Behind the Needle

The Financial Truth Behind a Thriving Med Spa with Jaci North

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 fear is costing practices real money, and what it looks like to replace avoidance with a financial system that actually works for growth. If you have ever closed your bookkeeping software before the numbers could stress you out, this episode is for you. In this episode: * What a fractional CFO actually does and why it is changing how small med spas access financial expertise * How to understand gross profit, operational profit, and what the "job" of profit really is inside your business * Why financial mindset matters as much as financial literacy, and how to stop avoiding your own data * The levers med spa owners can pull to improve margins without burning out their teams * Why Jaci treats marketing as an investment and what trackable ROI actually looks like Resources + Links Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/ [https://medspamediagroup.com/] North & Ivy: https://northandivy.com/ [https://northandivy.com/] Grounding Point Assessment: https://northandivy.com/grounding-assessment [https://northandivy.com/grounding-assessment] Follow Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/ [https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/] MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/ [https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/] Jaci North: https://www.instagram.com/jacinorth/ [https://www.instagram.com/jacinorth/]

Anatomy, Empathy, and the Art of Slowing Down with Adriana Medeiros

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 any other clinical specialty. She also opens up about cadaver lab training and the anatomical realities that textbooks simply cannot prepare you for. This episode is for every injector who got into aesthetics because they genuinely care about patients and every practice owner trying to build something that lasts. In this episode: * How a career spanning med-surge, acute care, and pediatric dialysis shaped her approach to aesthetics * The "unreasonable hospitality" philosophy behind her practice and what it looks like in action * The follow-up facial program that grew her business * Why she invested in cadaver lab training and what studying real human anatomy revealed that no course could replicate * The argument she makes for treating aesthetics with the same seriousness as any other branch of medicine * What she hopes her children take away from watching her build something from nothing Resources + Links Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/ [https://medspamediagroup.com/] Book with Lux Lab Aesthetics: https://luxlabaesthetics.com/ [https://luxlabaesthetics.com/] Follow Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/ [https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/] MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/ [https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/] Lux Lab Aesthetics: https://www.instagram.com/luxlabaesthetics [https://www.instagram.com/luxlabaesthetics]

The Science Behind Hair Removal and Restoration With Kristi Kay

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-recognized method of permanent hair removal. The conversation expands beyond hair removal into one of the fastest-growing areas of aesthetic medicine: hair restoration. Kristi explains how Electrolysis & Co. approaches hair loss through comprehensive consultations, lab testing, and advanced technologies like TED Hair Restoration.  This episode is packed with practical information for anyone considering hair removal or looking for answers about thinning hair before it's too late to intervene. In this episode: * Why electrolysis remains the only FDA-recognized method of permanent hair removal * The biggest differences between electrolysis and laser hair reduction * What the electrolysis process actually looks like and what patients can expect * Common misconceptions about permanent hair removal * Why early intervention is critical when it comes to hair loss * How hormone imbalances, vitamin deficiencies, COVID, and GLP-1 medications can contribute to hair thinning * What patients should know before starting a hair restoration journey Resources + Links Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/ [https://medspamediagroup.com/] Book with Electrolysis & Co.: https://www.electrolysisandco.com/ [https://www.electrolysisandco.com/] Follow Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/ [https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/] MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/ [https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/] Electrolysis & Co.: https://www.instagram.com/electrolysisandco/ [https://www.instagram.com/electrolysisandco/]

Why you NEED to LOVE what you do with Nina Traster

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 medicine while building her aesthetics practice on nights and weekends to growing a thriving business of her own, Nina shares why genuine excitement for the work has been the driving force behind her success. This episode is for anyone building a career, growing a business, or searching for work that energizes rather than drains them. In this episode: * How Nina balanced family medicine and aesthetics while building her business from the ground up * The moment she decided to transition into aesthetics full-time * Why loving your work is one of the best defenses against burnout * The benefits of a patient-centered, concierge-style practice model * How she manages a high-volume schedule while maintaining quality patient care * The systems, preparation, and delegation strategies that keep her practice running smoothly * Why continuous education is essential in the rapidly evolving aesthetics industry * Her advice for new injectors looking to grow their skills and confidence * Why staying focused on your own patients and your own journey matters more than social media competition Resources + Links Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/ [https://medspamediagroup.com/] Book with iConcierge: https://iconciergemedspa.com/ [https://iconciergemedspa.com/] Follow Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/ [https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/] MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/ [https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/] iConcierge Medspa: https://www.instagram.com/iconcierge_medspa/ [https://www.instagram.com/iconcierge_medspa/]

Building a Practice Around Prevention, Not Prescriptions With Brittany Bunjovac

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 sparked her interest in aesthetic medicine, why she pursued becoming a nurse practitioner to gain more autonomy in patient care, and how she built BBUN Beauty Injectables and Wellness around a philosophy of treating root causes instead of chasing symptoms. In this episode: * How Brittany's childhood passion for nutrition shaped her career path into wellness medicine * Why she left traditional nursing behind to become a nurse practitioner and business owner * The difference between reactive healthcare and proactive wellness care * How she helps patients uncover root causes instead of simply treating symptoms * Her approach to hormone optimization and why "normal" lab values don't always mean optimal health * The personal hormone challenges she faced and how they impacted her physically and mentally * The growing popularity of peptides and the risks associated with purchasing them online without medical supervision * The role of aesthetics within a larger wellness and longevity strategy Resources + Links Work with Mike, learn more about social media and ads for your MedSpa: https://medspamediagroup.com/ [https://medspamediagroup.com/] Book with BBUN Beauty: https://www.bbunbeauty.com/ [https://www.bbunbeauty.com/] Follow Mike LeMieux: https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/ [https://www.instagram.com/mikelemieux/] MedSpa Media: https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/ [https://www.instagram.com/medspa_media/] BBUN Beauty: https://www.instagram.com/bbunbeauty_aesthetics_wellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/bbunbeauty_aesthetics_wellness/] Brittany Bunjovac: https://www.instagram.com/bbunbeauty_fnpinjector [https://www.instagram.com/bbunbeauty_fnpinjector]