Behind the Needle

Most med spa owners know how to build a beautiful client experience. Far fewer know what their numbers are actually telling them. Jaci North is a CPA and fractional CFO who works inside multiple med spas at once, and she has seen the same pattern repeat itself: talented, driven owners who are quietly terrified of their own financials. In this episode of Behind the Needle, Jaci breaks down why that...

Most injectors learn anatomy from a textbook. Adriana Medeiros learned it from a cadaver lab, and she will tell you there is no comparison. In this episode of Behind the Needle, Adriana Medeiros walks through her path from med-surge and pediatric dialysis to aesthetics, what it took to open her own practice after NP school, and why she believes aesthetic medicine demands the same level of rigor as...

Most people assume laser hair treatments and permanent hair removal are the same thing. According to electrologist and business owner Kristi Kay, they're not even close. In this episode of Behind the Needle , Kristi Kay, owner of Electrolysis & Co., discusses the often misunderstood world of permanent hair removal, the science behind electrolysis, and why it remains the only FDA-recognize...

Success in aesthetics isn't just about technique, business strategy, or social media. According to Nina Traster, it starts with loving what you do. In this episode of Behind the Needle , Mike sits down with Nina Traster, physician assistant and owner of iConcierge Med Spa in St. Petersburg, Florida, to discuss the role passion has played in her career. From working full-time in family medicin...

Long before she became a nurse practitioner, Brittany Bunjovac was the kid leading a protest for healthier school lunches.  That same passion for understanding the connection between nutrition, wellness, and long-term health eventually led her into aesthetics, hormone optimization, and preventative medicine. In this episode, Brittany shares how a serious complication from a nose filler treatment s...

She turned a front-row seat to plastic surgery into a thriving injecting career, and now she is one of the most education-driven aesthetic providers in Southern Arizona. Megan Mallory started in aesthetics in 2013 as an aesthetician, became a laser technician after moving to Arizona, and eventually went back to school to become an RN. Now she runs Canvas Skin Clinic in Oro Valley as a full-time in...

She started injecting in the middle of a pandemic out of a single rented room, and four years later she was running a five room storefront with a full team and a name everyone in Clark County knows. Jordan Stansbury launched her practice in 2020 and by 2023 knew the brand needed to change. Juicy Aesthetics was born, Clark County took notice, and the votes for best med spa came in two years straigh...

She found a med spa for sale on a Facebook post, toured it with her husband, and made the decision before they got home. There was no lengthy deliberation. No waiting for the stars to align. Molly Farrabee saw the opportunity, said yes, and figured out the rest on the way. This episode is about the kind of bet that changes everything and the person willing to make it. In this episode: Why going so...

Katrina Flowers-Pierie spent years as a Physician Assistant in emergency services and trauma surgery before she ever picked up a syringe for aesthetics. The 24-hour call shifts, the adrenaline, the high-stakes environment — she loved all of it. Until she had kids. Then the math stopped working. So she pivoted. Slowly at first, building medical aesthetics as a side business in 2013 while still work...

What if your med spa had no address, no lease, and no waiting room, and was still fully booked? Michelle Chapman is a nurse practitioner who threw out the traditional med spa playbook entirely. Instead of four walls and a reception desk, she built her entire aesthetic practice inside a custom converted Mercedes-Benz van she calls Big Bertha. No brick and mortar. No overhead. Just Botox, fillers, a...

If your retail sales feel awkward, forced, or inconsistent, it is not a you problem. It is a strategy problem. Sarah Mourer has spent her career inside some of the most successful med spas in the country and she knows exactly what separates the practices that thrive from the ones that plateau. As an Aesthetic Business Manager for Skin Better Science, she has seen firsthand how the right sales stra...

Dr. Steven Sorr is not your average aesthetics provider. A former Le Cordon Bleu trained chef turned functional medicine doctor, he brings a perspective on patient care that connects what you eat, how you sleep, and how stressed you are directly to how well your treatments perform. In this episode, we explore the techniques, technology, and personal philosophy behind one of the most thoughtful pra...

