Business of Aesthetics Podcast Show

In this episode, host Anji reconnects with Kara McClanahan, executive business consultant at Aesthetic Practice Partners and VP of Operations at Genesis Lifestyle Medicine, to break down why most aesthetic practices aren't struggling because of marketing or device mix. They're struggling because owners have never learned to audit their own operations honestly. Kara argues that chasing revenue and...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Dr. Tiffany Hall, Chief Growth Officer at Aesthetic Record, to dismantle the biggest myth in medical aesthetics: that revenue is the number that decides whether a practice survives. Dr. Hall, who sits on top of one of the largest pools of real-world operational data in the industry, argues that most owners misdiagnose a marketing problem when the re...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Naren Arulrajah, founder of Ekwa Marketing, to tackle the single most disorienting shift in aesthetic practice growth right now: the collapse of traditional search and the rise of AI-driven patient discovery. Naren argues that most practice owners are not just missing the opportunity; they are actively hurting themselves by applying yesterday's logi...

Host Don Adeesha sits down with Kara Kelly, CEO of Clinical HR, to tackle the people problems that quietly derail aesthetic practices, from the moment a clinician becomes a reluctant manager to the chaos of a private equity acquisition. Kara brings fifteen-plus years of direct experience inside med spas and medical practices, and she pulls no punches on the compliance traps that cost owners real m...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Dr. Whitney Havnik, a double board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, to tackle a problem every practice is now facing: an entire generation builds trust with brands long before they ever walk into a clinic. The challenge is no longer spending more to acquire Gen Z patients. It's becoming relevant to them first. Dr. Havnik...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with industry legend Tracey A. Hotta, past editor of the Plastic Surgical Nursing Journal and past president of ISPAN, to confront a problem hiding behind the hype: in a field driven by manufacturer marketing and weekend certifications, how do you build a practice on real clinical integrity? Tracey breaks down the practical markers that separate rigorous...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Amy Engel, owner of Sweet Spot Medispa and a top 50 Evolus partner, to dismantle the most expensive phrase in aesthetics: "we've always done it this way." Amy argues that practices five, eight, and ten years in are bleeding margin to legacy vendor contracts, unprofitable services, and W-2 hires their summers can't support. Amy walks through the math...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing, to confront the biggest shift in local healthcare marketing in a decade. AI is now answering patient questions directly on the search page, the click is disappearing, and the old SEO playbook of rank-click-book is officially dead for aesthetic practice owners. Naren breaks down the financial reality of zero-cl...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Nicole Cocuzza, an esthetician and educator with 35 years in the industry, to talk about why so many aesthetic practices stay stuck even when the clinical work is excellent. Nicole's point is direct. Aesthetic practices do not grow on technique alone. The providers and the practices that stand out have built the human side, patient connection, provi...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Jay Shorr to talk about why so many new aesthetic practices fail, even when the owner is clinically excellent. Jay has spent over 50 years in the medical field, and his point is blunt. Most owners open a room when they should be building a company. Jay walks through the early decisions that quietly decide whether a practice survives year one. He cov...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Chelsea Zainea to expose why strong revenue can still hide a financially fragile aesthetic practice. Chelsea breaks down the difference between looking successful and actually having the cash flow, reserves, and systems required to scale safely. Chelsea explains how owners can use a 13-week cash flow forecast, provider scorecards, utilization target...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha welcomes Dr. Charles Mok to discuss the quiet crisis that lies behind all injectable-only practices: commoditization within a rapidly expanding but under-demanding cosmetic industry. According to Dr. Mok, practices designed for longevity are using their cosmetic treatments as the gateway for accessing the entire health timeline of the patient. This discussion unpa...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Cory Gallagher to tackle the crucial transition from instinct-based management to structured, scalable growth. Cory unpacks the realization that relying solely on grit and hustle creates severe organizational bottlenecks, revealing how a lack of objective data leaves practice owners running blind as their teams expand. The conversation dives deep in...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Dr. Kate Dee, a Yale-educated physician, author of Medspa Mayhem, and founder of Glow MediSpa, to expose the operational landmines in the "Wild West" of the aesthetics industry. Dr. Dee highlights the severe financial and legal risks of scaling with "ghost" medical directors, explaining how renting a medical license to untrained staff can lead to catastrophi...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Mary Ford, co-founder of Smiley Aesthetics and Allergan Medical Institute faculty trainer , to tackle the practice owner's fear of the dilution effect when scaling. Mary argues that hands-on needle skills are rarely the main issue for new hires; instead, the true competency gap lies in a lack of deep knowledge regarding facial anatomy and product rheology. M...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Kim Laudati, CEO of Somercel LLC and founder of IT Intelligent Treatment, to challenge the aesthetic industry's reliance on cutthroat compensation and consumable-heavy business models. Kim argues that the traditional standard of a low base salary plus high commission creates a toxic, transactional culture that damages patient retention and pits staff against...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Melissa DelFino, founder of Modern Distinction LLC and practice manager at Geria Dermatology, to bridge the gap between human behavior and practice profitability. Melissa argues that clinics invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into aesthetic technology while neglecting the psychology of the people operating it, explaining how a practice's internal cultur...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Drew Fine, U.S. general manager for the professional channel at Obagi Medical, to explore the shift from traditional lab studies to real-world clinical data. Drew explains why standard clinical trials are no longer enough and introduces the Aloha program, an initiative designed to gather practice-based evidence and give clinic owners a direct seat a...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Bertha Osorio-Campbell, founder of the Optimal Weight Loss Institute, to explore the intersection of executive performance and clinical entrepreneurship. Bertha argues that normalizing chronic stress as a necessary cost of scaling is a critical error, sharing how the relentless pursuit of growth can actually destroy the biology of the provider running the bu...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Laura Crowley, CEO of Laura Janet & Co, to tackle the "retail gap" in aesthetic practices. Laura explains why the best clinical providers often struggle with retail sales, feeling that it compromises their clinical integrity. She shares how to psychologically rewire a team to reframe product recommendations from a commercial upsell to a necessary part of pat...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Dr. Milind Kachare, a plastic surgeon at Nayak Plastic Surgery, to dissect the "high-performance associate" model. Dr. Kachare explains his "practice within a practice" approach, detailing how he carved out a distinct Breast and Body lane within a predominantly facial surgery ecosystem. He shares the critical preparatory steps he took before day one, includi...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha sits down with Sonja Landtrachtinger, CEO of Beauty Zentrum Group, to address the frustration of the "non-responder" - the patient who undergoes treatments but fails to see results. Sonja argues that clinics typically blame the device when they should be blaming the biology, specifically the gut-skin connection. She details her business model based on neuroaesthet...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Carmen Stansbury, founder of Advanced Practice, to tackle the operational nightmare of adding a wellness division to an aesthetic clinic. Carmen explains that while the demand for longevity and metabolic health is exploding, building these clinical protocols from scratch often traps owners in a cycle of writing SOPs and hiring staff rather than generating re...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Colin Carr, founder and CEO of CARR, to audit the second-largest expense on a practice's P&L: real estate. Colin challenges the assumption that rent is a fixed cost, arguing that a lease is actually a flexible financial instrument capable of funding renovations and boosting valuation. He exposes the hidden costs of the standard dual-agency model, explaining...

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Kara McClanahan, VP of Operations for Genesis Lifestyle Medicine, to discuss why most aesthetic practice goals crumble by March. Kara introduces her "warts and all" operational audit, identifying the single most common blind spot owners ignore: staffing and performance management. She explains that this issue persists simply because it is uncomfortable to ad...