcher, New York Times bestselling author of No Ego, and 2023 world's number one leadership guru, to discuss reality-based leadership. They talk about common leadership challenges in medical spas, including managing diverse teams, implementing standardized processes, and balancing in-office and remote work. Their conversation includes: Why you should be managing the energy of your team, not their behavior; How to clean up your thinking, find your impact and take the next right action; Why stress comes from the story we make up about reality; Train to act, not react: Co-regulating to diffuse drama and look beyond ego; The four types of boundaries leaders must set in the workplace; Standardizing processes to eliminate errors and improve safe patient care; Cy’s upcoming keynote presentation at the Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference (WALC). For a masterclass on restoring sanity in the workplace and calling your team up to greatness, join Cy Wakeman at the Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference October 3 - 5, 2025, at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Her closing keynote, “Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama and Turn Excuses Into Results” will give leaders the tools, techniques and proven coaching models to skillfully navigate the interferences of drama, hardwire personal accountability and help their teams deliver on their business goals. Learn more and register at experiencewalc.com. --- Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa founder and CEO Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with RealSelf CEO Minou Clark to discuss the platform’s transformation into a dynamic, consumer-first destination for aesthetics. Clark shares how RealSelf is evolving to meet the needs of today’s beauty consumer by embracing med spas and amplifying the human side of aesthetics. Clark’s transition from Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media to her first CEO role in aesthetics; RealSelf’s evolution from a plastic surgery directory to a multifaceted consumer platform; How social media shifted aesthetics from taboo to pop culture and self-actualization; RealSelf’s rebrand: modern UX, aspirational design and intuitive navigation for younger users; Launching seamless booking to remove friction and drive conversion across providers; Supporting coexistence between med spas, plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists; RealSelf’s commitment to vetting quality providers and elevating industry standards; Clark's vision for activism, how aesthetics changes lives, and more! -- Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Nena Kallopoulos, PA-C, founder of Drip Medi Spa in Englewood, New Jersey, to explore the realities of practicing aesthetic medicine as a physician assistant. With nearly two decades of clinical experience, Nena shares the challenges of building a compliant aesthetic practice and reflects on her experience navigating a license lapse and subsequent regulatory review. In this conversation: Transitioning from emergency and concierge medicine to IV therapy and aesthetics; Building a compliant med spa as a non-physician; The unexpected consequences of administrative oversights; Her experience with the state licensing board and broader implications for PAs; Why education, unity and advocacy are essential to the future of aesthetic medicine. -- Music by Ghost Score

Chris Suchánek, the founder and CSO of Firm Media and creator of Ailm Atelier, shares his fascinating journey from Grammy-winning music marketing to the world of aesthetic advertising. He discusses how authenticity and storytelling are revolutionizing patient connections. The conversation delves into Ailm Atelier's mission to showcase top aesthetic doctors, the importance of patient trust in branding, and the future of marketing strategies that leverage mixed media to reach consumers effectively, all while redefining personal and professional narratives.

In this greatest hits episode, we revisit an empowering keynote recorded live at AmSpa’s inaugural Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference (WALC) in 2023. Listen in as Carrie Strom, senior vice president of AbbVie and president of Global Allergan Aesthetics, chats with Sara Blakely, founder and executive chairwoman of SPANX. Following a brief introduction from Strom and AmSpa founder Alex R. Thiersch, JD, this keynote conversation explores the founding of a household name, along with leadership insight on confidence, failure, purpose, mindset, and much more! This year, AmSpa's WALC is honored to present keynote speaker Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics. Join us October 3, 2025, for “Becoming Unstoppable,” an inspiring keynote where Jamie shares her inspiring journey from rejection and self-doubt to resilience and success. --- Music by Ghost Score

Lisa Lickstein, Co-owner and COO of Lickstein Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa, discusses her transformative approach to leadership driven by 'unreasonable hospitality.' She shares insights on building a thriving patient base and how a staff book club fosters teamwork. Lisa highlights three key rules for embedding this culture within a team, and reveals the importance of enhancing 100 patient touchpoints to elevate the overall experience. Expect to learn how strong company culture translates into better patient relationships and business success.

This week, AmSpa founder and CEO Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Lori Werner, founder and chief marketing whiz at Medical Marketing Whiz, a woman-led marketing agency that specializes in marketing for wellness and medical aesthetics practices. They talk about her path from medical device sales to entrepreneurship and how her team helps med spas get discovered online using answer engine optimization (AI-SEO). How she transitioned from medical device sales to founding a woman-led marketing agency in aesthetics and women’s health; The marketing blind spots of practices newly adding cash-based aesthetic services; Why SEO and AI-SEO are critical to get recommended by Google, ChatGPT and other AI platforms; Going beyond Meta and Google ads with a strategy rooted in how patients research and choose providers; Using YouTube, press releases and scheduled content to boost search visibility and trust; Email, text and AI tools like Dr. Social Whiz that drive conversions. For more on this topic, check out Medical Marketing Whiz’s recent webinar: Answer Engine Optimization (AI-SEO): How to Become the Recommended Provider in ChatGPT and Other AI Platforms --- Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa President and CSO, Cathy Christensen, speaks with Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, celebrated entrepreneur, founder of BrainTrust and author of The Beauty of Success: Start, Grow and Accelerate Your Brand. They discuss her entrepreneurial journey from building brands to owning in the beauty space, how she evaluates opportunities, and the ways she protects her mental wellness with the help of her community. Listen for: Aligning opportunities with her four pillars: community, mentorship, education, capital; How she knows when it’s time to pivot, take a leap or let go of an opportunity; Her nonprofit’s efforts for diversity and mentorship in the beauty industry; The importance of building a strong community of trusted partners; Finding joy and managing stress to protect your wellness; Kendra’s advice for maintaining positivity in challenging times; Her upcoming ventures in wellness, retail, podcasting and more! Kendra shares more about the power of building your brain trust in her presentation “Community and Counsel: Building Your Brain Trust” on October 4, 2025, at the Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference. Register to learn why no founder should navigate the path alone and how you can build the counsel you need for sustainable leadership and self-motivation. -- Music by Ghost Score

In this Medical Spa Show edition of Medical Spa Insider, AmSpa’s Alex Thiersch, JD, speaks with Shannon Blake, director of medical spa partnerships at Podium. They chat about what makes MSS her favorite aesthetic conference and trade show, along with the exciting new voice capabilities Podium is building into its AI-powered lead management and client communication platform. Listen to hear: What made MSS2025 Podium’s favorite show so far; How Avery is solving the issue of speed to lead; Building an AI voice for inbound and outbound calls; How med spas personalize their AI patient coordinator; Why MSS is the one-stop shop for building relationships in aesthetics. --- Music by Ghost Score

“For med spas, it’s so important to know who you are, what you stand for, and deliver on that with discipline.” This week, AmSpa’s Alex Thiersch sits down with Lowinn Kibbey, President of North America at Cynosure Lutronic, to discuss the landmark merger of two global energy-based device leaders and what it means for the future of medical aesthetics. They talk about: The historic merger of Cynosure and Lutronic, one year in; Navigating the unique dynamics of the aesthetics industry; Why brand identity, discipline and metrics are key to med spa success; Cynosure Lutronic’s approach to clinical training and post-sale support; Four major growth drivers: rejuvenation, rejuvenation, skin of color and male patients; How GLP-1s are reshaping patient demand and creating new business models; And much more. --- Music by Ghost Score