We were lucky to catch up with Angie Kim recently and have shared our conversation below.

Angie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

While working as a physician in the hospital setting, I began noticing little things over time that pointed towards the toxicity of the working environment, such as how little control and autonomy physicians have in taking care of their own patients, the backstabbing from other healthcare workers, and how physicians from other healthcare systems all had similar stories. I came to the realization that this would not change if I just changed jobs. The only solution was to start my own practice. Luckily, my husband was also supportive of taking this risk, so we packed our bags, moved across the country, and got to planning.

Starting my own business was an intimidating prospect. I had no background in business and had to navigate legal regulations, insurance requirements, and financial planning on my own. But with determination and persistence, I was able to set up a brick and mortar practice within just a few months. Fast forward 7 months, and my husband was able to quit his full time job to fully devote his time to growing the practice.

Angie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My journey into aesthetic medicine began during my medical training when I realized the profound impact that appearance can have on a person’s self-esteem and overall well-being. I finally decided it was time to get uncomfortable and take a chance on myself. Since I was a teenager, I’ve constantly been coming up with new ideas and I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of trying to make a new idea happen. You learn so much by going through the process yourself. I love that I now get to combine my passions for medicine and entrepreneurship.

Glow Up MD is a medical aesthetics and skincare clinic in Katy, TX. We’re building a practice centered around the idea that aesthetic and anti-aging medicine is not just about superficial beauty, but about enhancing one’s confidence and quality of life. We offer a range of non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures, such as injectables, laser treatments, and skin rejuvenation techniques. We’re also committed to staying at the forefront of the field, so we’re constantly exploring new technologies and treatment modalities to provide the best possible outcomes for our patients. We especially focus on bringing together the most advanced skincare treatments and techniques from Korea and combining them with western techniques to provide the best results.

The latest treatment we’re bringing over from Korea is the Lhala peel. The Lhala peel is a new 4th generation chemical peel using LHA (lipohydroxy acid) and alkaline ingredients to improve the overall texture and appearance of the skin, as well as target specific skin concerns such as acne, hyperpigmentation, and aging. Unlike existing peeling treatments that exfoliate dead skin cells with acids, the Lhala peel neutralizes and dissolves dead skin cells with alkalinity and penetrates slowly to improve the skin barrier, pigmentation and cause whitening. It reduces skin irritation, redness or itchiness and is even great for sensitive skin. There is no downtime, and the peel can be done once a week to create the glass skin effect!

We also recently introduced laser toning. Laser toning is a laser technique used to treat difficult pigmentation problems on the skin, such as melasma. It is very popular in Korea due to the prevalence of melasma and other pigmentation problems. Melasma is well known for being triggered by heat, so lasers have typically been avoided in patients with melasma. However, the laser toning technique minimizes the amount of heat the skin receives while efficiently targeting the pigment.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

We struggled for a while when we first opened trying to find patients. After months of trying all the typical marketing techniques, I realized what we needed to do was differentiate ourselves from all the other medspas around us. I didn’t want to be just like the other medspa down the street. Since I closely follow skincare trends around the world, it also became apparent that there was no other skincare clinic in Houston that provided some of the most popular treatments in Korea. We all know that Korea is one of the most advanced in terms of skincare treatments. So I decided to change our focus to bringing clinical K-beauty treatments to Houston.

With our connections to family in Korea and our physical location in Katy Asia Town, it only made sense to combine current western aesthetic modalities with the most advanced treatments in Korean skincare. Many of my patients also travel to Korea to get skincare treatments done, so I want to be able to provide them the option of having these treatments here. We’ve been doing a lot of research into Korean scientific literature as well as reaching out to various medical clinics and companies in Korea. It’s going to be a slow process and presents its own challenges with the time zone difference between the US and Korea, as well as longer shipping times for products to arrive.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

The qualities of perseverance and resourcefulness. Starting a new business is never easy. I faced many unexpected challenges and changes in the initial phases of starting the clinic, but I chose to be open-minded and adapt to these changes instead of throwing in the towel. I’m also always seeking out new opportunities and ways to improve, even from unconventional sources. But that’s what makes this whole challenge so rewarding. You learn to come up with alternative out-of-the-box solutions to the problems you encounter along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.glowupmdspa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowupmdspa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glowupmdkaty