Hydrafacial is one of the most recognized treatment names in aesthetics, but are practices actually getting the most out of the device? Nicole Shaver, Senior Sales Director for Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean, has spent over eight years helping practices answer that question. In this episode, we dig into the business side of Hydrafacial, from building memberships and training staff to the...

If you've ever wondered what separates a truly great injector from everyone else, this episode is your answer. Morgan Renfro, founder of Anatomy of Aesthetics in Arizona, brings fifteen years of nursing experience, a laser focus on injectables, and zero interest in cutting corners to a conversation about what it really means to build a specialty practice. From accidentally stumbling into aest...

What happens when a hospice nurse trades end-of-life care for aesthetics, and builds a 13-person med spa on nothing but trust, honesty, and genuine community connection? Aymee Wilson, RN, owner of Wilson Aesthetics in Prescott, Arizona, joins us for one of the most grounded, real conversations we've had on the show about what it actually takes to grow a practice with your values intact. In th...

What happens when you are trying to build a business, grow a career, and raise a family all at the same time? Danielle LeBlanc shares how she went from a full time CRNA to building her own aesthetics business from the ground up. From initially doubting the industry to investing over $60,000 in advanced trainings, she walks through what it really took to gain confidence and create a thriving clinic...

What happens when burnout pushes you to bet on yourself? After years working in the NICU, Demi and Ila, a mother daughter duo, experienced burnout and began exploring a new path in aesthetics. What started as a potential partnership at another practice turned into the decision to build their own med spa from the ground up with no existing clientele. They share what it looked like to get started, f...

What does it really take to build a beauty business from the ground up while raising a family? Heather Ames started her journey as an aesthetician at 18 and launched her first business at just 20, eventually growing it into Beauty Secrets Collective, a one-stop shop in Peoria, Arizona offering aesthetics, injectables, and hair services. What began as a small business has evolved into a multifacete...

In this episode of Behind the Needle , we sit down with aesthetician and entrepreneur Amanda Hartline to talk about building a thriving solo practice in a small-town market, the realities of growing a business from scratch, and what it really takes to create loyal, lifelong clients. Amanda shares her journey from growing up in Lake Havasu City to leaving home for esthetics school at Penrose Academ...

In this episode of Behind the Needle , we sit down with Ashleigh Strother, founder of LCV Beauty, to talk about building a successful aesthetic practice and finding your path in the industry. Ashleigh shares her journey into nursing and aesthetics, what inspired her transition, and what it’s been like growing a business outside of a major city. She opens up about the realities of expansion, team b...

In this episode of Behind the Needle , I sit down with Ingrid Marayag, founder of Grace Skin Aesthetics in Monterey, California, to talk about building a purpose-driven practice rooted in trust, intention, and the belief that aging is a privilege. With nearly 14 years in the medical field and a background as a makeup artist, Ingrid brings a unique blend of artistry and clinical expertise to aesthe...

In this episode of Behind the Needle , I sit down with Betsey Neddermeyer, founder of True Body Medical Spa, to talk about what it really looks like to leave traditional medicine and build something more aligned, more intentional, and more impactful. She shares how she went from zero business experience to opening and rapidly scaling her practice, including investing heavily in marketing early on,...

What does it really take to keep a med spa fully booked while building a system that actually works? Mike Lemieux, founder of MedSpa Media, breaks down the client acquisition strategies that turn sporadic leads into predictable bookings. You’ll hear why relying on word-of-mouth and referrals isn’t enough, how paid ads on Meta and Google can fill your pipeline fast, and the “speed-to-lead” mistakes...

What does it really take to build a beloved aesthetics brand that grows on word-of-mouth and still books new clients on demand? Skin Charm founder and lead injector, Annie Bruno, shares how she pivoted during lockdown, scaled with integrity, and turned warm Southern-hospitality vibes into a repeat-client machine. You’ll hear Annie’s ethical take on injector training (and why she turns down easy mo...

Ready for social strategies that fill your calendar? In this episode, I sit down with Lindsay Miller, founder of Bae Socials, to unpack what actually drives growth for med spas, derms, and beauty/wellness brands on social media (without burning out!) You’ll learn how to create high-performing content, common mistakes you might be making in your content, and if/when it’s a smart move to use AI in y...