Inside Aesthetics

Episode 222 hosts Marissa Dennis (Nurse Practitioner based in 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 ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

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. 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 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. 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 ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

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. 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 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 ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

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. We discuss: Her early career in the UK where she discovered her gift of developing policies, processes & scaling ideas How a chance conversation with Sir Alan Sugar changed her life forever Her consulting experience in the UK health system & government, learning the art of problem solving & collaborating with different professionals How she aimed to retire in Australia - and how wrong she was! Why she bought Australian Skin Clinics in 2007 How she aimed to differentiate ASC from other competitors Why she opened aesthetic and injectable clinics within shopping malls Her approach to working with franchisees Identifying and removing aesthetic services that are less profitable Her approach to hiring new injectors & how to pay them Why she exited the franchise and the mistake that she made Her insights and advice about staff A warning about staff who steal! ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 216 hosts Audrey Rose (Nurse practitioner based in Boston, USA) Audrey joins us in the 14th Chapter of our series called 'The Injector Diaries'. These episodes feature in depth conversations, stories and experiences from injectors around the globe. Each injector brings their own unique take on things and we showcase every level of type of injector, from newbies to masters. We'll explore how and why they chose to inject, why they favour using certain products, look under the hoods of their clinics and aim to inspire our injector listeners. We discuss: Audrey's background & motivations for getting into the industry Her initial training experiences & how this motivated her to create her own training school How patients tend to seek out injectors who look like themselves Some of the common aesthetic requests & concerns of Afro-American patients The recent trend amongst skincare & pharma companies to celebrate and showcase diversity How we could further improve the cultural & ethnic awareness of injectors Her role as a KOL's & consultant for Prollenium, Evolus and Merz - how to be an authentic trainer How she explains the portfolio of toxins to her patients and why she chooses one over the other Offering weight loss treatments in addition to aesthetics The Audrey Rose Institute of Medical Aesthetics & how this differs from other training schools Her take on marketing and how to attract new patients - including the use of geofencing techniques We also ask every injector in these episodes: What is your number one toxin and why? What is your number one filler and why? What is your go to cannula make, size and why? Aspiration yes or no? What's been the best book, course or other educational offering that has influenced your practice the most? ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 215 showcases our hosts Dr Jake Sloane & David Segal David was recently invited to talk at the Merz Nurse Academy in Sydney. In this episode he and Dr Jake discuss an overview of his presentation, covering some of the key trends that he sees in the Australian industry. We discuss: How average filler volumes usage is down & the reasons why this might be The impending regulatory changes expected by AHPRA & how this might change the nurse/doctor scripting process Whether this is the start of even more regulatory changes in the future The growing trend for biostimulatory treatments on the body as well as the face A new liquid biostimulator product currently being trialled in Australia Competition between various clinic models including chains, boutique clinics & independent nurse injectors A possible scenario where nurses who recently set up independently decide with hindsight to re-collaborate with doctors & chains again Whether a 'We Work'-type shared space for injectors might be a future working model How the current economic pressures are impacting clinics & our patients spending habits - and why this makes it imperative to truly understand how your business is running Patient expectations and exceeding their expectations What your X-factor is & why personal branding is the key to getting the patients you gel with Understanding the patient journey Why building a strong 'team' around you is so vital ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 214 hosts Kelly George (Registered Nurse based in Tamworth, Australia) Kelly is based in regional New South Wales. Originally working in the marketing department for Allergan Aesthetics, Kelly became a nurse injector and has since become a respected speaker & business coach. 'The Business of Injecting' episodes host injectors to discuss all aspects of their business. We analyse their struggles and challenges, difficult decisions, friction points that aren't yet solved, financial concerns, staffing, hiring, firing and other relevant topics for aesthetic business owners. In Chapter 8, we explore: Kelly's career prior to becoming an injector The pros and cons of working in a regional city Her business plan when she started her clinic Her approach to team building for her staff How she incorporates body sculpting into her practice Her role as a KOL and speaker Her podcast Skin & Sass - and the challenges of recording and running this Her plans to open a second location ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION

Episode 213 showcases our hosts Dr Jake Sloane & David Segal. Dr Jake catches up with David after another work trip abroad - this time to Japan. We first get some insight into how David's business consultations work. We then recap on how IA Patreon (our online subscription platform) works and how we can support injectors and aesthetic clinics globally. We then get into the main topic of the podcast exploring why Dr Jake went to Japan and what he learnt. We discuss: What the REFINE meeting is all about (REgional Faculty INnovation Exchange by Allergan Aesthetics) Apple's new device Vision Pro & how new tech might change how we interact with the world Vogue Singapore & how high end fashion influences beauty & aesthetic ideals How tech and beauty can work together - or potentially even be harmful Insights into how local culture and the economy can influence beauty standards The concept of 'beauty capital' - the correlation between beauty & success in life The spectrum of gender, gender dysphoria & identity AI technology for producing social media content Chat Annie - ChatGTP's virtual assistant The metaverse & the concept of avatars (and virtual dating!) Artificial intelligence (AI) and how it's already changing how businesses work How AI can be trained to act as a virtual member of staff How future tech might even be able to sense the emotions of a patient ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION